Chapter 196: Should We Surrender?

After finishing the skill test, Feng Qi gathered all the students and brought them into the custom room.

Once everyone entered, he opened the settings menu, and immediately, the relevant options appeared on the screen.

First, he set the number of opponents to 6V6 and then dragged his avatar to the spectator zone, intending to watch the match as a spectator.

Next, he adjusted the settings for the combat mode.

He set all the students' body stats to the same initial values to ensure that no one would overpower the others with higher stats.

However, when adjusting Mu Qing's stats, Feng Qi noticed that Mu Qing's body stats could not be read, and a question mark appeared instead.

The same question mark appeared behind Hui Xu's body stats as well.

If Mu Qing's stats couldn't be read due to a limitation of the game capsule's scanning equipment, it seemed that Hui Xu's stats were deliberately hidden by some special means.

But this didn't affect his ability to adjust the values.

After standardizing everyone's stats, he moved on to the map selection.

Immediately, various maps appeared on the screen.

[Cloud Peak Mountains (Complex Terrain)]

[Twisted Forest (Complex Terrain)]

[Dragon Plains (Simple Terrain)]

[Lava Inferno (Balanced)]

...

There were over ten maps available in the options list.

And these were just the maps that were temporarily unlocked.

He had previously looked into the super virtual game in the future database.

With several generations of development teams behind it, the game aimed to provide better training experiences for cultivators, and they had developed nearly a thousand different combat maps, ranging from simple to complex.

After all, this game had long stopped being just a game. Once it was developed, its purpose went far beyond simple entertainment.

For traditional MOBA games, a single map helped players become familiar with the environment. But in this game, the future definition could be described as a "military factory," designed specifically for training warriors, which meant complex terrain was more important than simplicity.

After all, a battlefield isn't a game. There's no identical environment to adapt to.

Only through diverse maps could players be trained to handle any environment and react accordingly.

Feng Qi scanned the map selection list and finally chose the "Random Map" mode.

Then came the team assignments.

He pulled Mu Qing, Cai Guo, the three Xia brothers, and Xu Hongyun into the blue team.

He placed Lü Yue, Lin Ran, Yan Fu, Yang Xiaoxin, Hui Xu, and Jia Yi on the red team.

Once the teams were settled, he clicked the "Start Match" button.

Immediately, a triumphant horn sounded in his ears.

After a brief black screen, the scene shifted to the skill selection phase.

On the left side were Mu Qing and the others, and on the right side were Lin Ran's team. In between them was a large screen on the floor, listing the available skill icons.

An electronic voice then echoed in their minds:

"Skill Ban Phase: Each player may ban three skills from appearing in the match."

Hearing the game prompt, everyone immediately began to act.

Instead of using the skill search bar, they casually grabbed icons from the screen and tossed them into the "Banned Skills" box.

After the skill ban phase ended, the skill selection phase began.

Each player could equip eight skills, and they had ten minutes to make their selections before entering the game.

Now familiar with how to equip skills, the students began to pick.

Feng Qi clicked on the spectator list and saw both teams' selections.

Notably, Mu Qing and Cai Guo made distinct choices. Mu Qing picked only self-enhancement skills, clearly opting for a tank or warrior role, while Cai Guo chose skills that boosted his teammates, fitting his game name, "The Old Military Doctor Who Saves Lives."

When everyone had finished selecting their skills, the screen shifted to the weapon selection interface.

Various melee weapons were available here.

Except for Lin Ran and Yang Xiaoxin, who didn't select any weapons, everyone else picked one that suited them.

Once the weapon selection was complete, a countdown appeared for everyone.

Then, the screen faded to black once again.

Ten minutes later, Feng Qi's vision cleared abruptly.

He found himself suspended in the sky, with Mu Qing, Lin Ran, and others floating in the clouds alongside him.

As the sensation of weightlessness hit him, his sight pierced through the thick clouds, revealing a lush forest below.

"Twisted Forest" appeared briefly in front of his eyes before fading away.

