320 – Special Mode!

Originally, Wang Ping thought that the battle power of an Immortal Emperor merely reached the threshold of three-digit levels, but he didn’t expect the strength of an Immortal Emperor to be so formidable.

Although the Star God was also probing his relationship with the first-generation chat group’s member, Wang Ping could clearly see that the Star God was amazed by his prowess.

It is rumored that the Star God is at the elite level of the three-digit hierarchy. For the Star God to be so astonished, Wang Ping speculated that he had at least reached the elite level of three digits.

“Once I break through to the Immortal Emperor level, I think I can directly reach the three-digit limit…”

Wang Ping’s eyes flickered as he thought to himself.

Breaking through to the Immortal Emperor level would be a true transformation.

“In other words, unknowingly, I have already stood at the pinnacle of the multiverse.”

Wang Ping sighed.

Among the observable multiverse, there is no world that can give birth to a two-digit existence.

Two-digit existences are mostly born from the Heavenly Tower Game, being exceptional beings.

Therefore, the three-digit limit is the pinnacle of the multiverse. This statement is not incorrect.

“Wanting to break through to the Immortal Emperor level in the Allheavens Playground is not easy either. However, as long as I slowly climb the tower, it’s only a matter of time before I break through to the Immortal Emperor level and advance to the two-digit level.”

Wang Ping chuckled lightly, full of confidence in himself.

“Wang Ping, you’re really something else.” Alpha listened to Wang Ping’s sigh and silently commented, “In terms of the speed of becoming stronger, even that person is far inferior to you. A four-digit level exception at thirty-eight years old, with a hopeful prospect of becoming a three-digit or even two-digit level before a hundred years old.”

“That person is not as strong as me, it only shows that my talent is extraordinary, not that my abilities are stronger than his.” Wang Ping shook his head, fully aware of himself, “After all, it was with the Life Simulator talent that I achieved this feat, whereas he relied on his own abilities to become a two-digit level.”

“Actually, he didn’t lack a Golden Finger either.” Alpha fell silent for a moment before speaking.

“What do you mean?”

Wang Ping raised his eyebrows, somewhat surprised.

“The first-generation chat group members did not have their talents awakened at the start, but that doesn’t mean some of them didn’t have their own opportunities.”

Alpha showed a reminiscing expression and spoke.

“That person was deeply fortunate. After transmigrating, he obtained a special item, which could be considered his Golden Finger. However, compared to your Life Simulator, this special Golden Finger didn’t grant him such terrifying growth speed, and he relied more on his own abilities to grow and overcome challenges.”

“I see.”

Wang Ping nodded thoughtfully.

It seems that the first-generation people weren’t completely on their own when they transmigrated.

But this is quite normal. If the first-generation big shots didn’t have their own opportunities, it would indeed be difficult to grow into powerful beings of the multiverse.

In the end, in this world, those who can grow up usually fall into a few categories.

Astounding background, extraordinary heritage.

Exceptional talent, unstoppable force.

Deeply strategic, fairly lucky.

Great fortune, astonishing luck.

Rebirth of a mighty being, surpassing past life.

Unsurprisingly, that first-generation person falls between the third and fourth categories.

And Wang Ping himself belongs to the second category; his pure talent Life Simulator is too overpowered, allowing him to become strong easily in the early and mid-stages.

Even in the later stages, he still relies on the Life Simulator.

Of course, in a certain sense, he also touches the first category.

After all, without the first generation figure orchestrating everything from behind the scenes, he would have died despite his extraordinary talent.

“Considering the time, I should go climb the tower too.”

Next, Wang Ping collected his thoughts and looked towards the direction of the Heavenly Tower.

This time, Wang Ping didn’t plan to challenge just one level of the Heavenly Tower; he planned to climb continuously until he obtained the three-digit Stone of Rules and the opportunity to break through to the Immortal Emperor level.

Otherwise, ordinary five-digit special items and four-digit special items are of no use to him.

“The Heavenly Tower Game is extremely dangerous. Even though your strength has surged and your trump cards are impressive, you must not be careless. I’m still relying on you to lead the third-generation chat group to glory.”

Alpha’s expression was gentle but he reminded Wang Ping with great seriousness.

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”

Wang Ping smiled.

