Chapter 281 – Unparalleled Potential

Inside a certain training room in Star Lake City’s God’s Domain Association...

The training room was the size of four basketball courts. Currently, a cold beauty wielding two daggers and wearing leather armor was dodging virtual arrows coming at her from all directions. While doing so, the woman also fought against three virtual monsters. However, whether it was the arrows or monsters, neither could land a hit on the woman. The woman also consistently landed attacks on the monsters, eventually shattering all three of them.

“Your recent improvements are simply insane, Qianhen! It’s only been three days, yet you’ve already passed the Association’s advanced test. Even official participants of the Star Lake Legion would need close to a year of adaptation after joining the legion to clear the advanced test. If those veteran official participants learn about your achievement, they’ll definitely lose their minds!” a young woman in her early twenties said in excitement and admiration as she looked at Xue Qianhen, also known as Thousand Scars.

The God’s Domain Association had prepared four different levels of tests targeted toward virtual combat in God’s Domain: basic, intermediate, advanced, and special. However, unlike actual combat in God’s Domain, the God’s Domain Association’s test required players to preserve their weapons and equipment using their mental strength. Essentially, this test tested players’ mental strength and combat standards.

Meanwhile, official participants of the Star Lake Legion would only gain the qualifications to participate in virtual competitions after they had conquered the Association’s advanced test. If an official participant managed to conquer the special test, they would become qualified to compete for a team leader position in the legion.

“Qianhen is the pride of our generation. It’s normal for her to achieve such a result. Otherwise, the Dawn Light Corporation’s Second Young Master wouldn’t be trying to woo her so desperately,” a slightly older woman said enviously. “I heard Young Master Chen is planning to get Shi Feng to seek Qianhen’s apology. Although Shi Feng is a genius capable of entering the top 100, he’ll probably have no choice but to capitulate in front of Young Master Chen.”

The several other women training nearby nodded in agreement, their hearts similarly filled with envy.

Only an existence like Chen Qitian would have the ability to get a genius of Shi Feng’s caliber to lower his head. Yet, such an existence had fallen head over heels for Thousand Scars.

“Whatever Chen Qitian does is his problem,” Thousand Scars said indifferently as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. “What Shi Feng decides to do is also none of my business.”

...

In Thousand Scars’ opinion, both Shi Feng and Chen Qitian were nothing but minor characters.

Ever since she came into contact with the Paimon Corporation, she understood that her stage was on a higher plane. As for Shi Feng, someone who she used to think of as a threat, he was nothing more than an ordinary genius in her eyes now.

Currently, she only had one goal—to get into the top 10 of the city legion’s selection!

Shortly after Thousand Scars finished speaking, a young woman suddenly rushed into the room with an excited look.

“Something happened! Something big happened!” the young woman shouted excitedly.

“What’s gotten into you? What happened?” the slightly older woman asked curiously. “Did Young Master Chen start to take action against Shi Feng?”

“N-No...” The young woman fervently shook her head. Then, she hurriedly said, “Shi Feng... Shi Feng is simply amazing! Not only did he come in first place on his second test attempt, but he even received an S-rank for both evaluations! Everyone in the Association is talking about him right now!”

The entire training room fell silent as soon as the young woman finished speaking, everyone looking at the young woman in disbelief.

“Impossible!” Thousand Scars instinctively denied the young woman’s words.

Although Thousand Scars admitted that Shi Feng had astonishing potential, it shouldn’t be possible for him to go from 100th to 1st in the selection in only two weeks, much less receive a double S-rank in his evaluations. This news sounded like a joke no matter how she wrapped her mind around it.

It should be known that it had been well over a century since Star Lake City had seen someone receiving an S-rank result for both the mental strength and mental control evaluations. How could a Tier 3 instructor from Zero Wing possibly accomplish this feat?

...

At the same time, inside a high-class courtyard in Star Lake City...

A middle-aged man nearing his fifties wearing knight armor and a two-star mental strength grandmaster’s emblem on his chest stood quietly by a pool as he looked at a woman swimming in the pool.

