Another simulation

A dense fog filled Strider's vision as the system space collapsed around him.

When his senses adjusted, he found himself standing in a dense forest.

The trees around him were tall and imposing, their canopies stretching high above, casting deep shadows over the forest floor.

A slight breeze rustled the leaves, and the distant calls of unknown birds echoed through the air.

He glanced down at himself, seeing the translucent, wraith-like form that was his default appearance in this simulated world.

His ethereal body hovered slightly above the ground, weightless, untouched by the physical world.

"So, this is where I've been placed this time?" he mused.

His first action was to test his abilities.

With a mere thought, his form shifted—his ghostly figure morphed, becoming solid, flesh-like.

Within moments, he now appeared as a strikingly handsome man in his 30s.

His new form had a chiseled jawline, piercing dark eyes, and an aura of quiet confidence.

"This should make interactions much easier," he thought.

Satisfied with his transformation, he moved toward the edge of the forest, keeping his steps light and his senses sharp.

After a short journey, he reached the forest's edge and saw an unexpected sight—

Beyond the trees, a massive military training facility stood in the distance.

Soldiers marched in formation, carrying advanced rifles, while others trained in combat drills.

The buildings were sleek and modern, and the sound of helicopters echoed in the sky.

"A military base? So this is a modern world."

Strider remained cautious.

This world could be vastly different from the Red Star World, and he didn't know what powers or threats existed here.

Before he could make a move, a group of soldiers spotted him.

"Hey! You! Hands in the air!"

Strider didn't resist.

He knew that blindly fighting without information could be dangerous, even if he was likely far stronger than these mortals.

The soldiers surrounded him, their weapons aimed.

"Identify yourself! How did you get past security?"

one of them demanded.

Strider merely gave a small smile but didn't answer.

His silence seemed to agitate them, and within moments, they decided to detain him.

Handcuffs were placed on him—not that they could hold him—but he chose to unconditionally comply.

When they took him to a prison facility within the base, Strider immediately noticed something fascinating—

Modern technology.

There were cameras monitoring every corridor, biometric scanning devices, and even smartphones in the hands of the guards.

"So, this world has reached the 21st century in terms of technology."

However, the most notable discovery was the world's spiritual energy.

As a demon at the peak of the Energy Accumulation Realm, Strider's spiritual senses were on par with a Lesser Core Building Realm cultivator.

With just a simple scan of the environment, he realized something shocking—

The spiritual energy here was incredibly weak.

Compared to the Red Star World, where cultivators thrived, this world had a spiritual energy level barely worth mentioning.

But…

"It's increasing."

Though weak now, Strider could tell that spiritual energy was rising steadily.

If it continued at this rate, in about 50 years, it would catch up to the Red Star World.

"Interesting. So this world is undergoing a transformation."

This knowledge only made him more curious about the simulation's purpose.

In the prison, Strider was placed in a shared cell, where he met his first source of information—his cellmate.

A rough-looking man, dressed in a worn-out prison uniform, sat on the bunk opposite Strider, watching him with a skeptical expression.

After some casual conversation, Strider began asking questions about the world.

The cellmate's reaction was instant—disbelief.

"Are you some kind of lunatic? You don't even know the basics?"

Strider simply smiled, letting the man assume whatever he wanted.

Eventually, his cellmate sighed and decided to humor him.

"This world is called Lumar,"

he began.

"It's the 21st century, and we're in the country of Nalthis—famous for its military strength and weaponry. They specialize in war tactics and hold the biggest prison in the world."

Strider's eyes gleamed.

"A country built on warfare, huh?"

His cellmate continued, his voice carrying a grim tone.

"This prison—Ashyn Prison—is an absolute hellhole. It occupies an entire island, and once you're inside… you can forget about ever leaving."

Strider raised an eyebrow.

"A full island prison? That's rare."

His cellmate elaborated further.

"The entire island is surrounded by shark-infested waters, and even if you somehow escape the prison itself, the sea will be your grave."

He let out a bitter chuckle.

"Even in death, our corpses are thrown into the ocean—no burials, no graves. Just… shark food."

Strider remained silent for a moment, taking in the information.

"A prison that no one leaves alive. Now that's interesting."

After processing what he had learned, Strider asked the final and most crucial question—

"Are there any cultivators in this world?"

His cellmate froze, then stared at him like he was the biggest idiot alive.

"Cultivators? You mean like those in novels?"

A laugh erupted from the man.

"You really are crazy! There's no such thing as cultivators in the real world!"

At those words, a deep sense of realization settled in Strider's mind.

This world… had no cultivators.

No martial sects, no energy warriors, nothing.

It was a purely mortal world—a world ruled by technology, not cultivation.

Strider's lips curled into a smirk.

"This is too easy."

He was at the peak of the Energy Accumulation Realm.

If he unleashed his full power, his combat ability would rival a 1st Layer Core Building Realm cultivator.

In a world of ordinary mortals, he was unstoppable.

Even the most advanced weapons of this world would be useless against him.

Nuclear bombs?

A single nuke might harm a low-level Energy Accumulation cultivator, but for someone like him—at the peak of the realm—it was nothing.

He could walk through fire, shatter steel, and crush armies with ease.

"I can complete this simulation with 100% success effortlessly."

Yet…

Despite the overwhelming advantage, something felt wrong.

A strange unease crept into his heart.

"Why would the system make this world so easy? It doesn't make sense."

The Copy Worlds were meant to test him, to push him to his limits.

And yet, this world seemed like a joke.

"No. There's something I'm missing."

He couldn't shake the feeling that something deeper was at play.

Something hidden beneath the surface.

Taking a deep breath, he leaned back against the prison wall, closing his eyes.

He needed to think carefully.

This world might not be as simple as it seemed.