Phase two?

The space was completely dark. A stage with a radius of over two hundred meters floated silently in the darkness. On the stage, looking up, everything was void. Only the lights shining from the edges of the stage allowed one to feel somewhat grounded.

"What's going on?"

"Why am I here?"

"Wasn't I supposed to be taking a game test assessment?"

Zhao Hu got up, looking at the empty space with a bewildered expression, completely unable to understand what had happened.

The previous second, he had been lying in the virtual game pod. The next second, it was as if time and space had shifted. The coldness in his limbs and the chill in his breath were intense. It felt like every breath sent a wave of cold straight to his lungs, making his whole body tremble and shiver uncontrollably.

However, before Zhao Hu could even process his surroundings, a resolute man with a single eye appeared at the center of the stage.

No!

In Zhao Hu's eyes, the figure in the center of the stage didn't resemble a human at all.

With a massive height of two meters and forty centimeters, even though Zhao Hu himself was two meters tall, he felt like a child in front of this resolute, one-eyed man.

System: Please survive for 20 seconds.

"Is this a game?"

Zhao Hu was stunned when he heard the system prompt, unable to believe it was real.

While many virtual games focused on player sensory feedback, such a realistic sensation was unprecedented in Zhao Hu's life, especially the icy chill that reached his lungs with every breath.

It felt like being in the dead of winter with no clothes on, and someone was constantly pouring cold water into his mouth from a kettle, making it strangely addictive, with them occasionally asking if it tasted good.

Just as Zhao Hu regained his composure and prepared to face his opponent, intending to showcase what it meant to be Invincible Iron Fist, Qin Mu, at the center of the stage, moved.

With a single step, the marble slab beneath him instantly cracked. Qin Mu was like a gust of wind, covering fifty meters in less than two seconds, appearing before Zhao Hu.

"So fast!"

"So strong!"

Zhao Hu looked at Qin Mu, who loomed over him like a small tower. With years of combat experience in Pilgrimage, Zhao Hu knew very well that Qin Mu was terrifying and not someone he could easily contend with.

Seeing Qin Mu's fist coming straight at him, Zhao Hu instinctively retreated, narrowly dodging the punch. In his haste, he tumbled several times before managing to steady himself.

"That was close. His speed and strength far surpass mine. To last 20 seconds, I need to create distance."

Zhao Hu watched as Qin Mu didn't pursue, his mind constantly analyzing the situation.

The test only required him to survive for 20 seconds, not to defeat Qin Mu, which undoubtedly lowered the difficulty. However, lasting 20 seconds against someone whose strength and speed far exceeded his own was still no easy feat.

As Zhao Hu completed his third roll and sprang back to his feet with a carp flip, he suddenly froze.

At some point, Qin Mu had already appeared before him, his fist filling Zhao Hu's entire field of vision.

Boom!

"Am I dead already?"

Zhao Hu stared at the virtual game pod screen, completely dumbfounded.

Fast!

It was simply too fast!

Zhao Hu considered himself skilled in close-quarters combat, with few opponents who could make him take them seriously. Even if an opponent possessed astonishing strength and speed, he could usually use his agility to maintain some level of control.

But in the fight just now, Zhao Hu felt his focus was already at its peak, yet he hadn't even reacted before being hit squarely by the fist.

"Again!"

Without a second thought, Zhao Hu paid 198 to revive and fight again.

After all, he held the title of Invincible Iron Fist in Pilgrimage. If he couldn't even last 20 seconds against an unarmed NPC, it would be a laughingstock.

Moreover, with such realistic sensory feedback, the combat experience was unparalleled. How could he not try again?

His vision shifted, and Zhao Hu reappeared on the stage. This time, he was free from the initial bewilderment and panic. Almost instantly, he fixed his gaze on the center of the stage, waiting for Qin Mu's appearance.

"I don't believe I can't beat you, or at least evade you!"

Zhao Hu watched Qin Mu charge at him again, his focus sharper than ever. He intently tracked Qin Mu's every move. The moment Qin Mu threw a punch, Zhao Hu retreated and evaded, maintaining a distance where Qin Mu couldn't reach him.

One punch!

Two punches!

Three punches!

Zhao Hu, with almost mechanical precision, dodged Qin Mu's fists, his timing impeccable. This continued for a full three seconds.

Boom!

Due to a split-second misjudgment, Zhao Hu was once again headshotted by Qin Mu.

"I've got his attack rhythm down. Again!"

Zhao Hu paid another 198.

Five seconds later.

"Again!"

"One more time!"

Just as Zhao Hu, after dying over a hundred times, was preparing for his next challenge, a communication prompt suddenly sounded in his ear.

"What is it? Speak quickly!"

Zhao Hu answered with some impatience, his tone questioning.

"Brother Zhao, we've gathered our people in the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty. We're just waiting for you."

"Good! I'll finish the fight here immediately and head over. You guys finalize the plan, I'll be there soon!"

After speaking, Zhao Hu hung up the communication, stood up, and walked to the large refrigerator in the room. He took out a bottle of chilled drink, chugged it down, and then paid 198 again to challenge Qin Mu.

"This NPC is truly a monster, but I'm completely familiar with him now, his attack rhythm and patterns. There should be no problem lasting 20 seconds this time," Zhao Hu said, looking at Qin Mu who had reappeared in the center of the arena, full of confidence.

After hundreds of deaths, Zhao Hu had thoroughly figured out everything about Qin Mu. He had even come close to lasting ten seconds before, but a moment of mental distraction caused him to miss the rhythm and get instantly obliterated.

But now, Zhao Hu had drunk a special beverage that made his brain incredibly excited, so he wouldn't have problems with concentration for a while.

One second...

Three seconds...

Nine seconds...

"Good! Past the tenth second!"

Zhao Hu looked at another dodged punch, his face filled with excitement.

Qin Mu's attacks were all lethal. Any slight misjudgment meant death, and even a graze would be fatal.

Now, he was completely familiar with Qin Mu's attacks. Even with the significant gap in strength and speed, as long as his timing was accurate, he could still barely dodge.

As he entered the eleventh second, Zhao Hu was already preparing for another cycle when Qin Mu suddenly took a step back, creating distance between them.

"Phase two?" Zhao Hu wasn't surprised by this.

When fighting a BOSS, it was impossible not to have a phase two; this was common game knowledge. In fact, if Qin Mu, such a good BOSS, didn't have a phase two, he would definitely leave a bad review in the comment section.

At some point, Qin Mu produced a silver spear over three meters long. With a simple swing of the spear, a gust of wind almost knocked Zhao Hu over.

"Bring it on! Let me see how powerful your phase two is." Zhao Hu looked at Qin Mu's stance and understood that the real battle was just beginning.

However, before Zhao Hu could prepare to create distance, the silver spear in Qin Mu's hand shot out like a dragon emerging from the sea.

Seven spear shadows appeared instantly!

"Damn it!"

Zhao Hu's eyes nearly bulged out as he looked at the seven spear shadows attacking simultaneously.

Before, Qin Mu's attacks were just simple punches. He only needed to focus on the single fist Qin Mu was swinging.

But now, he had to track seven spear shadows at once. Was this game even playable?

Then, Zhao Hu's vision went black. When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the game pod, and the communication prompt was ringing in his ears.

"Brother Zhao, people from Mythic Paradise suddenly attacked. You haven't arrived yet, what should we do?"