Start with push-ups to gain experience

After Qin Wenxuan finished speaking, the two proctors present fell into a brief moment of contemplation.

Shen Zhiwei frowned, adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, and then asked coldly:

"How can we ensure the safety of these examinees? Once someone triggers a spatial rift, the moment the two worlds are connected, it is very likely that a large number of alien creatures will descend."

"Director Qin, this involves more than eight hundred lives. Does your intelligence department intend to use them as cannon fodder for mine detection?"

"Researcher Shen has misunderstood."

Faced with the doubts, Qin Wenxuan quickly waved his hand, the seriousness on his face easing slightly, replaced by a calm expression:

"How could our intelligence department possibly treat the lives of test takers as a joke?"

"As you know, the most dangerous area in the entire Western Hills is the area around the underground palace controlled by the military. The examination site we have designated is on the edge, where spatial fluctuations are relatively small."

He picked up the teacup on the table, gently blew on the tea leaves to disperse them, took a sip, and then said:

"While it's possible that those monsters might take advantage of the chaos caused by the weakening of the repulsive force to sneak into our world, the probability of this happening is extremely small. Moreover, due to the limitations imposed by the laws of higher dimensions, they cannot stay on Earth for long."

"Unless they're incredibly unlucky and happen to stumble into the core of the vortex at the entrance to the ruins, they can't possibly lose their lives inside."

"As for dealing with those ordinary mutated beasts on the periphery that are contaminated by high-dimensional energy, that is part of testing their physique, courage, and survival skills as special search team members."

"Besides..."

At this point, Qin Wenxuan put down his teacup and looked intently at Lei Zhen and Shen Zhiwei across from him:
"If we really encounter a monster threat from the other world, won't you two proctors personally take action?"

After saying that, he turned around, bent down, and took out two black metal briefcases from under the table.

Then, with both hands, he lifted the heavy boxes and pushed them in front of Lei Zhen and Shen Zhiwei respectively.

"Click".

Qin Wenxuan popped open the metal locks on the suitcase one by one.

The lid of the box was lifted, revealing two sophisticated instruments inside, each emitting a pale blue glow and shaped like an armillary sphere.

"This is a high-dimensional energy source anchor device."

Qin Wenxuan pointed to two objects that emitted a cold light and introduced them.

He abandoned his previous affable demeanor, placed his hands on the edge of the table, leaned forward slightly, and spoke in an extremely solemn tone:

"Gentlemen, I must reiterate the order personally given by Chief of Staff Ling."

"Although the main purpose of this physical fitness test is to help the candidates find the coordinates of the new entrance, we must not allow any injuries or deaths to occur, so as to prevent the situation from getting out of control."

"Therefore, I would like to trouble you two as chief examiners to each lead two elite special operations teams into the examination room to conduct covert monitoring and ensure protection."

"certainly……"

Qin Wenxuan raised his hand and patted the metal casing of the suitcase, producing a dull sound:

"Most importantly, once a candidate is lucky enough to trigger a spatial rift, we should immediately use this anchoring device to lock onto and record the precise coordinates of the entrance, establishing initial contact so that our main force can officially enter next time."

After speaking, Qin Wenxuan straightened up, a faint smile appearing on his face:
"Colleagues, if you have any questions or concerns about the Chief of Staff's arrangements, please feel free to raise them now."

"Our special search team has always advocated democratic consultation and collective wisdom to ensure that every subsequent assessment stage is flawless and proceeds steadily. We must not let down the trust placed in us by our superiors..."

"Old Qin, stop with your politician act."

Before Qin Wenxuan could finish his official speech, Lei Zhen impatiently interrupted him.

The burly man stood up, twisted his thick neck from side to side, and his joints immediately made a series of popping sounds.

He grinned, revealing a row of gleaming white teeth.

The scar that ran across half his face twisted and contorted as his muscles twitched, exuding a terrifying aura.

"Don't worry!"

"Back in my day, I led a team to the other world and slew many monsters from other worlds. Now that these little brats' lives are in my hands, even the King of Hell can't take them away."

He grabbed the multi-functional weapon belt from the table and fastened it around his waist.

Clearly, they had done this kind of undercover work as invigilators quite a bit in the past, and were already very familiar with the whole process.

Shen Zhiwei was too lazy to listen to the two of them bickering.

She reached out and snapped the metal lock on the suitcase shut.

