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

Chapter 234 Source Law Lord, Team Invitation (6.4K)

Time flows like water, quietly passing by on the scale of the starry sea.

A year has passed since the meeting with General Ruger, in which the participation in the tiered battlefield was finalized.

The Dongfeng Mercenary Group did not stray far from the "Ash Starfield." Instead, it used it as a base, acting like patient hunters, and operated in the relatively safe surrounding starfields, taking on some second- and third-level mercenary missions—such as clearing out small groups of Kunmo people and escorting supply fleets.

These missions are risk-controlled, allowing the mercenary group to operate, earn necessary star crystals, and continuously improve team cohesion.

On this day, in the advanced training room of the North Wind, where the energy concentration far exceeded that of the outside world, Lin Yi had just finished a round of high-intensity virtual combat.

On the screen in front of us, data scrolled rapidly:
[Simulated Opponent: Kunmo Clan Standard Elite Combat Squad]

[Operation Result: Complete annihilation.]

[Kill efficiency assessment: Improved by 0.71%.]

Energy consumption assessment: reduced by 0.3%.

[Proficiency in applying the power of rules: Increased by 0.13%.]

Lin Yi stared at the data, his eyes calm.

"The rate of improvement is still a bit slow," he thought to himself.

These details, in a real battlefield, are the boundary between life and death.

According to information revealed by General Ruger, the tiered battlefield is expected to officially open in less than three years.

These three years are a valuable window for Dongfeng and himself to improve, and there is no room for complacency.

Just then, Xuanji's voice rang out.

[Received a targeted information stream from the headquarters of the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance, transmitted via a highly encrypted channel in the Pan-Spirit Alliance virtual network.]

[Information Title: Notice and Admission Information for the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance's 'Star Core-Level Elite Training Camp']

[Special Training Camp Mode: Pan-Spirit Alliance Hyperdimensional Virtual Network - Deeply Immersive Experience.]

Duration: 50 years (standard time).

[Activation frequency: Once every 200 standard years.]

[Eligibility for Participation: Currently registered Star Core level members assessed within the Alliance by their potential level of 5 or above, or specially recommended by branch managers or higher-level authorities.]

[Note: This is the last virtual training camp within this millennium cycle. The next one will be a 'real-world training camp' starting 200 years later on the 'initial battlefield,' lasting 100 standard years, with even fiercer competition.]

[Your rating: Tier 4. Access permission activated, exclusive access code generated, can connect via any Pan-Spirit Alliance advanced or higher-specification virtual access pod.]

"finally come."

A glint flashed in Lin Yi's eyes.

He had heard of the Star Core-level Special Training Camp of the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance in his previous life, and after deciding to join the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance in this life, he learned more about the training camp in detail.

This special training camp serves as a crucial cradle for cultivating core reserve forces within the alliance system. It opens once every two hundred years in a virtual network, giving selected geniuses a full fifty years for systematic and intensive learning and training.

Because the Animal Alliance virtual network has perfected the simulation of rules and energy feedback.

In the training camp that the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance set up at great expense, apart from not being able to truly improve source energy and physical strength, the training in understanding rules, controlling source energy, and combat skills was almost identical to that in reality, but it was many times safer and more efficient.

As for the remaining 150 years, they were used by the geniuses to digest and absorb what they had learned.

Furthermore, every thousand years, a real-world training camp is held, where resources are rewarded and competition is more intense and direct.

"Level 4." Lin Yi looked at the rating without any surprise.

As a behemoth spanning countless star systems, the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance has recruited countless geniuses. Tier 4 treatment is considered to be in the key training sequence, and they can obtain many high-quality resources that are difficult for outsiders to reach.

Although compared to Xingyi of the Pan-Spirit Alliance Virtual Network Company, who tried to recruit him by applying for three tiers of "Spirit Glory" treatment that were comparable to the top 3, the resources allocated to him were indeed a step behind.

However, what Lin Yi values ​​is not simply the resources, but the Mercenary Alliance platform, its mission system that spans the entire starry sea, and the opportunities it contains, which are more in line with his goal of leading the overall rise of civilization.

