Mission Hall, The Way of Survival

The Mission Hall is located in the central area of the academy. It's a three-story stone building with an ancient and robust style. In front of the main entrance stands a stone tablet, inscribed with eight large characters: "Temper yourself with missions, prove the Way with contributions."

It's just past nine in the morning, and the hall is bustling with people coming and going. Students in various martial arts uniforms are gathered around the bulletin board checking missions, queuing at the counters to complete them, or discussing profit distribution in small groups.

The cacophony of voices, the sound of hurried footsteps, and the occasional arguments interweave to create a scene of busyness and vitality.

"So many people..." Zhao Tie Zhu gulped nervously, looking at the scene before him.

Zhou Ming pushed up his glasses and scanned the interior of the hall. "According to academy records, the Mission Hall releases three to five hundred missions daily, covering over ten categories such as hunting, gathering, escort, and investigation. On average, over a thousand students pick up or turn in missions here each day."

"Brother Fan, what should we take?" Chen Dahu asked directly.

Lin Fan didn't answer immediately. He observed first.

Three large crystal screens hang on the front wall of the hall, displaying mission information in a scrolling format. Below the screens, they are divided into three areas based on mission difficulty: Simple (White), Difficult (Blue), and Dangerous (Red).

The Simple area is crowded with freshmen and upperclassmen. Most missions involve gathering, cleaning, or delivering messages, with rewards ranging from 5 to 20 Academic Credits.

The Difficult area has fewer people, primarily students who are 2nd Tier Martial Artists or higher. Missions involve hunting 2nd Tier Demonic Beasts, exploring designated areas, etc., with rewards ranging from 30 to 100 Academic Credits.

The Dangerous area is almost deserted. Occasionally, senior students would glance at it briefly before leaving. The rewards for missions here easily reach hundreds of Academic Credits, but the content is also alarming: "Investigate abnormal beast activity in Black Wind Valley (suspected presence of 3rd Tier Demonic Beasts)", "Apprehend a rogue Martial Artist (peak 2nd Tier, skilled in assassination)"...

"Let's check the Simple area first," Lin Fan said.

The four of them squeezed in front of the white screen.

A dense list of missions scrolled by:

[Mission Number: W-0371]

[Content: Clear 1st Tier Demonic Beasts "Steel Tooth Rat" within three kilometers west of the academy. Reward: 8 Academic Credits per rat.]

[Requirements: Must bring back a complete rat tail as proof.]

[Acceptance Conditions: 1st Grade Martial Artist and above. Teamwork recommended.]

[Mission Number: C-0215]

[Content: Collect 10 "Glow Grass". Reward: 5 Academic Credits per plant.]

[Location: Southeast area of the outer Qingmu Forest.]

[Special Note: Glow Grass emits light at night. Recommended to depart in the evening.]

[Mission Number: D-0089]

[Content: Deliver a letter to "Hundred Herbs Hall" in the eastern district of Jiangnan City. Reward: 12 Academic Credits.]

[Deadline: Complete within today.]

Lin Fan quickly scanned the list, calculating in his mind.

The Steel Tooth Rat mission is suitable for improving Combat Experience, but the profit is low. The Glow Grass mission requires entering Qingmu Forest, which is a good opportunity to familiarize himself with the training environment beforehand. The delivery mission is simple but a waste of time; it's not an option.

"Accept W-0371 and C-0215," Lin Fan decided.

"Both at once?" Zhou Ming seemed surprised. "The Steel Tooth Rat mission requires being around the academy, and the Glow Grass mission is in Qingmu Forest. These two places are in opposite directions. We can't finish them in one day, can we?"

"We'll split them over two days," Lin Fan explained. "We'll clear the Steel Tooth Rats this afternoon and go to Qingmu Forest to collect Glow Grass tomorrow. This way, we'll earn Academic Credits, get used to the Qingmu Forest environment in advance, and improve our Combat Experience."

Chen Dahu's eyes lit up. "Brother Fan thinks of everything!"

Zhao Tie Zhu, however, worried, "But... but I heard that although Steel Tooth Rats are 1st Tier, they often appear in groups and are very dangerous."

"That's why we need to team up," Lin Fan looked at the three of them. "Besides, you need practical experience."

