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

Chapter 293 Lanhe Hints at Silver Blue's Recruitment (7.2K)

Meanwhile, in the Pale Forbidden Land, at the East Peak Mercenary Group's camp.

As the energy pillar that pierced through heaven and earth gradually dissipated, the extraordinary phenomena caused by the collective breakthrough of a thousand newly promoted Star-level experts also slowly began to subside.

Subsequently, these Star-level experts quickly divided themselves into one hundred teams of ten people each.

Immediately afterwards, from the already completed steel military camp next to it, a hundred squads of Astronauts warriors clad in dark silver armor flew out as well.

These one hundred Astral Army squads, each with a thousand members, are generally at the high-level of the Star Core stage.

The next moment, these one hundred mixed teams, consisting of Star Swirl-level and Star Core-level squads, shot off like arrows, transforming into one hundred streams of light of different colors, rising from the camp and rushing off in all directions.

Lin Yi stood outside the command center, gazing at the points of light that scattered across the continent like a meteor shower, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

He noticed that these streaks of light seemed to be heading towards the capital cities of those countries.

"The Astral Army remains as efficient as ever." A calm voice sounded beside me.

Lin Yi turned his head and saw that the Lanhe consultant had returned through the two-way passage at some point and was standing beside him, also looking at the departing lights.

"Lanhe Consultant"

Lin Yi nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

"No need to be polite."

Lanhe, the advisor, smiled and glanced at the camp, which had suddenly become much emptier. "This is a standard procedure in the new secret realm. To establish a new order, you always need to demonstrate your strength first and make potential dissenting voices realize the reality."

Demonstrate strength, and face reality.
After hesitating for a moment, Lin Yi couldn't help but ask, "Advisor Lanhe, how does the Starbound Army plan to treat the natives of this secret realm?"

Having spent so many years in the secret realm, Lin Yi quite admired the spirit of the humans there in fighting against madness and monsters. However, the secret realm courses made no mention whatsoever of how the Astral Army would take over the secret realm.

Upon hearing this, Lanhe Consultant turned to look at Lin Yi.

"Don't worry, Commander Lin."

He smiled and said, "The natives of this secret realm also belong to a branch of the human race. As long as they recognize the situation, obey the management of the Astral Army, and cooperate with the subsequent resource survey and development plan, their lives and basic rights will naturally be guaranteed."

"Generally speaking, the Astronauts will properly settle and guide them according to the specific circumstances, and they will also gain the opportunity to travel to a wider world as a result."

Lin Yi nodded. The Lanhe consultant's answer was within his expectations, and his attitude was quite mild.

But he astutely grasped the premise of that statement: "to obey management."

Furthermore, the advisor specifically emphasized the "human branch".

Lin Yi naturally understood the subtext.

If the dominant race within this secret realm is not human, then the Astronautical Army's response strategy would likely not be as mild as "proper resettlement."

Cleansing, suppression, and even enslavement are common occurrences under the dark laws of interspecies competition in the universe.

Seeing Lin Yi fall silent, Lanhe Consultant's eyes flickered slightly, seemingly changing the subject unintentionally.

"Commander Lin Yi, based on the information you provided and our preliminary observations over the past few days, the Silver Blue Society, which your Dongfeng Mercenary Group has established over the past seventy years, has become a behemoth covering the entire Secret Realm Continent."

"It was just a coincidence, and I went with the flow."

Lin Yi frankly admitted that he did not hide this matter in the documents, nor could he hide it.

"The Silver Blue Society was originally established to better collect information and resources, and to provide some convenience for possible large-scale operations in the future."

His words were half true and half false, attributing his main purpose to the mission of exploring the secret realm while concealing his own research needs.

"Hehe, Commander Lin Yi is too modest."

Lanhe smiled meaningfully.

"In the materials submitted, Commander Lin Yi pointed out the abnormal energy structure of the Blood Crystal Coin and speculated that it might have some weak connection with the Source Matter. I imagine that over the past seventy years, your Dongfeng Mercenary Group has spent a lot of effort and resources on collecting and researching these Blood Crystal Coins, hasn't it?"

