The water surface rippled softly. Bubbles came up from the lake bottom now and then, showing the game characters were in a deadlock. The battle in the lake had turned into a war of attrition. Everyone found it extremely difficult to move due to the influence of the water flow. Their attack speed was sluggish, skill activation was delayed, and even the most ordinary slashes became comical.
Gu Changfeng struggled to lift his iron folding fan. But because of the excessive resistance of the water flow, he stumbled when he swung it, almost losing his balance and falling head over heels. Witnessing this, a member of Tianshen Team 4 immediately swung his great sword, aiming to seize the opportunity and deal a powerful blow to Gu Changfeng. But the moment he started to gather his strength, his weapon unexpectedly veered off in a peculiar arc within the water, missing the target completely.
Instead, it gave Gu Changfeng an excellent opportunity for a counterattack.
"Hahaha, this is truly the most hilarious battle in history!" In the audience outside the arena, the watching students were laughing so hard that they were doubling over. Some even slapped the table directly, "This is just like underwater slow - motion combat! It makes me want to jump in and join the fun!"
But just as everyone got used to the "annoying" pace of this underwater fight, Hua Ruobing on the shore suddenly pulled her bowstring all the way back, and a cold light shot through the air...
Whoosh!
An arrow pierced the wind and accurately shot towards the captain of Tianshen Team 4!
Bang!
It hit the head!
The character of the captain of Tianshen Team 4 tilted his head back and fell. His health bar plummeted instantly, and at the same time, a dark color appeared on the character model. He was poisoned!
"Damn!" The faces of Tianshen Team 4 members paled instantly. "That arrow's poisoned!"
"Hurry, heal him!"
"... No way! The antidote skill has a delay, and it also comes with a movement speed reduction!"
The situation of Tianshen Team 4 took a sharp turn for the worse. The captain was originally one of their most reliable front liners, bearing damage and commanding the battle situation. But now, not only was his health constantly decreasing, but his movement was also forcibly restricted, making the entire battle situation even more unfavorable!
Gu Changfeng, who saw this at the lake bottom, couldn't help laughing. "Hahaha, Hua Ruobing's poisoned arrow is really brilliant!"
The battle continued, and the people in the lake tried to struggle to regain their rhythm. Lin Yuan was still moving nimbly, constantly avoiding the enemy's attacks by relying on the complex underwater terrain. Although he had no weapon, he cleverly made the enemy's attacks miss again and again by using the water flow.
"This guy... Why is he so hard to catch!" The user of the long staff in Tianshen Team 4 growled. The shadow of the staff swayed in the water as he slashed towards Lin Yuan.
"Bang!" In a flash, Lin Yuan swiveled his body to the side. The staff swept by, just barely scraping against his shoulder and missing him completely.
Another member of Tianshen Team 4, who was using a long sword, took the opportunity to charge forward. The light of the sword cut through the water surface like a shooting star!
Meanwhile, in the basement of a villa.
In the dark space, six game pods were neatly arranged. The light of the metal equipment reflected off the cold walls of the room. Six figures walked in slowly, and one of them, standing at the front, calmly looked around.
Xu Xingchen. He stared quietly at the equipment before him, looking calm.
"It's time," he said softly, "Connect to the game and start the operation."
The six of them tacitly lay down in the game pods, and the low hum of the equipment starting up sounded. Data flickered, and the blue light of the system shone on Xu Xingchen's face.
"Martial Arts Duel XYZ, logging in..."
The game pods started up, and the consciousness of the six people was teleported into the game world.
The scene changed, and we were back on the battlefield...
Beneath the lake's surface, the deep water churned ceaselessly. Water plants gently swayed in the undercurrent, resembling silent, writhing tentacles. At the water's edge, a furious pursuit raged on.
"Don't run!" The female member of Tianshen Team 4 shouted coldly. She swept her long staff, creating ripples in the water as she smashed it hard towards Lin Yuan's character!
Lin Yuan was quick - eyed and quick - handed. He suddenly twisted his body to avoid the attack, and then took advantage of the situation to flip in the water, using the water flow to drift to the other side. However, the light of the sword behind him was already approaching. The male member of Tianshen Team 4 thrust his long sword straight forward, and the tip of the sword trembled in the water, reflecting a cold light!
