Deep in the Living
Chapter 374 - 362: First Entry into the Corner

Chapter 374: Chapter 362: First Entry into the Corner

The newcomers’ first time exploring the Corner is also called the "Corner Experience".

It’s a short-term, purpose-driven Corner experience mainly used to verify the newcomers’ adaptability to the Corner.

Due to the significant differences between the Corner’s environment and reality, some ’geniuses’ who originally excelled and achieved high marks in various evaluations, exhibited various discomforts after heading to the Corner and could only perform at less than 70% of their potential.

Additionally,

although the first exploration only occurs at the shallowest layer, the danger still exists. To protect the talents, it’s required to form a team, and within the team, there will be an experienced agent responsible for leading.

The current arrangement for leading Luo Di and Yu Ze is none other than Doctor Youzhen, who previously assisted them.

She is a sought-after member of the [Special Action Department] that various exploration teams are eager to hire, even willing to spend Corner resources for.

A high-level talent like Doctor Youzhen can not only repair various forms of physical injuries but also perform fear eradication within the Corner, ensuring everyone’s mental health.

This arrangement by the personnel department clearly shows how highly they value these two young individuals, minimizing the risk of the Corner experience as much as possible.

Youzhen’s attire today is also different, unlike the barrel-shaped robe she wore yesterday when receiving them, which is suitable for the Investigation Bureau, providing both warmth and special physical nourishment. But it’s not suitable for running, much less for combat.

Today, she put on a pure white tight combat uniform, with lightweight leather perfectly highlighting the body contours, while exuding a sense of vitality, as if the leather itself had some life force.

Her shoulders, chest, and hips were embedded with lightweight composite armor, and the elbow and knee joints featured retractable cushions.

Currently, Youzhen was doing stretching exercises at the edge of the plaza, and it seemed she hadn’t gone to the Corner in over half a year.

Luo Di did not avert his gaze inappropriately; instead, his more attention was focused on the [Seam] standing vertically in the center of the plaza.

Yu Ze, taking advantage of wearing sunglasses, seemed to be observing the seam as well, his eyes beneath the sunglasses already on automatic enemy detection, unable to look away.

"Come over and gather up; this time, I’ll lead the team.

Although this is my first time leading newcomers, it shouldn’t be a big problem. Both of you are elite members from the Special Action Department; there shouldn’t be a need for me to emphasize simple and detailed matters.

The initial exploration duration is 24 hours,

our sole objective is to explore as much of the area we reach as possible while keeping the fear accumulation consistently below the safe value.

I’ll discuss specifics once we are inside, since we are heading to the shallowest layer. The odds of encountering monsters are low, and plants are sparse, generally presenting no danger.

At least no danger has occurred in many years of newcomer experiences; primarily, you will get a feel for the Corner’s [environment] to adapt to it and strive to operate for extended periods, fully unleashing 100% of your capabilities in the future.

If you have any questions, you can ask now. We have twenty minutes before we enter the scene."

Luo Di asked a question that wasn’t very relevant to the upcoming exploration, "When Pseudo-Person ascends through those seams or other methods, do they go to the same depth as us on their first visit to the Corner?"

"A bit deeper... plus, during their initial ascension, they receive protection from the Corner, preventing us from encountering them directly.

Typically, the ones we encounter are monsters that have spent some time within the Corner, familiar with moving around the area and capable of hunting alone."

"Got it."

Youzhen’s keen sense of smell instantly recalled Luo Di’s personal history upon his question, "You once collaborated with the [Sisterhood] against the Craft’s sub-avatar. You aren’t thinking of meeting actual monsters from the Sisterhood in the Corner, are you?"

"Meeting one could be interesting if possible."

Youzhen’s eyes immediately turned from relatively gentle to dangerously sharp, prompting Luo Di’s Old Spine to tremble, "Monsters are primitive beings driven by desire. In the Corner’s environment, their malice is further nourished.

There was once an agent similar to you in the Exploration Bureau who attempted to coexist with the monsters and disappeared shortly after. When we saw him again, he was already hanging on a monster’s neck.

You need to think this through."

Recalling something, Youzhen’s expression returned to normal, "How odd~ During the assessment period, your demeanor in slaughter seemed to betray an intense grudge against the Pseudo-Person monsters, a killing intent we could feel even through the screen.

Yet, you are willing to cooperate with some Pseudo-Person, implying a rather deep acquaintanceship.

Forget it~ I shall not comment on this matter; manage this on your own."

"Mm." Luo Di was indifferent, continuing with related inquiries, "Once the exploration is over, how do we return here?"

"Oh, I forgot to mention this! As long as we’re within the shallow layers, [Marks] will exist."

Youzhen turned to point at the seam hundreds of meters high.

"Due to the seam’s influence, random areas and objects in the shallow Corner could feature marks regarding the [Seam]... they could be marked on walls, inside a book, or in a trash pile.

The marks don’t persist permanently, constantly changing.

By finding a mark and using a body part to touch it, then focusing to recall the [Seam], you’ll be transported back without any restrictions from the Corner.

You’ll know what the mark looks like once inside."

"Got it."

Luo Di didn’t ask much more. He planned to explore the Corner himself for specific answers.

With over ten minutes remaining, he unexpectedly began doing his most familiar push-ups in the plaza area,

while Yu Ze began reading a novel on the side, even laughing aloud.

Youzhen watched the two newcomers, completely at ease and without any tension, and found it somewhat difficult to understand.

Previously, newcomers arriving at the plaza, sensing wisps of physical fear emerging from the seam, were mentally taut.

Yet, the newcomers she was to lead now seemed like seasoned ragamuffins.

"Is it the advantage of being a Connector?

They’ve had experiences as investigators, as well as in the Otherworld... hopefully, they’ll encounter a monster at some point to exert pressure on them. Excessive relaxation isn’t necessarily a good thing."

Time’s up.

The newcomer exploration team led by Miss Youzhen lined up last, with those regaining their state heading into the seam first.

Luo Di also observed that most teams heading to the Corner consisted of four to six members,

each skilled in different areas, fully equipped.

"Miss Youzhen, do all official exploration teams have to be at least this size? Solo exploration isn’t allowed, right?"

"Meeting the very stringent conditions is required for solo or paired explorations; we don’t want our carefully cultivated talent to die because they were alone.

Let’s focus on the task at hand first."

Youzhen’s tone became slightly rigid, understandable as she hadn’t gone to the Corner for a long time, and was feeling somewhat nervous.

A special material handcuff locked the three’s wrists, this connection ensuring they would be regarded as one entity, guaranteeing transportation to the same location.

Walking into the seam.

Buzz!

Darkness, like a curtain, enveloped the entire vision,

followed by a sense of submersion.

The sensation of sinking into an inky swamp was not new to Luo Di.

The descent did not last long before he felt the touch of solid ground beneath his feet.

The darkness before his eyes slowly receded, with a glimmer of twilight spilling into his gaze.

In Yu Ze’s hand was a piece of talisman paper, and Youzhen’s fingers started trembling rapidly, connected to invisible threads to sense the surroundings.

Luo Di, however, did nothing,

simply spreading his arms open,

his mouth curled into an irrepressible grin,

instantly understanding why each agent didn’t want to return one by one, driving themselves to the edge of fear before being forced back to the Boundary.

The fear entity pervading the air began nourishing the pituitary,

and Luo Di felt right at home.