Snow Mountain Village

(Beep, exam time is up. Please prepare, students. Papers are being distributed--)

The familiar mechanical voice sounded, and Bo Shuo was still a bit dazed.

He had been pushed too hard by 007, and now his vision seemed to still be filled with those terrifying, bloody monsters.

He was currently standing in a snowy field, surrounded by a vast expanse of white. Snowflakes continuously fell from the sky, landing on his exposed skin and bringing a chill.

There were many people around, not just examinees but also NPCs.

The examinees were easy to identify; those with vigilant expressions and careful movements were basically all examinees, and judging by their appearance, they were mostly veterans who had participated in games before.

Just then, a line of light screens appeared before all the examinees present.

(This exam is out of 100 points. Those who fail will be eliminated! Please answer carefully.)

(You are an adventurer who loves exploration. Today, your team encountered a sudden avalanche while exploring in the snowy mountains. Your communication signal is currently malfunctioning, and you cannot contact the outside world. Fortunately, you have found a village hidden deep in the mountains.)

(This exam is a stage-based challenge. The Main Quest Assessment is now being issued: Survive for 3 days (20 points))

"Quick, look! There's a village ahead!"

A delighted female voice came from beside him. Bo Shuo turned his head and saw a woman with an NPC title pointing not far away.

Through the low visibility of the falling snow, the outline of a small village could be vaguely seen in the distance.

Most of the houses were thatched huts. The snow on the roadside was deep, and it hadn't been cleared for a long time. Stepping on it left footprints half a meter wide.

Not long after they entered, someone came to greet them.

It was an NPC with the title "Village Chief." He was short and lean, his body covered in dense wrinkles, like dried, shriveled orange peel that had been left out for too long.

As the Village Chief stooped and walked closer, a hoarse, tired voice, as if scraped by sandpaper, sounded: "Outsiders, if you need lodging, follow me."

It seemed unavoidable.

Bo Shuo sighed. He had deliberately lingered at the entrance, hoping to find another way to get through this scenario.

This village didn't look like a good place.

But he could have guessed that the Proctoring System wouldn't let him exploit such a loophole.

The Village Chief stood still for a moment, then ignored them and slowly turned to walk into the village, his cane tapping on the frost and snow as if he were walking on flat ground.

Seeing this, no one hesitated and followed him.

On the way, several people who were clearly examinees gathered in twos and threes, then began to introduce themselves in low voices.

Bo Shuo didn't need to deliberately listen; as his gaze shifted, the information about them appeared before his eyes.

There were thirty examinees in total: five C-class, ten D-class, and the rest were E-class players.

Judging by the situation, many people in the middle seemed to be in teams, with the core of each team clearly revolving around the B-rank examinees.

Except for Sang Yu, the short-haired woman in the corner, who was a C-class lone wolf, everyone else had more or less brought a few teammates.

The surrounding buildings were all thatched huts.

The village had developed slowly and was isolated, as if it were still stuck in the 1960s or 70s. There were no streetlights or power supply on the roads, and even heating for every household used coal.

From behind came the clamor of tourist group NPCs.

"What kind of backwater village is this? No signal at all, can't even call the police. Damn it, I've had enough."

"..."

The examinees didn't respond, just followed closely behind the Village Chief.

Finally, the group was led into a hut in the very center of the village.

Soft white snow covered the entire eaves, and beneath them hung sharp icicles, swaying precariously, as if they would fall and pierce someone's head at any moment.

After entering the house, Bo Shuo finally felt some warmth. He moved his slightly stiff neck and noticed that the Village Chief, who had led them to the hut, had stopped for a long time. He seemed to be stuck like a malfunctioning robot, his movements jerky and intermittent, before finally adjusting.

A strange smile appeared on his aged face, and then he spoke to everyone, "Welcome, everyone, to our Snow Mountain Village."

"To ensure your safety, please abide by the following lodging rules."

"Rule One: The village is located deep in the mountains, with many giant beasts. Outsiders should not leave their rooms after 8 PM.

Rule Two: Aunt Wang in the next house is a kind and honest person. You can go to her if you need anything; she will provide you with shelter.

Rule Three: There is a joyous occasion in the village recently. On certain nights, if you hear the sound of gongs and drums, you need to light a red candle.

Rule Four: Recently, auspicious dates are abundant. There is a bride getting married. Outsiders can attend, but you must bring the red string from the table every morning when you attend the wedding.

Rule Five: Aunt Wang has a gentle personality, but do not mention any words related to death in front of her, lest you upset her."

As soon as these rules were announced, the expressions of the examinees present changed. This was a rare Rule-based Instance.

It was known that Rule-based Instances had extremely low pass rates, and most of them required both intelligence and combat ability.

What terrible luck they had.