As Feng Qi's body approached the ground, the scene changed once more.

Two beams of light shot up from the edges of the forest, and both teams entered their respective base camps.

From Feng Qi's spectator point of view, he noticed he was still suspended in mid-air, with a semi-transparent mini-map of the area appearing in front of him.

He clicked on it and discovered that he could jump to any spot on the map at will.

Since he was in spectator mode, he could only see himself and could also pull up the battle statistics of all the players at any time.

The two teams' battle method was straightforward.

Victory could be achieved in three different ways.

At the center of the Twisted Forest map, there was a spirit mine mountain that players could mine for spirit ores. Players could carry two ores back to their base each time.

The first team to mine enough spirit ores equal to ten times the number of total participants would win the match.

If a player carrying ores was killed, the ores they carried would drop.

Moreover, the ore stock in the base could also be stolen, and stolen ores would increase by one, making it three ores in total.

This way of winning required a high level of teamwork, balancing defense, offense, and mining to secure victory.

This was a custom room, with only 12 players. If it were a large-scale match, the team's synergy would be even more important.

The second method of winning was much simpler: it was based on kill count. The first team to kill enough players, exceeding five times the total number of participants, would be declared the winner.

During this period, to ensure fairness, when a player is killed, their respawn time is extended. The maximum number of respawns allowed is ten.

The final victory condition is similar to the traditional "backdoor" in MOBA games.

Each team's base has a flag, with the flag's health being equal to the number of players multiplied by 1000. The team that successfully destroys the enemy's flag at their base wins.

These three methods of victory are all designed to train domain warriors.

The first method is more traditional, similar to the domain war teams exploring domain fields while simultaneously extracting various resources.

So, the victory is determined by resource quantity, with additional challenges in terms of strategy and layout.

The second kill-based method is designed to train the warriors' combat abilities and is the most commonly chosen form in competitive matches. You just need to focus on your team's coordination to secure victory.

As for the third method, focused on "backdooring," it seems like a shortcut to victory, but it is actually the most important of the three combat modes.

This isn't just Feng Qi's opinion, but also that of the senior members of the Crimson Research Institute.

In the real world, clearing a domain field isn't about killing all the monsters within the field. The key lies in destroying the field's core.

Once the core is destroyed, the domain field will slowly dissipate.

This is the key factor in removing a domain field by a domain battle team.

From a practical combat perspective, backdooring is the most difficult method of winning as it involves directly destroying the domain field's core, and is also the hardest method in the game.

If you attempt a backdoor, the enemy team will surely receive a prompt and immediately return to defend their base.

If a battle erupts at the enemy's base, the situation quickly develops into a scenario where the attacking team loses players faster than the defending team.

After all, the game has a respawn system. The team that is being backdoored will respawn inside their base, while the attacking team will respawn at their own base on the other side of the map, which takes more than ten minutes to travel.

Compared to traditional MOBA games, the crucial difference in this game is that there are no level or stat advantages. Winning by brute force is almost impossible unless the team has perfect coordination. Otherwise, it's extremely difficult to win by backdooring alone.

In most cases, the team attempting a backdoor will continuously throw away their lives, allowing the defending team to reach the required kill count to win.

Each victory mode is designed from a practical perspective.

Each method trains players in real-world combat situations.

As the horn sounded, both teams, now familiar with the victory conditions from the tutorial, crossed through their base shields and headed toward the center of the map.

In both team voice channels, they began discussing which strategy to choose to win.

Switching between the red and blue teams' voice channels, Feng Qi smiled.

He noticed that both sides had chosen the kill-based strategy to win.

From his god-like perspective, he could see both teams heading toward the central spirit mine mountain on the map.

The Twisted Forest map had complex terrain. Though each player could bring up a map, the starting map was shrouded in fog. Even after the fog was cleared, the position of other players remained hidden.

The spirit mine mountain became the primary battleground.

Players aiming to harvest resources would inevitably come to this area.

After some time navigating the complex terrain of the Twisted Forest, both teams finally arrived at the spirit mine area.

