The Undying Transmigrator

Chapter 23: Virtual Reality Training

Dream Corporation Branch 16, External Operations Department, training grounds.

Mo Wen looked at the administrator who had suddenly spaced out before him and asked, "Is there a problem? I just want to get some training in."

The administrator snapped back to attention with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, a netizen just sent me the latest training scenario script. I couldn't help taking a peek."

"It's really quite good - based on actual historical records about the company wars. Adjustable difficulty, multi-perspective experience, and highly realistic. Want to give it a try?"

For military-grade augmented soldiers like Mo Wen, indoor training was too restrictive. While outdoor training offered slightly more freedom, they still couldn't go all out - many weapons and equipment were expendable, and environmental damage incurred heavy fines.

Thus, the only place to train without holding back was in virtual reality.

Dream Corporation's VR technology was the best in the world. If not for the UI and various options allowing pauses and exits, one might truly believe it was another reality. Even the subtleties of psychic powers and mental communication could be simulated to some degree, while straightforward psychic effects were easily replicated.

The "scenarios" essentially placed AI simulations within defined parameters.

Mo Wen had no particular preference for scenarios. "Sure," he agreed casually.

The administrator quickly operated the controls, and the distant VR pod slowly opened - a deep blue, coffin-like container tilted against the wall. When opened, countless blinking light points became visible within the human-shaped indentation.Mo Wen lay down inside, allowing the multifunctional fluid - providing nutrients, data transmission, and cooling - to submerge him.

The world before his eyes transformed.

[Connected to combat-grade VR pod]

A sensation of floating in nothingness lasted several breaths before rough, grid-like terrain materialized from nothing. Gravity and physical sensations became sharply defined.

Mo Wen clenched his fist, feeling perfect parity with reality. He could activate every synthetic muscle fiber in his augmentations and effortlessly enter psychic acceleration.

Before he could thoroughly explore this virtual world, the administrator's voice sounded again: "Hey, hey, can you hear me? I noticed you don't seem to have VR experience. Need guidance?"

"Wait no - if you're new to VR, why are you training alone?"

"Your training records... show zero sessions!"

"Apologies, my earlier recommendation might be unsuitable. Perhaps you should start with basic training. The scenario I suggested may be too advanced."

Mo Wen remained confident. "Unnecessary. I'm accustomed to learning through combat."

Shortly after returning, he had used the Dreamweaver Type-2 to forcibly cram combat knowledge and intelligence into his mind until his head throbbed, then immediately came for practical training.

Though Dream Corporation seemed like reliable backing now, Mo Wen suspected his bad luck might either destroy this support or get him thrown under the bus.

His first mission involved fighting desperate military-grade augmented soldiers; the second encountered Corporation agents; the third might well trigger world war.

The administrator didn't press further. "Alright. If intensity feels too high, remember to pause and adjust, or call teammates/friends for joint challenges. This scenario supports up to 1024 players."

As he operated the controls, Mo Wen's world changed again.

Massive landmasses rose as gloomy skies appeared. Thousands of warships blotted out the heavens, endless flashes and explosions becoming the sole illumination.

Where was this?

[Year 1782 AD, Age of Conflict]

[This year, the Titan Group had yet formed; peace's dawn remained beyond the horizon]

[Foolish humanity abandoned looking skyward, slaughtering each other over limited earthly power]

[Blood rose knee-high; corpses piled mountain-high - mere fantasies of ancients now]

[Before advanced killing technology, human lives became fleeting silhouettes, leaving no trace]

[Mission Objective: Join legendary hero "Qi Shiming" to stop A-874184's atrocities]

[Your Identity: To be selected]

As the war-ending, peace-bringing hero who pioneered high-morality new humans and established social safeguards - simultaneously humanity's most powerful psychic and influential figure - Qi Shiming had countless fanatics. Mo Wen never imagined someone would script him into a scenario.

But it's just training. Shouldn't affect anything.

Mo Wen scanned identity options, randomly selecting "Nameless Wanderer."

The moment he chose, the frozen world began moving.

"Run! Get away!" someone shouted.

But what could force a military-grade augmented soldier - whose baseline speed broke sound barriers and whose psychic-enhanced velocity surpassed all known missiles - to flee?

Mo Wen gazed skyward at tens of thousands of warheads and artillery shells, wearing a confident expression as he visualized weaving through the barrage.

He leapt lightly, vector thrusters blazing as viscous atmosphere tore apart, pale sonic booms forming around him...

Then hundreds of high-energy particle beams from the warships vaporized him, followed by orbital weapons and battle satellites repeatedly scouring his former position and trajectory with lasers.

[Friendly Tip: Maintain stealth; avoid concentrated fire. In war, individuals are insignificant.]

Then everything rewound to the initial frozen moment.

Revived, Mo Wen analyzed his death.

VR deaths couldn't trigger his accustomed death premonitions that affected his real body. He needed to sharpen his vision, prediction, and reactions without relying on that instinct.

Those warships, according to knowledge surfacing in his mind, were "Sword-class atmospheric suppression platforms" - a relatively failed early company wars product by the defunct "War God Armaments."

Pre-war productivity had been staggering, and their flaws only became apparent in actual combat. Despite mass-producing tens of thousands, their weaknesses were clear:

Overemphasis on firepower left them lacking stealth and mobility. Even with early shield tech rendering most attacks useless, rival corporations' beyond-visual-range saturation bombardments easily destroyed them.

Overinvestment in this flawed design indirectly doomed War God Armaments.

But no infantry weaponry could penetrate them, and boarding attempts without special equipment would be shield-fried.

Having realized this, Mo Wen formulated vague plans.

"Mo Wen, training too? What a coincidence." Ren Sisi's chat window popped up. "The captain and Phantom aren't back yet. I'm bored - team up for training?"

Team training? Mo Wen instinctively wanted to refuse, sensing she just wanted to "hack" his emotional defenses.

But upon reflection: could such weakness defeat him?

Impossible.

What could he learn from her then?

Electronic warfare, psychic applications, strategy... valuable indeed.

"Fine. Link up."