After class ended, Eric got ready for the physical test at the university’s rowing club basecamp.According to the email he’d received the day before, the test would include push-ups, pull-ups, running, and swimming. Deep down, Eric couldn’t help but feel a spark of excitement — it was as if the “mission” his System had given him earlier had already leaked him the exam questions in advance.Now, he was walking toward the club’s basecamp after escorting Violet to the parking area.Violet had actually wanted to stay and watch him go through the test, but the information posted in the special group chat for club applicants clearly stated that the test was private. Outsiders, even friends or family, weren’t allowed to attend.“Father, I promise you... I’ll make it into this elite club and make you proud,” Eric swore silently as he caught sight of the basecamp up ahead.A faint smile curved on his lips, imagining his father standing right there at the entrance, waving proudly at him.But j

The training field at the university’s rowing club basecamp stretched wide and flawlessly maintained. Its surface wasn’t just ordinary dirt—it was covered with a soft synthetic layer designed to minimize injuries, allowing athletes to push their limits without fear. All of it, of course, was made possible by the Turner family’s generous funding, which had transformed this place into one of the most advanced athletic facilities on campus.On the eastern side, rows of sleek rowing boats rested neatly atop a wooden dock, their polished hulls gleaming under the late-afternoon sunlight. The faint scent of river water mixed with the moist breeze, creating a refreshing yet adrenaline-pumping atmosphere.To the west stood a large, glass-walled building—the main basecamp structure and the heart of the club’s operations. Inside, coaches and committee members discussed details while holding tablets and stopwatches, closely monitoring the list of participants displayed on a massive digital screen

After all participants finished the running test, the committee announced a fifteen-minute break before moving on to the next stage: a 500-meter swimming test.The swimming test was held at the man-made river inside the campus, not far from the rowing club’s basecamp—a twenty-meter-wide canal stretching a hundred meters long, its water clear and calm. This was where the rowing club members usually trained every afternoon. Along the canal’s edge stood rows of leafy trees and a modest grandstand for spectators.“Alright, listen up!” the head coach shouted from a small podium. “You’ll swim five full laps—total distance, five hundred meters! You can use any stroke you like, as long as it doesn’t endanger other participants. Your completion time will determine your score!”This time, many of the participants looked more confident. For a rower, swimming wasn’t just a skill—it was survival. They trained on water, not asphalt, and five hundred meters was nothing to fear.Those who hadn’t perf

The final test was rowing. But that one would be held tomorrow.Eric had just finished showering when he realized something odd — the locker room was unusually quiet. Before he went in to wash up, the place had been full of participants.“Maybe they all went home or are talking with the coaches outside,” he muttered, toweling off his body.He opened his locker to grab a T-shirt. After putting it on, he collected the rest of his belongings. He planned to go straight home — to his old house — and finally get some rest. It had been a long time.But just as Eric turned around, he froze.Chloe was suddenly there.She had appeared out of nowhere like a ghost, making him flinch instinctively.“Sorry—sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Chloe reached out, wanting to touch his arm to calm him down, but Eric’s body shifted back instantly, rejecting her approach.“What do you want?”That tone. Sharp and cold enough to pierce through her chest. Chloe came here with good intentions, yet Eric trea