328 Chapter 328: Beginning the Qualifiers (1/2)
Before we knew what was happening, the train reached Olympus City. However, the train staff forbade us from alighting just yet, and instructed us to remain in our seats. Instead, we were being called to alight team by team, according to our academies.
If we were following clichés, the S-ranked teams would be called first, followed by the A-ranked teams. However, the tournament organizers cared little for our arbitrary ranking system I caught sight of the black-uniformed guy from Edgar Pole Academy, along with his comrades, being among the first few teams who were disembarking. He gave us a glance, was startled when he caught sight of me watching him, and then quickly jumped off without looking back again.
As I said, amateur.
It didn't take long for our team to be called. The military-uniformed staff poked his head in, his short-cropped hair hidden under a purple beret, and called out to us.
”Jing Tian Academy team, please alight.”
My friends and I exchanged glances, and then we complied without any hesitation, rising from our seats and heading for the exit. Stepping out into the cold, I suppressed an involuntary shiver and looked around.
As I expected, our surroundings were not that of a safe and warm train station, but instead an icy valley that was being overlooked by towering, snow-capped mountains. As my team gathered in in a spot right outside the train, I noticed that none of the other teams were present.
They had already moved on and started the qualifiers on their own.
The military staff with the purple beret stood with his arms folded behind his back, watching us coldly.
”I will now share the mission details with you. The objective for your Jing Tian team is very simple.”
Like hell it was going to be simple! I couldn't believe the guy thought he could get away with telling such a bald-faced lie.
”You are to reach Olympus City in two weeks.”
”Huh? Olympus City? Shouldn't it be Aurora City?” I asked, wondering if I had misheard the guy. He shook his head.
”No, Olympus City is right. Ask Skeleton Wizard if you don't believe me.”
”Who the hell is Skeleton Wizard!?” Dong Fang Yue Chu practically screamed. The soldier glared at him, but noticed that everyone was staring at him intensely. He coughed and cleared his throat.
”A Chinese author on Qidian. Anyway, if you are unable to reach Olympus City within two weeks, or if fewer than half of your team only managed to reach Olympus City, then you will be disqualified from the tournament.”
”Fewer than half…” Lily Liam did a quick count. ”In other words, at least five of us must make it to Olympus City.”
”That is correct,” the military guy affirmed. He then reached out with his hand and gestured toward our backpacks. ”Turn in all of your equipment except your personal weapons and Divine Devices. Other than your weapons, you are only allowed to carry the fieldpacks that have been specially prepared by the TOs.”
”Really?” Theodore Hammond raised an eyebrow, but didn't argue further. Like us, he slipped the backpack off his shoulders, removed his thunder hammer, and accepted the fieldpack that the military man designated us toward.
”Additionally, you are to safeguard this item.” The military guy then stretched out his hand to pass Harrison Reed a blue, hi-tech badge. ”This badge serves as your proof of identification, and it also doubles as a distress beacon. If you ever find yourselves in life-threatening danger, use the badge to contact HQ for help. We'll dispatch a rescue team immediately. Of course, that would also mean that you are forfeiting.”
”Our lives are not worth as much as trying to qualify for the knock-out stages,” Harrison said, more for us than the military guy. ”We will use it without hesitation when necessary.”
”Good.” The military guy smiled approvingly. ”That is the right attitude. As long as you're alive, you'll always have another chance in future. It's not worth throwing away your lives for a single tournament. Now that that's clear, are there any other questions?”
”…um…”
”I don't think so…”
”Sounds clear to me.”
”Yeah.” To our surprise, it was Bu Fan who raised his hand. ”Are there any other ways of advancing past the qualifiers? Such as…” he smirked. ”Stealing the badges from other teams?”
”No. this isn't a battle royale. You'll be disqualified if you attack the other teams and steal their badges. And make no mistake, we will know. Don't think that just because you're in the wilderness and away from civilization, there's no one to watch over you and you can do anything you want. The only time you are allowed to fight is against monsters, or in self-defense if the other party attacks you first.”
There was a hidden meaning behind that last sentence. Evidently the military guy was aware of the presence of the Dark Church and Assassins Guild. To minimize casualties and ensure the students' safety, they wanted us to focus on surviving and looking out for each other instead of recklessly competing and backstabbing each other.
”In fact, it's more advantageous if you link up with the other teams and band together to survive the wilderness and ally against herds of monsters. But that's entirely up to you. The other teams might not necessarily agree, especially since it would be more advantageous for them to weed out as many potential rivals during the qualifier stages as possible. But again, that's entirely up to you.”
He shrugged, and then turned around to return to the train. With a wave of his hand, he left one last remark for us.
”Good luck, all of you. Stay alive. That's the number one advice I can give you.”
”Yes, sir!”
Before we walked straight into the forest, we found a good area to stop and discuss our strategy going forward. First, Harrison checked the contents of the fieldpack that we had just been issued. While he did so, Sheila shook her head.