Chapter 20: Training and Improvement

Bai Ming raised an eyebrow. "You mean you've lost all your power now and can only reside inside the homework notebook? Like a bound spirit?"

Bai Xiaozhi twisted her fingers nervously, her voice growing softer. "I'm sorry... I can't help you with anything right now..."

"Stop," Bai Ming interrupted her. "We're even already. In the dungeon, I helped you dispel your grudges, you gave me strength, and in the end, you saved my life and helped me clear the level."

Bai Xiaozhi’s eyes welled with tears. "So, does that mean you don’t need me anymore?"

Bai Ming sneered coldly. "In your dreams! This homework notebook belongs to me. Since you moved in, you owe some rent, right?"

"Ah?"

Bai Xiaozhi froze, then hurriedly said, "I—I can cook! I can clean and even wash your clothes. Can those count as rent?"

"That’s not enough," Bai Ming suddenly lowered his voice. "You need to pay rent with your very existence."

Bai Xiaozhi flushed bright red and stammered, "I don’t understand what you mean."

Bai Ming lifted the homework notebook. "It’s simple. You haven’t completely lost your power. As long as you’re residing inside this notebook, you can boost my attributes. Those attribute bonuses are your rent."

[Homework Notebook of Bai Xiaozhi]

[Type: Special Item]

[Level: D+]

[Durability: 10]

[Effect: When Bai Xiaozhi is residing in this notebook, and it is carried in the player’s “backpack” or bag, the player gains +2 Perception bonus (Insight bonus), and a +4 Insight bonus on "Listen" checks.]

[Usage Requirement: User ID “DE5672****1723”]

[Note: This yellowed math homework notebook is full of erasures and tear stains. The title page bears the neat handwriting of “Bai Xiaozhi,” but the last page is completely blank, as if harboring an unfinished wish.]

[Auto-bound to User ID, non-tradeable, non-transferable, non-droppable]

[Note: 1 point of Listening attribute is equivalent to the listening effect provided by 2 points of Perception attribute]

After Bai Xiaozhi came out, the attributes of [Homework Notebook of Bai Xiaozhi] changed. It became an item that can boost Perception and Listening abilities, had a specific level, and could be placed back into the [backpack].

Bai Ming had no idea why this change occurred; he only knew he was getting a great deal.

…

Bai Xiaozhi settled down at Bai Ming’s home.

Although Bai Ming said her very existence was the best "rent," Bai Xiaozhi naturally became his exclusive housekeeper.

She took care of washing clothes, cooking meals, and cleaning the room—all neatly organized, always humming cheerful tunes.

Later, when she learned to use a smartphone, she would play short dramas out loud while working, filling the whole house with lively energy.

Bai Ming just smiled quietly, as long as she was happy, that was enough.

Meanwhile, Bai Ming began an almost frenzied training regimen.

He discovered that the endurance granted by [Blood-red Tenacity] was actually the rapid recovery from muscle damage.

This realization brightened his eyes: if that was the case, why not push his training beyond limits?

He planned to push his physical condition to the extreme before the next Twilight Game.

Besides that, Bai Ming intended to study staff techniques to improve his weapon skills.

He wasn’t training blindly.

The damage increase principle of [Blood-red Weapon Specialization: Staff] was not just about reality distortion but also high-level techniques.

It was knowledge seemingly engraved in DNA, an instinctive use of the staff like breathing.

Even after the specialization faded, some of the techniques remained in his brain and muscle memory.

Bai Ming repeatedly practiced the moves from memory, trying to relearn the specialization through sheer training.

He hoped to develop [Blood-red Weapon Specialization: Staff] without spending specialization points.

His training venue was the Mental Time Room (Fake).

This was a small item obtained from the system’s [Shop].

