Chapter 2: Sword Art Proficiency

Chapter 2: Sword Art Proficiency

The next day, numerous online discussions emerged regarding the Abyss Nest and its creatures. Some claimed to have witnessed black monsters, while others reported being scratched by them.

A question surfaced online: "What does the 6-day countdown signify?" It was evident that this referred to the countdown on the Abyss Battlefield, visible only to Metahumans with awakened Data Panels.

However, not all Metahumans possessed this ability; only those recruited for the Abyss Battlefield would see the countdown.

Once the countdown appeared on the Data Panel, it meant that upon its conclusion, the Metahuman would be teleported into the battlefield, facing imminent death.

By nightfall, online discussions related to the Abyss began to be censored.

Posts about the Abyss outside of private circles and chat groups were swiftly blocked.

Even the inquiry about the countdown disappeared.

...

Lu Heng scanned through the online information before heading out to purchase supplies.

As his first acquired Skill was Lightning Weapon, he needed a weapon to maximize its power.

Having practiced the Seven-Segment Sword Technique in his previous life, Lu Heng directly purchased a Han Dynasty Sword.

The sword's blade was adorned with intricate carvings and eight ancient characters: "Thunder Seizing Kunwu, Phoenix Spreading Wings."

Since it was a crafted piece, the sword wasn't sharpened, but its blade was made of superior steel.

Lu Heng found a place to sharpen the sword, using an electric grinder to quickly hone the edge. He didn't spend time on a fine polish; functionality was all he needed.

With six students sharing a dorm room at school, many activities became inconvenient.

Lu Heng booked a monthly room in a comfortable budget hotel.

He also bought a motorcycle for transportation.

The purchases of the sword, motorcycle, and hotel room totaled over ten thousand, all charged to his credit card.

This amount was easily recoverable in the future, so there was no need to fret.

After settling into the hotel room, Lu Heng found a spot to practice the Seven-Segment Sword Technique he had learned in his previous life.

First Form: Drawing the Sword.

His right hand moved like lightning, drawing the sword and unleashing a swift strike.

Clang!

The instant the sword was drawn, a series of data prompts appeared beside his sword-wielding hand.

[Understanding gained from Sword Art practice. Sword Art Proficiency +1]



[Understanding gained from Sword Art practice. Sword Art Proficiency +1]



With the cultivation insights of the Seven-Segment Sword Technique in his mind, Lu Heng's progress in sword arts was exceptionally rapid.

After an afternoon of practice, his sword art level increased.

[Beginner Sword Art cultivation is complete. Enter the second level of Sword Art Proficiency.]



Lu Heng checked his character attribute panel, which now displayed a new category: [Martial Arts].

[Martial Arts: Sword Art (Expert), Body Movements (Beginner), Combat Skills (Beginner)]



Upon reaching the second level of Sword Art Proficiency, the rate of proficiency increase slowed down.

Advancing to the third level of Sword Art Proficiency would require several days of dedicated practice.

...

After practicing the Seven-Segment Sword Technique, Lu Heng returned to his hotel room. He sat down, pen in hand, jotting down notes in a personal code.

He recorded the times and locations of significant resource appearances during the initial stages of the Abyss's arrival, relying on his memory.

However, as he hadn't personally witnessed many events, his information was incomplete.

He could only recall the times and locations vaguely.

It was the second day since the Abyss's arrival, and the authorities likely had discovered the emergence of Abyss demons worldwide, but they remained unaware of the full extent of the situation.

Lu Heng remembered that during the early days of the Abyss's appearance, a high-level Skill Crystal Core had emerged in Bay City.

This Skill was incredibly versatile, and possessing it would give one a head start, putting them ahead of the competition.

The only issue was the uncertainty of the Skill Crystal Core's appearance time and location.

Lu Heng only knew who had obtained this Skill—a man named Gong Chusheng, a "demon" among humans.

Lu Heng intended to intercept this Skill, so after the weekend, he returned to school.

...

On Monday morning, classes ended.

Students from various grades rushed out of their classrooms, chasing and playing as they made their way to the cafeteria for lunch.

As these students descended the stairs, they encountered four individuals, causing them to hastily stop and stand against the wall to make way.

Leading this group of four was none other than Gong Chusheng.

As they leisurely descended the stairs, occupying the entire width, other students had no choice but to move aside.

No one dared to confront these four, even when they walked sideways.

A small boy with glasses, already standing against the wall, was kicked by Gong Chusheng as they passed by.

The boy dared not utter a sound, instead pressing himself closer to the wall to let them through.

Lu Heng stood in front of the teaching building, watching Gong Chusheng and his group with a pensive expression.

Gong Chusheng and his gang were known for their violent tendencies, often kicking or punching others without provocation.

In his previous life, there was a girl who had been taken by Gong Chusheng's group to an abandoned factory on the outskirts of town.