Then, without saying much more to Alpha, Wang Ping directly took out the Playground Pass and communicated with it using his thoughts.

In the next moment, Wang Ping was enveloped in white light and appeared in his personal room in the Heavenly Tower.

“Player Tian Yan, welcome back.”

The lively voice of the Heavenly Tower’s intelligence sounded once again.

“Detection indicates that player Tian Yan’s combat power has reached the threshold of four-digit talent, and his talent level has also reached four-digits. Moreover, he possesses a three-digit special talent, successfully triggering the hidden mechanism. Player Tian Yan, you have two choices.”

“What choices?”

Wang Ping frowned, feeling a sense of foreboding.

“The first option is to continue the tower challenge in the normal mode. However, as you progress through the floors, the time to form a team will grow longer. Additionally, due to the player’s overwhelming power, the difficulty of the Heavenly Tower Game will increase.”

“The second option is to engage in a special game mode. Player Tian Yan, you will skip the gradual tower progress and enter a unique solo game. If you clear this special game, your tower challenge will directly advance to the 60th floor, equivalent to obtaining an SSS rating for all preceding floors. Additionally, you will receive the specific item reward ‘Three-Digit Rules Stone’ and Immortal Emperor’s Fortune.”

The voice of the Heavenly Tower’s intelligence had a hint of temptation, with words also appearing on the screen.

Wang Ping fell silent.

This might be a mechanism of the Heavenly Tower, but it could also be the first generation interfering again.

“What is the special game? Can I utilize my talents as usual?”

Wang Ping asked expressionlessly.

“Player Tian Yan, as you ascend the floors, the talents and item grades that can be effective will increase correspondingly; this is a rule of the Heavenly Tower. For example, in Abyss Mode, once you reach the fifth floor, talents and items below six-digit levels will lose their effects; upon reaching the tenth floor, those below five digits will lose their effects; at the twenty-ninth floor, those below four digits will lose their effects; and at the fifty-ninth floor, talents and items below three digits will lose their effects.”

“Just tell me if I can use them as usual.”

Wang Ping spoke lightly.

“In the special mode, four-digit talents can be used but their effects will be somewhat weakened, only three-digit talents can function normally.”

The voice of the Heavenly Tower’s intelligence responded again.

“Heh, by what you say, I somehow got a good deal.”

Wang Ping smirked.

At the fifty-ninth floor, the effects of four-digit talents and items would be useless, yet by using the special mode, he would directly reach the sixtieth floor, maximizing the performance of his four-digit talents.

However, this so-called special mode definitely had big pitfalls awaiting him.

Only a difficulty surpassing all preceding floors combined would warrant such a special mode, with such rich rewards.

Otherwise, given the Heavenly Tower’s usual nature, it would never present him with these two choices.

Of course, this difficulty refers to his personal challenge, not others’.

Perhaps in the upcoming first sixty floors, with his Life Simulator combined with his current assets, he could easily overcome challenges, hence the Heavenly Tower provided such a choice to artificially boost his difficulty.

This is a rather normal occurrence.

With a four-digit talent like the Life Simulator, even free simulations could be reviewed.

Moreover, his Four-Digit Talent: Death-Exempt Medal and Four-Digit Talent: True Damage could secure his invincibility.

Not to mention, he had recently acquired the three-digit special item, Star-Moon God.

With such cards in hand, the upcoming tower challenge indeed posed no difficulty.

If someone like him could still encounter trouble in the first sixty floors, Wang Ping felt that all three-digit talents would have to die.

“Player Tian Yan, what is your choice?”

The voice of the Heavenly Tower’s intelligence rang out again, ignoring Wang Ping’s complaints.

“Heh, of course, I choose to continue the normal tower challenge.”

Wang Ping responded indifferently.

A special mode that seemed like a huge pitfall, he would never choose it.

“Player Tian Yan, please make your choice swiftly.”

The voice of the Heavenly Tower’s intelligence sounded once more.

This made Wang Ping fall silent, and he realized something.

Damn it, just like when he was forced into Abyss Mode before, from the start he had no real choice, asking him was just a formality.

“I choose Special Mode…”

Wang Ping spent the next half hour repeatedly opting for normal tower progression. Unfortunately, the Heavenly Tower ignored his choices, urging him continuously for half an hour, leaving Wang Ping exceptionally frustrated.

