442: Chapter 442 The Efficacy of the Great Sun Burning Body Technique, the Foundation of the Illuminati

Phew—

Xu Hao snapped his eyes open and sat up from the bed, drenched in cold sweat.

He gasped heavily for air, looking around in lingering shock.

A familiar room, familiar furnishings, and even the half-empty bottle of whisky on the nightstand was still in its original spot.

This was the VIP lounge of the Midnight Forest Bar.

Heavy, muffled bass resonated from downstairs, thumping against the floorboards and causing the entire room to vibrate faintly.

Accompanied by the muffled cheers of the crowd, it showed that the world outside was still reveling.

"It was a dream..."

He muttered to himself, his heart thudding wildly in his chest.

But this dream was far too real.

Pain, fear, despair... Every single sensation was still burned into his nerves.

Xu Hao subconsciously touched his shoulder; the muscle there was firm and smooth, without a single wound.

Then he touched his neck; there were no traces of being poked by a syringe either.

He was just sore all over and his head throbbed, as if he had been in a fierce brawl and then stayed up for three days and three nights without closing his eyes.

However, these were all minor issues.

Xu Hao grinned, revealing a smile of having survived a disaster:

"Damn, it feels good to be alive!"

"It's just a bit of a shame that I probably won't get a chance to team up with that pretty boy to fight monsters again..."

Just as he said this, it seemed as though something responded to him.

An emotionless stream of information immediately surfaced in his mind.

[Nightmare Trial failed.]

[Evaluation: Commendable courage, but overly reckless. Has initially grasped teamwork awareness; mental fortitude needs strengthening.]

[The next trial will begin in seven days. Please make preparations; ensuring abundant energy is the key to clearing it.]

[Extra Hint: Successfully completing the trial will grant a pleasant surprise.]

Xu Hao's eyes widened and his mouth hung open, unable to close for a long time.

"My god, I was fucking just venting, and you actually took it seriously?!"

...

At the same time, in an urban village on the other side of the city.

Xiaosa also sat up from his bed in a cold sweat.

The lights in the room were off, and he looked to the side using the dim light filtering in from the window.

A cloth curtain separated the cramped space, behind which came the steady, soft snoring of his mother.

Xiaosa quietly slipped out of bed, wearing only a pair of shorts, stepping barefoot onto the cold concrete floor.

He pulled open the creaking door and stepped outside.

The night wind immediately blew past, carrying the damp chill of the alley, making him shiver slightly.

The building he lived in was crammed among surrounding buildings, and looking up, he could only see a thin slit of the sky.

Meanwhile, the city's distant CBD glowed with dazzling lights, neon flashing among the forest of skyscrapers.

It looked like a mirage suspended in the night sky, impossibly prosperous and far out of reach.

Xiaosa pulled a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pants pocket, his fingers trembling as he fumbled with the pack for a long while before shaking one out and lighting it.

He took a deep drag, the harsh smoke tightening his throat, but it barely managed to suppress his wildly beating heart.

The smoke drifted into the night air and was quickly dispersed by the alley breeze.

That nightmare... was too real.

Every environmental detail of the psychiatric hospital, every racing heartbeat while sprinting, and even the stench emanating from those monsters were too vivid to be fake.

Fortunately, it was all over.

Xiaosa breathed a sigh of relief, prepared to stub out his cigarette butt and turn back inside.

Right at that moment, it was as if an electric wave swept through the deep night sky and arrived here.

Subsequently, several lines of text floated into his mind one after another.

[Nightmare Trial failed.]

[Evaluation: Meticulous mind, resolute willpower, adept at utilizing rules, but lacks direct combat capability. Survival methods mainly rely on external items and cooperation; personal attributes still require improvement.]

[...]

Xiaosa's fingers holding the cigarette trembled slightly.

The trace of relief on his face instantly froze, replaced by an expression of solemnity and deep thought.

That was not a dream, but a genuine test from an unknown origin!

"Seven days... make preparations..."

Looking at the clearly displayed message in his mind, Xiaosa took a deep breath and quickly calmed down.

Although he didn't know what this thing was.

But first, he could be sure that dying in the "nightmare" did not lead to death in reality.

Otherwise, he would already be a corpse right now.

However, the pain of being injured and the despair of near-death were one hundred percent real.

To this day, Xiaosa could still recall that hot-headed youth covered in blood, tightly hugging the monster's leg to create an opportunity for him.

Secondly, the word "trial" itself was full of connotations of screening and selection.

The consequences of "failure" were temporarily unknown, but it was impossible for there to never be a penalty.

As for the "surprise" mentioned at the end, it indicated that behind the risks came certain rewards.

Xiaosa tried to analyze it based on his experience of playing games for a few days.

Since he couldn't hide from it, he could only find ways to cope with it.

The evaluation in the message was very accurate; he indeed lacked direct combat power.

This point was made abundantly clear when facing those monsters in the psychiatric hospital.

If there really was a next time, he had to find a way to enhance his combat methods, at least gaining some self-preservation ability.

