At this moment, Meng Yuan and Can Shang were also observing the players' progress. It had been five days since the launch of Dark Sand, and there were just over two days remaining before the first historical "demon slice" entered the real world. If the players hadn't become powerful enough by then, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Can Shang, munching on fried chicken, asked, "There's less than three days left. Are you sure the players will make another leap in progress in such a short time? It seems a bit far-fetched."
Meng Yuan replied confidently, "Of course! I believe in the players! Haven't you noticed how quickly they're advancing? So far, more than seventy players have cleared the Warrior's Trial. Once the Assassin's and Scholar's trials' walkthroughs are released, the number of players clearing those trials will also skyrocket. Players never cease to amaze."
Can Shang continued eating, still skeptical. Yet, seeing the players' performance over the past few days, she had to admit that Meng Yuan's optimism was well-founded.
As a legitimate Returner, Meng Yuan had even considered activating "Plan B"—for example, entering the field himself. He had tried to tackle the four Returner trials himself during this time.
The result? Even with players' guides, his performance had only marginally improved, and overall, he was still failing miserably.
Thus, Meng Yuan gave up entirely. The players could pass each trial with one special ability, yet he, a real Returner, couldn't manage it. It was demoralizing!
Then again, since things had come to this, he decided to abandon any notion of taking action himself and accept his place as a "noob." He would stay in his role as customer support and "dog dev," watching the players take the lead.
Fortunately, the players were performing spectacularly, even exceeding Meng Yuan's expectations. In the past few days, they'd been tormented by the trials, with painfully slow progress, making Can Shang doubt Meng Yuan's approach.
But now, with the Warrior's, Assassin's, and Scholar's trials nearly cracked, more talented players were emerging. Exceptional players like Zhao Haiping, Chu Ge, and Du Gang could even rival some of the best past Returners.
Additionally, as Meng Yuan predicted, once one player completed a trial, more quickly followed.
Tonight, many players were attempting the Warrior's Trial using Zhao Haiping's walkthrough, and over seventy players had successfully passed, gaining the Warrior identity. This number continued to grow rapidly.
The Assassin's and Scholar's trial walkthroughs had also been posted, which would soon increase the number of players passing those trials as well.
The focus now was the last trial—the Wanderer's Trial.
Meng Yuan and Can Shang were watching a player named Huo Yunying, who had progressed the furthest in the Wanderer's Trial and seemed to be a martial artist in real life, which helped him adapt quickly in the game.
However, Meng Yuan hadn't noticed that after Chu Ge cleared the Scholar's Trial, he also entered the Wanderer's Trial.
…
In the Wanderer's Trial, "Avenging the Way."
Upon entering the trial, Chu Ge found himself on the roof of a large mansion. Three cards appeared before him.
[Gui: Calm and Composed (White): Your emotions are steady, allowing you to face danger more serenely.]
[Gui: Master of Boxing (Blue): Your boxing skills are enhanced accordingly.]
[Ren: Righteous and Unyielding (White): When acting as a hero, you naturally exude righteousness, which instills fear in villains.]
"What a versatile ability, 'Calm and Composed'—every trial has it, yet relying solely on it won't get you through any trial."
"Seems like only someone with balanced, all-round stats could use it effectively. Hmm, I'll go with something simpler and more direct."
After a brief thought, Chu Ge selected Master of Boxing. His reasoning was straightforward: with the game's tendencies, he figured Righteous and Unyielding was likely limited in effectiveness. Similar to Intimidating Presence, it would only be useful if the player had sufficient combat strength.
If a player wasn't skilled, the ability would have little impact. Conversely, if the player was powerful, Righteous and Unyielding or Intimidating Presence could significantly enhance their performance.
Knowing his lack of combat skill, Chu Ge chose Master of Boxing to survive a bit longer.
After selecting the skill, the trial scenario began to shift.
Chu Ge looked forward and saw a muscular, brawny man practicing boxing in the grand courtyard. Though the man appeared stocky, each punch produced a powerful, whistling force, clearly demonstrating he was not to be trifled with.
