Pretending to be a genius starts with the civilization advancement assessment.

Chapter 222 Liyue's Visit, Upgrading Weapons (5.2K)

As soon as the high-level meeting ended, Irelia said to Lin Yi, "Commander, Grandmother has led the family's advance fleet to the outer star system, which is about three standard jump nodes away from Blue Star."

Then, Irelia paused slightly, considered her words for a moment, and continued, "Grandmother believes that the actual journey will take a long time, but various matters on Earth, especially funding and initial procurement, cannot be delayed. Therefore, she hopes that we can have a formal online visit through the Pan-Spirit Alliance virtual network."

“I’m sorry, Captain,” she said to Lin Yi, her tone clearly apologetic. “According to the unwritten social etiquette between interstellar civilizations, especially among advanced civilizations, using a virtual network for the first formal meeting instead of a personal visit does seem a bit informal and might even be interpreted as a lack of respect.”

“My grandmother was deeply troubled by this and specifically asked me to sincerely apologize to you.”

"She earnestly hopes that you can understand her predicament and urgency. The establishment of the Dongfeng Mercenary Group and the basic defense of the early Blue Star civilization are all urgent matters with the star sea full of crises. The sooner we deliver the funds to you, the sooner we can start the procurement and construction process."

"She believes that, compared to empty formalities, concrete progress and support are the greatest respect for allies."

Lin Yi's mind raced, and he instantly grasped the deeper meaning behind the Liyue Clan Chief's actions.

This is by no means a neglect or perfunctory attitude; on the contrary, it is a decision that places efficiency, pragmatism, and actual support for allies above traditional formalities, which also demonstrates the importance that the Hina family attaches to this cooperation.

That's actually normal, Lin Yi thought. At this moment, besides the Blue Star civilization itself, the family that least wants anything to happen to Blue Star is probably the Xina family.

"Ellie, please tell the Liyue Clan Chief that I fully understand and agree with her considerations."

Lin Yi nodded in agreement, “Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. The Liyue Clan Chief is concerned about the big picture and prioritizes efficiency. How can it be considered impolite? Let’s go to the small reception room from last time. It’s quiet there. We can log into the virtual network there.”

Soon, the two arrived at the small reception room from last time and sat facing each other.

Lin Yi immersed his consciousness into the virtual ocean. After a brief sense of temporal and spatial dislocation, his figure appeared in the "Silver Moon Blue" private space that Irelia had meticulously arranged.

The moment he appeared, Xuanji's voice rang in his consciousness: "Headmaster, a new communication mark interaction request has been received. The mark's name is 'Moonlight Glow - Words of Hope,' and the request is noted as Liyue - Sheena."

"Approval of the application, and immediate issuance of a space access invitation," Lin Yi ordered immediately.

Soon, a soft, ripple-like, yet deeper moon-white halo than the emerald glow Irelia had when she descended quietly appeared in the center of the living room.

The light was not dazzling, but rather had a cool and gentle quality, as if a miniature, bright moon had been brought indoors.

Within the halo of light, a graceful and elegant figure rapidly became clear from its illusory outline, eventually appearing fully.

The newcomer was none other than Liyue's Hina.

Her Eldar traditional attire was more elaborate and solemn than Irelia's, with moonshine silver and life emerald as the main colors, and hidden patterns embroidered on the fabric that flowed with a faint light as she moved.

Her long, silvery-white hair flowed like a waterfall under the moon, shimmering with a faint luster. It was simply tied up with an unadorned hairpin, with a few strands falling naturally, adding a touch of otherworldly elegance.

Her face bore a six or seven-tenths resemblance to Irelia, with softer features but a greater sense of dignity honed over the years.

Li Yue's gaze first fell on Lin Yi. She nodded slightly, her movements elegant and natural, her voice gentle and steady, carrying an air of composure that came from someone who had long held a high position and wielded power: "Commander Lin Yi, I apologize for my impoliteness in coming to visit you and meeting you for the first time in such an informal manner. Please forgive me."

Lin Yi remained calm as he faced the patriarch of an ancient family who was far superior to him in both strength and experience.

