Battle Net

Xu Ziming had no doubts. Under Ma Mingyu's guidance, he quickly lay down inside the Virtual Pod.

Immediately afterward, waves of deep blue light swept across his body, and then he woke up.

[Welcome to the pinnacle of the world's Martial Way!]

[Here, you will experience the most exhilarating duels. Here, you will meet friends from every country in the world. Here, you will receive the purest training!]

[You may choose to fight any alien race whose data has been recorded, battle the younger versions of humanity's strongest experts, or invite friends to spar.]

[Of course, if you enjoy trying to survive in extreme environments, you can also simulate the scenes in your mind and have an unforgettable experience!]

[Here, everyone can reach the limits of the Martial Way!]

[Welcome to Battle Net. New user, please confirm your ID.]

As the electronic voice echoed, a series of images floated before Xu Ziming's eyes along with subtitles. Every one of them was breathtaking.

This also made him curious about the mysterious Battle Net.

"Battle Net?"

"That's right, Battle Net."

Ma Mingyu had logged in long ago without using a Virtual Pod. He was now standing beside Xu Ziming.

"You can confirm your name on Battle Net first. It's best not to use your real name, or some freak might come looking for you in real life."

As he said this, a trace of lingering fear showed on Ma Mingyu's face.

Xu Ziming looked up and saw that his homeroom teacher's ID was plainly Ma Mingyu. He immediately understood why his teacher had said that.

Poor Teacher Ma. It was already 2070, yet he had boldly registered online with his real name. That was something.

Xu Ziming did not dwell on it for long. He casually entered "Little Ming Who Can't Use a Sword" as his ID, and the next moment, a successful registration notification appeared.

"Registration succeeded, Teacher. What exactly is this Battle Net?"

Xu Ziming looked puzzled. He did not understand why his teacher valued this thing so highly.

"It's a competitive platform for martial artists across the world. Only those whose Life Energy Level has reached Level Five and who have become Official Martial Artists are qualified to register an account."

"But..."

Hearing that requirement, Xu Ziming was dumbfounded. How had someone with a Life Energy Level of only 3.1 successfully registered?

"Of course, those below martial artist level aren't completely without a chance. As long as you place in the top thousand in the city during the First Mock Exam, you can register."

Ma Mingyu abruptly changed the subject.

"Then wouldn't I have even less of a chance?"

"Connections work too. Did you think this was merely a competitive platform..."

At this point, Ma Mingyu's face was full of pride. "Don't underestimate me. I still have some standing in the military."

"Forget it, I won't talk to you about that. Before the College Entrance Exam, you can use this platform to continuously hone your martial skills. The practical training in the College Entrance Exam isn't like this—it's more like a battle royale. One careless mistake, and you could lose your life."

As he said this, his expression turned serious once more. "More importantly, eligibility for the High School Martial Arts League is obtained through Battle Net rankings."

At this point, Ma Mingyu's expression became visibly solemn.

"If you reach the top hundred in the city, you can directly enter the next Pengcheng High School Martial Arts Tournament without taking up one of the school's slots."

After saying that, he logged out of Battle Net and dissolved into a cluster of data.

When Xu Ziming exited Battle Net, he saw Ma Mingyu holding a small watch in his hand.

"This is a simplified login device. You can log into Battle Net from home."

Xu Ziming accepted the watch, feeling moved for a moment. From what his teacher had just said, it seemed Teacher Ma had even called in some old connections to get him this registration slot.

He had no idea when Teacher Ma had done all this...

"Oh, right. With your current grades, you can receive a school grant. I'll help you apply for one soon. The requirements for Grade A are a bit high, but Grade B should be well within reach."

"Thank you, Master."

Xu Ziming did not call Ma Mingyu "Teacher." Instead, he called him Master.

Although he knew that the kindness Ma Mingyu had shown him over the past two days could not be repaid with a simple word like Master, he still could not help saying it.

"Get home and train. You're a grown man, so don't pull this stuff with me."

Ma Mingyu laughed and scolded him as he drove Xu Ziming out.

By the time Xu Ziming got home, the sky had already darkened. It was much later than usual.

Mother Xu was busy carrying a basin of meat out of the kitchen. Seeing this, Xu Ziming hurried over, took the basin from her, and quickly set it on the table.

"A-Ming, why are you home so late today?" Mother Xu wiped the sweat from her forehead and asked worriedly.

"Wasn't there a weekly test today? I did pretty well, and the teacher said he'd get me a grant."

Xu Ziming smiled and quickly explained.

"My precious boy is amazing. Come on, look at all the dishes Mom made today."

Xu Ziming looked at the table, which was piled with all kinds of dishes, most of them meat.

Ever since he had wolfed down food a few times, Mother Xu had worried that he was not eating enough. Every day, she made two or three times as much food as before.

"Mom, I'll definitely get into one of the Five Great Spirit Academies this year." Xu Ziming's eyes grew slightly moist as he hugged Mother Xu tightly.

"Dinner's ready. What are you two doing?" Xu Zhiyao looked at her brother and said helplessly.

"Right, right, A-Ming, hurry and eat. Oh, your father also sent something back from the front lines."

As she spoke, Mother Xu took a metal box from a nearby shelf. After opening it, she revealed a red object inside that pulsed without stop.

Xu Ziming instinctively touched it.

[Detected: Alien Warrior Life Source Crystal (One-Time Leap), Purified Version]

[Obtainable Trait: "Alien Slayer"]

[Trait Effect: Allows the user to sense the presence of alien races in advance. Attacks against alien races gain a 50% increase in effectiveness.]

[Permanent Solidification Requirement: Kill ten alien races]

[No Equipment Slot currently available. Cannot equip.]

"How did he get this?" Xu Ziming looked worried.

"Your father said he made a small contribution on the front lines and exchanged his merits for it. The military makes these after extracting the blood qi from alien races. It helps increase Life Energy Level."

Xu Ziming silently took the box. He knew that earning merit meant going to the front lines with the troops. His father was only a mech repair technician and should have been working in logistics.

Now that he had gone to the front lines, it was probably because Xu Ziming would soon be taking the College Entrance Exam, and his father wanted to trade for some resources for him.

"Alright, eat first."

Mother Xu patted his shoulder and said nothing more. She only hoped that both her son and husband would return safely. That was enough for her.

"Mm."

He did not decide to use it to raise his Life Energy Level. He still had a sufficient supply of E-Grade Blood Qi Potion.

Since it could be equipped, he would keep it for now.