Chapter 4: Why is this Simulated Universe so Difficult?

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[The Fool's wandering spirit awakens once more, finding himself back inside that same building.]

[Unlike before, the body of the cloud knight Guan Feng has been torn beyond repair by the Quimuwolves, rendering it unusable as a viable host.]

[Overwhelmed with grief, you collapse onto the cloud knight's body, wailing inconsolably.]

[Guan Feng, Guan Feng, what happened to you?! Guan Feng, you can't die!]

["After all these years of mutual dependence and shared hardships, I've always treated you like my own flesh and blood, nurturing and guiding you. Never did I expect to face the sorrow of burying a child before their time..."]

Su Jinyan's face darkened with frustration, and he abruptly cut off the narration. "Enough—"

He initially thought restarting meant beginning anew, but instead, it seemed he had inherited his previous game progress and was now choosing among different characters.

[Alright, this time only three bodies remain available to you. Fool, which one will you choose?]

Su Jinyan couldn't help but ponder, recalling the scene outside moments ago.

If his guess was correct, Fang Huo must already be overrun by Abundant Evil Creatures, while the Xianzhou Alliance is steadily retreating against them.

Breaking through the encirclement of Abundant Evil Creatures solely on individual strength would likely be extremely difficult.

In that case, perhaps choosing to possess a Quimuwolf might allow me to blend in with those evil creatures, becoming one among them.

[You seem to have a plan already. With so many Quimuwolves outside, why not choose one for possession?]

[Who knows, you might even compete with other wolves for mating rights with the she-wolves - how thrilling!]

[Heh heh heh, she-wolves, here I come~]

[Ding! Unfortunately, your synchronization rate with the Abundance Sprite - Quimuwolf is too low, falling below the minimum threshold. Possession is not possible.]

Su Jinyan furrowed his brow and asked, "Then how can I increase my synchronization rate?"

[Oh, asking me? I don't know either; after all, I'm just responsible for narration.]

Su Jinyan was left speechless.

Thus, his only choices remained the Chuihong Guard or the Fox Shaman.

He wasn't particularly inclined towards choosing the Fox Shaman, considering the overwhelming number of Abundant Evil Creatures outside. A single healer would likely be ineffective on their own.

[You have chosen to possess the deceased Chuihong Guard member, Zuo Chao.]

[The Chuihong Guards are a valiant guerrilla unit within the Cloud Knights, typically equipped with lightweight gear, known for their exceptional agility and speed.]

[The Chuihong Guard can swiftly maneuver during combat while maintaining a safe distance.]

[If you encounter trouble from the skies, use your bow and arrows to deal with them. However, be cautious not to let enemies get too close, as you are currently quite vulnerable.]

[Shell - Chuihong Guard Deputy Officer-Zuo Chao]

[Shell Level: 1]

[Shell Quality: Weak]

[Status: Mild Blood Loss]

[Talent [Cold Shot]: Your first arrow against each enemy will guarantee a critical hit, triggering a 100% chance for maximum damage.]

[Skill [Predator]: Every half-hour, you may craft an arrow imbued with Predator effect, causing either explosive damage or self-guided tracking towards enemies.]

[Fool, what is your course of action?]

[Option One: Push open the door and engage in a decisive battle with the Abundant Evil Creatures.]

[Option Two: Sneakily hide indoors, stealthily firing cold shots outside.]

[Option Three: Retrieve the hidden signal flare from your pocket and launch it into the sky for assistance.]

Su Jinyan chuckled coldly, instantly recognizing the trap in Option Three.

Because outside, Abundant Evil Creatures were everywhere.

If he dared to launch a signal flare for help, those Quimuwolves would instantly tear him apart before any assistance could arrive.

[The Clever Fool chooses to stealthily hide indoors, sneakily firing arrows from concealment.]

[It must be said, you've made a wise decision.]

[With cautious steps, you approach the window and gently push it open, striving to make as little noise as possible.]

[Next, you take a deep breath, draw back the bowstring, and aim an arrow at a distant Quimuwolf, which remains completely oblivious.]

[Whoosh—]

[Your surprise shot accurately strikes a Quimuwolf's head.]

[Talent [Critical Strike] activated: Your surprise arrow deals critical damage to the Quimuwolf.]

[You have defeated a distant Quimuwolf, earning a minimal amount of experience and 10 Cosmic Fragments.]

[Lucky Fool, you triggered the effect of the Fool's Mask, obtaining a rare Curio: Divergent Wood Fruit.]

Description: This heart-shaped fruit originates from a tree blessed by Yaoshi.

