Lei Zhengyang stepped into a room that radiated warmth, the air laced with a faint, floral fragrance. It screamed woman's domain. A boudoir, delicate and inviting, but eerily empty. The only sound was a soft trickle of water, spilling from behind a frosted glass door.
A bathroom. Through the hazy glass, a lithe, curvaceous silhouette danced in the steam. Lei Zhengyang's pulse quickened. If only that door were transparent, he thought, a fleeting, reckless wish. To his shock, the frosted glass began to clear, as if answering his desire, revealing the scene within with crystal clarity.
A woman—no, a goddess—stood under the shower, her back to him. Hot water cascaded over her shoulders, tracing her flawless, jade-white skin. Her slender waist flared into lush, rounded hips, a crimson crescent birthmark on her backside like a tattooed masterpiece. Even Lei Zhengyang, a seasoned charmer, had to admit: this was perfection. A body that could ruin empires.
Her face turned slowly, revealing features that could topple kingdoms. But beauty turned to terror as recognition hit. Lei Zhengyang stumbled back, hands flying to cover his eyes. "I didn't see anything! I swear, I didn't see!" he stammered, heart pounding.
Because that face belonged to her—Instructor Two, the stunning, enigmatic diva he'd mistaken for a man.
She sauntered toward him, a towel barely clinging to her curves, her presence inescapable. With a gentle but firm tug, she pulled his hands from his face, her voice a sultry purr. "What's wrong, 001? Is my body not beautiful enough for you to fear it?"
Lei Zhengyang tilted his head skyward, desperate to preserve the illusion. "Boss, please, put some clothes on! Let's not ruin this… this vibe. I'm begging you!"
Was she gorgeous? Undeniably—when fully dressed. But stripped bare, certain truths could shatter the fantasy, and he wasn't ready to face them.
"Really?" she teased, her voice dripping with seduction. "They say my legs are long and divine. Don't you want a peek?" Her tone echoed their first meeting, all charm and danger.
He flailed to keep her at bay, but his hand landed—oh no—on the soft, elastic swell of her chest. The sensation was electrifying, maddening. How could such perfection belong to her? It was a cosmic injustice.
His gaze dropped, drawn to the twin peaks and those endlessly long legs. She wasn't lying—they were stunning.
With a silvery laugh, she stepped back and, in one fluid motion, tore away the towel. Lei Zhengyang's mind screamed avert your eyes, but instinct betrayed him. His gaze locked onto what he shouldn't see. A man's curiosity was a curse. And what he saw… wasn't what he expected.
"You… you're not…?" he stammered, disbelief choking his words.
"Not what?" she shot back, smirking. "Did someone call me a diva? Do I look like one to you? Is there a diva this breathtaking?"
"Beautiful… too beautiful…" he muttered, dazed.
A sudden pop jolted him upright in bed, gasping for air. A dream. It was just a dream. But there, perched on his bedside, was Instructor Two, her delicate hand pinching his nose shut. Her cheeks flushed a shy pink, as if the dream had bled into reality.
"Wake up, you lecher," she teased, her voice soft but teasing. "The General's waiting. So, how was it? My body—pretty nice, huh?"
Lei Zhengyang shook his head, reality and fantasy blurring. Which was real?
"I planted that dream in your mind," she confessed, her tone shifting to something more intimate. "It wasn't tangible, but I promise you, 001, it was real. If you walk out of the Dragon Gold alive, I'll let you see the real thing. Touch me, feel my warmth. How's that for motivation?"
His eyes roamed her body, from chest to thighs, stripping away her clothes with a burning gaze. She squirmed under his intensity, shooting him a glare. "Survive the Dragon Gold, and you'll be a true warrior. I like heroes, 001. I'll be waiting." She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. This time, he didn't pull away.
Not because he now knew she was a woman—undeniably so—but because her solemn tone revealed the truth. The Dragon Gold promised immense power, but its survival rate was a needle in a haystack. Resistance was futile. His fate rested with the gods. Her kiss? A small comfort before the plunge.
Led by the old man, Lei Zhengyang passed through six heavily secured gates, arriving at a vast underground chamber. The walls, floor, and ceiling were forged from impenetrable metal—a fortress within a fortress. The old man produced a key from a chain around his neck, unlocking the final door. This was no ordinary place.
"This is the Dragon Gold's core terminal," the old man explained, unprompted. "Across the Eastern Nation, there are six development sites for the neural core. This is the ultimate one. If it accepts you, you'll become more than a super soldier—you'll be a super genius."
"Or a corpse, stuck behind this door forever, right?" Lei Zhengyang snapped, irritation flaring.
The old man nodded gravely. "Yes. Success and failure are two sides of the same coin. But rest assured, if you die, you won't go alone. I'll vanish with you, our souls fused as one. That's the law of life—no one escapes it. Now, enter the Dragon Gold. Survive three days, and you'll unlock eighty-one days of potential awakening. This is the moment that decides our fates."
The Dragon Gold device resembled a cryogenic pod—or, less charitably, a high-tech coffin. Soft blankets lined the interior, surrounded by an array of metallic instruments. Lei Zhengyang had no words left. If he couldn't fight it, he'd embrace it.
He climbed in, lying down as his wrists and ankles were strapped in. A helmet studded with electronic components was fitted over his head, its ominous design sending a chill through him. The lid closed, plunging him into darkness.
"Good luck," the old man's voice echoed faintly.
A button was pressed. Frigid air flooded the chamber, overwhelming Lei Zhengyang's senses. His body succumbed, slipping into unconsciousness.
Electrodes flared to life, flickering wildly. Sparks erupted from overtaxed instruments, but the old man sat calmly, unfazed. Their fates were intertwined. If Lei Zhengyang's destiny was sealed, so was his.
"I've had a lucky life," the old man murmured, closing his eyes. "I believe he will, too." He sank into a stillness, as if entering an endless hibernation.
The Dragon Gold was a myth in the Eastern Nation, whispered among soldiers as the key to creating super warriors. Over a decade, a thousand elite soldiers had been sacrificed, with only twenty-six emerging as successes. Those twenty-six became legends, executing the nation's most perilous missions in the shadows. Yet none had reached the fabled War Emperor state—the godlike pinnacle of power.
For them, this was only the beginning. The road ahead stretched endlessly.
Though Lei Zhengyang lay in a deathlike trance, his mind buzzed with unnatural clarity. The electrodes amplified his consciousness, making it hyperactive.
"Who are you?" he demanded, startled. First, an erotic dream. Now, someone—or something—invaded his mind again. Unbeknownst to him, this wasn't a dream but his consciousness interfacing with the Dragon Gold's virtual core—a living intelligence.
"Who cares who I am?" he growled, his mind reverting to the brash, unfiltered version of himself from a year ago. "Got something to say? Spit it out. Otherwise, get lost. I'm exhausted."
The entity, a shimmering presence, shook its head in disapproval. "I am the master of the Dragon Gold's power. In this realm, I am king. You dare disrespect me, human? Prepare for punishment."
A bolt of light, fiercer than any electric whip, shot toward him. Lei Zhengyang screamed, his consciousness overwhelmed. His body had blacked out before, but this time, his mind collapsed. He sank into a deeper, final slumber.