Back to the starting point.
The illusion world froze once again, and everything would resume only after Zhao Haiping selected another skill card.
Still somewhat shaken, Zhao Haiping touched his neck.
"That was terrifying; for a moment, I thought I'd actually died…
"It still hurt – kind of like being unexpectedly slashed. They must have toned down the pain sensitivity, though. It feels like it's at around 20% or 30%?
"Good thing. If it was at 100%, I definitely couldn't handle it. This level, I can at least get used to.
"This game is hardcore!
"There weren't any hints at all, and they cranked up the difficulty right from the start. I didn't even get a word in before the emperor had me executed!
"And to top it all off, one of the talent skills was actually a trap? That 'Intimidating Presence' looked good, but in reality, it was totally useless!
"The developer's heart is black as coal! It seems like yet another 'evil genius' who enjoys torturing players."
Gradually, Zhao Haiping's nerves settled.
When he had approached the main hall, he'd been on edge, but after dying once, he felt much more relaxed.
Especially seeing that death came with no penalty and allowed unlimited retries, a certain player instinct kicked in.
As long as he could try again, he'd kill even a god!
As a dedicated action game player, Zhao Haiping enjoyed replaying boss fights, often aiming for flawless kills. Dozens or even hundreds of attempts were normal for him.
He'd lost count of the number of times he'd died in those games.
And though this game was highly realistic, it was still a game. If it was just a game, there was nothing to be afraid of.
Zhao Haiping looked at the three skill cards again.
[Gui · Calm and Composed (White): You remain calm, making it easier to face danger.]
[Gui · Swordsmanship Mastery (Blue): Your swordsmanship level is enhanced accordingly.]
[Ren · Intimidating Presence (White): You emit an oppressive aura, making enemies more likely to fear you.]
"Huh? They're exactly the same as before?
"Shouldn't I be getting three new skills?"
Looking closer, Zhao Haiping noticed a small line of text below: "Each time you die, you may exclude one talent skill from reappearing. Swipe up on the card to replace it with a new talent skill."
"Oh, I get it.
"Every death lets me rule out one incorrect choice. I can keep refreshing until I find a more suitable talent skill."
With that, Zhao Haiping swiped up on the "Intimidating Presence" card. It flipped over, revealing a new skill.
[Gui · Silver Tongue (White): You are quick-witted and articulate, making it easier to gain others' trust.]
Zhao Haiping almost had a blood pressure spike. Excluding a white Ren-level skill only to get another white Gui-level skill would frustrate anyone.
However, he'd been through his fair share of unlucky gaming moments, so he didn't waste time complaining and went back to analyzing.
"Clearly, I was screwed over by the 'Intimidating Presence' skill last time. Its overwhelming aura only made Emperor Ling suspicious of me the moment I entered, triggering all its negative effects with none of the positives.
"Now, among the remaining talents, 'Calm and Composed' and 'Silver Tongue' could help me stay calm and improve my responses in the hall, both of which might aid in passing the trial.
"But… to successfully assassinate, I'll still need swordsmanship in the end.
"As far as I remember, Nie Rang barely succeeded in the historical account…"
This is where a bit of historical knowledge came in handy.
Although Zhao Haiping didn't know the details of Nie Rang's assassination attempt on Emperor Ling, he knew the general story.
Before entering, the guards conducted several body searches, making it impossible to conceal a weapon.
Thus, Nie Rang presented his weapon as an "auspicious gift."
The so-called gift was a large piece of black jade that Nie had found. He asked a skilled friend to carve it into a black jade qilin and hid a short sword within it.
Emperor Ling, being vain and superstitious, allowed Nie to present this "auspicious gift" in person.
When Nie approached the emperor, he pretended there was a slight flaw in the black jade and requested to show it to the emperor directly.
Once close enough, Nie drew the sword hidden within the jade and attempted the assassination. However, Emperor Ling, no weakling and trained in martial arts, managed to fight back. The first strike missed.