Xue Tianba—this was the boss of the Wanderer's Trial.
Unlike the other trials, the Wanderer's Trial was straightforward: the player appeared in Xue Tianba's estate, and the mission was to kill him by any means necessary to complete the trial.
Chu Ge couldn't determine the specific historical event behind this trial since his search yielded nothing on Xue Tianba. Based on the architectural and clothing details, he guessed it took place during the Liang Dynasty, but he couldn't confirm the exact period or event.
Chu Ge had previously entered this trial briefly, but after identifying the goal of defeating this fearsome boss, he'd immediately retreated. The man looked way too formidable!
But now that he'd cleared the Scholar's Trial and had that identity as a backup, Chu Ge figured he might as well try the Wanderer's Trial. Perhaps he could pass while exploring the game's mechanics.
First, he tested his body's basic abilities. He was agile and strong—in fact, his physical attributes seemed even better than in the Warrior's Trial.
After all, the warrior began as a simple frontier soldier, not particularly strong, while a wanderer often came from a wealthy background—martial arts required resources. No wealth, no martial arts training, and no way to become a wanderer.
Still, Chu Ge suspected that despite his physical prowess, he might still lose badly against Xue Tianba.
In most games, the protagonist was a lean, agile hero who danced around the heavy-set villain. But in reality, weight often provided a significant advantage in combat, and it seemed likely Chu Ge's character would be pounded by this massive man.
Considering Dark Sand's "ultra-realism," the latter seemed more likely.
Chu Ge didn't think too hard about it. Since he was here, he might as well fight.
With a leap, he descended from the roof into the courtyard.
The brawny man, Xue Tianba, spotted him and smirked disdainfully, beckoning Chu Ge over with a thick hand, then assuming a ready stance.
Chu Ge was taken aback. What an arrogant boss! One would think a villain in his courtyard would be alarmed upon seeing a hero leap from the roof. Perhaps he'd call for backup?
Yet Xue Tianba regarded him as nothing more than a plaything, as though Chu Ge were merely there for his amusement.
Chu Ge refused to back down. No, he'd have to fight this guy!
With the Master of Boxing ability, how could he tolerate such disdain?
In real life, if Chu Ge encountered someone like this, he'd probably run or call the police. But in the game, he felt entirely different.
He threw a punch experimentally.
Upon landing it, Chu Ge felt a surge of excitement. Perhaps he was actually strong?
He had briefly tried the Warrior's and Assassin's Trials. Though all three trial identities had combat abilities, each was specialized.
The warrior's techniques focused on military efficiency—simple, effective, and practical. The assassin's techniques were precise, meant to kill swiftly in close quarters.
The wanderer's fighting style, however, was more comprehensive, like something out of a martial arts novel, with structured moves and a solid foundation. In terms of direct combat versatility, the wanderer seemed the strongest.
Historically, even though Nie Rang, hailed as the foremost swordsman, could be considered both a famous assassin and a wanderer, his early life might more accurately align with the wanderer archetype. Wanderers often served as retainers, assisting nobles in various tasks, including assassination.
In terms of sheer combat power, Nie Rang was likely unmatched.
However, in terms of player-experienced combat ability, the Wanderer's Trial character felt the most powerful, perhaps due to balance adjustments in Dark Sand. The assassin trial likely emphasized Nie Rang's assassination skills rather than his full strength.
Of course, this was only Chu Ge's guess. He'd never met the real Nie Rang, after all.
Regardless, it was clear that the wanderer's body was the strongest and most versatile among the four trials.
Chu Ge's confidence in his combat abilities grew—perhaps more than warranted.
He assumed a stance.
With Master of Boxing activated, he could feel his muscle memory recalling various moves, as if he truly were a martial arts master.
Just as he settled into his stance, Xue Tianba charged like a bull. His massive fist, laden with force, swung directly at Chu Ge's head.
With a resounding thud, Chu Ge's vision went black. His body was launched like a rag doll, spinning and tumbling across the ground until he crashed into the courtyard wall.