"This…" Wang Youle seemed to have something to say.
"Do you have any objections?" Jiang Xinyu's piercing gaze shot towards Wang Youle, scrutinizing him from a position of superiority.
"No… none!" Wang Youle shook his head repeatedly.
"Good. Hurry up and eat, then we'll enter the grounds!"
During the short meal, Wang Lan managed to clarify the relationships within this small team. He wasn't familiar with Wang Youle, having only met him today. The other three, however, Wang Lan had known since childhood. Jiang Xinyu was his childhood friend, while Xu Xiangwen and Gong Feiyu were his classmates from elementary to middle school. The four of them were quite close.
Jiang Xinyu seemed to despise Wang Youle. However, Xu Xiangwen was a bit closer to Wang Youle, while Gong Feiyu simply didn't dislike him.
Looking at it this way, although the four were a team, their relationship wasn't very solid. Wang Lan finally understood the fleeting hostility he had seen from Wang Youle upon learning of Wang Lan's awakening as a Star Martial Warrior.
Wang Lan already had a tight bond with the other three, and now that he had awakened as a Star Martial Warrior, it was evident he posed a threat to Wang Youle's position.
However, Wang Lan felt no guilt about muscling in or taking someone's place; after all, he had at least eight years of friendship with the other three. Furthermore, even without Wang Lan, Wang Youle's position in the team was precarious. Wang Lan felt he had already shown utmost benevolence by not actively trying to oust Wang Youle; the rest didn't matter.
Star Martial Warriors had to pay to enter the Junior Trial Grounds. Despite being a Different Dimensional Space, the trial grounds were safe, or at least relatively so. Moreover, troops were stationed within the trial grounds to maintain order and protect the Trialists, all of which cost money.
The cost for a Star Martial Warrior below the Star Cloud Stage was 5,000 a day. For ten days, that amounted to 50,000. This time, the main goal was to help Jiang Xinyu break through to the Star Cloud Stage, totaling 250,000 for five people.
This figure might take an ordinary person five years of scrimping and saving to accumulate, but for Jiang Xinyu, it was a trifle. She swiftly swiped her card for entry.
"Since I won't be participating in the distribution, I should pay my own 50,000," Wang Lan murmured.
"Fine. For next quarter's rent, you can help me by waiving the odd amount," Jiang Xinyu replied.
What a ripoff! That odd amount clearly starts with a nine.
Upon entering the trial grounds, they first had to go to the changing room to switch into combat gear. The climate within the trial grounds was bizarre and ever-changing, so they needed clothing that could maintain a constant temperature and facilitate combat.
Wang Lan glanced at the combat gear, and his mouth twitched. It resembled the tight-fitting leather suits worn by superheroes in American comics. Breathability aside, Wang Lan couldn't accept the design alone.
"What are you dawdling for? Aren't you going to get dressed? Don't make Xinyu wait until she's changed before you even start," someone urged.
"Who designed such an awkward outfit?"
"It was developed by the Xinyu family's company, didn't you know? Isn't their logo on the clothes?"
"Isn't wearing this embarrassing?"
"What are you thinking? This is just an internal thermoregulating shirt. You still need to wear the Graphite Thin Armor on the outside. All the embarrassing parts will be covered. Did you think you'd just go out wearing this? My 'big weapon' wouldn't stay hidden like that," Xu Xiangwen remarked.
"Xu, I've realized something... you've become increasingly flamboyant," Wang Lan commented.
"You've only just noticed? I've found him unbearable for the past year," Gong Feiyu interjected as he donned the leather suit. He pressed a blue button on his belt, and the outfit suddenly tightened, clinging perfectly to his body.
Following suit, Wang Lan put on the form-fitting leather suit and searched his locker. "Where's the armor?"
"Follow me," Gong Feiyu said, patting Wang Lan's shoulder and leading him out of the changing room to another. Only then did Wang Lan realize the armor was fitted by robots on a specialized platform.
