Chapter 494: The Limit
Chapter 494: The Limit
Chen Bitong glanced at him and said, "You're very perceptive, and your instincts are right. But you don't need to worry about the future changes here for now. You'll understand later."
He stepped forward and tapped on the Interdimensional Connector, "This is the visualization of the internal damage to the Cyclic Neck Plate Rhino that I showed you earlier. You can take a look."
Chen Chuan turned his gaze to the Interdimensional Connector, where two diagrams were displayed. The diagrams showed that the aberrant tissue around the heart area had been precisely shattered, but upon comparison, the damage he had caused was more extensive.
A thought crossed his mind, and he realized that this wasn't because Chen Bitong couldn't inflict greater damage, but rather that Chen Bitong understood the structure of this creature better, so he applied just the right amount of force to reach the limit of killing this being without wasting any extra energy.
This was very useful, especially in the wild, where maintaining good physical condition was essential. Every bit of strength conserved could potentially save a life.
Chen Bitong said, "Do you understand?"
Chen Chuan replied, "I understand. The limit."
Chen Bitong spoke in a low voice, "Whether it's a person or a creature, they all have their own limits. If you maintain just the right balance, you can reduce a lot of unnecessary losses and troubles. But if you exceed this limit, you'll have to bear unnecessary consequences."
Chen Chuan looked at him.
Chen Bitong continued to look ahead, "The tissue on this Long Staff Great Saber has a high value. There's a large demand for it in the rear, and if we can maintain a certain level of integrity during the clearing, the rewards will be significant."
He said, "Captain Chen, if you can master the methods to deal with various Convergence Zone creatures, various organizations and research institutes will welcome you, especially the Pioneer Squad. If you have the opportunity, you can try to join them."
"The Pioneer Squad?" Chen Chuan pondered for a moment, recalling a mention by an instructor at the fortified encampment.
Unlike regular troops, the Pioneer Squad was composed of outstanding fighters from various units, making them the elite of the elite. Sometimes they were tasked with countering infiltrations by hostile elements, while other times they ventured deep into the Convergence Zone's core, facing unknown creatures, and they might even be dispatched to gather intelligence within the Old Imperial House's territory.
Despite taking on the most challenging missions, their treatment was usually better than that of regular troops. Not only were promotions faster, but the special medications provided to them were also readily available without any delay.
Chen Bitong continued, "The higher-ups will provide various conveniences to the Pioneer Squad. They'll teach you things that aren't allowed to be learned outside, and you'll face opponents you've never encountered before. I was once a part of them, and that experience gave me a lot of accumulation and help."
But he added, "Don't underestimate the dangers of the Convergence Zone. This Long Staff Great Saber is only considered a small creature within the Convergence Zone.
Perhaps you can manage against a medium-sized creature, but when it comes to true large-sized creatures, they're not something that ordinary weapons or fighters can handle. Even causing harm to them is difficult."
Just then, the sky suddenly grew darker.
Chen Bitong explained, "The day in the Convergence Zone leans more towards the material side, while the night leans more towards the spiritual side. During the day, we can move freely, and most of the things we encounter are within our understanding, and we can deal with them using conventional means. But at night, various anomalies arise, and normal methods are insufficient to cope."
Chen Chuan asked, "Can Teacher Chen move freely in the Convergence Zone's night?"
Chen Bitong shook his head, "I can't do that yet either."
Chen Chuan thought for a moment and asked, "The Remnants of the Old Imperial House use certain methods to move around in the night, like the Iron Demon. Is it related to the esoteric religion?"
Chen Bitong replied, "Once they enter the Convergence Zone, to survive here, they must become a part of it, whether they like it or not. This is unavoidable.
The old-era state religion has always had connections with these beings, so it's not a sudden connection but rather a pre-existing relationship.
I heard you used Esoteric Religion to stay a night in the Convergence Zone's wilderness, successfully chasing after the Iron Demon. Esoteric Religion is indeed useful, but it also has many drawbacks and isn't efficient enough.
I'll teach you a method to use your spirit and consume spiritual energy to defend yourself, allowing you to survive in the Convergence Zone's night."
As he spoke, he tapped on the Interdimensional Connector, and some content was transmitted.
Chen Chuan looked at it and saw that it was a visualization technique. This technique required observing a specific pattern and constructing a mental image in the spiritual world. Once the construction was successful, one could use the visualization to maintain their spirit in a particular state.
Chen Bitong walked over to a large tree nearby.
"This Green Bark Tree is the most common in the Convergence Zone. If you ever find yourself unable to return in the Convergence Zone and must spend the night in the wilderness, you can use this visualization technique here.
