Chapter 88: The Knocking Outside the Antarctic Research Station

"Damn, where am I?!"

Zhou Shu opened his eyes, utterly astonished. The new virtual battleground was far too unfamiliar—a blinding expanse of white, the glare so intense that he could barely keep his eyes open, and it was freezing beyond belief.

Hunter System: [The theme of this virtual battleground is ‘Lethal Perception’. Using your memories of monster movies and the information from the Demon Suppression Bureau as a blueprint, we have fused and created a new scenario. The enemies you face possess abilities such as mimicry, fusion, and invisibility. Through training and combat, you will gain the ability to clearly distinguish them among crowds. This is your mission starting point—Antarctica.]

Ant... Antarctica?

He nearly lost his composure at the revelation. Once again, he had been randomly thrown somewhere. Couldn't they ever just toss him into the right place? At least there was no headquarters for the Super Soldiers here; both he and the system were essentially novices. He doubted even the real Super Soldiers' headquarters would be this reckless.

"So, what's next? You want me to outwit the snow?" Zhou Shu spoke aloud. "And could you give me a down jacket? Who strolls through Antarctica in summer clothes?"

Hunter System replied: [This state is beneficial for you to experience the cold, which will enhance your resistance to low temperatures and improve your physical constitution. There is a Norwegian research station ten kilometers away; you may run there to seek assistance.]

An arrow icon appeared.

"Brilliant, now you’re giving me missions, huh?" Zhou Shu grumbled as he began to run.

Playfulness aside, he knew the mission was no joke.

Moving would at least generate some body heat. With his current constitution, he was already more resistant to cold than most. After becoming a superhuman, he'd researched human extremes and found that some people could endure cold for two hours with nothing but shorts. He, at least, wore a full set of thin clothes.

He ran, his mind drifting to other matters. This time, Hunter System hadn’t even mentioned a movie title, only “relevant” memories and information, and then “fusion creation,” all wrapped in the theme “Lethal Perception.”

Clearly, the system was planning something big. Even if it used a film as a blueprint, who knew how much the plot would be changed, and likely several movies were mixed together. The enemies weren’t like those in "Edge of Tomorrow"—they were hidden, so he couldn’t rely on his “plot foresight” ability.

Anyone could be an enemy this time.

He needed to be cautious, to learn to distinguish friend from foe. Following the plot might lead him into a trap.

Before arriving, the system had warned that this round would be terrifying. Reflecting on all the monster thrillers he’d watched, Zhou Shu couldn’t help but shiver.

He promptly checked his attribute panel—his greatest reliance when facing monsters.

[Hunter System (Simulation Mode)]
[User: Zhou Shu (Recruit)]
[Mental: 1.86 (Max)]
[Strength: 1.13 (Max)]
[Agility: 1.15 (Max)]
[Endurance: 1.10 (Max)]
[Constitution: 1.11 (Max)]
[Special Abilities: Slow-Motion Vision (Advanced 34%), Vigilance (Beginner)]
[Weapon Proficiency: Firearms (Mastery), Power Exoskeleton Operation (Mastery)]
[Support Equipment: Elite Power Exoskeleton Armor (Good Condition)]
[Source Energy: 1.42]

He’d checked his attributes once before while testing the "Super Commando" power exoskeleton. After that unexpected battle, his mental strength, power, and agility had all risen slightly, and his slow-motion ability had advanced a bit further; the rest were unchanged.

Even after more than a month, his attributes had increased, yet he was still considered a "recruit."

This time, his source energy had been consumed excessively—the new virtual battleground directly deducted 4.6 units, which was outrageous.

Yet, the heavy consumption made him more eager for this trip.

The ten-kilometer straight-line distance was not far. With his strength, agility, and endurance all above 1.1, he could easily run it in a dozen minutes.

But this was Antarctica, thick snow blanketing the ground, severely affecting his speed—and the dangers were not limited to monsters.

While running at a steady pace, Zhou Shu suddenly felt the ground give way beneath him, his body tilting. Instinctively, his slow-motion vision kicked in!

He quickly retracted the leg that hadn’t stepped forward, leaned his upper body back, shifting his center of gravity.

With a loud crack, he landed on his rear just as the spot he'd stepped on collapsed, revealing a deep crevasse.

"Good grief." Zhou Shu peered inside; it was pitch black and terrifying.

He felt a wave of fear. If he’d fallen in and died, at least he could re-enter, but if he survived the fall, that would be truly miserable.

He stood, leapt over the fissure, slowed his pace further, and finally arrived at the Norwegian research station as darkness fell.

Even in this world of pure white, he could sense night descending; he must have arrived near dusk.

The station was an embracing, box-shaped structure, roofs laden with snow, the "courtyard" cluttered with miscellaneous items, a few yellow tracked snow vehicles, and a helicopter.

"Looks pretty good. I wonder what year it is now?"

Following the lights toward the entrance, Zhou Shu muttered, "A Norwegian research station—feels strangely familiar. I wonder if they speak English; I don’t know a word of Norwegian..."

At the door, his keen hearing picked up music inside, many people gathered, laughing—apparently a party?

"Foreigners never miss a chance to party, even in the most unlikely places. But someone please open the door—I’m freezing to death out here... Bang bang bang!"

Zhou Shu pounded on the door. Inside the research station’s recreation room, a blond man with a slanted fringe was addressing the crowd.

In high spirits, he declared, "Ladies and gentlemen, after a brief but thorough study of our 'guest,' I can say with certainty: never, at any cellular level, have I seen anything like the thing in the next room!"

"Now, our 'guest' will bring unprecedented shock to the world of biology. From this moment, the world as we know it will be forever changed!"

He gestured at the audience. "You, my friends, as its discoverers, will always be remembered!"

When he finished, a bearded, potbellied man raised his glass and cheered, the others laughing and joining in.

Hugs, handshakes, guitar strumming—a pair with bottles joked, "Do you think our employers will give us a bonus because we dug up an alien instead of a coal sample?"

"Ha ha..."

Bang bang bang!

Suddenly, the joyful atmosphere was interrupted by the banging. Silence fell as everyone glanced at each other.

Someone, tipsy, quipped, "Is our frozen guest alive?"

Everyone: "..."

Bang bang bang!

Bang bang bang!

Wait, the sound was rhythmic—a knocking at the door.

Realizing this, everyone relaxed.

But then someone remarked, "Guys, this is Antarctica. We only travel to and from the station by helicopter, so who could be knocking outside?"

A chill swept through the group.

"Hiss—"

PS: Only one chapter today due to other commitments.