Black White Forest

Around noon, Grandpa Lei finally extricated himself from the crowd of aunties.

Seeing Xu Jiang's dark expression, he smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "I remember, you're Xu Jiang, right? Didn't think you'd actually show up."

Xu Jiang replied sourly, "Yeah! I didn't think you'd be such an unserious instructor either."

"Impossible, I'm very serious." Grandpa Lei lit a cigarette, turned his head to glance at the aunties in the distance, and couldn't help the corner of his mouth twitching into a smile.

Blowing out a smoke ring and pouring hot water into his teacup, Grandpa Lei said slowly, "Truth be told, I've trained quite a few students. Someone as persistent as you is pretty rare."

Xu Jiang frowned slightly. "Rare? Don't people come for free courses?"

"They do! Aren't they right there?" Grandpa Lei pointed at the aunties in the distance. "I'm like a supermarket giving out free eggs. A young fella like you scrambling for them—that's the real rarity."

"..." That analogy left Xu Jiang speechless.

The training only lasted three days. Trying to quickly master combat essentials was nothing but a pipe dream.

So to be precise, this was just Grandpa Lei's idle hobby—a private craft workshop he'd set up to give mechanically inept mechanics a skill to make a living.

Xu Jiang shook his head in disappointment. Looks like he'd been too naive, pinning his hopes on a free course. This was a wasted trip.

Just as he turned to leave, Grandpa Lei called him back.

"Hey hey~ Don't go! Let's chat a bit more. I've got an opportunity here that could let you boost your strength fast. A little dangerous, though. Want to give it a try?"

Xu Jiang looked at him warily. "An opportunity? You're not plotting something shady, are you?"

"Of course not. Apart from your kidneys, nothing on you is worth much. What shady scheme could I cook up?" Grandpa Lei slung an arm around his shoulder and pulled him into a corner.

He offered a cigarette, but Xu Jiang waved it off, so Grandpa Lei lit one for himself.

"You've heard of the [Black White Forest], right? A spirit domain that no one above level 5 can enter—a trial ground for newcomers."

"I've heard of it. But you need a slot for that. What, can you get me one?"

"Of course. Not only will I get you a slot, I'll throw in some free ammo too. How about it?" Grandpa Lei raised an eyebrow, the offer tempting.

But free favors reek of ulterior motives. Xu Jiang didn't think Grandpa Lei's given name was just 'Feng' for nothing.

Grandpa Lei chuckled, straightforward as well.

"I'm helping you as an investment. You think I'm just playing at old folks' fun here? Slots aren't worth much, bullets aren't worth much either. But if you actually make a name for yourself, that favor becomes very valuable."

So he was a speculator!

Talent didn't decide a person's future. Effort, willpower, combat instinct—those all mattered, and they couldn't be measured by data.

Grandpa Lei's workshop was about picking up the scraps—the eliminated—giving them one chance to try, and himself one chance to bet.

With a tiny cost, he offered timely help. If he succeeded just once, the return would be limitless.

Xu Jiang didn't hesitate any longer. He nodded. "Alright, I'm in. When does it start?"

"Tomorrow. So you don't have much time to prepare. If you've got any questions, ask me now."

"Okay. Then first, teach me how to take the safety off this gun."

"...Maybe I'll just invest thirty rounds. Any more and you probably wouldn't use them anyway."

Grandpa Lei wasn't a philanthropist after all. What he gave was just an opportunity.

Only those who seized it would get further support.

So tomorrow's [Black White Forest] was a must for Xu Jiang. He had only half a day to prepare.

Luckily, his mech was hard at work. Qianji and Shaying, as soon as they got home, dove into intense cultivation and meditation—no eating, no drinking, no bathroom breaks, no sleep. Absolute 007 workhorses.

As for Xu Jiang, after some thought, he decided to take all the money he'd earned from odd jobs and treat himself to a good meal outside.

After all, tomorrow he'd be risking his life. One misstep in positioning, and this could be his last meal. He might as well go all out—chicken, duck, fish, meat, a feast.

"Boss, one order of Yuxiang Rousi Noodles, with an egg and a duck leg, delivered to the internet cafe upstairs." Xu Jiang ordered his extravagant meal, then headed up to the second floor to a familiar spot.

Even in another world, places like internet cafes were a given.

Even if rich folks had computers at home, a five-man stack at the cafe was still an irreplaceable thrill.

The moment he stepped in, he was hit by a wave of noise.

"I told you not to pick Zhongli for top lane, but you wouldn't listen. Got wrecked by the Mammoth's juggling, huh?"

"How's that my fault? That Li Bai kept ganking me. I was trying to kite!"

"Your kiting is crap. Is it that hard to practice Gnar?"

What a lively scene. He missed the days of five-man stacks with his buddies!

But now, facing a life-or-death trial, Xu Jiang couldn't indulge in online games.

Time was too tight for him to make big gains in combat power. But before heading out, he could still look up intel online.

Spirit domains—trial grounds that descended alongside the calamity. Entering one meant stepping into a whole new world, with dangers and fortunes alike.

The [Black White Forest] was a place known as a beginner spirit domain. No one above level 5 could enter—it was practically a mandatory certification for professionals.

If he couldn't even get through this, he might as well just go home and deliver takeout.

After checking the most basic information, Xu Jiang spent a little more money to subscribe to the most popular guide materials online.

"I Conquered the Black White Forest" — Author: Great God Yutian.

A massive work of hundreds of thousands of words, detailing how to struggle and fight inside the [Black White Forest], growing from a complete rookie into a survival expert over fifteen days of training.

The various details in it were brilliantly described, and reading it left one deeply enlightened.

Xu Jiang was confident that this trip to the Spirit Domain would go smoothly for him.

Early the next morning, Xu Jiang arrived at the bustling commercial street in the south of the city as agreed.

To be honest, this place was quite far from the city center. The reason it was so lively was all thanks to the Spirit Domain.

Before he even got there, he could hear vendors shouting from a distance: "Level 1 gear with level 100 stats! Come take a look, everyone! Buy this and you're guaranteed to clear the trial. Don't buy it, and you deserve to die."

There were plenty of hawkers, and their boasts were loud, but none of that had anything to do with Xu Jiang — because he had no money. Last night's feast had drained all his savings, and he'd even had to borrow from a friend for this morning's breakfast.

Looking around, Xu Jiang quickly spotted Grandpa Lei, who was currently putting on the airs of a master, comforting a group of middle-aged women sending off examinees.

When Grandpa Lei saw Xu Jiang approaching, he reluctantly shifted back to business.

"You're here! This is the supply pack I've prepared for you. It'll last you three days inside."

"Only three days?" Xu Jiang asked in shock. "Aren't we supposed to be training for fifteen days?"

Hearing this, Grandpa Lei gave a half-smile and shot back, "Fifteen days of training? Where did you hear that?"

"Right here!" Xu Jiang opened the data tablet on his mech and pulled up the downloaded guide by Great God Yutian.

Grandpa Lei's face showed a gratified smile. "Thanks for supporting the official release. Gotta say, you young folks have a great attitude — reading novels before heading into battle."

What the hell, which bastard was leading people astray?