"Today is the day you all fill out your assignment preferences!" Teacher Javion announced gravely as he handed out the assignment forms to each student.
The entire classroom was filled with tension and fear as the students stared at the forms in front of them. Some even started to cry, gripping their desks tightly.
"Teacher Javion, I don't want to graduate. I'm not ready to grow up!" one chubby boy sobbed.
"Teacher Javion, where will we be assigned? Is it safe there?" a timid girl asked, looking at Javion with hopeful eyes, seeking reassurance.
Bertram looked at his assignment form, feeling a deep sense of unease. This wasn't like the world before he crossed over, where graduating from high school meant freedom. In this world, graduating meant leaving the safety of the protected zone and heading into extremely dangerous areas.
A hundred years ago, peaceful cities were invaded by beings from another dimension. Brutal one-eyed giants smashed through human doors, tearing apart anyone inside. Swift and fierce two-headed wolves roamed the streets, and enormous unicorn beasts swallowed helicopters whole.
Then there were the powerful humans from the other dimension, who began to annihilate entire cities.
In the face of such a catastrophe, humanity was nearly wiped out, leaving only one city barely surviving on this land. The city was divided into many zones, with a buffer area guarded by the military outside the city.
This city was humanity's last safe zone. Only those who made significant contributions to humanity were allowed to live there.
People like Bertram and his classmates, whose parents didn't qualify to live in the city, were protected by the Federation until they graduated from high school.
Upon graduation, they would leave the city and head into the dangerous areas outside, to fight against the beings from another dimension.
The combat power of these beings was overwhelming for ordinary humans. Only those who trained in martial arts or awakened special abilities could stand a chance against them.
Martial arts training and ability awakening depended on talent, and these children had been tested for it when they were first brought to the city.
Bertram's martial arts talent was rated only at F-level, and he had no special abilities at all.
The talent rating system ranged from F, E, D, C, B, A, to S.
A person's talent rating not only determined their training speed but also their potential ceiling.
This was the most despairing part.
For example, Bertram's F-level martial arts talent meant that his lifetime limit in martial arts was F-level, with almost no chance of breaking through to E-level.
And F-level was the weakest among the otherworldly beings.
Moreover, Bertram hadn't even reached this level yet.
His class was just the most ordinary one in the academy, and most of his classmates were in a similar situation. This made the upcoming assignment selection process particularly disheartening.
"Almost all the assignment locations are high-risk areas."
The last human city was called Dawn City, and the assignment locations were not far from it. Essentially, they existed to protect Dawn City.
Bertram took a deep breath. He had been preparing for this assignment selection for a long time. After meticulously analyzing past data, he found that there were a few relatively safer departments in certain areas.
He picked up his pen and started filling out the form, praying that fewer people would choose these places so he could get in. Otherwise, if he didn't get selected, he would be assigned randomly.
Random assignment meant joining the Dawn Army, also known as the Death Army, where half of the recruits didn't survive a month.
A yellow metallic disk suddenly appeared in front of him. The disk resembled a clock face with numerous intricate markings, and at the top, it bore the words "Infinite Life."
Just as Bertram was puzzled, the metallic disk transmitted a burst of information.
Host: Bertram
Level: Unranked
Martial Arts Talent: F-level
Special Ability Talent: None
One unlimited life simulation available.
What does this mean? Could it be that my golden finger, after all these years, has finally remembered me?
Bertram's eyes lit up with excitement.
He was quite familiar with life simulations. They allowed you to simulate your future based on your current circumstances, providing valuable insights and references.
Right now, he was in the process of filling out his placement preferences, anxious about his future. This golden finger couldn't have come at a better time. He could see if his choices would be successful.
Bertram put down his pen and activated the golden finger for his first unlimited life simulation. As the metallic bronze disk spun wildly, the first simulation finally appeared.
[Year Z100, June 12: You received the placement preference form that would determine your fate from your homeroom teacher, Mr. Javion. With a glimmer of hope, you filled in three relatively safe options you had previously researched.]
[Year Z100, June 18: The results were announced.
First option, East Zone 25 Health Management Office, 3,025 applicants. You were not selected.
Second option, West Zone 16 Logistics Office, 4,321 applicants. You were not selected.
Third option, South Zone 2 Cleaning Department. This was a department that rarely hired anyone. You had heard about an opening by chance and filled it in with the most hope. There were 3 applicants, and among them, your final grades were the best. You were successfully selected.]
On June 22, Year Z100, you were thrilled to be successfully assigned to the South Zone 2 Cleaning Department, a relatively safe place where the annual rookie death rate never exceeded 20%. Many of your classmates envied you. However, a notice soon arrived with disappointing news: due to failing the subsequent political review, you could not join the South Zone 2 Cleaning Department and would be randomly assigned to the Dawn Army instead.
You were puzzled. Your record was spotless, and with both parents deceased, how could you possibly fail the political review?
On July 1, Year Z100, you officially joined the Dawn Army on an expedition to eliminate otherworldly creatures. You felt a deep sense of injustice. As you traveled with the team, you gradually uncovered the truth. Among the three applicants, someone named Hayden, who ranked second, had used some unknown influence to push you out. Being powerless, you were relegated to the Dawn Army.
[On July 3, Year Z100]
You were part of Dawn Army Squad 36. During a cleanup operation, your squad was surrounded by three two-headed wolves in a house.
You watched helplessly as your teammates were killed, their bodies devoured by the wolves.
In a moment of crisis, you miraculously broke through, achieving an F-rank in martial arts.
However, the dramatic turn of events where you would defeat the wolves did not happen. Even at F-rank, you were no match for the three two-headed wolves.