As Lance stepped through the massive Void Gate with the staff’s guidance, he felt as though he had been tossed into a pitch-black chamber that stripped away all five senses. It was absolute darkness. He could see and hear nothing, not even the sound of his own heartbeat.
Gradually, a single point of light appeared. Following it, a stream of legible characters rushed toward him.
[Welcome to the artificially created Shadow Realm, invented by the College of Magical Engineering.]
[This assessment consists of a practical simulation within the Shadow Realm. The equipment is still in the experimental stage, but there is no risk of truly dying within the simulated environment...]
Lance didn’t breeze past the prompt. Instead, he carefully read through all the instructions.
[...Should you fail or "die" within the simulation, you will be automatically ejected from the Shadow Realm. However, you may experience sensations of death and pain, including, but not limited to, terrifying scenarios such as falling from a cliff or decapitation.]
[Have you read the above information and do you consent to enter the artificial Shadow Realm?]
[Continue/Exit]
He recalled reading in books that perishing in a real Shadow Realm dungeon meant the Challenger would truly die. Thus, entering a genuine one was incredibly perilous, vastly different from this artificial version equipped with safety mechanisms.
Furthermore, the laws of the Kingdom of Hutton explicitly stated that newcomers were generally required to practice extensively in these artificial simulations, achieve top-tier ratings, and pass an evaluation by the Human Kingdom Alliance Council before obtaining permission to challenge a real Shadow Realm dungeon.
Even then, the fatality rate within real dungeons remained alarmingly high. This served as a testament to just how dangerous the Shadow Realm truly was. Fortunately, the artificial Shadow Realm used for the exam was essentially a practice mode and quite safe.
The chief examiner mentioned that the core focus of the test is wisdom and character... In that case, I will need to use my wits and keep my cool to pass.
As Lance touched the [Continue] prompt, ripples spread rapidly across the silvery-white light screen from his fingertip. The text vanished beneath the waves, allowing new content to emerge. Before he could see what it was, there was a sudden sensation of weightlessness, as he plunged into a brand new world!
In an instant, the surroundings lit up, and Lance could see again. At that same moment, a bone-chilling cold struck him, piercing straight to his heart like a ruthless blade. He felt the temperature plummet, and the entire world felt frozen solid. His blood felt as though it was congealing, and the biting frost seemed to penetrate his skin with ease.
"Ahh! What kind of hellish place is this?"
The breath escaping his lips seemed on the verge of crystallizing into ice instantly. He gritted his teeth, struggling against the piercing and agonizing sting of the freezing wind. Lance realized he was standing on a vast expanse of snow. A boundless blanket of white covered the earth, and the howling of the blizzard filled the air, making his head throb and buzz.
Looking up, he saw a dark gray sky, with heavy clouds completely obscuring the sun. The biting wind whipped up a flurry of snowflakes that danced through the air as they gathered and scattered, casting a surreal yet harsh veil over the snow-white landscape.
"My Lord, we are almost at their home!" shouted someone with an aged voice that strained to be heard over the howling wind and swirling snow.
Lance turned toward the sound. Behind him were two people: an elderly man in a padded coat and a heavily armored knight clad in silver-white plate armor. They were struggling to make their way through the snowy mist.
Although Lance did not yet grasp what was going on, he soon spotted the buildings of a small village standing firm amid the storm. They looked like solitary gems lost in a vast expanse of snow. Then, he discovered he was right in the middle of the village.
At the same time, information regarding this Shadow Realm appeared before him.
[Shadow Realm Dimension: The Hidden Flame of Winter]
[Level: 1]
[Number of Challengers: 1]
[The gap between the desire to do good and the power to do so is bridged by benevolence and righteousness. Forcing it can be deemed foolish, yet there are always those willing to see them through to the end.]
[As the bitter winter descends, you, a noble of the northern frontier, discover that your territory is facing a fiscal deficit. Furthermore, your own personal funds are running low. While stopping to rest in this village, you learn from the village chief that a magical furnace was stolen earlier today. With severe blizzards raging recently, a family of three will freeze to death tonight if it’s not found.]
[Mission Objective: Resolve the problem before nightfall (within one hour) so that the family may safely weather this entire cold winter.]
[Note: As a noble of the Holy Kingdom and a devout believer of the Church of Sacred Rites, you are subject to strict rules of conduct: You absolutely cannot break the law, harm civilians, or defraud them. The church enforcer accompanying you is an official who knows your background intimately and he will not hesitate to execute you if you violate them.]
[Note: Conversely, should you uncover criminal activity, the enforcer will assist you in administering appropriate punishment to the perpetrators.]
After understanding the requirements of this exam, Lance looked ahead. There was indeed a house made of wood not far away from them. The roof was covered with thick white snow, as if it was hidden in this pure white world.
Based on that, he deduced the old man behind him was likely the village chief, and the knight in silver armor was the church enforcer. Lance didn’t rush ahead, but instead analyzed the current situation for a moment.
Since he was now a noble of this Holy Kingdom and was subject to its strict restrictions, some of the simplest strategies definitely wouldn’t work. For example, unless he was confident that he could defeat this terrifying looking enforcer, he couldn’t grab supplies from other people to help this family. He’d likely die if he tried that.
Taking the family to the village chief’s house would only ensure they’d survive for one night tonight, but not the entire winter. That solution obviously didn’t meet the mission objectives either.
Then what if he forcefully ordered a household to take in this family for the whole winter? That kind of abuse of power was most likely illegal.
Lance muttered to himself, "Sure enough, ordinary tricks won't work in this dimension. Shortcuts are all blocked."
His cheeks had turned red from the cold, and a thin layer of frost had formed. When he was ready to move again, his joints had become stiff from the severe cold, and it became increasingly difficult to move. Even wearing the heavy winter attire of an aristocrat couldn’t stop the biting cold air from affecting him.
Lance immediately realized he was also limited in the amount of time he could spend outside, as it was based on his own physical capacities. Aimless searching would inevitably bury an examinee in this wind and snow. He quickly quickened his pace and walked towards the wooden house ahead.
"It's better to go to this house first to investigate the clues."
***
In a spacious, brightly lit conference room within the main building of the Sages’ College, round tables with chairs were arranged such that they were encircling a central projection screen. At each table sat a group of five to six instructors. Some gazed intently at the magical display, while others engaged in animated discussion with their colleagues.
The atmosphere resembled a seminar or a critique session more than a formal meeting. They were diligently noting down the highlights and specific details of the candidates' performances, occasionally exchanging views with one another.
The screen clearly displayed what was unfolding as the candidates entered the artificial Shadow Realm. Without exception, every examinee was making slow progress. After visiting a particular household, they learned from the couple living there that a strange sound had been heard outside the window on the night of the theft. Immediately afterward, the door had blown open, and the indoor temperature had plummeted.
When the trembling couple emerged from their bedroom, they discovered that their magical furnace was gone. Footprints, likely belonging to a tall adult male, were left outside, but they were quickly buried by the accumulating snow.
As for the young girl, the couple's adopted niece, she seemed to know something, yet she remained stubbornly silent no matter how the candidates tried to engage her. Consequently, some candidates chose to seek clues from other villagers, while others attempted to investigate the little girl herself.
Of course, there were also examinees who, having failed to scrutinize the scenario details carefully, acted presumptuously and met an abrupt end at the hands of the enforcer.
One candidate had promised the village chief a reward in exchange for the chief taking in the family for the winter. However, given the territory's current state, the lord had no means to provide the promised funds. This constituted fraud. The enforcer, fully aware of the true situation, immediately caught them on the lie and executed the candidate.