With no other option left, Wang Ping reluctantly chose the Special Mode.

“Ding, congratulations player Tian Yan, you have successfully selected Special Mode, the game begins…”

After Wang Ping made his decision, the voice of the Heavenly Tower’s intelligence resonated, no longer pretending to be deaf and mute.

This left Wang Ping speechless…

The next moment, Wang Ping was enveloped in white light, disappearing from the Heavenly Tower space, and was transported to the world of Special Mode.

When Wang Ping’s vision became clear again, he immediately noticed his abnormal state.

In terms of talents, apart from Four-Digit Talent: Death-Exempt Medal, Four-Digit Talent: True Damage, and Four-Digit Talent: Innate Dao Seed, all other talents were unusable.

Moreover, the effects of the remaining Four-Digit Talents were heavily nerfed.

The effect duration of Four-Digit Talent: Death-Exempt Medal was reduced to three minutes.

The effect of Four-Digit Talent: True Damage no longer bypassed energy barriers and required physical attacks to take effect, and even then, not all damage converted to true damage.

The effect of Four-Digit Talent: Innate Dao Seed was also nerfed significantly, drastically reducing comprehension.

As for Four-Digit Talent: Fearless Heart, which was a one-time talent, it was gone.

His true life talent, Life Simulator, was also severely nerfed, now only allowing one free use per day. It felt like a major setback.

Paid modes were altogether inaccessible.

Only the Three-Digit special item, Star-Moon God, was unaffected. However, its effect in the Heavenly Tower Game differed from the outside world, having undergone adjustments.

Nevertheless, Wang Ping could accept the nerfed talents and item effects, but the significant concern was the partial blurring of his memories.

Specifically, the memories related to his comprehension of Dao and cultivation were blurred.

These memories now felt as distant as reading novels before transmigration, drastically diminishing his control over power techniques.

In other words, Wang Ping had turned into a very special ordinary person, and the feeling wasn’t pleasant at all.

Wang Ping shook his head slightly, feeling somewhat troubled by his current situation.

This so-called Special Mode seemed to be even more troublesome than he had imagined.

“Ding, Special Game: Chaotic World begins, the rules are as follows:

1. In this game world, every two days, five balloons will appear. Player Tian Yan must choose and burst one of these five balloons within ten seconds.
2. Among the five balloons, each balloon contains different rules. Once any of the balloons are burst, the rules inside will manifest, altering the world’s rules. Players and the local residents must operate within these rules, or they will face death.
3. Clearance method: The host must ensure that ten days from now, more than thirty percent of humans in this world survive. Falling below thirty percent will result in failure.”

“Ding, the game will begin in thirty minutes. Please prepare yourself, player Tian Yan…”

The voice of the Heavenly Tower’s intelligence rang out repeatedly, and a screen appeared before Wang Ping.

“…”

Looking at the game mechanics, Wang Ping was left speechless.

Damn, these game rules are seriously tough.

Each balloon contains a rule, and rules could stack.

Wang Ping suspected that after choosing a balloon, the remaining balloons wouldn’t disappear or refresh, but keep accumulating.

In other words, this Special Mode’s difficulty was sky-high.

If it weren’t for his Life Simulator, which could avoid risks to the maximum extent, other players would likely face instant death.

Even Wang Ping himself couldn’t guarantee a hundred percent success under current conditions.

After all, his Life Simulator could only be used once per day.

So, if his luck was too bad, there would be no way to use the Life Simulator to fully understand all the balloon rules and plan accordingly to mitigate risks as much as possible.

“Troublesome…”

Wang Ping frowned slightly.

In the face of piling bizarre rules, ensuring the survival of over thirty percent of humanity was no simple task…

“The optimal strategy for completing this challenge should be like this…”

Wang Ping, after some contemplation, had a few ideas.

First, manifest as a deity and rapidly make the majority of humans believe in him as a foundation for the next steps.

Second, conduct a global broadcast, demonstrating to all humanity how to survive under the rules.

Third, select the most suitable rules to minimize the danger level.

Although, no matter how well he prepares, some luck will still be needed to clear this game. But one can only take it step by step.

