It wasn't anything extraordinary.
It was semi-public knowledge in the business world.
But the question was: how could this bald-headed old man give such a 'yes' so casually now?
This was unusual. Special.
How could it be explained?
"Okay, here it is," Beast Hank suddenly spoke, breaking the awkward silence.
Xu Dan followed him into an empty room, specially arranged with panels — similar to those used in the brainwave amplifier.
"So, this setup is just for the combat system?" Xu Dan asked, scanning the room.
Hank scratched the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed. "Well, there's still some work left, but most of it has already been completed."
"Ah, so you've really been waiting for me to build the combat system!" Xu Dan rolled up his sleeves. "I've studied your game — it's impressive."
Hank seemed genuinely impressed by the game system Xu Dan had designed. If a custom combat system could be created for the X-Men, the benefits would be enormous.
The X-Men needed constant training. With the number of mutant incidents happening every day, they couldn't always guarantee safe and proper handling. There were even "extreme combat scenarios," like training against a fully-powered Magneto.
Xu Dan understood the X-Men on a deeper level. He didn't even need to study detailed data — his fingers flew across the keyboard, crafting a virtual training room combat system with relentless precision.
Part of it was to help the academy, sure. But part of it was also a test — laying the groundwork for his own future virtual holographic games.
This virtual combat system wasn't as simple as a typical online game. After all, real people would be training inside. Unlike game characters, who could die and respawn, a real human being killed by a faulty system wouldn't be fun at all — and Xu Dan was not about to get hunted down by mutants if he got it wrong.
His first task was to code the highest-level instructions, a kind of "Three Laws of Robotics" for the virtual system: trainers could act, but no life could ever be harmed.
Then, slowly, he layered the rest of the combat system mechanics.
Most of a month passed in this work — though only half a day each day was dedicated to it, since Xu Dan still had other matters. In Antarctica Studios, there was honestly very little to distract him.
All three of their major games ran perfectly. Bugs were nonexistent. People had tried to crack their game packs worldwide but only discovered the futility — the encryption technology was decades ahead.
The only real hassle was the reporters who gathered outside every day. Xu Dan had to move quietly when visiting Westchester to avoid attention.
Finally, the virtual training room was complete. The senior X-Men toasted to celebrate.
During the past weeks, Xu Dan had met several X-Men: Cyclops, Phoenix, Storm, and others. Wolverine, however, remained absent — probably still wandering outside somewhere.
Xu Dan took a small sip of wine but declined Hank's offer to drink.
"You guys enjoy it. I want to test the combat system myself. If there's any flaw, I won't forgive it."
Hank admired his dedication. The others had clearly worked tirelessly for days. The wine and celebration were well-deserved.
Mutants could party hard — bonfires, beer, loud laughter. But Chinese people, tempered by history, often thought more flexibly.
Hank didn't want to leave Xu Dan alone, yet he was also wary. This was the X-Men's ultimate combat training device. The mutants were incredibly powerful — and Xu Dan? Not even a mutant. Not superhuman. How could he possibly endure it?
Hank poured himself a few more cups, then hurried after Xu Dan.
By the time he reached the virtual training room, the system had already started.
"Wow… ooh… what the—?"
Hank stared at the status display in disbelief, frozen as if he'd seen a ghost.
"During battle… Target: Saber-toothed Tiger!"
As a mutant, Hank understood immediately: a saber-toothed tiger mutant was extraordinarily powerful and ferocious.
This wasn't just a mutant. This was a living, killing machine — a mutant capable of taking down even Wolverine.
Wolverine's adamantium claws and strength meant little against a saber-toothed tiger. To it, he was just a toy.
In the virtual training room…
Xu Dan didn't just observe the tiger. He surveyed everything around him.
His eyes glimmered with fascination. "This… this is a virtual world. This is what a virtual world should feel like."
Unlike standard VR games, it didn't feel like a game here.
The realism was overwhelming:
See with your eyes.
Hear with your ears.
Smell with your nose.
Touch the dust on the ground with your hands.
If he hadn't known beforehand, he would have sworn this wasn't a high-tech simulation, but a real battlefield, filled with gunpowder and sand.
The sensation of sand in his hand — indistinguishable from reality — left him awestruck.
Though countless online game novels had described similar "99% realism," and even detailed in-game interactions, nothing could compare to experiencing it firsthand.
"In the future, I must create an even more realistic, more engaging virtual game. I want my players to treat it as a second world."
Just as Xu Dan was absorbed in thought, a thunderous roar erupted from the left.
A massive figure, over two meters tall, charged forward. Rugged, muscular — pure power incarnate.