Chapter 3: Death Trial Prelude
The institute's plaque hung outside, and the distinctive metal facade made it unmistakably a research facility.
Ethan scanned the busy street and the occasional patrolling officer. If this were a fake institute, the authorities would have acted already — no scam would brazenly operate so close to the city center.
As Ethan studied the entrance, a woman in a white turtleneck and form‑fitting clothes carrying an A‑City map approached the door. She checked the map against the bronze plaque, then turned to look at Ethan, her expression cooling when she saw his cheap clothing.
An app ad flashed briefly on Ethan's phone: "Mimi Reader — classic reading app with source switching."
"Were you selected as a test subject too?" the woman asked, a hint of disdain in her voice.
"Yeah," Ethan answered.
Ethan noted the woman's heavy makeup and confident posture, and could tell she regarded him with thinly veiled contempt.
"So you're a competitor? Kid, go back to school — money isn't that easy to get," she said. She rapped the bronze door with her purse, but there was no response.
"What kind of place is this? They made it sound so prestigious on the phone, but no one's opening the door," she grumbled, striking the door again.
"Let me try," Ethan said.
Ethan had long practiced reading people and scanning environments. While the woman knocked, he noticed two features on the door: a slot near the bottom that looked like a card reader, and a small bell fixed to the upper left corner.
He flicked the bell. A hidden LCD lit up on the door, though the power indicator remained off.
He then slid his ID into the bottom slot.
"Beep!"
The screen came alive and a scanning beam swept his face.
"Facial recognition confirmed. Iris scan confirmed. Test subject Ethan Carter — welcome to the District 19 Life Research Institute."
"Please take your ID badge on the right after you enter. We will hold your ID during testing. Don't worry — electronic devices will be allowed until the test begins, so you can contact family and friends."
With a mechanical clack, the door unlocked and swung inward.
Ethan glanced back at the woman and pointed subtly at the bell and card slot before stepping through. The woman, scowling, tried to follow — but the door closed behind him and blocked her.
"That flashy woman's here for money too — she must be in a hurry," Ethan thought.
Inside, a long corridor led to a locked wooden door ten meters ahead. The walls were papered with colorful rosettes whose patterns, if stared at too long, seemed to spin.
Ethan pulled out his phone to check signal.
"ID collected, but the phone still works," he muttered. He sent a quick text to his mother saying he'd be staying at a friend's place and to eat something when she woke. Then he found seven hooks on the right wall; one held his test badge with his one‑inch photo from the medical exam.
"Test Subject Ethan Carter — ID Pro‑031," was printed on the tag.
Two hooks were empty, indicating two others had arrived before him.
"If this is a seven‑person test, a one‑in‑seven shot at three‑plus million is a decent probability," Ethan reasoned. At nineteen he might be a bit less strong physically than some, but his observation and reaction skills were sharp.
The bronze door opened again. The woman who had mocked him now stepped inside and took the badge marked Pro‑035. Her look toward Ethan had shifted.
"I'm Jiang Tian. I'm from B‑grade Muxiu County," she said.
"Ethan Carter, from C‑level Pingxiang County," he replied.
Although Jiang Tian was outwardly friendly, Ethan suspected her motives.
He walked the corridor to the wooden door and pushed it open.
A warm scent greeted him. The main hall featured a large table laden with food he'd rarely seen growing up, though each dish sat under a thin film that let aroma through but kept the food out of reach.
Two other early arrivals sat around the table. One was a composed man in his thirties with glasses and a tailored suit; the other was a young woman about Ethan's age in athletic wear, perched in a corner and barely looking up.
Ethan chose a seat, pulled his hood down, and kept to himself, studying the room. Apart from the entry door, he could see no other exits. A ceiling HVAC unit and four corner cameras provided the only link to the outside.
"No staff have appeared yet. The food was placed before arrivals and covered to keep warm. They'll uncover it when everyone's here — that's probably why they required a 6:00 PM arrival," he thought.
Soon after, the remaining test subjects arrived, and the group assembled for the session.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone