15: Chapter 15 A Lesson in Reality

The entire simulation room was dead silent.

Liu Cheng's face was ashen, his lips quivered, and for a long while he couldn't squeeze out a single word.

Just moments ago, he could still use poor formation and insufficient numbers as excuses.

Yet now, all one hundred thirty-two of them had swarmed out, only to be ruthlessly pierced through by a ten-person squad.

This was no longer a minor difference.

This was an all-around crushing defeat in paths, resources, training, and extraordinary Realms.

Lao Li turned off the sandbox projection and asked in a deep voice: "Do you still think all-around development is a panacea?"

Liu Cheng lowered his head, remaining silent.

Lao Li turned his gaze to the students who had followed Liu Cheng onto the field: "Do you still want to continue experiencing this?"

Several of them shook their heads like rattle drums.

They had already recognized reality.

Fighting again would also be in vain.

Wang Pingan reined in his Divine Thought, and the projections of the ten subjects inside the sandbox turned into points of light and dissipated.

He never uttered a single word of mockery.

Yet this silence was far more embarrassing than being taunted to his face.

The students who had just shouted about all-around development were all flushed red.

Lao Li pulled up the class scores and heavily recorded first place under Wang Pingan's name.

"In this actual combat class, Wang Pingan takes first place, awarded fifty thousand credits."

Waves stirred within the classroom once again.

Fifty thousand credits were enough to redeem numerous resource cards within the school and exchange for a large amount of simulation room time.

Even if it was not as abundant as the resources bestowed by the Family, this represented honor and, even more so, the school's recognition.

Lao Li swept his gaze across the class and warned with increased emphasis: "I reiterate, if you do not possess a certain Family foundation and compatible talent, do not be overly ambitious and forcibly walk the Combat Path."

He raised his hand and pointed at Liu Cheng and the others: "There is still room for you to switch to the logistics path right now. If you drag it out until the Nova Assessment where adversaries pierce through your Divine Kingdom, it will be too late to regret."

Liu Cheng's face turned purplish-red, yet he dared not talk back in the slightest.

Lao Li spoke with earnest words: "The Combat Path can by no means be walked through sheer passion alone. Pure combat subjects require full-time drilling, resource sustenance, reliance on Cultivation Techniques, and even long-term planning by the Divine Lord."

He looked toward Wang Pingan, his tone slowing down slightly: "Wang Pingan's combat prowess is extraordinary, which does not mean the rest of you can emulate it."

These words were rather piercing.

Yet no one dared to harbor feelings of defiance.

Solely because the lingering shadows of those one hundred thirty-two projections on the sandbox had not yet completely dissipated.

The class bell rang, and classmates gathered by Wang Pingan's side, yet not a single person dared to casually probe into his background like before.

They knew very well in their hearts that the gap between themselves and Wang Pingan could by no means be bridged by a single card.

Zhao Yang leaned close to Wang Pingan, raised his thumb in praise: "Pingan, I am convinced from the bottom of my heart. If your ten people were to step into my Divine Kingdom, my bunch of vegetable-farming subjects would probably kowtow and submit on the spot."

Wang Pingan chuckled and replied: "Just steadily walk your farming path, and don't let this class disturb your state of mind."

Zhao Yang repeatedly agreed: "Rest assured, I am extremely self-aware. I will farm peacefully, and you will be responsible for charging into battle. If there's an opportunity to team up in the future, logistics is on me."

Wang Pingan patted his shoulder and said nothing more.

At the very same moment, deep within the main lineage manor of the Wang Family.

Wang Jincheng sat cross-legged beside the lightning pool, holding a lightning-patterned Spirit Stone in his hand, with a main lineage youth standing respectfully before him.

That youth had just returned from the academy and was reporting the happenings of the actual combat class detail by detail.

"Brother Jincheng, Wang Pingan only dispatched ten subjects in the simulation room today, yet he forcefully pierced through a team of over a hundred people."

Wang Jincheng's fingers stroking the Spirit Stone paused slightly, his gaze casting toward the churning electric light within the lightning pool.

The youth swallowed a mouthful of saliva and added: "I heard that those ten people have already crossed the threshold of the extraordinary, five cultivating immortality, five in martial arts, with extremely tacit cooperation. Lao Li designated him on the spot as the top of the actual combat class."

