C2 The Reincarnation of the Celestial Tome(2)

Chen Ye quickly reached the limit of his second mechanical movement, feeling a bit dizzy. He bit down on his teeth and kept pushing forward, strictly following Wang Jianguo's teachings to maintain his breathing rhythm. Suddenly, it was as if he had broken through some invisible barrier. A notification appeared before him: You have learned the skill "Basic Fitness" (G). Through physical training, you've gradually increased your strength and slightly enhanced your vitality. Proficiency 1/100.

With the new skill comprehension, Chen Ye felt a sense of ease. He checked his attributes and noticed that although his physique remained at 4, his health points had risen to 46/50, and his stamina had grown to 90/150. There was no explicit description, but it was clear that "Basic Fitness" (G) passively improved these stats. His eyes sparkled with realization; white-labeled skills like "Basic" passively boosted his attributes. He eagerly anticipated the full mastery of "Basic Steps" (G), as his proficiency in the skill had reached 95/100 and was nearing its peak.

But after maxing out the proficiency of "Basic Steps" (G), Chen Ye found that no matter how much longer he ran, there seemed to be no further changes. His mind raced, recalling Wang Jianguo's earlier advice. Could it be that skill proficiency was just one of several conditions for advancement, and that other factors, such as guidance from others, were necessary?

With this thought, Chen Ye decided to seek out Wang Jianguo. He sprinted over and respectfully asked, "Boss, I have some questions. The techniques you taught me before were incredibly helpful, but I still feel like I'm falling behind everyone else. I'm eager to learn more. Could you spare some time to give me further instruction?"

Wang Jianguo looked taken aback, a hint of a troubled smile crossing his stern face. After a moment, he responded, "Alright, since you're the soldier I personally selected, who else would I help if not you? You've got the breathing rhythm down. Now you need to focus more on your stride. Make sure your steps are large enough with each breath, but without losing the overall coordination..."

Having received further guidance on the "Basic Steps," Chen Ye experienced a breakthrough on top of his existing proficiency. He had now mastered "Basic Steps" (F), at the cost of 20 points of favorability.

Chen Ye's heart stirred. Instead of hastily examining the skill, he noticed the "affection points" metric. It appeared that learning or advancing skills required the use of these points, suggesting he had a past connection with Wang Jianguo; otherwise, Wang Jianguo might not have given him the time of day. Wang Jianguo's demeanor had turned noticeably colder as he nodded at Chen Ye, signaling him to keep in formation.

Chen Ye rejoined the end of the line and took a closer look at the Basic Steps (F) skill.

Basic Steps (F): Your movements become more agile, allowing you to cover greater distances. Proficiency: 1/200.

Keeping pace with the team was no longer an issue for Chen Ye, and his stamina was depleting slowly. Without sparing his energy, he cast a scouting ability on the whole team. Not only did he learn the status of his squadmates, but he also gained insight into Lee Yunfei's condition.

Lee Yunfei, HP: 150/150, Stamina: 460/500... Chen Ye was uncertain of Lee Yunfei's background. Beyond various basic skills, there was a mysterious green skill marked with a question mark. The skill's name alone hinted at its uniqueness, and Lee Yunfei's HP and stamina were exceptionally high, suggesting they weren't solely enhanced by basic skills.

Lee Yunfei seemed to catch on to something. He halted and shot a glare back at Chen Ye, who felt a wave of anxiety wash over him. A prompt then appeared, informing him that his prying had irritated the other party, resulting in a loss of 5 favorability points.

Chen Ye couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and frustration. He had just come to understand the value of favorability points and, without any strategy in place, had already seen them diminish.

The armed cross-country trek was monotonous. Aside from the occasional choking sensation when his stamina dropped below 40, which slightly increased his Basic Physical Fitness (G) proficiency, there were no significant changes for a long stretch. Chen Ye's attention drifted to the world he had found himself in.

The term "Celestial Tome world" had come up in the notifications. Despite Chen Ye's efforts to recall, his memories prior to entering this world were hazy. With a mental attribute of 2/3, it seemed he had sustained some damage, as a typical person's score was 5 points. Judging by his own attributes, he was even less capable than an average person, particularly in terms of mental strength. This likely had a connection to his inability to remember anything.

Chen Ye decided not to dwell on the forgotten cause of his headache, as it was far from a pleasant sensation. Yet, he knew he must confront the repercussions within this world. The main mission hadn't explicitly stated the penalties for failure, but reading between the lines, it was clear that failure equated to worthlessness. And worthless things, colloquially known as trash, often met with destruction.

He instinctively felt for the Type 56 Automatic Rifle strapped to his back. The presence of real, live ammunition meant they could be ambushed at any moment. This was no ordinary training exercise; it was a genuine life-or-death challenge.

"Stand still! Be on alert!" Lee Yunfei suddenly commanded, signaling with his hand. The team halted, each member raising their weapons and spreading out in their practiced formation, vigilant of their surroundings.

Yunfei's gaze fixed on a bush some meters away. He drew a dagger from his pocket, and in the ensuing silence, punctuated only by the sound of suppressed breaths, he hurled the blade. A streak of silver flashed into the bush, followed by an odd noise, and a long, dark shape darted out.

"Watch out! It's a Banded Krait, highly venomous. Back away!" Wang Jianguo called out, yet he bravely positioned himself in the snake's path, grinning, "Yunfei, looks like we might have an extra dish to enjoy later!"

Before them was a silver-ringed snake, nearly two meters in length, its wrist-thick body coiled menacingly. The mention of its potent venom made everyone step back. Chen Ye, acting instinctively, sent out a scout and quickly received relevant information.

The snake had 190 out of 200 life points, with venomous fangs ready to strike. Chen Ye's limited view of the information was a testament to the disparity in their strengths.

"Be careful," Yunfei cautioned, moving stealthily toward the rear of the snake. His approach was so light and noiseless that the keenly alert snake failed to detect him, its gaze locked on Wang Jianguo.

Wang Jianguo, clearly experienced with venomous snakes, swayed gently, keeping the snake's attention on him without provoking an attack.

Chen Ye was feeling incredibly anxious at that moment. He was aware that the silver-ringed snake wouldn't last more than a few minutes against the combined efforts of Lee Yunfei and Wang Jianguo, particularly since Yunfei had already deployed his green skill to flank and launch a surprise attack. Chen Ye feared that any second now, Yunfei would target the snake's vital spot, immobilizing it. If that happened, he would be out of the loop. But this was about his side mission. If he didn't inflict at least 30% damage on the snake, he wouldn't complete his task. Considering the snake's substantial 200 health points, Chen Ye doubted he could take down other creatures by himself.

With resolve, Chen Ye clenched his teeth and charged forward, yelling, "Watch out, boss!"

Wang Jianguo, previously sure of his impending victory, paused in confusion. Whether provoked or startled, the silver-ringed snake suddenly sprang into action. Chen Ye, dashing past Wang Jianguo at just the right moment, felt the snake's fangs sink into his left arm.