CHAPTER 64: CHAPTER 64: ANXIETY_1

"Let’s go in and give it a shot."

Lu Yuan threw a few shadow punches but didn’t feel much, so he activated [Imaginary Enemy] and entered the Consciousness Space.

A dark alley. The dim, yellow light from a streetlamp on the outer street slanted in.

Lu Yuan squinted, examining his opponent.

A rat man.

Yes, he had set the [Imaginary Enemy] to be a rat man.

The rat man’s strength was definitely professional-grade, a whole tier stronger than the boxers he had encountered in Mosa.

But it was far inferior to the likes of Lin Zhiquin and Qin Feng.

As a practical combat opponent for him now, it’s actually quite suitable.

He could use his class Core Skills within the Consciousness Space.

Lu Yuan had tried it before: Level 3 [Absolute Focus].

The effect was somewhat weaker than in reality, lacking that sudden sensation of plunging into water, that deep immersion.

But his Martial Arts Instinct was still greatly enhanced.

However, [Flash of Insight] had never once been triggered. Lu Yuan suspected it was an issue with the opponent’s strength and the activation chance.

The imagined rat man’s eyes lacked the deep resentment and hatred of its real-world counterpart.

But the cunning and ferocity were still present.

After an "exchange of looks" with Lu Yuan, the rat man vanished from its spot with a SWISH.

Lu Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he abruptly sidestepped.

CRACK!

The concrete ground where he had been standing instantly exploded, creating a small crater as dirt and stones flew.

Looking up, he saw the rat man had, at some point, clung to the alley wall, its sharp claws gouging deep into the brickwork as if it were tofu.

Its back was arched high, its eyes glowed an oily green, and its long rat tail was slowly retracting behind it.

Is this its true combat form?

Watching the rat man, Lu Yuan took a deep breath, and an intense fighting spirit began to burn in his eyes.

The pace of his heartbeat gradually quickened, each pump sending out more blood and power.

BAM!

Lu Yuan fiercely stomped his right foot on the ground, his figure shooting out like an arrow.

The rat man also lunged directly at him.

The two exchanged blows rapidly; the rat man’s speed was clearly a notch above Lu Yuan’s.

After just a few exchanges, Lu Yuan started to sustain injuries.

The rat man suddenly swiped its claw, its knife-sharp talons slashing across his chest.

Several bloody gashes immediately appeared.

Lu Yuan, however, executed a front snap kick, viciously striking the rat man’s stomach. The terrifying force in his leg sent the rat man flying like a rubber ball.

RIIIIP—

Lu Yuan simply tore off his already tattered clothes and casually tossed them to the ground.

He looked down, using his fingers to push aside the mangled flesh around the wound on his chest, and couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

Good thing this is the Consciousness Space. If this were reality, I’d probably have contracted some unknown virus by now... Even if I didn’t die, I’d be losing a layer of skin.

SWOOSH!

Just then, the rat man he had just kicked away shot back fiercely.

"Level 3 [Absolute Focus], activate!"

There was no sensation of plunging into water.

Yet, the timeline seemed to stretch out rapidly in an instant.

Lu Yuan’s body remained still, his head tilting slightly to the right.

A sharp sound of something cutting through the air almost grazed his cheek.

Lu Yuan seized the moment, turning his body. His left hand shot upwards from below, and just as the rat man was about to dart past his side, he clamped onto its hind leg, gripping it tightly.

Then... he viciously slammed it downwards!

BAM!

BAM! BAM!

The battle situation began to converge with how it had developed in reality.

This time, however, Lu Yuan was even more ruthless.

He viciously slammed the rat man into the ground at least thirty-odd times. Afterward, he stomped heavily on its spine several times, like stepping on dried stalks of straw, eliciting clear cracking sounds.

Until the rat man lay on the ground like a heap of soft mud, completely still.

Can it recover from injuries like these?

Lu Yuan retreated two steps, squinting as he stared at the rat man, waiting for it to "power up."

