Chapter 26: Say no more, brother, I’m already sweating buckets.

"Holy crap, a thirty-person instance? And all abilities are sealed? Isn't the difficulty level through the roof?"

"Don't be such a rube. This is a rare, special-type instance. It can accommodate many players at once, but essentially, it's every man for himself."

"The lady is right, but even though it's every man for himself regarding the exams, we can still form a defensive alliance to keep each other warm."

"Keep each other warm, my foot... I've been out of school for nearly twenty years, and now you want me back for a college entrance exam? Screw that! I'd rather grill a lamb chop! I read the mission info—the joint entrance exam is only three months away!"

"Tell me about it. Everyone who becomes a player is at least twenty years old. It’s absolutely ridiculous to have us taking exams!"

"By the way... aren't the usual instances post-apocalyptic? Why would such a bizarre instance appear?"

"Damn, I'm a total academic failure."

"Speaking of which, why is someone bringing a dog?"

"Hm? Huh? Wait, this guy looks a bit familiar. I think I've seen him somewhere."

Just as the crowd was buzzing with discussion, a tall man with a square face, a crew cut, and a determined expression, dressed in heavy armor, stepped out from the crowd and clapped his hands forcefully.

"Everyone, please be quiet! May I have your attention? I am Chen Guozhi, a C-rank commander of the Xinglong Army, currently level 19..."

Lu Wenwu focused his gaze, reading the information on this man who looked like the textbook definition of a Paladin.

[Xinglong Army C-rank Commander Chen Guozhi (C+)]: 5800/5800
[Current Status]: Calm and composed, Energy Core sealed, Skills sealed, System functions sealed.

*Military again, huh...* Lu Wenwu mused to himself. He had a pretty good impression of Yuan Shi and Wei Long, whom he met in the previous instance.

The Xinglong Army was the most populous and widely distributed force in the Divine State, composed entirely of superhumans and elite soldiers. Their daily routine consisted of working with top-tier superhumans to suppress instances that had manifested in reality. The social stability the Divine State currently enjoyed was largely due to the tireless efforts of the Xinglong Army. In other words, they were the bedrock of the nation.

Unlike conventional armies, due to the individualistic nature of superhumans and the specific needs of entering instances, they formed temporary squads of varying sizes based on the mission, using the "platoon" (12 people) as the base unit. Therefore, aside from the rank of platoon leader, Xinglong Army commanders were ranked by strength rather than fixed military ranks, and they rarely even had permanent teams.

"...Please do not panic. According to the intelligence I have gathered, we only need to follow the school rules and regulations and study hard. It is actually not as dangerous as a typical instance."

"We only need to explore and complete certain side quests to unseal our backpacks, skills, and system functions."

"However, please note: do not attempt to challenge the school rules. To my knowledge, no player has ever managed to break that rule."

"Remember, do not get into conflicts with your classmates. If you can endure it, do so."

"Our abilities are sealed, and we cannot fight these creatures called 'Anomaly-Beings.' They are strong enough to kill us now that we only have our base stats."

"Although Anomaly-Beings usually look like humans, in certain situations, humans are part of their diet."

"Sorry to interrupt, Commander Chen." A slightly refined-looking man dressed in Taoist robes raised his hand. "Pardon me, I would like to ask: is this 'Anomaly-Being' you mentioned a ghost?"

Chen Guozhi shook his head decisively. "No. The full name is 'Anomalous Biological Entity.' They are named for their bizarre appearances and abilities; they are not the typical ghosts found in common instances."

"Fushang Wuliang Tianzun, thank you for the clarification. This humble Taoist is grateful." The refined man cupped his hands in a traditional greeting.

[Shenxiao Immortal Sect Inner Disciple Xuanfeng (C)]: 2900/2900
[Current Status]: Talisman protection active, Energy Core sealed, Skills sealed, System functions sealed.

*Holy cow, an immortal!* Lu Wenwu, who had only been glancing casually, was instantly shocked by the man's prefix. *Besides the post-apocalyptic instances, there are actually cultivation sects in this world? Is this some kind of spiritual energy resurgence? Shenxiao Immortal Sect—they must use lightning techniques, right? No wonder he asked if they were ghosts.*

*Let me see if there are any other big shots hiding in the crowd.*

As Lu Wenwu continued to observe, Chen Guozhi provided a few more precautions and finally called on everyone to unite and help each other through the difficulties. Of the thirty people present, only about twenty seemed interested in Chen Guozhi's call to action. The others had already scattered, taking advantage of the fact that the school gates hadn't opened yet to begin exploring on their own.

"That's all I have to say. Brother Five, do you have anything to add?" Chen Guozhi, who was standing in front of everyone, suddenly looked at Lu Wenwu—who had been lost in thought—and asked with a smile.

Lu Wenwu: "..."

*Damn it, my cover's blown right at the start again, isn't it? My favorability for the Xinglong Army just dropped by one! No, next time I have to tell Liu Ming to talk to these guys about this!*

"Aside from the initial instance, this is only my second time in an instance. What could I possibly add?" Lu Wenwu said, feeling a bit depressed but telling the truth.

"Second time!? Going by the usual instance settlement conventions, doesn't that mean you're at most level... Holy crap, level ten!?"

"Oh my god, a big shot! Please carry us, we're noobs, we're hungry!"

"Hiss! Is this the 'Brother Five' who... you know... in the initial instance?"

"Holy crap, Brother Five got another [Incredible] rating!?"

"My goodness..."

Gasps of astonishment erupted from the crowd one after another.

*He made an indelible contribution to slowing down global warming in another world.*

"Ring-a-ding~ Ring-a-ding~"

Just then, a crisp bell rang, and the school's large iron gates swung open.

A tall woman in a black leather bodysuit with skin as pale as paper walked out from inside the gate, her heels clicking. She swept her gaze over the thirty players at the entrance. That look, that temperament, that voluptuous figure—she was the epitome of a queen! However, this strange outfit that accentuated her curves to the extreme made her look less like school staff and more like the lead actress of an adult film from a certain island nation. She was only missing a whip.

Her gaze, which was like looking at trash, swept from left to right, then suddenly stopped on the tall and sturdy Lu Wenwu.

"You, come with me. From now on, you are a student in our class."

She extended a small, scarlet tongue to lick the corner of her mouth before speaking. Her words were filled with a domineering, impossible-to-refuse air. The way her gaze instantly shifted from disdain to eagerness, combined with her unquestionable command, left the other players stunned.

*If you know she's picking a student, fine. If you didn't know, you'd think she was a concubine-selecting empress!*

"As for the rest of you trash, there's a roster at the school's registration office. Go find your corresponding classes yourselves. Those who aren't in class before morning study hall will face the consequences," the leather-clad female teacher added.

A female player frowned. "Aren't you the teacher here to guide us to our classrooms?"

"I am, but I've changed my mind. Got a problem with that?" The teacher wore a look of utter disdain once again.