[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-player-beyond-dimensions":3,"chapter-a-player-beyond-dimensions-a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-23":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","A Player Beyond Dimensions",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2254989,4399,"Chapter 23: Chapter Twenty-Two: Mountain Flood! Britain Island","a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-23",23,"\u003Cp>A night of fierce wind and sudden rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, a gentle breeze brushed through the valley, echoing among the rolling peaks where mountain folk lived in seclusion; the night wind grew stronger, like a choked sob, the thin veil of clouds parted, revealing a full moon, pale and round, luring the soul—then a bolt of lightning split the vast night sky, and beneath it, the valley stream, lush and green, rushed swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed the bloodshed of recent years had weighed heavily upon the heavens, and heaven itself wished to nourish all life with this storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid thunderous roars, the gale howled through the valley, growing fiercer still, until it became a hoarse wail; wind blades like knives scraped like fingernails on wood—then a torrent of wind and rain swept through the secluded valley, pouring down in buckets, making the long-dry earth sigh a long, low breath; the vital breath of all things merged with heaven and earth. Rainwater gathered in the peaks and hollows, first as trickling streams, then after several violent storms, converging into rivers—until the wind shrieked like a piercing scream, tearing through the night, and countless rivulets merged into a mountain flood, crashing down as the mountains trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A torrent burst from a rifted peak, like a waterfall plunging a hundred zhang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How magnificent is nature!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wind’s wail rose like a piercing cry; the surging flood resembled a river inverted from heaven, sweeping across the entire valley where mountain folk dwelled—yet when it reached the encampment, it only toppled a fence and soaked a few goat-skin tents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the moonlight on the windowsill, the Crow Queen—Tris watched the storm all night, her face flushed with rosy hues, exquisitely beautiful, bearing the quiet satisfaction and languid grace of one who has witnessed nature’s grandeur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She rose and stepped out the door; when she turned back, the wind and rain outside had already begun to fade—but a new storm loomed on the horizon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night passed in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the dawn’s faint light, Deng Ken rolled over and tossed a soft goat-skin blanket over the figure beside him, lying like a pile of mud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened the window to air out the night’s stench—the oil candle had burned all night, filling the room with a thick, sheep-like odor; from the bed lined with fine goat-skin came a muffled murmur, as if disturbed by the sunlight, the figure rolled over and curled into a corner like a worm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken paid no mind, stretched his limbs, feeling refreshed and clear-headed, the fatigue of days past vanished, and the gloom left by his Yilushachuanbangeouzhou  was gone entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bones popped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the dawn’s glow, the muscles along his spine were sharply defined as if carved by a blade—his back broad as a bee’s, waist narrow as a monkey’s; when he raised his arms as if pulling mountains down, the muscle fibers converged like eyes, tendons coiled like dragon veins, and under the sunlight, more striking than any statue from ancient Greece.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the door, footsteps paused; the Crow Queen—Tris stared, her long swan-like neck swallowing once, cheeks flushed, her voice as still as a deep well: “Since you’re up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s begin morning lessons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Today I’ll teach you to read and write Latin, and the teachings of the Socratic school.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beauty curled like a worm in the corner, peeking out, shuddered violently—like an ostrich, she buried herself again, her slender frame trembling slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken nodded, pulled on his coat, and as he stepped out, said to the slave behind the Crow Queen—Tris: “Heat some water.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then bring it in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gestured for the Crow Queen—Tris to wait, walked to the mountain stream, stripped bare, and washed himself—last night’s flood had caused little damage; only a few mountain women were mending fences and drying goat-skins; they paused far off, gazing at the raw masculinity there, and the statue-like physique of his body drew gasps and hand-clamped mouths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blood of the Holy Grail has begun to take effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps, after his Yilushalai , Deng Ken’s physical condition has risen sharply—he now rides a horse with one hand, carrying over a hundred jin as if weightless, even needing no reins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his current physique, ordinary horses cannot match his full combat potential; only a famed steed like Chi Tu could unleash his full power. His many killing techniques demand strength beyond ordinary means—if adrenaline surges, even his own bare feet could outrun most warhorses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris was already waiting in the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She did not wish Deng Ken to be a reckless Spartan brute; thus, she intended to teach him literacy, philosophy, and art to temper the blood and fire of slaughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was born a peasant, apprenticed as a blacksmith, knew a few characters, but little else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Deng Ken had past-life memories, he did not wish to waste the Crow Queen’s goodwill—he studied earnestly; his acquired abilities were mostly combat skills, and learning medieval philosophy might still refine his spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At noon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aniya finally descended the stairs, reluctantly, under her slave’s care; her expression was weary and languid, yet her complexion was radiant, dazzlingly beautiful, nearly rivaling the Crow Queen—Tris in allure—yet her gaze darted nervously, her heart trembling; when the Crow Queen—Tris’s calm eyes swept over her, her legs instinctively shook.