He bowed slightly in return, neither humble nor arrogant, and then said, "Chief Liyue, you flatter me. Your concern for the overall cooperation is a true reflection of your pragmatism. How can you say I'm being impolite?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yue smiled. It would be best if no misunderstanding could be caused.

Then, her gaze swept across the entire living room layout and environment, especially noticing the uniquely shaped, spiraling multi-tiered display shelf that bore the distinct aesthetic imprint and subtle touches of Irelia. A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes at first, then turned into a deeper smile.

However, Li Yue didn't say anything about it. After a brief exchange of pleasantries and greetings, she got straight to the point.

"Commander Lin Yi, let's skip the formalities. Ellie has already told me in detail everything before and after passing the test, as well as your amazing potential and that of the Blue Star civilization. On behalf of the Xina family, I express my unreserved agreement and full support for your decisive decision to establish the 'Dongfeng Mercenary Group' as a pioneer in civilization development. This is the most direct, effective, and flexible way to deal with complex situations."

Then, she changed her tone, "Now that the direction is clear, there is no need to wait in vain. Therefore, I plan to transfer the first part of the funds, a total of 100 billion Lan Yue Crystals, to your personal account registered on the Pan-Spirit Alliance network. You will have full control over it and use it to purchase all the necessary initial supplies."

One hundred billion Lan Yue Crystals and one hundred million Xing Crystals. They just gave it to you like that?

Even though Lin Yi was mentally strong and had already anticipated this, he was still involuntarily shocked when he heard the other party calmly say this astronomical figure.

Keep in mind that his master, the Eternal God, only gave him 10 million star crystals as initial funding, which was already considered sufficient for his early stages. The Hina family, on the other hand, started with 100 million!
This display of power even stirred a strange feeling within Lin Yi. Who, really, is the eternal god?
Of course, while he was joking in his heart, Lin Yi knew very well that this money was not just a cold number, but a heavy trust, and a resolute demonstration of the Hina family's do-or-die determination.

Lin Yi met Li Yue's deep gaze and solemnly replied, "I will use this money for the most critical purposes, carefully calculating and striving to make the best use of it."

“Alright, I trust the leader’s abilities.” Li Yue nodded in satisfaction. “Without further ado, only the ‘Human Universe Bank’ Zijin Star Alliance branch has the authority to handle such large-scale inter-species and inter-financial currency transfers on the virtual network within the Zijin Star Alliance. Shall we set off now?”

Liyue's style of doing things is decisive and efficient, without any hesitation or delay.

"That's exactly what I wanted, and that's exactly how it should be."

Lin Yi also hopes to transform the plans on paper into tangible results as soon as possible.

Early availability of funds is a prerequisite for all subsequent steps.

With a slight shift in their consciousness, the scene before them shattered and reformed in an instant, like a broken mirror.

The "Silver Moon Blue" space, full of personal style and blue star elements, has been replaced by a bustling yet orderly scene.

They were now in an incredibly magnificent and splendid hall.

The dome is impossibly high, simulating a dazzling galaxy and magnificent nebulae. Countless light bands, representing different information flows, are like living serpents, shuttling at high speed along invisible tracks in the air, weaving a vast and dynamic cosmic financial star map.

The floor beneath your feet is as smooth as a mirror. Its special material seems to absorb most of the ambient noise, so that even though the hall is crowded with people, it does not feel too noisy. Instead, it maintains a highly efficient and low-decibel operation.

The appearance of the three people immediately attracted the attention of the intelligent customer identification system.

"High-priority alert! A user with purple-level access privileges has been detected!"

"Coordinates: Core area of ​​the central hall, access point-019."

In an instant, the bank's high-level access control mechanism, which was rarely activated, was silently triggered.

The previously even and soft background lighting in the lobby seemed to undergo a subtle adjustment in brightness and tone for a fleeting moment. Just seconds later, a middle-aged man dressed in the highest-level bank uniform, exuding a shrewd and capable air, appeared precisely before Lin Yi and his companions. This man wore the most standard and enthusiastic smile, bowing slightly at an angle precisely controlled to express respect without losing his dignity. "Honorable guests, good day! It is a great honor to welcome you all here! Welcome to the Purple Gold Star Alliance Branch of the Human Race Cosmic Bank. I am Molando, the regional vice president of this bank, primarily responsible for ultra-high-net-worth clients and matters requiring special privileges. Knowing of your sudden arrival, we were unable to greet you beforehand outside the star gate; this is both a grave oversight and a great honor on our part. We humbly request your forgiveness."