As it turned out, his choice was correct. Without the platform of the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance, he would not have been able to bring the entire mercenary group into the merit-based system of the tiered battlefield.

"Xuanji, inform Ellie that I am about to enter a virtual training camp for 50 years. During this period, she will be in full charge of all affairs of the mercenary group and will act according to the established plan, focusing on team cohesion, experience accumulation and resource gathering. Once the tiered battlefield opens, she can contact me directly through emergency communication if she receives an important mission."

"The instruction has been confirmed and relayed to Vice Commander Irelia. The Vice Commander replied: 'Understood, best of luck.'"

After giving his instructions, Lin Yi returned to the expensive high-end virtual access pod in the training room and then gave the following orders:

"Connection target: Cosmic Mercenary Alliance, Star Core-level Elite Training Camp, Access Code Authentication."

In an instant, it felt as if I had passed through a strange tunnel woven from countless brilliant data streams, distorted starlight, and threads of primordial rules, surrounded by a bizarre and fantastical sense of spacetime shifts.

When everything settled down, Lin Yi found himself in a virtual space that transcended the boundaries of ordinary imagination.

Beneath your feet lies a plaza seemingly paved with a solidified starry sky, its black base containing countless tiny sparkles. Walking on it is like strolling through a cosmic curtain.

As far as the eye can see, towering buildings stand like miracles: there are rune towers that reach into the nebula, buildings that cover a vast area and resemble the ancient Roman Colosseum, and strange cloud-like buildings that are constantly changing shape.
At this moment, thousands of figures have gathered on this magnificent starry sky plaza.

They come in various forms, most of them are spirits, and there are also a few other races.

When Guang Linyi looked around, besides the humans, there were also the "Spirit Scale Clan" whose skin was covered with fine, colorful scales and whose pupils were upright like cat eyes; the "Holy Light Feather Clan" whose backs had semi-transparent light wings; the "Hundred Transformations Clan" whose bodies could change at will, as if they were made of liquid metal; and even the "Sharpening Clan" whose bodies were very small but gave people a strange sense of power.
These are all Star Core level geniuses selected from races or friendly forces within the sphere of influence of the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance, or those with which it has deep cooperative relationships.

Lin Yi deliberately concealed his aura and the fluctuations of the rules, appearing to be just an ordinary black-haired human youth with a calm expression.

He stood silently at the edge of the square, calmly observing everything.

These geniuses from different races, some of whom were clearly of extraordinary birth, were chatting familiarly in small groups.

Some stand alone, exuding an aura that keeps strangers at bay.

There were also some who seemed to be newcomers, curiously observing this magical virtual world and those legendary facilities.

"Hey! Are you new here too? Fourth gear, buddy, you're pretty good."

A voice with a somewhat cynical tone rang out from the side, breaking Lin Yi's observation.

Lin Yi turned his head and saw a young human wearing a flashy, bright purple combat uniform with gold trim, who was grinning at him.

The young man's short hair was dyed in a rainbow gradient, shimmering faintly as he shook his head.

What's even more eye-catching is that a small creature resembling a squirrel but with three purplish-red eyes is perched on his shoulder, curiously sizing up Lin Yi.

"Let me introduce myself."

The young man patted his chest, and several unidentified badges on his combat uniform jingled. "Kenx, from the Aurora Rainbow Starfield, a romantic place that loves art. A newbie in Rank 5, please guide me."

"Lin Yi."

Lin Yi answered succinctly.

Hiding his name was pointless, because as far as he knew, the training camp had a leaderboard, and it was all done under real names.

Then, Lin Yi asked with some curiosity, "You said you're a newcomer, so how did you know I'm a newcomer too?"

"Ah, that's how it is."

Kenx blinked his equally colorful eyes and explained with a smile:
"Because my older brother was also in this training camp before, but he graduated last time. He compiled a list of information about the training camp that he knew and told me about it. You know, there are only a few thousand people in this training camp. If you stay for a long time, you will naturally get to know everyone."

