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

Chapter 235 Building an Independent Team and Recruiting Members (5.4K)

On the virtual Starry Sky Plaza, geniuses from all corners of the universe surged forth like rivers flowing into the ocean, each searching for their own path.

After declining the invitations from both teams, Lin Yi did not rush into the courses or tasks, but instead turned his attention to Kenx beside him.

He needs to build his own team, a core group that can fully execute his will and operate efficiently while he is also focused on the frontier battlefield.

Kenx, this well-informed guy who seems to have a powerful older brother as a mentor, is undoubtedly an excellent candidate for a startup that comes knocking on your door.

However, recruitment cannot be based on empty promises; it requires demonstrating compelling strength and prospects.

Kenx was scratching his head as he looked at his course list, muttering that he didn't have enough points. His rainbow-colored short hair seemed to have dimmed a bit because of his worries.

Lin Yi leaned closer and asked with a smile, "Kennex, still worried about points?"

"you do not say."

Kenx looked up, his face contorted in a grimace. “The few good courses I’ve got my eye on are almost a thousand points in total. My initial capital is gone in an instant. How am I supposed to keep going? You guys in Tier 4 are so much better, you have a solid financial foundation.”

He once again looked enviously at the green halo beneath Lin Yi's feet.

Lin Yi didn't respond to that, but instead changed the subject, "You heard what I said before. I want to build my own team so that we can formulate team mission plans based on the situation on the border battlefield. What do you think of this idea?"

Kenx nodded in agreement. "Not being able to join a team will mean a lot less points. Being a lone wolf isn't a long-term solution. With your Tier 4 talent, if you focus on recruiting newcomers, there's a good chance you can build a team. Wait, you're not trying to recruit me, are you?"

Lin Yi chuckled, then said seriously, "Of course, we're so destined to meet. But honestly, if I said I was confident I could merge the two rule domains before the end of this training camp, what do you think of the prospects for gaining points with a captain like that?"

"The merging of two fields?!"

Kenx's smile froze instantly, and his voice unconsciously rose a little, drawing the attention of several people nearby.

He quickly lowered his voice and leaned closer to Lin Yi, as if afraid that others would overhear his earth-shattering secret, "You...you're not kidding, are you? This is only the beginning, and you dare to say that you will complete the fusion of the two domains within fifty years?"

"Do I look like someone who likes to joke around?" Lin Yi's expression remained unchanged, but he was secretly calculating in his mind.

He has accumulated over forty years of spiritual energy without using it. Based on the difficulty of his comprehension of the rules of life and the efficiency of his spiritual energy in comprehending the rules, he is confident that in at most another thirty years, he will be able to advance the rules of life to a level where he can initially merge with the rules of metal.

Fifty years? More than enough.

Upon hearing Lin Yi's affirmative reply, Kenx's mind raced.

After all, this kind of thing is easy to expose. Lin Yi is already a level 4 genius, so it's not worth doing something that would ruin his reputation just to recruit him.

In other words, Lin Yi was indeed extremely confident.

There are still more than a thousand years until the next Pan-Spirit Alliance Genius Battle. If Lin Yi can really complete the second level of the domain in this session, then no matter how bad he is, he will most likely reach the third level of the domain when the Genius Battle begins.

That's a guaranteed top 300, or even a terrifying level that could get you into the top 100!
More importantly, the core age limit for major forces to recruit geniuses is usually under two thousand years old. Lin Yi is a newcomer like him, and his age definitely meets the requirements. This eliminates the possibility that the other party has accumulated his understanding of the rules over a long period of time.

A genius who has shown such terrifying potential at the Star Core level, and whose age is also a huge advantage, has an immeasurable future! Such a person has a much brighter future than someone who joins a seemingly powerful but internally rigid and established team!
A sense of immense opportunity and risk intertwined in Kenx's mind.

His expression shifted constantly, sometimes excited, sometimes hesitant. A few minutes later, he gritted his teeth and said to Lin Yi, "Brother Lin, your pie-in-the-sky promise, your vision, is just too tempting. I admit I'm tempted, but this concerns my development for the next fifty years, or even longer. Please wait a moment, I'll give you my final answer right away."

