“Director Zhou, how are you going to groom us?” Xu Jingming was a little puzzled.

“In the aspects of martial arts and life evolution.” Director Zhou smiled at Xu Jingming. “Don’t tell me you believe that the Cosmos Tower in the virtual world was solely set up to determine the world’s number one and two. Countries have also set up some form of cup for experts to compete, and it’s all just a game?”

Xu Jingming’s heart tightened. He had long felt that something was amiss.

The officials’ systematic guidance allowed the commoners around the world to spend most of their time in the virtual world under the premise that they continued with their day jobs. If it was just for life evolution, ordinary people could easily evolve and double their lifespans with a little practice.

“This isn’t just a game,” Director Zhou said. “To a certain extent, the virtual world determines more than half of Earth’s fate in the future.”

“Earth’s fate?” Xu Jingming’s heart tightened.

Director Zhou stared at the world’s number eight and didn’t elaborate. His eyes made Xu Jingming feel pressured.

“Some things can’t be publicized to the public for the time being,” Director Zhou said. “Some of the secrets you will come into contact with, including the fact that you are groomed, need to be kept secret.”

“Understood.” Xu Jingming nodded.

Since the country wanted him to keep it a secret, he would keep it a secret.

Earth’s fate?

This put a lot of pressure on Xu Jingming. He was only a professional gladiator, and this was worlds apart from having anything to do with Earth’s fate. Wasn’t this something the country’s higher-ups and scientists concerned themselves with?

“Before the virtual world’s launch, we chose a small number of experts to groom based on their past combat results,” Director Zhou said. “They were all groomed at ordinary levels because we couldn’t determine who was talented among the billion-plus people in the country back then. We could only choose among professional gladiators.”

Xu Jingming listened.

“Some of the groomed people in the first batch have reached Lv. 3, and some have sufficiently brilliant combat techniques. They can be considered seeds that allow us to make selections from the general public. Many experts also gained a goal to strive for,” Director Zhou said. “The virtual world has been launched for more than a month, and the selection was held among one billion-plus people. Based on your performance in the past month… In the end, you and Liu Hai will temporarily be ranked at the highest level.”

“The country paid a huge price for the highest-level grooming.” Director Zhou looked at Xu Jingming. “A huge price!”

Xu Jingming listened and said, “I’ll definitely do my best to serve the country in whatever it needs of me.”

“Evolutionary methods include Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced…” Director Zhou said. “There are still levels after that, which are far more powerful than you can imagine. For example, Cosmos Tower has seven floors. You can’t even clear the fourth floor now.”

Xu Jingming nodded slightly.

“The country hopes that you will reach as high a level in life evolution as possible.” Director Zhou glanced at the young man. “As for the details, I think you will understand in a year with your talent.”

“Alright.” Xu Jingming nodded.

“We’ve arrived at Binhai.” Director Zhou looked out the window.

The aircraft had indeed entered Binhai City airspace.

Xu Jingming watched as well.

Domestic aircraft were regulated at high altitudes; it was easy to buy some small aircraft, but it wasn’t easy to fly freely between cities or even within the city.

The aircraft he was on was a large one, and the controls were very strict.

Whoosh.

The large aircraft slowly landed on a patch of grass.

Xu Jingming followed Director Zhou out of the cabin door.

There was a cluster of buildings outside, and guards could be seen in many places. There were also many hidden ones.

Whoosh.

The door to a building opened, and the two guards turned solemn.

Xu Jingming and Director Zhou stepped in and quickly arrived at a lounge.

“Have a seat here.” Director Zhou took out a tablet and handed it to Xu Jingming. “Take a look at the grooming information first. Make a choice and choose one of the resources.”

Xu Jingming sat in a chair and reached out to take the tablet. The moment he touched it, it lit up.

Xu Jingming gently tapped the only information folder and started reading the grooming information. His expression then turned solemn.

“Heavenly Python Sect, Lv. 8 Spearmanship.”

“Heavenly Python Sect, Lv. 8 Shield Technique.”

“Possess a legendary expert from the Heavenly Python Sect who is good at spearmanship and experience it once in the virtual world.”

“Possess a legendary expert from the Heavenly Python Sect who is good at shield techniques and experience it once in the virtual world.”

The four choices made Xu Jingming’s heart tighten. He gently tapped open the four choices and checked the detailed information.

