Swallowing the Stars: Starting with the Battle of Geniuses.

Chapter 5 The Great Axe Gladiator

Night had fallen, and Hunzhen did not continue practicing the psychic powers he had just acquired. Instead, he leisurely left the hotel and went out onto the street.

Putting aside its own circumstances, the night view of Yecheng is truly impressive.

Supported by cutting-edge technology, the Silver Ring Building, which resembles a ring when viewed from above, is a marvel of nature that Hunzhen had never seen before on Earth.

The lifelike three-dimensional figure projected in front of the building's plaza is that of a popular actress from Black Jade Star.

Her dance was captivating, with each movement accompanied by vibrant red and azure light bands.

She frowned and blinked, as if casting a flirtatious glance at the thousands of viewers; her red lips parted slightly as she sang a melodious and graceful pop song.

The technological level here is at least twenty or thirty years higher than in Hunzhen's previous life.

With the support of space technology, people have long been free from worries about food and clothing.

But beneath the facade of peace and prosperity lies a bloody and cruel reality.

Almost a week has passed since Hunzhen and his bearded colleague engaged in a public shooting and fighting.

If this had happened on Earth in my previous life, it would have caused a huge uproar, and the city where it occurred would certainly have been the subject of much discussion.

But here, neither online nor in reality, there is any trace of that day's events, as if nothing ever happened.

It seemed as if an invisible hand had wiped everything away.

Those are marks that have been formed on this planet over decades, centuries... for a very long time.

Even though all other aspects of the social ecosystem are exactly the same as in the previous life, the people of this planet seem to have a distorted sense of perception when facing death—no one cares about the dead.

This is just the company's "livestock farm".

They keep countless people who seem to be in a clear social hierarchy, but in reality, the so-called conglomerates and high-level executives on Black Jade Star are no different from the bottom of society on this planet in the eyes of the company. They are just lambs to be used as practice for assassins.

They are all descendants of the ninth and tenth rank of human bloodlines, the cheapest slaves in the interstellar space.

Based on his observations on Black Jade Star and the historical records of hunting missions, Hunzhen could roughly guess that, apart from the company, the strongest natives on this planet were probably only at the eighth or ninth level of the Apprentice rank.

Even if there were a very few geniuses in history who broke through to the planetary level, eight or nine out of ten of them would still be inseparable from Black Jade Star and would face the company's punishment.

Human life is worthless, at least not at the apprentice or planetary level.

As described in the original work, even if you become a planetary-level being, you can have citizenship in the universe, which means you are qualified to make a living and serve as a henchman, servant, or cannon fodder.

As someone with a modern education, it's hard for Hunzhen not to feel awkward, but he doesn't intend to change anything.

His reason for going out tonight was very simple and straightforward—he just wanted to have some fun.

More than a month has passed since he transmigrated, and now he can confidently say that the days of living hand to mouth are over.

With someone taking care of his anxieties, he can live a life of freedom and enjoyment.

Although with his genuine personality, he wouldn't immediately become dissolute and fall into a life of extravagance and debauchery, he would feel completely at ease if he relaxed a little.

Putting everything else aside, as an assassin under the company, Black Jade Star naturally has no shortage of coins.

In just two hours, he visited six highly-rated restaurants in the night city and enjoyed expensive delicacies that he, as a working-class person, could not afford to eat in the past.

With the physical strength of a level 3 martial artist, he could digest even if he ate several times more food.

After enjoying a delicious meal, it's natural to also sample a variety of entertainment options.

Under the allure of money, he quickly experienced more than half of the eighteen martial arts skills of Night City.

Many activities start with curiosity and excitement, but after the experience, the novelty wears off and the initial enthusiasm quickly fades.

"It's nothing special."

For a third-tier martial artist like him, a massage was not as pleasurable as shaking his own muscles.

Hall D was purely noisy; at least he couldn't really fit in.

Going to a bar alone feels even harder than going to a nightclub alone...

Hunzhen sighed inwardly.

Some activities, which colleagues and classmates boasted about in their past lives, turned out to be not very enjoyable when actually tried.

Of course, Hunzhen would not consider himself superior.

The latest novel is first published here!

The reason for this is twofold: firstly, it's a matter of compatibility, and secondly, it's because I'm alone and have no friends to keep me company.

Alone in a foreign land, I am a stranger; in this vast universe, I have no relatives.

Hunzhen gazed at the clouds drifting across the dim sky, as if looking at his own aimless wandering, and a sense of loneliness arose for no reason.

After a night of revelry, dawn had broken.

"I've rested enough; it's time to focus on my training."

Hunzhen's expression turned solemn: "Begin the simulation."

[Within two months, facing countless attacks, you finally couldn't hide your awakened mental power and, relying on the power of a fourth-level martial artist and a fourth-level mentalist, killed dozens of your colleagues.]

[The tiger has no intention of harming people, but people have the heart to harm the tiger. Even though you have repeatedly proclaimed that your previous actions were unavoidable, the remaining fourth and fifth-tier powerhouses in this city can no longer sit idly by.]

[Regardless, the hunting grounds known as Night City will come to an end prematurely—but before these powerful figures can launch their final attack on you, a higher-level force intervenes. This means that your potential has finally been recognized by the company. To prevent promising talents from being wasted halfway, the "mentor" has finally stepped in and pulled you into the "God of War" training program ahead of schedule.]

[During your journey away from Black Jade Star, you were able to use an A1-level cultivation pod. One month later, you successfully broke through to the first tier of the Planetary level.]

[One year has passed in the simulation, and you have finally arrived at your destination, "Black Oak Star," where the company headquarters is located. Upon arrival, you are immediately taken to the operating table to have your biochip updated. The doctor kindly tells you about the many benefits of this chip, but you know that this is likely the most advanced chip in the human realm, and unless you break through to the Domain Lord level, it is absolutely impossible to remove it.]

After leaving the medical facility, you completed your onboarding procedures at the head office. Having traversed several years, you finally learned the company's full name—Black Oak Interstellar Talent Development Company.

After about two years of onboarding training, your martial arts skills, cultivation methods, weapons, equipment, and so on have all been upgraded. However, you still haven't been able to break through to the first level of the domain. Just then, the company announced that you have perfectly completed the training and informed you that you will become a glorious gladiator. After one thousand victories, the company will restore your freedom.

One month later, you became a planetary gladiator in the Giant Axe Arena and began your first duel.

[After another month and ten life-or-death battles, you have earned the title of Planetary Warrior]

In your thirty-sixth battle as a warrior, you finally succumbed and perished.

[This simulation has ended]

(End of this chapter)