After saying that, without waiting for Lin Yi's response, Kenx's figure blurred and disappeared from the virtual starry sky square in an instant—he went offline.

In the real world, in the Aurora Rainbow Starfield, inside an extremely luxurious manor.

Kenx abruptly sat up in a sleek, top-of-the-line virtual reality pod inlaid with various gems and immediately made an encrypted call through his personal terminal.

A few seconds later, the communication was connected, and a silver-haired youth appeared on the screen, whose face was somewhat similar to Kenx's, but whose temperament was much calmer and more aloof.

He is Kenx's older brother, Kelson, a third-tier genius who graduated in the previous class. Because he was nearing the lifespan limit of the Star Core level, he had to break through to the Star Vortex level.

"Kennex? Shouldn't you be at the training camp getting familiar with your surroundings at this time? What's with all this panicking? What kind of behavior is this?"

Kelsen frowned slightly, his tone carrying the authority typical of an elder brother.

“Brother, I have something to tell you.” Kenx grinned, completely unaffected by his brother’s imposing manner. “I just met someone at the training camp named Lin Yi, a human, a Tier 4 rookie. He just told me personally that he is confident he can complete the fusion of the two domains before the end of this training camp.”

Kelsen, on the other side of the screen, narrowed his eyes slightly upon hearing this, but quickly regained his composure: "Oh? Quite the boast. Have you verified it? Talk is cheap."

“I don’t think he’s bragging. He’s very calm, and bro, think about it, if he can really do that, his chances of reaching the Triple Realm in the next Genius Battle are extremely high, right? He’s a potential top 300, or even a contender for the top 100!” Kenx quickly analyzed. “He wants to build his own team now and has invited me to join.”

Kelsen was silent for a moment, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, clearly weighing his options quickly.

After a while, he spoke up: "Even if he really has a chance to become a third-tier member, why don't you just join the Star Glory Team? Their vice-captain has some connections with me. If I put in a word, they'll be willing to accept you."

“A mature, tier-three team has readily available resources, channels, and experience, which is much more secure than starting from scratch in a startup with an uncertain future.”

"Brother, I know you're doing this for my own good."

Kenx's playful expression vanished, replaced by a serious one. "But I only got into the Star Glory Team because of your connections, so I'm still at a disadvantage. From now on, mission points will definitely be allocated based on contribution and seniority. As a newcomer, and someone with connections at that, how many core resources can I possibly get?"

"Besides, you'll owe someone a favor because of this. And favors are the hardest to repay."

Kenxton paused, then said seriously, "But joining Lin Yi's startup team would be different. I'm a veteran, a founding member. If the team succeeds, my status and influence will be incomparable to what I would have in a mature team. This is venture capital, but the potential returns are much higher! Brother, based on your experience, if he's not lying, is this investment worthwhile?"

Looking at his younger brother's keen insight and decisiveness, inherited from the family's business acumen, Kelsen had already come to agree with his judgment.

He sighed helplessly, a hint of emotion on his face: "You little rascal, you already had a decision in your heart, so why did you come to ask me? Don't you just want me to vouch for you and squeeze something out of me? Tell me, what do you want?"

“Hehe, bro, you really understand me,” Kenx immediately put on a fawning smile. “Since I’m joining a new team, I can’t go empty-handed, can I? That would be too embarrassing.”

"You must have some good stuff like inside information about the team missions for this special training camp, or the optimal route planning for scoring points, right? I thought the old teams must have all of that before, so I didn't ask for it. How about sharing a copy now? Consider it support for your brother's great entrepreneurial endeavor."

Kelson laughed in anger, pointing at Kenx on the screen: "Get lost, I knew you were up to no good. I spent a lot of money to compile those documents."

"Brother! You're the best!" Kenx started acting like a scoundrel.

"Alright, alright, stop disgusting me."

Kelson waved his hand dismissively. "I can give you a copy of the information, but you have to keep it yourself. Don't hand over everything, and the core secrets cannot be leaked. But it's enough for you to establish an advantage in the early stages. Remember, investing is fine, but don't forget to protect yourself. You can never be too careful."

"Got it, thanks bro!" Kenx cheered.

"Get lost, get lost, don't interrupt my cultivation." Kelson laughed and cursed, then hung up the call.