His gaze, like a high-precision scanner, swept quickly and with great care over Lin Yi, Li Yue, and Irelia, especially lingering on Lin Yi, who was too young to be considered a purple-level expert, for a barely perceptible moment.

A purple-level authority user never seen before, accompanied by two noble ladies of the Spirit Race with blue-level authority. This combination alone represents a top-tier business opportunity.

Lin Yi seemed to have anticipated this kind of scene, and his face did not show much surprise. He simply nodded calmly and said in a gentle tone, "Vice President Molando, there's no need for such formalities. Please show me the way."

"You're too kind. It's our greatest honor to serve you!" Morando's smile grew even warmer. He quickly stepped aside and made a perfectly standard and respectful "please" gesture, then personally led the way.

Instead of heading towards the bustling, ordinary elevators or conveyor belts, they went straight to a column-shaped, energy-powered elevator. The interior of the elevator car was spacious, with an extremely minimalist yet luxurious decor.

The stairwell doors closed silently, and the next moment, we smoothly arrived at the VIP area on the top floor of this virtual financial building.

The luxury inside the VIP room far surpasses any area downstairs. After taking their seats, the chairs automatically adapt to the three people's posture.

Without any unnecessary pleasantries, Li Yue got straight to the point: "Vice President Morando, the two of us need to process an inter-species currency transfer involving 100 billion Lan Yue Crystals."

"One hundred billion Lan Yue Crystals?!" Even as a regional vice president who had handled huge sums of money over the years and had seen countless interstellar tycoons and representatives of various powers, Molando was still slightly surprised when he heard this number with his own ears, especially when it involved the hard currency "Lan Yue Crystals" within the Spirit Race.

This type of business involves complex and highly demanding cross-racial financial settlement agreements, requiring the mobilization of the bank's top-tier clearing channels and security resources. It is a top-tier business that best demonstrates the bank's strength.

He immediately composed himself, suppressing his shock, and quickly replied, "Absolutely no problem! Please rest assured, esteemed guest. As the core node of the Human Race's Cosmic Bank in the Purple Gold Star Alliance, our bank possesses a well-established cross-race currency settlement system recognized within the Pan-Spirit Alliance. We also have a deep cooperative relationship and exclusive encrypted channel with the Spirit Race's Supreme Financial Council and its subordinate 'Eternal Tree' settlement center."

"Please authorize your respective intelligent life or unique soul vibration imprint to the highest level of security verification port provided by the bank. We will immediately activate the 'Star Covenant' level protocol, which symbolizes security and authority and is jointly witnessed and protected by the will of multiple eternal deities."

Li Yue and Lin Yi followed the instructions.

In Liyue, the illusory light and shadow of the intelligent life form "Orlan" instantly completed data exchange, permission verification, and unique soul fluctuation calibration with the banking system, a process so smooth it was like art.

Meanwhile, on Lin Yi's side, Xuanji efficiently and precisely coordinated with the complex encrypted data stream and soul resonance request from the bank, ensuring that Lin Yi's soul imprint and account permissions were perfectly matched.

The next moment, the lighting in the VIP room dimmed slightly, as if reserving the space for something more important.

Complex pale gold and moon silver runes began to slowly emerge in the void between the two sides, intricately intertwined.

A solemn and sacred atmosphere enveloped the entire room, as countless encrypted data were being exchanged and verified at an unprecedented speed.

The entire process lasted for about fifteen minutes. Finally, all the continuously flowing runes suddenly converged and condensed inward, transforming into a soft, pure golden mark that flashed and disappeared in the void between Lin Yi and Li Yue, as if it had never appeared.

This means that the transfer agreement involving the two major races has been fully finalized.

"Distinguished guests, the transfer has been confirmed."

The vice president of Morando said with a hint of excitement, "According to the best real-time exchange rate, 100 billion Lan Yue Crystals have been successfully transferred to your account at our bank and automatically converted into 112 million Star Crystals."

