No matter what, when something goes against the norm, there must be a reason behind it.
Tong Yang had gathered some information. In recent years, people from the slums had participated in the tests, but the content was different each time and completely outside their understanding, so no one had ever passed.
Having gained nothing, the two returned to their residence.
Tong Yang thought it over and felt things weren't that simple.
Her bet with Zhan Zicheng wasn't some grand affair. Even if Zhan Zicheng had told his father about it, it generally shouldn't have caused such a big stir. After all, what happened in the slums couldn't easily leak to the outside world; they had very few channels to communicate with it.
"Sister, are you going to wash up?" Miaomiao asked.
"Mhm," Tong Yang replied absentmindedly and walked into the bathroom.
The weather had been hot lately. Tong Yang had installed a large water barrel outside the window. A few hours of sun each day meant she didn't need to boil water for a bath.
Come to think of it, could it be that her identity had already been exposed?
It shouldn't be that fast.
Wu Pingxue had broadly shielded her coordinates. The First World couldn't find her, and the slums were a place of mixed characters, reportedly housing fifty percent of Earth's population. Finding her wouldn't be easy.
Furthermore, according to the information Wu Pingxue had, neither the parallel worlds nor the First World possessed much intelligence regarding Tong Yang. Or perhaps they could obtain it but had always disdained to do so.
To them, there was no "Tong Yang," only the "Temporal Anchor." They didn't care who the Temporal Anchor was.
Even if she looked identical to the Tong Yang from the First World, the people who knew this were certainly an extreme minority and wouldn't publicize it widely. They were utterly arrogant, just as Meng Xiao had once said—they didn't need to know who the Temporal Anchor was.
Taking a step back, in the densely populated, information-isolated slums, how could she be easily discovered?
Those outsiders wouldn't waste their energy on people from the slums.
If she hadn't been discovered, what reason would the Zhan family have for blowing things up so dramatically?
Tong Yang couldn't figure it out for the moment.
July 15, 2025. Tong Yang headed to Gate Two, preparing to go to the commoner district for the test.
She wore a hat and stood behind Gate Two, surrounded by a large crowd of onlookers.
As the clock struck ten in the morning, the heavy iron gates slowly swung open.
"Yang Tong?" A man by the gate looked her up and down and asked.
Tong Yang nodded and handed him her ID card.
The man glanced at it and nodded. "Come in."
"Alright."
Tong Yang looked back at Miaomiao in the crowd, who gave her a slight smile.
"Go for it, Yang Tong!"
"Be careful!"
"It's okay if you don't pass the test!"
"Did you hear? The test is too difficult."
...
The chattering crowd behind her faded as Tong Yang followed the man in without looking back.
Behind the iron gate was a passageway with high walls on both sides. As the gate closed again, the footsteps of the two echoed in the corridor.
After walking in silence for nearly ten minutes, Tong Yang saw a large door at the end of the passage.
This door was strange. It had deep and shallow patterns, emitting a faint blue glow. Dozens of meters high, it fit seamlessly with the ground, showing no gaps—like something out of a sci-fi movie.
Standing before it, its grandeur was even more palpable.
"This way." The man walked to the right side of the door, faced the wall, and called out.
Tong Yang went to his side. The man raised his arm and pressed a few spots on the wall. Suddenly, the concrete wall stirred. Its outer surface flowed like liquid, with bricks churning within.
Gradually, the churning wall settled, transforming into an ordinary door.
The man pushed the door open, revealing a dark passage that led to who-knows-where.
"Go straight ahead. Stop when you reach a place with people," the man said.
Tong Yang pressed her lips together, frowning slightly. This passage didn't look like a good place.
But things had come to this; there was no other way.
She couldn't just turn back and stay in the slums forever, could she?
What would be the point of her entering the First World early then?
Tong Yang stepped into the passage. Just as she was about to ask something, the door behind her closed.
The only light source in the passage vanished. Everything was plunged into pitch-black darkness, so thick she couldn't see her own hand.
Tong Yang stretched her arms out to feel her surroundings. Before they were fully extended, her hands touched cold walls.
This passage was extremely narrow.
