Chapter 122: We’re Apparently In The ’Let’s Torture Them’ Group (Golden Ticket Bonus 1/2)

Words : 1034 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 122: We’re Apparently In The ’Let’s Torture Them’ Group (Golden Ticket Bonus 1/2) Each hit struck its legs, pushing it off balance. The beast shrieked again, flailing wildly. Then, finally, it collapsed, part of its body buried in the sand. Evelyn didn’t lower her bow. She waited. Watched. But the glow on its back was fading. Its tail twitched once. Then went still. Simulation feedback popped on her wristband. [Beast neutralized.] [Illusion phase complete.] [Combat phase: passed.] She let out a breath. It was over. The three girls behind her groaned and slowly sat up. The tall one blinked at her. "What... happened?" "You were used as bait," Evelyn said quietly, still watching the dead scorpion. "A beast pulled us into a fake scenario. We never moved from the start." The short girl frowned. "You broke out?" "Yeah." "And then... You fought it alone?" "Yeah." The third girl rubbed her forehead. "I feel like I was dreaming." "You were," Evelyn said. "But not the good kind." The air was still dry. Still hot. But everything felt different now. The fight had passed. And the illusion was gone. Evelyn didn’t say anything more. She just kept her bow up for a few seconds longer, scanning the horizon one last time. The scorpion was dead. That much was clear. The simulation around them had returned to its original state—just sand, dunes, and silence. Her teammates sat up slowly behind her, still dazed. None of them asked for help, but Evelyn kept an eye on them as they shook off the illusion’s aftereffects. The system didn’t say anything else. But after about ten more seconds, a new screen blinked to life on her wristband. [Mid-Simulation Reward Unlocked.] [Choice Detected: Player cleared illusion and neutralized core threat solo.] [Reward: Area Transfer.] Evelyn stared at the message. Below it, another line appeared. [Accept transport out of the desert zone?] She showed it to the others. "This popped up just now. We can leave." They didn’t hesitate. "Yes," the short girl said instantly. "I’m not staying in this death trap." The tall one nodded. "Anywhere but here." "Please," the last girl muttered, rubbing her temple. "I never want to see sand again." Evelyn accepted. [Group consent confirmed.] [Initiating zone transfer...] The world blinked. A shimmer of light surrounded them. Then the desert was gone. Cold hit them like a wall. Wind roared around their bodies as they reappeared in a new place—high ground, open air, the scent of snow and rock. They were standing on the side of a mountain. Jagged cliffs rose above them, while the slope below twisted down into misty valleys. The sand had been replaced with frost-dusted stone. Their boots crunched softly on the rocky surface. It was quiet. No beasts. No sounds except the wind. The short girl pulled her jacket tighter. "Why is it always the extremes with these simulation zones?" "Because balance is for people who get normal tests," the tall one said, wiping snowflakes off her wristband. "We’re apparently in the ’let’s torture them’ group." Evelyn didn’t laugh. She was still scanning. Nothing looked out of place yet. No simulation glitches. No moving shadows. No illusion pressure. But after what they’d just gone through? She wasn’t going to assume anything. "Don’t move yet," Evelyn said quietly. The others stopped immediately. She crouched slightly and touched the ground, letting a sliver of lunar energy flow through her fingers. The stones responded with faint pulses, showing a clean, uninterrupted mana layer underneath. There was no illusion fog, and no buried beasts. Still, she wasn’t done. "Check your vitals," she said. "Make sure you’re all actually out of it." They did. One by one, they confirmed that their bands weren’t showing abnormal readings. The short one sighed. "Okay. I think this is real." "For now," Evelyn muttered. "We stay alert anyway." They started moving downward, slowly, sticking to the natural path carved into the slope. The mountain wind picked up again, howling past their ears. Evelyn kept her senses open. Her bow was out, but not drawn. Just in case. There was no way of knowing how long they had before the next trial began. Or what kind of beast might be waiting in the cold? But this time, they were ready. Far above, outside the simulation. Inside the cold-lit control room, Mr. Halden’s fingers stopped typing. He leaned back slightly in his chair, watching the screen as the four girls descended the slope together. His eyes flicked toward the scorpion’s log file. [Entity: Illusion-class Beast – Scorpion Type C] [Status: Defeated] [Illusion Phase: Broken by Evelyn Moonshade] [Anchor Threads Severed: 4/4] [Combat Efficiency Reduced: 72%] [Simulation Overridden: Yes – Player Action] He let out a small breath. "Impressive." On the screen, Evelyn didn’t slow down. She didn’t even look at the wristband again. She simply kept walking, the other girls falling in behind her without hesitation. It wasn’t just how she’d fought. It was how she’d taken control. The simulation was meant to challenge her. Instead, she’d dismantled it. As he watched, he didn’t notice right away, but the presence behind him was still there. Quiet. Still. Unmoving. He didn’t turn. He didn’t need to. He just spoke. "What do you think about this?" There was a pause. Then a voice answered. Smooth. Calm. Sharp as frost and warm as flame all at once. "She is worthy of her superpower," the voice said, low and smooth. "And more than that... she knows how to use it. Calm, sharp, measured." Mr. Halden nodded slowly, not turning around. "That’s rare at this stage." "She understands how to weigh a risk," the voice continued. "She waited. She adapted. She didn’t panic." "Most would’ve rushed it." "She didn’t." The room went quiet again. Just the hum of the monitors. Just the glow of the mountain terrain unfolding on-screen. Evelyn’s group had reached a narrow plateau now. The wind kept blowing, scattering flakes across their shoulders. But they moved with purpose. No fear. Just focus. "She’s a talent worth watching," the voice behind him said finally. "A talent worth shaping." Halden said nothing more. He just watched the screen. Still typing notes. Still logging results.

Chapter 122: We’re Apparently In The ’Let’s Torture Them’ Group (Golden Ticket Bonus 1/2)

Comments (0)