Field Exercise Rules

The following morning

05:30

Luo Di slung his packed backpack over his shoulders, carried a silver metal case, and left the residential complex.

He had already reported to the community the previous day that he would be away from home for forty-eight hours to participate in the field exercise. During that time, the community's on-duty staff would help check the lighting in his home.

A rather conspicuous plaque hung above the main entrance of the local research institute, its lettering set in brass.

A black seven-seater business van had also pulled up by the roadside early, the dedicated vehicle responsible for transporting participants to and from the field exercise.

Although Luo Di had arrived half an hour early, someone was already standing outside the institute: the vice class monitor, Gao Yuxuan.

Their personalities made conversation impossible from the start. To avoid any awkwardness, Luo Di chose to stand beneath a streetlamp ten meters away and check the contents of his backpack again, making sure he had not forgotten anything.

During the inspection, Luo Di happened to notice that Gao Yuxuan's behavior seemed somewhat abnormal. His left arm was noticeably inflexible, and even his fingers appeared a little stiff. It was probably related to the half-month leave of absence he had taken.

Five quiet minutes passed like that before Gao Yuxuan unexpectedly walked over. At last, he pulled a small green metal box from his pocket.

"Cough... Want one?"

"Thank you."

Luo Di accepted two sugar-free mint candies. Something that could help wake him up in advance was quite nice.

Just as the two exchanged mint candies, an expensive black sedan drove up.

Wu Wen and Anna got out of the back seats at the same time, staring wide-eyed at the strange scene before them. "Oh! Since when did you two get along so well?"

At the class monitor's words, Gao Yuxuan immediately turned and walked away.

Luo Di did not care. He had never cared what others thought of him.

At that moment, a middle-aged woman in a white lab coat emerged from the institute. She had the sort of face belonging to a disciplinary director, the kind that could make people break into a sweat with a single glance.

"Since everyone is here, get in the vehicle early."

"Okay, Professor Qin."

Wu Wen seemed to know her, and she immediately became much more obedient. After everyone placed their luggage in the business van's trunk, they all got in.

The doors closed.

At that moment, all four people in the vehicle were nervous to varying degrees.

Once the vehicle started moving, Professor Qin's voice spread through the car speakers.

"This trip will take one hour.

After I finish explaining the relevant details of the field exercise and some of the rules, you may ask your questions.

What I am about to say concerns your chances of succeeding in this field exercise, and even your chances of survival. I hope you will stay alert and remember every word.

This field exercise area is located in an experimental zone thirty kilometers outside Jupiter City.

1. The expected total duration of the field exercise is forty-eight hours.

If you can deal with the root cause behind the formation of the event in advance, you may also end the exercise and leave early.

Of course, as long as you can endure for forty-eight hours, it will count as completion whether or not the anomaly has been dealt with.

2. The difficulty of the field exercise will be randomized in order to better resemble reality and train your ability to face the unknown.

Once the field exercise begins, the experimental team will not intervene unless you suffer severe injuries that threaten your life. At the same time, once intervention occurs, your field exercise will be considered a failure.

3. You are prohibited from leaving the field exercise area in any form.

This field exercise will use Simulated Anomalies developed by the United Research Institute. The changes to the area, strange incidents, Pseudo-Humans, and anomalous attacks you encounter will closely resemble real events.

Next, we will go over the details of the field exercise.

1. There are multiple random 'objects' within the field exercise area. Once you find and activate one, the corresponding Anomaly Event will begin.

The time spent searching and triggering must not exceed half an hour.

2. The Event Difficulty will not be disclosed in advance. You must face the unknown, investigate the unknown, and deal with the unknown.

3. Any effective Subjective Action may improve your individual evaluation in this field exercise.

4. Simulated Anomaly technology only began being applied last year. Although most of the technology has stabilized, minute flaws still exist. If you discover anything abnormal during the field exercise, you may report it to us at any time. This will likewise improve your individual evaluation.