The woman in question not only had a stunningly beautiful appearance, but she also had a superb figure that could make countless young men lose their minds for her.

However, when the middle-aged man looked at this peerless beauty, there was not the slightest hint of disrespect in his eyes. On the contrary, his eyes carried hints of fear.

If Shi Feng were here to see this, he would definitely be surprised. This was because this peerless beauty was none other than the female receptionist responsible for overseeing his test when he first entered Crying Lake City’s God’s Domain Association.

“What brings you here, War Bear?” the woman said after swimming to the pool’s edge and glancing at the bulky middle-aged man. “If it’s not something interesting, you’d better be prepared.”

“Commander Red Frost! This is definitely big news!” the bulky man said somewhat fearfully. “Just a short while ago, a newcomer named Shi Feng took first place in the selection. Moreover, he received an S-rank for both evaluations. However, I also heard that Chen Qitian, Chen Qilin’s younger brother, seems to be in conflict with Shi Feng. What is your opinion on this matter?”

“Shi Feng? Double S-rank?” The woman called Red Frost smiled. “It seems things are finally going to become interesting in our legion. I heard that Chen Qilin loves his younger brother dearly. Once that newcomer officially joins the legion, I wonder what surprises he and Chen Qilin will bring me?”

...

Miniature Ancient World, Crying Sea City’s harbor:

As the morning sun shined its rays on the harbor, the various powers’ teams gathered at the harbor and summoned their ships one after another, instantly causing the spacious harbor to become crowded.

Among the many ships floating at the harbor, a 60-meter-long warship stood out like a sore thumb, the ship’s majestic frame causing the surrounding players to drool.

A warship was significantly bigger than the average ship. It was a tool specialized for combat out at sea.

Even a Common Warship possessed firepower rivaling multiple Advanced Ships. In addition, it also had a defensive barrier that was far superior to that of Advanced Ships. It was a war machine capable of going up against Mythic sea monsters.

However, the warship parked at the harbor clearly wasn’t just a Common Warship. After all, the warship’s twofold mana barrier was not something one could find on any Common Warship.

“What is Vice President Xia thinking? Why did she have our Gray Goose Team bring the corporation’s sole Bronze Warship to assist Zero Wing?” a Level 124, Tier 3 male Guardian Knight complained as he looked at the surrounding players looking in his direction. However, he had long since gotten used to receiving such attention, so he turned to a Level 124 female Cleric with short hair and grinned, saying, “Feather, I heard from Xiaoxiao that Zero Wing’s main force has not only her younger sister in it but also her junior sisters and brothers. I wonder if they’ll be surprised if they see Xiaoxiao now?”

In response, the Cleric named Crow Feather chuckled and said, “Surprise will be an understatement. I bet they’ll be utterly dumbfounded if they see how strong Xiaoxiao has become. Aside from Zero Wing’s Guild Leader Black Flame, nobody else in Zero Wing will be a match for her.”

Before Wu Xiaoxiao joined the Green God Corporation, her combat standard was only at the Flowing Water Realm. Now, though, not only was Wu Xiaoxiao only one step away from reaching the Domain Realm, but she also had combat power rivaling Tier 4 players of the same level. This was thanks to the Fragmented Legendary Staff and special class she acquired.

Meanwhile, according to Wu Xiaoxiao, whether it was her juniors or her younger sister, all of them were only at the Refinement Realm standard. There was simply no competition between them and Wu Xiaoxiao.

While the Guardian Knight and Cleric from the Gray Goose Team were talking, a commotion suddenly occurred at the harbor. At the same time, an indescribable sense of oppression spread across the entire harbor.

When everyone turned to look at the origin of this oppressive feeling, they saw a team of 100 players clad in matching equipment.

Even though all these 100 players did was walk on the street, everyone in the harbor could feel the air around them trembling. It felt as if 100 Mythic monsters were currently walking in the harbor.

When everyone saw the six-winged emblem these 100 players wore on their chests, the shock they experienced rose to a whole new level.

“Zero Wing?”