A few people were shocked.
"Attack? We don't have enough strength! There are only twenty-five people left here!" protested one participant.
William crossed his arms. "We have weapons here. And we have a surprise."
Aurel nodded. "If we can disable their central command, we can force this exam to end."
I looked at the two of them. There was an unshakable determination in their eyes.
"You have a plan?" I asked.
Aurel shifted the holographic map on the table, revealing the layout of the Exam Army headquarters located in the center of the forest.
"Their headquarters is heavily guarded, but there's a gap." Her finger pointed to a spot on the east side. "The security system here has a blind spot every 30 minutes due to shift changes. We can infiltrate through there."
William added, "But the problem is, there's something called the 'main generator', and we have to disable their 'main generator'. Without it, their communication system and auto-turrets will go down."
I studied the map carefully. "So we have to get in, destroy the generator, and escape before they realize?"
"Not that simple," Aurel replied. "After the generator is destroyed, they will send all their troops to hunt us. So, we need two teams: one for the destruction mission, and one for diversion."
"And what about the other participants still hiding?" I asked, thinking of the others who were separated from us. Since some were scattered all over the exam area and hiding in other bunkers.
Aurel sighed. "Once the headquarters is disabled, the exam signal will be disrupted. They might announce the test's completion or send an evacuation team."
She then divided us into two teams:
- Infiltration Team (Aurel, Nico, and two others): Tasked with entering the headquarters and blowing up the generator.
- Diversion Team (William and the rest): Attack from the opposite direction to divert attention.
"We move at dusk," said Aurel. "Prepare yourselves!."
•
•
•
Dusk had arrived, and now it was time for us to begin the mission.
The Diversion Team, led by William, had already moved. They became the attackers who would divert the enemy's attention. Meanwhile, the Infiltration Team would wait for the blind spot opportunity.
While we (the Infiltration Team) were devising an additional strategy in the dense trees. We had planned something.
The purple-eyed woman—Serra Marryld. She would be our 'eyes'; she knew this terrain best. Meanwhile, the tan-skinned man—Gerrald Vincitus. He would be our front-line 'shield' when the Exam Soldiers were guarding.
The sun slowly set behind the trees, creating long shadows that seemed to hide our steps. Serra, with her sharp purple eyes, observed the movement of the Exam Troops through a mini telescope.
"Shift change in three minutes," she whispered, not taking her eyes off the enemy headquarters.
Aurel nodded, her hand checking her Energy Rifle once more. "Gerrald, you ready?"
The tan-skinned man tightened his belt, where several grenades hung. "Ready. But remember, we only have 10 minutes after the blind spot opens."
I swallowed. My heart was pounding, but my resolve was greater. "What should I do?"
Aurel looked at me. "You come with me. Your task is to cover my back and make sure no one follows us in."
Verra suddenly signaled. "Now!"
We moved.
Quickly and silently, we slipped through a gap in the electronic fence that was in the process of rebooting. Gerrald led the way, his large body moving nimbly like a cat. Serra followed behind me, while Aurel was in front, like an invisible shadow.
The Exam Army headquarters was larger than I had imagined. A complex with several tents and semi-permanent buildings, surrounded by watchtowers with auto-turrets. But our target was clear: a very majestic steel building in the center, where a bluish light was seen shooting upwards through its chimney—the main generator.
"Keep your distance. Follow the rhythm of their patrol," whispered Aurel.
We stopped behind a metal container, waiting for two chatting soldiers to pass. When they disappeared behind a tent, Aurel signaled to proceed.
Suddenly—
Bzzzt!
The sound of a radio from one of the tents made us freeze.
"All units, alert! There's an attack in the western sector!!"
William's voice. The Diversion Team had started their action.
"Good," Gerrald grunted. "That will divert some of the troops."
We continued, getting closer to the generator building. But suddenly, Serra pulled Aurel's arm.
"There's a motion sensor on the ground," she whispered, pointing to a thin wire that was almost invisible.