At the same time, the tip to "ensure abundant energy" was by no means useless fluff.

"Energy..."

Xiaosa muttered under his breath, suddenly remembering the Great Sun Burning Body Art that the Guild Master had taught him.

He had always practiced this Cultivation Technique as a method to build health and fitness, only feeling in his daily life that his vision, perception, and reactions were noticeably sharper than before.

But he had never imagined that it would one day come in so handy.

Only in that eerie, terrifying psychiatric hospital did the benefits of this Cultivation Technique truly manifest.

Several times, he had relied on his night vision, which far surpassed that of ordinary people, to discover monsters hiding in the dark in advance, narrowly dodging lethal ambushes.

When facing the weird green light cast by the lantern held by the attending doctor, he also relied on this technique running automatically in his mind, helping him break free from that invisible restraint and buying time for a subsequent counterattack.

"The Guild Master was right. Persisting in practicing every day really can improve one's body and mental state."

Xiaosa muttered softly.

At least now, when facing those terrifying and horrific monsters, he was not at all like timid rat he used to be as a street thug, thinking only of hiding whenever danger appeared.

Instead, he could calm his mind to figure out ways to deal with them, attempting to maneuver and counterattack.

Even at critical moments of life and death, the fear in his heart completely melted away like ice and snow meeting sunlight.

He actually dared to grip the crude weapon beside him and actively confront such an overwhelmingly powerful monster head-on.

It was as if his entire self had undergone a complete transformation, even fading the cowardice deep in his bones.

Looking back now, Xiaosa himself found it a bit incredible.

If he didn't have the Foundation built through practicing this Cultivation Technique, he probably wouldn't even have handled those initial "patients" and wouldn't have survived until the "attending doctor" stage at all.

Thinking up to this point, Xiaosa's thoughts seemed a bit clearer, yet he plunged into an even greater fog.

What on earth was the person behind this trial aiming for?

Could there be a will behind the scenes, treating the two of them as test subjects and secretly observing and testing them?

Or perhaps, just using them for amusement...

Xiaosa shook his head, pushing these chaotic thoughts out of his mind.

The whole affair was far too bizarre, far exceeding the scope of his cognition. Relying solely on his own wild guesses would likely lead him astray.

At this moment, a figure involuntarily surfaced in Xiaosa's mind.

That man who was as dazzling as the sun.

The abilities displayed by the Guild Master had completely transcended the Mortal Domain.

The Cultivation Technique he taught him happened to be just what was needed to cope with this bizarre trial.

If there was still one person in this world who could explain all this, that person could only be the Guild Master.

Regarding the Guild Master, the feelings in Xiaosa's heart had long transcended simple awe and gratitude.

It was an adoration almost akin to faith, regarding the other as the sole light source on his path in life.

Faced with such an incomprehensible event capable of shattering his worldview, seeking the Guild Master's guidance was his only and most correct choice.

Thinking of this, all confusion and fear vanished in an instant.

Xiaosa pressed the half-smoked cigarette butt hard against the wall, extinguishing the tiny spark.

He turned to look at the bright lights in the distance, as if he had already seen his path clearly.

He had to contact the Guild Master as soon as possible and report this matter in full detail.

...

Thick gray fog flowed slowly like water.

In the sea of fog stood a psychiatric hospital resembling an isolated island.

Inside this building with mottled exterior walls, time seemed to stand frozen forever at a certain moment.

The tall "attending doctor," holding a syringe filled with dark red liquid, was frozen mid-motion in the air.

In the darkness, the "patients" and "nurses" drawn by the alarm also maintained their forward-lunging postures, forming silent reliefs of horror.

The figures of Xu Hao and Xiaosa had long vanished without a trace.

Right in the middle of this frozen dead silence, a soft golden light lit up in the center of the hallway.

The light slowly expanded, condensing into a tall, slender figure.

Dressed in simple casual clothes, he was surrounded by a layer of golden halo that pushed back the surrounding darkness in a circle.

"That was quite a brutal fight..."

Fang Cheng scanned the frozen scene before him, raising an eyebrow slightly.

As if responding to his subtle emotional shift, the entire space began to change silently.

Fine golden cracks simultaneously appeared on the surface of the "attending doctor" close at hand and the various monsters in the hallway.

Light shone out from the cracks, rapidly spreading throughout their bodies.

There was no explosion, nor even a sound.

The monsters that had brought immense terror to Xu Hao and Xiaosa silently decomposed like that, turning into countless dancing motes of golden light.

Like burning ashes, they completely vanished into the darkness.

Fang Cheng raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

Snap.

A crisp sound rang out, like a command.

Outside the window, the thick, impenetrable gray fog instantly dissipated like an ebbing tide.

Immediately after, the clear blue sky and a blazing sun were revealed behind it.

Golden sunlight poured through the windows, filling the hallways and lobby, dispersing all gloom and terror.

Under the sunlight, the once-dilapidated psychiatric hospital actually appeared sacred and serene.

Fang Cheng stepped forward, walking through the doorway formed by sunlight.

