Chapter One: A Novice Sets Out

[As a probationary employee of the Foundation, you must prove your value through your actions in order to qualify as a full-time staff member.]
[Throughout the six-day training assessment, the Foundation will record your task performance in full. If you fail too many times, the Foundation’s supervisors, doctors, and commanders will lose patience with you.]
[You are about to face your first assessment as a recruit of the Foundation. In order to help you adapt quickly to the unfamiliar environment, we have prepared certain assistance for you…]
[Hint: You have acquired the novice talent (randomized)—Willpower Enhancement. Effect: Willpower Level +2. (Expires at the end of the assessment)]
[Novice Tip: Remember, making the best use of your own strengths is the optimal way to pass the evaluation.]
…
“Anomalous Eden,” the latest title from Singularity Company following “Titan.”
As a seasoned Titan player, Ember was fortunate enough to be selected for the Anomalous Eden trial and got the chance to try out the brand-new full-body sensory suit designed for the game.
Currently, the physical setup for virtual reality gaming consists of the sensory suit, the VR helmet, and the support pod. The joint performance of these three devices directly determines whether a game can succeed.
At this very moment, Ember stood on a sixty-four-directional multidimensional treadmill, helmet on his head, sensory suit on his body, inside the support pod. His limbs and torso were bound to the pod’s mechanical parts; every effective movement he made would be perfectly mirrored in the game world, while in-game feedback would be transmitted through the pod and suit’s sensory modules, combined with the helmet’s audiovisual simulations, creating a truly immersive experience.
However, it was only after trying “Anomalous Eden”—or more precisely, the so-called fourth-generation sensory suit boasting technological breakthroughs—that Ember truly understood what “immersion” meant.
Due to earlier technological constraints, mainstream third-generation sensory suits could only increase the number of feedback points, striving for better combat sensation, but failing to fully simulate temperature, humidity, wind, and touch. Thanks to rapid advances in material science, Singularity Company took the lead in innovation, embedding thousands of sensory nodes throughout the suit, not only making physical feedback more realistic but also accurately simulating virtual environmental experiences.
For example, upon entering the game, Ember, along with four other players, was ushered into a semi-free initial sequence. Dressed in conspicuous orange outfits, escorted by over twenty armed guards, the players looked like prisoners marching down a steel-gray corridor.
Thud, thud, thud…
As Ember walked, he felt the vibration beneath his feet, nearly indistinguishable from reality. If he didn’t focus, he might truly believe he was in a steel hallway. Every time a door closed between corridors, a breeze would brush his back—sometimes fleeting, sometimes lingering—as different gusts pressed his clothes against his skin, bringing a chill that faded at various speeds.
The designer’s attention to detail was astonishing—even the nuances of airflow were simulated.
This filled Ember with incomparable curiosity towards this game, which fused technological innovation with experience from previous titles. He wondered what other surprises “Anomalous Eden” had in store.
Naturally, Ember’s gaze fell upon the NPCs beside him. Over twenty armed guards, all dressed in identical combat gear and helmets, yet none behaved exactly alike. Their subtle expressions were never repeated. In Ember’s eyes, they didn’t seem like typical game characters, but more like sentient beings—chatting and boasting as they escorted the players.
There was no doubt Singularity Company had taken significant strides in character modeling and had made remarkable progress in AI as well. In just over a minute, Ember had already noticed many delightful aspects. It wasn’t just him; the other players could equally sense the developer’s sincerity.
It seemed the designers deliberately showcased their technical prowess, making the players walk down an endless corridor for three whole minutes before officially starting the story.
The lead guard stopped before a black, unmarked door indistinguishable from the many others they had passed. Ember had a sense this design deliberately concealed information. The guard took out an access card, opened the door, ushered the players inside, and announced the start of the assessment timer.
…
Assessment Title: [Novice on the Road]
Requirement: Survive
Time Limit: Sixty minutes for a passing grade (every additional ten minutes survived increases your evaluation by one grade)
Difficulty: Hard
Description: Countless organizations covet the Foundation’s secrets. The “Chaos Beacon,” which has recruited former Foundation defectors, is a hungry wolf on the wasteland, never letting a chance for blood slip by. Now, you and four other new recruits have unfortunately been assigned to a prime target—the Foundation’s Nineteenth Covert Facility. Even with the Foundation’s fastest response, the nearest rapid deployment team will take at least an hour to arrive. Be warned: during this mission, you must not only evade intruders but also beware of anomalous entities breaching containment.
