Chapter 4: Hell's First Lesson

At exactly five o'clock the next morning...

A deafening siren echoed across the Shadow Alliance headquarters.

Aurora jolted awake.

Before she could gather her thoughts, the door to her room burst open.

"Thirty seconds!"

Ethan Cross's cold voice rang through the hallway.

"Anyone who arrives late will be eliminated."

Aurora hurried into her training clothes and sprinted outside.

By the time she reached the training field, nearly two hundred young men and women were already standing in formation.

She quickly took her place.

"Thirty-one seconds."

Ethan glanced at his watch.

"You are one second late."

Aurora lowered her head.

"I'm sorry."

"There are no apologies on the battlefield."

He pointed toward the gate.

"Run."

Aurora blinked.

"Run where?"

Ethan's lips curled into a faint smile.

"A hundred kilometers."

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

"A hundred kilometers?"

"Is he serious?"

"We just arrived!"

Ethan's sharp gaze swept over them.

"The weak complain."

"The strong obey."

"The elite finish."

He raised his hand.

"Move!"

Without another word, everyone took off.

Aurora gritted her teeth and followed.

The mountain path was rough and steep.

The morning air was freezing, and each step became heavier than the last.

After ten kilometers, several trainees collapsed.

After twenty kilometers, more gave up.

By the halfway point, only sixty people remained.

Aurora's legs trembled with every step.

Her lungs burned as if they were on fire.

She wanted to stop.

She wanted to quit.

Then...

A memory flashed before her eyes.

Richard Morgan's furious face.

"Leave! You're no longer my daughter!"

Another memory followed.

Damien's cold voice.

"This engagement ends today."

Then Chloe's fake tears.

"Please don't blame Aurora..."

Aurora clenched her fists.

"No..."

"I won't lose."

She forced herself to keep moving.

One painful step after another.

Hours later...

She finally crossed the finish line.

The moment she did, her knees gave out.

She collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.

Only twenty-three trainees had finished.

Ethan walked slowly in front of them.

"Congratulations."

"You've survived Day One."

One of the trainees laughed weakly.

"Day One?"

"You mean... this was only the beginning?"

Ethan nodded.

"This was merely your warm-up."

Everyone's expressions froze.

He continued,

"Tomorrow will be harder."

"And the day after that..."

"Harder still."

"Those who cannot endure may leave at any time."

No one spoke.

Ethan looked at Aurora.

"You finished nineteenth."

Aurora forced herself to stand.

"I'll do better tomorrow."

For the first time, Ethan's eyes showed a trace of approval.

"Good."

"Remember this."

"Talent may open a door."

"But determination decides who reaches the top."

As the trainees were dismissed, Sebastian approached Aurora with a small wooden box.

"Your grandfather left this for you."

Aurora's hands trembled as she opened it.

Inside lay an old silver pendant shaped like a phoenix.

Beneath it was a folded note in her grandfather's familiar handwriting.

'My dear Aurora, if you are reading this, then fate has already tested you. Never let hatred consume your heart. Let it sharpen your mind instead. Become so strong that no one can ever decide your worth again.'

Tears rolled silently down Aurora's cheeks.

She closed the box and held it tightly against her chest.

Looking toward the setting sun, she whispered,

"Grandpa..."

"I won't disappoint you."

From that day forward, Aurora trained harder than anyone else.

She didn't know it yet...

But the name Phoenix would one day become a legend feared across the world.

writing{variant\="document" id\="28467"}

# Chapter 4: Hell's First Lesson

At exactly five o'clock the next morning...

A deafening siren echoed across the Shadow Alliance headquarters.

Aurora jolted awake.

Before she could gather her thoughts, the door to her room burst open.

"Thirty seconds!"

Ethan Cross's cold voice rang through the hallway.

"Anyone who arrives late will be eliminated."

Aurora hurried into her training clothes and sprinted outside.

By the time she reached the training field, nearly two hundred young men and women were already standing in formation.

She quickly took her place.

"Thirty-one seconds."

Ethan glanced at his watch.

"You are one second late."

Aurora lowered her head.

"I'm sorry."

"There are no apologies on the battlefield."

He pointed toward the gate.

"Run."

Aurora blinked.

"Run where?"

Ethan's lips curled into a faint smile.

"A hundred kilometers."

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

"A hundred kilometers?"

"Is he serious?"

"We just arrived!"

Ethan's sharp gaze swept over them.

"The weak complain."

"The strong obey."

"The elite finish."

He raised his hand.

"Move!"

Without another word, everyone took off.

Aurora gritted her teeth and followed.

The mountain path was rough and steep.

The morning air was freezing, and each step became heavier than the last.

After ten kilometers, several trainees collapsed.

After twenty kilometers, more gave up.

By the halfway point, only sixty people remained.

Aurora's legs trembled with every step.

Her lungs burned as if they were on fire.

She wanted to stop.

She wanted to quit.

Then...

A memory flashed before her eyes.

Richard Morgan's furious face.

*"Leave! You're no longer my daughter!"*

Another memory followed.

Damien's cold voice.

*"This engagement ends today."*

Then Chloe's fake tears.

*"Please don't blame Aurora..."*

Aurora clenched her fists.

"No..."

"I won't lose."

She forced herself to keep moving.

One painful step after another.

Hours later...

She finally crossed the finish line.

The moment she did, her knees gave out.

She collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.

Only twenty-three trainees had finished.

Ethan walked slowly in front of them.

"Congratulations."

"You've survived Day One."

One of the trainees laughed weakly.

"Day One?"

"You mean... this was only the beginning?"

Ethan nodded.

"This was merely your warm-up."

Everyone's expressions froze.

He continued,

"Tomorrow will be harder."

"And the day after that..."

"Harder still."

"Those who cannot endure may leave at any time."

No one spoke.

Ethan looked at Aurora.

"You finished nineteenth."

Aurora forced herself to stand.

"I'll do better tomorrow."

For the first time, Ethan's eyes showed a trace of approval.

"Good."

"Remember this."

"Talent may open a door."

"But determination decides who reaches the top."

As the trainees were dismissed, Sebastian approached Aurora with a small wooden box.

"Your grandfather left this for you."

Aurora's hands trembled as she opened it.

Inside lay an old silver pendant shaped like a phoenix.

Beneath it was a folded note in her grandfather's familiar handwriting.

**'My dear Aurora, if you are reading this, then fate has already tested you. Never let hatred consume your heart. Let it sharpen your mind instead. Become so strong that no one can ever decide your worth again.'**

Tears rolled silently down Aurora's cheeks.

She closed the box and held it tightly against her chest.

Looking toward the setting sun, she whispered,

"Grandpa..."

"I won't disappoint you."

From that day forward, Aurora trained harder than anyone else.

She didn't know it yet...

But the name **Phoenix** would one day become a legend feared across the world.

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