Lin Yuan's eye twitched a bit. He had no weapon, but that didn't stop him from fighting back.
"Bang!"
He reached out and slapped the rock at the bottom of the lake hard. With the recoil force, he turned his body and avoided the attack again. At the same time, he kicked up a piece of gravel with his foot!
The gravel floated slowly in the water, seemingly harmless. But just as the swordsman of Tianshen Team 4 was preparing for his next attack, the gravel happened to block his view, making his attack hesitate slightly.
In that moment of hesitation, Lin Yuan had already widened the distance again. He moved with the agility of a fish, swiftly weaving through the complex landscape at the bottom of the lake, leaving those chasing him completely at a loss.
"Damn it! This guy... Why is he as slippery as an eel?" The female member of Tianshen Team 4 gritted her teeth. The shadow of the staff swept across again, but unfortunately, it still missed.
But at that moment!
Buzz...
Some strange energy surged at the bottom of the lake. The water flow suddenly became uncontrollable, as if the entire lake was shaking violently!
"What's this?!" Lin Yuan was startled. Before he could respond, a bright light suddenly flared from the lake bottom depths!
The light shone through the water surface and illuminated the entire battlefield, instantly engulfing all the characters!
"Ah!"
"What's going on?!"
Not only Lin Yuan, but all the members of Yunmeng Team 2 and Tianshen Team 4 who were still fighting in the lake felt an irresistible suction force, as if the entire game scene was collapsing!
The water flowed in reverse, and the light wrapped around all. A split-second later, the lake, the terrain, the sky-the entire world was gone.
When everyone came to their senses, they had already been transported to a completely different environment...
A dueling arena filled with a murderous aura!
The wide stone platform floated in mid - air. Endless darkness surrounded it, and ancient inscriptions were carved along the edge of the platform, faintly exuding mysterious energy fluctuations.
"Where is this...?"
Lin Yuan frowned and quickly looked around. He saw that everyone had been forced onto this strange platform.
"Has the competition map changed?" Gu Changfeng said in surprise, "This isn't right!"
"Wait, what about the system prompt?" Shen Haotian immediately opened the interface, only to find it completely blank.
Even more strangely, the cooldown time of everyone's skills was instantly reset, and their status was restored to full, as if they had entered a brand - new battle!
"This isn't the map designated for the assessment match..." Hua Ruobing said quietly, a tinge of gravity in her expression. "So, who arranged this place?" Chu Yao asked in a subdued voice, with a faint frown.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
Lin Yuan looked up at the sky. An uneasy feeling grew in his heart. This assessment had already gone against the rules they knew...
===================
水面微微荡漾,气泡不时从湖底升起,映照出游戏角色们僵持不下的影像.湖中战斗变成了一场消耗战,所有人都因水流的影响变得举步维艰,攻击速度迟缓,技能释放延迟,连最普通的挥砍都变得滑稽可笑.
顾长风艰难地举起铁质折扇,却因为水流阻力过大,整个人在挥舞的瞬间被惯性带得一个趔趄,差点翻了个跟头.天神4队的一人见状,直接抡起大剑想要趁机给顾长风来一下狠的,但刚刚蓄力,自己的武器竟然在水中晃出诡异的轨迹,偏离了目标,反而给了顾长风一个绝佳的反击机会.
"哈哈哈哈,真是史上最搞笑的一战!" 场外的观众席上,围观的学生们笑得前仰后合,有人甚至直接拍桌:"这不是水下慢动作格斗吗?看得我都想下去插一脚了!"
但就在所有人都快习惯了这种水下 "憋屈" 战斗的节奏时,岸上的华若冰蓦地拉满弓弦,一道寒光划破空气...
咻!
一箭破风!精准无误地射向天神4队的队长!
砰!
爆头命中!
天神4队队长的角色仰头倒去,血条瞬间暴跌,同时角色模型泛起一抹暗色,中毒了!
"可恶!" 天神4队的成员脸色大变,"那支箭有毒!"
"快,治疗!"
"...不行!解毒技能有延迟,还附带移动减速!"
天神4队的形势急转直下.那名队长原本是他们最可靠的前排之一,承受伤害,指挥战局,但现在,他不仅血量不断下降,还被强行限制了行动,一下子让整个战局更加不利!
顾长风在湖底看见这一幕,忍不住笑出声:"哈哈哈,华若冰的毒箭,真是神来一笔!"
