Dawn breaks.
The grayish-white daylight gradually pierces through the thick mist enveloping the entire West Mountain.
Black Wind Gully, located in the heart of West Mountain, is the finish line of the Special Search Team's endurance test.
Several large, army-green tents are set up along the mountain's slopes, their interiors emitting dim yellow lights.
A communications antenna towers in the center of the camp, while a diesel generator emits a low rumble.
The gravel-strewn ground is littered with early-arriving candidates lying in disarray.
Although the cross-country course is merely five kilometers long, the hidden obstacles and dangers are by no means few.
The majority's camouflage uniforms have turned into rags, covered in mud, looking utterly bedraggled.
Some wince, clutching their cramping thighs, their bodies adorned with injuries.
Some are simply sprawled out, star-shaped, with only their chests heaving intensely.