This method can reduce your presence, making your spirit and breath resemble these trees, helping you avoid anomalies. But this method isn't 100% effective, so the best approach is still to avoid being in the wilderness.
However, don't get too close to these trees either. Someone once tried to be clever by digging a hole in a tree, but the next day, they were found to have become part of the tree."
"He emphasized, 'These trees don't naturally undergo such changes during the day, but after the day passes, when the material aspect weakens, they tend to lean towards the non-material. You never know what might happen, so be extra careful.'"
Chen Chuan nodded. "I understand, Teacher Chen."
At this moment, Chen Bitong spoke up, "Even in simulations, it's best to avoid simulating large-scale nights. Otherwise, some uncontrollable situations may arise. The Hive Mother won't be affected, but those utilizing the resources might. However, it's fine for a small portion of the time. You can give it a try first."
Chen Chuan responded with a 'yes,' and he went to the Qing Pi Shu, sitting cross-legged on a cushion. He began to visualize the pattern according to the method taught by the Inter-Realm Connector.
Before long, Chen Bitong's voice sounded, "Time's up."
Chen Chuan opened his eyes and found himself still seated on the cushion, as if he had never moved. The other martial artists, including Ding Mai, were all in their respective positions.
He checked the time and realized that exactly two hours had passed since they started.
Although it was only two hours, during this time, Chen Bitong had been continuously guiding him, providing a wealth of knowledge that made Chen Chuan feel he had learned a lot.
Chen Bitong was standing in front of them at this moment. After they all regained their senses, he said, "Your scores will be sent to your Inter-Realm Connectors later. If you're not qualified, you don't need to come tomorrow."
Those who passed could continue coming here. However, if they couldn't keep up one day, they would still be eliminated.
"The opportunity should be given to those who are more suitable. I hope you understand."
Chen Chuan thought for a moment. The entire Central City was built upon the Hive Mother, and most of the field resources were used by the city government and various companies. It was not easy for them to spare two hours of resources daily, and it was no wonder that Chen Bitong had to make such strict requirements.
Seeing that they all understood, Chen Bitong said, "Since you all know, you can leave now."
The group stood up from their seats, bowed slightly to him, and left the training hall.
Once outside, Ding Mai approached Chen Chuan and said, "Captain Chen, shall we gather these folks?" He looked at the others, "What do you all think?"
The others readily agreed.
Although they came from different places, they were now part of the same training class, which made them classmates, and they wanted to deepen their friendship, which might help each other in the future.
Chen Chuan had no objections, and they went to the bar on the lower level.
After ordering drinks and sitting down, Ding Mai raised his cup and took a big gulp before speaking, "I learned more today than in the past few years. Following Teacher Chen, you can truly learn a lot."
"Unfortunately, I only have three days. It's a real pity."
The others all nodded in agreement. However, a young officer remained silent for a moment before sighing lightly, "I'm afraid I'll have to return tomorrow."
Ding Mai was surprised, "Lao Yan, you?"
Lao Yan shook his head, "I didn't perform well today. I overthought things, and the more I thought, the less I could control it. This shows I still have many shortcomings. The scores haven't been released yet, but based on Teacher Chen's strict standards, I don't think I'll get a high score. I need to go back and keep practicing."
He raised his cup and said, "I'll say goodbye to you all today, and I won't be coming tomorrow."
He initially felt a bit depressed, but as he spoke, he seemed to become more at ease. "I hope you won't be eliminated like me."
Those present offered him a few words of comfort and clinked their cups with him before taking a drink.
As Chen Chuan and the others were drinking, a profile picture flashed on the Inter-Realm Connector. It was a pattern of an ant crawling vigorously. Chen Chuan knew it was Chen Xiaojin contacting him, so he accepted the call.
"Chen Xiaojin?"
Chen Xiaojin's voice came through, and he asked tentatively, "Captain Chen, do you have time?"
Chen Chuan replied, "I'm at the building where the training class is held. Do you have a question for me?"
Chen Xiaojin gave a heavy 'hmm.'
"Captain Chen, I want to learn martial arts, and I want to ask you how I should go about it."
Chen Chuan thought for a moment and said, "Starting your training early at this stage is appropriate. However, martial arts will influence your future path, so how much do you know about it? Does Teacher Chen know about this?"
Chen Xiaojin said, "He won't pay attention to me."
Chen Chuan didn't respond immediately but thought for a moment. After a while, he said, "Where are you now?"
Hearing this, Chen Xiaojin's voice clearly became more excited, "Captain Chen, I'm in the activity room on the twelfth floor."
Chen Chuan said, "I'm at the bar now. I'll take the elevator down soon, so wait for me there."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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