"""
The fat man and Mu Fan sat in the directional floating car, with the fat man introducing PO World's relevant knowledge to Mu Fan.
"The place we're going is the training base. There, you'll receive basic training within the PO Battle Net. The freedom of this world is high. If experienced players apply with a new account, they can skip it. But I still suggest you go."
Mu Fan listened intently and then asked, "What's the main focus of the training there?"
"Mainly mecha operations and single soldier combat, but the latter doesn't mean much. Whether you can fight is obvious here. It only provides simulated combat without substantial skill improvement. The purpose of this base is to familiarize you with this world as quickly as possible."
"Hmm," Mu Fan didn't ask further.
In talking, the two had arrived at their destination.
"You go on in. I'm heading to the war zone. I've already jotted down this training base's coordinates. Call me directly when you're done."
The fat man rubbed his hands. The recruit camp here was really uninteresting. As a veteran, there was nothing to be done. Training base, you say? What a joke; hitting a dummy all day?
"Alright, I'll contact you when I'm out. Also, thanks," Mu Fan muttered, gazing gratefully at the fat man.
"No need to thank me. Once friends, there's no formality. I'm waiting for you to lead once you're out. I'm off now!" The fat man waved indifferently, then enthusiastically rushed into a nearby teleportation point, disappearing in a flash.
Mu Fan glanced down at the wristband light screen; "Lemon Balloon" already showed as being in a different area, ranked at Silver 1-star.
Shaking his head, Mu Fan stepped into the pale blue spatial gate.
His body pierced through a thin membrane, cool and refreshing, arriving in an empty, desolate corridor.
Following the blue guide light at his feet, Mu Fan reached a metal revolving gate. He pressed a tiny glowing button beside it.
"Newbie 'Egg Lord,' hello. This is training base number 341."
Mu Fan's facial muscles unintentionally twitched. He just wanted to ask if he could change his nickname again.
"Select a training program: one, single soldier combat training. Two, mecha driving training."
As Mu Fan heard the voice, two options appeared on the electronic screen before him. He stretched out his finger.
"Single soldier combat option," Mu Fan replied decisively.
Familiarity with both types of training was necessary, starting with single soldier combat and then mecha training. Mu Fan's plan was clear. To grasp this world fully, beginning from the basics was akin to surviving in the wild, where every careless move could threaten one's life.
As Mu Fan pressed down on that button, the entire corridor darkened as if he had returned to the scene he encountered upon entering Battle Net—silent and dark.
Soon, a glimmer of light emerged ahead. Light shone through the metal revolving gate as the corridor Mu Fan stood in vanished with a creak. He stepped on special composite flooring. A light enveloped a ten-meter radius around Mu Fan, leaving the surroundings pitch black.
What a realistic sensation! Mu Fan's heart secretly startled. This feeling reminded him of hunting in the depths of the forest at night.
No! What was this oppressive atmosphere?! Why was his heart thumping so fiercely?
"Whoosh"
"Who's there!!" Mu Fan whipped around suddenly. He was no longer the silent, reserved teenager. He crouched slightly, faint sounds from his arm bones.
A figure flitted through the shadow on the right, a sign Mu Fan could only sense thanks to his extraordinary sensitivity.
Mu Fan's fists clenched tighter, his body crouching even lower like a wolf preparing to pounce, as the sound of his heartbeat echoed once more.
What was going on? Such a realistic feeling. Even the abnormal heartbeat sensed during outdoor dangers was accurately reflected in the PO World. But the fat man earlier hadn't mentioned it was this real.
Whoosh! Another shadow flashed past. Mu Fan snapped his head back violently. He could see in the dark, yet he still couldn't discern the shadow's form, knowing instinctively it was maneuvering within his blind spot.
Once again, no one was there. Suddenly, Mu Fan's pupils constricted, his body lowered, neck tilted slightly, followed by the sound of a swift sneak attack.
Metal weapon! Danger!
Another swishing sound arose. Mu Fan knew there wasn't enough time to dodge. He braced his forearm muscles and raised it defensively.
Hiss, pain surged. The genuine sensation of metal striking flesh made Mu Fan feel as if his bones would splinter.
Was this still a virtual world? The training difficulty for newbies, as the fat man mentioned, was this high?
"Whoosh" No time to think more, a subtle sound came from the left.
The cunning shadow dashed to the left. Mu Fan, alert, swiftly turned.
So cunning! From the corner of his eye, Mu Fan caught sight of the incoming metal short stick. In a fit of rage, he crouched low, hands on the ground. His legs propelled him like a bullet, fist striking fiercely.
However, Mu Fan seemed to forget this was in PO Battle Net. He wasn't yet aware of the degree to which his strength diminished in this virtual world. He watched helplessly as the metal short stick shifted smoothly in mid-air, expanding in his vision.
Bang! Mu Fan felt skull-splitting pain; consciousness scattered from the brutal blow, as the brain's fear response dissolved tactile perception and control and dissolved the infinite yearning for life.
In an instant, the mental impact far exceeded the pain of shattered skull and brain tissue. So, this was death?...
Huh? Why was his consciousness still present? Wasn't that person lying on the ground him? Suddenly, a small whirlwind whisked "his body" away, then the body shattered into light points within the whirlwind, reassembled, and a force pulled him into darkness before whisking him back to light.
Was this death? Mu Fan gazed down at his unscathed self, ensuring his head was unharmed, feeling a surge of lingering dread.
Fortunately, it was within a virtual world.
"How does death feel?"
Hearing the voice from behind, the unhurried tone made Mu Fan's hair stand on end. He resisted the impulse to turn immediately.
"Tsk tsk, impressive for a first-timer." A hint of mocking praise interlaced with the calm tone.
Mu Fan, confirming there was no danger, turned around.
A figure emerged from the shadows—darker than night itself—step by step, gradually approaching. Mu Fan heard no sound, the person's control over leg muscles exceedingly impressive.
The cloaked figure stopped at the edge of the central light, drawing closer while leaving Mu Fan less able to discern his features, only seeing a pair of eerie green eyes under the cloak when he lifted his head.
"Little one, welcome to the newbie training camp, I'm the instructor here, relax, little fledgling." The voice remained as calm as ever, as if introducing himself was as casual as sipping water.
Whew, Mu Fan nearly forgot he was in a virtual world once more.
"Hello, instructor." Mu Fan had always been respectful to his educators.
"Hmm."
Would PO Battle Net take realism this far? Even system characters mimicked tone.
"Is this the newbie training camp?" Mu Fan felt something off.
"Yes."
"You're my fighting instructor?"
"Yes."
"How should I address you?"
"Fighter." The figure waved uninterestedly.
"Fighter instructor?"
"Mhm."
"What's the next step in training?" Mu Fan shelved his multitude of doubts.
"Once more, remember to come online tomorrow." Before Mu Fan could respond, the figure swung his arm, leaving afterimages, the familiar swishing of the short stick accompanied by bone-breaking sounds.
"So... backstabbing," Mu Fan mumbled, his arm blocking the stick. Yet his bent arm and collapsed ribs inflicted pain, making him nearly speechless.
"Today's training is over, remember to come back tomorrow." Another backward swing, that familiar sensation, the helplessness of being unable to evade. Once more, Mu Fan experienced the head-splitting blow, feeling his skull crack.
Watching Mu Fan vanish in beams of light, the figure seemed to swat a fly.
Under the cloak, the Fighter Instructor's lips curled slightly upward. Those eerie green eyes faded into the darkness, and the faint self-dialogue disappeared within the complete blackness.
"Heh, fighter... interesting..."
"""