Dream Corporation Branch 16, External Operations Departnt, training grounds.
Mo Wen looked at the administrator who had suddenly spaced out before him and asked, "Is there a problem? I just want to get so training in."
The administrator snapped back to attention with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, a netizen just sent the latest training scenario script. I couldn't help taking a peek."
"It's really quite good - based on actual historical records about the company wars. Adjustable difficulty, multi-perspective experience, and highly realistic. Want to give it a try?"
For military-grade augnted soldiers like Mo Wen, indoor training was too restrictive. While outdoor training offered slightly more freedom, they still couldn't go all out - many weapons and equipnt were expendable, and environntal damage incurred heavy fines.
Thus, the only place to train without holding back was in virtual reality.
Dream Corporation's VR technology was the best in the world. If not for the UI and various options allowing pauses and exits, one might truly believe it was another reality. Even the subtleties of psychic powers and ntal communication could be simulated to so degree, while straightforward psychic effects were easily replicated.
The "scenarios" essentially placed AI simulations within defined paraters.
Mo Wen had no particular preference for scenarios. "Sure," he agreed casually.
The administrator quickly operated the controls, and the distant VR pod slowly opened - a deep blue, coffin-like container tilted against the wall. When opened, countless blinking light points beca visible within the human-shaped indentation.
Mo Wen lay down inside, allowing the multifunctional fluid - providing nutrients, data transmission, and cooling - to subrge him.
The world before his eyes transford.
[Connected to combat-grade VR pod]
A sensation of floating in nothingness lasted several breaths before rough, grid-like terrain materialized from nothing. Gravity and physical sensations beca sharply defined.
Mo Wen clenched his fist, feeling perfect parity with reality. He could activate every synthetic muscle fiber in his augntations and effortlessly enter psychic acceleration.
Before he could thoroughly explore this virtual world, the administrator's voice sounded again: "Hey, hey, can you hear ? I noticed you don't seem to have VR experience. Need guidance?"
"Wait no - if you're new to VR, why are you training alone?"
"Your training records... show zero sessions!"
"Apologies, my earlier recomndation might be unsuitable. Perhaps you should start with basic training. The scenario I suggested may be too advanced."
Mo Wen remained confident. "Unnecessary. I'm accustod to learning through combat."
Shortly after returning, he had used the Dreamweaver Type-2 to forcibly cram combat knowledge and intelligence into his mind until his head throbbed, then imdiately ca for practical training.
Though Dream Corporation seed like reliable backing now, Mo Wen suspected his bad luck might either destroy this support or get him thrown under the bus.
His first mission involved fighting desperate military-grade augnted soldiers; the second encountered Corporation agents; the third might well trigger world war.
The administrator didn't press further. "Alright. If intensity feels too high, rember to pause and adjust, or call teammates/friends for joint challenges. This scenario supports up to 1024 players."
As he operated the controls, Mo Wen's world changed again.
Massive landmasses rose as gloomy skies appeared. Thousands of warships blotted out the heavens, endless flashes and explosions becoming the sole illumination.
Where was this?
[Year 1782 AD, Age of Conflict]
[This year, the Titan Group had yet ford; peace's dawn remained beyond the horizon]
[Foolish humanity abandoned looking skyward, slaughtering each other over limited earthly power]
[Blood rose knee-high; corpses piled mountain-high - re fantasies of ancients now]
[Before advanced killing technology, human lives beca fleeting silhouettes, leaving no trace]
[Mission Objective: Join legendary hero "Qi Shiming" to stop A-874184's atrocities]
[Your Identity: To be selected]
As the war-ending, peace-bringing hero who pioneered high-morality new humans and established social safeguards - simultaneously humanity's most powerful psychic and influential figure - Qi Shiming had countless fanatics. Mo Wen never imagined soone would script him into a scenario.
But it's just training. Shouldn't affect anything.
Mo Wen scanned identity options, randomly selecting "Naless Wanderer."
The mont he chose, the frozen world began moving.
"Run! Get away!" soone shouted.
But what could force a military-grade augnted soldier - whose baseline speed broke sound barriers and whose psychic-enhanced velocity surpassed all known missiles - to flee?
Mo Wen gazed skyward at tens of thousands of warheads and artillery shells, wearing a confident expression as he visualized weaving through the barrage.
He leapt lightly, vector thrusters blazing as viscous atmosphere tore apart, pale sonic booms forming around him...
Then hundreds of high-energy particle beams from the warships vaporized him, followed by orbital weapons and battle satellites repeatedly scouring his forr position and trajectory with lasers.
[Friendly Tip: Maintain stealth; avoid concentrated fire. In war, individuals are insignificant.]
Then everything rewound to the initial frozen mont.
Revived, Mo Wen analyzed his death.
VR deaths couldn't trigger his accustod death premonitions that affected his real body. He needed to sharpen his vision, prediction, and reactions without relying on that instinct.
Those warships, according to knowledge surfacing in his mind, were "Sword-class atmospheric suppression platforms" - a relatively failed early company wars product by the defunct "War God Armants."
Pre-war productivity had been staggering, and their flaws only beca apparent in actual combat. Despite mass-producing tens of thousands, their weaknesses were clear:
Overemphasis on firepower left them lacking stealth and mobility. Even with early shield tech rendering most attacks useless, rival corporations' beyond-visual-range saturation bombardnts easily destroyed them.
Overinvestnt in this flawed design indirectly dood War God Armants.
But no infantry weaponry could penetrate them, and boarding attempts without special equipnt would be shield-fried.
Having realized this, Mo Wen formulated vague plans.
"Mo Wen, training too? What a coincidence." Ren Sisi's chat window popped up. "The captain and Phantom aren't back yet. I'm bored - team up for training?"
Team training? Mo Wen instinctively wanted to refuse, sensing she just wanted to "hack" his emotional defenses.
But upon reflection: could such weakness defeat him?
Impossible.
What could he learn from her then?
Electronic warfare, psychic applications, strategy... valuable indeed.
"Fine. Link up."
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