Lin Yi felt a slight chill, knowing that the main topic was about to be discussed.

He didn't foolishly deny it outright. After all, when he decided to report the discovery, he thought that if even they could quickly notice the special nature of the blood crystal coins, professionals would surely be able to discover it quickly as well, so it was better to be open about it.

Therefore, he remained expressionless, but his brows furrowed slightly as he looked at Lanhe.

"What does Advisor Lanhe mean by this? The Silver Blue Society collects Blood Crystal Coins for two reasons. First, because this is the local hard currency, it is convenient for large-scale procurement of other supplies and books. Second, since its energy structure has been found to be special and suspected to be related to the core rules of the secret realm, isn't it the duty of the exploration team to invest resources in research?"

"Is there... something wrong with this?"

Lanhe laughed and waved his hand when he saw Lin Yi's expression that said, "I'm working hard entirely for the mission."

"Commander Lin Yi, there's no need to be nervous. I didn't mean to question you. On the contrary, your keen awareness of the special nature of Blood Crystal Coins and your dedication to research once again proves your excellence. However..."

"But what?" Lin Yi knew the main event was about to begin, and cooperatively asked.

"However, Commander Lin Yi, you need to understand one thing. According to relevant regulations, anything that is clearly directly related to the source can be classified as a strategic resource. In principle, it needs to be under unified control and, after evaluation, received and processed by a designated agency."

"Since it has been preliminarily confirmed that the energy core of Blood Crystal Coins is related to the source material, even if the connection is weak, it can be classified as a strategic reserve resource according to the procedure."

Lanhe, the advisor, looked at Lin Yi and said slowly, "And strategic resources all need to be handed over. Of course, the Star Army never mistreats those who have made contributions. For the strategic resources handed over, they will be compensated with corresponding military merit points or other forms of compensation based on their assessed value."

Hand it in!

Lin Yi remained silent for a moment.

He wasn't entirely unprepared for this situation, since the Blood Crystal Coins involved Source Essence, and his order to collect them was merely a precaution.

Anyway, we're just sitting around doing nothing, and who knows, maybe we won't treat it as a strategic resource.

Now it seems I was overthinking it.

"Fortunately, they'll give us compensation for our military service, so it's not like we've worked for nothing. Is that wrong? Can we define it?"

Lin Yi hadn't been a leader for so many years for nothing; he immediately and astutely grasped the most crucial word in Lan He's words.

"It can be characterized."

Lin Yi repeated those four words, then looked at Lanhe.

"You mean this isn't an absolutely mandatory rule, or rather, whether it's classified or not depends on certain conditions?"

Lin Yi naturally didn't ask directly, "Is it possible to not define it?" That would be too blunt and dangerous.

Lanhe looked at Lin Yi's cautious and inquisitive expression, and the serious look on her face suddenly relaxed.

"Haha, Commander Lin Yi, there's no need to be so nervous."

He said with a smile, "Just kidding, and testing your reaction. Not bad, calm and meticulous in the face of adversity, truly the most dazzling new star of our human race."

Lin Yi was slightly taken aback, not expecting the other party to change the subject so quickly.

But he immediately realized what was going on and replied with a smile, "You flatter me."

Seeing Lin Yi's reaction, Lan He's eyes flashed with admiration.

He stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Lin Yi, gazing at the distant Star Realm Army base, and said as if having a casual conversation: "You don't need to worry too much about Blood Crystal Coins. Indeed, they do contain a trace of characteristics similar to Source Matter, and can be considered a derivative of Source Matter."

"However, its internal energy is impure and heavily polluted, and its primordial properties are so faint as to be almost negligible. Rather than a resource, it is more like the 'residue' or 'waste' of rules. The real treasure is the one in the sky."

He pointed to the blood-red sun high in the sky, "That is the core of this secret realm's ability to stably produce source-related energy, and it is an indisputable strategic resource."

"so."

Lanhe turned to Lin Yi and said, "Blood Crystal Coins will not be included in the list of strategic materials that must be confiscated for the time being. The Silver Blue Society can keep the ones they have accumulated for now as regular exploration items in the secret realm."

Lin Yi immediately understood.