Then he picked up the box, turned around decisively, and headed towards the stairs of the watchtower.

The slender heels clicked on the stairs, making a crisp "tap-tap" sound.

The sweltering evening breeze of early summer carried back only a cold, impersonal statement:

"Let's go, Lei Zhen. The sun has set; let these lab rats retire."

Lei Zhen grabbed the peaked cap and put it on his head, then casually picked up the dark green tactical jacket draped over the back of the chair and put it over his broad shoulders.

His robe billowed in a sharp arc as he strode off, following closely behind.

....................................

5:30 p.m.

The sun had completely sunk behind the ridge, and the light dimmed at a visible speed.

The sky appeared a purplish-red color, similar to bruising.

"Beep—"

A piercing whistle suddenly shattered the evening tranquility of the Western Hills.

"Attention, all of you! Line up!"

A stern-faced examiner, holding a megaphone, stood on the hood of an armored vehicle and shouted loudly.

On the playground, more than 800 candidates had already changed into full sets of field combat uniforms uniformly distributed by the special search team.

The dark green camouflage fabric exudes a sense of menace, and the tactical vest, protective gear, and military boots are all present.

Upon hearing the whistle, a large number of people quickly assembled, taking short, quick steps, and soon formed square formations.

The examiner's sharp gaze swept over the group of candidates who had been complaining just moments before:

"Without further ado, everyone check your equipment, put on your packs, and follow the lead vehicle."

"Next, whoever falls behind will be eliminated!"

Fang Cheng stood up nimbly.

With a swing of his arms, he easily hoisted the 20-kilogram pack onto his shoulders and casually adjusted the fastener on his chest.

Ma Donghe and Hou Peng moved swiftly, following closely behind, one on the left and one on the right.

More than 800 candidates began their journey in a grand procession, escorted by heavily armed military police.

The team passed through numerous military checkpoints.

As they ventured deeper into the restricted area, the atmosphere became increasingly solemn.

Every time I passed the intersection, I could see heavy artillery and twin-barreled anti-aircraft machine guns hidden under camouflage netting.

Those dark, metallic gun muzzles pointed straight at the sky, like steel beasts poised to unleash deadly flames at any moment.

At the same time, searchlights from several watchtowers swept back and forth.

The intense light, like crisscrossing swords, stung people's eyes, making it impossible to open them.

The smell of gunpowder in the air grew stronger and stronger.

It was as if a fierce battle had just ended here, or perhaps it could break out again at any moment.

The students, who had been laughing and joking just moments before, were now completely stunned by the grim atmosphere of war.

Everyone unconsciously shut their mouths.

In the massive column, only the crunching sound of hundreds of military boots on the gravel road and the increasingly heavy breathing of the crowd could be heard.

The procession proceeded for about twenty minutes.

After turning around a huge mountain pass, we walked several hundred meters along a narrow road carved into the mountainside.

A moment later, a heavy alloy iron door appeared before everyone's eyes.

The cliff walls on both sides seemed to be covered with dark red moss, or like patches of dried blood, emitting a nauseating stench.

"Open gate B3!"

The examiner coldly issued instructions into the walkie-talkie. Accompanied by a piercing metallic scraping sound, gears meshed and turned inside the mountain.

Rumbling--

With a dull rumble, the alloy iron door, half a meter thick, slowly slid open to both sides.

What appeared before everyone was a pitch-black hole.

It was bottomless inside, as if a large part of the mountain had been hollowed out, leading straight to some abyss.

A cold gust of wind suddenly rushed out from the depths of the tunnel, hitting everyone's faces.

The wind carried a strange, fishy stench, instantly raising goosebumps on exposed skin.

Fang Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to pierce through the darkness to observe the situation inside.

"This is... an air-raid shelter?"

Ma Dong-hyuk stared wide-eyed at the hole that seemed to swallow light, and couldn't help but swallow hard.

Hou Peng shrank back, his expression showing surprise:

"Brother Fang, Brother Ma, this place feels so eerie, could it be haunted?"

The other candidates around them were also whispering and discussing among themselves, making the atmosphere increasingly tense.

"Enter!"

Ignoring the astonishment and doubt of the crowd, the examiner gave the order in a deep voice.

The group, like a flock of sheep being herded, formed a long line and reluctantly entered the dark tunnel.

The tunnel was extremely humid.

Water droplets kept dripping down from the top, hitting everyone's heads and shoulders.

