"What's behind that glass door?"
"It looks like a black hole."
"Could that really be the entrance?"
The students whispered nervously among themselves.
"That's exactly it. The Forbidden Zone entrance."
Sergeant Tyler Young confirmed their guesses with a nod. "Go straight in. When the mission options appear, just choose one. And remember... stay alive. I'll be waiting for your return."
With his words lingering in the air, the students formed a line and stepped into the swirling void one after another. As each person entered, they vanished without a trace.
Soon, it was Vincent Fox's turn.
He stepped forward, took a steady breath, and crossed the threshold.
In the blink of an eye, he was standing in a pure white space.
A calm, artificial voice echoed all around him.
"Please select your mission..."
Three glowing panels appeared before him.
Mission 1: Eliminate T-virus–infected creaturesDifficulty: EasyTime Limit: 30 daysTip: The more infected you eliminate, the higher your mission rating. Higher rating, greater rewards.
Mission 2: Rescue survivorsDifficulty: HardTime Limit: 30 daysTip: The more survivors you save, the higher your mission rating.
Mission 3: Eradicate the T-virus and save the worldDifficulty: UltimateTime Limit: 30 daysTip: Faster completion yields a higher mission rating. Completing the mission grants a unique reward: one random innate talent.Warning: Failure to complete within 30 days will result in permanent entrapment within the zone.
Vincent stared at the panels with a smirk.
The first two missions had no risk if you failed. You could quit halfway and still make it back alive. No wonder this was labeled the Second Forbidden Zone a perfect place for beginners.
But Mission 3 was different. Fail, and you'd be trapped here forever. No return, no second chance.
Still, the choice was obvious.
Vincent chuckled softly. "I choose Mission 3."
"Selection confirmed..."
A flash of light consumed him.
When it faded, he found himself standing on a cracked and dust-covered street. Shattered skyscrapers loomed around him, their twisted skeletons towering in eerie silence. The road was scattered with wrecked cars and broken glass. Every surface was stained with grime and decay.
The entire city looked like it had been dead for decades.
Empty. Abandoned. Haunted by catastrophe.
This was the true face of the Second Forbidden Zone.
Back at the real-world entrance, the teachers finally relaxed now that all the students had crossed over.
Sergeant Tyler Young was searching for a place to rest when a familiar voice rang out.
"Tyler! Long time no see."
A man with gold-rimmed glasses and a refined air walked over, clapping Tyler on the shoulder.
"I didn't expect War Saint Academy to send you as their lead instructor."
Tyler Young narrowed his eyes and instinctively took a step back.
"Benjamin Tanner," he said, voice cool. "Since when were we friends?"
Benjamin laughed, brushing off the tension. "Old classmates, right? No need to act so cold."
"Old classmates?" Tyler's tone sharpened. "You're a senior professor at War God Academy. I'm just a no-name instructor at a third-rate school. Don't pretend we stand on equal ground."
Benjamin let out a sigh. "So you still remember what happened back then... It was a misunderstanding, Tyler."
Tyler gave a cold laugh. "Misunderstanding or not, I'm not interested in reminiscing. Say what you came to say."
Benjamin smiled pleasantly, unfazed. "Nothing major. Just checking in. Needed to report back to Ava that you're still holding things down."
At the mention of "Ava," Tyler's face flickered.
That name.
That woman.
Someone he had once truly loved.
He clenched his fists, knowing full well Benjamin had brought her up on purpose. He wanted to provoke him. And it was working.
Benjamin casually raised a finger. "Oh, one last thing. You remember the tradition, right? Every year, we compare whose students get the highest mission rating in Forbidden Zone Two. I trust we're still doing that?"
He said it loudly enough for the other instructors nearby to hear.
Heads began to turn. The atmosphere shifted.
The challenge had been issued, and now, everyone was watching.
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Note: For clarity and ease of reading, all original Chinese names have been adapted into their English full-name equivalents throughout this translation.
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