His words were blunt, but all three understood that it was the truth.

In the Martial Arts Academy, lacking Combat Experience is equivalent to lacking combat power. And combat power determines how far you can go.

"Let's go to the mission reception counter."

There was a line of over a dozen people at the reception counter, mostly freshmen. Lin Fan and the other three joined the end of the queue.

An argument erupted from the front.

"Why can't I accept it? I passed the assessment, I'm a 1st Grade Martial Artist!" a tall, thin young man exclaimed agitatedly.

The staff member behind the counter was a middle-aged woman, around thirty years old, with a blank expression. "Proof?"

"What proof?"

"Your Martial Artist badge, or an academy-certified cultivation assessment report," the woman replied calmly. "The rules of the Mission Hall state that you must prove your strength when accepting combat-related missions to avoid unnecessary casualties."

The tall, thin young man's face turned red. "I... I just enrolled, I haven't received my badge yet, and I don't have the assessment report..."

"Then go get certified by the Martial Artist Association, or come back after the monthly assessment," the woman said, no longer looking at him. "Next."

The tall, thin young man left dejectedly, and the people behind him whispered.

"Aren't these rules too rigid?"

"They're actually meant to protect freshmen. Last year, a freshman overestimated himself, accepted a mission, and died in the wilderness. His family made a huge fuss."

"But if that's the case, how can we freshmen earn Academic Credits..."

The line moved forward slowly.

When it was Lin Fan's turn, the woman didn't even look up. "Student ID, what mission do you want to accept?"

Lin Fan handed over his student ID. "W-0371, C-0215."

The woman took the student ID and swiped it on a nearby machine. The screen lit up, displaying Lin Fan's information:

[Name: Lin Fan]
[Class: Regular Class, Third Year]
[Assessment Score: First Place]
[Cultivation Assessment: First Grade Martial Disciple (Pending Formal Test)]
[Academic Credit Balance: 100]
[Acceptable Mission Level: Simple]

Upon seeing "Assessment First Place," the woman raised her eyebrows slightly, but her expression remained unchanged.

"You can accept two missions, but according to regulations, you need to prove you have the strength of a First Grade Martial Artist," she said. "Or have a senior student vouch for you."

Lin Fan frowned. This rule was indeed troublesome.

"I'll vouch for him," Chen Dahu suddenly said. "My dad is Chen Dashan of the Thunder Hunting Group. I can vouch that Lin Fan has the strength to accept combat missions."

The woman looked at Chen Dahu. "You're Chen Dashan's son?"

"Yes."

The woman operated the machine a few times, seemingly checking something. A moment later, she nodded. "Chen Dashan has a good credit standing with the association, so he can vouch. However, if the mission fails or there are casualties, the guarantor will bear partial responsibility."

"I understand," Chen Dahu said without hesitation.

Lin Fan glanced at Chen Dahu, not speaking, but he noted this kindness in his heart.

"Alright, missions accepted." The woman returned the student ID to Lin Fan. "W-0371 requires you to bring back Steel Tooth Rat tails as proof, 8 Academic Credits per tail, no upper limit. C-0215 requires intact Glow Grass; damaged ones don't count. Both missions have a three-day time limit, after which they will automatically expire."

"One more reminder," the woman added, speaking more than usual. "Although Steel Tooth Rats are low-level Demonic Beasts, their pack behavior makes them very dangerous. It's recommended to form a team of four or more, with at least one person responsible for vigilance. Three freshmen died on this mission last year."

Her words were spoken plainly, but they made Zhou Ming and Zhao Tie Zhu's faces turn pale.

"Thank you for the reminder," Lin Fan nodded.

The four of them left the counter and walked to a corner of the main hall.

Lin Fan opened his panel to check the mission status:

[Accepted Academy Mission: Clear Steel Tooth Rats (0/∞)]
[Accepted Academy Mission: Collect Glow Grass (0/10)]
[Side Quest "Team Cohesion" Progress Update: Lin Fan (53), Chen Dahu (8), Zhou Ming (2), Zhao Tie Zhu (1), Average Combat Experience: 16]

There was still a gap to the goal of 30 points, but the battle this afternoon should improve it significantly.

"Shall we go now?" Chen Dahu asked.