The smile at the corner of Wang Jincheng's mouth gradually faded.

Yesterday, he was still certain that Wang Pingan's A-Grade Comprehension would take effect slowly and would be difficult to convert into immediate combat effectiveness in the early stage.

Yet today's combat report ruthlessly shattered his calculations.

In a mere single day, ten subjects had entered the threshold.

They had even drilled tactical formation cooperation.

This verified that Wang Pingan's path of Immortal-Martial Dual Cultivation had not been dragged down by the massive resource consumption.

Quite the opposite, the opponent had already built the solid skeleton of the Combat Path.

Wang Jincheng turned his head to examine his own Divine Kingdom projection.

Around the lightning pool, several subjects were bitterly sensing the lightning Spiritual Qi, yet those who truly drew lightning into their bodies were few and far between.

Although the eruption of lightning techniques was astonishing, the entry threshold was also extremely harsh.

The lightning pool and lightning-patterned Spirit Stone he possessed were both rare treasures of the world; however, it would still take time for his subjects to absorb and refine them.

A strong sense of crisis suddenly arose deep within Wang Jincheng's heart.

If he continued to follow the original plan step-by-step, when the Nova Assessment arrived, he feared it would be difficult for him to steadily suppress Wang Pingan.

This thought made him feel as if a fish bone was stuck in his throat.

As a direct descendant of the main lineage, he had a halo atop his head since childhood.

Wang Pingan had just entered the main lineage, yet he seized a higher evaluation, took hold of double generous rewards, and now even possessed the ability to suppress his peers in the actual combat class.

Wang Jincheng forcefully gripped the lightning-patterned Spirit Stone and gave a deep command: "Double the drill time at the lightning pool. All subjects who can sense the lightning Spiritual Qi are to be concentrated for cultivation, and any distraction by miscellaneous chores is strictly prohibited."

The main lineage youth nodded repeatedly, yet revealed a worried look: "Brother Jincheng, acting like this, will it drag down the daily affairs of the Divine Kingdom?"

Wang Jincheng gazed intently at the lightning pool, his gaze deep and condensed: "If combat prowess is defeated, there will be no day of turning things around in the Nova Assessment."

He raised his hand and threw the lightning-patterned Spirit Stone into the lightning pool, the electric light suddenly surging greatly.

The subjects beside the lightning pool knelt down in unison, and Wang Jincheng's divine decree echoed through the firmament of the Divine Kingdom.

"All lightning-technique subjects, Cultivate with all your might starting today. Whoever masters the lightning strike technique first will be the core of the first-generation lightning-technique army!"

Wang Jincheng no longer watched and waited, decisively descending his will to urge the subjects of the Divine Kingdom to accelerate their cultivation of lightning techniques.

After the after-school bell rang, the corridors of Tianhai No. 1 High School quickly became lively.

Today's actual combat class spread extremely fast. The news of Wang Pingan's ten people piercing through more than a hundred people had already spread from Grade 3 Class 4 to several neighboring classes.

Many students saw Wang Pingan walk out of the classroom, their gazes carrying irrepressible curiosity.

Some wanted to come up and strike up a conversation, but felt that the previous crushing defeat was too fierce, temporarily not daring to approach.

Zhao Yang chased after him with his schoolbag on his back, smiling and suggesting: "Pingan, today you took first place in the actual combat class. Do you want to celebrate tonight? I'll treat you to spiritual fruit juice."

Several classmates nearby chimed in as well: "That's right, let's go together. Fifty thousand credits are in hand; you've got to celebrate somehow."

Wang Pingan shook his head in refusal: "No need, I still have matters to attend to."

Zhao Yang's face revealed surprise: "Going back into seclusion again?"

Wang Pingan's tone was decisive: "There is only one month left until the Nova Assessment, I don't want to waste time."

Zhao Yang sensibly reined in his smile.

He had witnessed the gap with his own eyes today, and of course knew that Wang Pingan's words were not just put on for show.

While others were still tangled up over paths, Wang Pingan had already begun calculating combat power improvements by the day.

"Fine then, I won't delay you. Later, if you need logistics resources, remember to look for me."

"Alright." Wang Pingan nodded in agreement.