[Hint: This assessment is a battle-royale escape, not a deathmatch. The pressure will increase over time. Combat between players yields no bonuses; single-use items and skills have enhanced effects.]
[Hint: During this assessment, your words and actions will not influence NPC decisions. Don’t waste energy on pointless interactions.]
[Novice Tip: However, should you make a significant contribution, you will receive corresponding rewards.]
[This is the Foundation’s core principle.]
…
Glancing at the countdown ticking in his quest log, Ember’s attention was drawn to the scene beyond the door.
Inside a not-so-large room was a two-story platform with at least six heavily armed guards stationed above and below, all focused on monitoring a sealed door in the room.
On that entrance, in bold red letters, was written: “Containment Facility. Do Not Approach.” Every so often, a dull scraping sound echoed from within.
“A containment facility? So there’s an anomalous entity inside?”
Ember was eager to find out what the anomaly was, but aside from those eight blood-red characters, there was no further information on the walls. The unknown, mixed with curiosity, made him and the other players instantly alert.
At that moment, the guard commander swept his cold gaze across the five players. With a wave, five sets of cleaning tools appeared before them.
“Take your tools and clean the inside. Make sure it’s spotless!”
[Hint: You have accepted the mandatory assessment task—Cleanup.]
…
Quest Title: [Cleanup]
Requirement: Complete cleaning of the containment area
Reward: Contribution Points (Experience)
Description: Anomaly—[Satin], regularly secretes red waste liquid primarily composed of blood. Excess residue increases the risk of containment breach. Your task is to clean the waste and restore the containment area.
[Novice Tip: Pay close attention to the guard commander’s instructions. This is extremely important.]
…
“Don’t think this task is simple. If you don’t want to die, remember this well.”
“Someone must be watching it at all times!”
“Listen, under any circumstances, at least one pair of eyes must be fixed on that thing! Remember, a pair, not just one eye. Some smart alecks once tried to cut corners, and their end… was very grim! This is no joke—even if it contradicts everything you know, it’s the truth. The moment all of you look away, that thing will make you pay with your lives.”
The guard commander’s icy gaze swept over them, his rough voice cold and grave from behind his black mask. “You’ve behaved yourselves so far, so I’ll give you some more advice. Three people should keep watch, two should clean—divide as you see fit. Best if we don’t have to get involved, because our job is just to collect your bodies.”
“Oh, and don’t think getting close to that thing is easy. Even with containment measures, people with too low a life level can’t even stand steady in front of it.”
[Hint: You’ve obtained partial information about the anomaly Satin—Life Level check will fail, resulting in negative effects.]
This prompt made Ember’s brow twitch as he checked his own stats—he had already noticed the game’s stat system was quite unique.
…
Name: [Ember]
Level: 0
Identity: Foundation Probationary Staff (ID: D1106)
Basic Stats: Health 30, Sanity 30, Stamina 11 {10 + (Life Level + Willpower Level)/2}
Core Stats: Life Level 0, Willpower Level 2
Key Stats: Strength Level 0, Agility Level 0, Perception Level 0
Active Skills: None
Passive Skills: [Willpower Enhancement] (Novice benefit, Effect: Willpower Level +2)
…
Though he still didn’t fully understand each stat’s function, Ember knew that with a Life Level of zero, he had no chance of safely approaching the anomaly that could be heard but not seen.
But perhaps that was for the best—everyone was equally clueless, so he might as well let someone else be the guinea pig and watch how things unfolded. With that, Ember quietly eyed a player who seemed eager to try.
Risk and reward always go hand in hand—a truth well understood by both developers and players.
“When you’re done, press the button on the door and I’ll let you out. But don’t even think about slacking off!”
The guard commander’s gaze grew colder. “You’re all dying anyway, hoping the Foundation will extend your lives. So work properly. Remember, your contract with the Foundation has no life insurance clause. If anyone wants to back out, I’ll be happy to let them taste a bullet.”