"What a wretched place..." Tong Yang muttered under her breath.
Before her eyes was nothing but an endless expanse of darkness.
Remembering the man's words—to stop only when she reached a place with people—she had no choice but to feel her way forward in the dark.
The passage was so quiet that Tong Yang could clearly hear her own breathing and footsteps.
Darkness amplifies the senses infinitely. Sweat gradually soaked her back, making Tong Yang feel intensely uncomfortable.
If her phone hadn't long since run out of battery and shut down, she would have loved to turn on the flashlight and see what this wretched place looked like.
But it was just a thought. Even if the phone had power, she couldn't take it out.
"Hah..."
Time ticked by, but Tong Yang never reached the end.
Although Tong Yang wasn't afraid of the dark and had been in countless dark environments before, the feeling this situation gave her was completely different.
It was as if she were submerged in ink. Apart from the all-encompassing darkness, there was no other color.
"Six hundred and one..."
Tong Yang counted the seconds silently and realized that even after ten minutes, no light appeared ahead.
She could hardly believe only ten minutes had passed, experiencing for the first time the feeling of time dragging on like years.
Sweat dripped from her forehead, wetting her eyelashes and seeping into her eyes, stinging so much she had to close them.
Whether her eyes were open or closed, she couldn't see anything anyway, so she might as well keep them shut.
Tong Yang squeezed her eyes shut tightly and reached forward, suddenly touching a wall.
"A dead end?" Tong Yang moistened her dry lips and whispered.
But there was no one else around her.
Would those damned people really intend to trap her here forever?
Tong Yang's breathing grew rapid. This wouldn't do. She had to stay calm. In an environment like this, losing composure and succumbing to anxiety would drive anyone normal mad.
Even if those people didn't want her to pass the test, they wouldn't kill her this way.
If her identity was already exposed, the First World certainly wouldn't kill her. After all, they had harmed the people around Tong Yang to force her to enter the First World early.
Suddenly, an idea flashed in Tong Yang's mind.
Could the First World forcing her to come here be related to this incident?
Since the way forward was blocked, Tong Yang continued feeling around and finally discovered a passage continuing to the right.
This path wasn't straight.
Gritting her teeth, Tong Yang had no choice but to press on. Turning back now was impossible.
This passage seemed to have no end. Tong Yang was like a headless fly, walking in the dark, unable to find her direction.
To avoid descending into confusion, Tong Yang silently counted numbers, hoping to keep track of how long she had been in the passage.
But as her breathing grew more and more ragged, her counting speed became erratic, fast then slow, until it lost all usefulness as a reference.
Tong Yang's palms were burning hot as she braced against the icy wall, gasping for breath. At least an hour had passed since she entered the passageway.
For this entire hour, Tong Yang had been enveloped in boundless darkness. Although she tried to constantly regulate her breathing, her brain was exhausted to the extreme, and her limbs felt incredibly heavy, as if every step drained the last of her strength.
The worst part was, Tong Yang had no idea how much longer this state would last.
She wasn't afraid of any unknown entities that might lurk in the dark; it was the utter uncertainty of what lay ahead that was giving rise to some grim thoughts.
— Did those bastards really plan to trap her here for a lifetime?
Tong Yang was utterly spent, her nerves stretched taut every moment. Anyone else wandering aimlessly in a place like this for over an hour would likely have had a mental breakdown long ago.
Leaning her back against the wall, Tong Yang sat down on the ground, intending to rest for a moment.
"Psychopaths…"
Tong Yang lifted her head, panting as she cursed.
If those guys weren't planning to trap her here forever, then she had probably already entered the test for the civilian district.
A bunch of sickos!
Was it really necessary to devise such a twisted test just for wanting to live among ordinary people?
Tong Yang hung her hat on her backpack, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Her whole body felt sticky and unbearably uncomfortable.
After a brief rest, Tong Yang continued forward.
She took a deep breath, propped herself up with one hand against the wall, adjusted her pace, and pressed on.
Time crawled by with each labored breath. Tong Yang still hadn't reached the end, nor did she know where the end might be.
