Meanwhile, outside the simulation.
Under the dim blue lighting of the control room, the air stayed still except for the low hum of cooling fans and the soft rhythm of fingers tapping across a keyboard.
Dozens of curved screens wrapped around the room's far wall, each displaying a different section of the active simulation.
Forests, deserts, ruins, shorelines—all brimming with students navigating their trials. Beasts lurked. Terrain shifted. Everything was alive with movement.
At the center of it all sat Mr. Halden.
His gaze flicked across the monitors, taking in every movement, every grouping, every moment where a student hesitated, reacted too late, or made the right call.
His fingers didn't stop moving either—typing out notes, timestamping footage, tagging team responses for review.
Group 3: Engaged too early with zero recon.
Group 5: No communication on regroup. Likely breakdown.
Group 9: Strong solo reaction, weak follow-through.
Click. Tap. Type.
