5: Chapter 5: The Novice's Iron Sword Stuns the Expert!

Chen You sat in an ergonomically designed soft chair, surrounded by a vast, heart-palpitation-inducing expanse of space.

The air was filled with the cold, sterile scent unique to a filtered circulation system.

This was an enormous space, likely hundreds of meters in diameter.

The dome ceiling was so high its end was almost invisible, with only soft, circular bands of light glowing above.

Directly in front of him, on a massive wall, four large characters were painted in the most eye-catching red.

Safety First.

Chen You's Adam's apple bobbed.

These four words inexplicably brought him a sense of reassurance, yet also a wave of immense pressure crashing over him.

He, Chen You, an ordinary office drone, was now the primary protected subject of this "Safety First."

He was completely isolated by a circle of transparent walls over ten meters high, forming a massive circular "cage."

Through the transparent walls, he could see many people in white lab coats or military uniforms standing outside.

They bustled about in front of a circular command console, countless screens flashing with data streams he couldn't comprehend.

This setup was more extravagant than any sci-fi blockbuster he'd ever seen.

He felt less like someone about to play a game, and more like an astronaut about to be launched into outer space.

No, even astronauts didn't get this kind of treatment.

Director Li Guoan stood at the very center of the command console. The screen before him displayed a dense document.

A middle-aged man in a white lab coat and gold-rimmed glasses, looking to be in his fifties, walked up to Director Li Guoan. Pointing at the data on the screen, he reported in a low voice.

"Director Li, Comrade Chen You's comprehensive physical examination report is out. All indicators show excellent health, stable vital signs, good mental state. It's just..."

The doctor adjusted his glasses, continuing in a tone used for discussing academic problems.

"From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, there's a slight spleen deficiency. It's likely caused by long-term irregular diet and excessive worry."

"It's not a major issue. We will subsequently create a customized nutritional plan for him to properly regulate it."

This conversation was clearly transmitted into the center of the venue, reaching Chen You's ears via a miniature amplifier.

Chen You's cheeks instantly felt a bit warm.

In such a futuristic, high-tech secret base, before a group of top experts, his biggest problem was actually... spleen deficiency?

Wasn't this artistic style a bit too off-track!

Director Li Guoan merely nodded calmly, seemingly unsurprised by this result.

"Ensure the regulation plan is the absolute best. His body is currently the most important strategic resource. There must not be any mishaps."

"Understood!"

The doctor stood at attention, saluted, turned, and quickly left.

At that moment, another elderly man with graying hair and a vigorous spirit walked over carefully, holding a specially made metal box with both hands.

His expression as he looked at Director Li Guoan was filled with excitement and reluctance.

"Director Li..."

The old man's voice carried a slight tremor. He opened the box. Lying quietly inside was precisely Chen You's novice iron sword.

"We've analyzed it with our highest-precision spectrometers, proton microscopes... its atomic structure is a perfect lattice we've never seen before!"

"Dense, stable. Theoretically, the energy impact and physical cutting force it can withstand surpass our strongest existing alloy materials by an order of magnitude!"

This top materials scientist of China now looked like a child who had received a beloved toy, and also like a lovesick fool about to part with his dearest.

"And this is just a novice iron sword! A novice weapon! Its internal microstructure is perfectly natural, completely unlike something forged or stamped. It... it 'grew'!"

"Director Li, give me three more days, no, one day! I'm certain I can..."

"Professor Qian."

Director Li Guoan interrupted him, reached out, and took the iron sword from the box.

"No need to rush."

Director Li Guoan's movements were steady. He hefted the sword in his hand, then handed it back to Professor Qian, indicating for him to return it to the box.

"In the future, there will be more, better things for you to research. I guarantee, so many your lab won't be able to hold them all."

Professor Qian's breath hitched. He suddenly looked up, his cloudy eyes erupting with astonishing brilliance.

"Is that true?"

"I never joke."

After speaking, Director Li Guoan picked up the box containing the iron sword and turned to walk towards the massive circular isolation zone.

The thick alloy door emitted a soft "hiss" as it slowly opened.

Director Li Guoan walked step by step until he stood before Chen You.

In the entire vast space, everyone's movements ceased, all equipment fell silent. Only Director Li Guoan's steady footsteps remained.

He opened the metal box and presented that novice iron sword to Chen You.

"Are you ready?"

Director Li Guoan's question was calm, yet carried a weight of immense gravity that pressed down on Chen You's heart.

Ready?

Chen You looked at the iron sword before him, then at Director Li Guoan's unfathomably deep eyes, then swept his gaze around at the experts and soldiers outside watching him nervously.

He suddenly felt that what he held in his hand wasn't a weapon from a game, but the future and hope of a nation.

It was too heavy.

An immense sense of tension gripped his heart.

But since the decision had been made, there was nothing left to hesitate about!

He reached out and took the iron sword.

"Retrieve."

The next second, that iron sword, revered as a divine artifact by top scientists, vanished into thin air right before Director Li Guoan's eyes.

Director Li Guoan's pupils contracted imperceptibly, but he said nothing.

After storing the sword in his game inventory, Chen You let out a long sigh, then nodded solemnly at Director Li Guoan.

"I am ready."

Whether it was for his own survival or to live up to the expectations of those outside, he *had* to be "ready."

Director Li Guoan gave him a deep look, said nothing more, turned, and walked out.

Soon, several staff members in sterile suits entered and began attaching various precise monitoring instruments to Chen You.

Heart rate, blood pressure, brainwaves, subcutaneous electrical response... every monitorable vital sign was connected to the external command center.

Chen You sat in the soft chair, letting them work.

Being monitored by so many instruments felt somewhat uncomfortable, but it also gave him an unprecedented sense of security.

At least, if something happened to him in the game, the nation's top medical team would initiate rescue efforts in the real world immediately.

Pay-to-Win for survival, with the nation as the ultimate backer.

This was probably a treatment unique in the entire world.

The alloy door closed once more.

Inside the entire circular area, only Chen You remained once again.

He could see Director Li Guoan had returned to the command console and picked up a communicator.

Director Li Guoan's final words came through the amplifier, echoing clearly in the empty space.

"Remember, safety first."

"Your life is the highest priority. In any situation, preserving yourself is the primary task."

"You are permitted to abandon any mission, permitted to use any means. We only want you to return alive."

Chen You's heart thumped heavily.

He closed his eyes, shutting out all external interference.

A faint, cool sensation came from the silver bracelet on his left wrist.

[Enter Game]

This time, he no longer represented only himself.

He would, as China's sole "player," formally begin exploring that surreal world filled with unknowns and dangers.

Mind activated.

[Welcome back to the Source Realm.]

[Newbie tutorial completed. Please leave the starting village to accept subsequent missions...]