As he spoke, he pointed to the light green halo under Lin Yi's feet and said, "Especially those at level 4 and above, there are only a few hundred people. I noticed the unfamiliar face outside your list at a glance, so you can only be a newcomer."

Lin Yi suddenly understood upon hearing this.

He thought to himself, "Kennex seems unconventional, but he didn't go looking for other new recruits. He came to me first, so he's definitely not as simple as he appears. Besides, my brother has also been in the training camp. Judging from his demeanor, he's probably a core member of some powerful family. And since we're both human, it's worth getting to know him."

Lin Yi knew very well that the special training camp was not only a place for learning and cultivation, but also an important place for building connections and understanding potential future rivals or allies.

People like Kenx can provide a lot of convenience.

Thinking of this, Lin Yi smiled at Kenx and said, "I see. Then I'll have to ask you for advice more often in the future."

"Haha, it's not really asking for advice." Kenx waved his hand, leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said as if sharing a secret, "Let me tell you, our training camp is full of hidden talents. See that iceberg over there?"

He secretly gestured with his eyes to a silver-haired woman standing alone in the distance, exuding an aura that kept strangers at bay.

The woman was tall and slender, with a delicate face that resembled an ice sculpture. She wore a plain white armor with snowflake patterns, and even her eyelashes seemed to be made of ice crystals.

She simply stood there quietly, and the temperature around her seemed to drop a few degrees, causing people nearby to unconsciously keep their distance.

“That’s Lan Shuang.” Kenx said with great familiarity, “She’s said to come from an extremely ancient bloodline family called ‘Frost Silent Star Court,’ and she’s a Tier 3 powerhouse. It’s said that when she broke through to the Star Core stage, a massive blizzard swept across the entire planet she was on!”

He pointed in another direction, where a burly man, over ten meters tall, with muscles bulging like he was carved from granite, and skin with a deep, rocky hue, exuded a heavy, oppressive aura, as if he were standing there.

"The Stone Barbarians come from the Stone Clan and are also at level 3. Their clan is born with strong physiques and amazing defense. It is said that they can tear apart small warships with their bare hands when they are adults."

Kenx, like a dedicated information broker, chattered on and on about the geniuses who were somewhat famous, providing detailed information and even some harmless rumors.

Lin Yi listened quietly, memorizing all the information.

Just then, the entire virtual starry sky plaza trembled slightly without warning.

A vast and incomparable pressure, seemingly originating from the very source of the universe, descended from nowhere.

Instantly, all conversations in the square ceased, and everyone felt a jolt in their souls, involuntarily holding their breath.

A blurry figure of light appeared silently in the highest point of the square.

Faces and clothing were obscured, but one could sense a powerful will as profound as the starry sky. "Welcome, the future blade and shield of the Alliance."

A voice filled with supreme authority resounded directly in Lin Yi's mind, "I am the host of the virtual training camp, you can call me 'Yanhuang'."

At that moment, Lin Yi felt Kenx next to him suddenly poke him, and at the same time, a low reminder sounded in his ear.

"What are you doing! Look down! This is Lord Yuanlu. Even if it's just a wisp of his consciousness, don't stare at him!"

Lin Yi was startled. The Lord of Source Law was a great being who had touched upon the ultimate principle of the universe—the "Source Law".

He quickly looked away and down at his toes.

But the sound continued.

"For the next fifty years, you will learn, fight, hone, and grow here. The rules are simple: do your best, acquire knowledge, refine yourselves, stand out in the competition, and demonstrate your potential that deserves to be given resources."

"The Elite Training Camp is now officially open!"

The moment the words fell, the immense pressure that had enveloped the entire area receded like a tide.

At the same time, a highly personalized, semi-transparent virtual light screen instantly popped up in front of each person.

The light screen interface is simple yet rich in information. At the top is the user's basic information, and below are columns displaying detailed course schedules, access to and reservation of training facilities, initial resource points, and real-time points rankings.

"Lord Yuanlu, an existence above even the eternal gods."

Lin Yi remained silent for a moment before turning his attention to the screen in front of him.

His first point of attention was his initial integral.

10000 points.

This is the starting capital for the 4th generation of geniuses.