“Right, I can also create some methods to spread faith before the game starts. This way, humans will be more likely to believe in me. Even with the Four-Digit Talent: Innate Dao Seed being nerfed, it should still help me accomplish these things. Not to mention, I can refer to the teachings of Taoism and Buddhism.”

Wang Ping’s eyes sparkled as he thought silently to himself.

“System, I want to start the free simulation.”

Then, Wang Ping silently commanded in his heart.

“Ding, the Life Simulator is starting, the free simulation begins…”

The voice of the System echoed.

【After making your decision, you quickly begin creating methods. Although time is limited, it’s enough to create doctrines for spreading faith. After all, the target audience is ordinary humans, not Cultivators; this shouldn’t be too difficult.】

【Nearly half an hour passes, you successfully create the methods and wait for the game to start.】

【A few minutes later, the game begins, and five balloons suddenly appear in front of you, making you tense. The first balloon is crucial. If it’s not chosen well, the game begins and Wang Ping’s main body can only gamble on the results, with no second chances. The risk would be too high.】

【You take a deep breath, hoping for good luck, and choose the balloon numbered 3. When you pop balloon number 3, the rule inside becomes apparent.】

【The rule is: humans can’t look at the sky. If someone looks at the sky, they will instantly die.】

【As the rule is revealed, people across the globe who happen to be looking at the sky die instantly. Fortunately, most people are busy with their work, and fewer are idly looking at the sky. Consequently, the death toll isn’t high. However, if this rule isn’t known, the number of deaths will gradually rise.】

【You are quite pleased with this result. The rule from balloon number 3 isn’t excessively harsh. This means you are quite lucky. The rules might become increasingly tough with each round, but the first round’s rules aren’t too crazy. Everything remains uncertain and needs to be explored.】

【Then, you begin your actions. You summon the Star-Moon God, successfully manifesting miracles that shock world leaders, who in turn broadcast these divine events, allowing you to spread faith and save humanity.】

【This global broadcast shocks most people, though some impoverished regions without access to live broadcasts miss out.】

【You’re prepared for this. You prompt leaders to act and spread the belief, while also informing people about the rule of not looking at the sky.】

【Despite your efforts and many people becoming your believers, human nature remains rebellious. The more forbidden something is, the more people want to try it. Thus, some who haven’t believed in you decided to defy the rule and look at the sky…】

【And they died instantly. This mass death caused widespread panic, making people believe in you even more.】

【Two days pass. On the third day at dawn, five more balloons appear. This makes you tense. After some deliberation, you choose the balloon numbered 7.】

【When balloon number 7 pops, its rule emerges: humans cannot sleep.】

【This rule changes your expression drastically. It’s dawn, most people worldwide are asleep. Although in other time zones it’s daytime, the rule appears too suddenly and too dangerously.】

【You foresee the imminent tragedy.】

【Indeed, as the rule takes effect, nearly half of humanity dies instantly, drastically lowering your chances of victory.】

【This result silences you. This is just the beginning. From now on, sleep-deprived humans will struggle to survive. Even meditation and resting with closed eyes, many won’t last eight days without sleepiness.】

“This special game is truly perilous.”

Wang Ping, watching the text simulation’s content, felt an extreme gravity in his heart.

This special game relies more on luck than strength or intelligence.

With bad luck, picking an impossible rule makes the game unplayable.

【Next, you spread the rule that humans can’t sleep. Simultaneously, you continue creating methods to keep people mentally alert without sleep.】

【Utilizing the insight from the Innate Dao Seed, you successfully create a meditation method and spread it. But during the creation process, many still die from sleep or drowsiness.】

【Now, the world’s human population has dropped below 45%.】

【In two days, human society halts. Without your created religion and widespread faith keeping the remaining population fervent believers, society would have descended into chaos.】

【These two days, the remaining humans barely survive using your meditation method.】

【At dawn on the fifth day, five more balloons appear. You stare at them in silence. This time, you don’t immediately pop one, contemplating whether you can try the previous rounds’ balloons.】

【If possible, the previous rounds’ rules might be simpler. Yet, you worry about popping a balloon only for the rule to not count, still needing to pop the third-round balloon, which would truly be devastating.】

【Finally, after consideration, you play it safe and pop balloon number 14.】

【When balloon number 14 pops, the rule inside appears.】