Chapter 33: Team Up?

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Team Up?

She gave Zara Chapman a look of affirmation, then suddenly leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "Ms. Chapman, it’s not that I’m unwilling—in fact, I’m very willing. But have you considered that if just the two of us share one toolkit, it might be really tight? If everyone is willing to help, our chances of getting the pass certificate will be much higher. The instructor said as long as you hold out for 72 hours and manage to get out of the forest, you’ll get the pass certificate, and he didn’t mention there’s only one. If all of us can get one, wouldn’t that make everyone happy?"

In truth, if she could get the pass certificate by her own abilities, Wendy Aldridge wouldn’t be saying this kind of thing. She knew very well what she was capable of, and being tied together with Zara Chapman made it even less likely.

But Renee Morgan, Lynn Miller, Gael Prescott, and even Miles Yates were all strong. If she could team up with them, maybe her chances of getting the pass certificate would be a bit higher.

At first, Zara Chapman was a little unwilling, but after a second thought, she realized what Wendy Aldridge was getting at. She might not like Renee Morgan, and she did look down on Lynn Miller and the other ordinary contestants, but right now was precisely the time to make use of people. If she could use their strength to get the pass certificate, joining forces temporarily didn’t seem impossible either.

When Wendy Aldridge saw Zara Chapman stay silent, she knew she’d agreed. Back at her seat, she happened to hear someone asking about what would happen if they failed the task.

The instructor’s sharp gaze swept over everyone before he answered, "After five days and four nights of training, you enter the points competition phase. If you fail the wilderness task, you will be taken as a hostage."

No need for the instructor to explain—everyone knew what being a hostage meant. Coupled with the instructor’s hardcore training, if you really ended up as a hostage, you’d definitely suffer for it.

Zara Chapman would usually be the first to complain, but right now her mind was occupied with that pass certificate. She didn’t believe for a second she’d lose if she went all in for it.

Renee Morgan: "Instructor, what if... most of us fail and all end up as hostages? Then how will the two teams compete?"

The instructor looked at her. "In fact, the majority of you probably will end up as hostages. As for how to compete, you’ll be split into camps, and there will be rules. The members of the two teams may be split up and assigned to different camps. Only those who follow the rules and get the highest score are the winners."

So, it isn’t just a competition between Class One and Class Two. All sixteen of them will be split and assigned to different camps, and whoever gets the highest score in the end wins.

As for the pass certificate, everyone understood by now—it’s not something you can get that easily.

"Instructor... how hard is it to get the pass certificate?" Gael Prescott couldn’t help but look curiously at the instructor.

The instructor seemed to have been waiting for this question, a faint, cold smile on his lips and a still fierce, merciless gaze: "The wilderness forest is controlled by the Merrick Base, and all of the rules are set by the base, including those for anyone who successfully gets out of the forest. You can get a Merrick residence permit, a Merrick Base pass certificate—those are the rules set by the base. Anyone can challenge for one and there’s a chance to obtain it. Of course, not everyone dares to try. Once you’re inside, aside from threats to your life, you could encounter anything. There is real danger, so you must keep your emergency survival whistle with you. If you can’t take it, get out. We’ll guarantee your safety."

The contestants, who had just been whispering excitedly about the pass certificate, fell instantly silent.

If it were just the program’s rules, the difficulty for getting the certificate would be three stars. But if the base sets the rules and is offering certificates as bounties, then the difficulty is five stars—or even more.

Once the assembly was over, the class leader took everyone to repeat the morning’s training again.

Zara Chapman spoke up with enthusiasm: "Reporting, class leader—if I finish the afternoon’s training with Lionel, can I try to get a toolkit?"

The class leader looked up at her, then moved his gaze away indifferently to the others: "Get ready, everyone! You need to understand—live-fire marksmanship isn’t about getting a toolkit, it’s a skill. When training ends and the competition starts, this is something you’ll actually need. So learn it well, understand?"

"..."

Zara Chapman was so furious her face turned pale and red by turns, but she also knew this wasn’t a place she could throw a tantrum—she could only swallow her anger.

Everyone, who’d all felt out of place when they first arrived at the base, now felt adrenaline pumping, ambition burning in their veins.

Each person was thinking about getting that pass certificate, or scoring the highest points, winning the program’s prize, and turning their fate around.

As for Renee, for now she didn’t have those kinds of fantasies. Her whole mind was focused on escaping the outcome she’d seen in her dream.

She didn’t know how things would ultimately turn out. But she firmly believed that if she could survive this broadcast unscathed, she could go back to being a small actress and set out on the road to her dreams.

In the afternoon they repeated the morning’s training. By the time they finished and headed back, more than three hours had passed and the sun was starting to set in the west.

On the way back, Zara Chapman went to find Miles Yates first, told him her thoughts, and hoped that all eight people from Class Two could stick together and advance or retreat as one.

Miles Yates subconsciously looked at Renee Morgan, who was talking to Lynn Miller ahead of them, and didn’t immediately agree, "This is something everyone needs to agree on."

Zara Chapman followed his gaze and saw the young, strikingly beautiful girl ahead. After years in the industry, where beautiful women are a dime a dozen, even she had to admit—Renee Morgan’s looks were top-tier.

Youthful, gorgeous—one reason Zara Chapman disliked newbies.

"I’m asking you now, aren’t I? If you agree, I’ll ask the others." Zara Chapman’s casual tone was a bit flippant. She was certain Miles Yates wouldn’t reject her proposal. In reality, dealing with the men in the group was easy. The tricky ones were Lynn Miller and Renee Morgan.

Miles Yates really wasn’t good at saying no. Since Zara Chapman didn’t have a toolkit, he felt obligated to help, just as he’d helped Renee, Gael, and Lynn before.

Once Zara Chapman saw Miles Yates nod, she went up to Lynn Miller and Renee Morgan, greeted them, and got right to the point: "Hey, for tomorrow’s wilderness survival training, do you want to team up as a group?"

Lynn Miller and Renee Morgan saw at a glance what Zara Chapman was after. She and Lionel Lincoln didn’t have toolkits, so she wanted to form an alliance to have a shot at the pass certificate.

Lynn Miller didn’t really mind. She shrugged and looked at Renee Morgan.

Zara Chapman knew the final decision rested with Renee Morgan, and for a moment, her palms were sweating.

Renee Morgan had a hunch that once they entered the forest, there was no way so many people wouldn’t get separated. But she also knew that Zara’s real aim was their toolkits. She wasn’t foolish enough to agree outright, so she said, "We can travel together, but everyone’s toolkit is their own personal gear."