I Refuse the Tragic Ending

”Which means they knew a method to enter it even with their low core level,” Garrick said, leaving his colleagues in disbelief.

”A method to enter it even with a low core level?” Rovan exclaimed in shock. ”Is there even something like that?” He asked. ”Not even us knew about it,” he added.

Garrick didn’t answer. He let them think about it.

”Seeing that all of them were low ranks, I think Garrick is right. There’s probably a secret method to enter it that even us didn’t know,” Liora stated. ”Which meant, they were more knowledgeable than us about this forest.”

Rovan and Selene fell silent because what Garrick and Liora said seemed logical. However, a secret method to enter the safe zone? This was the first time they heard about it.

The group continued spectating.

The safe zone wasn’t part of the information given to the students. Even the instructors didn’t casually discuss it. The area had been intentionally left undisclosed because it’s one of the hidden wonders that the students must discover by themselves.

A team who was lucky enough to discover it, could stay there without worrying about getting harassed by magical beasts. They could preserve their stamina, avoid unnecessary injuries, and they could sleep safely.

In a five-day survival examination, that was an enormous advantage.

Rovan sighed.

”Regardless, we don’t have enough evidence,” he said.

Garrick nodded.

”True.”

He looked back at the screen.

”But Team 37 has piqued my interest,” he said.

The other instructors shared similar expressions.

Until yesterday, Team 37 had been nothing more than the weakest team. Now they were becoming increasingly difficult to understand. And none of them knew exactly why.

Meanwhile, inside the Emerald Forest, Team 37 had absolutely no idea that their campsite had become the subject of the instructors discussion. They were simply enjoying the safest night they had experienced since entering the forest.

The stone pillars stood around them like silent guardians. The strange aura surrounding the area kept the surrounding beasts away.

No growls disturbed them, no approaching steps, and no branches suddenly snapped in the darkness.

The night passed peacefully. Perhaps too peacefully compared to the rest of the teams.

Elsewhere in the Emerald Forest, the situation was completely different. Several ambitious teams had pushed into the middle region. The resources there were undeniably better. Rare medicinal plants grew beneath old trees. Higher-grade magical herbs could be found near everywhere. The beasts were stronger, and their materials were more valuable.

For teams hoping to earn a large number of examination points, entering the middle region was almost unavoidable.

But the students quickly discovered that better resources came with a price.

A group searching for medicinal herbs was suddenly attacked by a pack of Razorfang Wolves. Another team encountered a massive Ironhide Boar while collecting a rare plant.

The beast charged without warning, forcing the students to scatter. One of the lower-ranked teams was eventually overwhelmed. Their weapons were damaged. Several students suffered injuries. When the situation finally turned hopeless, their leader reluctantly raised the surrender signal.

”We surrender!”

The moment the signal was activated, several figures emerged from the surrounding forest.

They were actually junior instructors the academy asked to supervise the freshmen. They were hiding under high-level concealment and would immediately reveal themselves once a team was in a direct emergency situation or when they called for giving up.

Each team had two observers, a male and a female, following them.

After the leader asked to surrender, a voice reverberated nearby.

”Stand down!”

The team was slightly confused but they followed anyway.

Then two figures emerged from thin air. And they immediately dealt with the attacking beasts. The magical beast was driven away, and the injured students were quickly treated.

Similar situations happened in some parts of the middle region. Some teams surrendered after realizing that continuing would put their lives at risk. Others managed to escape before suffering serious injuries.

The elite teams performed better.

Leon and the other top students were able to defend themselves against the stronger magical beasts. But even they discovered that the middle region wasn’t as easy as they had expected. The beasts there were not only stronger. They were more aggressive. They attacked with far less hesitation. The difference between the outer and middle regions became painfully obvious.

The wilderness examination was only on its second night, yet several teams were already exhausted.

Meanwhile, Team 37 slept peacefully. By the time the third day arrived, the difference became even more obvious. Sunlight slowly entered the Emerald Forest.

Golden rays slipped through the branches, illuminating the ancient trees. A cool morning breeze passed through the clearing and birds chirped in the distance.

