Li Zixuan quickly analyzed the current situation, finding this novel opening quite interesting compared to other games.

The main thing is that he genuinely feels the environment around him—it doesn’t feel like lying in the Game Box at all; it truly feels like being in a troop transport full of soldiers.

"Really, all of this is real! What they said online was true, and the game officials didn’t deceive us! The realism level truly exceeded 95%! My God! This is practically like traveling through time!"

"Oh geez! Earlier, I was in disbelief and pinched myself; it hurt like hell! This pain setting wouldn’t be serious, would it? Oh my gosh, I feel my legs are getting weak; if during monster fights I get hit like this, I might just die from the pain!"

"Guys! Are you all players? Where are we heading now? This opening is a bit beyond my expectations!"

"..."

After a brief period of adaptation, everyone in the vehicle started chattering noisily, marveling at the magic of this game.

From appearances, people from all over the world were present, but everyone used Chinese to communicate, though some struggled awkwardly. Simple conversations were still manageable.

This was influenced by factors like the Star Alliance and Light Blue Starry Sky, as well as the Anti-Demon Alliance. Chinese replaced English as the dominant language in this world, and all countries made Chinese a compulsory subject in schools. So when communicating abroad, everyone used Chinese directly.

"Everyone shut up! What’s all this noisy fuss? You’re new recruits of the Anti-Demon Army! New recruits of the Federation’s Mechanical Battle Force! You’re going to the battlefield, not a field trip! Anyone who continues making noise will get kicked off by me!"

Just as the discussion among the crowd reached a fever pitch, a coarse shout echoed inside the vehicle. A bearded middle-aged man in a Commander’s uniform stood in the aisle.

Li Zixuan was startled by this sudden shout, quickly looking toward that bearded middle-aged man. Judging from his outfit, he should be their superior officer.

"What did he just say? What does ’Federation Mechanical Battle Force’ mean? Aren’t we warriors of the Anti-Demon Army?"

At this moment, Li Zixuan suddenly realized the information revealed in the bearded man’s words, discovering things might not be as he had presumed.

With this thought, he couldn’t help but re-evaluate his attire, noticing this Combat Suit, although similar to the Anti-Demon Army, actually differed somewhat.

"Federation? Mechanical Battle Force? Seems like this is the background setting for this game. Probably not set on Water Blue Star, the background might be a fictional human civilization..."

"Alright, as normal people, you’re quite clever, but as soldiers, you disappoint me immensely; one after another, sitting sloppily, mentally scattered. I can confidently tell you all; you are the worst batch of recruits I’ve ever led!"

The bearded man saw everyone quiet down, lowered his voice, and continued:

"Now, our destination is about to be reached. This is your first time entering the frontline battlefield for military training! I need you all to strictly follow my orders! Don’t get complacent just because it’s a frontline area—at your current level of ability, encountering insects alone would be absolutely fatal!"

As the man finished speaking, the vehicle finally stopped moving, and the front hatch slowly opened.

Seeing this, Li Zixuan immediately understood that this might be the mission location, while the bearded middle-aged man before him was likely their newbie guide.

"Not bad, I’m quite looking forward to this storyline. Are the insects he mentioned the Desert Worms? Our main quest might be dealing with the Desert Worms, right?"

Someone in the team whispered to their companion.

However, even though his voice was very low, the bearded man heard it. He dashed forward and reached him, raising a foot and kicking him hard in the stomach, causing him to reel back several steps and land on the ground.

The surrounding players were all startled by this sight; they verified the game’s authenticity earlier—to pain was absolutely existing. With that one hit from the bearded man, that player might as well pass out. This game is too terrifying.

However, their fear didn’t materialize. The player sitting on the ground rubbed his belly, then flashed a puzzled look and stood up, seemingly unharmed.

"Hmm? Doesn’t seem to hurt so badly, huh?"

The man was somewhat dumbfounded; the bearded man charged fiercely, kicking him several meters away, originally expecting to black out from the pain, but it turns out there was merely a mild impact on his belly instead of intense pain.

"Probably some form of Protective Shield, after all, it’s a game; it can’t really kill a player. While daily sensations are realistic, as soon as the battle begins, or substantial damage is received, the pain sensation diminishes..."

Witnessing this scene, Li Zixuan pondered for a moment, then guessed.

"Back in line!"

The bearded man didn’t continue to fuss over the player but let him rejoin the team.

Everyone finally had time to observe the surroundings.

This was a desolate area, the sky offering a yellowish hue. From the Floating Shattering Stars overhead, this place certainly wasn’t Water Blue Star but a fictional planet set within the game.

"Ahead is the camp where you’ll be trained, also relatively the safest area on this planet. Over the upcoming period, I’ll lead you..."

"Boom!"

Before the bearded man could finish speaking, a blue light flashed across the distant sky. Then, a Light Ball as big as a small car landed a hundred meters away from the group, blasting a gigantic crater into the ground.

These newbie players had never seen such a scene. The ultimate realism of the experience made them instantly forget they were still in a game, causing panic.

"Everyone! Follow me! Enter the camp!"

The bearded man shouted, drawing everyone’s attention, then turned and ran toward the camp ahead.

Li Zixuan was equally startled, as an ordinary person not familiar with bloodshed. That explosion indeed caught him off guard.

However, the bearded man’s voice seemed to carry a rhythm that calms the mind, and everyone spontaneously followed him toward the camp, despite lingering panic.

"Huff huff huff~"

Li Zixuan panted, heart pounding. He couldn’t recall ever exercising like this before; the recent sprint made him feel like his heart might leap out.

However, the surrounding explosions continued relentlessly, with blue Light Balls falling, forming craters one after another.

Fortunately, the base seemed shielded, allowing everyone inside to remain safe.

"So this is the safest area..."

Someone remembered what the bearded man said earlier, with a twitch of their eye.

"Those are plasma bugs, attacking from great distances, adept at aerial combat and long-range tosses—targets you should be cautious about moving forward."

The bearded man clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention, speaking in a seemingly relaxed tone:

"Rookies, don’t doubt my words. This indeed is the safest area. The recent attack was merely routine practice; trust me, you’ll quickly get used to life here."