Now it is your turn to ask questions."

Just as she would in a classroom, Wu Wen was the first to raise her hand and ask a question.

"During the field exercise, will we have relatively safe periods? For example, Sleep Time, mealtimes, and so on?"

"No. Once it begins, you will be in danger."

"Oh." Wu Wen looked dejected, but quickly recovered.

Gao Yuxuan stared at the notebook he had just filled with writing as he asked his question.

"Once we trigger a corresponding Anomaly Event through one of the objects, will you retrieve all the other objects in the area? Or can we trigger them a second time?"

"Very good question. You do not need to worry about that."

"Anomaly Events" are under the direct control of our institute. You may trigger one only once. Even if you find other items afterward and wish to trigger them, we will not perform the relevant procedures here.

What you will face is only a single event."

Anna, the blonde woman, rested her fist against her chin. Even after forcing sweat onto her brow, she could not think of a good question. In the end, she said nothing.

Only after seeing that no one else had any questions did Luo Di, seated in the last row, choose to ask:

"If we come into conflict with the Simulated Anomaly and damage the environment, creating a corner with no light source shining on it, would that interrupt the practice?"

Director Qin's expression turned unpleasant at those words.

"Theoretically, such a situation should not arise. Any buildings or trees in the experimental area that could potentially form corners have undergone special treatment by the institute.

All corners have been rounded off. Door hinges and window hinges that could potentially form corners have also been replaced with standard reinforced cylinders, and the environment itself is difficult to damage.

Furthermore, the experimental area contains over three hundred hidden cameras. The forest branches are filled with modified wild Corner Parrots. Should any unlit corner form, we will discover it immediately.

Of course... you should avoid such situations as much as possible.

If a corner is created due to your Subjective Action and brings about unforeseeable danger, then even if you complete the practice, your individual report will not pass."

"Understood."

No one had many more questions, and the business van arrived at Jupiter City's exit checkpoint just then.

The entire city was encircled by fifty-meter-tall luminous walls, with numerous watchtowers, drones, and patrol teams responsible for its security.

The current city exit resembled a highway toll gate, with eight lanes in total.

During National Foundation Day, quite a few private cars intended to leave the city. Since they needed to undergo a medical inspection before departure, a queue had formed.

The institute's vehicle belonged to a special category and only needed to take the dedicated lane at the far edge.

They left the city smoothly.

The roads outside the city maintained the same high density of streetlights as those within it. Electrical wires ran along or beneath the forested areas on both sides of the road, ensuring that the lights among the trees remained on at all times.

Some trees had even undergone biological modification and could emit light on their own.

From time to time, they could see highly paid forest rangers moving through the woods.

The vehicle sped along the main highway. Once they left the city, it became difficult to see any "buildings."

At most, there were public facilities such as service stations and watchtowers. Few living people would voluntarily reside in the outskirts of the city, and those who did usually went missing.

There were no rural villages, no small towns. Everything centered around the cities.

Before long, the official vehicle left the main road and turned onto a smaller route resembling a country lane.

The road pressed close against a hillside on the right, while lush trees on the left nearly blocked out the sky.

The density of illumination here was noticeably lower, but it was still above the safety threshold.

Contrary to everyone's expectations, the vehicle's final destination was neither an institute built in the forest nor an outskirt building intended for the four of them to conduct their practice in.

The vehicle pulled over at an utterly ordinary roadside.

Director Qin, who had previously spoken through the microphone, turned around for the first time and looked at the four young people behind him.

"Go up from here. This hill, no more than a hundred meters high, is the 'experimental area.' The moment you step onto its soil, it will be considered the start.

The 'items' that trigger the practice are all scattered across this hill.

Remember, you have one and only one half-hour to search for and trigger the event."

The four of them got out of the vehicle with their luggage. Looking up at the densely vegetated, dimly lit hillside, each of them felt somewhat nervous. Their first-ever Social Practice was about to begin...