The first chapter update is here! Any energy left in you brothers for monthly tickets? I'm exploding with content later too, whew! ... Yanhuang City, Battle Stage No. 12. On the towering platinum battle platform, one thousand meters per side, two figures darted, occasionally crossing paths, then separating again. Below, countless spectators were packed shoulder-to-shoulder, a dense, black mass stretching as far as the eye could see.

"This one named Bao'er Bei is really making waves lately, challenging the top 10 on the Warrior Leaderboard every day."

"More than that. I see her constantly attempting stages in the War God Tower at almost any hour, only to be killed by the stage's guardian general every single time. Over and over, never tiring."

"For a girl, that's insane."

A murmur rose from the crowd below. Recently, the name "Bao'er Bei" was known by nearly everyone in the virtual city of Yanhuang. Whether late at night or during the day, her figure could be seen challenging the War God Tower. Despite repeated failures, she was incredibly stubborn, never giving up. She had been slain hundreds of times by the stage guardians, yet the moment she respawned in the War God Hall, she charged right back in.

Tirelessly...

Like a soulless beast.

Besides the War God Tower runs, every evening she challenged a top-10 expert from the Combat Technique Leaderboard. The weakest among them were Red-rank warriors, each possessing terrifyingly refined combat skills—some were Martial Arts Grandmasters, others were battle-hardened assassins, a diverse mix.

Every challenge ended in defeat.

Most people, after failing, would take time to train rigorously before seeking an opponent of comparable strength for a rematch. But this girl, after every single loss, would plunge straight back into the War God Tower to hone her fighting skills. Barely one night later, she would resume her challenges the next day.

And she wouldn't challenge the same opponent; she would seek out someone even stronger than the last.

"CRASH!"

With a loud impact, the two figures on the metallic battle stage separated. One slender, delicate figure shot high into the air like a fledgling bird with broken wings, slamming heavily onto the ground. The impact was significant, sending her skidding three or four meters before finally coming to a stop.

The entire audience sighed, a touch of pity reserved for the obstinate young girl.

"Both chose to use Level 10 physiques and opted for unarmed combat, but the difference in their combat techniques is just too vast."

"They aren't even in the same league."

"Sigh..."

As the crowd whispered, the man on the metallic stage, whose virtual handle was "Cold Blood," stood with one hand behind his back, radiating confidence. He was quite handsome, his eyes holding a sliver of mockery and disdain as he stared at the motionless, slender figure on the ground, sneering, "Combat isn't just about charging in blindly. Go back and train for another three hundred years before you come back."

Everyone in the audience glared at him, yet no one dared to shout abuse. In the virtual world, someone with such superior combat techniques was akin to an emperor. Provoke him, and if he decided to camp at your respawn point, killing you repeatedly, you would never be able to enter the virtual world again, let alone use it to practice skills.

"Cough, cough..."

At that moment, the delicate figure lying on the ground, utterly exhausted, suddenly stirred slightly. She slowly turned to the side and struggled to push herself up, her arm trembling as she supported herself on the stage, coughing up blood. She gasped for air, then gritted her teeth, slowly bending her knees to stand. As soon as she rose, her body involuntarily swayed, nearly causing her to fall again.

The entire crowd fell silent, watching the defiant figure. Many robust men shamefully lowered their heads.

"N-not over yet..." Ye Zhu panted, every word seeming to demand the last ounce of her strength. She clenched her fist, forcing herself to look up at Cold Blood, taking slow, wavering steps toward him.

"Hmph, courting death," Cold Blood sneered dismissively. With a sudden burst of speed, he moved, leaving afterimages trailing behind him, and appeared instantly beside Ye Zhu. His hand curled like an eagle's talon, striking toward her throat.

Ye Zhu lifted her hand to block, but before it was halfway up, her throat was struck.

Thud!

Her body convulsed, and Cold Blood clamped his fingers around her throat, hurling her three or four meters away. Her body trembled slightly; she clutched her throat, coughing violently with an expression of intense agony, spitting out large mouthfuls of blood. Although this was a virtual world, under the highly advanced technology of Atlantis, everything was intensely realistic; only complete cessation of breath meant death and forced revival.

Ye Zhu coughed a few times, her pretty face pale and contorted in pain. After a moment, she dug her fingernails into the metal floor of the stage, her wrist trembling as she forced herself back onto her feet. Since her throat had been crushed, she could barely speak.

"You still want more?" Cold Blood frowned, a hint of impatience in his eyes. "This time, I'll make sure you never get up again." With that, he shot forward, charging straight at Ye Zhu.

Ye Zhu managed to focus her gaze, preparing to throw a punch for a counterattack, but Cold Blood suddenly shifted his position, moving to her side and delivering a sharp kick to her flank. He simultaneously grabbed her wrist and twisted it sharply—

CRACK!

