The main gameplay mode of 【Myriad Worlds】 was selecting a stage to challenge, then being deployed in a drop pod.
The difficulty could be adjusted manually.
This was a deliberate imitation of the operational style of the 【Federal Explorers Association】.
Deploying the Federation military was extremely expensive and required tedious preparation, so they were usually only sent out for large-scale operations like cleanups or suppressions.
The background of the 【Federal Explorers Association】 was semi-public and semi-private. Its status was similar to an emergency response department, with accepting various commissions being merely a side business.
A nearly free simulation training like this was a first.
Whether it was a deliberate way to weed out the weak among civilians or simply for the sake of immersive realism, no one knew.
First was the selection of weapons and armor.
Since he was here to train, Bai Xiaodu naturally discarded the high-level gear sets he used to play with.
He picked the default starter gear from the inventory.
【Titanium Light Alloy Exoskeleton Suit (Standard) (Spellcasting Type)】
【Electromagnetic Powered Chainsword】
【Basic Tactical Gloves (Spellcasting Type)】
Interestingly, the Galgame Love System seemed to have made a slight error.
It recognized these as real-world equipment and popped up details for each one.
They were all labeled as 【White】 quality.
The best piece was the gloves, which showed a 10% spell damage bonus, 30% spell efficiency, and a +1 bonus to Constitution.
Most of the other miscellaneous items were things like respirators, which were stuffed into his backpack all at once.
Compared to the bulky, boxy "tin cans" commonly seen in deep space exploration, this set looked incredibly simple and crude.
But Bai Xiaodu was already satisfied.
Cheap and durable, this was also the equipment he was most likely to purchase first after becoming a transcendent.
On the other side, Lingxin had also finished selecting her loadout and was standing by the stage selection with her arms crossed, observing.
To Bai Xiaodu's surprise, she had chosen the exact same equipment as him.
A Mage's suit actually required a bit of a foundation; otherwise, it was very difficult to use.
Was she a Mage-type transcendent?
The stages available for selection were neatly arranged in images, but if categorized, the choices before Lingxin were quite chaotic, featuring all kinds of scenes.
No emotion could be read on her exquisite face; she seemed to be selecting seriously.
Bai Xiaodu stood beside her and began to test the waters.
“Sister Lingxin, you're still a beginner, right? Do you want me to recommend something?”
The latter was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.
“Sure. It must be tough on you, Xiaobai, wearing the same gear just to accompany a newbie like me.”
Bai Xiaodu skillfully adjusted the screen and said casually, “It's fine, I prefer challenging myself...
“How about 【Return to Bangadel (North Sector)】? The monsters inside are mainly from the machine civilization. Fighting them drops tons of coins, the progression feels smooth, and you can gather parts to upgrade. Besides, the boss's lore is also very interesting. It's a spellcaster from a purely physical race like the machine civilization. I remember it's called an 【Intellimech】 or something.”
Just as he finished speaking, he heard Lingxin add to it.
She raised her eyes, looking slightly surprised.
“【Intellimech】 is the collective name for the spellcasting transcendent military of the machine civilization. In the Star Calendar Year 32773, the vital base planet 【Bangadel】 in the Banga star system was occupied by a mechanical Druid among the 【Intellimechs】 named the 【Wolf Lord of Myriad Machines】. Eleven homeworld natural months later, it was liberated by the Empire's 16th Division, 【Dragon】, and the 17th Division, 【Hell Fangs】.”
Bai Xiaodu nodded and picked up the thread.
“Bangadel had a large number of teleportation outposts and was a vital military fortress. This was the prelude to the 【Great Counteroffensive】 led by the Empire's Mage Emperor, also known as the 【Day of Vengeance】 war.”
Lingxin's expression didn't change much, except for the corner of her mouth curling up slightly.
Just by a few pixels' worth.
But the +1 to Affection confirmed to Bai Xiaodu that she was truly interested in Empire history, and had researched it quite thoroughly.
Most people only remembered the location and outcome of historical wars, but Lingxin could actually remember the names of the legions on both sides.
With the stage selection confirmed, a swirling portal of light slowly appeared.
【The maximum player level limit for this map is 0.9】
Bai Xiaodu took a few deep breaths and entered.
The reality-like lights and shadows were instantly replaced by illusion.
To train himself, he did play Myriad Worlds often, but this was the first time he had turned off the combat assist.
This meant his in-game spell list was completely useless now.
If he wanted to cast a spell, he had to honestly commune with the runes to unleash it.
If he could only summon a tiny frost flower later, he would have to carry his chainsword and hack his way from start to finish.
The scene before him flickered abnormally, drifting and filled with chaos.
A voice rang out.
Cold, majestic, and articulating each word with precise clarity.
【I. During transit, if anything is amiss, do not listen, do not look, do not think.】
【II. Always remain loyal to the United Federation of Humans and Demihumans, and always remain loyal to your noble human lineage.】
【III. All alien species must be utterly annihilated; their very existence is a sacrilege.】
If nothing else, this game certainly knew how to build up the atmosphere.
It directly copied the words of historical figures.
The outside scenery changed rapidly; they were descending at high speed.
Through the small glass window, Bai Xiaodu managed to get a bird's-eye view of the map.
Only two words popped into his mind.
Scorched earth.
Clang!
The feeling of unreality beneath his feet instantly turned heavy and solid, followed by the entire drop pod sinking along with the buffer airbags.
The pod door popped open automatically, and Bai Xiaodu jumped out.
He immediately realized something was wrong—it seemed they had dropped directly into a combat zone.
The air was hot and dry, carrying an unpleasant stench of saltpeter.
In the distance, explosions echoed faintly, along with the sharp, crackling screeches of aircraft traveling at excessive speeds.
They had landed in a ruined residential building with only half its floor remaining, where rusted rebar protruded from the exposed red bricks.
Lingxin was higher up, her figure half-crouching at the top of the ruined building, seemingly observing the terrain.
Bai Xiaodu's expression shifted.
Because behind the wall, red health bars suddenly lit up—and there were two of them!
What was worse, there was a small skull icon next to their health bars.
Elite monsters.
【Mechanical Sentry - Wolf Form Lv. 0.3】
【Mechanical Sentry - Bear Form Lv. 0.3】
Unlike ordinary trash mobs in the traditional sense, their levels indicated that they possessed official transcendent skills.
Not only were they thick-skinned and durable, but they were also extremely troublesome to deal with.
The health bars began to approach rapidly. They had clearly sensed someone's presence and were using the buildings to climb up quickly.
While shouting a warning, Bai Xiaodu decisively made a huge leap, flipping onto the wall, and clenched his right hand tightly.
Vroom!!!
The gears spun rapidly, and the chainsword's sharp teeth began to roar.
At this moment, Bai Xiaodu also clearly saw the enemy's running path.
It was a sleek, agile wolf. It had no skin, only exposed metal bones interlocking with each other. Just by running, it left several terrifying claw marks on the wall.
On its back was a cannon barrel that was rapidly retracting and auto-aiming, locking onto Bai Xiaodu the instant it appeared.
The muzzle suddenly contracted, and a beam of light shot over at high speed.
With just this starter exoskeleton armor, taking a single hit would result in a severe injury!
Rate on N.U.