No explanation from Gong Feiyu was necessary. There were footprints on the ground indicating where to stand; one simply had to stretch out their hands and grasp the handles on either side.
"Scanning model… Pairing model… Loading model. Please remain still. Robot initiating automated equipping sequence."
Then, the chest plate, backplate, and skirt armor were swiftly equipped.
"Equipping complete. Please step off the platform."
Wang Lan looked at himself in the mirror. "This is more like it."
The tight-fitting colorful leather suit served as an inner layer, and with the armor on, he looked exceptionally valiant and dashing.
"The backpack contains water, energy bars, and other essentials. The war blade can be worn at your waist or carried in your hand. Let's go, Xinyu is probably waiting for us."
Following Gong Feiyu out, Wang Lan saw Jiang Xinyu emerge from the opposite side. Seeing Jiang Xinyu in female armor, Wang Lan's eyes lit up. Although he knew she was beautiful, this was the first time he had seen such a valiant side to her, prompting him to take a longer look.
"Is everyone ready? The next ten days will be tough. Our target is the Snow Spider. The Snow Spider's attributes match mine, and its Soul Bead can help me advance faster. Let's head out!"
Their watches contained a map of the Exotic Beasts' distribution within the trial grounds and could also project holograms in the Different Dimensional Space. This technology, unrealized in the outside world, was surprisingly implemented here.
"Xinyu, I heard that any technological weapons fail in the Different Dimensional Space. Is that true? What's the principle behind it?"
"That is indeed the case, but I don't know the principle."
"If firearms worked in the otherworld, the Pioneering Legions wouldn't face so much danger. Against the Exotic Beasts in the junior trial grounds, give me a Type-95 automatic rifle, and I could take down an entire clan by myself. Sadly, while I can bring a Type-95 in here, it's only good as a fire poker."
"It must be because the physical laws are different," Wang Lan sighed.
"While we haven't reached our destination, let me introduce the abilities of our team members," Jiang Xinyu began. "There's no need to introduce myself; you already know my capabilities. Xu Xiangwen has awakened the Heavenly Eye, allowing for long-range scouting that ignores obstacles. His Star Martial Skill is Physical Clone. Every time we manage to retreat safely, it's all thanks to Xu Xiangwen.
"Gong Feiyu possesses Earth Attribute Star Power, and his Star Martial Skill is also Earth Attribute. Wang Youle is Fire Attribute.
"You currently don't have a Star Martial Skill, but your close-combat abilities are impressive. You can act as the team's melee fighter. With that setup, I'll be the ranged damage dealer, Gong Feiyu will handle crowd control and support, Xu Xiangwen will remain on constant reconnaissance, and Wang Youle will provide backup as needed."
"Okay!"
Soon, the team of five arrived at the Snow Spider territory. It was a stretch of continuous snowy mountains. It was hard to imagine that just a kilometer away lay the scorching desert of Chibi, yet here it was a world of ice and snow. Such a close distance with such vastly different climates could only exist in a Different Dimensional Space that defied common sense.
Looking from a distance, the slopes were covered with an array of white spiders. Their bodies were the size of millstones, and they had eight furry, long legs. Unlike what Wang Lan had imagined, the Snow Spider's legs weren't the slender, knife-like killing implements he'd envisioned.
"The Snow Spider is an imperial-style gregarious Exotic Beast, with living habits similar to ants and bees," Jiang Xinyu explained. "There is one Spider Queen and one Spider King in each Snow Spider tribe. The Spider Queen is the matriarch, responsible for laying eggs. The Spider King commands all other Snow Spiders and closely protects the Queen.
"Snow Spiders move very fast, with strength equivalent to an adult human. Their skills are Rapid Freezing Cold Air and Ice Needle Rain Dew. The Rapid Freezing Cold Air is spewed from their mouths—a blast of frigid air exceeding negative one hundred degrees Celsius. Ice Needle Rain Dew is sprayed from orifices on their bodies, covering a one-hundred-eighty-degree angle.
