5: The Primal Sanctuary

Arriving at the designated location, there was no time for rest. The chief instructor in charge of the assessment lifted a loudspeaker and announced in a commanding voice, "This assessment consists of two tasks.

First, all trainees will be randomly dispatched into five regions, entering the 'Primeval Expanse' in randomized batches. Your mission is to reach the rendezvous point within three days. Your performance will be evaluated based on the number of Star Cores hunted. The specific scoring criteria have already been sent to your communication watches."

At these words, a collective groan rose from the crowd; random grouping meant their days of networking and forming teams had all been for naught.

"Silence!"

With a single authoritative command, the field fell instantly quiet.

The chief instructor swept his cold gaze over the crowd for a long moment before continuing, "Take heed—remember what I say. The assessment area is limited to yellow soil zones. Red, black, and white soil zones are progressively more dangerous. However, even yellow soil is not free from the risk of higher-level threats. If you encounter an irresistible danger, call for help immediately. Remember, the death tolerance for this assessment is 10%. You are all talents nurtured by the nation; if you fall before your journey has even begun, it would be a great loss. Know your limits."

These words sent a chill through the candidates below; the atmosphere grew tense. Still, as military academy students, they weren’t unaccustomed to drills with fatal risks.

"The second task is to reach the specially designated 'Sword Tomb Expanse' base within three days to qualify for the next stage. This is an optional mission—take it on if you dare. Anyone who fails to arrive on time will be considered to have forfeited the second assessment. Understood?"

"Understood, sir!"

Concise and clear, leaving no room for confusion.

Grouping began; new information appeared on their watches. Familiar faces were quickly scattered.

As the crowd thinned, Nie Renxiong found himself separated from his previously arranged teammates and braced himself for a solo adventure—only to discover, to his delight, that he’d been assigned to the same batch as Chen Longshi.

"Long’er, ha! Never thought I’d still get to cling to your leg in the end," he chuckled.

Chen Longshi smiled, ruffling his friend’s hair while slyly bargaining, "A week of lobster dinners!"

Nie choked at the demand. "This is extortion."

"Two weeks."

"What? Why did the price go up?"

Chen grinned, "Now it’s three weeks."

"Alright, alright, two weeks it is!" Nie grumbled. "You, with those honest brows and big eyes, are getting better at extortion every day. Three weeks of lobster? You’ll burst before I let you eat that much—I’ll be long gone by then."

"No worries. If the monk runs, the temple stays. Tab can always be kept," Chen replied, utterly unfazed.

Just then, a crisp voice called from behind, "Chen Longshi, Nie Renxiong, may we join your team?"

Ji Yao also approached, holding a long blade, accompanied by a youthful-looking girl. "This is my roommate, Jiang Yuner from Class Six, an eighth-rank Starforge adept."

Jiang Yuner looked even younger, full of youthful energy, her bright, deer-like eyes brimming with curiosity about the world. Standing beside Ji Yao—mature and regal—she was not outshone in the least. One exuded poised elegance; the other, a pure, first-love charm—especially that innocent face, the kind no otaku could resist. Nie Renxiong, for one, could hardly tear his eyes away.

"So you’re Chen Longshi—the famed campus heartthrob," Jiang Yuner said, her lively eyes scrutinizing him from head to toe. Unable to find fault, she puffed her cheeks in mock jealousy. "Not bad looking, but I wonder if you’re just a golden shell hiding rotten wood inside."

"Yuner," Ji Yao scolded, "mind your manners."

Chen Longshi, blessed with a good memory, didn’t recall seeing this beauty at school.

Before he could respond, Nie Renxiong jumped in, "If the lovely Ji wants to join, we’d be honored! Yuner’s an eighth-rank, her strength is unquestionable. With Ji as her guarantor, there’s no reason to refuse… Right, Long’er?" He nudged his friend, eyebrows waggling in exaggeration.

"Long’er? Ha, is that your nickname? That’s really—" Before she could finish, Ji Yao thumped her on the back, "—cute."

Jiang Yuner pouted, "Sis, why’d you hit me?"

Chen Longshi took it all in stride. "So long as no one crosses borders, the first task isn’t too dangerous for us. Still, the Primeval Expanse is no place for carelessness. More hands mean more strength; let’s go together. But I must insist: if there’s disagreement inside, you follow my lead. If not, we’ll part ways."

"No problem," Ji Yao agreed immediately.