The military boots made a crisp slapping sound as they stepped through the puddles.

If it's just one or two people walking inside, it's not so bad.

The key point is that more than 800 people are marching together now.

The dense sound of footsteps echoed and overlapped in the enclosed space, converging into a rolling thunder that tormented everyone's eardrums.

After walking for a few minutes, a faint glimmer of light finally appeared in the darkness ahead.

The group quickened their pace and passed through the tunnel exit.

My vision suddenly opened up.

But this cheerfulness brought not ease and hope, but a more sinister and eerie feeling.

An extremely dense primeval forest appeared before everyone's eyes.

The branches twisted and intertwined, weaving a dense, impenetrable net overhead.

Thick vines hung down from mid-air, resembling venomous snakes ready to devour their prey.

The already faint light of day was almost completely shut out.

This is the real uninhabited area of ​​Xishan.

By this time, it was completely dark.

In the early summer, the mountain forest is extremely humid.

As the temperature plummeted, a grayish-white mist began to rise from the damp soil and piles of decaying leaves.

The fog spread rapidly, creeping along the low-lying areas, and soon filled the entire forest.

Within just a few minutes, the visibility in the surrounding area dropped to less than ten meters.

A cold wind pierced through the tree canopy, causing the leaves to rustle and rub against each other, producing a series of strange, whimpering sounds.

The examiner jumped out of an SUV that was already parked there and strode to the front of the line.

Listen carefully!

He raised his hand and pointed to the branches of a tree next to him.

There hung a brass bell, about the size of a baby's fist, on a red string.

Every time the wind blows, the bells sway back and forth in the air, making a clear and melodious "ding-dong" sound.

The examiner turned on the loudspeaker, his voice ringing out even louder in the silent, misty woods:

“There are no existing roads in this area. Your only directional guides are these bells and reflective markers hanging from the tree branches.”

"The test rules are very simple: carry a pack and run in the marked direction."

"No matter what method you use, as long as you reach the destination Black Wind Gully before six o'clock tomorrow, you will pass the test."

"If you encounter any life-threatening danger during this period, you can send out a signal flare, and the rescue team will arrive immediately."

He put down the loudspeaker, his gaze sweeping over the tense faces, a cold smile curving his lips:

Finally, I wish you all the best.

beep—

A sharp, piercing whistle suddenly pierced through the fog.

"The exam begins!"

More than 800 candidates stood there, looking at each other in bewilderment.

Most people are still filled with doubt and fear of the unknown.

They didn't take a step immediately, but instead cautiously surveyed their surroundings.

"Run!"

The next second, someone in the crowd let out a strange scream.

This strange cry was like the fuse that lit a powder keg, instantly snapping the nerves that were already stretched taut by everyone.

boom--

The entire group immediately erupted in chaos, shouting and yelling.

"Run! I heard there's a bonus for first place!"

"Hurry up, hurry up, don't fall behind!"

Many candidates rushed to turn on their flashlights and pull out their weapons.

They quickened their pace, following the reflective markers, and rushed toward the woods ahead.

The crowd surged into the deep mountains shrouded in white mist like a flood bursting its banks.

Everyone shared the same thought: to finish this short five-kilometer run as soon as possible, end this eerie exam, and then go home to sleep and rest.

Hundreds of flashlight beams swept haphazardly through the thick fog, startling flocks of birds into fluttering flight into the night sky.

Dark shadows burst forth from the tree canopy, dense and overwhelming, blotting out the sun.

This chaotic scene was just like the Japanese invaders sweeping through a village.

The noisy figures and shouts everywhere slightly diluted the originally gloomy and oppressive atmosphere of this primeval forest.

Fang Cheng didn't rush to push forward; his legs remained rooted to the spot.

He reached out and grabbed the backpack straps of Ma Donghe and Hou Peng, who were about to rush forward headlong.

"Don't wander off, conserve your energy, stay close to me."

Fang Cheng calmly gave a single instruction.

At the same time, he quietly drew a dagger with his right hand and gripped the hilt with his other hand.

With his keen spiritual perception, he could clearly sense that there was a special magnetic field fluctuation in this place.

The swirling, thick fog around them seemed to be alive, greedily eroding everyone's body temperature little by little.

This five-kilometer trail running test is far more complex than just a rugged mountain road with a few mutated wild beasts lurking in it.

To reach our destination before dawn, we must proceed with extreme caution. (End of Chapter)