Chaos ensued in the hall. Ministers and guards rushed forward to protect the emperor. Nie, known as the best swordsman of his time, fought valiantly, killing several guards. Finally, in a moment of opportunity, he threw the sword, piercing the emperor's throat.
Reflecting on this, Zhao Haiping knew that if he wanted to recreate Nie Rang's attempt accurately, he'd need the Swordsmanship Mastery skill.
Even a skilled swordsman like Nie barely succeeded; there was no way a novice like him could pull it off without the skill.
With his mind made up, Zhao Haiping tapped on the blue Swordsmanship Mastery card.
This time, the sensation was noticeably different from the "Intimidating Presence" skill.
Zhao Haiping felt a mysterious force flowing into him, granting him a wealth of muscle memory. How to grip the sword, how to strike, how to dodge – all these swordsmanship techniques flooded his mind.
It was as if he had truly become a swordmaster, a far cry from his previous self.
Of course, he wasn't weak before; he was playing as Nie Rang, so his physical attributes matched Nie's.
But physical prowess alone was useless without skill.
Just like in an action game, a novice and a veteran might have characters with the same stats, but the novice would be slaughtered while the veteran could clear enemies without taking damage.
Now, with Swordsmanship Mastery, it was like adding wings to a tiger.
Yet what amazed Zhao Haiping more than his newfound power was the sensation itself – it felt like an "infusion" of skills!
He'd played plenty of other VR games, and even the best ones only reached about 50% realism, allowing him to perform precise moves in-game as if in real life.
He already thought that was impressive, but now he could directly acquire muscle memory through game mechanics?!
Isn't this broken?
He'd leave the questions about this black technology for later – he could check the forums once he logged out.
For now, his priority was to clear the level.
Feeling more confident, Zhao Haiping followed the eunuch back into the hall.
"This humble subject greets Your Majesty!"
Just like before, Zhao Haiping knelt in the hall, holding the wooden box high in both hands.
There was silence all around, but this time he'd learned his lesson and wouldn't dare look up.
A moment later, a deep voice came from the far end of the hall: "Rise."
Though only a short wait, under such intense mental pressure, it felt like an eternity to Zhao Haiping.
Just as he stood up, Emperor Ling suddenly shouted without warning, "Why are you trembling, your legs shaking? Are you harboring some evil intent? Speak!"
His voice was like thunder, echoing throughout the hall.
A thousand curses ran through Zhao Haiping's mind.
He knew the historical records described Emperor Ling as erratic and hot-tempered, often executing ministers for trivial reasons. But seeing it written down was one thing; witnessing it firsthand was something else.
Realizing he was on the verge of yet another untimely death, Zhao Haiping quickly knelt again, saying, "Please calm down, Your Majesty!
"This humble subject… this humble subject is just a lowly country bumpkin, overwhelmed by Your Majesty's grand presence. That's why I tremble in fear."
Sweat dripped from his brow as he knelt, not daring to look up, feeling as though he was a hair's breadth from death.
After a painfully long pause, Emperor Ling seemed to accept the explanation. He turned to the eunuch beside him, "Go, retrieve the auspicious gift from him."
Zhao Haiping froze.
Wait, isn't this off-script?
If you don't let me approach, how am I supposed to assassinate you?
As the eunuch stepped forward, Zhao Haiping quickly interjected, "Wait!
"Your Majesty, while this black jade qilin is indeed an auspicious item, there's a minor flaw that's hard to notice without close inspection.
"Please allow me to approach and point it out for Your Majesty."
The eunuch paused, seemingly waiting for further instructions from Emperor Ling.
Zhao Haiping sensed a glimmer of hope and began planning his approach, thinking about how to act, when to draw the sword from the jade qilin, and which part of Emperor Ling to strike.
However, Emperor Ling ignored his request entirely.
"You just said you tremble at my presence, too afraid to even look at me from afar. So why would you dare to approach and personally show me this flaw?
"Hmph, clearly you harbor ill intent!
"Guards, seize him!"
Zhao Haiping was dumbfounded.
Damn it!
Why isn't this NPC following the script? Why is he changing the scene on his own?