Once preparations were complete, everyone underwent a full gear inspection. Anything that might leak information—primarily electronic devices and books—was confiscated, except for basic tools and personal weapons. Food and water, crucial for survival, were also taken away for the trial. Each was issued a compass embedded with a Star Array for emergency location inside the dimensional expanse.

When all groups were assigned, the chief instructor swept the crowd with his gaze and shouted, "Move out!"

Everyone boarded the aircraft in batches. Outwardly, the planes were unremarkable, but their interiors had been radically modified. In the dimensional space, electromagnetics and particle rules were different. Fortunately, humanity had long since learned to use star array technology from the expanse in place of circuits and chips; basic machinery now functioned once more in these worlds.

When the planes reached the mist, a wave of teleportation swept over them: violent turbulence shook the cabins, causing dizziness and a few cries before tense silence fell.

After an indeterminate flight, a broadcast sounded: "Welcome aboard the assessment flight. You have arrived at the Primeval Expanse. The survival trial is about to begin.

Assessment environment: Primeval Expanse.
Difficulty: Iron to Gold grade.
Reminder: Do not enter non-yellow soil areas.
Mission: Survive three days, hunt dimensional beasts, and gather Star Cores.
Current altitude: 4000 meters. Please put on your parachute gear and prepare to jump.
Good luck to all candidates."

…

Blaring alarms flashed red in the cabin as the parachute doors slowly opened. An imposing proctor, unburdened by any safety gear, stood brashly at the hatch. "All must jump within five minutes. Who’s first?"

Nie Renxiong peeked below—nothing but white mist—then nervously asked, "What do we do?"

Chen Longshi clapped his shoulder. "Just follow me!"

"We’re going first?" Jiang Yuner asked, her voice trembling.

"I’ll go first, Yuner second, Daxiong third, Ji Yao last," Chen Longshi ordered, then strode to the hatch. Eyes from the entire cabin followed him.

"That’s Chen Longshi from Class Ten!"

"Wow, the heartthrob is bold as ever."

"Should we follow?"

"No rush—let’s see if the mist clears."

"Maybe the heartthrob's team is still recruiting."

"Anyone else looking for a team? I’m Dai Guoli from Class One; I’m sure many of you have heard of me. More people, more strength—join up quickly!"

Chen Longshi turned to give his team a final check, raised his thumb, then leapt into the fog.

The moment he entered, a surge of altered gravity enveloped him, as if he’d gained invisible shackles. The acceleration downward far exceeded Earth’s, and he plummeted rapidly. After piercing a thousand meters of mist, the world abruptly opened up below—a vast, primeval forest spreading as far as the eye could see.

In virtual games, this expanse would be considered a mid-to-low-level monster zone, but being here in the flesh was a different matter. Now, with survival at stake, food and water were real concerns, unlike in games where a backpack sufficed.

As he dropped, Chen Longshi forced his eyes open, scanning for familiar landmarks.

Suddenly, a drawn-out scream sounded above, and before he could react, something—someone—whistled past: Jiang Yuner. Chen Longshi rolled his eyes; screaming during a parachute jump ensured a face full of snot and drool, no matter how pretty you were. Adjusting his posture, he dove after his teammate.

At a thousand meters, he deployed his chute. Behind him, others bloomed open like clouds of mushrooms drifting on the wind. The wind was strong; those who opened too early were in for a rough ride.

Selecting a clearing, Chen Longshi landed safely and immediately assembled his weapon—a silver lance nearly 2.5 meters long, forged with star iron, its blade long and double-edged, with a blood groove. Dismantled, it could also serve as a close-quarters weapon.

Standing tall at 1.9 meters, weapon slanted at his side, he exuded an aura of unyielding menace without a single move. His mental senses swept out, covering a fifty-meter radius. With a subtle shift of his feet, he moved instinctively with 'Flicker Step,' weaving rapidly through the primeval jungle toward his teammates.

The first he found was Jiang Yuner, dangling from a tree branch, dazed and disheveled, her face a mess of tears and saliva.

"Don’t look!" she squeaked, trying to cover her face and twist away. Unfortunately, strung up in midair, she could only kick her feet and spin in circles.

Chen Longshi sighed, leapt up, and with a flash of silver, sliced her chute cord.

"Ah—!" She shrieked as she fell.

Chen caught her around the waist, starbursts flaring at his feet as he vaulted through the air, landing steadily on a tree trunk. Jiang Yuner forgot all embarrassment and clung to him like an octopus.