"Let's prepare first," Lin Fan said. "Zhou Ming, how much do you know about Steel Tooth Rats?"

Zhou Ming pushed up his glasses and entered "Knowledge科普" mode. "Steel Tooth Rats are Tier 1 Earth-attribute Demonic Beasts, about half a meter long. Their teeth are sharp enough to bite through ordinary iron plates. They are pack animals, usually in groups of 5-10, with simple cooperative awareness. Their weaknesses are their eyes and abdomen. Their movement speed is moderate, but they are agile in turning."

"What are their attack patterns?" Lin Fan pressed.

"They usually surround their prey and then pounce from multiple directions simultaneously. Steel Tooth Rat teeth carry a weak Earth-attribute toxin. A bite will cause paralysis, which isn't fatal but will affect your actions."

"And their defense?"

"Their fur is tough, and ordinary swords and blades have difficulty injuring them. However, their abdomen is relatively soft. If you have a sharp weapon, you can try attacking there."

After listening, Lin Fan looked at Chen Dahu. "Dahu, has your father taught you how to deal with pack Demonic Beasts?"

"He has," Chen Dahu nodded. "My dad said that when dealing with a large number of enemies, the most important thing is to control the battlefield. Either lure them into a narrow terrain to limit their numerical advantage, or keep moving so they can't complete the encirclement."

"Very good," Lin Fan mused. "We need to prepare some things. Bait, trap materials, and also potions to treat paralysis."

"These all cost Academic Credits..." Zhao Tie Zhu said softly.

"Use the initial 100 Academic Credits," Lin Fan decided. "Investment is necessary. If we get injured or even die because we're trying to save money, then everything is lost."

The four of them went to the supply exchange on one side of the main hall.

Here, Academic Credits could be exchanged for various items: weapons, armor, potions, tools, materials...

The prices made Lin Fan feel the preciousness of resources all over again.

[Mortal Tier Low-grade Short Blade: 30 Academic Credits]
[Mortal Tier Low-grade Leather Armor: 50 Academic Credits]
[Antidote (General Type): 10 Academic Credits/bottle]
[Paralysis Relief Potion: 15 Academic Credits/bottle]
[Simple Beast Trap: 5 Academic Credits/each]
[Demonic Beast Bait (Rodent Preferred): 8 Academic Credits/portion]

Lin Fan quickly calculated.

"Buy four short blades, 30 each, 120 for four... too expensive," he shook his head. "We'll use the academy's training weapons for now. They're a bit inferior, but sufficient. We don't need armor for now; what we need is mobility."

Finally, Lin Fan redeemed: Paralysis Relief Potion ×2 (30 Academic Credits), Demonic Beast Bait ×3 (24 Academic Credits), Simple Beast Trap ×2 (10 Academic Credits), Hemostatic Bandage ×2 (6 Academic Credits).

A total of 70 Academic Credits, with 30 remaining.

"Brother Fan, can this bait really attract Steel Tooth Rats?" Chen Dahu asked, looking at the bag of black paste emitting a strange odor in his hand.

"We'll know once we try," Lin Fan said as he distributed the items. "I'll take one potion, Dahu, you take one. Zhou Ming, you're in charge of the bait and beast traps, and you'll set them up. Tie Zhu, you take the hemostatic bandages."

"Me... I'll take the bandages?" Zhao Tie Zhu looked confused.

"If someone gets injured during the fight, you need to treat them immediately," Lin Fan told him. "This is a very important job."

Zhao Tie Zhu was stunned for a moment, then nodded vigorously, "I understand!"

After the distribution, the four left the Mission Hall.

The sun was intense, and it was just past ten o'clock.

"Let's go back to get our training weapons, then head straight to the western wilderness," Lin Fan said. "We'll arrive before noon and start clearing it out in the afternoon."

"Brother Fan, don't we need to formulate a more detailed strategy?" Zhou Ming asked.

"Strategies need to be adjusted during actual combat," Lin Fan replied. "Armchair strategizing is useless."

As he spoke, he looked at the three of them. "Remember, the purpose of this mission isn't just to earn Academic Credits. More importantly, it's for you to experience real combat, learn to cooperate, and improve your strength."

