Chapter 35

Bai Hang was eagerly showing Xi Lian a new-model Xianzhou spoon that could stir itself, and though Xi Lian still spoke little, her eyes held softness and curiosity, making the atmosphere warm and harmonious.

Suddenly, the system doll appeared before them like a ghost, silently and suddenly, startling both girls.

Xi Lian instinctively shrank back, her azure eyes warily examining this strangely shaped stranger doll with inverted-cross eyes.

Bai Hang almost reflexively stepped forward, placing herself in front of Xi Lian, her snowy white fox ears prickling warily: "Sys... system? What do you want?"

The system doll ignored Bai Hang's small protective gesture and, in a flat electronic tone, delivered the order: "Bai Hang Miss, the lady requests your presence."

"My master is looking for me?"

Bai Hang's heart skipped a beat, and she asked nervously, "Is... what is it?"

The system doll didn't answer, merely fixing her with calm purplish-red inverted-cross eyes, an intangible pressure making Bai Hang feel a prickle on her back.

(Bai Hang's inner thought: Oh no, oh no, could it be that she dislikes how much I spent on shopping? Or did she discover I secretly brought too many things for Xi Lian?)

Feeling uneasy under the system's stare, Bai Hang had no choice but to comply, turning back to squeeze out a reassuring smile for Xi Lian: "Xi Lian, I... I'll go and come back right away, wait for me here."

Xi Lian looked at her worriedly and gave a slight nod.

Bai Hang followed the system away, feeling as if she were marching to the execution ground.

【Data Corridor - Outside Na Ke Xia Prison Cell】

When Bai Hang was brought before the Black Curtain Lady by the system, she immediately saw that beside the Black Curtain Lady stood an unfamiliar grey-haired girl.

That girl's eyes were empty, her expression blank, merely standing there silently, giving off an unapproachable aura.

"Mas... master... are you calling for me?"

Bai Hang spoke carefully, her eyes involuntarily flicking to the grey-haired girl, her heart pounding.

The Black Curtain Lady elegantly raised her hand and pointed to the nearby cell. Bai Hang followed the direction and saw only a green-haired back crouched in the corner, feeling somewhat familiar but unable to recall where she had seen it.

"The situation is simple." Heimu explained in her usual flat tone, "You, and her,"

She pointed to the grey-haired girl beside her, "Interact with the one inside for a moment. I need to assess your combat ability."

Bai Hang: "???"

The bewilderment on Bai Hang's face almost solidified: "Fight... fight? Against whom? Against this... Miss? Or against that... green-haired gentleman inside?"

She completely couldn't grasp the situation—why did they suddenly want to fight?

She was just a former pilot and a food enthusiast!

Before she could even process it, the surroundings shifted abruptly!

No longer a narrow corridor or cell, but an open circular arena.

Above was a glittering night sky river of stars, lush flora grew along the arena's edge, and the air even carried the scent of grass and soil.

Heimu and the system had somehow already taken seats on two spectator chairs that had materialized at the arena's edge, looking comfortably poised to watch a performance.

Bai Hang and the grey-haired girl called A Xing stood in the arena's center.

"Where... is this?" Bai Hang looked around blankly.

At that moment, the space before them twisted, and several grotesque void fiends materialized, red light flickering in their eyes, emitting low growls but not attacking immediately, instead standing still as if paused.

The system's voice rang out across the arena, clearly explaining the Rule to the two of them:

"This is a virtual training ground. Next will be a warm-up battle against projections of low-level void fiends."

"Please note: everything here is virtual, pain sensation reduced by 90%, and even 'death' will result in instant respawn at the starting point. You may treat this as a real game."

"Give it your all and display your full strength. After the warm-up ends, a formal assessment battle will commence."

Bai Hang listened, bewildered.

"Virtual? Game? Health Bar?"

She felt as if she were dreaming.

However, the void fiends wouldn't wait for her to grasp the situation.

As the system's explanation ended, the void fiends' eyes flared with red light, and they roared as they charged at the two.

Their speed was great, but one figure was even faster!

It was A Xing!

She had somehow already summoned her iconic Metal Ball Club, her eyes still empty, yet her movements were swift and precise like a cheetah's.

She hesitated not at all, charging toward the void fiends; her club swung with a fierce whoosh, striking precisely at their joints and cores, her motions clean and efficient, extremely high in efficiency, as if forged by countless battles.

(Heimu outside the arena gave a slight nod: (inner thought) Not bad, as expected of a construct bearing the Trial Memory of Past World Paradise—its combat awareness and fundamentals are solid.)

Meanwhile, Bai Hang on the other side fared much worse.

"Wah! Why are we actually fighting!"

Seeing the void fiends rush at her, she screamed in fright, almost instinctively clutching her head and darting around the arena in panic, her snowy white fox ears and tail puffed up, bearing no resemblance to a combatant at all.

Heimu watched Bai Hang's parkour display in the arena, gracefully lifting a teacup that had appeared in her hand, taking a light sip, then gesturing to the system.

The system's voice rang out again, unequivocal: "Bai Hang Miss, the lady reminds you: if you refuse to engage in combat or show passivity, your Infinite Black Card will be revoked at once."

Bai Hang, who had been sprinting, slammed on the brakes, nearly toppling from inertia.

"What?! Take back the Black Card?!"

That statement packed more punch than the void fiends' claws!

Thinking of never again having delicious food, or being able to buy all sorts of nice things for Xi Lian...

Would Xi Lian...?

Bai Hang instantly felt that the void fiends before her weren't so scary after all.

(Bai Hang's inner thought: No way! My Black Card! My food freedom—I'll fight!)

She whirled around to face the void fiends lunging at her again, her eyes hardening with resolve.

Drawing a deep breath, she clasped her hands before her chest, and a pure-white longbow suffused with flowing light-blue energy instantly coalesced.

"Hah!"

She gave a dainty shout, side-stepped, nocked an arrow, drew the bow, aimed— the motions flowed smoothly, showing her unique agility and coordination!

"Whoosh!"

The Energy Arrow left the string, precisely striking the core of a virtual soldier, instantly shattering it into data fragments!

Bai Hang stared for a moment, as if she hadn't expected she could still do this?

But she quickly reacted, using her agility to move and dodge attacks while continuously drawing and shooting arrows; although her motions were still a bit rusty, her aim was surprisingly good, reminiscent of the feeling of operating the turrets on the Star Chariot back then.

Heimu and the System sat at the sidelines, silently watching the battle.

Heimu watched Bai Hang gradually getting into the zone, and over there A Xing, like a precision combat machine, suddenly remembered something, tilted their head and asked the System: "This virtual arena, it seems we don't need to go to their personal Cell doors to activate it, right?"

The System doll nodded: "Yes, ma'am. As long as you have the data coordinates of the corresponding individual, a simulated combat space can be generated anywhere."

Heimu: "... Then why did we just run all the way to Na Ke Xia's room door?"

The System doll answered in that toneless electronic voice: "You didn't ask."

Heimu: "..."