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last night’s storm, the Crow Queen—Tris’s three lashes shattered the heroine’s dream—but Aniya would not give up easily!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris, expressionless, signaled that today’s Greek philosophy lesson was over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aniya felt as if released from prison, even volunteering to help the slave bring food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Severus was unwell today; his gaze occasionally drifted toward Deng Ken, and they exchanged awkward smiles—as if his blood flow was blocked, his old abdominal wound throbbing faintly—he could only sit aside, waiting for the meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m injured. Focus on eating. Eat well. Eat properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mountain village had no major affairs; Ke Vito could not often lead raids on manors, so in the afternoon, men trained in the open ground—their fighting style resembled Roman gladiators, not regular legion tactics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This stemmed from their exiled lineage; in their early days, they trained as gladiators, and their usual small-scale skirmishes favored a rogue-like style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the battlefield, plain slashes and thrusts were more effective than any flashy technique; Roman formations relied on shields for defense and short swords for offense—they could make these men scream and cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spartacus’s rebellion: so many elite gladiators, individually slaughtering Roman soldiers at will—but once formed into ranks, they were crushed utterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most typical example: the Assassins—their prototype—faced Mongol cavalry, like lambs being slaughtered; individual prowess meant nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Military combat techniques are fundamentally plain and unadorned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken found it intriguing; he glanced at the Crow Queen—Tris and asked: “Shall I teach you some combat skills?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris readily agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Deng Ken’s greatest strength lies under God’s-eye view, in his normal state, the abilities he seized have become instinct—each move, each strike, impossible to master without over a decade of Kugong ; what he taught the Crow Queen—Tris were only basic techniques: breaking down fundamental strikes, chops, thrusts, and sweeps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris learned quickly; she clearly had prior foundation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many mountain folk gathered around; they dared not stare at the Crow Queen—Tris, their eyes fixed on Deng Ken; some even picked up wooden swords and mimicked the basic forms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken still knew no advanced combat forms; his strength lay entirely in the most fundamental techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pick a few men to train.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken spotted Ke Vito in the crowd, picked up a crude wooden sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Vito was thrilled; he glanced around, saw others eager to try, stepped forward himself, then called over a few close followers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One thrust forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken shifted casually, making Ke Vito’s thrust miss entirely; with his current combat skill, only a true master could force him to dodge with a roll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Ke Vito swung his sword down, Deng Ken raised his blade to block—then in an instant, he surged forward like a butterfly, appearing beside Ke Vito, his wooden sword already resting against Ke Vito’s neck, leaving a faint red line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He held back his strength—if he had used full force, the wooden sword might have severed Ke Vito’s throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A murmur swept the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken’s counter was absurdly simple: block, shift, surge, blade sweep—the most basic upward slash—and Ke Vito was already “dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their physical conditioning, combat skill, and reaction speed were not on the same level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken picked up a shield and gestured to the six men before him: “Come at me together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The six men stirred eagerly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon one roared, as if summoning courage, sweeping his wooden sword toward Deng Ken’s waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shield blocked, then Deng Ken thrust back—one man clutched his abdomen and collapsed, screaming; another swung downward—Deng Ken surged forward, swung his shield, and with a thud, the man flew backward, nearly unconscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slash. Chop. Thrust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shield block.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No flashy moves—only the most basic combat forms; without God’s-eye view, Deng Ken knocked all six down, yet Ke Vito’s desperate strike grazed Deng Ken’s arm, leaving a faint red mark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheers erupted around them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The onlookers cheered not only Deng Ken’s extraordinary combat skill, but also Ke Vito for managing to wound him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed, without God’s-eye view, my abilities are just standard stats.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All these combat proficiencies—fighting six at once was already taxing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, if he wore full armor, the outcome would be entirely different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken reached down and pulled Ke Vito to his feet; he said gravely: “We’ll stay here for several days. During this time, I’ll train you in combat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gather all the able-bodied men in the village.