Chapter 151: Cloud Battle Network

[Establishing neural synchronization...]
[...]
[Synchronization complete!]
[Current synchronization rate: 80%]
[Identity verification complete. You have logged into the Crisis Control Bureau Operations Department Cloud Combat Network!]

Within a surreal, pure white space, countless flowing light particles formed a male body with blurred facial features.

Li Nanke controlled his initial avatar, looking at the various window frames appearing before him and browsing the user manual of the Cloud Combat Network.

The Cloud Combat Network consisted of operations personnel from various branch bureaus of the Control Bureau simultaneously online, capable of simulating life-and-death combat between transcendent beings.

Certain transcendent abilities possessed immense lethality, making it difficult to guarantee the safety of both participants during actual physical sparring.

At this point, utilizing public dream simulations along with the 80% synchronization rate restriction ensured that both parties would not suffer mental or physical trauma while still achieving practical combat training.

[Since this is your first time logging into the Cloud Combat Network, please create your personal ID and customize your appearance!]

The window frames in front of him represented different combat "rooms," displaying the IDs of the combatants and the number of online spectators.

Li Nanke saw many formal IDs based on real names, as well as plenty of unserious, abstract ones like "Turkey-flavored Crispy Rice," "She Said Using Protection Doesn't Count," and "Go to the Docks to Get Some Fries."

The top-ranked rooms had thousands of spectators online. On the Cloud Combat Network, one could not only step onto the arena for actual combat but also observe others fighting to gain experience.

The Cloud Combat Network also featured a combat power leaderboard, categorized by transcendent tiers and ranked according to the combat data of the trainees.

Li Nanke casually entered the ID "Dream Lord" to create his account, modified his avatar's appearance, selected the basic profile of his Tier 3 physical-tempering path, and clicked into a room to watch a match.

In a trance, the pure white space receded like a tide.

Under the setting sun, an abandoned and deserted city stood. The glass curtain walls of towering skyscrapers reflected a dim yellow light, and two transcendent beings were confronting each other at a desolate four-way intersection.

Li Nanke appeared in the virtual spectator stands. The seats were packed with a sea of spectators, exceptionally noisy and bustling, with the virtual viewpoint constantly locked onto the two confronting transcendents.

The two wore containment personnel uniforms edged in black with hot-silver trim. The man with the ID "Hope" stood empty-handed, while the woman with the ID "Folded-Ear Cat" held a long saber.

Looking at their basic profiles, it was clear that both were Tier 3 transcendents, the former belonging to the elemental path and the latter to the physical-tempering path.

"Who do you think will win this match?"

"Do we even need to guess? Hope's historical match win rate is as high as 83%, and he's an elementalist, whereas that Folded-Ear Cat is just a physical-tempering practitioner. No matter how you look at it, she can't beat Hope," a spectator said with absolute confidence, and several people around him nodded in agreement.

"Hope is from the Sanctuary City branch. I heard they just contained a 'Critical-level' taboo item last month. The taboo item itself seemed to be a living organism with extreme destructive power, and Hope was one of the core personnel in that containment operation."

"What about Folded-Ear Cat? Does anyone here know Folded-Ear Cat's background?"

"Not sure. That person's ID isn't a real name, and the appearance has most likely been altered, clearly showing they don't want to reveal their identity on the combat network."

"Care who she is? The physical-tempering path has a low rating to begin with. Unless the gap in strength between them is massive, fighting an elementalist means certain defeat."

The physical-tempering path accounted for a larger proportion and base among transcendents.

However, due to the lower overall evaluation of the physical-tempering path, the Control Bureau recruited relatively few physical-tempering individuals. Those who managed to join the Control Bureau as containment personnel were either outstanding elites within that path or possessed exceptional transcendent potential.

"Hey, hey, hey, buddy, don't generalize. The physical-tempering path is also very strong, alright?"

Li Nanke's ears twitched, finding the voice somewhat familiar. He looked toward the source not far away, and the speaker was none other than Luke, the leader of the Assault Squad from the Redemption City branch.

The other party's ID was also quite abstract, named "I'm Bald, and I've Grown Stronger." Without modifying his appearance, his bald head shone brightly, making him instantly recognizable.

However, Li Nanke had no intention of walking over to converse with Luke; the Luke in reality did not know him.

Moreover, his purpose in logging into the combat network was to witness the abilities of other transcendent archetypes and accumulate practical combat experience against different types of transcendents, without wishing to reveal his real-world identity.

"Battle begins!" As the system's voice echoed, the two transcendents moved instantly.

Hope remained empty-handed, but a layer of scorching crimson light flickered around his body.

Folded-Ear Cat flashed, rapidly closing the distance to her enemy with a speed hard to capture with the naked eye.

"Hmph, you think you can get close to me like that?" Hope sneered, extending his hands forward as roaring flames surged into the sky, forming a scorching sea of fire. Waves of majestic flames pounded fiercely, the surrounding air visibly distorting, and the vegetation instantly charred into ashes.

