Chapter 308: Will It Really Explode?

Nannan's minor assessment hiccup was like a breeze, bringing a touch of ease to Xia Wan's tense training life. But her main focus remained entirely on refining her control over her own power. That close call with her sister was a thorn, constantly reminding her of the importance of control.

As training deepened, Xia Wan no longer satisfied herself with practicing inside absolute safety isolation chambers. She began attempting to maintain energy stability under more complex, more realistic conditions—performing basic manipulation exercises in simulated streets, forests, and even environments with unstable energy interference.

That day, she arrived at a Comprehensive Simulation Training Area within the Base. This zone could simulate various extreme environments and emergency scenarios to train soldiers and researchers in crisis response. Xia Wan selected a scenario simulating a Precision Instrument Laboratory, filled with virtual instruments that looked extremely complex, blinking with indicator lights. Her training goal was to maintain a medium-strength energy shield in this "fragile" environment while moving and performing simple energy output exercises, requiring zero energy leakage affecting the surrounding "instruments."

This was extremely difficult, demanding microscopic-level control over energy.

As Xia Wan focused entirely, moving carefully between the instruments, her body enveloped in a faint golden, nearly invisible energy film, the training room door opened. A young researcher in a white lab coat, hair disheveled, peeked in, holding a Tablet Computer as if recording data.

This researcher was Li Sinian, a rising star in the Energy Application Department, known for his unconventional thinking and bold experimentation (sometimes even reckless). He clearly hadn't noticed Xia Wan training—or if he had, he was lost in his own thoughts and paid it no mind.

He glanced at the data stream on his tablet, muttering to himself: "... That doesn't make sense. According to Mr. Qin's revised model's seventh node topology mapping, this energy feedback coefficient should compress another 15% redundancy—why is stability decreasing instead? Could it be the injection port?"

He walked over on his own to a physical Energy Regulator in the corner—the only few real devices in the simulation, used to supply baseline energy and collect training data—and began tinkering with it, oblivious to everything else, fingers flying across the virtual keyboard as he modified parameters.

Xia Wan noticed his intrusion, frowning slightly, but her training was at a critical moment; she couldn't afford distraction. She focused even harder on stabilizing her shield, while deliberately moving farther away from the researcher's position.

Yet Li Sinian's actions grew bolder. He seemed to be attempting some extreme optimization, muttering excitedly: "... Yes! Bypass the third redundancy loop, directly couple to the main energy channel! Efficiency will definitely improve! Though there's a theoretical 3.7% overload risk, the probability is low—worth a try!"

He slammed his finger down on a virtual confirmation key!

Hum—

A low, ominous hum erupted instantly from the physical Energy Regulator! Its indicator lights flashed wildly from steady green to blinding red! An extremely unstable, destructive energy wave spread outward like ripples!

Xia Wan's face turned pale. She clearly felt the regulator's internal energy skyrocketing exponentially—like a bomb with its fuse lit! And this runaway energy resonated dangerously with her own shield, causing her internal energy to surge chaotically!

"No! It's going to explode!" Li Sinian finally realized, screaming as he saw the danger readings on his tablet spike beyond the scale. His face turned ashen; he froze, paralyzed with panic!

Explosion?!

In this relatively enclosed Simulation Training Room? And so close?!

Xia Wan's heart clenched. Her first thought wasn't for herself, but for the reckless researcher—and the potential damage this explosion could inflict on the Base. She instinctively moved to rush over, attempting to forcibly suppress the runaway energy source with her own shield!

But the instant she shifted her stance, a calm voice echoed deep within her mind, carrying absolute authority:

"Steady your shield."

It was Mr. Qin!

Xia Wan instantly halted. She forcibly suppressed the urge to rescue or flee. She didn't know where the gentleman was, but the voice steadied her chaotic spirit.

She clenched her teeth, concentrating all her Spirit into maintaining her faint golden energy shield—compressing and reinforcing its structure according to the control methods she'd trained in, making it denser, more inwardly contained, severing resonance with the runaway external energy!

The moment she completed this sequence—

Boom!!

A deafening explosion erupted!

The physical Energy Regulator could no longer contain its violent internal energy—it shattered violently! Scorching flames and furious shockwaves, mixed with metal shrapnel, surged outward like a tidal wave!

