The Alliance Ministry of Education stipulates this.
All second-year students at Wuhan University must go down the Abyss at least three times each semester, and they can arrange the time themselves.
The situation changes starting in the third year of university.
There is a fixed time for going down into the Abyss each semester.
Everyone takes turns.
When the term of service at this school ends, another school will take its place.
Today is the day that the third-year senior students at the Haidu Academy finish their posting and return to campus.
The main gate of the Haidu Academy was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers.
People from the shops along the street all gathered around to join in the fun.
Freshmen and sophomores also gathered at the school gate to welcome the heroes' return.
" Brother Ze, over here!"
From the crowd, the fat man waved to Qin Ze.
Qin Ze weaved through the crowd.
You stepped on my foot!
"Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze! Are you rushing to be reincarnated?"
"Damn it! Who touched my butt?"
"Oops! My mat fell!"
"..."
Finally, amidst the grumbling and cursing of the group, Qin Ze reunited with his three roommates.
" Brother Ze, where did you go last night?" the fat man asked curiously.
Since the start of the semester, Qin Ze has never stayed out all night.
Of course, they had no idea that their doppelgangers were "sleeping in for them" in the dormitory.
Qin Ze casually replied, "I went to my sister's."
Huai Xu leaned closer. "Hehehe~ Boss, could you take me with you next time to broaden my horizons?"
Qin Ze raised an eyebrow. "Next time, definitely."
Huai Xu sighed.
It seems there's no chance.
Next time is definitely not the same as never.
Suddenly, the crowd at the front erupted in cheers.
"They're back!"
Qin Ze and his group were in a pretty good position.
Although not at the very front, it's still a small high ground.
It's the kind of spot that a Silver Killer with unlimited ammo can hold for a lifetime.
You can see it without standing on tiptoe or craning your neck.
The streets not far away were already empty.
A group of third-year students, dressed in the blue and white uniforms of the Haidu Academy, walked in neat rows toward the gate.
This batch of veterans on leave numbered six hundred, accounting for less than a third of the entire third year.
The remaining veterans are either still in the Abyss or on missions outside.
The veterans beamed with Yangyang, their expressions resembling those of Wang Yousheng had been guarding the warehouse in the early game.
Many of them were injured.
They might have lost an arm or become lame.
Some of the seriously injured were carried on stretchers.
The crowd erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.
Confetti floated in the air.
A sophisticated urban woman and a female student exchanged icing kisses.
Huai Xu exclaimed, "It's so magnificent!"
"I want to become a legend at school someday!"
Wen Jing said calmly, "It's something you risk your life for, of course it's impressive."
The fat man asked curiously, "Is this kind of group activity dangerous?"
Qin Ze also looked at Wen Jing.
He always thought that the so-called "team stationing" was just a formality.
Just like college students doing internships in my previous life.
Wen Jing explained, " Penglai City has always lacked martial artists, especially those who fill the gaps on the front lines."
"Students from martial arts schools just fill in the blanks."
"Although it wasn't the most dangerous position, it's still the front line, meaning we still have to face the monsters head-on."
"In the history of the Haidu Academy, there was a time when a third-year student's position was breached by an S-class alien beast."
"More than 700 students on the position perished."
The fat man shook his head. "Too dangerous."
Qin Ze recalled what Teacher Yao had said at the beginning of the semester.
Martial arts is not child's play; one can face life-or-death crises at any time.
The veteran group quickly entered the school square.
There is a statue in the square.
The statue depicts a dashing young martial artist with his sword pointing towards the sky.
It is said that this is Xu Baichuan, the strongest warrior who defeated the beast tide and saved the Human Race.
Every university in Wuhan will have a statue of him.
The veteran group stopped at the foot of the statue.
Before them stood the principal, accompanied by dozens of faculty members, their expressions solemn.
From the veterans' group, a tall, handsome young man stepped forward.
"Reporting to the principal and teachers."
"The first batch of third-year students from the Haidu Academy have returned from their assigned Sequence."
"Six hundred and ninety-three people were expected; six hundred and fifty people were present."
"Please give instructions!"
This boy has a lot of energy and vitality.
Qin Ze estimated that he had already broken through to level four.
Beside him, Huai Xu whispered, "Our school's tough guy, student council president Fang Hao, is at the peak of level four, with one foot already in level five."
"I have several thousand merit points alone."
A level 5 mission only yields 100 merit points.
Several thousand merit points, and thirty or forty level 5 missions.
He's definitely a ruthless person.
The principal nodded slightly. "You've worked hard."
The veterans shouted in unison, "May martial arts flourish, and Human Race be glorious!"
Knock knock knock~
The bell tower and drum tower in the center of the school rang three times.
The square formation splits to both sides.
A heavy yet stirring melody began.
Four veterans, each carrying a corner of the coffin on their shoulders, carried in dozens of coffins.
The coffin was covered half with the flag of the Human Alliance and the other half with the flag of the Haidu Academy.
The scene Soundlessness, all eyes fixed on the forty-three coffins.
Even Qin Ze felt a slight ripple in his heart.
Many of the students around were already weeping.
Qin Ze finally understood why freshmen were forced to attend the ceremony.
Life and death.
Mission and glory.
The future and hope.
This was indeed a significant shock to their souls.
The principal's right hand trembled slightly as he gently stroked each coffin.
These were all his students.
He was still lively and energetic when he left school three months ago.
Now they have turned into cold corpses.
The principal faced the crowd and said in a deep voice:
"You're all great."
"I haven't disgraced myself, I haven't disgraced the school, and I haven't disgraced our Human Race!"
"You are all heroes!"
The principal looked at the forty-three coffins.
"A hero's origins Don't Ask, but he cannot be without a place to belong."
"They will be buried in the school's South Mountain Cemetery, where they will be paid their respects."
"The hopes of the dead must be inherited by the living."
"Our battle against the Abyss is far from over."
"We will pay with more lives and shed more blood in the future, but we will never yield."
" Human Race freedom!"
The veterans shouted, " Human Race, freedom!"
The new students watching the ceremony, as well as the ordinary people who were just watching the spectacle at the entrance, all joined in the shouts.
" Human Race freedom!"
" Human Race's glory!"
"..."
After the review ceremony, more people slowly followed behind the coffin to South Mountain Cemetery.
Qin Ze patted Huai Xu on the shoulder. "Still want to become a legend?"
Huai Xu stared blankly at the receding coffin, muttering, "Never mind."
There are never any living legends.
The legendary heroes of the Haidu Academy are all buried in South Mountain Cemetery.
Perhaps inspired by today's parade, the meditation room was packed.
Wen Jing, Fatty, and Huai Xu all went to cultivate.
Qin Ze returned to his dormitory and created a Shelter Space for his clones.
"Cultivate diligently, all of you."
"On the day you die, I will erect a monument to your legend."
The clones. "So you're just hoping we die, huh? Pretty, aren't you!"
After meditating for a minute, Qin Ze lay down, opened his phone, and started browsing the Sea Capital Martial Artist Forum.
The headline was prominently about yesterday's beast tide on Thousand Streams Island.