The sun had not yet fully pierced the morning mist, casting a pale blue and gray-white light over the entire training camp. On the training assembly plaza on the west side of the camp, Instructor Moya stood on a high platform in his heavy military boots, looking down at the neatly lined-up recruits below.
"Yesterday, you finally learned what 'teamwork' means," Moya began coldly, his gaze sweeping over the group. After a brief pause, he continued, "But today, I don't need you to push forward at all costs, nor do I need you to be fearless. I just need you to deliver something intact to the finish line."
With a wave of his hand, a rectangular box with a black alloy shell was pushed onto the platform by four auxiliary trainees.
"This is your target for today. A high-sensitivity material simulation pod, weighing 80 kilograms, with a pressure resistance limit of level three, containing simulated equipment inside. You are responsible for transporting it from the starting point on the east side of the training camp to the finish line in the south. You will need to traverse five sections, including: muddy woodland, a gravel slope, a creek with a broken bridge, a slope covered with fallen leaves, and an open rocky field."
Cain noted down the keywords, while Ze quietly observed the black box, his eyes steady as a mountain.
Moya continued, "Along the way, there will be natural obstacles, weather simulations, and unexpected situations, but I will not inform you of these in advance. You cannot request assistance during the mission, nor can you abandon the box midway. Your goal is to 'complete the transport with minimal damage.'"
He paused before adding, "The mission time limit is two hours. Prepare, and go."
The box was heavy, and without any wheel design, it was intended to test the team's ability to cooperate under asymmetrical loads and without prepared paths.
Cain and Ze took the front and back positions, with balance ropes tied to their backs. Tario and Rodi supported the weight on the sides, while Aina led the way in front.
The woodland was as muddy as a swamp, and the box easily sank into the muck. "Tilt left, avoid the roots!" Ze shouted, his voice as calm as ever. Tario took a wrong step and slipped, but Ze immediately braced the box with his foot, pulling the weight back.
Rodi gritted his teeth, "This is harder than any battlefield simulation I've read about!"
Aina had already advanced between the tree roots, crouching down with her hand on the ground. "It's stable here, no deep spots within three steps."
"Alright, push through that way!" Cain commanded immediately.
They maneuvered around the large tree roots, using the trunk as a slide to let the box glide down, reducing a lot of friction despite its weight.
Next, they reached the gravel slope, where the box slid too quickly downhill, almost slipping out of their grasp.
"Hold the back down!" Cain and Rodi dove to grab the tail of the box, while Tario placed several large stones as a barrier.
Aina slid down the slope to set a landing spot, using techniques learned from natural training courses to create a stone and grass buffer zone.
Finally, the box reached the bottom of the slope safely.
Everyone was panting heavily, but no one called for a stop.
After the stone slope, they arrived at a narrow creek valley. The sound of water flowed gently, and the wooden bridge that used to connect both sides for training purposes had collapsed halfway.
"What do we do? Pass it across by hand?" Rodi asked nervously.
"No, it will tip over. The box needs to be fixed and balanced," Aina immediately vetoed.
Ze thought for a few seconds before saying, "We'll switch to the left rock wall. It's narrow, but there are natural stone pillars we can use. Move the box with ropes."
He pointed to the gaps in the rock wall on the left side of the creek, where five or six protruding rock columns grew.
Cain glanced at the treacherous terrain and nodded, "Alright. Secure the box with ropes. Ze and I will guide it, Tario and Rodi will balance the bottom, and Aina will cover the rear."
However, as they began to climb, the weather suddenly changed—the training system activated the weather simulator.
"Emergency situation: heavy rain, wind force level eleven, visibility reduced to 35%."
"Hurry! Ze, loosen the right rope a bit! Rodi, watch your step—"
The rain lashed like blades, the wind drowning out all commands, and the box swayed in the air. Ze clung to the securing rope with arms taut as steel wires, his arms already chafed and bleeding from the rough rope.
Tario gritted his teeth, supporting the bottom of the box, and shouted, "I can't hold much longer!"
Just then, a distant old tree, its foundation loosened, crashed down toward Aina from behind!
Cain lunged forward, pulling her away just in time, though his arm was grazed, blood quickly staining his sleeve.
"I'm fine, just keep it steady!"
