Uncanny

The wind and snow howled incessantly outside the window.

The house was quiet and still, shut out the raging wind and snow from the outside. The enclosed little house was like a small, isolated island in a frozen world, blocking out the raging wind and the falling snow, leaving only a peaceful tranquility.

Lu Heng sat on the edge of the bed, his fingertips gently stroking the cold surface of the Wristband. The tragic messages in the Regional Channel still lingered in his mind. The channel was filled with casualties and cries of agony; the vast majority of survivors had been trapped and died in the Tiger Pass on the third day.

But he was very clear-headed. The channel was only filled with the voices of losers. Those who were strong and had also successfully completed the game mostly remained silent and did not deliberately show off on the public channel.

He was able to kill the tiger largely due to his use of poisoned bait and long-range Hand Crossbow attacks. In terms of pure physical strength, he wasn't top-tier; he was simply a survivor with exceptionally good luck. In this vast trial area, there must be others whose temperament, skills, and resources far surpassed his own, but they were simply unaware of each other and hadn't revealed their presence.

The relief of surviving the ordeal did not breed any arrogance in him; instead, it instilled a deep-seated caution in him. Having experienced close-quarters combat and near-death experiences in the snowfield, he knew better than anyone that there was no room for luck in this trial world; a single moment of carelessness could lead to utter destruction.

The newly achieved breakthrough in three-dimensional attributes is still in limbo. Strength and constitution are both at sixteen points, a surge resulting from the forced reshaping of the body by the potion. The tendons and bones have been completely stretched, and the tension of the muscles, the force exertion habits of the limbs, and the balance of the whole body are all in their previous weak state.

This body I'm in now is powerful yet unfamiliar.

With a casual lift of the hand, force overflows uncontrollably, creating a sharp whistling sound; with a slightly heavier step, the wooden floorboards creak under pressure. The whole person is like carrying an overly heavy blade, possessing destructive power but lacking the ability to control it. Unstable force and a swaying center of gravity—these seemingly minor flaws are magnified infinitely in a life-or-death battle.

There is no room for error in the Trial Grounds; the slightest mistake can mean the difference between life and death.

Lu Heng understood the situation perfectly well.

You cannot participate in the trial on the fourth day.

Entering in this half-baked state, facing unknown dangers and challenges, with flawed movements that couldn't withstand any impact, is no different from intentionally throwing your life away.

The only way to survive is to lie low, hone one's physical abilities, and tame the surging power.

For the rest of the day, he stayed quietly in the small Shelter, never stepping outside.

There was no intense physical exertion, no adventurous combat trials. He simply repeated the most basic and monotonous physical movements over and over again. Slowly raising his arms, bending his elbows at a steady pace, stepping steadily, and concentrating his strength. With each exertion, he deliberately suppressed the restless brute force within his body, and with each movement, he carefully calibrated the deviation of his center of gravity.

Once, ten times, hundreds of times.

In the monotonous repetition, the initial awkwardness in his body gradually faded. The previously restless and out-of-control power gradually mellowed, slowly conforming to his muscles, bones, and skin, and the unfamiliar body began to readjust to his will. He could clearly feel that the overflowing brute force was decreasing, the control of his limbs was becoming more and more precise, and the surge in attributes was no longer a burden, gradually transforming into his real combat power.

As the physical connection became smoother, a surge of hunger suddenly swept over his entire body.

This hunger came fiercely and unexpectedly, far more so than ever before.

Lu Heng got up and started a fire, taking out the stored smoked pork, cutting it into pieces, and cooking it. The warm aroma of the meat filled the small house, and the steaming meat, which was usually enough to sustain him for the whole day, now felt like a drop in the ocean, and the emptiness in his stomach was not relieved at all.

He could only repeatedly add ingredients and eat several times in a row to barely suppress his surging appetite.

The moment he put down his chopsticks, Lu Heng sighed softly, a slight headache creeping into his heart.

After the physical body undergoes a qualitative change, the body's metabolic rate, bone and tendon wear and tear, and energy supply requirements all double. The surge in appetite is a hard side effect of becoming stronger. Although there are currently sufficient resources and no worries about food and drink for the time being, this change is ultimately a problem. As the body continues to grow stronger, the consumption will only increase, making it a weakness that must be endured.

He didn't dwell on it too much.

We currently have ample resources to support our current consumption levels, so there's no need to create unnecessary anxiety. We should accept the changes and adapt to the costs of becoming stronger.

For the entire fourth day, Lu Heng spent his time getting used to his body, resting and recuperating, and replenishing his energy. His condition gradually stabilized and reached its peak, completely shaking off the awkwardness and loss of control that came with the sudden surge in his attributes.