Aurel nodded, then pulled a small device from her pocket. With a few taps, the sensor deactivated. "Move."
We successfully reached the generator door. Aurel immediately connected her device to the control panel, trying to hack the security system.
"It'll take two minutes," she said, her fingers dancing quickly on the holographic screen.
I looked around, my Energy Pistol ready in hand. The sound of gunfire and shouting could still be heard from afar—a sign that William and the others were fighting.
"Five soldiers approaching!" Serra whispered suddenly, her voice tense.
I peeked from behind the container. Five Exam Soldiers were running towards us, apparently checking the area.
"Aurel..." I hissed.
"I know," she answered shortly, without looking away from her device.
Gerrald pulled a small grenade from his belt. "I'll hold them off. You continue."
Before we could stop him, he had darted towards the soldiers, throwing the grenade in the opposite direction as a diversion.
BOOM!
The small explosion successfully drew attention. Three soldiers turned around, but two others were still heading towards us.
"Serra," Aurel whispered.
The purple-eyed woman nodded, then raised her weapon.
Bang!!
One soldier fell. And the other immediately looked for the source of the shot.
I didn't think twice. I aimed and fired.
Bang!
My shot missed, but it was enough to make the soldier take cover.
"Got it!" Aurel suddenly exclaimed. The generator door hissed open.
We hurried inside, but Serra stayed outside. "I'll guard the door. Hurry!"
Inside, the main generator turned out to be a giant machine powered by high-energy stones, and it hummed loudly, emitting blue electric energy. Aurel immediately went to the control panel.
"Nico, place this on the left side of the machine." She threw me a small object—a kind of magnetic bomb.
I did so immediately, then returned to Aurel. "Done!"
She placed another one on the main panel. "Three minutes until detonation. We have to go."
We turned, but suddenly—
Crash!
The door was forced open. Serra was thrown inside, her body drenched in blood.
"SERRA!" I shouted.
Three Exam Soldiers stood in the doorway, weapons drawn.
"Don't move!" one of them ordered.
Aurel was silent, but my eyes saw her finger moving on her device—who was she contacting?
"You lose," said the soldier, approaching.
Suddenly—
BOOAAM!!!
A tremendous explosion shook the headquarters. The auto-turrets on the watchtowers exploded, and the lights went out.
William.
Aurel didn't waste the opportunity. She shot the lead soldier right in the head, then pulled me aside. "RUN!"
We ran outside, avoiding panicked soldiers. Serra lay motionless, but Gerrald suddenly appeared from the smoke, lifting her body.
"The generator is going to blow!" Aurel yelled.
We ran with all our might, away from the headquarters. Behind us, emergency sirens wailed.
Five... four... three...
I counted in my heart.
Two... one...
BOOOOMMMM!!!!
A giant explosion tore through the headquarters. The shockwave threw us forward, and thick smoke billowed out. I fell, but quickly got up.
"We did it..." I gasped for air.
But Aurel didn't look happy. Her eyes were fixed on the sky.
"Look," she whispered.
Above, a giant holographic screen appeared. A black silhouette appeared. Perhaps that was the figure Farren had spoken about.
"Congratulations... to the twenty participants who survived."
Its voice echoed, cold and emotionless.
"The exam is over."
And after that, the holographic screen became a dot that simply vanished. Leaving us in silence.
From two hundred and fifty participants... to twenty participants. Likely, some members of our group did not survive. How horrifying this exam was.
Afterwards. The voices of William, Farren, and the other exam participants could be heard from a distance. Behind them were five exam participants I had never seen before; they became clearer as the smoke dissipated.
He had successfully gathered the other surviving participants and cooperated in the diversion. Even though it still took casualties...
At the same time. In the distance, a faint light could be seen. We focused our vision. Several large aircraft, military transport planes, appeared at the edge of the dark night.
"That's... the evacuation team," said Aurel, her eyes shining.
I breathed a sigh of relief, then relaxed and lowered myself onto the ground.
So... this hell is over...
But, is it truly over?
Or just the beginning of an even more terrifying hell?
.....