The forest almost looked peaceful. Team 37 woke up without having to deal with a single disturbance.

Darius stretched his arms.

”That was probably the best sleep I’ve had since we entered the forest.”

Elias rubbed his eyes.

”I forgot what uninterrupted sleep felt like.”

Mira smiled quietly.

Even she looked noticeably more energetic than she had the previous morning.

Kael glanced around the clearing. Everyone was fine. And most importantly, they had all recovered their stamina.

”This place really is convenient,” Kael muttered.

Quinn climbed down from a nearby tree.

”Qiu!”

Kael looked at the spider.

”You slept well too?”

”Qiu!”

Quinn proudly raised its front legs.

Kael nodded.

”Good.”

Not long afterward, Team 37 gathered around a makeshift table. It was nothing more than several pieces of wood they had arranged together.

A small kettle sat in the middle. Steam rose from several cups.

They were tea.

Beside it were several simple cookies and pieces of bread.

Darius picked up his cup.

He took a sip.

”Ah.”

Elias sat down beside him.

”This is ridiculous.”

Mira looked at him.

”What?”

Elias gestured around them.

”We’re supposed to be surviving in a dangerous magical forest.”

He picked up a cookie.

”Why does this feel like breakfast at a countryside resort?”

Darius looked at the table.

”I was thinking the same thing.”

Mira smiled.

Kael took a sip of tea.

”You’re both complaining?”

”Of course not.”

Elias immediately took another bite.

”I’m just appreciating the situation.”

Darius nodded seriously.

”That’s right.”

Mira covered a small smile.

High above them, several instructors watched through the observation crystal. Nobody spoke for several seconds.

Finally, Selene sighed.

”Are they really taking this examination?”

Rovan stared at the image.

”They look like they’re on vacation.”

Another instructor nodded.

”They even have a peaceful morning tea. And cookies and bread.”

Rovan rubbed his forehead.

”Meanwhile, several teams were still exhausted from last night’s encounter with the attacking beasts.”

The contrast was almost absurd. Moreover, the other teams couldn’t afford to relax. Their food supplies were beginning to shrink. They had expected the examination to last three days only, that’s why most of them only packed enough supplies for three days. Now they were facing a difficult choice.

Either ration their existing food and risk going hungry before the examination ended, or spend valuable time hunting animals and searching for edible plants.

The latter option was dangerous. But after last night’s struggle against the magical beasts, some of them started to think that it wasn’t safe to go hunting because there was a high chance that they would instead become the prey.

Leaving camp meant exposing themselves to stronger magical beasts.

Some of the teams that survived last night’s struggle retreated back to the outer region early in the morning. Most of them low tied teams had

already gave up taking the top ranking. What matters to them more was surviving the exam till the end.

Team 37, meanwhile, sat around their makeshift table and drank tea.

Rovan stared at Kael.

”How did this team not even bother about their food supply?”

Garrick looked at the monitor.

”I don’t know. Maybe they brought enough to survive the whole five days. I noticed student Grayford carrying a big backpack earlier.”

”Now that you mention it, I also remembered. But whether his backpack is full of food supplies or not the question remains how... how did he know the examination would be five days long?” Rovan knitted his brows.

”.....”

Of course, no one had an answer.

At Team 37 camp, Kael was calmly eating a piece of bread. Quinn sat beside him, happily chewing on its own portion.

Mira suddenly noticed something in him.

”Kael, did you not have enough sleep last night?” Her voice was laced with worries.

Hearing it, the others immediately looked at him.

Darius glanced at her and smiled faintly.

”Mira, you’re quite observant,” after saying that, he looked at Kael. ”But Kael, how did you get an eyebag under your eyes? Don’t tell us you stood guarding the entire night?”

”What? I thought this place was safe?” Elias asked in disbelief.

Kael quickly waved his hands.

”No no, it’s nothing like that. I just couldn’t fall asleep. I have mild insomnia.”

It’s true he didn’t have enough sleep last night. But the reason was because he spent the night investigating the Moonlit Catacombs in secret.