It was said the drill would begin at 9 a.m. Before dawn, when the sky was still dark, Xiang Yunjian went out to retrieve a batch of supplies.
Among them were daily necessities, surveillance cameras, various sensing devices, and training firearms.
He set aside one set for Cheng Feng and carried the rest to the empty area behind the house, where they would await distribution.
Just after 8 a.m., the sky at the horizon had brightened with daylight. Xiang Yunjian hoisted his gun and, with an air as if heading out for a robbery, waved his hand and led his two comrades away, leaving only Yan Shen, who was still eating.
In Cheng Feng’s rather limited knowledge of social etiquette, she vaguely remembered a principle – something about not leaving a stranger alone in one’s home. That would likely make the other person uncomfortable, and her combat robot might also be at risk.
So she stood in the corner, pretending to tidy up, intending to wait and leave together with him.
Yan Shen liked to eat slowly, chewing each bite carefully. The day before, Cheng Feng had been too absorbed in her own meal to notice this.
After she dawdled around, folding the small blanket three times, only to realize he had just finished a single piece of dry bread, it finally dawned on her – this was a serious problem.
Cheng Feng stood at the back, holding her small blanket with a heavy expression as she watched him eat.
His stomach must be very healthy, she told herself.
He’s just health-conscious. It’s said to be a human instinct.
Half an hour later, he placed his bowl and chopsticks on the table.
Thinking he was finally ready, Cheng Feng was about to suggest they leave when she saw him unhurriedly pour himself a glass of water and sit at the table, taking small sips.
It felt like the revolution was starting all over again. Cheng Feng’s expression twisted briefly in a way it hadn’t in a long time. Glancing at the time display – 8:30 – she felt an inexplicable urgency on his behalf.
This guy, she thought, probably wouldn’t rush even if his eyebrows were on fire – he’d still stop to pour himself a glass of water to cool down.
For a moment, she wondered if Yan Shen had an ulterior motive.
Even outdated, rusted, decades-old robots weren’t this slow-moving.
This person’s drive system must be completely broken.
Five minutes later, Yan Shen set down his cup and began putting on the sensor equipment and bulletproof vest required for training.
Watching him press the wrinkles on his collar with his fingers, Cheng Feng felt her chest filled with a deeply uncomfortable anxiety. It was like watching a group of ants scurrying in circles on a scorching stone slab for what felt like a hundred and eight rounds, yet still refusing to change direction. It made her so restless she could hardly breathe, and she nearly felt like kicking Yan Shen in the rear to shove him out of the room.
At 8:55, Yan Shen finally stepped out, having reserved a precious five minutes for himself to locate a sniper point.
For some reason, Cheng Feng let out a long sigh of relief. Standing in the morning breeze, she felt a slight chill.
“Thank you,” Yan Shen said, carrying his gun over his shoulder as he offered her a friendly smile. “You’re the first person besides the captain who was willing to wait for me.”
Cheng Feng tried to hold back, but she couldn’t control it – her mechanical voice sharpened as she blurted out, “Didn’t he ever kick you?”
“The captain may look intimidating, but he’s actually quite patient,” Yan Shen replied. “Otherwise, leading a team like ours would have driven him mad long ago.”
Cheng Feng felt utterly drained.
Yan Shen patted her shoulder. “Looking forward to working with you, little junior.”
…
Yan Shen was a sniper and wouldn’t be taking the same route as her.
Cheng Feng exchanged coordinates with Xiang Yunjian via communicator and successfully rendezvoused behind a patch of low bushes.
By the time she arrived at the location, the other three had already set up their ambush.
Xiang Yunjian wore a look of unmistakable surprise, not even hidden by his monitoring glasses, and asked, “Did you wait for Yan Shen?”
Cheng Feng slowly crouched down with her gun, remaining silent.
Jiang Linxia saw right through it and gloated, “Oh no. He already didn’t seem all that sharp – now he’s caught Yan Shen’s tempo. Might be terminal.”
Xiang Yunjian curled the corner of his lips, pressed his earpiece, and issued the command: “All members, once you’ve settled into position, prepare to begin. If you have questions, use the public channel now. In five minutes, the public channel will be cut off and switched to faction signals. Please confirm that your monitoring equipment is functioning properly – this is part of your test results. Proctors are present for this round. Please note: Proctors are present! The use of optical computers, external assistance, and collateral damage to civilians are prohibited. Any student caught cheating will be eliminated…”
Before he could finish reciting the exam rules, Cheng Feng, who had been lying beside him, suddenly shot out like a startled rabbit.