Ye Zhu’s wrist was brutally snapped.

"Die!" Cold Blood roared, landing a heavy punch on her shoulder, then bent his elbow, slamming it into the side of her face.

With a resounding BOOM, Ye Zhu’s mind went blank. In the next instant, her body felt weightless, tossed to the opposite edge of the battle stage.

Silence blanketed the arena.

Everyone watching the thrown figure of Ye Zhu was moved by the girl's sheer stubborn spirit. Though she had lost the match, her earth-shattering, heaven-shaking resolve silenced any impulse toward mockery.

One thought dominated everyone's mind: What on earth was driving this girl to fight so desperately?

Cold Blood stood in the center of the metallic stage, surveying the massive crowd with a hint of smugness. He waited patiently for the system notification of victory, but after a moment, it never came. His expression stiffened, and then his face darkened as he looked chillingly at Ye Zhu, sprawled on the ground.

Everyone noticed the anomaly and turned with astonishment.

Ye Zhu lay on the ground, practically lifeless, her unconscious form slowly... moving.

She wasn't dead yet!

The entire audience was in disbelief.

Just then, Ye Zhu's fingers twitched slowly, her body shuddering faintly. Her eyelids fluttered, trying to open, but she lacked the strength. She was too exhausted to even lift her lids.

But... but...

Under everyone's gaze, Ye Zhu's fingers slowly reached beneath her, pushing up. Her elbows shook violently, as if drawing upon the deepest reserves of her strength, allowing her to rise just a fraction.

Then...

Slowly, painstakingly, she stood up.

The entire assembly held its breath.

Ye Zhu's eyes were half-closed, her dark pupils devoid of luster, dimmed to nothing. She stood precariously; anyone could see a slight breeze would send her tumbling over.

Cold Blood’s face shifted slightly, then hardened, his eyes turning icy.

By now, Ye Zhu had lifted her feet. Her body swayed left and right, teetering, staggering toward him. A chilling sensation swept over the audience; from that small frame emanated a power that caused the spirit to tremble.

Slowly, Ye Zhu reached Cold Blood.

Cold Blood snorted, about to deliver a killing blow, when Ye Zhu's figure lurched once, then pitched forward, collapsing with a thud.

The crowd gasped, then quickly understood: the young girl had lost consciousness long ago, kept alive only by the faintest spark of life force.

A flicker of rage crossed Cold Blood's eyes. He walked over to Ye Zhu and angrily kicked her midsection, sending her body flying high toward the edge of the battle stage.

All eyes focused on her trajectory.

BANG!

The ground in the distance suddenly vibrated. In the next instant, the area around the stage seemed frozen. An aura, like that of a primordial beast, awoke between heaven and earth, sweeping over the entire area, freezing even the slight breeze.

WHOOSH!

A figure shot in from the distance, smashing through the crowd. He leaped high, catching the airborne body in his arms, and landed heavily on both feet.

The surrounding people instinctively parted, clearing a space.

Everyone stared in shock at the man who had suddenly appeared. He kept his head bowed, wild black hair falling across his face, obscuring his forehead.

Who else could this be but Ye Chen?

Ye Zhu lay unconscious in his embrace, her slender body covered in wounds—bruises blooming purple on her face, her nose broken, and the bones in her other arm clearly snapped, hanging limp and powerless.

Everyone suddenly felt as though the temperature of the surrounding world had plummeted to absolute zero.

Ye Chen's body trembled slightly. Looking at his sister's injuries, he could only imagine the kind of existence she had endured in the many days since he left. This could no longer be described as frantic; it was outright suicidal.

"Sis..." Ye Chen’s voice, rough and low, scraped from his throat.

In her delirium, Ye Zhu vaguely sensed a familiar warmth, a comfort that felt intensely safe. It was as if she could see the face of her long-lost brother, Ye Chen, right before her eyes.

Vaguely, a cold droplet landed on her forehead.

Ye Zhu slowly opened her eyes, exhaustion undeniable. She saw Ye Chen’s face, and a faint light flickered in her dim pupils. She managed, "Bro..." Her voice was hoarse and indistinct due to the severe throat injury.

"I'm sorry..." Ye Chen held her tighter, whispering, "Watch your brother take revenge for you." Saying this, he gently laid her down, took off his outer garment, and draped it over her.

Then, he slowly stood up.

The sky above began to slowly darken.

...

Waking up to see the monthly ticket count, I was overwhelmed with excitement; it exceeded my projections. Thank you all. However, after finishing the writing, I stole a glance, and the subsequent competition is ferocious—they’re catching up! What can I do, what can I do? Brothers, do you have any more tickets? Let Old Gu get passionate again!