Chapter 62: Regrouping

Deep within the Luoxiao Mountains, a dense and suffocating atmosphere of war hung in the air.

Thousands of miles away in Xingcheng, although a solemn tension had settled over the city, normal life continued its steady rhythm.

It was Monday.

The municipal training class reassembled at Central-South University.

Upon entering the campus gates, Shi Yu immediately noticed a significant drop in the number of people around.

Inside the martial arts gymnasium, instructors like Zhao Peng, who used to teach them combat techniques, were nowhere to be found.

Only Professor Xu Boyuan from the Martial Arts Research Institute was present.

Xia Xingqiu had previously mentioned him during their private conversation.

"Everyone should already be aware of the events unfolding in the Luoxiao Mountains," Xu Boyuan said in a deep, resonant voice.

The students of the municipal training class all nodded in unison.

Over the past two days, news of the otherworldly portal opening and the impending outbreak of a new inter-realm war had flooded the front pages of every media outlet.

Even citizens outside the provinces of Nanhu and Xijiang were paying close attention.

For Great Xia, while spatial anomalies occurred a dozen times or more each year, most were low-level spatial ripples or minor spatial tears.

Instances capable of forming a Tier-4 otherworldly portal could be counted on one's fingers.

Consequently, not only Nanhu and Xijiang provinces, which bordered the Luoxiao Mountains, but also neighboring provinces like Beihu, Dongguang, Huian, and others had all turned their gaze toward the region.

All roads leading in and out of the Luoxiao Mountains had been placed under strict control and quarantine.

Aside from military personnel and registered martial artists authorized to enter the war zone, everyone else was allowed only to leave, not to enter.

Most residents of Gutong County had already been evacuated. For the few holdouts who stubbornly refused to leave their homes even at the cost of their lives, the military was making final persuasive efforts.

Townships and villages scattered near the county were also being evacuated in an orderly, step-by-step manner.

Additionally, as the Luoxiao Mountains were a scenic tourist destination, quite a few tour groups and hiking enthusiasts had become trapped inside due to the traffic restrictions.

Martial organizations like Tianheng were continuously dispatching personnel and resources, trying every possible means to help them escape the war zone as quickly as possible.

The gathering storm cast its shadow over the entire region.

Inside the martial arts gymnasium, Xu Boyuan gazed at the seventy-eight students standing before him, his eyes sweeping over them one by one.

When his gaze landed on Shi Yu, it lingered for a brief moment, accompanied by a slight, approving nod.

"For the sake of this upcoming inter-realm war," he said gravely, "our university's President Li Jiaren has already led a team directly to the front lines of the Luoxiao Mountains, including many instructors from this very training class."

"Right now, they are deep within the Luoxiao Mountains."

"Meanwhile, a large number of junior and senior students have also followed their teachers into battle."

"This will be their ultimate trial of life and death, their graduation examination!"

"I believe that all of you, as the finest high school students of this generation in Xingcheng, will undoubtedly become the backbone of Great Xia's martial arts world in the future."

"Today's battle!"

"Someone is fighting ahead of you."

"And in the future!"

"It will be each and every one of you here who must fight for the generations to come!"

Xu Boyuan's voice echoed through the spacious gymnasium, his words striking like heavy hammers against the hearts of every young student.

"You are fortunate to stand here."

"Because you still have time to prepare, to face the challenges of tomorrow."

"I also hope that you will cherish this opportunity, continuously improve yourselves, for the glory of Great Xia, and for your own futures!"

After delivering this sobering reality check to the elite students, Xu Boyuan continued in a measured tone, "Given the current practical circumstances, the curriculum for our training class has been adjusted accordingly."

"The originally scheduled combat technique training courses will be temporarily suspended and replaced with simulated actual combat lessons."

At these words, a spark lit up in the eyes of most students present.

Could they finally get a chance for some real action?!

Xu Boyuan went on, "The simulated actual combat course consists of two phases."

"In the first phase of simulation, you will first experience battles against otherworldly creatures on a virtual platform to accumulate experience."

"The second phase is actual combat training!"

Xu Boyuan scanned the room once more, taking in the varied reactions of all the students.

Most students showed signs of excitement, agitation, or anxiety, each reacting differently.

Only Shi Yu remained as calm as still water, his expression serene as if he were facing the most mundane matter in the world.

"Teacher Xu, what kind of actual combat training is this, exactly?" a student asked out of curiosity.

"Will there be casualty quotas?!"

Another asked with a worried expression, "I've heard that practical training at martial arts universities carries a certain mortality rate!"

Hearing this, Xu Boyuan smiled faintly. "Rest assured, your opponents in this practical training will be a batch of otherworldly creatures captured and kept in captivity by Central-South University over the past few decades."

"Their growth stages, levels, danger ratings, and reproductive rates are all under our strict monitoring."

"As long as you apply yourselves, you certainly won't lose your lives."

Hearing this, the students visibly relaxed a bit.

"However!"

Xu Boyuan's voice abruptly turned stern again. "Broken arms and fractured legs are inevitable."

"All we can guarantee is that we'll keep you breathing—you won't die, that's all."

"Those who are willing to participate in the simulated actual combat may stay."

"Those who are unwilling may leave right now."

Xu Boyuan added softly, "Keep in mind, however, that once you walk out, the doors of the municipal training class will close behind you forever, and you won't need to return."

"Now, I give you ten seconds to make your choice."

"Ten, nine, eight..."

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

Ten seconds later, not a single person left the room.

Even the students who had previously voiced concerns and doubts stayed firmly in place.

Xu Boyuan nodded, turned, and motioned for Qian Mingjie, who had been waiting on the sidelines, to come forward.

Qian Mingjie wouldn't begin his sophomore year until the summer vacation ended.

He was not yet eligible to be included in Central-South University's first batch of teachers and students dispatched to the war zone.

Xu Boyuan instructed him, "Take them to the experimental virtual platform area first and explain how to use the equipment."

"Once they've watched the instructional video together, start the simulated combat training!"

...

Qian Mingjie led his junior schoolmates through the corridors of the martial arts gymnasium toward the simulated platform area deep within the Martial Arts Research Institute.

Along the way, he chatted and laughed with Shi Yu, showing immense enthusiasm and trying to curry favor.

Before long, the group arrived at the simulated platform area.

Upon seeing the equipment, Shi Yu immediately realized that both its exterior and interior were almost identical to the combat experience pods on Mount Yuelu.

They were likely the exact same model, and might even have been transported directly from here to the War Memorial Museum.

Following detailed instructions from the enthusiastic senior Qian Mingjie, everyone climbed into the virtual pods and logged on simultaneously.

"Isn't this just a micro-version of Hongmeng?" Shi Yu instantly recognized that the operating interface was strikingly similar to Hongmeng.

This must be an internal data platform belonging to Central-South University.

A few breaths later, all of them materialized within a certain different dimension.

The sky above was an oppressive, bleak grayish-black, devoid of sun, moon, or stars, punctuated only by occasional flashes of lightning and the howling of fierce winds.

The ground was pockmarked with numerous craters and fissures of varying sizes, resembling jagged scars upon the earth, from which wisps of ash-gray mist drifted upward continuously.

"Where is this?" someone asked loudly.

"This is the Eroded Abyss!"

"Welcome, everyone, to a world that erodes all things!"