Even though Tong Yang considered herself mentally resilient, the prolonged torment and consumption by the darkness gradually bred feelings of unease and anxiety.
Just how much longer did she have to walk? When would this path finally end?
Even if Tong Yang died and entered a cycle, she would remain trapped in this passageway until the time dislocation completely vanished.
Tong Yang's breathing grew increasingly heavy, the pressure on her lungs immense.
In any other place, walking for a full day and night wouldn't have left her this exhausted. Compared to physical fatigue, the psychological torment was far more deadly.
One hour, two hours, three hours, four hours…
Tong Yang's body was severely dehydrated, her mental state deteriorating rapidly. Lost in the darkness, she couldn't even tell if she was standing or lying down, or if everything happening was just a dream.
Maybe this was just a nightmare born from the immense pressure before her college entrance exams. There was no group chat created in the future, no home invasion robbery on May 28th, no bastard mother who came back from the dead… no parallel worlds, no First World. Everything was just a dream woven from nervous tension…
A dream…
If it's a dream, she would definitely wake up eventually.
Perhaps all she needed now was a good sleep… just to sleep…
"Haha…"
Two suppressed laughs echoed through the deathly silent passageway.
Tong Yang covered her eyes. The laughter, initially stifled, gradually rose in pitch before finally settling into calm.
"Hahaha…"
"I've really gone mad…"
Tong Yang bent over, muttering to herself.
She never thought she'd see the day she'd resort to self-deception.
"A dream? How could it be?" Tong Yang scoffed.
She raised her left arm and bit down hard. A sharp pain shot through her, and her numb heartbeat finally resumed its rhythm.
Tong Yang had bitten too hard; a strong metallic taste of blood spread in her mouth.
Releasing her teeth, blood trickled from the corner of her lips, wetting her parched mouth.
She was truly so thirsty that she instinctively licked it in.
Trembling, Tong Yang lowered her arm and continued forward.
For some reason, after that mad outburst, memories of her childhood inexplicably surfaced.
Her bastard parents, Tong Le… it all played out vividly before her eyes.
Unnecessary.
There was no need to dwell on the past. It was all over anyway.
Nothing was more important than the present.
Keep moving forward. Just keep moving forward.
She would definitely reach the end.
She had to.
Meanwhile, in a bright, spacious room.
Two people sat before an electronic display, watching the girl's every move on the monitor.
Zhan Zicheng walked in, yawning, tears hanging at the corners of his eyes as if he'd just woken up.
"How's it going?" Zhan Zicheng asked as he approached.
Before he could get close, he saw the image on the screen and froze for a moment, his eyes widening in disbelief. "She… she's still not out?"
The two seated men looked serious, shaking their heads. "No."
Zhan Zicheng's face showed urgency as he cursed, "Are you insane? People can go mad under those conditions!"
One of them replied, "We've conducted experiments…"
"Experiments my ass! Is the situation the same? Eight hours! She's been walking non-stop in that environment for eight hours! How the hell is that the same as locking someone in a dark room with water and bread?"
"Mr. Zhan, please calm down," the man said composedly. "We have our own judgment. Please do not interfere with our test."
"Test my head! Your test will be over, and she'll be insane! Wasn't it agreed to be three hours?"
The man glanced at him. "Relax. In my opinion, she can last at least twenty-four hours in there."
Zhan Zicheng stared in disbelief, muttering, "Mad… you're all mad…"
"This could kill someone!"
"She's not taking the test anymore!"
The man said dismissively, "Don't worry, she won't die."
A moment later, the man chuckled. "Mr. Zhan, you have good luck. You've picked up a piece of jade. My long journey here wasn't in vain."
Zhan Zicheng asked in astonishment, "What do you mean? You don't intend for her to…"
"Hmm, that is indeed my intention."
"You're a real lunatic," Zhan Zicheng gritted his teeth and cursed.
The man said, "Anyway, whether she passes the test or not doesn't affect other matters. The higher-ups' target isn't this. Whether she lives or dies depends on whether she herself has value."
"Aren't you here to find the Time Anchor?"
The man nodded noncommittally and asked, "Where is the Time Anchor?"