“The ten evolutionary methods represent different evolutionary directions.” Xu Jingming read the introduction. “The most suitable spearmanship and shield techniques for each evolutionary direction are also different.”

“Has the alien civilization recovered from Mars’ ruins developed to this extent?” Xu Jingming couldn’t help but glance at Director Zhou.

“I said that with your talent, you will know everything in a year,” Director Zhou said. “You haven’t reached the necessary life evolution level.”

Xu Jingming nodded and continued reading the detailed information.

…

Xu Hong and his wife rushed over to their son’s house in Mingyue City.

“Uncle, Auntie, take a look.” Li Miaomiao pointed at the large flying transport that had been captured by the villa’s surveillance cameras and the scene of Director Zhou personally picking up Xu Jingming.

Xu Hong was dumbfounded.

“How can such a large aircraft enter the city directly? Countless cameras in the city would’ve long discovered it. The city management system didn’t stop it, so it’s clearly legal,” Mrs. Xu said. “Furthermore, such a large aircraft isn’t sold publicly, and it was Mr. Zhou who came to pick him up personally.”

“When Jingming was still on the national team in the past,” Xu Hong said, “the country always got him to take public transport to the meeting location when it convenes a meeting. Now… a large aircraft picked him up at his doorstep, and it’s Mr. Zhou himself. This really scares me.”

Logically speaking, Director Zhou could just summon whoever he wanted to meet.

To pick him up personally? That was huge!

“Regardless, just cooperating with the authorities will do,” Mrs. Xu said.

Xu Hong nodded.

Li Miaomiao looked in the direction of Binhai, wondering what her boyfriend was experiencing.

******

“I’ve decided.” Xu Jingming read for more than half an hour. He finished reading all the information and made up his mind without being torn.

“The country will also pay a huge price for your grooming.” Director Zhou looked at Xu Jingming. “You don’t have to be in a rush; you can think it through further. Think it through thoroughly and make a choice when you won’t regret it.”

“I won’t,” Xu Jingming said.

“Which one are you choosing?” Director Zhou asked.

“Possess a legendary expert from the Heavenly Python Sect who is good at spearmanship,” Xu Jingming said.

Director Zhou got up. “Follow me.”

Xu Jingming got up and followed Director Zhou out of the small hall. They walked along the corridor and passed through many places.

Ka! Ka! Ka!

The 80-centimeter-thick, dark-gold alloy door slowly opened. Xu Jingming and Director Zhou stepped in, and the scene in front of them appeared like science fiction.

The corridor was covered in smooth alloys and had a patterned path. There were guards at some junctions in the corridor.

“Beep.”

When they arrived at a door, three beams of light swept past Director Zhou and Xu Jingming. With Xu Jingming’s physique, he could sense invisible waves that swept past his body, giving him a numbing feeling.

The door finally opened, and Director Zhou walked in with Xu Jingming. Then, the door automatically closed.

This is… Xu Jingming saw a huge floating sphere.

The sphere was more than ten meters in diameter, and at this moment, a door automatically opened to reveal a flight of stairs that extended down.

“Go in,” Director Zhou said with a smile.

“Alright.” Xu Jingming didn’t hesitate either. Although he was a little nervous, he still stepped onto the stairs and entered the door.

The sphere retracted the stairs and completely sealed itself.

In the sealed sphere.

Xu Jingming looked around in confusion alone.

The interior of the sphere was still extremely smooth. At this moment, a glow lit up on the smooth inner wall, enveloping Xu Jingming.

“Do you want to enter the virtual world?” A voice sounded in Xu Jingming’s mind.

“Connect,” Xu Jingming said, still feeling a little puzzled. He just needed to don his VR headset at home to enter the virtual world, but why was so much done here?

Whoosh.

His consciousness quickly sank, and just like wearing the VR headset, he entered the virtual world.

He appeared alone in an empty piece of land.

“Hello, Xu Jingming.” A beautiful woman appeared and smiled at him. “According to the country’s arrangements, you chose… to possess a legendary expert from the Heavenly Python Sect who is good at spearmanship. Please experience it carefully and seize this precious opportunity.”

Xu Jingming nodded.

“Earth civilization requests permission to connect to the virtual world network.”

“Requesting to learn.”

“Requesting to possess Xuan.”

“Purchase price…”

“Payment successful.”

The voice he heard sent tumultuous waves through Xu Jingming’s heart.

“Begin possession.”

With this voice—

Boom!

Xu Jingming’s consciousness entered a vast world..