In less than a minute, an encrypted data packet labeled "Star Core Training Camp - Team Strategy" was transmitted to Kenx's personal terminal.

Kenx snapped his fingers with satisfaction, lay back down in the virtual pod, and reconnected his consciousness.

Virtual Starry Sky Plaza.

Lin Yi didn't have to wait long before Kenx's figure reformed.

"Brother Lin."

Kenx strode up to Lin Yi, his tone very formal, "I, Kenx Shuoji, from the Aurora Rainbow Star Region, formally accept your invitation. From now on, I'll be working for you!"

Lin Yi understood immediately; this guy must have logged off to do something to verify something. But that was only natural, and Lin Yi didn't take offense. He smiled and said, "Welcome to the team, Kenx. Our team won't let you down."

"I trust my judgment, and I believe even more in your potential, Brother Lin!"

Kenx lowered his voice, a hint of smugness in it, "To show my sincerity, I brought a gift with me."

He pointed to his head, implying that he had brought valuable intelligence.

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow, his opinion of Kenx rising even higher.

This is a smart person who knows how to assess the situation and proactively increases their own and their team's leverage.

"Very good, intelligence is the cornerstone of team development."

Lin Yi nodded approvingly. "So, as the first member of the team, what are your initial thoughts on team building?"

"Ideas? Of course I have them!"

Kenx immediately perked up, rubbing his hands together as if he were eager to get started. "Captain, your reputation for merging the two domains is the biggest attraction right now. But we can't recruit people aimlessly. We have to take an elite route, better to have fewer but better people."

He analyzed: "First, the targets are Tier 4 and the top Tier 5. Tier 4 has abundant resources and strong capabilities, making them the backbone of the team. The top Tier 5 is driven, eager for promotion, and their loyalty is relatively easier to cultivate. Second, we need to assess their practical skills and teamwork awareness. Finally, it's best to include different races and ability types to create a complementary effect."

Kenxton paused, then offered a proactive suggestion: "Captain, you just rejected Star Power and White Fang, and quite a few people must have noticed. Now is the perfect time to strike while the iron is hot and build up our team's image."

"If you trust me, you can let me take the lead in recruiting new members. With my face, the connections my brother has built up, and our team's core strengths, I should be quite effective at negotiating with people."

Lin Yi was quite satisfied with Kenx's eager and enthusiastic manner.

He needed a deputy who was good at socializing and knew how to handle things appropriately to deal with these routine matters.

“Okay.” Lin Yi nodded. “You will be in charge of the initial contact and screening for recruitment.”

"Understood! Promise to complete the task!"

Kenx excitedly agreed, "Then Captain, you go ahead with your work, I'll go find someone right away. Our team's first target, I think that Shi Man is pretty good. Although he's only Tier 3, he seems honest and simple, maybe we can get him."

He muttered to himself as he hurriedly prepared to leave.

Seeing Kenx full of energy, ready to immediately try to take over the third-tier genius, Lin Yi calmly called out to him.

"Kennex, don't rush." ​​Lin Yi's gaze swept over the crowd in the square, some alone and some already in small groups, and he reminded them, "Those old members who don't have a fixed team yet, there may be their reasons. We are just starting out now, and our foundation is still shallow, so we won't consider them for the time being."

He looked at Kenx, clarifying his direction: "I want you to leverage your intelligence advantage and focus on the new recruits who joined us at the same time. Prioritize humans, but of course, new recruits from other races who meet our standards are also welcome."

Kenx finally realized what was going on and nodded. "That's right. Some of the older members might have conflicts with other teams. The captain is very thoughtful. I'll go and find some potential newcomers."

Watching Kenx leave with great enthusiasm, Lin Yi's lips curled up slightly. With Kenx as his "intelligence officer" and "diplomat," he could devote more energy to his own cultivation and rule integration.

About a few standard hours later, Lin Yi received a communication request from Kenx.

He returned to Starry Sky Plaza, where he found Kenx waiting there with five figures.

About a few standard hours later, Lin Yi received a communication request from Kenx. He returned to Starry Sky Plaza and saw Kenx standing with five figures; the atmosphere seemed somewhat awkward.

"Captain! You've finally arrived!" Kenx greeted him as if he had been granted a reprieve, and said quickly in a low voice, "I've brought everyone, and they're all top-notch, but... well, they all have quite unique personalities."

