54: Chapter 54 The Eve of the Decisive Battle, Mid-Stage Rank 3
There was only one night left before that earth-shattering gamble.
The entire Special Recruitment Camp had gone crazy.
Every topic, every gaze, and every discussion revolved around the upcoming duel.
"The betting pool is open! The betting pool is open! Cold versus Wang Pingan. Odds for Cold winning are 1 to 1.1, and for Wang Pingan winning are 1 to 3!"
"I'm betting on Cold! He's a Third-Rank Middle Stage, his foundation is solid, and I heard he's been popping plenty of good stuff these past few days. He's in peak condition!"
"I'm betting on Cold too. That kid Wang Pingan is a bit weird, but he's too arrogant. He just broke through to Third-Rank and dares to challenge a veteran Middle Stage powerhouse? He's clearly out of his mind."
"But he took out Iron Bull with a single punch..."
"Iron Bull is nothing! He's just a brute who specializes in strength with no brain. Wang Pingan just used a trick on him! Cold is different; he knows far more combat techniques than Iron Bull!"
Similar discussions fermented in every corner of the training camp.
The vast majority of people did not favor Wang Pingan.
In their view, a victory for Wang Pingan would be a complete miracle.
And miracles cannot happen twice.
In a room within the Heaven Grade section.
Cold sat cross-legged, with several empty jade bottles placed on the table in front of him.
His skin had an unnatural flush, and his blood qi was churning incessantly, raising the room's temperature by several degrees.
For this duel, he had thrown in every resource he could access this month.
Not for anything else.
Only so that tomorrow, he could trample that piece of trash Wang Pingan into the mud in the most peak, most cruel manner possible!
He wanted to show everyone the consequences of offending him, Cold!
He wanted to personally take back that room that belonged to Wang Pingan!
...
Heaven Grade Room Number One.
It was completely different from the noisy and frenzied atmosphere outside.
It was so quiet here that one could hear the faint hum of spiritual energy flowing.
Wang Pingan leaned leisurely on the soft sofa, while a light screen in front of him played an old comedy movie from who knows how many years ago.
He watched with great interest, occasionally letting out a low chuckle at the funny scenes inside.
If the people outside who were sweating for him or waiting to see him make a fool of himself saw him like this, their jaws would probably drop.
Is this the tension one should have on the eve of a decisive battle?
How is this any different from spending the weekend at home?
Halfway through the movie, Wang Pingan pressed pause.
He stretched, and his joints let out a series of crisp cracking sounds.
"Warm-up finished."
He muttered to himself, then slowly stood up from the sofa.
It was time to get down to business.
With a thought, he brought up his system panel.
The pale blue light screen floated in front of him.
【host: Wang Pingan】
【Realm: Third-Rank Martial Artist (blood qi value 500 / 1000)】
【Strength: 50.0】
【Speed: 50.0】
【Physique: 50.0】
【Spirit: 50.0】
【Recovery: 50.0】
【pay-to-win points: 12772】
His gaze lingered on the pay-to-win points column for a moment.
The harvest from that trip to the abandoned mine was far beyond his imagination.
Those mutated creatures were simply walking ATMs.
Cold had racked his brains to cut off his source of wealth, but he never dreamed of what a great gift he had delivered to Wang Pingan.
The corners of Wang Pingan's mouth curled up.
Cold was a Third-Rank Middle Stage.
Although he didn't know the specific attributes, the blood qi value was likely between seven hundred and eight hundred.
And he himself currently only had five hundred.
Although he had the Eye of Truth and mastery-level fist and footwork, challenging a higher rank wasn't impossible.
But Wang Pingan didn't like to gamble with his life.
He disliked pinning his hopes of victory on the word "possible" even more.
He wanted foolproof certainty.
He wanted a complete crushing victory based on strength!
He wanted to make Cold lose clearly, lose while being convinced, and lose to the point of doubting his life!
From Third-Rank Early Stage to Third-Rank Middle Stage, the threshold for blood qi value was 750 points.
Converted to recovery, that was 75 points.
His five attributes were all at 50 points, requiring a simultaneous increase of 25 points.
Five attributes, 25 points each, totaling 125 attribute points.
According to the system's ratio of 40 pay-to-win points for one attribute point.
It would require a total of... 5,000 pay-to-win points.
Wang Pingan looked at his pay-to-win points balance: over 12,000 points.
