Chapter 78 ：Triggering Missions

Scoring a layup, successfully dribbling through obstacles, tossing the ball into the circle, scoring again, navigating through obstacles with the ball, and another successful layup.

"12.5 seconds," Tingting clapped her hands. "Very good. With a bit more effort, you can get it under 10 seconds."

Improving the world record by 13 seconds on the first attempt at a skills challenge would surely cause a seismic shift in the basketball world if word got out. Yet, despite this astonishing achievement, Li Nianlong remained unsatisfied. Nonetheless, this was just the first attempt, and he had yet to reach his maximum speed or perfect the combination of strength and technique. There was still room for improvement.

"Let's go again."

With the experience from the first attempt, Li Nianlong's performance improved significantly. After a dozen or so attempts, his best time was down to 11 seconds. It could have been even better, but there was a slight flaw in his passing. Nevertheless, this gave Li Nianlong more confidence.

"I can do this, I can reach my goal."

Confidence was a mysterious thing. Under similar circumstances, people with confidence and those without would achieve vastly different results. Confident individuals always brought hope, while those lacking confidence brought disappointment.

With newfound confidence, Li Nianlong's progress accelerated rapidly. Three hours later, on the basketball court, Li Nianlong completed all the skills challenges with the grace of a butterfly.

"9.99 seconds! Congratulations, host, on successfully completing the challenge!" Tingting exclaimed joyfully. It had been a grueling three hours.

Wiping the sweat from his face, Li Nianlong expressed satisfaction. "What's the next challenge?"

The scene changed once more, still on the basketball court, but without the obstacles. There was only a half-court, a basketball hoop, and Tingting handed him the ball. "Host, please make at least 1000 consecutive shots from beyond the three-point line at five different spots. There's no time limit. Completion constitutes success, while mental collapse results in failure."

Li Nianlong's forehead beaded with cold sweat. Even a casual basketball player knew that hitting twenty or thirty shots in a row from beyond the three-point line was considered impressive, and fifty consecutive shots was a miracle. Hitting a hundred consecutive shots was unheard of. But the system wanted him to make a thousand consecutive shots? Was the system trying to push him to his limits?

"Do you think I can do it?" Li Nianlong glared at Tingting.

Tingting weakly replied, "I'm just guiding the little elves..."

"That's enough!" Li Nianlong snorted. "It's just a thousand shots! I'll do it."

Hitting a thousand shots in a row seemed impossible, but that was for ordinary people. Li Nianlong's greatest advantage was his inexhaustible physical stamina. As long as his stamina didn't deplete, his muscle reactions wouldn't falter. As long as his mental focus remained intact, hitting a thousand shots in a row was possible.

No rest was needed. Li Nianlong immediately stood behind the three-point line and started shooting. The first shot didn't feel right and bounced off the rim, but he continued. Li Nianlong gradually adjusted his trajectory, using his muscles to memorize the feel of each shot from different spots. As time passed, his shooting became more stable, and the consecutive hits increased.

The advantage of having his body dataized quickly became evident. Once Li Nianlong's muscle memory was established, even if he wanted to miss, it was difficult. And so, he spent a day and a night in this scene...

"995, 996, 997, 998, 999... 1000!" Tingting exclaimed excitedly. "Yes! Congratulations, host, on completing the challenge! You've earned 11,000 experience points."

The scene changed, and Li Nianlong returned to the training ground plaza, his stats restored to normal. Li Nianlong breathed a sigh of relief. He had finally completed it.

Hitting a thousand consecutive three-pointers! If he were to apply for a Guinness World Record, he would surely be unrivaled.

"Only 11,000 experience points?" Compared to 20·1, it was only an increase of 1000. It seemed that with each level increase, the experience points would also increase by 1000. But Li Nianlong was no longer focused on experience points; he was more interested in whether he could obtain a set of equipment.

The Godspeed Set had already dropped a helmet, and there were nine more pieces to go. Judging by the name, it was definitely a speed-enhancing set. In martial arts, speed was crucial; even the invincible characters like Dongfang Bubai relied on their extraordinary speed to become the top martial artists. This demonstrated the importance of speed in combat.

The Godspeed Set, Li Nianlong was determined to obtain it.

This time, completing the training took less than half the usual time. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was still an hour and a half before midnight.

During this time, Li Nianlong honed his proficiency in physical skills, earning over ten proficiency points in an hour and a half. He needed nine more proficiency points to advance to the intermediate level.

At midnight, with the system refresh, Li Nianlong's condition reached its peak, and he slipped out of the villa compound.

As he was about to enter the city, Li Nianlong stopped in his tracks, furrowing his brow. He turned left, took a few steps, then stopped again. After a few minutes, he tried every direction, but all of them felt dangerous. Only his retreat path seemed safe.

Not one to return empty-handed, Li Nianlong made several attempts and finally found a direction with relatively less danger. He quickly moved in that direction.

About the same distance from where Li Nianlong had obtained the Serpent-Slaying Sword, two casually dressed young men surveyed the area. After a brief discussion, they split up and headed in opposite directions. Both of these young men had mixed-race faces, were six feet tall, and had nearly identical builds. If it weren't for the differences in their facial features, they could easily be mistaken for twins.

In stealth mode, Li Nianlong saw one of them heading towards his villa. He followed closely behind, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes because neither of them emitted any aura.

"Tingting, what's going on?" Li Nianlong asked as he followed and searched for answers.

"They are both biohumans created by humans, similar to machines, so they don't emit any aura," Tingting explained, leaving Li Nianlong astonished. "Has human technology really advanced to this level? Why have I never heard of this before?"

"Some secrets are always held by a few." Tingting smiled faintly. "If the host wishes, even becoming the successor to the Liu family is the quickest way to join the few."

"Hmph!" Li Nianlong snorted. "Even if I don't become the successor to the Liu family, I will still advance towards the ranks of the few."

"That's right. If the host desires, he may even become the sole apex of this world."

Tingting's words made Li Nian

long smile faintly. Was he destined to be the sole apex? He hadn't considered it. At the moment, his greatest desire was to avenge Guan Shu.

Seeing Li Nianlong remain silent, Tingting's voice became serious. "Triggering mission: The Counterattack of the American Imperial Family! Due to the host's disruption of the American imperial top families' conspiracy to obtain the Serpent-Slaying Sword, the American imperial family is unwilling to fail and has decided to increase their forces in Huaxia to retrieve the Serpent-Slaying Sword."

"Main mission: Protect the Serpent-Slaying Sword from being obtained by the American imperial family for six months. Mission completion rewards: 1,000,000 experience points, 1,000,000 gold coins; mission failure: host's level decreases by ten."

"Side mission: Eliminate 50% or more of the American imperial family's forces sent to Huaxia. Mission completion rewards: 100,000 experience points, 100,000 gold coins; mission failure: host's level decreases by one."

A mission!?

Li Nianlong's eyes widened, his heart pounding. It had been over two months, and this was the first time the system had issued a mission. He had almost forgotten that the system even had missions! He hadn't expected the system to release such an exciting mission at this moment!

Completing the main mission would reward him with one million experience points and one million gold coins, while completing the side mission would earn him one hundred thousand experience points and one hundred thousand gold coins. This was much more exhilarating than simply leveling up by fighting monsters.

However, the penalties for failure were severe. Failing the main mission would result in a ten-level decrease, and failing the side mission would result in a one-level decrease. Damn it! It wasn't easy leveling up! To lose eleven levels in one night would be like going back to the pre-liberation era!