Chapter 16: Two Games on the BC Platform

When Chen Xu returned to his dorm room, every inch of his body ached.

"Damn that little witch! Just you wait—don't ever let me get the upper hand!" he groaned, sprawled out on his bed, muttering complaints about why it had to be summer and why their dorm lacked air conditioning. The hard wooden bed with its straw mat was cool enough to sleep on, but for someone as sore as he was right now, what he really craved was to sink into a soft, fluffy quilt—assuming he wouldn't overheat and die in the process.

Qin Xiao'an glanced at him with pity. "Bro, how'd you manage to piss off that she-devil?"

He'd witnessed Chen Xu's training session earlier, and honestly, it was a sight to behold—horrific, earth-shattering, the kind of misery that'd make anyone wince. Qin Xiao'an was pretty sure he wouldn't have lasted through it himself.

As the goalkeeper, a unique position on the field and the only player allowed to use their hands without penalty, the training was different from everyone else's. The basics involved securely catching the ball in your arms. The method was straightforward: two goalkeepers would often pair up, hurling the ball hard at each other and catching it.

And to be fair, Chen Xu might actually have some natural talent for it. Most of the balls Gao Xiaojie threw his way, he caught with ease. Feeling cocky, he started laughing smugly, declaring himself a once-in-a-century goalkeeping prodigy destined to bear the burden of world peace on his shoulders. Then, in a burst of bravado, he wagged his finger at Gao Xiaojie and taunted, "Hey, little lady, show me something new!"

That was basically signing his own death warrant.

Even Qin Xiao'an thought Chen Xu's current state was too pathetic to deserve much sympathy—he'd brought this entirely on himself! But seeing him sprawled on the bed, moaning nonstop, Qin Xiao'an held his tongue.

No wonder Chen Xu had been put through the wringer. Gao Xiaojie wasn't usually that unreasonable. When she saw Chen Xu picking up the basics after just a few tries and showing real potential as a goalkeeper, she genuinely wanted to train him properly. But his taunt flipped a switch. To her, it felt like she was some courtesan in a brothel, forced to entertain, while Chen Xu played the sleazy client snapping his fingers: "Hey, girl, give me a smile!"

And so, Gao Xiaojie snapped.

How terrifying could an enraged Gao Xiaojie be? No one at Hexie University knew yet, but her old friends had once seen her, in a fit of fury, devour fourteen large bags of Lay's chips in one sitting…

Today, she unleashed that chip-eating rage on Chen Xu, and the results were predictable.

Advanced goalkeeper training involved lying on the ground while an assistant stood in front, tossing the ball within reach for the goalkeeper to catch—a drill to hone diving skills. That's what Chen Xu was working on now. At first, diving a couple of times felt kind of fun, but it didn't take long for the exhaustion to kick in.

Since he had to start from a seated position, Gao Xiaojie deliberately threw the ball farther to the sides. And she was viciously clever about it—not tossing it so far that he couldn't reach it, but just far enough that he had to stretch his body to the limit, twisting and lunging with every ounce of effort.

The drill didn't end with catching the ball, either. After snagging it, the goalkeeper had to quickly toss it back to the assistant, who'd then throw it again—usually in the opposite direction—while the goalkeeper was still scrambling to get up from the last dive.

It was a reaction-speed exercise, but it was also the kind of thing that could kill a guy. Just look at Chen Xu now—he'd made at least five hundred dives that afternoon, and his waist felt like it was about to snap!

There were moments when he'd wanted to quit—or at least take a breather—but with that smug江南 girl glaring at him, how could he, a self-respecting guy, admit defeat?

Gao Xiaojie was stubborn too. Seeing Chen Xu panting like a dying dog, tongue practically hanging out, she actually felt a pang of sympathy. But since this idiot kept pushing through, she refused to back down either. Two stubborn mules butting heads—Chen Xu had no one to blame but himself for ending up half-dead!

Finally, Zhan Jing couldn't take it anymore. "I'm starving—let's go eat," she said. Gao Xiaojie seized the chance to call it quits. "Training's over for today," she announced, then skipped off with Zhan Jing. Of course, she couldn't resist a parting shot: "See you tomorrow!"

"She won't stop until she kills me! Ughhh!" Chen Xu gritted his teeth. Qin Xiao'an just shook his head, slipped into his boxers, and headed to the bathroom to shower.

With the room empty, Chen Xu quietly summoned Xiaomin. He'd recently figured out he could connect his Bluetooth earpiece to the watch to talk to her, making it look like he was just on a call if anyone noticed.