Guided by Ze and Cain, the box finally made it across the creek and was carefully placed on the other side.
Everyone was drenched and covered in mud, but the box remained intact.
The final section was a loose rocky field, difficult to traverse, and the team was nearing their physical limits.
Ze moved to the back for support, while Tario and Aina took the front, but soon Tario slipped, crashing heavily into one side of the box with a dull thud.
"Stability alert!" The box's red light flashed; if the excessive shaking continued, the mission would be forcibly terminated.
Cain shouted urgently, "Adjust formation immediately, Tario switch to the left rear, Ze back to the front! Aina, maintain a straight line!"
Dragging their nearly numb legs, they slowly but steadily crossed the rocky field. Even as sweat mixed with mud dripped down, and every muscle burned with pain, no one faltered.
Fifty meters from the finish line—the wind stopped, and sunlight broke through once more.
Together, they shouted their final push: "Three, two, one—lift!"
With the countdown at 00:02—they crossed the final red finish line.
Mission accomplished.
Moya stood at the finish line, looking at the panting, mud-covered team with determined eyes, and nodded for once.
"Congratulations, you completed the mission with minimal damage. The box stability rating is 9.2, meeting the central evaluation standard. This wasn't luck; it was your real progress."
Cheers erupted instantly.
Tario plopped down, "I swear I'm not moving a finger tonight... unless it's to lift a spoon to eat."
Aina laughed, pulling him up, "Didn't you just say you could do it again?"
Cain looked at Ze, extending his hand, "Without your idea for the left path, we might have failed today."
Ze glanced at his hand, not immediately taking it, but softly said, "You commanded well."
Then he lightly clapped Cain's hand.
As night fell, a few dim lights flickered at the edge of the training camp plaza. Compared to the day's rigor and sweat, the atmosphere this night was particularly gentle. The squad gathered on a small hill behind the barracks, a small clearing surrounded by weeds and rocks, with a faint scent of grass and wood in the air.
Tario brought a pile of supply cans and energy biscuits from the kitchen, laying them out on a large cloth in the middle.
"I declare, for completing today's extreme mission—we deserve a little celebration!" he announced loudly.
"You just don't want to go to bed hungry, do you?" Aina teased, but she sat down and took a can.
Rodi raised a wooden cup, filled with sweet fruit water he had concocted from training rations, "Here's to our first victory."
The sound of cups clinking was crisp, followed by Tario's exaggerated chewing and Rodi's comedic mimicry. The atmosphere gradually relaxed, and the squad's fatigue was eased by this moment of laughter.
Cain sat on a large stone nearby, his gaze shifting to Ze leaning against a tree. He still maintained a slight distance from them, arms crossed, quietly watching the night sky.
Cain walked over with a cup of fruit water and sat beside him.
"You should celebrate a bit too today," he offered the cup to Ze.
Ze was silent for a moment, finally accepting it, "…Thanks."
It was the first time he had accepted such an invitation.
Cain looked at him, "How long have you been here?"
Ze gazed at the flickering campfire, his tone light, "About as long as you."
"But you're not quite like us," Cain didn't beat around the bush, "The way you train, your physical coordination, your tactical responses... they don't seem like a first encounter."
Ze chuckled softly, "You've been observing closely."
"I'm not trying to pry, I'm just… interested in you. You don't seem like someone just looking to train; you seem like you're waiting for something, or preparing for something."
Ze turned his head slightly, his gaze not as distant as before. He looked at Cain, his eyes softening, his tone less sharp.
"I do come from a rather... special place. But now, like you, I'm just a trainee."
Cain could tell that although Ze hadn't revealed much about his identity, it was the first time they were talking like friends.
"You don't have to say much," Cain patted Ze's shoulder, "But I think, no matter why you're here, as long as you're willing to stand here, you're one of us."
Ze didn't reply, just nodded slightly. In that moment, a hint of fatigue flashed in his eyes, along with a rare... peace.
He looked towards the center of the group, where Tario was animatedly reenacting his slip from earlier, making Aina and Rodi laugh until they fell over.
"They're... quite amusing," Ze murmured.
Cain smiled, "So you're not planning to join tonight?"
Ze watched the laughing shadows for a few seconds, finally standing up and slowly walking toward the firelight with his cup.
No longer just an observer.
No longer just a silent shadow.