The wind and snow continued throughout the night, and layers of coldness accumulated between heaven and earth.

The night passed in the blink of an eye.

On the fifth day, the light was faint and pale, barely penetrating the window frames covered with frost flowers.

Lu Heng opened his eyes and immediately noticed the drastic change in temperature. The air inside was freezing cold, and even though the room was sealed off from the wind, it couldn't block out the increasingly biting chill. He got up and walked to the window, his fingertips touching the thin ice on the surface, the icy cold instantly penetrating his skin.

On the fourth day, he chose to lie low and rest, choosing not to complete the trial to offset the punishment.

The combined cooling mechanisms took effect completely on the fifth day. The cold weather around the world was more extreme than any of the previous four days.

He could no longer delay in his hibernation. The low temperature was worsening day by day, and the sooner he passed the trial, the more he could alleviate the deterioration of his living environment. After a whole day of adaptation, he had already completely mastered his surging physical body. His strength, balance, and power generation were all perfectly refined, without the slightest flaw.

The timing was perfect.

Lu Heng straightened his clothes and raised his hand to check his Hunting Blade. The blade was gleaming and sharp, and he held it firmly. The Azure Spirit Water-Pattern Necklace around his neck rested quietly against his chest, its touch slightly cool, and it remained still without any movement.

After confirming that his equipment was correct and his status was at its maximum, he pushed open the door and walked out of the small house.

Outside, the wind howled, and snowflakes swirled and pelted against the skin. The entire residential area was deathly silent; there were no human voices, no animal roars, only endless ice and bitter cold.

He walked steadily along the familiar path toward the boundary of the trial.

In just over ten minutes, they arrived outside the trial barrier.

But the moment he looked up, Lu Heng suddenly stopped in his tracks.

The trial area before them had completely changed. The place, which used to be ravaged by snowstorms, lurking with ferocious beasts, and teeming with killing intent, was now spotless. There was no snowfall, no strange beasts, no signs of fighting; the flat snowfield stretched as far as the eye could see, eerily quiet.

The trials of the first four days were fraught with peril, each step fraught with bloodshed; there could never be such a safe, blank scenario. The cleaner it appears, the deeper the hidden danger lies.

Lu Heng dared not rush forward rashly. He stopped at the boundary and carefully scanned the entire airspace with his eyes. His field of vision was empty, and he could not detect any signs of life with his hearing or senses.

After hesitating for a moment, he decided to test the waters.

His muscles tensed subtly, preparing for a split-second defense, retreat, and counterattack. He slowly extended his right foot, taking the lead in crossing the barrier boundary and probing in mid-air.

A few seconds passed, and nothing unusual happened. No traps were triggered, no sudden gusts of wind struck, and there was no deadly danger.

Confirming there was no immediate danger, Lu Heng lowered his waist, gripped his Hunting Blade, and steadily stepped into the trial area.

He slowly walked several meters inside, remaining highly vigilant throughout, his nerves taut to the extreme.

Just then, a warm sensation suddenly came from my chest.

The long-dormant Azure Spirit Water-Pattern Necklace Geothermal without warning. The temperature wasn't high, but it was exceptionally clear, penetrating the skin and directly affecting the senses.

Lu Heng's heart sank.

In an instant, he understood all the strangeness. It wasn't that there were no monsters, but that they were invisible. The enemies in the fifth day's trial weren't flesh-and-blood beasts, but invisible and traceless Paranormal Entity. Ordinary senses couldn't detect their presence at all; only this necklace, specially designed for protection and warding off evil, gave advance warning of the oppressive force.

The necklace's temperature slowly rose, signifying that the invisible, sinister creature was stealthily approaching from the shadows, lurking and watching, poised to strike.

An unseen opponent is the hardest to defend against. Waiting for the opponent to make the first move will only put you in a completely passive position.

In an instant, Lu Heng made up his mind: to lure the enemy.

He instantly loosened his grip on the knife hilt, relaxed his tense back, and concealed all the wariness in his eyes. He deliberately relaxed all his muscles, his head felt slightly heavy, and his body swayed slightly, pretending to be weak, as if he had been invaded by invisible yin energy, lost his mind, and was instantly struck by it.

Its appearance was full of flaws, dull and stiff, as if it had been silently entangled by a strange creature.

But inside, his mind was perfectly clear. His entire body was secretly gathering strength, every muscle was poised to unleash its power, his breathing was as steady as a rock, and he quietly used himself as bait, waiting for the Paranormal Entity in the shadows to reveal themselves and hunt him.