Daily Rewards! Transmigrating into a novel as a side-character!

I led my team toward the western section, acutely aware of the growing scepticism among my classmates. Their doubt was clear, whispered conversations and sideways glances that they thought I couldn't notice.

The uncertainty was eating at them: had I lied about obtaining information from the Commander, or had I told the truth?

If I had lied, they would undoubtedly hate me when the examination ended. I could already imagine the boycott that would follow, the complete loss of trust and respect that would make future cooperation impossible. But if I had told the truth... then they had underestimated me completely, and everything they thought they knew about how the academy operated would need to be reconsidered.

I could understand their confusion. From their perspective, the idea that a student could simply get hidden information from academy officials seemed absurd. The whole concept challenged their understanding of how these examinations were supposed to work.

The first few hours of our trek through the forest proceeded relatively smoothly. We encountered several Noble-rank beasts along the way, nothing too challenging for our group's combined strength. A pack of wolves tried to ambush us near a rocky outcropping, but our Scouts had detected them early enough to give us proper warning.

We also faced one weak Elite-rank beast, a bear that had been feeding near a magical spring. The creature's hide sparkled with embedded gems that made it resistant to physical attacks, but our coordinated assault brought it down efficiently. Emmet had taken point on that fight, his enthusiasm for direct combat proving useful as he drew the beast's attention while our other Hunters flanked it.

Each encounter served as valuable practice for our team coordination. I made mental notes about how everyone performed under pressure, filing away information about their strengths and limitations that might prove crucial later.

As we pushed deeper into the western territories, the landscape began to change. The dense forest gradually gave way to more varied terrain, with rocky hills and clearer streams cutting through the wilderness. The change in environment was encouraging, it was a sign I was looking for because no shrines would have been in our old location.

Eventually, we came upon a significant river cutting through the landscape. The water ran clear and swift, creating small rapids where it flowed over rocks. The banks were lined with rich vegetation that suggested this was a natural gathering point for wildlife.

I smiled as I surveyed the area. This river was a prime location for establishing our base camp. If any white donkeys existed in this region, they would definitely need to come here to drink. The value was obvious - we could monitor a large area from this single position while having access to fresh water for our own needs even if we had water mages.

The water that people like Elena conjured using man wasn't exactly drinkable. At most it could be used for washing the body, but drinking it was a big no.

"We'll set up camp here," I announced, gesturing to a slightly elevated area about fifty meters back from the riverbank. "This gives us a clear view of the water while providing some concealment from anything approaching."

My team looked around the area with growing appreciation for the advantages of the location. Even the sceptics seemed to acknowledge that this was an excellent choice for our base of operations.

Marcus Ironhold immediately took charge of the Survivalists team, his natural leadership abilities emerging as he began coordinating the construction of our temporary shelters. "We'll need protection from the elements and concealment from both beasts and rival teams."

I watched with interest as Marcus activated his earth bloodline abilities. His hands began to glow with a deep brown energy that seemed to resonate with the ground itself. The Ironhold family bloodline was genuinely impressive to witness in action, he could manipulate earth and stone with ease.

Marcus pressed his palms against the ground and began shaping the terrain to his will. Stone and compacted earth rose from the forest floor in response to his power, forming sturdy walls that would provide both shelter and defensive positions. The structures weren't elaborate, essentially just walls with basic roofing, but they would keep us dry and hidden while we monitored the river.

"These should hold against anything short of a direct assault from multiple Elite-rank beasts," Marcus said with satisfaction as he completed the third small shelter. "The walls are reinforced with my bloodline energy, so they'll maintain their integrity even if I need to rest."

Elen and the other Survivalists began organizing our supplies within the shelters, setting up areas for food preparation, medical treatment, and equipment maintenance. Her alchemical knowledge proved valuable as she identified several useful plants growing near the riverbank that could be used for basic remedies.

"There are healing herbs here that I can process into emergency potions," she reported, already beginning to gather samples. "Nothing as potent as what we could make in a proper laboratory, but sufficient for treating minor injuries or neutralizing weak toxins."

Our Scouts spread out to establish a perimeter watch system, identifying the best observation points and setting up basic warning signals. They reported several game trails leading to and from the river, confirming my assessment that this area saw regular wildlife traffic.

The Hunters, led by Emmet, began exploring the immediate surroundings to familiarize themselves with the terrain and identify potential ambush points. Their job would be to eliminate any white donkeys that appeared while also protecting our camp from both beast attacks and rival team interference.

As the afternoon progressed and our camp took shape, I noticed the scepticism among my teammates beginning to fade.

The real test would come when we discovered whether this region actually contained the high-value targets we were seeking. But for now, we had established ourselves in what appeared to be an ideal location, with proper shelter, fresh water, and excellent surveillance capabilities.

The examination was far from over, but we had positioned ourselves for success.