Chapter 113: Not To Spy. But To Watch

Words : 1047 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 113: Not To Spy. But To Watch Sera’s eyes sparkled faintly. "You think ahead." Mei smirked. "This might not be a disaster after all." For the next ten minutes, they quietly reviewed formations. No bickering. No drama. Just clear communication. Across the room, the twins both watched with subtle eyes, pretending not to be watching. But Ethan wasn’t focused on them right now. For the first time in a while, he was working with people he didn’t know—and he liked that. The unknown. The potential. The test. And as the classroom settled into quiet chatter and strategy sessions, Ethan exhaled slowly and leaned back in his chair. The simulation hadn’t started yet. But he was ready. And for once? He was curious to see what the others could do. The trial was about to begin. And the field would reveal everything, but for now, everyone in the class was just concentrating on their own plans. Meanwhile, Sera pinched her fingers together on the map, zooming in on the northwest ridge. "This stretch here is narrow and slightly sloped. It’s good for ambushes but dangerous if we get boxed in." Mei nodded. "Still better than charging through the middle. Too open." Ethan pointed to a bend in the terrain near one of the holographic beast spawn points. "We could take high ground along this ridge, then drop to this clearing when things heat up. If we bait a few into chasing us, they’ll get funneled straight into the kill zone." Sera added quietly, "And if one of us gets separated?" "Fallback to this rock formation," Ethan said without hesitation. "We regroup there. It’s out of the pathing range for most of the simulation beasts, and the scanners are weaker there. It’ll buy us time." Mei leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. "Well, that is not a bad plan." "Thanks," Ethan replied flatly, though he allowed a small smirk. "Are we ready then?" Sera asked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Ethan nodded. "Ready." Mr. Halden’s voice came over the speakers. "All teams, head to the simulation prep room. Suits on. Pods activated. Time to see what you’ve got." The room moved at once. Chairs slid. Conversations ended. Students stood, some more confident than others. Ethan stood up as well, stretching lightly before turning to the girls. Sera and Mei fell into step beside him without needing a word. They made their way through a side door at the back of the classroom that led to the simulation prep wing. The hall lights dimmed slightly as they entered—cool white lights glowing from recessed panels in the ceiling. It was quieter here. Cleaner. The floors reflected their steps. The simulation pod room was large and polished, almost like a high-tech gym. Three rows of deep black pods stood on raised platforms, connected by long metallic lines that glowed faintly with blue circuits. Each pod was shaped like a reclining chair crossed with a capsule, sleek and molded to hold a person in full-body gear. The walls were lined with diagnostics panels and digital status boards. Technicians stood nearby, monitoring systems and adjusting calibrations. No one spoke to the students. Everyone knew what to do. "Changing rooms are that way," Ethan said, pointing toward a split hallway with signs above it—one marked [MALE] and the other [FEMALE]. Sera and Mei nodded. "We’ll meet at the third row of pods," Sera said quietly. "Got it," Ethan replied. They split up without any more words. Ethan walked toward the male section, passing a few other guys from class already on their way out, suited up in sleek, form-fitting combat gear designed for pod entry. The suit itself was black with gray trim. It was segmented for mobility and reinforced at the shoulders, chest, and shins. Thin lines of colored energy pulsed through the seams—each one matching the user’s assigned code. Inside the men’s changing area, Ethan entered a private stall, shut the door, and began to undress. His suit hung neatly from the wall, pre-fitted and adjusted to his size. It had been custom-ordered before his awakening, as all students were instructed to do months ago. Sliding into it took less than a minute. It clung to his form perfectly, snug but breathable, flexible enough for combat but firm enough to simulate impacts. He checked the seal at his collar, pressed the chest latch to activate the suit’s lock, and stepped out. On the other side of the facility, Sera and Mei entered the women’s changing section. The layout was similar—bright, quiet, and sterile. Sera walked ahead, her suitcase already in hand. She didn’t speak. Mei followed, arms folded behind her head, eyes watching her partner’s back carefully. They didn’t choose separate rooms. Instead, they stepped into the same changing stall—more spacious than most, large enough to fit three or four people, with lockers on one side and a full-length digital mirror on the other. As soon as the door shut, a soft chime sounded, and a transparent security screen slid over the glass window. Inside the pod room, no one could see or hear them now. Sera placed her gear down on the bench and turned slowly. Her voice came out soft, but unmistakably direct. "Why did my brother send you here?" Mei blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question. Sera didn’t wait. "And why now? Didn’t you say everything was fine before?" Mei leaned against the locker door, arms crossed again. "It was. Until a few days ago." Sera’s expression didn’t shift. "What changed?" Mei didn’t answer right away. Then she looked to the side. "That boy." Sera frowned faintly. "Ethan?" Mei nodded. "The simulation with Lucas wasn’t just a fight. He didn’t just win. He exposed gaps." She walked over slowly and picked up her own suit, unzipping the outer layer of her uniform. "Power gaps," she added. "Mental gaps. Weaknesses in everyone watching." Sera studied her in silence. "And?" "My orders changed," Mei said simply. "I was told to watch him closely. Be part of his team. Report anything unusual." Sera’s eyes narrowed. "So you’re here to spy on him." "Not to spy. But to watch," Mei corrected. "There’s a difference." Sera turned away, unzipping her jacket as well. "Not much to me."

Chapter 113: Not To Spy. But To Watch

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