Lu Wanqing arrived at the underground arena. First, she was led by a bodyguard to meet Xavier, and then under the bodyguard's protection, she entered the virtual arena.
Today, without little Harvey to care for, she could focus on training.
On the combat platform, Lu Wanqing repeatedly recalled yesterday's lessons, thinking about the evasions or counterattacks she had calmly devised in her mind while sleeping!
Imagination and reality were different. She had thought of many countermeasures last night, but today, standing on the actual platform and engaging in combat, she realized her ideas were still too naive.
It wasn't that her counterattack strategies were flawed, but her physical condition was far inferior to those who had grown up on border planets and frequently trained in underground virtual arenas. Her speed and strength simply couldn't match theirs.
Lu Wanqing lost several more rounds. Although it was a virtual arena and the injuries wouldn't harm her real body, the arena simulated the five senses so realistically that she still experienced the pain of being hit.
It hurt intensely!
But the more it hurt, the less she wanted to give up!
When little Harvey was very young, his father brought him here for virtual training. How did the young Harvey endure those battles, which, although not real combat, inflicted pain and damage indistinguishable from real combat?
There were things she didn't want to inquire about too deeply, but that didn't mean she couldn't imagine them.
If a child could do it, she certainly could too. Pain, suffering – if a child had endured it all, why couldn't she?
She would become stronger!
Lu Wanqing thought this, rested for a while, and quickly stepped back onto the platform.
Her reaction speed was poor, but that could be trained. With more combat experience, her reaction speed would naturally improve; she felt this clearly during her matches.
Her strength was lacking, but she could also train. With constant exercise, she would surely become stronger in the future.
Of course, the natural strength disparity between men and women was difficult to overcome, but she could definitely become stronger than she was before. Combined with her clear thinking and the ability to anticipate opponents' moves, by integrating intelligence with strength, she might not necessarily be unable to defeat others in the future!
Lu Wanqing rested for half an hour. Feeling her energy restored, she quickly found another match and engaged in combat with someone.
Xavier, after finishing his business, remembered Lu Wanqing saying she would come to the virtual arena and decided to check on her.
He hadn't held out much hope, but upon arriving and seeing Lu Wanqing manage to block a few moves, a flicker of surprise crossed his deep eyes.
Most importantly…
Xavier glanced at the time. Lu Wanqing had been training for several hours, hadn't she? Had she not given up yet after all this time?
"Has she been training continuously?" Xavier mused, then inquired of the bodyguard who had been accompanying Lu Wanqing.
The bodyguard nodded quickly. "Yes, since arriving here, Miss Wanwan has been on the platform. She rested for half an hour because she was too tired, but after recovering, she quickly returned to the platform."
"How is she doing?" Xavier asked.
"Her reactions are very slow, and her strength is very weak," the bodyguard stated bluntly, offering a straightforward assessment.
Xavier chuckled. He looked at Lu Wanqing on the platform. Her reactions were indeed still very slow, and the gap in her strength was not negligible. However…
He had grown up on the Imperial Capital Planet, so he knew that few women raised in such a peaceful environment were formidable. Lu Wanqing's perseverance and dedication to training were already excellent.
Xavier sat down in the audience seats, observing Lu Wanqing's combat with a probing gaze, analyzing her weaknesses and shortcomings, as well as… her strengths.
Madame Red Spider saw that Red Bird had finished his business and came to the virtual arena. Hearing from the arena staff that the woman Red Bird had brought earlier had gone to the virtual arena, she guessed that Red Bird must have come to watch that woman train.
Thinking this, Madame Red Spider couldn't help but follow, wanting to see just how capable the woman Red Bird had taken a liking to was.
Entering the Star Net pod and logging into the virtual arena's online platform, Madame Red Spider began searching through the various arena rooms. The virtual arena was different from the real one. The real arena had only one combat platform and one audience area, showcasing genuine combat. The virtual arena had many rooms, each containing a training platform and an audience area.
If Red Bird hadn't entered, it would have been impossible for Madame Red Spider to directly find Lu Wanqing among the numerous rooms. However, Red Bird's fame in the underground arena was immense. Red Bird had entered earlier, and now she just needed to ask anyone to find out which room Red Bird had gone to.
With Red Bird's current strength, he had no need to come to the virtual arena. In the past, Red Bird came to the virtual arena to watch Little Wei fight. But today, she heard only that woman was present, so Red Bird must have come to watch that woman train!
Madame Red Spider entered the room and indeed saw a familiar figure on the platform, but the other party's disheveled appearance surprised her.
Too weak!
She was constantly on the defensive, taking hits. It was evident she wanted to counterattack, but the woman's reactions and strength were too poor. Her counterattacks were easily seen through by her opponents, who then defeated her.
Madame Red Spider was even stunned. She couldn't believe that the woman Red Bird had chosen was so weak. She looked… like an ordinary woman?
Did Red Bird also have a preference for this type? Did he like ordinary women?
Madame Red Spider thought this, then turned her gaze towards the audience seats. As expected, she quickly saw Red Bird sitting there, focused on watching Lu Wanqing train on the platform.
In the audience seats, the bodyguard seemed to notice Madame Red Spider, glanced at her warily, then lowered his head and quietly reported to Xavier.
Upon hearing this, Xavier raised his head and looked back towards Madame Red Spider.
Seeing Red Bird looking at her, Madame Red Spider wasn't afraid. She walked over with a smile.
"Red Bird's wife… seems to be an ordinary person?" Madame Red Spider said with a smile.
"Mm," Xavier, or rather Red Bird, nodded slightly.
"Wanwan is very ordinary, but she is very diligent," Red Bird said.
"Wanwan?" Madame Red Spider repeated.
"Yes, the 'wan' from a waxing crescent moon," Red Bird said.
Madame Red Spider: "It sounds poetic."
"She once saved my life," Red Bird said.
Madame Red Spider was surprised: "Her? An ordinary person…"
Madame Red Spider's words didn't finish. For people like them who lived on the edge of a knife, getting seriously injured was a constant possibility. Being unexpectedly saved by an ordinary person after a serious injury was not uncommon.
Getting together with this woman because she saved him was an even more common story within their circle. This feeling was perhaps something only they, the wanderers, could understand – a yearning for stability, a desire to have an ordinary and settled home like any normal person.
However, Madame Red Spider was surprised that such a cliché story would happen to Red Bird. Did even the lofty Red Bird yearn for the life of an ordinary person?