Chapter 129: The Response Arrived!

Opening my eyes in the morning, I was greeted by an unfamiliar ceiling.

Well, not entirely unfamiliar—it was just the school dormitory.

With my roommates still asleep, I, Zhou Shu, got out of bed as quietly as possible. After going through over a hundred cycles of combat in the virtual battlefield—some lasting less than a day, others up to a week—I felt utterly exhausted, both mentally and physically. Had I not been at school, I generally wouldn't push myself to such extremes.

After getting dressed and washing up, I headed to the sports field to get some movement in. Truth be told, the main reason was that the boys' dormitory, having stewed overnight, was beginning to smell quite pungent.

Although it was early, there were already people on the field. Students from the sports class were running, while others were mostly power-walking or taking a stroll. Vehicles hummed continuously on the road outside, the sounds of the city began to rise, and birds chirped incessantly in the trees. Despite the clamor, I still felt a unique sense of tranquility on campus.

The routine here was somewhat similar to a military barracks, though quite different from the Great Snowy Mountain base where I had spent the last few days—especially in terms of atmosphere. The virtual battlefield was quiet, and there were few places on Earth as quiet as Antarctica, but that silence was one of grim, lethal tension; dangerous creatures lurked in the shadows, ready to spring out and kill you at any moment. While the campus wasn't 100% safe and had its share of unexpected situations, it was far better than the virtual battlefield. Of course, just as the virtual world had hidden arrows, there were plenty of annoying things here as well. One had to be discerning and cautious to avoid being caught up in unnecessary drama.

I savored the peace and the slow pace of the school morning. I walked a lap around the track and then stood to the side to watch others exercise. I checked my attribute panel and decided to allocate all my points. I had an abundance of energy, so there was no need to deliberate on what to upgrade first—I just maxed everything out.

I was well-accustomed to the process: upgrading spirit made my scalp tingle, while other stats made my body heat up; upgrading everything at once resulted in a swirling sensation of both. But this time… it felt much more intense!

"Whoa, that's powerful!"

"Hiss—"

Feeling something was off, I quickly walked over to the stands and sat down to prevent myself from collapsing if I lost control. It was a good thing I did, as the moment I sat, my body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Xiao Shou, what's happening?"

This trembling wasn't painful, but it was inexplicable.

[Situation unclear. Running a full-body diagnostic. Please wait...]

Seeing this, my heart settled slightly. Xiao Shou was still functioning normally, and my alert senses told me there was no immediate threat to my life, so I waited calmly. As I waited, the trembling gradually subsided, though a slight buzzing began in my head. It wasn't severe, so I took the time to check my new stats:

[Hunter System]
[User: Zhou Shu (Recruit)]
[Spirit: 5.16 (Cap)]
[Strength: 4.06 (Cap)]
[Agility: 4.29 (Cap)]
[Endurance: 4.20 (Cap)]
[Physique: 4.45 (Cap)]
[Special Abilities: Bullet Time, Anomaly Detection, Psychokinesis (28% available)]
[Weapon Proficiency: Firearms (66% Mastery), Powered Exoskeleton Operation (45% Mastery)]
[Auxiliary Equipment: Elite Powered Exoskeleton Armor (Good Condition)]
[Essence: 13.15]

I nodded with satisfaction. My spirit attribute had finally broken through 5, and all other stats had surpassed 4. Endurance had been the focus of this training, so it had caught up, while strength had fallen slightly behind. That was acceptable; I could manage the distribution next time to ensure the four physical attributes remained balanced.

The growth of my psychokinesis had also been fully integrated, though it consumed quite a bit of essence energy. At the "faint" level, the consumption was negligible, but once it entered the "available" level, every 10% of progress required 1 point of energy. Adding 28% at once was indeed a significant drain. I had previously thought 21 points of energy would last a while, but now I realized it might only last two days—or perhaps not even that long.

Of course, the consumption was worth it. Everything directly benefited me, driving my strength to grow rapidly.

Just as I was pondering this, the Hunter System finished its check.

[Diagnostic complete. The previous reaction was a normal symptom of leveling up.]

"A normal reaction? That's a relief."

Indeed, as soon as the system reached its conclusion, the buzzing in my head stopped, the trembling ceased, and all abnormal symptoms vanished, leaving only the familiar post-level-up warmth. I thought that was the end of it, but the system added: [You have often complained about always being a "Recruit," haven't you? Your opportunity to upgrade your title has arrived.]

At the mention of this, I perked up. I had complained about my title more than once; I was nearing the peak of human capability on Earth, yet I was still labeled a "Recruit." I was naturally thrilled at the prospect of a change.

"How so?"

[Once your spirit attribute exceeds 5, I am able to connect to the central system of the Super Soldier Headquarters. Upgrades must be sanctioned and judged by the central system. Because I was previously unable to establish a connection, you could not participate in the upgrade assessment. Now that the connection is established, you are eligible.]

Reading this long message, my excitement immediately cooled. I had always been curious about what the Super Soldier Headquarters looked like and had wanted to communicate with other super soldiers. But now that the system was actually connected and communication was possible, I felt a sense of apprehension.

Xiao Shou seemed to sense my state and added: [Do not worry. Because you previously selected "Single-Player Mode," the system only detected the signal without initiating a full link. You have not yet appeared on the Headquarters' recruit roster.]

[Furthermore, your current location is extremely far from the nearest signal point, making the connection unstable.]

I understood immediately. It wasn't that I was afraid; but if I were to link up with the Super Soldier Headquarters, I would be representing the entire human civilization of the Solar System. Having lived in the Great Qin for eighteen years, I had been influenced by its diplomatic philosophy. This was a matter that required caution.

Just as I was considering this "interstellar-level" issue, the morning wake-up bell rang. I snapped back to reality and headed toward the classroom. I would need to have a long talk with Xiao Shou about this and ensure everything was considered before I let it report back to the Headquarters.

As for the signal strength and stability, relying on the Headquarters to move their signal towers closer to the Solar System was less reliable than relying on myself. As it stood, once my spirit attribute passed 5, the connection responded. As my spirit continued to grow, it would be akin to building my own stronger signal tower, allowing me to connect with them smoothly.

Moreover, the fact that I could connect now meant my clearance level had been further unlocked; things that were previously hidden from me should now be accessible. These new insights would be the vital information I needed to decide whether or not to engage with them.