Wilderness Survival Training 1

Wen Jiu watched as the people around her began to buzz with discussion, but she remained silent, standing quietly in place.

On the podium, Zhou Sen, who was standing beside Yu Ruman, wanted to step forward and quiet the students down, but Yu Ruman merely made a slight gesture and did not stop the discussion among the students below.

She crossed her arms, her jade-like fingers tapping rhythmically against her arm.

"Quiet down!"

Yu Ruman's voice instantly silenced everyone present.

"I can spare you from punishment since you are all still freshmen, but the dangers out there will not show mercy simply because you are freshmen."

"Casualties and injuries among students during the annual field survival training are quite common. However, you can rest assured that the academy will issue compensation to your families based on the circumstances."

"I won't bother saying too much more; you are all on your own now. Follow the teachers' guidance now and board the hovering buses. Before getting on, collect one survival resource pack in an orderly fashion. Carrying extra food, water, or unauthorized weapons is strictly prohibited..."

While listening to Yu Ruman lazily read out the training rules, Wen Jiu followed the queue toward a hovering bus.

"Everyone may only take one survival resource pack. Voluntarily hand over anything you shouldn't be carrying. Don't wait until we arrive at the destination for me to strip you down myself."

When Wen Jiu reached the bus doors, a round-faced female teacher was handing out a survival resource pack to each boarding student.

When it was her turn, the teacher looked Wen Jiu up and down and gently motioned for her to hand over her items voluntarily.

Seeing this, Wen Jiu obediently untied the rope fastened around her waist and placed it on the nearby collection table.

However, the teacher merely picked it up for a quick look, told her that this item did not count as a prohibited weapon, and handed it right back to her.

Thus, Wen Jiu quickly tied the rope back around her waist, picked up her survival resource pack with one hand, and randomly chose an empty seat on the hovering bus to sit down.

The seats on the bus were arranged in pairs. Shortly after she sat down, she saw Fei Qingyu walking toward her with his signature arrogant expression.

Fei Qingyu tossed his survival resource pack under the seat and sat directly in the seat beside Wen Jiu.

"Hoh, what a coincidence." Fei Qingyu pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe his fingers. "Where is Qiao Shishi? Why isn't she sticking with your elderly self?"

Wen Jiu glanced at him sideways, too lazy to entertain his sarcasm. "In another queue. We should be able to see her once we get off the bus."

In fact, after spending some dozen days with Fei Qingyu, Wen Jiu had pretty much figured out his temperament.

He was like a proud, noble little cat.

He also carried a slight streak of adolescent delusions of grandeur.

Overall, though, he was still a good kid, so Wen Jiu did not mind making friends with someone like him.

A few minutes later, the bus was filled with students. Accompanied by a deafening roar, the hovering bus slowly lifted into the air.

"Tsk tsk, cheap goods are always like this." Fei Qingyu produced a pair of earplugs from somewhere. "I'm going to sleep for a bit. Wake me up when we arrive."

After putting in his earplugs, Fei Qingyu quickly drifted off into a sound sleep. True to form, completely contrary to his arrogant disposition, he was able to adapt to any environment instantly.

As mentioned when listening to Yu Ruman's lecture under the grandstand, the survival resource packs were only to be opened after disembarking and upon a teacher's command.

The students were very obedient; at least on the hovering bus where Wen Jiu was, no one was foolish enough to try opening theirs.

The Forest of Dione was located in the most barren region of Planet 3047. Because it was always the first area affected whenever the cold season arrived, the surroundings were completely desolate and devoid of human habitation.

Only the pitch tents of the 3047 Academy sat isolated on the very outskirts of the Forest of Dione.

The closer they got to the Forest of Dione, the fiercer the wind and snow outside the windows became.

"Please queue up to disembark. After getting off, please walk in order to the teacher in charge of this bus."

Once the hovering bus came to a steady stop, Wen Jiu and Fei Qingyu followed the other students inside, dutifully forming a line and stepping off the vehicle.

She glanced down before stepping off, and the waiting teacher below was none other than the instructor who had previously taught simulated mecha piloting.

Instructor Zhang Heling.

Affected by the cold season, the exterior of the Forest of Dione was already a vast expanse of snow. The biting cold wind blowing past from time to time made Wen Jiu shiver, and even the tip of her nose was tinged with a rosy frostbite.

"Line up in a single file for me!"

Wen Jiu had been congratulating herself just as she got off the bus because Fei Qingyu was in front of her, blocking some of the wind. But the moment Zhang Heling spoke, all of them had to form a single line and face the onslaught of the cold wind head-on.

"Next, take the positioning wristband out from the left pocket of your survival resource packs and put it on."

Wen Jiu shivered as she reached her hand back, groping blindly until she fished the positioning wristband out of the left side pocket. She fastened it on in a flash and immediately pulled her hand back into her coat pocket, terrified of turning into an ice popsicle if she delayed for even a few more seconds.

"This positioning wristband is used to monitor your location and vital signs," Zhang Heling said, seemingly impervious to the cold as he delivered his speech amid the desolate freezing weather. "After entering the Forest of Dione, if you wish to terminate the training, crush the crystal in the center of the wristband."
"The teachers stationed inside the Forest of Dione will receive the signal and immediately come to take you away."

"However, students who complete the survival training will receive academy rewards, and their scores from this training will be factored into their future graduation evaluations."

"The academy has airdropped supply crates at various locations throughout the Forest of Dione. You must search for them carefully!"

"This training focuses primarily on survival, so everyone should act according to your own capabilities." Zhang Heling swept an austere gaze across every student before him. "Did you hear that clearly?"

"Loud and clear!"

Wen Jiu shouted the slogan along with the other students, every breath turning into a puff of white fog.

"Alright, next I will lead you to the entrance of the Forest of Dione. Whether you proceed as a team or go solo once inside is entirely up to you."

Without any vehicles to ride in, Wen Jiu trudged forward laboriously, battling the wind and snow alongside the rest of the youngsters toward the forest not far ahead.

After walking for quite a while, their contingent finally reached the entrance of the Forest of Dione.

It looked as though they were the only team here. Wen Jiu glanced around, seeing no other students in sight.

"Are you an idiot?" Seeing Wen Jiu looking around, Fei Qingyu immediately knew she was searching for Qiao Shishi. "Every queue was assigned to a different entrance. Whether we run into Qiao Shishi later comes down entirely to luck."

Hearing this, Wen Jiu exceptionally refrained from talking back to him and simply stopped gazing about.

"Let's team up when we go in later, and then look for Qiao Shishi while scavenging for supplies." Fei Qingyu's voice was very soft, as he was terrified of attracting Zhang Heling's attention.

Arrogant as he was, he certainly did not want to be scolded publicly by a teacher.

Wen Jiu did not speak, but nodded slightly within Fei Qingyu's field of vision, tacitly agreeing to his proposal.

"For the upcoming training, please make sure to protect your own safety."

Zhang Heling took a deep breath, imprinting the youthful, naive faces of the children before him entirely into his mind.

Every year, the freshman field survival training resulted in quite a few injuries and casualties, but there was no help for it. Without enduring hardship and experiencing cruelty, these children could never grow up quickly.

They were destined to become the reserve forces of the military district in the future, and weakness was never permitted.

With this thought, Zhang Heling hardened his gaze and said sternly, "The freshman field survival training officially begins!"