“It seems reasonable that this skill is at a higher level. Compared to swordsmanship, which anyone can master to some extent through hard training, this kind of domineering aura is much harder to acquire.”

William Carter was quite satisfied with his choice.

The moment he made his selection, the entire illusion began to shift.

The Little Abraham leading the way had already started walking forward, and William Carter hurried to catch up.

At this moment, he noticed he was holding a wooden box in his hands, intricately patterned, and it must contain something precious.

William Carter was a bit curious about what was inside, but under the watchful eyes of the red-armored guards on both sides, he didn’t dare make any rash moves. He could only lower his head and follow the Little Abraham up the long stone steps to the main hall.

With every step he took, the atmosphere felt more oppressive, and his heart pounded louder and louder, almost uncontrollably.

By the time he reached the main hall, it felt as if his heart was about to leap out of his chest—he was trembling, unable to suppress his nerves.

“So this is what a 100% realistic game feels like? Why does it feel a hundred times more nerve-wracking than when I went for job interviews right after college…”

Only now did William Carter truly understand what it meant to be under immense pressure.

He had never experienced anything like this while playing other virtual reality games.

When he first entered the illusion, he didn’t feel much—after all, time hadn’t started flowing yet, and what he saw was just a static scene. The palace before him looked grand and imposing, a bit awe-inspiring, but that was all.

But when he actually climbed the hundred-meter-high steps under the gaze of countless red-armored soldiers, in this solemn and chilling atmosphere and during the long ascent, he could feel the pressure building up, like bundles of straw piling up on a camel’s back.

If this were a real-life scenario, many people with poor mental fortitude would probably have weak knees and be unable to walk before even reaching the main hall.

Fortunately, he could see various game information in his field of vision, constantly reminding him that this was just a game and he was merely playing a character. This helped William Carter relax a bit.

Finally, he arrived in front of the main hall.

A red-armored guard stepped forward to conduct a final body search.

After being roughly patted down from head to toe, William Carter was finally allowed to pass.

Before letting him go, the guard gave him a couple more wary glances. Although William Carter was already so nervous his legs were weak, the guard still acted as if facing a formidable enemy.

This was most likely the effect of the [Overbearing Presence] skill.

But it was also thanks to this that he got a chance to see the name above the red-armored guard’s head.

Although there had been red-armored guards on both sides of the hall earlier, William Carter hadn’t dared to look around, and besides, those guards were too far away for him to make out the words above their heads.

Now he could see clearly: Great Yan Crimson Armor Army.

William Carter’s mind raced, and he recalled a lot of information.

“That’s right, seeing these soldiers in red armor should have made me think of Great Yan. As the first unified dynasty of the Nine Provinces, they revered the element of fire, so they favored red. The Crimson Armor Army was the most elite force of the Yan Dynasty.

“But wait, if it’s the Yan Dynasty’s emperor, he should be a positive figure, right? As an Orderbringer, why am I here to assassinate the king?

“Could it be…

“Am I currently playing out the assassination of Abraham Lincoln?”

William Carter looked again at the wooden box in his hands. Although there was no description or information about it, judging by its size and shape, it perfectly matched William Carter’s guess.

William Carter wasn’t exactly a history buff, but this story was so famous and widely told that it was almost impossible for him not to know it.

Abraham Lincoln was a notorious tyrant in history, fond of grandiose projects and heavy taxation, to the point where the people could hardly survive. The swordsman Samuel Turner took the opportunity of presenting an auspicious omen to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. Though he died in the attempt, the new king who succeeded him reformed the government, giving the Yan Dynasty another hundred years of life.

Of course, when Samuel Turner presented the omen, he was still an unknown figure. It was only after he assassinated Abraham Lincoln that he was hailed as the greatest swordsman of his time, and later generations even regarded him as the top assassin in history.

In short, Abraham Lincoln was definitely a villain in history, and playing Samuel Turner to assassinate the king was an act of ridding the people of a scourge.

“In that case, the way to clear this level is clear.

“I need to play the swordsman Samuel Turner and reenact the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

“What’s in this box is most likely the so-called auspicious omen—the black jade qilin.”

William Carter now understood why the closed beta recruitment announcement required players to have some knowledge of history.

If someone truly knew nothing about history, they’d probably have no idea what the main quest was after entering this instance, and would be completely lost. How could they possibly clear the level?

The Little Abraham quickly stepped forward into the hall and said to the high-seated Abraham Lincoln, “Your Majesty, Samuel Turner, who is here to present the auspicious black jade qilin, is waiting outside the hall.”

Abraham Lincoln, tall and imposing, laughed heartily, “Oh? Then let him enter the hall and see me! My loyal subjects, join me in welcoming the auspicious omen!”

The Little Abraham immediately shouted, “Summon, Samuel Turner to audience!”

William Carter knew it was his turn, so he quickly lowered his head and hurried into the main hall.