Xin Kuang looked up from his optical screen, but her figure was already gone. He blinked in confusion, asking, “Where did he go? Did he have springs on his feet? He was supposed to stay with us – does he plan to wander the world alone now?”
Jiang Linxia quickly loaded her weapon, chuckling softly, “I usually call it ‘post-Yan Shen stress disorder.’”
Everyone laughed briefly at the remark, but their smiles gradually faded.
Xiang Yunjian said, “I don’t think I explained the rules yet. Where exactly is the kid heading?”
…
Cheng Feng could have taken to the air, but she didn’t.
She simply found a safer spot, putting some distance between herself and those three glowing targets, and hid behind a large rock.
To be fair, this area was indeed quite suitable for drills.
First, it was located in the suburbs, with few pedestrians, limited infrastructure, and minimal interference.
Second, the terrain was varied. Ahead lay undeveloped low hills and open ground, while behind was a long-abandoned urban ruin. The area offered plenty of cover, making it ideal for ambushes by all sides and a good test of the students’ ability to maneuver tactically.
On a post-war planet that wasn’t their home turf, finding a drill site like this was already quite impressive.
Jiang Linxia quickly explained the drill rules to Cheng Feng over the channel:
“This drill involves a total of 100 students. They’re from several different high schools and mostly don’t know each other. After being mixed up, they’re assigned to different positions on the map.
“The monitoring device is mounted on your glasses. You cannot remove the glasses during the test. The communication equipment is networked – and I don’t mean just the exam field network, but an open channel shared with the admissions department of the UFU. So be careful what you say. Proctors are monitoring the entire field.”
Cheng Feng couldn’t help but glance up at the sky, feeling as though someone was watching her.
Jiang Linxia spoke rapidly – but then again, this was his specialty. “When you are hit by a training weapon, you must ‘fall and withdraw’ as instructed. You cannot continue to interfere with the exam. You cannot share relevant information.
“The gun in your hands is a training weapon – no live ammunition, but its other parameters are similar to a real firearm. Firing will still produce recoil, and you’ll hear audio cues in your earpiece. Remember to load it before use.
“And here’s an important point: the map has boundaries! If you go beyond the map range, your equipment will issue a warning. You must operate within the designated combat zone.”
Jiang Linxia spoke until his mouth felt dry, but the other side remained dead silent. Growing impatient, he urged, “Hey? Do you hear me? Little buddy! Respond if you can hear me – it’s the rule for all teams!”
Cheng Feng replied, “Heard you loud and clear.”
Jiang Linxia couldn’t help but sound a bit anxious, “Listen, kid – stay calm, okay? Don’t rush into the fight, and don’t push to stand out. If you go down too fast, it’ll be awkward for everyone.”
If the protagonist gets taken out right at the start, what’s the examiner supposed to do? To ensure fairness in the exam, they can’t exactly stage a miraculous resurrection for her.
Yan Shen’s voice drifted in leisurely, reminding him, “Don’t jinx it.”
Xiang Yunjian added, “Make sure you stick with him. His marksmanship isn’t great, so you cover him if needed.”
Yan Shen nodded, “Got it. I’m behind him.”
Yan Shen lay prone on a high point about two hundred meters away from Cheng Feng.
He thought Cheng Feng, being young and spirited, might not like being watched over. But the figure in his scope didn’t speak up – only turned her head, looked left and right, and then accurately shifted her gaze toward his location.
The moment their eyes connected, the warning line in Yan Shen’s mind, the one that sensed danger, was abruptly pulled taut. Even the hairs on his back stood up, and he instinctively wanted to look away and lower his profile.
Having a sniper’s position discovered was unsettling, no matter how you looked at it.
His fingers tightened on the rifle. In his nervousness, he saw Cheng Feng turn away nonchalantly as if nothing had happened, leaving him wondering if it had just been a trick of his mind.
“It’s about to start, it’s about to start!” Jiang Linxia counted down the seconds, sounding a bit excited. “Two objectives! Stay alive – and kill!”
