Chapter 781: Lihao

45 degrees, 3 minutes.

Floating in mid-air, with electromagnetic repulsion constantly activated, the charged particle cannon muzzle on Lihao's shoulder continuously fires pale blue ion beams, destroying the incoming tactical missiles in mid-air.

Zi—xiu!

Precise and efficient.

The firelight constantly rising in mid-air illuminated his calm face, making it flicker between light and dark.

There are still 2171 people...

Three-fold focus.

The modified thought module substitutes for his calculation of ballistic angles.

The diverted mind constantly observes the current number of participants.

It is already the fifth round of the trial.

The number of trial participants has rapidly dropped to less than one-third of the original.

Excluding the initial rapid loss of fewer than a thousand, each subsequent round reduces participants by a similar number.

Under purely survival-defense trials, the performance of physique-system Awakened Ones is clearly much better than in the previous two trials.

At least, they have a chance to resist.

The next round... will probably have only about 1000 people...

He muttered to himself.

Lihao, nearly forty years old, had no emotion in his eyes.

His long military career had already forged his mind into steel-like toughness.

This trial should test the participants from three dimensions...

He analyzed to himself.

If Lin An were here, he would surely be curious to guess why Lihao, who ought to be a mental-system Awakened One, participated in the physique trial.

A brief alarm sounded, interrupting his conscious thoughts.

Light warning: artificial sun core, operating at 12% load...

Ignoring the alarm coming from his chest, Lihao continued to think.

The first dimension: defensive capability, or survivability, in various combat environments.

Each round's system attack method and intensity are targeted.

In this tactical missile bombardment, EMP electromagnetic interference shells have already appeared... obviously targeting electronic-mechanical gifted individuals...

But the mechanical-electronic modifications on my body come from talent...

The influence is limited.

Ziza—ziza.

A slight current leaked out, scraping across his shoulder, forming a slight scorch mark.

The second dimension: testing the Awakened Ones' defensive consciousness in extreme states...

Simply bearing damage head-on does not represent the strength of survivability...

The essence of the physique trial is...

Survive!

Whoosh! Boom!

The rear thruster deployed, the ion propulsion device embedded and fused with flesh and blood spraying fine, dense mercury ions, instantly bringing him to another position.

Boom!!

An explosion sounded.

With the aid of the Simple Harmonic Biological Computer, this turn almost perfectly avoided the explosion's center, saving 17% energy consumption.

He slightly turned his head, a half-meter-long white fragment suddenly scraped across his cheek.

The third dimension...

He paused slightly.

The firepower strike from mid-air suddenly stalled.

Beep, the fifth wave of attacks ends; the sixth trial begins in one minute.

He ignored the system prompt.

The thought of quitting early would not appear in his mind.

For Lihao, his dignity, honor, and responsibility...

Determined that he must go to the end!

Whether in the capital defense circle's battles or in special operations before the apocalypse.

He is forever the pride of the military and the hope-light in the hearts of countless warriors.

The third dimension...

The charged particle cannon retracted, and Lihao's gaze underwent a slight change.

It is to test the participants' judgment of danger.

Whether they believe they can defeat death, or, upon foreseeing death, choose to flee...

Only with absolute self-confidence, control, and complete cognitive judgment...

Can one make the correct choice...

In short.

In subsequent trial rounds, participants will face immense pressure.

Taking the situation before the fifth round as an example, Lihao noticed that many Awakened Ones did not die in the trial but withdrew early.

They feared that in the fifth round of trials, the system attack would completely kill them!

Thoughts flowed efficiently, nerves like being cut by a knife.

Under the EMP attack, some of the external plug-in biological computers experienced a minor malfunction.

Taking advantage of the 1-minute safety period, he began to restore his damaged body as much as possible.

That calm, behind the lack of any expression, is unknown suffering.

The artificial sun bound in his chest by the force field, although able to provide him energy at all times and almost without limit, even converting it into spiritual energy.

But the same.

Even if weakened a hundredfold, the artificial sun fused deep in his flesh actively melts his flesh every second.

Carbonization, decomposition, repair... an endless cycle.

The large amount of radiation produced by fission also runs rampant inside his body.

Like being trapped in Avīci hell, eternally tormented.

While waiting, Lihao gazed at his attribute panel.

After the physique attribute, the number 39 for bare equipment suddenly appeared.

Moreover, in the talent column, the constantly flashing dark red glint caused palpitations.

S-rank talent: Flesh Calamity.

Consuming vitality and energy, it endlessly regenerates flesh and can arbitrarily rebirth organ tissues.

When fusing mechanical and technological creations, one gains a technological weakening exemption effect and receives a 20% rule-level fusion enhancement.

Flesh, machinery.

This is the talent dreamed of by countless mechanized Awakened Ones.

Pain brings rich rewards.

Lihao subconsciously lowered his head to glance at the dazzling core on his chest, and memories surged up.

He remembered that when he had just become an Awakened One, the military sought him out and asked if he was willing to contribute his strength.

Success would make him one of the Military Region's trump cards against mutants.

Failure would melt him in the hundred-million-degree heat, leaving not a trace.

He remembered that time...

After piecing together his teammates' corpses, he calmly nodded.

(I am willing...)

The experiment was a great success; after he could not recall how many times he had been reborn, this artificial sun permanently fused with him.

At the First Level, relying on the core's near-infinite energy converted into spiritual energy, which then turned into flesh regeneration to counteract rejection.

With this sustainable cycle, he gained First Level invincible combat power; upon entering the First Level he could already oppose First Level peaks.

Unlimited spiritual energy supply brought unlimited skill releases.

At the Second Level, the military severed the parallel structure between his brain hemispheres, splitting left and right brain, dividing his thoughts in two, and installed an additional biological computer.

From then on, he could perfectly control his emotions, forever remaining rational.

The left brain analyzes combat data; the right brain handles strategy and tactics.

Just after entering the Second Level, he led his team to slaughter many Second Level mutants, saving the precarious defense line.

An absolutely perfect combat weapon.

Contrary to rumors, he relied on military cooperation to kill mutants.

He remembered clearly: when he first thrust his arm through that huge spherical mutant, the slippery sensation.

His left eye flickered; he seemed to recall the moment he received the system reward token.

(Lihao! War God Lihao!)

People, cheering for me...

I am one of their hopes...