Chapter 28: Intensive Training

After viewing the CG, Mo Wen asked Ren Sisi, who was standing nearby, "How much of this script do you think aligns with history? Was that 'normal ending' we just saw based on actual historical events?"

Ren Sisi answered with absolute certainty, "That? That could not possibly be historical fact."

"Although I’m not a history expert, I can tell at a glance that the ending was a mix of brainless sycophancy and 'saintly' revisionism. It’s lightyears away from what actually happened."

"I even suspect the person who wrote this adaptation has some questionable fetishes. If it weren't for the fact that the legendary Qi Shiming is peerless, I feel like the target would have started acting like some dainty, helpless wife, and Qi Shiming would have consoled her... Ugh, no, I can't even imagine such a thing."

Mo Wen was left speechless by Ren Sisi’s vivid imagination.

Fortunately, he had died enough times to learn how to keep himself from thinking about things he shouldn't, lest he lose his composure. Wait—he was here to train, not to gossip!

Mo Wen spoke solemnly to Ren Sisi, "I need to increase the intensity of my training significantly. You’re either having no impact on the results or a negative one, so I think it’s better if I train alone."

He would deal with tactics and psionic applications later; he needed to fully enter a training state first, rather than just playing through scenarios, watching CGs, and treating it like a game.

"Huh?" Ren Sisi, who had just recovered from the nausea (since her virtual body couldn't actually vomit), stood stunned for two seconds. After thinking it over, she sighed helplessly, "You’re right."

"Fine, I won't bother you anymore. But, just out of curiosity, when do you plan on coming out?"

Mo Wen calculated the time needed to mitigate the negative effects of the forced knowledge infusion from the training device and the time until the next scheduled maintenance, then gave an answer: "Probably in about 32 hours."

Ren Sisi leaned back, looking shocked. "You’re planning to sleep in the training device? No food, no drink, no breaks, just relying on the machine for life support and training until you drop?!"

Sleep? Was that necessary? Opportunities for training were rare in the course of Mo Wen's "death cycles." Moreover, he didn't feel a strong need for sleep; his "Dream-Maker" could alternate rest periods with his original brain.

Eating? Charging his prosthetic body was enough. Entertainment? It didn't feel as fun as training to cut people down.

However, Mo Wen understood the difference between himself and a normal person. He explained, "The device is connected to the network, and there are plenty of scripts—isn't that just like playing a game? Sleeping in here even lets you adjust the environment to a waterbed. As for food and drink, I’ve never really cared much for them. I have no gluttonous desires."

That explanation sounded rather problematic.

Ren Sisi opened her mouth to speak but stopped. She felt that Mo Wen had a tendency to settle permanently into the virtual world.

This wasn't a good habit; after all, staying in the virtual world for too long could blur the lines between reality and simulation. Some people had developed mental illnesses because of this and required long-term therapy.

But a day or two shouldn't be a big problem. Her sister would probably have a word with him when she performed his maintenance later. And as for her... she wasn't his mother.

"Well, it seems someone will be missing out on A6-grade beef and molecular gastronomy desserts..."

Mo Wen checked the system and found that the device supported deep sensory simulation. Aside from changing gear, it also supported summoning food. He immediately summoned a plate of steaming stir-fried meat and took a bite.

"Hmm, it is indeed delicious. Thanks for the reminder."

Hey, what is this "practicing the opposite of what you're told" nonsense right in front of me! Ren Sisi trembled with rage, pointed at Mo Wen, and finally, without saying another word, logged off in a huff.

Mo Wen, meanwhile, looked at the script—which spanned the entire Corporate War era and required him to fight every powerhouse of the old age—and stretched his body, preparing himself.

If you don't fight, you can't survive!

...

Six hours later.

"He’s really not coming out? Today's garlic butter baked snails and carbonara were quite good. What a pity."

Twelve hours later.

"He must be asleep, right? Phew, whatever. Tonight I’m going to raid Vanhareste and secure the first clear of the Pope. We at Dream-Maker Entertainment will definitely be the strongest in the game!"

Eighteen hours later.

"Are you there? Hey, training as soon as you wake up? You're that busy?"

"I study hard in my normal life, too. I just like to change my mindset frequently and chase inspiration rather than stubbornly banging my head against a wall. Someone at the peak of my professional field relies on flashes of insight."

"What do you mean, 'uneducated'? The other half of my brain is learning every single second."

Twenty-four hours later.

"Strange, I keep feeling like something is wrong. Did he actually take a break at all?"

"No, I have to ask the administrator."

Twenty-five hours later.

"Captain, Phantom, go!"

...

In the virtual training space, Dragon-Sword Ninja observed Mo Wen, who was training like a madman.

A sort of fanaticism was practically overflowing from that shell. Even though he could smile and greet people just like a normal person, Dragon-Sword Ninja didn't think he was one.

This feeling was rare, but not undocumented.

Corporations rarely accepted "Old Humans," and they struggled to awaken psionic powers, but there were always a few exceptions. After becoming cyborgs and feeling their own power during training, it was easy for them to develop some unhealthy ideas.

Power was an important thing, and a very realistic thing, but the world didn't just revolve around power; there were things it couldn't solve.

Of course, to shatter those unhealthy ideas, the power of someone stronger was far more reliable than powerless words.

"It seems you think your training is going well. Let's have a match."

"Although virtual training has become extremely effective after continuous improvements, an AI is not a real person. Even if its execution of behavior sets and self-derived techniques can be faster than the original, it still lacks something in the application of psionic power. After all, current AIs still cannot perfectly simulate psionics; they can only realize the effects we imagine."

"True, top-tier military cyborgs are not comparable to the NPCs in those common scripts."

Mo Wen agreed without hesitation, "Fine, let's do it."

The battle began!

A sneak attack!

Dragon-Sword Ninja knew full well how terrifying Mo Wen's speed was. Even suppressed to the same energy level 3 as himself, he still had profound experience. However, against the "Alpha+" rank, which trampled over the rules, the common "Beta" rank was a bit weak—not to mention that he was specialized in single-target attacks.

But he wasn't without a chance.

No matter how vast the psionic power, without long and arduous training, it remained Mo Wen's greatest flaw.

Dragon-Sword Ninja's mental shockwave exploded almost immediately after the signal for the fight to start. This strike was absolutely enough to shake Mo Wen's mind. And if Mo Wen was dazed for even a split second, Dragon-Sword Ninja could decapitate him while his powers were uncontrolled and inactive.

Don't blame me for being underhanded; this is the combat technique of a senior!

The impenetrable barrier of will ignored the feeble shockwave, instead causing Dragon-Sword Ninja to see darkness.

When he reacted, his field of vision was plummeting; his head was falling toward the ground, and his prosthetic body had already been sliced into ribbons.

"I win," Mo Wen said lightly.

Dragon-Sword Ninja was furious. "That doesn't count! Again! What's there to be proud of for an assault-type fighter to beat an assassin? Do you dare to play guerrilla warfare with me in a complex environment?"

Mo Wen agreed, "Fine, you choose the environment."