That night, the girl leaped from the rooftop, falling like a snowflake into the mortal realm, a "demon" blooming in the human world.

Recalling this girl, Lu Heng sighed softly and turned to head to the cafeteria to wait for her.

The school cafeteria's first floor.

A girl got two liang of rice, then after some thought, she added a vegetable dish and two ladles of the cafeteria's free egg drop soup. She found an empty table and sat down, starting to eat her meal with her head bowed.

The girl's name was Su Muyu, and despite her simple attire, her delicate features were hard to miss.

With a little touch-up, she would be a true beauty, a closed moon and a shy flower.

Lu Heng knew her family situation wasn't great; raised by her mother, she was frugal with her clothing and food, which made her rather skinny.

Although Su Muyu was thin, she had curves in all the right places. Her chest was visibly rounded beneath her loose-fitting clothes, hinting at a full figure.

Growing up in a single-parent household, Su Muyu was soft-hearted. If she was bullied at school, she wouldn't dare tell her mother.

She knew that no one would stand up for her, and it would only make her busy mother more upset.

As Su Muyu ate on the first floor of the cafeteria, someone was watching her from the second floor.

Lu Heng had been observing her for a while before coming downstairs with his tray. He sat down across from her.

Su Muyu paused in her eating when she noticed someone had joined her table.

She glanced at Lu Heng and then looked down again.

The cafeteria seating was a public area, and anyone could sit there. Still, students who didn't know each other well usually didn't sit so close unless all other seats were taken.

After sitting, Lu Heng placed a bowl of cordyceps chicken soup from his tray in front of her and said, "This soup is for you."

"Huh?"

Su Muyu was taken aback and looked up at Lu Heng, her face full of confusion.

She recognized Lu Heng because they had been in the same interest group, but they had never spoken before.

Lu Heng casually explained, "When I bought the soup, I swiped my card, and the auntie said there was only one portion of cordyceps chicken soup left. I don't like this soup, so I thought of giving it to you. I've never tried it."

Su Muyu pursed her lips, not wanting to accept something from someone for no reason. She whispered, "I'd rather not..."

Lu Heng picked up her spoon and stirred the soup. "Your spoon has touched it; you have to take it now."

Su Muyu froze, feeling conflicted. "But... but..."

"If you feel awkward about it, just give me the money," Lu Heng suggested, making an unreasonable demand.

Su Muyu froze again, almost on the verge of tears.

This soup was a stewed soup in an earthenware pot, and it was a bit pricey, even in the school cafeteria, costing 10 yuan per portion.

10 yuan was almost her daily food budget.

But her spoon had already been in the soup, and it had her saliva on it, so it wouldn't be appropriate to give it back.

Although she felt a bit reluctant, she took out a 10 yuan note from her bag and pushed it towards Lu Heng.

Seeing her reluctance to pay, Lu Heng felt a strange pang of sympathy.

She was still the same as in her previous life, unable to refuse others, and even when wronged, she would only turn away to wipe her tears in secret.

In her past life, Lu Heng and Su Muyu's relationship wasn't just that of strangers. They had been partners who had faced life and death together.

In her previous life, Su Muyu, unwilling to endure humiliation, had jumped from the rooftop. She didn't die but suffered a crushing fracture in both legs, becoming paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair for life.

Those who had tried to humiliate her came from influential families and never faced a fair trial.

Later, a year after the Abyss descended, Su Muyu successfully awakened, and her life slowly began to change.

It was around that time that Lu Heng became her teammate, so he knew her personality very well.

Because she had paid for it, Su Muyu, holding back tears, finished the cordyceps chicken soup, eating the chicken and red dates inside.

After watching her finish, Lu Heng took her 10 yuan and went to the cafeteria counter, where he exchanged it for a lotus root pork bone soup meal ticket.

Su Muyu glanced at Lu Heng with the corner of her eye, curious about what this "villain" was doing with her money.

Lu Heng returned with the lotus root pork bone soup meal ticket and placed it in front of her; it was her favorite soup.

She stared at the meal ticket, stunned once more.

Lu Heng put down the meal ticket and left without a word.

"Hey!"

Su Muyu stood up, wanting to call out to this "villain," but the words stuck in her throat.

She looked at the lotus root pork bone soup meal ticket on the table, unsure if she should take it.

But if she didn't take it, it would be a waste of her 10 yuan.

After an internal struggle, she finally picked up the meal ticket and carefully placed it in her bag's inner pocket.

Shouldering her bag, she walked to the cafeteria entrance, then remembered something and turned back to the cafeteria window. "Auntie, is there only cordyceps chicken soup tonight?"

The cafeteria auntie pointed to the large earthenware pots behind her. "We have all kinds: radish soup, lotus root soup, and chicken soup. Which one do you want?"

"Never mind, thank you, auntie," Su Muyu said, leaving the cafeteria with a frown.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end