"Xiaomin, doesn't this supercomputer have some kind of massage function? My whole body's killing me!"

"According to the health diagnostic system, your current fatigue level exceeds safe limits. The muscle soreness is due to excessive lactic acid buildup. It's recommended that you avoid such intense overexertion in the future—it's not good for your health."

"But I've already overdone it…" Chen Xu whined, his face crumpling. "Can't you whip up a massage machine or something? I'm dying here!"

"I'm sorry, but this Magic Box computer can't fulfill that request. However, we can log your suggestion for improvements in the next-generation Magic Box II."

"Fat lot of good that does me! What's the Magic Box II got to do with me? You think my grandkid's gonna mail me one?!"

"The primary cause of your muscle soreness is overexertion, compounded by your failure to properly stretch your ligaments afterward. This approach is highly unscientific. After intense exercise, muscles tense up, and stopping abruptly hinders recovery. It's advised that, no matter how tired you are, you take five to ten minutes post-workout to stretch—simple moves like leg presses or extensions. It'll greatly aid your body's recovery."

Chen Xu knew this in theory, but when he'd been exhausted to the point of collapse earlier, knowing didn't mean he had the energy to act on it.

He lay there groaning for a while until he finally felt a bit better. By then, Qin Xiao'an was out of the shower, so Chen Xu stripped down and stumbled into the bathroom himself. As he stepped in, he heard Qin Xiao'an shout, "Dude, Old Three, is that watch of yours really that precious? You're wearing it to shower? What if it falls in the toilet?"

"I'd fall in before I let it drop!" Chen Xu yelled back smugly, only to yelp "Ow!" a second later.

Qin Xiao'an tensed up. "Old Three! Did it actually fall in?!"

"Fall your head! Damn it… Why'd you leave the soap on the floor?!"

Rubbing his bruised backside, Chen Xu grumbled about what a rotten day it'd been. Clearly, his luck was in the gutter—he'd have to check the almanac later.

The Magic Box computer was waterproof, fireproof, and shockproof, but he still took the watch off for the shower, setting it aside. As the cool water cascaded over him, the fatigue melted away a little. Too bad there wasn't a bathtub—he'd have loved to soak in one all night.

No such luck at Hexie University, though. If he wanted to soak in water, he could try the campus pond—if he didn't mind drowning.

Sitting on a stool, washing up and letting his mind wander, Chen Xu was halfway through shampooing—head covered in white suds—when a buzzing vibration startled him. He leapt up, suds and all. He hadn't brought his phone in, so the only thing that could make that sound was the supercomputer watch!

Another discovery?

He grabbed the watch without even rinsing off, fumbling to input the password. The sixteen-digit code was a hassle, but skipping it wasn't an option. Finally summoning Xiaomin, he blurted, "What's up? Another breakthrough?"

"Yes," Xiaomin's melodic voice replied. "Per your instructions, I'm to notify you when any program on the BC platform is fully restored. Just now, new data resources were successfully recovered—two of the most popular games from 2086."

"Games?! What games?"

"The first is FIFA 2086 Professional Edition by EA, and the second is the military's Simulated Combat: High-Fidelity Edition."

FIFA? Chen Xu knew that one—EA's football game, the only real rival to Pro Evolution Soccer on the global market, officially licensed by FIFA and updated annually. They'd made it all the way to 2086? Impressive!

Xiaomin continued, "FIFA 2086 Professional Edition targets players with some real-world football skills. In its 'Legend of the Pitch' mode, you can personally compete against world-famous stars. After its release, it became a hit with players and even major football clubs, directly boosting global football standards in the 2080s."

"It can improve football skills?!"

"Yes. The game offers two modes. One enhances your attributes based on game data, letting you experience the skills and glory of top-tier stars firsthand. The other uses your current physical stats to simulate a realistic version of yourself, then puts you through professional training from top clubs. You'll face off against global superstars, sharpening your football instincts. While it can't improve your real-world physicality, it significantly boosts your awareness and experience."

What was this?!

Talk about perfect timing—someone handing him a pillow just as he wanted to sleep! No, more like a whole bed, complete with a gorgeous woman waiting on it!

"And the second one? What's this simulated combat thing for?"

"That game, due to its potential dangers and unpredictable consequences post-release, is classified military data, not available to the public."

"It's a key part of military training—unarmed combat tutorials. It incorporates techniques from the world's top fighters. In this game, you'll receive elite-level combat training. While it can't enhance your real-world physical strength, it'll vastly improve your combat experience against opponents."