It was enough.
Since he was going to play, he might as well play big.
Since it was a gamble, he had to bring out strength that would make his opponent despair.
Didn't Cold want to use his realm advantage to suppress him?
Then I will wipe out that advantage for you!
No.
Not just wipe it out!
A sharp glint flashed in Wang Pingan's eyes.
He wanted to use his realm to crush Cold to death in return!
"System."
His voice was calm and clear.
"Add 25 points to all basic attributes."
【Instruction confirmed...】
【Deducting pay-to-win points: 5000 points.】
【Attribute enhancement starting...】
The moment the words fell.
An energy, far more majestic and pure than the last time he broke through, exploded within his body!
If the last time, from Second-Rank to Third-Rank, was a stream merging into a large river.
Then this time was like the river bursting its banks, rushing into the sea!
Wang Pingan's body shook violently.
He could clearly feel every one of his bones emitting a joyful vibration under the washing of that energy.
Every meridian was widened, reinforced, and became incredibly tough.
Every inch of flesh and every cell was greedily devouring that energy, undergoing a earth-shaking transformation!
The spiritual energy in the room, which was so dense it was almost tangible, was drawn in at this moment.
With Wang Pingan's body as the center, a visible vortex of spiritual energy formed and flooded into his body crazily.
This was the true value of Heaven Grade Room Number One!
It allowed a martial artist to receive the most abundant energy replenishment at the critical moment of breakthrough, laying an incredibly solid foundation!
The entire process lasted for nearly ten minutes.
When the last wisp of energy had completely merged into his body.
And the spiritual energy vortex in the room slowly calmed down.
Wang Pingan slowly opened his eyes.
His eyes were deep and calm like an ancient well.
He just stood there quietly, but his aura was more than a level stronger than before!
He gently clenched his fist.
A dull explosive sound echoed in the air.
That was a sonic boom caused by the strength reaching a certain level and compressing the air!
A surging sense of power filled his limbs and bones.
He felt that he could now punch his former self away with one blow.
He brought up the system panel again.
The data on it had been completely renewed.
【host: Wang Pingan】
【Realm: Third-Rank Martial Artist (Middle Stage, blood qi value 750 / 1000)】
【Strength: 75.0】
【Speed: 75.0】
【Physique: 75.0】
【Spirit: 75.0】
【Recovery: 75.0】
【pay-to-win points: 7772】
Third-Rank Middle Stage.
Success!
Feeling the unprecedented power within his body, Wang Pingan wore a satisfied expression.
Now he and Cold stood on the same starting line.
No.
He had even surpassed the other party.
He went to bed, turned off the lights, and went to sleep.
The night passed without incident.
The next day.
The Special Recruitment Camp's central simulation competition venue.
Before dawn, it was already packed with people, and there were no seats left.
All Students, regardless of rank, had come.
They craned their necks, waiting for the start of the gamble of the century.
In the VIP room on the top floor of the venue.
Thunderstorm's burly figure was leaning against the huge floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the venue below, which was boiling like boiling water, with a playful look in his eyes.
Nine o'clock in the morning sharp.
Following a harsh bell chime.
The entire venue instantly went quiet.
Under the gaze of everyone.
A figure was the first to walk out from the contestant tunnel, stepping onto the huge alloy arena in the center step by step.
It was Cold.
Today, he was wearing a brand-new black combat suit, which accentuated his tall and straight figure perfectly.
He stood in the center of the arena, his Third-Rank Middle Stage blood qi released without reservation, forming a powerful pressure that swept across the venue.
His gaze was like a venomous snake, locked tightly onto the contestant tunnel opposite him.
The resentment and killing intent in his eyes were almost tangible.
A moment later.
Another figure walked out from the tunnel unhurriedly.
Wang Pingan.
He was still wearing that ordinary grey training suit, his hands in his pockets, walking onto the arena with a leisurely pace, step by step.
His aura was restrained to the extreme, looking no different from an ordinary person.
It formed a stark contrast with Cold, who had his aura fully unleashed and was sharp and exposed.
Watching his laid-back appearance, the muscles on Cold's face twitched with anger.
He slowly raised his hand and used his thumb to make a throat-slitting gesture across his neck.
He spoke word by word, in a volume that only the two of them could hear.
The chilling tone carried a bone-deep coldness.
"Wang Pingan."
"Today is your death day!"