Even high up in the spectator stands, the searing, burning heat could be clearly felt, just like a scorching sun rising right in front of them, let alone for Folded-Ear Cat facing the sea of fire head-on.

"The elemental path is indeed very strong..."

Li Nanke compared this with his own "Flame Breath." Compared to a genuine elemental transcendent, the destructive power of his specialized flame breath still had a noticeable gap.

Large-scale scorching flames blocked Folded-Ear Cat's advance. The temperature of the transcendent flames was terrifyingly high; the asphalt road surface visibly warped and melted, and the abandoned vehicles scattered along the roadside grew red-hot one by one, beginning to melt into pools of iron.

Combat between transcendents could cause horrifying destruction, which was why physical sparring among transcendents was prohibited in reality, requiring them to shift to dream simulations for simulated battles.

Not to mention the environmental damage, under such formidable lethality, combat training without careful control would result in severe injuries or even death.

The surging flames spread instantly, not only blocking Folded-Ear Cat's path but also expanding rapidly to envelop her completely.

If Folded-Ear Cat did not find a way to break through, within a single breath, she would be swallowed by the transcendent flames and completely reduced to a charred corpse.

Li Nanke projected himself into Folded-Ear Cat's position, pondering how to respond to the enemy's attack.

If it were him, he would inevitably leap into the air, utilizing his formidable leg strength to evade the burning flames while swiftly closing the distance to the enemy and launching a fatal blow.

Well... that was assuming only physical-tempering strength was used.

Facing the surging transcendent flames, Folded-Ear Cat gripped the long saber in her hand, her eyes filled with focus and determination.

Hope's elemental abilities could launch attacks across vast distances to control the rhythm of the battlefield, whereas Folded-Ear Cat's physical-tempering path excelled in close-quarters combat; if she failed to close in, it would be difficult to unleash her advantages.

Folded-Ear Cat let out a sharp cry, her slender and powerful legs forcefully stomping the ground as the entire street seemed to tremble violently.

The moment her foot struck the ground, the earth collapsed, abandoned cars scattered about seemed to spring upward abruptly, and the glass of the buildings along the street shattered into pieces.

The instant the surrounding sea of fire closed in and converged, Folded-Ear Cat leaped into the air, evading the flame assault while plunging toward the enemy with lightning speed!

"Not bad." Li Nanke silently nodded.

Folded-Ear Cat had adopted the exact countermeasure he had anticipated.

A blinding flash of saber light flickered, and the scorching flames along the path seemed to encounter a massive wave, extinguishing successively and leaving a blank path free of flames behind Folded-Ear Cat.

It was as if the surging transcendent flames had no choice but to give way when facing her!

"Such powerful physical-tempering!" Gasps of astonishment immediately erupted from the spectator stands, as no one expected Folded-Ear Cat's strength to be this formidable.

Hope couldn't help but feel somewhat surprised.

However, his strength was formidable, and his combat experience was exceptionally rich. Even if the opponent could dodge his initial strike, the subsequent serial offensive he had prepared was already underway!

Facing the rapidly approaching enemy, Hope retreated backward while his transcendent flames condensed into fierce, burning flame pythons that lunged toward the target.

Searing flame waves surged violently, and the earth beneath their feet could not withstand such terrifying high temperatures, threatening to melt into crimson magma.

The surrounding air seemed to be ignited; merely taking a breath made one feel the fiery airflow scorching the lungs.

Brilliant blade lights flashed, and with every slash of the long saber, another flame python was vanquished and extinguished.

Li Nanke watched the moves Folded-Ear Cat executed while wielding her saber, feeling a faint sense of familiarity in his heart.

Folded-Ear Cat's moves followed the orthodox combat techniques of the Control Bureau, yet they possessed a distinct personal style, reminding him of Luke, who had instructed him for over two months.

Under the scorching heat of the flames, Folded-Ear Cat's long hair turned slightly withered and curly, and her containment uniform was charred black in multiple spots, revealing burned, lacerated flesh.

The surrounding spectators held their breath, fixing their eyes on the fierce battle before them, discarding any lingering contempt for Folded-Ear Cat in their hearts.

Although the simulated combat on the Cloud Combat Network only had an 80% synchronization rate, the pain of being severely burned by transcendent flames to the point of torn skin and flesh was still difficult for ordinary people to endure.

Yet Folded-Ear Cat maintained a cold expression without uttering a sound, as if the charred skin and flesh did not belong to her; this level of endurance alone was enough for the spectators to silently raise their thumbs in respect.

Seeing that Folded-Ear Cat had already closed in right before Hope, the spectators knew the outcome of this battle was about to be decided.

"Hmph, you think you can win like this?" Hope sneered, his hands gesturing once again as a gigantic ring of fire rapidly condensed in the surrounding air.

Seeing this, Folded-Ear Cat swiftly sidestepped to evade, but the speed of the fire ring was extremely fast, enveloping her almost instantly.

Based on the on-field battle situation, Li Nanke previewed his own response strategy and thought silently, "No retreating; fortune favors the bold."