Lin Yi glanced over and instantly understood what Kenx meant.

The first thing that catches the eye is a cold-faced, black-haired young man. He stands alone to the side with his arms crossed and a strangely shaped dark spear on his back, exuding an aura that keeps strangers at bay.

When Lin Yi looked at him, he nodded slightly as a greeting, but did not speak.

Kenx quickly introduced, "This is Mo Yuan, from the Deep Thunder Star Region, rated 5th tier, specializing in..."

"Penetration and armor-piercing."

Mo Yuan spoke up himself, his gaze sharp as a knife as he stared directly at Lin Yi, carrying a scrutinizing tone.

Just then, a female voice interjected: "Logical analysis shows that the team composition data provided by Kenx is 87.3% reasonable. However, the core variable, namely your specific ability parameters as the team leader, has not yet been entered, resulting in a 13.7% blind spot in my evaluation model."

A member of the mechanical race standing next to Mo Yuan was speaking.

Her streamlined silver body shimmered with faint blue energy veins, and her blue-purple optical sensors stared intently at Lin Yi. "I am Xingying. According to Kenx's information, your strength deviates from the 4th tier rating by 37.5%. I'm very curious."

"Data is not as reliable as the ground beneath your feet."

The burly man next to him stepped forward. "My name is Lei Hao, and I come from the Thick Earth Star Enclosure. My path is to protect, to harness the power of the earth, and to forge an unyielding barrier. Captain, as long as the direction is right, I, Lei Hao, will be the team's strongest shield."

"The earth bears all things and is the foundation for the birth of life."

A gentle voice took over, and the Elven man in the moon-white robe bowed slightly, his movements elegant and natural. "I am Evan Whisper, from the Emerald Starfield."

Finally, everyone's attention was focused on the last petite figure.

The Li tribe girl seemed a little embarrassed by the gaze. She unconsciously fidgeted with her fingers, took a small step forward, looked up at Lin Yi, and said in a clear voice:
"Hello Captain, I'm Amber, from Thousand Mountains." She paused, clenched her small fists tightly, and her eyes sparkled. "Let me lead the charge, okay? I can crack even the hardest shell!"

Kenx leaned close to Lin Yi and whispered, "Captain, look at the lineup, it's absolutely amazing, but the communication costs are a bit high. Mo Yuan is alright, he only respects the strong, he can win them over with a fight. Xing Ying is mainly driven by curiosity. Lei Hao and Ai Wendao are alright, they're normal. But Amber, well, she's a bit too eager for battle."

Lin Yi smiled and said to Kenx, "It's alright."

Then, he stepped forward, calmly meeting Mo Yuan's scrutinizing gaze, and said frankly, "We both use the metal element rules, so let's have a chat later."

Then, Lin Yi turned to Xingying: "My specific parameters will be gradually revealed in the upcoming team tasks. You can build a new evaluation model, and the variable name can be set as unexpected growth."

Then, he nodded to Lei Hao: "A solid barrier is the guarantee of the team's survival. I'm glad to have you." He smiled in response to Evan Whisper's keen perception.

Finally, looking at Amber, whose eyes burned with fighting spirit, he said with a hint of encouragement, "Amber, your power is exactly the sharp blade we need. I look forward to the moment you tear through the enemy's defenses."

With just a few simple words, Lin Yi addressed the characteristics of each person.

Kenx watched this scene and thought to himself, "This captain's got something. He reminds me of my brother's style."

As he muttered to himself, he summarized to Lin Yi, "Captain, we've found these five who meet the requirements for now. With you and me, we now have seven people in total, which is a fully functional core framework."

"Other promising newcomers are either unsuitable or have already been recruited. So, let's use this lineup to get them to mesh first, and once we've made a name for ourselves, it will definitely be much easier to recruit people for the next camp."

"That's enough for now. Better to have nothing than something bad."

Lin Yi nodded in agreement with Kenx's idea.

His gaze swept over the members of the startup team.

With offensive specialists, defensive specialists, healers like Evan, and tech-savvy Starfire, along with intelligence officer Kenx and himself, a well-structured and racially diverse team is taking shape.

(End of this chapter)