"I... I'm not free enough to be jealous!" Quynh Nhu's face suddenly turned red. "But it is strange. For that whole month, that girl came to the dojo every three days. Even though everyone explained that you weren't there. Tell me, what do you have to do to make a girl so infatuated with you?"
Lam Minh looked at Quynh Nhu, his eyes full of deep meaning. "You guess?"
Lam Minh's words made Quynh Nhu so angry she stomped her foot. "Guess my ass!"
Of course, she knew the answer. It was because this guy's charm was off the charts. She herself had never made chicken soup for anyone before.
The two of them chatted for a while. After talking about everything under the sun, Quynh Nhu also left with the excuse of "cultivating."
…
Back in the hospital room, Lam Minh was now alone.
His emotions began to catch up with the series of events that had occurred over the past period.
He pieced together all the incidents.
He recalled the feeling of the sword piercing his abdomen and then through the Demon Shadow.
The strange dream he had while in a coma.
It was called a dream, but to Lam Minh, it felt incredibly real.
The power of those two figures had shaken Lam Minh's dao heart.
That's what a powerhouse should be like! One sword to annihilate a galaxy! He wondered when he would be able to reach that level.
For now, he had to recuperate properly. After that, he had to go on a "babysitting" mission.
He really didn't want to. I just want to lay low and develop.
Lam Minh found it troublesome.
Finally, the system.
Battlefield Simulation.
A new but completely unfamiliar function for Lam Minh.
But the system surely wouldn't harm its host, right?
"System, could you kill me and seize your own freedom?" Lam Minh muttered.
[Ding! The host is overthinking. I am just an existence with no destination. Being parasitic on the host is a kind of survival for me.]
-_-!
Lam Minh completely accepted it. He had only asked silently, and the system had replied. "You have a consciousness?"
[Ding! I do.]
"No wonder. So why have you been silent all this time?" Lam Minh was startled.
[Ding! You didn't ask, so how could I speak? I'm an introvert.]
"And you're an introvert too. What a rational system,"
[Ding! Correct.]
Lam Minh was completely at a loss with this system. Since he had woken up from his coma, the system seemed to have changed.
"I have a question. Can you answer it?" Lam Minh asked.
[Ding! I can.]
"So, according to the cultivation novels I've read, spiritual roots usually have attributes like metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. But my spiritual root only shows as Hoang-grade. So is my spiritual root attributeless?"
[Ding! The host is overthinking. Spiritual roots have no attributes. The so-called five elements that generate and overcome each other are attributes that exist in nature, building everything in the infinite universe. How can a human body possess the attributes of nature?]
Lam Minh was startled. This was a completely new explanation.
"Then, why can some people throw a fireball with one palm, which can burn down an entire forest when it explodes? How do you explain that?"
[Ding! That is just an illusion. When humans cultivate, they use the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and what they release is also the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. When using spiritual energy, the human mind will associate it with the visual appeal of the attack, thus using spiritual energy to simulate fire. As for the phenomenon of real fire, it is because the explosion of spiritual energy creates friction with the air, generating heat. When the heat is high enough, it will cause a fire. To put it simply, a slash that explodes with pure spiritual energy is not as beautiful as a 'fire slash' that explodes with raging flames.]
"So you're saying that all techniques are created based on spiritual energy and physics?"
[Ding! Correct.]
The system completely surprised Lam Minh. He felt as if he had been enlightened. So the countless techniques were created by the human imagination.
Based on that, the techniques were completely limitless. So, since he hadn't broken through to the Qi Refining realm and couldn't use spiritual energy, his Primordial Chaos Sword Art couldn't produce any special phenomena. That was why.
Thinking of this, Lam Minh secretly marveled at the magic of spiritual energy. It was truly hard to explain.
"So, will there be any danger if I use the 'Battlefield Simulation' function?" Lam Minh asked, probing the system.
[Ding! The host is invited to experience it for himself. Human life is for experiencing everything in life. Don't let yourself live too easily.]
-_-!
"Alright, if you say so, then I'm relieved."
Lam Minh chuckled. The system even knew how to preach.
But he couldn't deny that the system was right. He should experience it for himself. If he knew beforehand that there was no danger, what would be the fun in it?
With this thought, Lam Minh used his consciousness to tap on the flashing [- Log in -] box.
Immediately, his consciousness was pulled into a dark space. It was pitch black all around, with only a simple notification panel flashing.
[Ding! The host has successfully logged into the Battlefield Simulation System. First stage: the "Binh Vi Ambush" battle. Mission: "You are a flag-bearing soldier. While marching through the Binh Vi pass, your army is ambushed. Slay and take the enemy general's head to complete the mission." Reward: 1,000,000 attribute points!]
Ah! So that's how it is.
As soon as the notification finished displaying, Lam Minh's consciousness was pulled away again.
At this moment, an image gradually appeared before his eyes.
He was a flag-bearing soldier in the feudal era, marching with his unit.
It was pitch black all around, with only the flickering light from the torches held by the soldiers.
Surrounding the army were towering cliffs, and his army was walking in the valley between them.
Lam Minh looked around. Soldiers holding spears, shields, and sabers were marching in neat rows. As for him, a flag-bearer, he was at the head of the formation.
This army, Lam Minh estimated, numbered up to ten thousand.
At the very front was a general in white battle armor, looking extremely majestic. His back was straight, his face stern, his furrowed brows creating a terrifying presence. He slowly rode ahead on a black horse.