The rotten floorboards beneath his feet turned into solid stone steps the moment his foot touched them.

A few steps later, he was standing in a sunlit courtyard.

Standing with his hands behind his back, he tilted his head slightly to look at the plaque above the main gate that read "Dongdu Seventh Mental Hospital."

An amused expression appeared on his face, like a designer who had just completed a masterpiece and was scrutinizing his proud work.

The consciousness descent experiment via Mind Resonance was very successful.

Fang Cheng had precisely summoned Xu Hao and Xiaosa, who were located at opposite ends of the city, into his Inner Scene World.

And he had them complete a nightmare-level trial in the terrifying setting of the psychiatric hospital.

Naturally, this hospital did not exist in reality.

This place was located in a corner on the western side of the island.

Every room and every corridor was personally constructed by Fang Cheng, modeled after several classic horror games he had played in his previous life.

Combined with the gloomy and dark environment, as well as a series of psychological suggestions like mirrors, alarms, and flashing lights, they built a horror amusement park capable of 100% simulating real senses, including pain.

As for the most important stages of this game, Fang Cheng had likewise designed them meticulously.

From the "patients" that created pressure through numbers and uncanny postures, to the "nurses" that possessed mental shock abilities and tested rule utilization, to the "attending doctor" serving as the final boss whose overall attributes far surpassed ordinary humans.

Every monster setting was designed with intent, and the challenge difficulties were calculated accordingly.

He took Xu Hao's physical qualities as the baseline.

In terms of pure physical attributes, the strongest "attending doctor" was only about three times stronger than Xu Hao.

To clear it completely, it would only take about three physically fit people like Xu Hao, paired with a slightly smarter mind, to successfully accomplish it.

Of course, the focus of this trial was never to test pure combat ability.

Intelligence, powers of observation, ability to analyze the environment and utilize rules, as well as the willpower to stay calm in dire straits—these were the true keys to clearing it.

After all, rather than mere thugs, Fang Cheng needed core cadres with brains, resilience, and the ability to take charge of a situation independently.

This was a long-term trial plan aimed at honing their mental fortitude and refining their combat skills through repeated life-and-death tests, ultimately harvesting true growth.

Judging from the results this time, it was quite decent.

That hot-head Xu Hao had finally grown some sense after suffering a major setback, understanding the importance of teamwork.

The one who truly made Fang Cheng look at him in a new light was Xiaosa.

A low-level street thug, when facing horror far beyond his cognition, was actually able to maintain his composure and even turn the tables by using the rules against the monsters.

This Heart-Nature was quite rare and valuable.

Through Mind Resonance, Fang Cheng could clearly feel a subtle change.

After the trial ended, the layer of halo lingering around their bodies, though still faint, had become slightly more solid than before.

Projected onto the starry dome, the two stars representing their consciousnesses had also subtly brightened.

His two subordinates had gained tangible growth in strength, which was naturally a good thing.

But what Fang Cheng cared about even more was that through this practical verification, he had finally determined an effective path for cultivating subordinates and helping them rapidly boost their strength.

When the Illuminati was officially established in the future, this system of trials could be fully rolled out.

He could even design more trial scenarios of different styles—perhaps trap-laden Ancient Tombs, or peril-filled wilderness—periodically organizing members to participate in such "training."

It could serve both to screen out truly talented individuals with high potential and to enhance the organization's cohesion and combat capability, accelerating the formation of the group's power.

One could say that this was the very Foundation of the Illuminati.

"Those ancient clans with long legacies—their so-called Legacy Secret Realms are perhaps similar things."

Fang Cheng thought to himself.

However, their Secret Realms were likely real, existing Small Worlds.

Whereas his Inner Scene World was currently unable to turn illusion into reality.

Fang Cheng swept his gaze across the entire island.

In the distance, the mountains and rivers stood out clearly in the sunlight, and even the shimmering light on the river surface swayed vividly with the breeze.

Yet no matter how lifelike all of this was, in the end, it was merely a creation condensed from spirit.

Afterwards, he raised his head and looked at the sun that hung eternally in the sky.

Within the blazing sun, a golden pupil faintly emerged.

This eye... what on earth was its purpose?

The doubts in Fang Cheng's mind surfaced once again.

Ever since he completely digested and absorbed the flesh and blood of the crimson eye, it had appeared in his Inner Scene World in this form.

It seemed to have fused into one with the essence of True Sun Fire.

As it stood now, its only explicit function was strengthening the spiritual connection between himself and his "believers," allowing him to activate Mind Resonance with greater ease.

But Fang Cheng always felt that the golden pupil's function shouldn't stop at just this.

Remembering those monsters in the Inner World of Noah Building that were mutated by the power of the crimson eye into crazy and deformed abominations...

A vague idea flashed across his mind.

Fang Cheng shook his head, temporarily suppressing these deep thoughts.

Sensing that it was already very late in the real world...

Having not exercised properly for a while, he needed to conserve energy to dive back into his morning routine tomorrow.

Furthermore, an important, long-awaited test in reality was waiting for him to complete. (End of Chapter)