Zhan Zicheng shook his head. "I don't know."
"Who is the Time Anchor?"
Zhan Zicheng shook his head again. "I don't know."
"What does the Time Anchor look like?"
Zhan Zicheng said, "I don't know."
"If I don't know where she is, who she is, or what she looks like, how am I supposed to find her?"
Zhan Zicheng pursed his lips. "You don't have any information related to the Time Anchor at all?"
The man said, "You might not believe it, but aside from her gender, I have nothing."
"Why? The Menard family incident caused such a huge stir. How is it possible you have zero information?"
The man thought for a moment and said, "That's the entanglement between the parallel world and her. In any case, I have no information about her."
"Damn it! It's all because of the Time Anchor, causing the Maynard family to be wiped out overnight. I still wanted to meet Mr. Maynard."
The man said with a half-smile, "You might still get to see him in the future. After all, that person deliberately let them go."
"Who is that person?" Zhan Zicheng asked curiously.
"Who else could it be?"
Zhan Zicheng suddenly understood, "You mean the last person who passed the test and left the slums? What was her name, something, something..."
The man said, "Aside from those close to her, probably no one knows her name."
Hearing this, Zhan Zicheng asked curiously, "Have you ever seen her?"
The man scoffed, "Only two kinds of people have seen her: those at the very top, and the dead."
"Tch! Sounds like a monster."
The man looked up again at the electronic screen, at the girl still walking forward, and said, "Speaking of monsters, this one seems to be no less formidable."
"Really?" Zhan Zicheng looked left and right at the screen. "I think she's quite good-looking."
The man glanced at him sideways and said, "Few people her age can remain this calm under such circumstances."
As if remembering something, the man stroked his chin and said, "If properly nurtured, she might become an excellent 'Pathfinder'."
Zhan Zicheng widened his eyes, "So, you plan to completely ignore the Time Anchor matter now?"
The man replied, "Can't manage it, and if I don't, others will. Besides, her entering the First World was the higher-ups' goal from the start."
"Huh? Didn't the United Government want her dead?"
"Nonsense, she can't die yet."
The man said mockingly, "If the United Government just wanted her dead, why force her into the First World?"
He looked at the girl on the screen, his eyes growing fervent. "She might become an excellent weapon. She just needs proper polishing for now..."
Perhaps his gaze was too intense. The girl in the passage seemed to sense something; she actually raised her head and looked directly at the camera.
"Whoa!" Zhan Zicheng exclaimed. "Isn't it made of stealth material? How did she see it?"
The man fell silent for a moment. During their conversation earlier, his elbow had accidentally bumped the mouse, which allowed the camera to pan left and right.
The camera used stealth material, so a slight movement wouldn't leave much trace.
Tong Yang was exhausted. She couldn't tell if this was a test or if they had already discovered her identity.
Wu Pingxue had said they didn't know what Tong Yang looked like, so the former possibility was more likely.
But regardless, Tong Yang had had enough.
In the room, three pairs of eyes were fixed on the screen.
On the screen, the girl looked in the direction of the camera, suddenly raised her right hand, and made an internationally friendly gesture.
"Pfft—" Zhan Zicheng burst out laughing.
Another person showed a helpless expression. "Is she provoking us?"
The man smiled, "Who knows."
Zhan Zicheng joked, "Do you think there's a chance she actually is the Time Anchor?"
"It's not impossible, but it doesn't matter," the man said with a meaningful smile.
Zhan Zicheng shook his head. "I don't think so. The Time Anchor killed so many people across parallel worlds; she must be big and burly. This girl clearly doesn't fit that."
"Who knows."
The man smiled indifferently and said to the person beside him, "Let her out in two hours. Proceed to the next round of testing."
"Yes."
Knowing someone was watching her in the dark, she could pretty much confirm this was a test to enter the civilian district.
Tong Yang was long accustomed to her surroundings; she could detect any slight movement immediately.
But this test seemed rather unnecessary. She wasn't trying to become a special forces soldier. According to Xu Junyue, special forces selection had similar tests.