战斗仍在继续,湖泊中的众人试图挣扎着找回节奏.林远则依旧在灵活穿梭,依靠水下复杂的地形不断躲避着敌方的攻击.尽管没有武器,但他利用水流,巧妙地让敌人的攻击一次次落空.
"这家伙...怎么这么难抓!" 天神4队的长棍使用者低吼着,棍影在水中晃动,劈向林远.
砰!
林远侧身一扭,棍子擦着他的肩膀落空.另一名使用长剑的天神4队成员趁机冲来,剑光如流星般划破水面!
与此同时,在一个别墅地下室.
黑暗的空间里,六台游戏仓排列整齐,金属设备的光芒映照着房间内冰冷的墙壁.六道身影缓缓走进,其中一人站在最前,冷静地环视四周.
许星辰.
他沉默地看着眼前的设备,面色沉稳.
"时间到了." 他轻声说道,"连接游戏,开始行动."
六人默契地躺入游戏仓,设备启动的低鸣声响起.数据闪烁,系统的蓝光映照在许星辰的脸上.
"武侠决战XYZ,登录中..."
游戏仓启动,六人的意识被传送进游戏世界.
画面一转,回到了战场...
湖泊之下,幽深的水流不断涌动,水草在暗流中轻轻飘摆,宛如无声的触手.而在这片水域的边缘,一场激烈的追逐战仍在持续.
"别跑!" 天神4队的女队员冷喝一声,长棍横扫,带起水波涟漪,朝着林远的角色狠狠砸去!
林远眼疾手快,猛地一扭身,避开攻击,整个人顺势在水中翻转,利用水流漂移到了另一侧.然而,背后的剑光已经逼近,天神4队的男队员长剑直刺,剑尖在水中震颤,折射出冷冽的光芒!
林远眼角微微一跳,手中空无一物,但这并不意味着他毫无反击之力.
"砰!"
他伸手猛地拍在湖底的岩石上,借助反冲力身形一转,再次避开攻击,同时顺势一脚踢起一块碎石!
碎石在水中缓缓漂浮,看似毫无威胁,但天神4队的剑士正准备下一击时,碎石刚好挡住了他的视野,让他的攻击微微一滞.
就是这一瞬间的迟疑,林远已经再次拉开距离,身影宛如游鱼般灵活,在湖底的复杂地形中穿梭,让追杀者完全拿他没办法.
"混蛋!这家伙... 怎么像条泥鳅一样?" 天神4队的女队员咬牙切齿,棍影再次横扫,可惜依旧落空.
但就在这时!
嗡...
湖底,某种异样的能量涌动起来,水流突然变得不受控制,仿佛整个湖泊都在剧烈颤抖!
"这是什么?!" 林远心中一惊,还未来得及反应,湖底深处猛然爆发出一道耀眼的光芒!
光芒透过水面,映照在整个战场,瞬间将所有的角色吞没!
"啊!"
"什么情况?!"
不仅是林远,所有还在湖泊战斗的云梦2队和天神4队成员,都感受到一股无法抗拒的吸力,仿佛整个游戏场景正在塌陷!
水流倒卷,光芒笼罩.
眨眼间,湖泊,陆地,天空...整个世界都消失了.
等众人回过神时,他们已经置身于一个完全不同的环境...
一个充满肃杀气息的决斗场!
宽阔的石质擂台漂浮在半空之中,四周是无尽的黑暗,而擂台边缘刻满了古老的铭文,隐隐透出神秘的能量波动.
"这里是... 哪?"
林远皱眉,目光迅速扫视四周,发现所有人都被强行传送到了这个陌生的擂台.
"比赛地图变了?" 顾长风惊讶道,"这不科学啊!"
"等等,系统提示呢?" 沈昊天立刻翻开界面,却发现一片空白.
更诡异的是,所有人的技能冷却时间瞬间重置,状态恢复至满值,就像是进入了一场全新的战斗!
"这不是考核赛规定的地图..." 华若冰轻声说道,神色有些凝重.
"那,这里是谁安排的?" 楚瑶低声问道,眉头微微皱起.
空气仿佛凝固了一瞬.
林远抬头望向天空,一种不祥的预感从心底浮现.
这场考核,已经脱离了他们熟悉的规则...