The eastern training ground was empty except for ten people when I arrived at dawn.

Team 7, assembled for the first time.

[SCANNING TEAM MEMBERS...]

[FAMILIAR FACES: 5]

[UNKNOWN FACTORS: 4]

[ANALYZING...]

Chen Rou stood at the center, our Stage 9 team leader. She was tall, maybe mid-twenties, with her hair tied back in a severe bun and eyes that seemed to evaluate everything. Her posture screamed military discipline, and her cultivation aura radiated controlled power.

"You're Lin Tian," she said when I approached. Not a question, a statement. "Stage 5. Defeated multiple higher-stage opponents. Provisional inner sect. Currently dating Yun Xia." She gestured to where Yun Xia stood with Su Mei. "Background check complete."

[SHE DID HER HOMEWORK]

[THOROUGH LEADER]

[THIS IS GOOD]

"Yes, that's me," I said.

"Good. I don't like surprises on expeditions. Surprises get people killed." She turned to address the full group. "Everyone's here. Let's begin introductions. I'm Chen Rou, Stage 9, this is my fourth expedition to the Wastes. My job is keeping all of you alive and extracting maximum value. Your job is following orders and not dying stupidly."

Her tone was blunt but not hostile. Just... practical.

"Let's go around," she continued. "Name, stage, specialty, and one thing you absolutely will not do in the Wastes. I'll start. Chen Rou, Stage 9, specialization in defensive formations and tactical command. I will not sacrifice team members for personal gain. Next."

Han Feng stepped forward, grinning. "Han Feng, Stage 6, close combat specialist. I will not run from a fair fight." He paused. "Okay, I might run from an unfair fight. I'm brave, not stupid."

[HAN FENG: RELIABLE AS ALWAYS]

Su Mei went next. "Su Mei, Stage 6, staff combat and support formations. I will not let team members explore alone. Buddy system or death, your choice."

One by one, the team introduced themselves:

[TEAM 7 ROSTER:]

[CHEN ROU - STAGE 9 - LEADER]

[HAN FENG - STAGE 6 - BRAWLER]

[SU MEI - STAGE 6 - SUPPORT]

[LIN TIAN - STAGE 5 - FLEXIBLE COMBAT]

[YUN XIA - STAGE 5 - DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST]

[ZHOU MING - STAGE 5 - ENTHUSIASTIC JUNIOR]

[WEI LONG - STAGE 6 - SCOUT/TRACKER]

[LIU YAN - STAGE 5 - HEALER/MEDICAL]

[ZHAO FEI - STAGE 5 - FORMATION EXPERT]

[TANG BOLIN - STAGE 7 - VICE LEADER/HEAVY HITTER]

Wei Long was the team scout, a wiry guy with Stage 6 cultivation and eyes that never stopped moving. He looked like he could disappear into shadows if he wanted.

Liu Yan, our healer, was a quiet girl with gentle hands and Stage 5 cultivation. She'd been part of the medical disciples during the Blood Moon invasion.

Zhao Fei was young, maybe my age, with messy hair and ink-stained fingers. Formation expert. Probably spent more time with arrays than people.

Tang Bolin, our vice leader, was built like a boulder. Stage 7, few words, permanent scowl. The "heavy hitter" who'd break through obstacles by force.

When my turn came, I kept it simple. "Lin Tian, Stage 5, adaptive combat style. I will not abandon teammates, no matter the treasure."

[GOOD ANSWER]

[SETS THE RIGHT TONE]

Chen Rou nodded approvingly. "Acceptable. Now, let's discuss survival protocols."

She pulled out a map, hand-drawn but detailed, showing the Crimson Wastes layout. "The ruins span roughly 500 square kilometers. The sect assigns each team a sector. Ours is Sector C-7, the western ruins. Moderate danger level, moderate treasure density."

"Moderate sounds good," Zhou Ming said hopefully.

"Moderate means only three teams died there last expedition instead of five," Chen Rou said flatly. "Don't get comfortable."

[ENCOURAGEMENT: MINIMAL]

[REALISM: MAXIMUM]

"The Wastes have three main threats," she continued. "First, the environment itself. Ancient formations that activate randomly. Unstable structures. Poisonous gas pockets. Natural hazards kill more disciples than anything else."

She pointed to different map sections. "Second, corrupted beasts. The ruins are infested with them, ranging from Stage 4 wolves to Stage 8 serpents. They're territorial and aggressive. Avoid when possible, eliminate when necessary."

"And third?" I asked.

"Other disciples." Her expression darkened. "Crimson Peak Sect and Verdant Valley Sect will be in the Wastes simultaneously. Officially, we're supposed to avoid conflict. Realistically? They'll try to steal our discoveries, ambush isolated members, and generally be assholes."

[RIVAL SECTS]

[PLAYER-VERSUS-PLAYER ENABLED]

[THIS EXPEDITION JUST GOT MORE COMPLICATED]

"So we're fighting the environment, monsters, and other cultivators?" Wei Long asked.

"Welcome to the Crimson Wastes." Chen Rou's smile was grim. "But we have advantages. Team cohesion. Proper preparation. And me, I've kept 90% of my previous team members alive. I intend to maintain that record."

She distributed jade slips. "Emergency communication talismans. They're linked to each other and have limited range, about five kilometers. If you're in trouble, crush it. Everyone else will know your location and that you need help."

[ITEM ACQUIRED: EMERGENCY TALISMAN]

[CHARGES: 1]

[DON'T WASTE IT]

"Team formations," Chen Rou continued. "We move in groups of three minimum. Wei Long scouts ahead. Tang Bolin and I handle major threats. The rest of you work in rotating support pairs." She looked at me and Yun Xia. "You two will pair frequently since you work well together. Zhou Ming, you're with Han Feng for training. Su Mei and Liu Yan coordinate support and healing. Zhao Fei floats wherever formations need expertise."

[TACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS: SENSIBLE]

[SHE'S ACTUALLY GOOD AT THIS]

"Questions?" Chen Rou asked.

"What about treasure distribution?" someone asked.

"Everything goes into team pool. We divide equally at the end. Anyone caught hoarding gets left in the Wastes." Her tone left no room for argument. "Greed kills teams faster than monsters. We survive together or die separately."

[FAIR DISTRIBUTION POLICY]

[REDUCES INTERNAL CONFLICT]

[SMART LEADERSHIP]

"Equipment check tomorrow," Chen Rou said. "I want to see everyone's gear, pills, talismans, everything. We leave in five days. Use that time wisely, train together, practice formations, get comfortable fighting as a unit."

She dismissed us, but called out as we turned to leave: "Lin Tian, Yun Xia, stay a moment."

[UH OH]

[SPECIAL ATTENTION]

[COULD BE GOOD OR BAD]

Once the others left, Chen Rou fixed us with an evaluating look. "I did extensive research on all team members. You two are... interesting cases."

"How so?" Yun Xia asked cautiously.

"Lin Tian advanced from Stage 1 to Stage 5 in a month. Defeated multiple higher-stage opponents. Survived assassination attempts. That's either incredible luck or something else entirely." Her eyes narrowed. "Which is it?"

[MOMENT OF TRUTH]

[HOW MUCH DO WE TELL HER?]

I decided on partial honesty. "I have an unusual cultivation constitution. Abnormally large Qi reserves. It allows me to punch above my weight class and advance faster than normal."

"Unusual constitution," Chen Rou repeated. "That's one explanation." She didn't sound entirely convinced but nodded. "And you, Yun Xia. You're not as flashy, but your combat record shows consistent competence under pressure. Defensive specialist who's never lost a teammate."

"I do my best," Yun Xia said.

"Your best is good." Chen Rou crossed her arms. "Here's why I'm telling you this: I think you two will be critical to this team's survival. Lin Tian's combat ability and Yun Xia's protective instincts complement each other. I'm going to lean on that partnership."

[RECOGNITION OF YOUR VALUE]

[ALSO, PRESSURE]

"We'll do our part," I said.

"See that you do." Chen Rou's expression softened slightly. "I've lost team members on previous expeditions. It never gets easier. This time, I want everyone home alive. That means I need people I can count on."

"You can count on us," Yun Xia said firmly.

"Good." Chen Rou handed us each another jade slip. "Advanced formations for paired combat. Study them. Practice them. Master them. You'll need every advantage in the Wastes."

The next four days were brutal.

Chen Rou drilled us relentlessly, combat formations, emergency protocols, threat recognition, resource identification. She pushed everyone to their limits and then pushed further.

"Again!" she shouted as Team 7 attempted a defensive formation against Tang Bolin's simulated assault. "Zhou Ming, you're too slow rotating! Wei Long, watch your spacing! Lin Tian, stop improvising, stick to the formation!"

[TRAINING INTENSITY: MAXIMUM]

[TEAM COHESION: IMPROVING RAPIDLY]

[CHEN ROU: SCARY WHEN MOTIVATED]

By day three, we were moving like an actual unit instead of ten individuals. Formations flowed naturally. Communication was crisp. Everyone knew their role and trusted others to fill theirs.

"Better," Chen Rou said after a particularly smooth drill. "You might actually survive your first encounter."

"High praise from you," Han Feng joked.

"I'm not here to inflate egos. I'm here to keep you alive."

That evening, I finally broke through to Stage 6.

It happened during meditation in my cultivation chamber. The Qi that had been building for weeks suddenly surged, breaking through the bottleneck in a rush of power that left me gasping.

[BREAKTHROUGH ACHIEVED!]

[QI REFINING STAGE 6 - COMPLETE!]

[CULTIVATION SPEED: RIDICULOUS AS ALWAYS]

[COMBAT POWER: SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED]

[YOU CAN NOW PROBABLY FIGHT STAGE 8 OPPONENTS]

[PROBABLY]

The power felt incredible. My Qi reserves had effectively doubled. My body tempering had advanced automatically. The Infinite Tide Scripture flowed through enhanced meridians with even greater efficiency.

[BODY TEMPERING: 58% → 71%]

[QI DENSITY: INCREASED 2.3x]

[TECHNIQUE INTEGRATION: OPTIMAL]

[BOSS, YOU'RE ACTUALLY SCARY NOW]

Yun Xia noticed immediately when I emerged. "You broke through! I can feel it, your aura is completely different."

"Stage 6," I confirmed, still adjusting to the new power. "Right before the expedition. Good timing."

"Or the universe's way of saying you'll need it." She kissed me lightly. "I'm proud of you. And slightly terrified of whatever's coming that requires you to be Stage 6."

[SHE'S NOT WRONG]

[PLOT SIGNIFICANCE: HIGH]

[BREAKTHROUGH TIMING: SUSPICIOUSLY CONVENIENT]

[SOMETHING BIG IS DEFINITELY COMING]

The final team meeting before departure was somber.

Chen Rou stood before us, her expression serious. "Tomorrow, we enter the Crimson Wastes. This is your last chance to back out, no shame, no judgment. The sect made it mandatory, but I won't force anyone who's truly unwilling."

Silence. No one moved.

"Good." She nodded. "Then hear this: I will do everything in my power to bring all of you home. But I need you to trust me, follow orders, and watch each other's backs. Can you do that?"

"Yes, Leader!" we chorused.

"Then rest tonight. We leave at dawn." She paused, her expression shifting to something almost warm. "And Team 7? I'm proud to lead you. Let's show those other teams how it's done."

[INSPIRATIONAL SPEECH: 8/10]

[MORALE: HIGH]

[TEAM COHESION: STRONG]

[READINESS: AS GOOD AS IT'S GOING TO GET]

That night, I stood on my balcony, looking out at the sect. Somewhere out there, nine other teams were preparing for the same journey. Some would return. Some wouldn't.

[TEAMS DEPARTING: 10]

[TOTAL DISCIPLES: 100]

[EXPECTED CASUALTIES: 40]

[YOUR TEAM'S ODDS: BETTER THAN AVERAGE]

[BUT STILL...]

Yun Xia joined me, slipping her hand into mine. "Nervous?"

"Terrified," I admitted. "You?"

"Same." She leaned against me. "But we're together. That helps."

"Yeah." I squeezed her hand. "It really does."

[RELATIONSHIP STRENGTH: MAXIMUM]

[SURVIVAL MOTIVATION: INCREASED]

[YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING TO FIGHT FOR]

[THAT'S POWERFUL]

We stood there in comfortable silence, watching the stars.

Tomorrow, the real adventure began.

Tomorrow, we entered the Crimson Wastes.

Tomorrow, everything changed.

[COUNTDOWN: COMPLETE]

[EXPEDITION: COMMENCING]

[SURVIVAL PROBABILITY: 58%]

[TEAM 7: READY]

[LET'S DO THIS]

I closed my eyes and felt the automated cultivation continue its work.

Stage 6 now. Maybe Stage 7 by the time we returned.

If we returned.

[OPTIMISM: NOTED]

[ALSO: APPROPRIATE FEAR]

[BALANCE IS GOOD]

[SLEEP NOW, BOSS]

[TOMORROW, WE SURVIVE]

[PREPARATION ARC: COMPLETE]

[NEXT: CRIMSON WASTES EXPEDITION]

[DURATION: 3 MONTHS]

[EXPECTED CONTENT: DANGER, TREASURE, TEAM BONDING, RIVAL ENCOUNTERS, POWER-UPS, POSSIBLY DEATH]

[GOOD LUCK, TEAM 7]

[YOU'RE GOING TO NEED IT]

Dawn would come soon.

And with it, the Crimson Wastes.

Ready or not.

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