Time ticked by second by second. Tong Yang didn't know exactly how long had passed when she finally saw a bright light in the distance.
For eyes adapted to darkness, the sudden light was somewhat blinding. Tong Yang forced herself not to look away.
Even though she knew the exit was ahead, Tong Yang didn't quicken her pace.
While her spirit could barely hold on, her body was likely on the verge of collapse. Not knowing what she might face next, it was better to conserve some strength.
Tong Yang walked unhurriedly to the source of the light and found it was a bedroom.
She entered the bedroom, the light making her squint.
"Ta-da! Congratulations on passing the first test!"
Zhan Zicheng jumped out from behind the door, saying cheerfully.
Tong Yang gave him an icy look. "Go get some water."
Zhan Zicheng widened his eyes. "Are you ordering me?"
"Hurry up!"
Tong Yang's limbs felt weak. She pulled over a chair and sat down, her throat so dry it felt like it was smoking.
Zhan Zicheng glared at her, but seeing her parched lips, he still poured a glass of water for her.
"Here."
"Put it on the table."
"Oh."
Tong Yang tried to lift her arm. Her relaxed mind could no longer control her body properly.
Tong Yang closed her eyes and asked, "Is it over?"
Zhan Zicheng shook his head. "No."
Tong Yang sneered. "Figured."
Zhan Zicheng looked at her physical state and said hesitantly, "I agree with your point now. Not everyone from the slums is trash. What you just did, I definitely couldn't do."
"How many hours did I walk?"
"Almost eleven hours."
Tong Yang gritted her teeth, cursing inwardly.
"S-so, you don't have to take the next tests. I'll have my father provide aid to the slums..."
Tong Yang narrowed her eyes and said, "I don't do things halfway."
"The next tests are extremely difficult. You absolutely cannot pass!"
Tong Yang said, "Whether I can pass or not, I'll only know after trying. But I need some time to rest."
Zhan Zicheng frowned, seeming to hold back his words.
"You don't understand. The United Government has sent people to various districts to search for the Time Anchor. They work directly for the United Government, and their methods are terrifying. The test just now was decided by one of them. The upcoming tests will only be harder."
Hearing this, Tong Yang's expression changed slightly as she caught an important piece of information.
"Searching for the Time Anchor?" Tong Yang asked casually, as if it were nothing. "Is she here?"
Zhan Zicheng, lacking caution, shook his head. "Don't know. I don't think they ever planned to find her."
"Why? If they find her, killing her would be good, right?"
Zhan Zicheng said, "They say the Time Anchor can't die yet. And her entering the First World means the United Government's goal has been achieved."
"Really? What goal?"
"I don't know."
At this point, Zhan Zicheng looked at her warily. "Why are you asking so much? You're not the Time Anchor, are you?"
Tong Yang smiled ambiguously. "What do you think?"
Zhan Zicheng snorted. "If you are, I'd kill you right now."
"Don't they have her coordinates?" Tong Yang changed the subject.
"Gone. We only know she's in the First World."
"Is that so."
Tong Yang's gaze grew profound. The situation was roughly as she had guessed, no wonder Wu Pingxue had agreed to let her enter the First World early.
Not wanting to arouse suspicion, Tong Yang changed the subject. "What is the second round of testing?"
At this, Zhan Zicheng's face scrunched up. "You won't pass. You absolutely won't pass."
"So, what is it?"
"An exam."
Tong Yang paused. "What?"
Zhan Zicheng said, "See! I told you you wouldn't pass. You don't even know what an exam is! Exams are really hard! And you need to get a passing grade."
"What kind of exam?"
"Math, physics, stuff like that. I hate exams the most!"
Zhan Zicheng sighed. "How could you have been exposed to that kind of knowledge in the slums? They never intended for you to pass the test."
"Oh... is that so."
"Definitely!"
"Oh..."
Zhan Zicheng looked at her. "So? Have you decided to give up?"
"Besides math and physics, are there any other tests?"
"I don't think so."
Tong Yang asked, "What's the passing score?"
"Sixty."
Tong Yang sighed. "That is indeed difficult."
The difficulty wasn't the exam itself!