As he spoke, Molando looked at Lin Yi and said, "Dear esteemed guest, from this moment on, you have officially become a four-star customer of our bank, enjoying all the corresponding level of financial services, credit lines, investment authority, and priority access to all channels."

He respectfully presented a card with four tiny, slowly rotating stars embedded in it.

"This is your four-star customer identity certificate. Within the Pan-Spirit Alliance virtual network, any human merchant guild, auction house, intelligence agency, or even some official departments will treat you as a VIP upon seeing this certificate, and provide you with high-level treatment and services!"

Despite having been prepared, Lin Yi's heart still involuntarily quickened when he finally confirmed that this enormous fortune, which had even made him despair in his previous life, was quietly lying in his name.

He calmly accepted the star card imprint, sensing the authority fluctuations contained within it, and nodded slightly to Molando: "Excellent efficiency, thank you."

"It is our greatest honor to serve you." Morando bowed slightly.

Once the funds were in place, Lin Yi didn't delay any longer. He exchanged a glance with Li Yue and Irelia, and the three of them got up to say goodbye.

Morando personally escorted them to their private energy elevator. Once the three figures disappeared, he immediately turned around and began preparing a high-level customer maintenance plan.

Leaving the breathtaking financial halls of the Cosmic Bank, the three did not linger and headed straight for their next crucial destination—the "Human Interstellar Merchant Guild Purple Gold Star Alliance Headquarters" in the virtual network.

Unlike the solemnity of a bank, the Chamber of Commerce is more like a super commercial center that is extremely prosperous and bustling.

Countless virtual shops, floating booths, and holographic projection billboards of various styles were on display, dazzling the eye and showcasing a multitude of goods from the human realm and even the territories of other powerful races within the Pan-Spirit Alliance.

From everyday necessities and exotic alien pets to massive industrial mother machines, menacing war fortresses, and even legendary artifacts, it encompasses almost everything.

With their newly acquired four-star credentials and Lin Yi's purple privileges, they were immediately surrounded by a team of intelligent guides who were already waiting as soon as they entered the Chamber of Commerce's identification range. They were then directly led to the "Global Procurement Center," which was not open to the public and was exclusively for top-tier clients and bulk purchases.

An elderly human man with meticulously combed hair, dressed in a merchant guild uniform, introduced himself as Old Chen's senior purchasing consultant, and greeted them with an impeccable smile.

"Welcome, distinguished guests, to the Chamber of Commerce!" Old Chen's voice was loud and enthusiastic. "It is an honor for our Chamber to have you here. May I ask what kind of supplies you plan to purchase? No matter how large or how varied the items, I will do my best to provide you with the most professional and suitable options."

Lin Yi and Irelia exchanged a glance, and Lin Yi spoke, succinctly listing the goals they had discussed the day before.

"We need to equip an elite mercenary group of 5,000 with all the basic equipment from individual soldiers to fleets. At the same time, I need to purchase a planetary defense system that can effectively defend against conventional attacks from a Star Swirl-level Perfected expert and provide early warning and delay against early-stage Star Domain-level threats."

"An elite mercenary group of five thousand people, and a planetary defense system!"

Consultant Chen's eyes lit up instantly, and his smile became even brighter. "I understand, I completely understand! A startup team of this size, equipped with planetary-level defenses, is aiming to build a solid interstellar base! Excellent! Very good! Please come with me. This isn't the place to discuss business. I'll take you to the 'Holographic Reality Experience Zone,' where you can most directly experience the equipment solutions we've carefully selected for you, the most suitable start-up for an elite team!"

Consultant Chen enthusiastically led the way from the side, and the four of them stepped into a more concealed teleportation node.

The surrounding scenery rippled and reassembled once again.

The next moment, they found themselves in a boundless void of space, with slowly rotating, colorful nebulae and dust belts beneath their feet, and in the distance, burning stars and ethereal star clusters. A chilling sense of vacuum and the vastness of the universe washed over them.

This is a "holographic reality experience zone" built by the Chamber of Commerce using top-level virtual permissions, which can perfectly simulate the performance of products in the complex environment of the real universe.

(End of this chapter)