Chapter 38: Challenging Hell

The Moon Fox truly was an excellent instructor. Using the slides, she explained to everyone all the types of terrain and traps encountered during the Temple Escape, as well as the different strategies employed by warrior apprentices and mage apprentices when facing such traps.

Given that their future and lives were at stake, all the students listened intently—except for Chen Mo, whose mind wandered throughout the session. His thoughts were consumed by the hellish difficulty: meteor fire rain, carnivorous fish. How could one possibly clear the hell level? Speed was useless—even if Chen Mo transformed into a bat and flew, the carnivorous fish always seemed faster than any challenger. He pondered and pondered—

Suddenly, a piece of chalk traced a graceful arc through the air and struck Chen Mo.

Reacting instinctively, Chen Mo caught the chalk between two fingers.

Wow!

A chorus of astonished exclamations erupted around him.

"Chen Mo! Do you think you're so impressive, beating the students of Class C, that you don't need to pay attention in Class F anymore?" the Moon Fox demanded.

Chen Mo was bewildered; he'd been completely absorbed in thoughts of the hell-level dungeon and truly hadn't been paying attention.

"No, not at all. I didn't sleep well last night, so I was a bit distracted. Sorry, Instructor."

The Moon Fox's chest heaved with annoyance. "Look at your dungeon score—only a hundred meters! You think your little bit of martial arts makes you extraordinary? When all your classmates have cleared the dungeon, you'll realize just how insignificant your skills are!"

Many in Class F suddenly understood: there was no need to fear Chen Mo. Let him bask in his momentary glory; once they cleared the dungeon, they would shame him!

Especially Zhong Lin'er, who secretly vowed to listen carefully, train hard, and make Chen Mo kneel before her someday.

The shrill bell sounded—ding-ling-ling, ding-ling-ling.

The Moon Fox glanced at her watch and spoke earnestly, "It's noon. The Evolution Sphere in the stadium has been activated. Everyone, assemble at the stadium and prepare for the midday Evolution Challenge!"

...

The Evolution Challenge was what Chen Mo most looked forward to each day.

According to the routine, Classes A, B, C, D, and F each entered the Evolution Sphere in turn.

The Evolution Hall still resembled the temple.

Chief Instructor Wei Zheng encouraged everyone: "Do your best! Did you know that the dungeon clearance rate next door in Japan has reached 5%? When their rate hits 10%, they'll receive a more advanced Evolution Sphere, and their overall strength will surpass ours. The consequences would be unimaginable."

Normally calm, Young Master Wei looked serious. "Instructor, what's our country's clearance rate?"

Wei Zheng frowned slightly. "1.6%. Right now, our country's rate is below average globally. That's why the nation established Evolution Schools—only if you students clear the dungeon early can our country join the top tier!"

Many students realized the gravity of the situation. They no longer saw evolution as a game, but as a matter of national importance. Especially with Japan, their old rival, watching hungrily and ambitiously, their fighting spirit was stirred even more.

Chen Mo wasn't surprised by these results. With China's vast population—1.3 billion, and conservatively tens of millions participating in evolution—a 10% clearance rate would mean millions clearing the dungeon, an incredibly difficult feat. At Pingli High School, not a single person had cleared it yet. Clearly, passing the dungeon was no easy matter.

Wei Zheng clapped his hands and continued to encourage, "Alright, don't feel pressured. As long as you pay attention in class, remember every challenge and difficulty in the dungeon, and attempt it multiple times, you can definitely clear it!"

"Yes, Instructor! We will do our utmost!" the students responded in unison, united in resolve.

The Moon Fox herself approached Chen Mo and specially reminded him, "Chen Mo, your dungeon record is only a hundred meters; you're seriously holding Class F back. I hope you improve in this challenge."

Zhong Lin'er seized the moment, sniping sarcastically from the side, "Instructor, don't be too hard on Chen Mo. He has martial arts skills, you know, very impressive, ha ha ha!"