It is believed to have a history dating back fifty Amber Eras. While its ability to grant immortality to the consumer is uncertain, it itself is evidently an immortal evil entity.

[Effect: Upon consumption, it will instantly restore your current HP to its maximum limit and simultaneously repair all bodily damages.]

[Fool, do you wish to consume this Divergent Wood Fruit immediately?]

At present, having the Chuihong Guard ingest the Divergent Wood Fruit was not the optimal choice, as it wouldn't maximize the benefits.

Therefore, Su Jinyan chose not to use it right away and instead stored the Divergent Wood Fruit in his inventory.

[The howling of wolves rises and falls outside, suggesting that the death of the previous Quimuwolf has incited an uprising among Abundant Evil Creatures.]

[They are now exceptionally vigilant. Do you continue with surprise attacks?]

Su Jinyan remained patient, staying hidden inside the cabinet without moving a muscle. Only after the wolf howls gradually subsided did he cautiously approach the window again.

[You have crafted an arrow imbued with the Predator effect.]

[Whoosh—]

[Your surprise shot accurately strikes a Quimuwolf's rear. Oh, how ruthless of you.]

[Talent [Critical Hit] triggered, activating the Predator effect. The feathered arrow suddenly explodes, causing massive critical damage and scattering the Quimuwolf's flesh across the area.]

[You defeated a Quimuwolf, gaining a minimal amount of experience and 10 Cosmic Fragments.]

[Your ambush has stirred unrest among the Quimuwolves. The gruesome death of that wolf makes them wary of becoming the next target of such sneak attacks.]

"Realizing your urgency now? These beasts have surprisingly high intelligence."

Su Jinyan once again hid inside the cabinet, waiting for the Quimuwolf pack's agitation to subside.

The Quimuwolves' instincts were likely very keen; if he attempted another surprise shot now, there was a high chance they would detect him. Thus, he had no choice but to continue playing it safe.

Time passed swiftly, and this time, the wolves remained agitated for quite a while.

However, after failing to locate the treacherous sniper, the pack gradually regained its composure.

[You craft an arrow imbued with the Predator effect.]

[Swish—]

[A piercing sound cleaves through the air, but the wolf pack is already on high alert, evading instantly as the cold arrow is released.]

[Predator effect triggered: The feathered arrow traces an incredible arc mid-air, heading towards the nearest hound.]

[It is a finely adorned hunting dog, one of the numerous exotic beasts and rare birds bred by Xianzhou using extraordinary techniques, known as "Lou Jin."]

[You defeated a Lou Jin hunting dog, gaining a negligible amount of experience and 20 Cosmic Fragments.]

[The Lou Jin hunting dog emits a mournful cry, collapses to the ground, and its body dissipates into particles of light.]

[With keen observation, you notice that after the death of the Lou Jin hunting dog, several Quimuwolves become highly agitated, their movements swift and erratic as they dart between houses.]

[Oh my god, what has gotten into these Quimuwolves? You are deeply puzzled.]

[Fool, what will you do?]

[Option 1: Kick open the door forcefully, surveying all around with disdain, and shout loudly, "All eyes on me, I have an announcement."]

["I am the Wolf Slayer, known by no other name—Sun Xiaochuan."]

[Option 2: F*ck yeah, keep shooting! Continue firing arrows relentlessly until they wouldn't be recognized even by their mothers.]

[Option 3: Survival comes first. Fortify the room, hide in the wardrobe, and silently pray to Aha.]

The situation was dire, leaving little time for deliberation.

Su Jinyan furrowed his brow, preparing to retreat into the wardrobe.

[Internally apologizing, you hastily toss out the remains of your fallen comrades to confuse the Quimuwolves' sense of smell, then hide in the wardrobe, quietly praying to Aha.]

[However, your small trick proves ineffective. The Quimuwolves swiftly charge into the room, dragging you out from your hiding spot within the wardrobe.]

[In a life-or-death moment, you unleash your final potential and confront the Quimuwolf pack alone, killing three and severely injuring over five others.]

[However, as more Quimuwolves swarm and tear at you, you ultimately succumb to death.]

[You defeated the Quimuwolf, earning a small amount of experience and 30 Cosmic Fragments.]

[Victory and defeat are common in battles; young hero, please try again from the start.]

[Your free resurrection attempts have been exhausted. Please wait for the reset before trying again.]

[Friendly Reminder: Whenever your Cosmic Fragments reach 100, you can choose one of the following options.]

[1. Spend Cosmic Fragments to instantly respawn at the last checkpoint.]

