Chapter 34: Challenge

Black Curtain Lady's gaze lingered a moment on the dim‑eyed Xing, then moved away.

Compared to this test subject's static performance, she cared more about its dynamic abilities.

She turned toward the system doll standing beside her like a shadow.

"System, is there a suitable place to test her combat abilities?" Heimu asked, his tone calm like a researcher's.

The system doll's inverted‑cross eyes streamed data, and in a steady electronic voice replied, "Hui, the most direct and efficient testing venue is the 'Golden Descendant' challenge space recorded in the database."

Heimu nodded in understanding: "We can find… wait, find whom?"

She suddenly realized, her look at the system filled with a "are you kidding me" meaning, "Those Golden Descendants—broken to pieces, mad to madness, pierced to the core—can they really be pulled out as Sandbag for testing?"

The system doll, expression unchanged (it could not make any other expression), explained, "Lady, the tragic scenes you see are mostly the external manifestations in the database of the trauma inflicted on their core concepts by Iron Tomb's power. It's like a program BOSS with a fixed behavior pattern. When you send units into the corresponding challenge space, they are not fighting the 'entity' or 'remnants' themselves, but confronting these solidified trauma projections."

It paused, then continued in that almost mercilessly calm tone, "By winning the battles and dismantling or suppressing these trauma projections, you achieve a powerful 'conquest' and 'proof'. This can shake their core concepts, potentially awakening or altering their currently sealed state. It is also one viable path to achieve 'Submission' or 'Deep Recognition'."

Heimu found it a bit convoluted: "Simplify, speak human language."

The system flowed smoothly, "In short, you can send people in to beat them. If you win, you may 'wake' them, or at least make them acknowledge your power. That's also a form of 'conquest.'"

Heimu's eyes brightened, her right fist lightly tapped her left palm, "I see! No wonder earlier it mentioned that rescuing them requires 'Submission' or 'Persuasion'… I was also wondering how to 'subdue' those locked, frozen ones."

She thought of another question, with a hint of eagerness: "Can I go on the field myself?"

Testing the quality of these Golden Descendants personally also seemed quite interesting.

The system doll immediately vetoed, its tone bearing an undeniable programmatic certainty, "It is not recommended for you, Lady, to go yourself. This does not follow the normal procedure. Generally, no game design allows a player to directly enter an instance and physically grapple with the BOSS."

Heimu was choked by the game metaphor, rubbing her brow, "…That's true."

She abandoned the thought of going herself.

"Then that's it." She redirected her gaze to the quietly standing, doll‑like Xing, "She'll be perfect for a test run."

She walked up to Xing and, in a declarative tone, said, "Listen, from now on, your name is A Xing." (Naming futile)

A clear code name is needed for this copy to distinguish it from the original.

"Follow me."

Having said that, she raised her hand, opened the portal back to System Space, and stepped through first.

A Xing showed no hesitation, matching Heimu's pace almost exactly, and silently followed.

The system doll, like a ghost, silently trailed at the rear.

Returning to the pristine white System Space, Heimu crossed her arms and began seriously pondering her first "training partner."

"Who to pick?"

She muttered to herself, her eyes scanning the virtual panel's list of Golden Descendant names and status thumbnails.

"Bai E… no, no."

She immediately dismissed it, "The Ice‑Sealed Tomb setup looks like a massive scene; A Xing alone would probably be overwhelmed, don't have her wrecked in the first match."

"Wan Di… also no."

Looking at the image of a massive sword piercing a spine, Heimu shook her head, "These are clearly iron‑clad battle maniacs, specialized in close combat. For the first test, it's safer to be cautious."

Her finger pointed at Ke Xia's name.

"A frail scholar… theoretically the best choice."

But recalling that abstract, mad dance, she hesitated again, "But if I pick a girl to fight, isn't that a bit off, we can't just say fight Ti Bao…"

After much deliberation, Heimu finally made up her mind.

"Decided. It's you—Professor Ke Xia!"

She lightly tapped Ke Xia's name with her finger, "I hope your 'rationality' still remains a bit, don't let this test subject become infected with abstraction…"

Having chosen the target, she thought of another person—Bai Hang.

(Inner thought: Bai Hang that girl is now basically my person too; I can't keep being just a warehouse clerk who only buys things. The system said this space will unconsciously boost, apparently also slightly improving her basic qualities? Good chance to see how much she's grown. I have two cards in hand, I need to know how to play them.)

Thought, then act.

Heimu walked straight to the black door leading to the prison of Xi Lian, the stairs vanished instantly, and she arrived at the platform, but did not descend, instead standing at the edge of the upper platform, quietly overlooking below.

On the lower platform, it was already arranged by Bai Hang with a homely atmosphere.

A soft blanket covered the floor, cushions scattered, Xi Lian sat quietly on the blanket with an open book on her lap, while Bai Hang sat cross‑legged beside her, holding a Mingou Cake, eating it while animatedly chatting, causing a faint smile to tug at Xi Lian's mouth corner.

Snow‑white Fox Ears and Tail swayed lightly with her storytelling, appearing lively and warm.

The atmosphere between them, compared to the bleakness when Xi Lian was alone, suspended by chains, was a world apart.

Heimu silently watched this harmonious scene, a complex feeling arising in her heart—perhaps a longing for beauty, also unwillingness to shatter this warmth—so she did not immediately speak to disturb it.

She took a gentle breath, adjusting her expression.

Regaining her inscrutable demeanor, she turned to the system behind her and instructed:

"Call Bai Hang over. Then lead her to the entrance of Ke Xia's challenge space and meet me there."

The system doll had no questions (such as "Why don't you call her yourself, Lady?"), merely bowed slightly: "As you command, Lady."

Its figure then merged into the data stream, disappearing from above the platform, and the next moment appeared beside Bai Hang on the lower platform, delivering Heimu's command in its inorganic voice.

Heimu, no longer lingering, with silent A Xing, turned and stepped again onto the corridor formed of flowing dark data code, heading toward a newly appeared dark door.

When she pushed open the door, what met her eyes was still the "Clean Cell".

And Ke Xia indeed was still crouched in the corner of the room, back to the doorway, shoulders slightly twitching, unsure what he was scheming, or perhaps just immersed in his abstract world.