His gaze swept over Kenx beside him; this 5th-tier genius had an initial score of only 1000 points.

The tenfold difference directly reflects the degree of resource allocation received based on different potential assessments.

The importance of points is self-evident.

Pay for courses, reserve advanced training facilities, redeem specific virtual enlightenment opportunities or auxiliary training programs.

More importantly, deep within the points redemption list, Lin Yi saw an option that appealed to him: real-world resource redemption!
Although the prices are high and the items need to be delivered by the alliance after each training camp, rare items such as "Pure Water (1000 points)" and "Cambrian Stone (800 points)" are prominently featured on the list.

His gaze then fell upon the most eye-catching real-time points ranking list.

At the very top of the list, according to Kenx, are three Tier 2 talents.

1st Place: Long Ge Xing Tong, Points: 39520101
2nd Place: Youlan·Yingge, Points: 30281020
3rd Place: Xuan Zhong, Points: 15212500
Their scores all exceeded ten million.

Following them were over forty third-tier geniuses, including Shuanglan and Shiman, whose scores ranged from two million to five million.

Further down, there are mainly four levels of genius areas, with hundreds of names densely packed together.

Lin Yi quickly scanned the screen and soon saw his name.

Lin Yi was ranked very low on the list, at number 3973, only slightly better than the hundred or so newly entered fifth-tier geniuses who had an initial score of 5.

Points are precious, so Lin Yi didn't rush to improve his ranking or blindly book popular courses.

He first carefully studied the course schedule, and then selected "An Initial Explanation of the Essence of Rules" (taught by the Eternal God 'Qiong', requiring 800 points) and "Advanced Application Techniques of Soul Weapons" (500 points).

The former helps him solidify his fundamental understanding of the two major rules of gold and life, while the latter is directly related to the subsequent development and power enhancement of his core weapon, the Nine Luminaries Thunder Pearl.

Next, he chose "Biology and Weakness Analysis of the Myriad Races in the Star Sea" (requires 500 points), which is crucial practical knowledge for him as he is about to face the Kunmo race and its potential allies.

Finally, he booked the intermediate pressure environment (50 points per hour) in the Source Energy Control Room, intending to first optimize the operating efficiency of the "Star Evolution Tempering Technique".

The initial planning alone consumed nearly 2550 points, exceeding a quarter of his initial points.

This made him deeply realize the value of points and how quickly they were consumed.

Having done all that, the average Kenx seemed to have finished his plan and came over.

He exclaimed, "My brother said that before each session begins, a wisp of the great Lord of Source Law will appear briefly, mainly to remind us newcomers. Lord of Source Law, I never thought I would actually see such a great being. It's quite an eye-opener."

But then, looking at the white halo beneath his feet, he lamented, "However, 1000 points... what can that do? It's gone after just one lecture by a god, and I need to save up 100,000 to turn it green. How long will that take?"

Kenx then glanced enviously at the green halo beneath Lin Yi's feet, "You guys in Gear 4 are really good, you have a much higher starting point."

In the training camp, perhaps to encourage competition, the virtual halos under the feet of geniuses of different levels are different colors, clearly distinguishable and very conspicuous.

The more points you earn in the current stage, the darker the color will be.

Lin Yi himself was surrounded by a pale green halo.

There are two main ways to change the color of the halo and upgrade your gear level.

One is to achieve results exceeding one's own level in the next Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Battle. For example, if a genius of level 4 gets into the top 100, they will be directly promoted to level 3.

Secondly, this can be achieved by accumulating a massive amount of points within this special training camp.

To advance from 5th tier (white) to 4th tier (green), you need to accumulate 100,000 points. To advance from 4th tier (green) to 3rd tier (blue), you need to accumulate 1 million points.

Upgrading from blue to purple tier 2 requires a staggering ten million points.

The huge gap between the initial points and the points required for promotion means that everyone must work hard to learn, challenge themselves, and complete tasks in order to earn enough points to improve themselves and acquire more resources.

Just then, a voice came from the side:

"Is this friend Lin Yi?"