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Vito’s face lit up with joy—but hearing Deng Ken planned to leave, he felt a pang of disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this chaotic age, finding a strong ally is not easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken had other plans for them, but they required much preparation—and without a fleet, he could not transport the exiles to Britain Island. Many mouths meant food, water, waste—Britain’s condition was unknown; he must scout first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the medieval era, Britain Island could easily support tens of thousands of exiles in quiet recovery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all the commotion, it was afternoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken observed the village, using God’s-eye view to assign men to fortify defenses—merely slight arrangements at key points, so they’d have more reaction time if attacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The exiles were not all rebels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ke Vito sent men to nearby towns to gather news and attempt contact with Aniya’s merchant ships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the supplies seized yesterday, they could survive the winter without issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris moved through the village; her breathtaking beauty made people dare not stare—within just an afternoon of conversation with the exiled mountain folk, over a dozen had turned into green-marked units.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even mountain women fell to their knees before her, calling her “High Priestess.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In ancient Rome, sacrifices rarely involved kneeling; Romans honored ancestors more than gods, often placing ancestral tablets behind the statues in household shrines, sharing offerings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris disliked being bowed to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But barbarian priests had kneeling customs; after some effort, she finally convinced those ignorant mountain folk to stop kneeling on sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many here were polytheists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Generally, followers of organized churches gradually abandoned ancestor worship; true traditional Roman faith often included small household temples, honoring household deities and ancestral spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When early Christians were persecuted, one charge against them was “not honoring ancestors”—a grave offense in ancient Rome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To appease Roman imperial religious policy, early churches once incorporated rituals similar to Roman sacrifices—but these customs were later condemned as heresy by church leaders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chaotic polytheistic system could unite to persecute Christians for a reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The exiles were people who could no longer live.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They cared little for faith—whoever could keep them alive, they’d worship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken’s group stayed here for three days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, after contacting the ship Aniya had prepared, the five of them disguised themselves and headed for the nearby town’s port. The Saxons did not merely invade Britain—they also invaded Lesser Germania—though no one cared about Britain, while Lesser Germania had to face the Franks and the Empire’s border garrisons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At present, Lesser Germania had not yet fully fallen; at least, the Empire still held a few military outposts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blue sea, clear sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the eighteenth day of their crossing, Deng Ken’s group traversed half of Europe and finally boarded a ship bound for the island of Britain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The province of Britain had been abandoned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Decades ago, the Empire withdrew its last garrison legion, so now Britain was effectively ungoverned, a chaotic war zone. The Saxons had launched a century-long migration and invasion, gradually squeezing the traditional Celtic peoples’ living space until they became the Welsh and the Scots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, according to legend, King Arthur had once reclaimed lost lands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He and the Knights of the Round Table defeated the Saxon invaders of Britain through twelve battles, but after his death, the Saxons regained absolute superiority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken now intended to scout the situation of the British Isles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flock of seagulls flew overhead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris stood on the deck, gazing at the distant island of Britain, her expression unreadable, lost in thought; occasionally her gaze shifted to Deng Ken, and then never left him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aniya, by contrast, was excited—she was, after all, only a Roman noblewoman who had rarely left the Italian peninsula, and now she stared curiously at the land ahead, fascinated by everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two-star blank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the weakest witch Deng Ken had ever seen, Aniya had tried several times to approach him and link arms to show affection, but each time the Crow Queen—Tris’s gaze swept over her, she instinctively froze in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll reach Britain soon,” Severus said in a low voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Druidism originated in Celtic culture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the European continent today, Germanic barbarians had risen, the Huns pressed closer, and the Celts gradually weakened; after Gaul adopted Imperial culture, true Druids had become exceedingly rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He certainly wished to preserve the Druidic lineage—if the Church had not hunted them down as “heretics” and condemned the old order, he would never have been driven to gamble everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Britain…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken gazed at the distant land and murmured: “Has King Arthur been born yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint scent of blood drifted on the breeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sailors cried out: “Saxons! It’s a Saxon pirate warship!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they intended to cross the sea and invade Britain, the Saxons were naturally skilled sailors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………………\u003C\u002Fp>",2426,"2026-06-19T13:13:01.402Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","43872284fc7587db1f22868d3f4daa5d888dd43ad0ace8df490e9051e8b21491","a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-24","a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-22",195,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-player-beyond-dimensions-cover.jpg"]