[2. Reconstruct a new body, restoring it to its perfect state.]

Su Jinyan clicked his tongue in frustration; the difficulty of the Simulated Universe was slightly beyond his expectations. Out of the three usable bodies he had, two were already damaged.

If he couldn't acquire enough Cosmic Fragments during the upcoming trials, he would be forced to use that precious Divergent Wood Fruit.

Upon exiting the simulation, system notifications appeared before him.

[Simulated Universe evaluation in progress...]

[Evaluation Score: F-]

[Rewards: 5000 points of Profession Experience.]

Su Jinyan felt slightly pleased, not expecting to earn Profession Experience even within the Simulated Universe.

His profession was Priest, but he was not a Fate Traveler following the Path of Abundance.

Throughout this cosmic galaxy, any transcendent powerhouse beyond mortal limits invariably shared one commonality—they were Fate Travelers.

If a mortal inadvertently or purposefully enters a fate path governed by an Aeon, they can draw strength from it and become a Fate Traveler embodying its principles.

Su Jinyan differed from Fate Travelers; while they could gain greater power through their own efforts along their chosen fate path, he could level up his profession using Profession Experience, making the process significantly easier. In simple terms, his efforts yielded twice the results with half the effort.

Until now, Profession Experience could only be obtained as rewards from quests. However, starting today, he could also acquire it from the Simulated Universe.

With this thought, Su Jinyan accessed the information panel.

Name: Su Jinyan

Race: Human

Status: Normal

Total Level: 10

Experience Points: 5000

Main Class: Priest LV10 (5000/10000)

Weapon: Sacred Cross (Rare)

Alignment: Elation

Free Attribute Points: 0

Skills: [Healing Touch LV1], [Rapid Heal LV1], [Mantra: Shield LV3], [Dark Energy Infusion LV5], [Spiritual Lash LV5], [Dispel]

Specialization: [Advanced Cold Resistance] - Your chance to resist being frozen increases by 50%, and Ice attribute damage is reduced by a fixed 20%.

By allocating all his earned experience points to the Priest class, it was just enough to level up to 11.

[Main Class Priest has been upgraded to LV11. Gained 3 SP points, allowing acquisition of new skills.]

[Pain: Dark Incantation: Chant a dark incantation, causing immediate shadow damage equal to 70% of your current Spiritual Power to the target.

Additionally, for the next 15 seconds, it inflicts minimal ongoing shadow damage, which can be detonated by Dark Energy Infusion. (Requires 3 SP to learn)]

[Disease Outbreak: Chant a dark incantation, immediately inducing 1-3 random acute diseases on the target. Diseases are non-contagious. (Requires 5 SP to learn)]

[Pain Suppression: Removes negative effects from friendly targets, reducing all incoming damage by 40% for one minute. (Requires 8 SP to learn)]

Hmm, he currently lacks strong offensive skills, so it seems [Pain: Dark Incantation] is the only viable choice.

[Pain: Dark Incantation LV1 learned.]

[Now generating your Simulated Universe beginner rewards.]

Su Jinyan paused, surprised—there were beginner rewards?

[Beginner Reward: Inventory Expansion Token.]

[Effect: Upon use, expands the current inventory size to 10 slots.]

[Friendly Reminder: Did you know? In the Simulated Universe, any items or props that can fit into your inventory can also be retrieved from it in reality.]

In other words, the Divergent Wood Fruit I obtained in the Simulated Universe can be used in reality as well?

Suppressing his inner excitement, Su Jinyan chose to open his inventory and was startled to find the Divergent Wood Fruit prominently displayed within.

Without delay, he extracted it from the inventory, holding it up for closer inspection.

The fruit resembled a heart, with a rough golden-yellow exterior emitting a strong citrus aroma. When held in his palm, he could feel its pulsating vitality akin to a beating heart.

It's no exaggeration to say that this single fruit's value is equivalent to all his Credits combined; even if multiplied by three or four times, it wouldn't seem unreasonable.

"Growl—"

However, the Divergent Wood Fruit seemed to possess a peculiar enchantment. After gazing at it for too long, a desire arose within him to immediately consume it whole.

Su Jinyan's eyelid twitched, and swallowing hard, he hastily returned the Divergent Wood Fruit back into his inventory.

He firmly believed that he wasn't someone easily swayed by sensory temptations, which meant there could only be one possibility—the Divergent Wood Fruit itself was enticing his mind.

Well, never mind. He still had to attend the interview at the Divination Commission tomorrow, so it's best to get some sleep early.

Su Jinyan shook his head and pulled the quilt over himself to sleep.