[Mental Time Room (Fake)]

[Type: Training Facility/Item]

[Level: E+]

[Durability: 7/7]

[Effect: Creates a personal exclusive training space with the following effects:

1. Training efficiency increased by 20% (applies to skill proficiency growth, physical training, etc.).

2. Equipped with a gym (strength training machines, endurance equipment, etc.).

3. Equipped with a martial arts training ground (wooden dummies, sandbags, weapon racks, meditation area, etc.).

4. Automatically adjusts temperature and humidity, reducing external disturbances.

5. Basic nutrition supply (after use, training recovery efficiency +10%, cannot be removed from the Mental Time Room)]

[Usage Restrictions: None]

[Cost: 20 game coins per activation/day, consumes 1 durability point per day; less than 24 hours counts as 1 full day]

[Note: An upgraded version of the training room, but don’t expect to become a Super Saiyan here]

[Price: 400 game coins]

Bai Ming realized that obtaining satisfactory skills from the [Shop] was extremely difficult.

So he gritted his teeth and bought it. After all, a 20% boost in training efficiency and a 10% boost in post-training recovery was very appealing.

Most importantly, with [Blood-red Tenacity], his daily practice time was at least ten times that of others, maximizing the use of the [Mental Time Room (Fake)] and ensuring it was cost-effective.

He ignored other trivial items from the shop like [Green Arrow Chewing Gum] or [Rain Umbrella].

However, he did find a weapon that caught his interest.

[Long Staff Model One]

[Type: Weapon (Long Staff)]

[Level: E]

[Material: Refined forged iron core, wrapped in hardwood]

[Hardness: 10]

[Toughness: 9]

[Durability: 15]

[Damage Type: Blunt (Strike)]

[Base Damage: 1D10]

[Critical Hit Range: 20/×2]

[Length: 200 cm]

[Weight: 10 kg]

[Usage Requirement: Strength ≥ 14]

[Note: Mass-produced seventh batch from the Armory Department, the staff bears the “One” character engraved faintly]

[Price: 200 game coins]

Previously, the steel staff Bai Ming used had a hardness rating of only 8 in the system evaluation, far less than the 10 hardness of the [Long Staff Model One].

After researching on the [Player Forum], he learned that the hardness standard used was the Mohs scale, where 10 corresponds to diamond hardness.

Even more surprising was that the staff’s toughness reached 9, far exceeding diamond’s standard of 2.

According to system standards, a toughness of 10 equated to rubber material, so 9 toughness fully met weapon requirements.

Its E-level rating was simply because it was an ordinary weapon without special effects.

Bai Ming bought it without hesitation and used it as his daily training weapon.

[After continuous training, player gained partial information on Blood-red Weapon Specialization: Staff]

[After continuous training, player’s Strength attribute: 14 → 15]

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

Seeing his Agility attribute remain unchanged, Bai Ming recalled the +2 Perception bonus from [Homework Notebook of Bai Xiaozhi].

According to the theory of long-tail effect, fully leveraging strengths enhances core competitiveness more than merely compensating for weaknesses.

He decisively allocated his free attribute points to Perception.

[Player Perception attribute: 12 → 13]

————————————

[Player ID: Wutian]

[Age: 23]

[Race: Human]

[Level: LV3]

[Experience: 500/600]

[Strength: 15]

[Agility: 13]

[Constitution: 14]

[Intelligence: 14]

[Perception: 13 + 2]

[Charisma: 12]

[Willpower: 3]

[Willpower Points: 300]

[Skills: None]

[Background Talents: Rebel, Coward]

[Blood-red Specialization: Blood-red Tenacity]

[Game Coins: 60]

[Skill Points: 3]

[Specialization Points: 0]

[Equipment: Long Staff Model One]

[Special Items: Homework Notebook of Bai Xiaozhi]

————————————

Returning to the ninth day, Bai Ming was resting at home playing video games when blood-red words again appeared on his retina.

[Welcome to the “Twilight Game”]

[The game level you are about to enter: E]

[May you witness the sacrifice of daylight in the twilight]

[Mission Name: Last Bus]

[Main Task: Wait at any bus stop at 4:44 a.m., and after boarding, arrive alive at Dawn Hospital Station]

[Time Limit: 24 hours]

[Failure Penalty: Erasure (Deletion) / None]

[Mission Reward 1: Base experience 600 points]

[Mission Reward 2: Base game coins 600 points]

[Note: Experience and game coin rewards fluctuate based on player performance]

[Note: All injuries will be fully healed upon returning]

[Note: Upon mission start, the character model from last roleplay mode will be used by default; players may pay 100 game coins to change appearance, but body shape cannot be altered]