Lin Yi turned his head and saw a young human walking towards him, his feet shrouded in a green halo and dressed in an exquisite silver combat uniform. Behind him were two companions with the same green halo.

"I am Xingyu, the vice-captain of the Starshine Squad," the silver-clad youth introduced himself with a smile.

His gaze swept over the circle of light at Lin Yi's feet. "You don't look familiar, is this your first time participating in the special training camp? Our Star Glory team is mainly composed of Tier 4 members and some top Tier 5 members. Our captain is even a strongman who is trying to break into Tier 3."

"The training camp offers many high-reward group missions and simulation battles. Going it alone is not only inefficient, but also makes it difficult to get high ratings. I wonder if you would be interested in joining us?"

Almost simultaneously, two more people walked over from the other side, their feet surrounded by an extremely dense white aura, clearly indicating they were among the best in the 5th tier.

The leader was a short-haired woman with a slender figure and sharp eyes.

"Lin Yi?" Her voice was crisp. "I'm Qingfeng, the captain of the White Fang team. Although our team members are currently all White Badges, they are all practical and skilled at teamwork. Instead of working as assistants in a Green Badge team, why not come here? Our team will be able to advance to Green Badges very quickly, and the rewards will be absolutely fair."

The two groups of people represent different choices and paths.

Xingyu represents "Xinghui," a mature and established Tier 4 team with abundant resources and a high starting point, but internally there may be a clear hierarchy.

Qin Feng, representing "White Fang," is a promising player who prioritizes practical skills and fairness, but has a lower starting point.

Lin Yi instantly understood the situation.

The training camp offers generous rewards for group missions, and strong teammates are key to quickly gaining points.

Therefore, a newcomer like him, a high-profile figure, naturally becomes a target for various parties to court.

Lin Yi glanced at Xingyu, then at Qingfeng, and smiled, "Thank you both for your kind offer, but I have no intention of joining the team for the time being."

Both of them seemed somewhat surprised.

"Is such that."

Since they had extended such a warm invitation, Lin Yi naturally wouldn't refuse outright without a reason. Besides, these were all promising individuals from the human race, all working within the Mercenary Alliance, and he knew he'd run into them frequently. There was no need to offend them unnecessarily. Therefore, he added his explanation:
"As you may have heard, there have been some recent clashes between our human race and the Kunmo race. I've been wandering around the border lately and have already promised the Star Army I'd join the battle, so I might be leaving the virtual network at any time to go on a mission."

Lin Yi gave an apologetic smile. "Therefore, in order not to affect the team's operations, I have to reluctantly decline your offers. I guess I'll either be a lone wolf or form a small team where I can formulate action plans. I'll just muddle along like this for now."

"So that's it."

Xingyu nodded slightly and said with a smile, "Well done in killing enemies on the border. Whenever it's convenient for you, the doors of Xinghui are always open for you."

After saying this, he nodded to Lin Yi before leaving with his companions.

Qin Feng raised an eyebrow and gave Lin Yi a deep look: "You have guts. I hope to see you at the top of the leaderboard."

After saying that, he turned and left decisively.

Kenx watched in stunned silence. After everyone left, he leaned over and whispered, "Wow, the border battlefield! I didn't realize you were such a formidable player. It's a pity, both Starfall and White Fang are pretty good teams, especially Starfall. I heard their captain is almost a million points."

Lin Yi shook his head. His explanation just now wasn't exactly an excuse. Joining an existing team would certainly allow him to gain points faster, but it might also restrict him to team tasks and cause him to lose some autonomy. After all, his focus still had to be on the tiered battlefield.

Furthermore, Lin Yi was very clear about where his greatest advantage lay.

Level 4 is just his starting point. He can build his own team and choose teammates he thinks are suitable.

For example, you could consider looking into this seemingly talkative but well-informed and seemingly well-connected person, Hax, or see if you can find other suitable candidates.

This way, having him take the lead in planning not only ensures that the tiered battlefields are covered, but also that the training camps are not neglected.

After all, in the points system, in addition to individual rankings, there are also team rankings.

Creating your own team that can compete for top rankings offers resources and points rewards that far surpass those of simply joining a team.

(End of this chapter)