"The back of the Snow Spider is covered in hard armor. Below the Star Shine Stage, it's almost impossible to breach their defenses. However, their abdomen is very soft, and that's their weak point.
"Actually, the best person to deal with Snow Spiders would have Earth Attribute abilities, as the Earth Spike skill could kill them in large numbers. However, Snow Spiders live on glacial and snowy terrain. An Earth Attribute Star Martial Warrior's Earth Spikes can't break through the ice layer, and the ice itself interferes with the deployment of Earth Attribute skills. It's a pity..."
In fact, Jiang Xinyu's team already knew this information; she was merely reiterating it for Wang Lan's benefit.
"Is everyone ready? Once we're set, we'll start 'fencing off' the area."
"Fencing off" meant luring a few Snow Spiders into their designated combat zone to be killed. With Snow Spiders covering the entire mountainside, rushing in head-on would be suicidal. They would be surrounded and devoured, bones and all, in minutes.
Jiang Xinyu dashed forward instantly, shooting ice arrows to enrage a few Snow Spiders. The Snow Spiders had been comfortably perched on the snowy ground, enjoying the caress of the glacial cold, napping cozily. The sudden attack startled them awake.
With the Snow Spider's explosive temper, and with so many brethren around, would they tolerate such a provocation?
Instantly, the enraged Snow Spiders stood up, their long legs carrying them rapidly towards Jiang Xinyu.
The Snow Spider's Ice Needle Rain Dew and Rapid Freezing Cold Air attacks had limited range; they mostly fought in close combat.
"Get ready!" Jiang Xinyu called out, and the team instantly shifted positions, dividing their tasks.
Wang Lan stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Jiang Xinyu. On her signal, he dashed towards the Snow Spiders like lightning.
The greatest threat from the Snow Spiders was their Rapid Freezing Cold Air, which could instantly freeze a person solid with temperatures colder than negative one hundred degrees Celsius. Moreover, the amount of cold air each Snow Spider could store varied, affecting the severity of their icy breath.
Therefore, Wang Lan couldn't charge directly at the Snow Spiders. He had to constantly change directions, approaching indirectly. As he maneuvered to a Snow Spider's flank, a whistling sound suddenly cut through the air.
An ice spike shot from a Snow Spider towards Wang Lan. Truth be told, Wang Lan hadn't clearly seen where it was fired from, but the Snow Spider's aim was somewhat off. In any case, that particular ice spike definitely wouldn't graze his clothes.
When one ice spike failed, the Snow Spider suddenly unleashed a barrage, launching at least twenty more within a second. This instinctively reminded Wang Lan of the comprehensive test he had taken at the Star Martial Hall.
So the test device was actually designed based on the Snow Spiders.
Wang Lan's blade flashed, deflecting the ice spikes that posed a threat. Those that wouldn't hit him, he naturally ignored.
「Three minutes later」
Wang Lan successfully closed in on a Snow Spider.
In close combat, the Snow Spider's legs swept at him like long clubs. A Snow Spider has eight legs, but only needs four to maintain balance; the other four served as its weapons.
CLANG!
A crisp sound echoed as Wang Lan's body was instantly flung away.
Who said Snow Spiders only have the strength of an adult human? Does an adult human possess this kind of power?! Wang Lan grumbled internally.
The Snow Spider's armor was incredibly hard, capable of clashing head-on with his war blade.
Quickly, the Snow Spider pressed its attack again, four legs stabbing fiercely towards Wang Lan's chest.
"Wang Lan—" Jiang Xinyu cried out in alarm.
SWOOSH! A flash of his blade, and Wang Lan had swept it upwards, cutting through the joints of two of the Snow Spider's legs. While the outside of the joints was armored, the inside was not. With one slice, the two legs were left dangling, connected only by their outer armor.