They climbed the mountain path and met on a platform halfway up.

The atmosphere was immediately tense, with both sides clearly immersed in their roles.

Leading the blue team was Mu Qing. As the future leader of the Dawn Army, she had already developed a commanding presence. She immediately began issuing orders on the voice channel for the attack.

On the red side, Lin Ran took charge. He also started discussing the next steps for the battle formation.

At this point, Mu Qing took the initiative and rushed toward Lin Ran, who led the red team.

Cai Guo waved at Mu Qing, and with the help of the game's skill-assisted feature, her skill path was automatically drawn. As her energy bar drained, a green enhancement light shot from her body, enveloping Mu Qing.

The three Xia brothers began attacking from the flank, while Xu Hongyun stayed behind to protect Cai Guo.

The battle was about to erupt.

Facing Mu Qing charging toward him, Lin Ran took a step back, and Yan Fu stepped forward to intercept.

Lin Ran released a golden light wave, which morphed into a golden ribbon that rushed toward Mu Qing.

Even without the enhancement from the Crimson Rune Crystal, Mu Qing's reaction was still fast. She leaned forward to dodge the golden ribbon, landing on one foot before propelling herself forward again.

At this moment, Yan Fu's body glowed with red light, and he suddenly swung his fist toward Mu Qing's face.

However, before his punch even came close, Mu Qing landed a powerful punch to his abdomen. Her body tilted with the force, and using the momentum, she planted her right hand on the ground and kicked her left leg straight at Yan Fu's chin.

A damage value popped up above Yan Fu's head as he was sent flying backward.

At that moment, the golden ribbon controlled by Lin Ran again shot toward Mu Qing.

Mu Qing seemed to have anticipated it. She placed one hand on the ground, spinning herself in the air to evade the attack.

At this moment, a sharp sword appeared from an awkward angle beneath Mu Qing, aiming for her body as she fell.

"Cai Guo, shield!"

At this moment, Cai Guo, who had been quietly preparing, decisively completed the final step of her skill path. A pale golden light shield suddenly appeared beside Mu Qing, blocking the sharp sword strike aimed at her.

As she safely landed, Mu Qing didn't even glance back. With a reflexive sidekick, she sent Lü Yue flying through the air.

Seeing this scene, Feng Qi was stunned.

Mu Qing's fighting style was like a martial arts performance, flawless and absolutely stunning.

Not only did she predict the enemy's attacks, but she also communicated with her teammates in the voice channel during the battle, and most impressively, she knew exactly when to strike.

Feng Qi had always assumed that Mu Qing's strength came from the Crimson Rune Crystal.

He hadn't expected that her own abilities were also outstanding.

Yet, a doubt lingered in his mind.

Logically, Mu Qing had no combat training, so how could she be so skilled in battle tactics?

"Maybe she received special training at the Crimson Research Institute… But there's also a possibility—her combat skills could be instinctive responses triggered by the Rune Crystal."

Hearing the narrator's explanation, Feng Qi couldn't help but nod.

He had experienced these instinctive skills from a Rune Crystal himself.

In his previous timeline, after embedding the Fierce Shadow Rune Crystal, the merging of his body with the Rune Crystal brought a series of automatic abilities.

For example, the ability to liquefy was one of them.

When he first embedded the Rune Crystal, using the liquefy ability felt awkward and clumsy, but over time, it became more natural, like an instinct.

This wasn't the result of training; it was more about the level of fusion with the Rune Crystal.

Even in the real world, there are examples of organ transplants affecting the new host's personality.

Compared to that, Rune Crystals were much more profound.

The emotional outbursts after embedding a Rune Crystal were also linked to this process.

Merging with a Rune Crystal was a process of taming it. If you failed to tame it, the Rune Crystal would completely control you, turning you into a monster.

So, the narrator's hypothesis—that Mu Qing's battle instincts came from the Crimson Rune Crystal—was entirely plausible.

The battle continued.

On the flank, Xia Long engaged with Yan Fu, and the two began a battle of physical prowess.

