In the resting lounge, Tendo seemed to sense something. His body, which was leaning against the sofa, straightened slightly. He looked up at the old residential building on the holographic screen, a faint smile playing on his lips, as if responding to the Raccoon Administrator's "anticipation."
Meanwhile, the Raccoon Administrator on the screen had resumed its slow walk, heading toward the direction where Chen Kong and the others were hiding.
Its steps were still unhurried, but with every step it took, the surrounding black mist thickened.
The assessment, named 'Hide and Seek' but actually 'Eternal Nightmare,' was only just entering its true core.
The examinees either confronted their inner fears, or... were eternally swallowed by the nightmare.
And only those who could overcome the fear in their hearts could keep their distance from the Raccoon Administrator, the 'Pursuer.'
Conversely, those who couldn't would get closer and closer to the Raccoon Administrator.
In other words, the Raccoon Administrator hadn't been teleporting to the other examinees' locations earlier.
Instead, those examinees, due to their terror of a Calamity-level entity and the 'high pressure' of failing the assessment as time passed, caused themselves to 'teleport' closer to the Raccoon Administrator.
Similarly, the reason Mi Yao was able to pass the assessment.
Perhaps it was because he wasn't afraid of any calamity in the first place.
Nor was he worried about the success or failure of the assessment.
For him, everything was just a 'game.'
And as long as it was a 'game,' it was normal to have wins and losses.
All he needed to do was try his best, using his 'skills' and a bit of 'luck' to strive to clear this game called the 'Explorer Qualification Assessment,' nothing more.
This mentality was the real reason he was able to escape the Raccoon Administrator.
At the same time, this characteristic of being fearless in the face of death was the excellent quality an Explorer needed to possess.
After all, in a life-or-death environment like a devastated zone, fear would only lead to panic and misjudgment of escape opportunities.
Only by remaining calm could one find that sliver of life and grasp that single 'lifeline' amidst the fangs of the star beasts and the bizarre rules.
As the plot reached this point, the Dimensional Audience on Site 13 finally understood the Raccoon Administrator's true underlying ability, and the comments scrolled like a tide.
'So the so-called spatial jump doesn't exist at all. It was the examinees themselves who 'approached' the Raccoon Administrator because of fear!'
'The previous comment is the truth! Fear amplifies presence! The more afraid you are, the easier you are to find! Calmness is key!'
'Mi Yao cleared the assessment because he treated it as a game! He wasn't afraid of losing or the Calamity-level entity! His mindset was super stable!'
'No wonder Liu Ma and the others lost so fast! They panicked from the start! How can you play when your mentality collapses!'
Amidst the discussion in the comments, the screen briefly switched to Caroline.
She was currently looking down, tapping on her tactical tablet.
The tablet displayed none other than the analysis of the Raccoon Administrator's ability.
(Eternal Nightmare Rule Verification: Examiner's fear intensity is positively correlated with 'perceived probability of being pursued.' When emotional fluctuations exceed the threshold, the 'Spatial Anchoring' effect is triggered, meaning the examinee unconsciously moves towards the pursuer, manifesting as 'teleportation to the opponent's side.')
After this brief segment, the show's camera returned to Chen Kong and the others in the assessment venue.
"So... what do we do now?"
Chen Kong squatted on the ground, frowning as he looked at the four children huddled together in front of him.
The boy leading them was about seven or eight years old, with a few dark green scales growing on his arm. He was carefully holding a piece of chocolate, nibbling small bites. Chocolate smeared his mouth, making him look like a startled little beast.
The little girl next to him had milky white eyes, yet she could accurately grab the biscuit handed to her by her companion, her actions displaying a caution beyond her age.
Although he knew this was just an assessment, and these children were merely dispensable 'NPCs.'
Yet, looking at the satisfaction in the little boy's eyes as he ate the chocolate, the little girl's small hand gripping the biscuit, and the faint smell of rust and the strange odor of Star Energy radiation on their bodies...
Chen Kong couldn't convince himself to leave them behind.
But if he didn't leave them, how was he supposed to proceed with the assessment?
Never mind carrying four dependents, even without them, he wasn't sure he could evade the Raccoon Administrator's pursuit.
Finally, Chen Kong made a decision.
"How about... we take them with us and find a place to hide first?"
Chen Kong glanced at the children, sounding unsure.
After all, his decision was undoubtedly too 'foolish,' not only dragging himself down but also his two teammates.
But contrary to Chen Kong's expectations, the cameraman beside him nodded and said, "I think that's fine."
Chen Kong looked at him with surprise.
However, An Qin, who was standing nearby, chose this moment to object.
"Bringing them will slow us down. I don't recommend it."
Hearing this, Chen Kong and the cameraman both looked at her.
Eventually, Chen Kong spoke again: "It's okay. If you have concerns, you can leave alone. We will try to buy you some time."
Hearing this, An Qin froze.
She didn't understand how Chen Kong could say such 'foolish' words.
After all, in her view, the elimination of the weak was a perfectly normal occurrence.
And these children were undoubtedly 'the weak.'
Thus, An Qin fell silent for a moment.
Just then, the little girl with the milky white eyes suddenly looked up, staring at Chen Kong with her cloudy eyes, and whispered, "Big brother, we're not a bother... We know a place where the 'shadow' can't find us if we hide there."
"Shadow?"
Chen Kong's heart stirred. Could the 'shadow' the children referred to be the Raccoon Administrator?
Before Chen Kong could clarify this confusion, the little girl tugged on Chen Kong's sleeve.
"It's in the basement behind the factory. There's a basement there. We used to hide there and avoided lots of 'shadows'..."
Watching the indecisive Chen Kong on the screen, the comments on Site 13 started rolling again.
'Poor Kong is having such a tough time! Taking the kids or not is a trap either way!'
'It would be too cruel not to take them! But taking them will slow them down!'
'Don't forget the previous comments! The core of this assessment is 'fear'! Maybe the children are also part of the 'fear' test, challenging Chen Kong on whether he will abandon his 'kindness' due to the fear of failing!'
Finally, Chen Kong, the protagonist, showed the responsibility a protagonist should have at the critical moment.
He stood up, looked at the four children in front of him, and smiled, saying, "Alright, then take us to your basement to take a look."
"Mmm!"
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