The anticipated prayer or incantation didn’t occur. Instead, a thick Gray Gas directly emerged from the rat man’s body.

It swiftly enveloped the rat man.

Then, after a few breaths, the rat man in its true "complete form" once again appeared before Lu Yuan.

Amazing. This Gray Gas is indeed an Extraordinary power.

Those kinds of injuries would have been enough to kill a normal person several times over, yet the rat man could still stand up, and had even become stronger.

Even seeing it for the second time, Lu Yuan still found it incredible.

Alright, let’s test it then...

Lu Yuan retreated a few steps and assumed a stance, just as he had in reality the day before.

This was the crucial moment he had truly been anticipating.

He watched as the "transformed" rat man, its eyes bloodshot, let out a low roar and pounced towards him.

The fighting spirit in Lu Yuan’s eyes also blazed to its peak.

He clenched his fist and threw a punch.

"[Flash of Insight]! Crane Cry Punch! Pulverize it for me!"

「...」

The cool night breeze rustled the bedsheets, duvet covers, and clothes hanging on lines on the rooftop, carrying with it the faint scent of laundry detergent.

The young man leaning against the wall suddenly opened his eyes, his face as serene as the summer night.

I died.

Killed by a single strike from the transformed rat man, Lu Yuan ultimately failed to deliver that punch again.

But this was also within Lu Yuan’s expectations.

The activation of [Flash of Insight] was too unpredictable. Consciousness battles were different from reality; no matter how strong the opponent, it was difficult for him to experience the same life-or-death pressure he would in a real fight.

It was perfectly normal that he couldn’t execute it.

After all, as the old saying goes: between life and death, there is great terror, but also great opportunity.

If I can’t execute it, then I’ll just keep learning.

The increase in intelligence should help my comprehension of Lin Zhiquin’s punches.

Lu Yuan didn’t delay, immediately entering another Consciousness battle with Lin Zhiquin as the [Imaginary Enemy].

He hadn’t been wrong about this.

After his intelligence increased, his insight and comprehension had indeed improved. With the Level 2 [Imaginary Enemy]’s ability to pause, slow down, and rewind at any time, he could genuinely perceive much finer details.

Feeling he had gained some understanding, he would then seek out the rat man to test it.

Repeating this process, he unknowingly entered the Consciousness Space more than a dozen times.

He only stopped when he began to feel a trace of fatigue.

Over a dozen Consciousness battles, yet only twenty minutes have passed in reality.

I actually didn’t notice this last time.

Lu Yuan glanced at his phone and was surprised to discover that the amount of real-world time that passed each time he entered the Consciousness Space had shortened.

After a moment’s thought, he quickly understood the principle behind it.

It’s like dreaming. The deeper the dream state, the faster time seems to flow.

Sometimes you feel like you’ve had a very, very long dream... but when you wake up, you find that only a few minutes have actually passed.

It’s almost ten. After I get back, I’ll practice two sets of Crane-shaped Pile, take a shower, and then it should be about time for bed. That’s enough for today...

Lu Yuan stood up, gathered all the bottles used for his "bottle-piles," packed them into a bag, and placed it in a corner for next time.

These bottles were all from the warehouse; there were tons of them.

His mother, Zheng Qiuling, usually saved them up. When she had accumulated a decent amount, she would sell them along with cardboard to the scrap collectors.

Before leaving the rooftop, Lu Yuan leaned over the edge and peered down below.

The few alleys across from the building were quiet. The light from the streetlamps stopped at the alley entrances. In the dim alleyways, he could faintly see stray cats moving about, and a man urinating against a corner.

Lu Yuan imagined a hideous, terrifying rat man suddenly bursting out from one of the alleys, crossing the road, and charging straight into the old building beneath his feet...

No, it won’t.

Lu Yuan shook his head, extinguishing the thought.

It wouldn’t be that bold. Even if it isn’t dead, its injuries wouldn’t have healed this quickly...

He reassured himself.

He turned around, yet a hint of deep worry now creased his brow.