In terms of pure body skills, Xia Long had the upper hand.

However, Yan Fu wasn't weak either, and he complemented his physical fighting with offensive techniques, which caused some trouble for Xia Long.

Both of them came from domain battle teams, and their fighting styles were brutal and aggressive.

In the game, there was no concern about causing real harm, so neither of them held back, unleashing their most lethal moves.

On the left side of Lin Ran's team, Xia Hu and Xia Bao also launched their attack.

They faced off against the Monk and Jia Yi.

Jia Yi made the first move against Xia Hu. He had already set up a formation-type technique on the spot and activated it, trapping Xia Hu in a small formation, making it difficult for him to break free.

On the other side, facing Xia Bao's attack, the Monk rolled and dodged with seemingly random movements, but his evasion was so effective that Xia Bao couldn't land a hit for a while.

Feng Qi, knowing the Monk's true background, immediately understood.

As the only direct descendant of the Prajna Domain Battle Team, one of the top ten domain battle teams, how could this guy be weak?

His previously lazy demeanor was just a disguise.

If it wasn't for the experience in his previous timeline, Feng Qi would have almost been tricked into thinking that the Monk was just a carefree person who didn't care for advancement, relying on the Prajna Battle Team for support.

Recalling the Monk's sudden change in history, Feng Qi realized it wasn't a sudden change at all—he had merely shed his disguise and returned to his true self.

In this battle, the peak of both teams' power was clearly Lin Ran and Mu Qing.

Though Lü Yue was strong, his swordsmanship data was not even available in the future database. As such, Lü Yue couldn't use his sword techniques and had to rely on his body refinement skills in combination with his sword moves for combat.

As for Lin Ran, he was an absolute master of spellcasting.

In addition to the eight skills he had equipped, he also unleashed the spells he had mastered in the real world to attack Mu Qing.

Mu Qing's performance was entirely beyond Feng Qi's expectations.

Team command, physical combat techniques, precise observation, and prediction—she seemed like a natural-born warrior, binding her team together as a cohesive unit. During the fight, she would frequently assess her teammates' situations and issue commands.

Under her leadership, Xia Long suddenly abandoned his fight with Yan Fu and rushed toward Lin Ran, who was still casting spells.

Seeing this, Lin Ran immediately retreated.

Mu Qing seized this opportunity, capitalizing on the gap in Lin Ran's defense. She swiftly delivered a powerful kick to Lü Yue's neck.

With a brutal kick, Lü Yue lost health and staggered, collapsing to the ground.

At this moment, Yang Xiaoxin, who had been standing next to Lin Ran, finally released her skill, charging it up.

Countless ice spikes formed above Mu Qing's head and quickly fell toward her.

What happened next left everyone stunned. Mu Qing's figure darted and leaped through the storm of ice spikes, effortlessly dodging the barrage of attacks.

"As expected of someone who almost became the historical God of War—her battle instincts are truly exceptional. If she continues to train, her potential is limitless."

"Hopefully, one day I can have such battle awareness and instincts," Feng Qi sighed.

"Don't, just stick to your muscle-bound brute style. As long as your muscles are tough enough, there's no enemy you can't knock out with a punch. If one punch doesn't work, just throw two or three… Sky Horse Meteor Punch!"

Feng Qi: …

Suppressing a mental middle finger, he turned his attention to the ongoing battle.

At this point, the team battle had entered a critical phase.

Yang Xiaoxin, Lin Ran, and Lü Yue were fighting against Mu Qing and Cai Guo, and they were clearly at a disadvantage.

The only advantage was on Jia Yi's side.

Jia Yi's formations weren't just for binding.

The key feature of formation-based magic was "variability," described in two words.

As the formation flags moved, the function of the formation would change.

Standing outside the formation, Jia Yi was like a chess player, calmly waving his hand to manipulate the formation flags, keeping Xia Hu tightly suppressed and constantly draining his health.

Feeling helpless, Xia Hu tried to make a desperate effort, but he couldn't break free from Jia Yi's setup.