The closest target: Li Sinian!

He watched the explosion unfold, eyes wide, and closed them in despair, thinking only: "It's over!"

But the expected agony of being torn apart never came.

He felt only a searing heatwave rush over his face, whipping his lab coat, making his hair stand on end—and then... nothing?

He opened his eyes, trembling, and saw a scene he would never forget:

Around him, within a two-meter radius, there was an invisible, absolute safe zone! All flames, shockwaves, and shrapnel struck the boundary of this zone like hitting an invisible, unbreakable wall—and were stopped dead, not advancing an inch!

Outside the zone, the training room was in ruins: most simulated instruments destroyed, walls scarred with burns and dents, the air thick with acrid smoke and the stench of ozone from burned energy.

He turned slowly, staring at the only other presence within the zone—Xia Wan.

She still stood in the same posture. Her faint golden energy shield hadn't shattered in the explosion; instead, compressed and inwardly contained to its extreme, it now glowed with the luster of solidified crystal, perfectly protecting her. Her clear face bore a trace of shock from the explosion's onset—but mostly, calm relief... and quiet confirmation of her successful shield maintenance.

This girl... had used her energy shield to protect him at the last instant? And maintained it so perfectly, not even a single ripple of the explosion's aftermath seeped in?!

Li Sinian's mouth hung open, wide enough to swallow an egg. He knew Xia Wan was a Special Bloodline Possessor—but he never imagined her energy control had reached this unimaginable level! Amid a sudden explosion, she hadn't panicked—and had maintained her shield with such precision... even... accidentally shielding the culprit himself?!

Only then did the training room's alarm blare. The Emergency Team and Base Security Personnel stormed in, rushing to contain the scene, extinguishing scattered flames.

Lei Dong and several senior officers arrived soon after. Seeing the ruined training room, Xia Wan standing unharmed with her shield still active, and Li Sinian standing beside her, dazed and speechless, their expressions darkened.

"What happened?!" Lei Dong demanded, his sharp gaze locking onto Li Sinian.

Li Sinian jolted back to reality, face pale with shock and fear, stammering: "C-Commander Lei... I... I just wanted to optimize the energy loop... I didn't expect... it... it really would explode!"

All his risk assessments had remained theoretical—until the explosion, when he finally felt firsthand how terrifyingly destructive that force was.

Xia Wan slowly withdrew her energy shield, feeling her internal energy slightly depleted but still stable. She felt profound gratitude toward Qin Feng. Had it not been for his timely reminder, she might have reacted wrongly—and the consequences could have been catastrophic.

She glanced at Li Sinian, still trembling with fear, and said softly to Lei Dong: "Commander Lei, he didn't mean to. But... next time you conduct dangerous experiments, please use the designated isolation zones."

Hearing this, Li Sinian was overcome with shame.

Lei Dong glared at Li Sinian, voice stern: "Write a detailed self-criticism and incident report. Three days' confinement. Reflect deeply!" Then he turned to Xia Wan, his tone softening considerably: "Xia Wan, are you alright? Your quick reaction saved us."

Xia Wan shook her head: "I'm fine." She hesitated, but didn't mention Qin Feng's silent warning.

Soon, the accident site was cleared. Everyone gradually left, leaving only the devastated training room as proof of the near-disaster.

Li Sinian trudged at the back, head low. As he passed Xia Wan, he stopped, bowed deeply, voice trembling: "Xia... Miss Xia, thank you! Just now... if not for you, I probably would have..."

Xia Wan waved her hand: "Be more careful next time."

Li Sinian nodded frantically, watching Xia Wan's retreating back, his eyes filled with admiration and gratitude, muttering to himself: "It really explodes... So theoretical risks... are real... I can't be so reckless anymore..."

Meanwhile, Xia Wan, already far away, seemed to hear Qin Feng's calm voice again.

"Steady your shield."

Four simple words. In that critical moment, heavier than a thousand catties.

This wasn't just a test of her control—it was a trial of her spirit.

In crisis, the first thing you must steady is yourself.

She lifted her head, gazing toward the endless light stretching ahead, clenching her fist.

The path ahead may be even more perilous—but her heart grew firmer.