Just as the fire ring was about to swallow Folded-Ear Cat, she abruptly halted her steps, forcefully stomping her feet onto the ground to launch herself at Hope like a cannonball.

Folded-Ear Cat's body darted through the fire ring. Although she suffered severe burns, relying on the formidable strength of the physical-tempering path, she rapidly broke through the obstruction of the fire ring and lunged directly at Hope.

Folded-Ear Cat had once again adopted the countermeasure Li Nanke had anticipated.

Seeing this situation, the transcendent spectators in the stands blurted out:

"Hope is going to lose..."

"Yeah, he was too arrogant; he shouldn't have let Folded-Ear Cat get close."

"Who would've thought Hope would capsize in the gutter."

Suddenly, Li Nanke frowned.

He clearly saw that Hope, who had been closed in upon by his enemy, not only showed no trace of panic but instead revealed a smug smile.

Sure enough, a spectator nearby immediately said, "Heh, you guessed wrong. Folded-Ear Cat has already walked right into Hope's trap! I've seen Hope use this tactic before..."

"Die!"

Folded-Ear Cat let out a low cry, her long saber tearing through the air and slashing horizontally like a shooting star piercing the night sky.

Seeing the smug smile on Hope's face, her heart skipped a beat, and a bad premonition arose. However, the arrow was already on the bowstring and had to be fired; there was no turning back now!

Gritting her teeth, Folded-Ear Cat refused to retreat; instead, she concentrated all her strength into one point, making her blade momentum even more ferocious!

Not far away, Luke, who had been watching all along, wore a look of regret and let out a quiet sigh: "Little Cat, you were too reckless."

Blazing flames suddenly erupted into the sky within the field, roaring like a volcanic eruption as they instantly burst through the surface of the road!

The crimson flames swept across the earth and sky with an overwhelming momentum, swallowing Folded-Ear Cat's figure.

Under this towering sea of flames, everyone in the spectator stands could not help but instinctively take two steps back to avoid the heat wave.

When the flames subsided, a charred female corpse fell to the ground, having lost all signs of life.

The system prompted: "Battle ended, Hope wins!"

"Pity, what a pity. Folded-Ear Cat was this close to winning."

"Hope is truly a veteran; his combat experience is too rich. He must have condensed flames beneath the ground right in front of him, intentionally baiting Folded-Ear Cat into closing in..."

"The physical-tempering path relies purely on physical strength; if she can't close in, half her combat power is essentially wasted. Folded-Ear Cat had no other choice."

"That's precisely why the rating for the physical-tempering path is so low."

The spectators weren't just watching for entertainment; they were combat personnel from the Control Bureau's operations department, and all of them could glean some insights.

Even without stepping into the ring to fight themselves, simply observing the match allowed them to absorb a considerable amount of combat experience.

Li Nanke shook his head and murmured, "The choice was correct. However, realizing you've fallen into the enemy's trap at the last second, while feeling shocked, your execution slowed down by a beat... Victory and defeat, life and death, hang on just such a brief moment."

Folded-Ear Cat's charred corpse turned into speckles of white light and dissipated into nothingness.

Hope stood in place with his arms crossed, acting as though he had just accomplished an insignificant task: "Is anyone else stepping up? If not, I'm logging off."

In the spectator stands, a woman's figure suddenly materialized beside Luke's seat.

The bald-headed bint stared at the victor in the center of the arena without shifting his gaze, speaking slowly: "Little Cat, do you know where you lost?"

Folded-Ear Cat lowered her head in silence.

"You were too reckless. You shouldn't have taken that risk at the end. If you had retreated to evade, successfully dodging Hope's long-prepared fatal trap, the winner right now would be you."

Folded-Ear Cat raised her head, her face icy as she replied, "I don't think my choice was wrong. I was simply too slow."

"If we did it again, you'd still fight like that?"

"Yes! If we did it again, I'd still fight like that!"

"You won't accept defeat unless I show you a practical example." Luke looked at his stubborn disciple and subordinate, shaking his head helplessly: "I'll suppress my strength to your level and go up there to demonstrate it to you, showing you what the correct practical combat method for the physical-tempering path should look like."

Hope in the arena curved the corners of his mouth, waiting quietly and feeling immensely pleased with himself.

What he loved most was the moment of grandstanding after defeating an opponent, when no one dared to accept his challenge.

Seeing that no one responded for a long time, Hope was just about to utter a few provocative remarks before logging off when he noticed a man stand up from the spectator stands. The man's figure dissolved into countless drifting particles, re-forming within the battlefield.

"Someone's accepting the challenge!"

"Dream Lord... Has anyone seen this ID before?"

"Nope, let me check the basic profile... Tier 3 transcendent, holy crap, why is it another physical-tempering practitioner?"

Just as Luke stood up to accept the challenge, seeing another physical-tempering transcendent step forward instead, he sat back down with a sense of lingering disappointment.

"Little Cat, I'll go up and demonstrate for you after this guy loses."

"Today, I must show you what the true practical combat method of the physical-tempering path is!"