Starting to Gain Experience from Push-Ups Chapter 1225 - 594: Dream Entry Test (Part 3)

Fang Cheng observed the ancient bell, sensing the spiritual waves it emitted. He then gave a slight nod, dutifully lowering his head. "Understood." The young examiner, holding the helmet with both hands, placed it firmly upon Fang Cheng’s head. With practiced movements, he fastened the metal buckle, securing the chin strap. The helmet’s cold metal sent a chill down his scalp. "Get ready." Chen Bingzhong retrieved a hammer from the table, raising his wrist slightly as he positioned it near the bell. Without awaiting Fang Cheng's reply, the hammer descended abruptly. "Dong——" A sound, not loud but remarkably muted, filled the confined space. This noise defied the laws of acoustics; it felt as though it bypassed the ears entirely, directly penetrating the skull and detonating within the mind. Sudden darkness enveloped Fang Cheng, and the once distinct walls and lights around him began to warp and stretch erratically. At the edge of his perception, the facial markings on the bronze bell seemed to awaken. The face’s mouth widened into an abyssal opening, unleashing a silent scream and transforming into a swirling black vortex. Instantly, an immense suction force emerged, attempting to violently wrench his consciousness away. Such a degree of mental assault could rapidly induce hallucinations in a typical individual. However, thanks to Fang Cheng's exceptional Spirit Attribute, rated at 70 points, his mind remained unshaken. He could have remained seated like an unmoving statue if he chose. Yet, he refrained from offering direct resistance. After all, his purpose today was an interview assessment, not to stir up trouble. As a proclaimed "Martial Arts Genius," any display of overly weak Spirit Resistance would be unconvincing, while an excessively strong one might lead to him being misidentified as a dangerous spiritual mutant. The paramount consideration was to skillfully manage the extent of his facade. Fang Cheng’s gaze flickered towards the nearby camera, a subtle shift in his heart. Immediately, his brow furrowed, and his eyelids trembled slightly. His fingers curled further, clenching the edge of the metal chair so tightly that veins bulged on the back of his hand. He perfectly embodied a martial artist grappling precariously between reality and the Illusion Realm. This internal struggle persisted for close to ten seconds. Only when he noticed the young examiner’s expression on the monitor, betraying unrestrained astonishment, did Fang Cheng finally ease his strained mental defenses. Then, yielding to the pulling sensation, he allowed his consciousness to descend, fully submerging into a profound darkness. "Whew..." Fang Cheng's head slowly drooped, his previously taut body gradually slackening, sinking back into the chair. His breathing quickly grew deep and regular, his chest rising and falling with evenness, and his heart rate correspondingly slowed. He had unmistakably entered a state of deep sleep. "A promising candidate." The young examiner peered at the steadily advancing waveform on his tablet, unable to withhold his commendation: "Typically, special duty candidates collapse within two or three seconds of the bell's chime." "He endured for ten seconds before entering a dream state, and his vital signs are recovering so smoothly afterward." "This level of mental fortitude is undoubtedly the highest among the hundreds tested today!" Chen Bingzhong’s gaze fell upon the young man, whose posture remained upright even in sleep, and a rare, genuine smile touched his lips. "Old Shi did not misjudge this time." he mused internally, then picked up the steel pen beside him, decisively marking the score sheet: "Award him Grade A for the stress test dream stage." Having finished, Chen Bingzhong set down his pen, his attention returning to the ancient bronze bell. "What follows will depend on how much of his true self he reveals deep within the Illusion Realm..."