Chen Mo glanced at Zhong Lin'er, who glared back defiantly, as if to say: "What are you showing off for? I'm not afraid of you."

Chen Mo replied solemnly, "Yes, Instructor. Rest assured, I'll make progress this time."

The Evolution Sprite appeared, still sweetly announcing, "Beginner Dungeon—Temple Escape begins!"

Everyone was enveloped in light screens of different colors and transported into the dungeon.

Poor Chen Mo was sent straight to hell difficulty.

The sky rained meteor fire; the ground was a pool of blood and magma; behind him raged five berserk blood apes. This was hell difficulty.

All morning, Chen Mo had racked his brain for a way to break through hell difficulty, but he could not find a perfect solution.

There was no choice—he would have to force his way through.

Chen Mo's concentration was at its peak. With 130 points of mental strength, his awareness could detect all the tiniest details around him. He didn't even need his eyes to track the meteor fire rain; from the sounds and the air currents, he could grasp its trajectory.

He found it—a gap!

Chen Mo's brain automatically simulated a map of the meteor fire rain, calculated the trajectory, and spotted the one flaw—his own escape route!

Swish—

Timing, speed, rhythm—everything came together. Chen Mo stood exactly in the one spot the meteors would not strike, just as they hit the ground.

However, even finding the flaw was of no use.

The carnivorous fish in the blood pool had been waiting at that gap. The instant Chen Mo stepped into it, the fish leaped up, its basketball-sized mouth full of jagged teeth snapping at him.

Fortunately, Chen Mo was prepared. He accelerated, dodging the first fish's bite. While doing so, he calculated the gap for the second wave of meteor fire and rushed toward it.

But—

In the second wave, two fish attacked from left and right simultaneously. Chen Mo had to stay in the gap and also dodge sideways, slowing his timing and rhythm. Five berserk blood apes pounced before the third wave of meteor fire could arrive, and Chen Mo perished!

[Challenge failed. Final score: Hell difficulty, 200 meters. Points earned: 2000.]

The second attempt: at the second gap, Chen Mo transformed into a bat, speeding past the apes' attacks. He barely dodged three fish in the third wave; in the fourth wave, four fish moved as fast as bullets.

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

Four carnivorous fish bullets blocked every escape. Even as a bat, Chen Mo had nowhere to flee. He was devoured in one gulp, agony overwhelming him. But at the moment of death, Chen Mo switched his ID to Kunlong, using up his alternate account's challenge.

[Challenge failed. Final score: Hell difficulty, 400 meters. Points earned: 4000.]

Third attempt—failed again at 400 meters.

Fourth attempt—another failure!

Chen Mo was in despair. Damn it all! This was absolutely impossible!

Chen Mo wore the vampire cloak, +20 movement skill, plus his extraordinary 60 points in agility, totaling 80—a speed of 40 meters per second. What did that mean? Faster than a storm, verging on a hurricane.

Even with tremendous mental strength, such a powerful setup, Chen Mo still couldn't clear the fourth obstacle. He couldn't believe anyone could manage it.

Yet, when he checked the leaderboard, Chen Mo was stunned.

[Global Leaderboard—Temple Escape]

[1. Musashi Miyamoto—Hell difficulty, 2,500 meters]

[2. James—Hell difficulty, 1,400 meters]

[3. Yi Sun-sin—Hell difficulty, 900 meters]

[4. Lei Dongtian—Hell difficulty, 700 meters]

[5. Karl Ketiyer—Hell difficulty, 500 meters]

[6. Great Demon King—Hell difficulty, 400 meters]

...

Chen Mo felt his scalp tingle. He was only sixth. He was the first to challenge hell difficulty—how humiliating! Worst of all, the top spot was held by a Japanese player! A massive disgrace!

Frustrated as he was, Chen Mo soon calmed down. The others certainly had fewer attribute points than him, yet their scores were much higher. This meant that hell difficulty might not be just about speed; there must be another way!