Just then, the heroic sound of war drums echoed.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
"Ambush! Form ranks! Prepare for battle!" a figure at the head of the formation shouted fiercely.
Lam Minh was completely bewildered.
Following that, on the cliffs, torches lit up everywhere.
There were so many torches that Lam Minh couldn't count them all.
A desperate roar echoed from the cliffs: "Charge!"
As soon as the roar ended, large boulders, soaked in oil and set ablaze, were rolled down.
The sound of horns rang out.
A unit of shield bearers quickly rushed forward, surrounding the formation and establishing a solid defensive circle.
"Damn it, how can there be an ambush? This is clearly Binh Vi Valley, thousands of miles away from the enemy camp. Let me tell you, when we're attacked, just play dead. You might be able to save your life," another flag-bearing soldier said, pulling his arm and whispering to Lam Minh.
Lam Minh's eyes widened. Are you really a flag-bearing soldier?
It should be known that in this era of warfare, flag-bearing soldiers were extremely important. As long as the flag stood, the army's morale remained. If the flag fell, the army would immediately scatter.
Yet this guy was telling him to play dead.
As a player, I can't do that.
"All soldiers, listen to my command! Advance at full speed, break through the ambush!" The general on horseback brandished his long saber, deflecting a flaming boulder that was rolling down.
The boulder was split into several pieces by his single slash, an incredibly majestic sight.
But one man could not defeat an army of ten thousand. Some boulders, far away, crashed straight into the shield formation.
As soon as the rocks made contact with the shields, they sent the soldiers flying, creating large gaps in the formation. Fresh blood stained the ground red.
Some soldiers coughed up blood and died on the spot. The unlucky ones were crushed into meat paste.
Lam Minh's hands trembled. So tragic.
He was also somewhat lucky. As a flag-bearing soldier, no boulders hit him because he was protected within the formation.
Damn you, system! Why didn't you put me on the ambushing side? I don't want to be crushed to death!
Look, how many enemy troops were on the cliffs? At least twenty thousand.
And on his side, not even ten thousand.
After a series of falling rocks, with men dead and horses fallen, Lam Minh's side had suffered heavy casualties. From an army of ten thousand, there were now only a scattered few left, looking extremely desolate.
Just as the formation was trying to advance, more torches appeared in front and behind, blocking their path.
"Damn it, we can't go on!" a shield-bearing soldier said upon seeing that the formation was surrounded on all sides.
A general in black battle armor, riding a white horse, slowly appeared in the enemy formation.
"Ma Trung Kien, oh Ma Trung Kien, you didn't expect me to ambush you here, did you? The great tide of the Dai Khuong dynasty is set. Why must you remain loyal to the rebels and oppose the court? Lay down your weapon, and I will grant you a swift death."
The general named Ma Trung Kien on Lam Minh's side snorted coldly.
His eyes were stern. "Do Luong, for the sake of our childhood friendship, I will also grant you a swift death. As a Divine Martial General like you, to serve a court that is rotten to the core. Look at the world now. The people are suffering, their cries of grievance echoing everywhere. Do you think that if I die, no other rebel armies will rise up?"
Now Lam Minh understood.
No wonder! So he was a rebel. But it didn't matter.
His goal was just to kill the man in the black battle armor opposite him to complete the mission.
With this thought, Lam Minh circulated the drop of Hong Hoang Dragon Seed Blood, feeling the abundant power in his body.
"Alright, a few tens of thousands of troops. Not a single one will escape." Lam Minh muttered. He estimated his own strength.
Fifth layer of the Body Tempering realm. Dealing with a few tens of thousands of ordinary people should be just enough.
Just then, the general named Do Luong said nothing. He just raised a hand and then lowered it. This gesture seemed casual, but it was an order.
A death sentence.
"No more talk. Kill!"
As soon as the words were spoken.
From the cliffs and all four sides, a volley of flaming arrows was fired.
Before Lam Minh's side could even compose themselves, they were covered by a rain of arrows.
The general on Lam Minh's side roared fiercely, spinning the long saber in his hand, deflecting every arrow that came at him.
But the main army was not so lucky.
The shield bearers had shields to cover themselves, but people like Lam Minh were not so fortunate.
Although they wore extremely sturdy battle armor, and the arrows only caused pain when they hit, the armor couldn't cover the entire body.
Lam Minh imitated his general.
He held the flagpole in his hand and spun it rapidly.
Arrow after arrow was deflected.
"This move is really effective!" Lam Minh exclaimed silently.
The formation had already suffered heavy casualties from the rockfall earlier.
Now, with the rain of arrows, even more soldiers died, leaving only a few.
The bodies were piled up like mountains.
Blood flowed, dyeing the entire valley red.
Just as Lam Minh was feeling confident in his flagpole-spinning tactic.
An arrow accidentally slipped through the dense afterimage of the flagpole.
It pierced straight into Lam Minh's eye.
The force of the arrow was not spent. It pinned his head to the ground.
His consciousness dissipated once again. Lam Minh died, only managing to roar one sentence:
"F*CK YOU, SYSTEM!!!"
He was pulled back into a dark void by the system. A statistics panel appeared before him.
[Ding! Host Lam Minh, mission failed. Number of enemies killed: 0. Additional rewards: 0. Total rewards: 0 points.]
Then, Lam Minh's consciousness was pulled back to the real world.
Lam Minh opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling. His body was still full of vigor, but his head was throbbing as if struck by a hammer. He felt his mental strength was completely drained. Quickly, his eyelids grew heavy.
He slowly drifted off to sleep.