"The monthly mini-competition, the freshman practical training, future wilderness hunts... all of it is built on strength."

"And strength can only be gained through battle."

The three of them looked solemn.

They knew Lin Fan was right. In this world, those without strength didn't even have the right to complain.

If they wanted resources, wanted to become stronger, wanted to protect themselves and the people they cared about, they had to fight, strive, and battle.

Even if danger or death lay ahead.

"Let's go," Lin Fan stepped forward first.

The four headed towards the dormitory area to retrieve their weapons and set off.

Behind them, from behind a window on the second floor of the Mission Hall, Zhang Qiming was quietly watching the backs of the four.

In his hand, he held a report detailing Lin Fan's assessment data: Strength 1200 jin, Speed broke the civilian record, mid-battle breakthrough during combat...

"Lin Fan..." Zhang Qiming murmured to himself, "Let me see if your combat ability matches this data."

Beside him stood a middle-aged man in a black martial arts uniform, Elder Sun, the Enforcement Elder.

"Teacher Zhang is very interested in this student?" Elder Sun asked.

"First place in the assessment, worthy of attention," Zhang Qiming said. "But more importantly, his fighting style is very interesting."

"Oh?"

"Look at his data," Zhang Qiming pointed to the report. "During the strength test, he used the most standard starting stance of the Basic Fist Technique. For the speed test, his footwork was also a variation of the Basic Footwork. He broke through in combat, still using the Basic Fist Technique."

"What's the problem with that?" Elder Sun was confused.

"The problem is, it's too standard," a glint of interest flashed in Zhang Qiming's eyes. "It's like... he's practiced it countless times, perfecting the most basic things to the extreme."

"Solid fundamentals are a good thing."

"But if a poor youth, lacking resources, could practice basic skills to this extent..." Zhang Qiming paused. "Then it can't be explained by 'solid'."

Elder Sun pondered.

"I've already applied to the academy to retrieve Lin Fan's whereabouts for the month before he enrolled," Zhang Qiming said. "I want to know how he practiced."

"You suspect he hid his strength? Or had a fortunate encounter?"

"No," Zhang Qiming shook his head. "I just feel that this student might possess a trait that we've overlooked."

He looked out the window, where Lin Fan and the other three had already disappeared at the end of the road.

"A trait... that belongs to a true Martial Artist."

Dormitory Area, East Block Building 7, Room 203.

Lin Fan retrieved the training short sword issued by the academy from under his bed. The blade was made of ordinary refined iron and was not sharpened, but it was sturdy enough.

Chen Dahu took a training saber, Zhou Ming chose a light short sword, and Zhao Tie Zhu took a shield and a short club—equipment his father used to use.

"Check your gear, we depart in five minutes," Lin Fan said.

The four quickly checked their weapons, potions, and trap materials.

Lin Fan took this time to check his system Panel again.

[Basic Fist Technique: Proficient (2012/5000)] [Basic Footwork: Proficient (1561/5000)] [Basic Breathing Technique: Proficient (1255/5000)] [Combat Experience: 53]

There was still a gap before reaching Minor Accomplishment, but the afternoon's battles should help him advance significantly.

More importantly, the side quest requires increasing the teammates' Combat Experience.

An average of 30 points means Chen Dahu needs to increase from 8 to at least 30, Zhou Ming from 2 to 30, and Zhao Tie Zhu from 1 to 30.

This requires a lot of fighting.

"I hope there are enough Steel Tooth Rats," Lin Fan thought.

"Brother Fan, we're ready!" Chen Dahu's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Lin Fan looked up and saw all three were geared up and ready to go.

Zhou Ming had a hint of nervousness on his face, but his eyes were determined. Zhao Tie Zhu's hand gripping his shield trembled slightly, but he stood straight. Chen Dahu, on the other hand, looked excited and eager to try.

"Remember a few things," Lin Fan gave his final instructions. "First, follow orders. Second, cover each other. Third, don't be greedy for credit. Fourth, safety first."

"Yes!" the three responded in unison.

"Let's go."

Lin Fan pushed open the dormitory door, and sunlight streamed into the hallway.

The four youths' first team quest was about to begin.

What they didn't know was that this seemingly Simple cleanup mission would far exceed their expectations.