Soon, the first kill occurred.

"Player 'Sheng Tian Ban Zi' gets the first kill. Red side kill count: 1"

With the announcement echoing across the map, Xia Hu's figure slowly disappeared, entering the countdown cooldown phase.

After killing Xia Hu, Jia Yi decisively turned his attention to the most troublesome player, Mu Qing.

With a wave of his hand, several formation flags condensed into a small formation in the air, pressing down on Mu Qing.

At the same time, Lin Ran made a hand seal to launch his attack, trying to coordinate with Jia Yi to bind Mu Qing.

However, Mu Qing, who was under heavy attack, retreated decisively. She then communicated with Cai Guo in the voice channel.

In a flash of light, a barrier appeared in front of Mu Qing, blocking the incoming formation flags, and a white light emerged from Cai Guo's body, connecting with Mu Qing.

Mu Qing's stamina was instantly restored.

Without hesitation, she advanced a few steps as the barrier shattered and landed a powerful punch on the formation flag.

With a tiger's roar, a fierce tiger made of spiritual energy appeared behind Mu Qing, tearing the eight formation flags apart.

Feng Qi wasn't surprised by Mu Qing using the "Tiger Roar Charge" from the Fierce Tiger Fist technique.

He had already seen her skill choices when entering the match.

Moreover, the Fierce Tiger Fist had already passed the review and certification and was included in the skill library of Breaking Dawn, so it made perfect sense.

Breaking through the formation flags, Mu Qing charged directly at Jia Yi.

It was too late for Jia Yi to conjure new formation flags. He immediately turned and fled.

However, his speed was clearly no match for Mu Qing, who had chosen physical refinement skills.

In the red team's voice channel, Jia Yi's desperate scream rang out:

"Brothers, save me! Save me! I'm finished!"

Realizing Jia Yi was in danger, Lü Yue swung his sword at Mu Qing, trying to block her path.

What happened next shocked everyone.

Mu Qing's running figure suddenly stopped, then with a sharp sidekick, she swept Lü Yue's legs out from under him. From the fluidity of her movement, it was clear that she had anticipated Lü Yue's interception.

Her true target wasn't Jia Yi, but had already locked onto Lü Yue.

Caught off guard, Lü Yue was struck viciously in the neck by the kick.

"Player 'Si Liu' completes the kill. Blue side kill count: 1"

Lü Yue's unexpected death shattered everyone's expectations, and the balance of the battle was immediately broken.

At this moment, Lin Ran realized he needed to kill Cai Guo first if he wanted any chance of defeating the troublesome Mu Qing.

But now, if they split their forces to take out Cai Guo, no one would be able to stop Mu Qing, and the backline would face a one-sided massacre.

Soon, Jia Yi became Mu Qing's second target.

At this point, the tide of battle was clearly turning in Mu Qing's favor.

With Cai Guo's support, Mu Qing's stamina remained high, and after killing Jia Yi, she turned her attention to Lin Ran, the highest damage dealer on the red side.

Although Lin Ran had mastered many spells, he was still not a strong fighter, especially not when facing Mu Qing, whose combat instincts were terrifying.

He managed to hold out for a minute and a half using defensive spells, but Mu Qing seized the gap and landed a devastating punch to his neck, depleting his health and sending him out of the game.

Next was Yang Xiaoxin, and then Yan Fu.

One by one, Mu Qing's ferocious battle skills eliminated their health bars.

Finally, it was the Monk's turn. Realizing he was the last one left, he immediately gave up and stopped resisting, allowing Xia Bao to take him out.

This team battle once again showcased Mu Qing's terrifying battle power.

After the battle ended, the resurrection cooldown phase began.

In the gray-white, cool-down waiting space, Lin Ran and the other four crouched down, hugging their knees, staring at the kill replay on the screen in front of them, trembling with fear.

This battle had mentally crushed them.

Then, the Monk appeared.

"Guys, is there an option to surrender? Maybe we should just surrender?"