Clearly, it wasn't because blood crystal coins were worthless, but rather a gesture of goodwill towards Lin Yi's personal potential.

Because he is recognized as a top genius among humans and is likely to become a high-level combat force or even a pillar of the human race in the future, this advisor from Lanhe is willing to give him face and make a good relationship with him over such "leftover" resources.

"I understand, thank you very much, Mr. Consultant," Lin Yi said sincerely.

He naturally understood the line the other person had drawn.

Forgive past transgressions, but stop looting. Also, dispose of any existing Blood Crystals as soon as possible, as they will only be temporarily excluded from the list.

"correct."

As if remembering something, Lanhe added, "The direct use of this severely contaminated source material derivative has extremely serious drawbacks."

"If you want to harness that bit of primal power, the first priority is to solve the pollution problem. In this regard, I suggest you consider seeking help from the Tree of Life Company. I recall you seem to have some history of cooperation with them? They are leaders in the field of life energy purification and pollution cleansing."

As he spoke, Consultant Lanhe casually popped up a contact icon, which contained his personal encrypted communication code. "This is my contact information. If you encounter any difficulties in your research in the future, we can perhaps exchange ideas."

Lin Yi immediately wrote down the communication code and once again expressed his sincere gratitude: "Thank you for your guidance, consultant!"

He knew perfectly well what was going on.

Clearly, Lanhe Consultant's words were both a well-intentioned reminder and a subtle urging.

Before the Blood Crystal Coins are officially targeted, we need to quickly find a way to purify this batch of "hot potatoes" and then use them up.

Otherwise, if the policy direction changes one day, or if a higher-level figure notices this batch of "waste materials," it's hard to guarantee that unforeseen complications won't arise.

"When others feel you have potential, you're more likely to meet kind people wherever you go."

After seeing Lanhe Consultant off, Lin Yi couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.

Clearly, given Lanhe's status and future prospects, he might never need Lin Yi in his lifetime, yet he was willing to make an exception for her.

Strength and potential are indeed universally applicable hard currency.

Of course, while we may feel moved, we must act swiftly.

Lin Yi immediately used the Xuanji to issue the highest order to all the Silver Blue Society branches scattered throughout the continent.

"All Silver Blue Guilds, effective immediately, cease all commercial activities centered on the collection of Blood Crystals and raw ore."

"Each branch leader should proactively contact the Astragalus takeover teams that are currently arriving or about to arrive, expressing their full cooperation. Utilize our intelligence network and public credibility to assist the Astragalus in explaining the situation to local powers, stabilizing the situation, avoiding unnecessary conflicts, and ensuring a smooth transition of power. At the same time, we can try to recruit powerful native inhabitants."

"After completing the above tasks, all dispatched personnel, carrying all the collected assets, with a focus on Blood Crystals, raw ore, and various secret manuals and tomes, shall immediately return to the headquarters camp for assembly. The Silver Blue Society's various branches will be maintained by the remaining personnel for the time being, and will follow the subsequent arrangements of the Astral Army."
-
Just as Lin Yi was issuing orders to the heads of the various branch pavilions, the ancient capital of Heng Kingdom, a city that had witnessed the rise and fall of countless dynasties and struggled to survive under the cycle of blood suns for countless years, was immersed in the brief tranquility at the end of the night.

The hustle and bustle of the city had not yet completely subsided, and the palace was brightly lit. The king was discussing matters submitted by various cities with several trusted ministers.

Suddenly.

"Buzz!"

An overwhelming and terrifying pressure crashed down.

The light above the Royal Palace Square suddenly dimmed, and ten figures emerged from the stream of light, silently hovering directly above the Golden Hall of the Royal Palace.

The power of rules surrounding them flickered like tides, causing light to visibly deflect as it passed by. One of them calmly swept his gaze across the magnificent palace below, and all the palace guards, hidden powerhouses, and even the king himself who were touched by that gaze felt a heavy pressure deep within their souls.

Royal level!

Almost simultaneously, the area around the palace was completely covered by a dark silver color, and a full thousand Star Core-level warriors of the Star Realm formed an impenetrable spherical encirclement.

