The academy in the early morning was no longer as peaceful as before. Piercing alarms blared incessantly, and a cold, unfamiliar voice echoed through the academy's loudspeakers, replacing the scar-faced instructor's usual sternness:
"Attention, cadets! Urgent announcement! The academy will immediately initiate a 'Full-Domain Combat Test'! This is a comprehensive practical exercise covering all academy areas, aimed at evaluating your survival, stealth, and anti-tracking abilities in complex environments."
The words sounded grand on the surface, but Rin's heart sank. "Full-Domain Combat Test"? This wasn't a test at all; it was the "Hunt Protocol" issued by that organization!
The broadcast continued to announce the "rules" of this "test":
"During the test, all instructors will act as 'pursuers,' and cadets will be 'evaders.' Your objective is to evade pursuit and survive for as long as possible. Once 'defeated,' you will be deemed to have failed the assessment. Those with outstanding performance will receive unprecedented resource allocation and promotion opportunities!"
Rin listened to the enticing "rewards," but his eyes held only cold mockery. The so-called "pursuers" were nothing but the dispatched A-rank hunters, and the unwitting academy instructors being used by the organization! And for him and Ye Xue, being "defeated" meant "retrieval" or "elimination"!
The broadcast quickly named a few cadets who were "mandatorily participating," prominently listing Rin and Ye Xue.
"Subject 47, Rin. Subject 93, Ye Xue. You have been designated as the highest targets for this test. All pursuers will prioritize locking onto you. Please be prepared."
Rin clenched his fists. Highest targets! This was undoubtedly their response to killing "Shadow Serpent." The organization was impatient to capture them, even willing to turn the entire academy into a giant hunting ground!
He looked at Ye Xue beside him; her face was pale, but her eyes were exceptionally firm. Last night's dream had caused her pain, but it had also made her more clear-headed. She felt the killing intent from the organization and understood her current predicament.
However, the other cadets were completely oblivious. They excitedly discussed, believing it was just an "ultimate assessment" conducted by the academy to enhance combat abilities.
"Wow! Full-domain combat! This is way more exciting than previous assessments!"
"Highest targets? Rin and Ye Xue are going to have a tough time. The academy really wants to put them through the wringer!"
"Outstanding performance means promotion! I need to work hard!"
Various discussions rose and fell. The cadets quickly prepared, their faces filled with excitement and anticipation, completely unaware that they were about to face a real life-and-death chase. They viewed their comrades as "prey" and were being used by the organization as pawns to encircle Rin and Ye Xue.
Rin looked at these naive, spirited cadets, and an unspeakable sorrow welled up in his heart. They were all playing their roles in this grand deception.
"This isn't an exam; it's a hunt," Rin whispered to Ye Xue, his voice carrying an undeniable certainty. He saw through the organization's intentions; he knew this would be a brutal battle for survival.
Ye Xue said nothing, just nodded slightly. Her cold eyes were no longer confused, only filled with determination and a hint of almost imperceptible… resolve. She tightly clutched the snow owl wooden carving in her hand.
The signal gun for the "test" suddenly fired!
"Bang—!"
Instantly, all lighting systems throughout the academy went out, leaving only faint glows from emergency lights. Simultaneously, figures like ghosts darted out from every corner—the ready "pursuers."
Rin didn't hesitate for a moment. He grabbed Ye Xue's hand and burst out of the dorm. They didn't choose crowded areas but instead sprinted towards the abandoned sections deep within the academy. He knew that was the most suitable place for hiding and counterattacking.
The entire academy instantly plunged into chaos. Pursuers and evaders intertwined, alarms blared, footsteps pounded, and the sounds of various weapons clashing echoed.
Rin and Ye Xue's figures moved swiftly through the darkness, like two nimble ghosts. Their "counter-hunt plan," from this moment on, was officially initiated.
They had to survive, not just for themselves, but to expose this organization, and to bring justice to the truths that had been obscured and erased.
The hunt had begun. But Rin and Ye Xue were no longer merely "prey." They were the "Blade of Demise" about to awaken, the "Cold Moon" preparing to tear away the facade; they were the true counter-attackers.