Ten unfathomable Emperor-level warriors, and a thousand heavily armed King-level warriors!

"Enemy attack! Protect His Majesty!"

The chief of the royal guards roared at the top of his lungs, but his voice was filled with undisguised fear.

"Boom!" "Boom!"

Deep within the royal palace, two auras, both belonging to the royal level, suddenly erupted.

Two elderly men with white hair and beards, dressed in ancient royal attire, soared into the sky. Immediately afterward, nearly a hundred auras belonging to the royal rank erupted from all parts of the royal city.

Surrounded by his guards, the king walked out of the palace and looked up. At that moment, this emperor, who ruled over hundreds of millions of miles of territory and possessed the strength of a king, felt his hands and feet turn ice cold, and he could hardly hold the scepter in his hand.

The leading Starbound Army officer deliberately waited a while, until all the powerful figures in the city had gathered, before calmly announcing:
"By order of the Supreme Command of the Astral Army, this secret realm shall be formally taken over by the Supreme Council of Humanity immediately. All former national governments shall be dissolved. All personnel shall unconditionally accept the reorganization and evaluation of the Astral Army and prepare to relocate to the designated settlement area in the main universe."

He paused slightly, and a chilling killing intent swept down like a storm:

"Anyone who dares to resist will bear the consequences."

The command was concise and direct, bearing the iron-fisted style characteristic of the Astronautical Army.

Below, the king swayed violently, and the guards beside him quickly helped him up.

Several military officers, their eyes bloodshot, gripped their weapons tightly.

Some of the younger members of the royal family had faces filled with humiliation and resentment.

The two royal members exchanged a glance, both seeing despair and a desperate determination in each other's eyes.

The strong individuals who have risen through the ranks by fighting against madness and monsters over the years are not made of clay. Moreover, who among those who have grown up in this world does not carry a hint of madness?

Dissolve the kingdom?

Migration?

Go to a completely unknown place?

Who can guarantee this isn't a devastating lie? Are we to become slaves, or livestock to be kept in captivity?
Rather than be slaughtered without dignity, it is better to die a glorious death in battle and preserve the last vestige of the royal family's honor!

A tragic yet desperate sense of resistance quickly took root in the minds of the top leadership.

In particular, the auras of the two royal family members, both at the imperial level, began to rise dramatically, like volcanoes about to erupt.

At this critical moment.

"Wait a minute!"

A clear voice suddenly rang out.

A familiar blue streak of light shot out from the iconic top floor of the Silver Blue Pavilion in the western district of the royal city, and then landed steadily in the tense standoff airspace between the two sides, right between the royal family and the Star Realm Army.

The newcomer was dressed in the attire of the Silver Blue Pavilion Master, with a composed expression. He was none other than Zhou Yuxuan, the Silver Blue Pavilion Master of the Royal City, who had established deep trust and prestige by dealing with the royal family and nobles of Heng Kingdom for decades.

After Zhou Yuxuan appeared, ignoring the astonished gazes of the royal family below, he solemnly faced the breathtaking array of the Star Realm army in the air, especially the leading Star Swirl officer, and bowed, saying:
“Zhou Yuxuan, the Silver Blue Society’s branch leader in Heng Kingdom’s capital and a member of the Dongfeng Mercenary Group, greets the Star Realm Envoy.”

A scene unfolded that shocked all the high-ranking officials of Heng Kingdom, especially the two royal family members who were prepared to fight to the death.

The cold-faced royal-level leader's gaze softened slightly when it fell on Zhou Yuxuan.

He even gave Zhou Yuxuan a small but clearly visible nod.

Although no words were spoken, the gesture itself contained enough information to drive any discerning person crazy.

A leader who suddenly appeared, claiming to be a royal-level leader of the Star Army, actually responded to Zhou Yuxuan, the leader of a "local organization".

what does this mean?
This means that the Silver Blue Society's status is far more complex than they had previously imagined.

This means that Zhou Yuxuan, or rather the forces behind him, are beings that even these terrifying "heavenly soldiers" must respect.

Zhou Yuxuan wasn't surprised at all. He knew very well that this was because the other party was giving face to the "Dongfeng Mercenary Group" and its leader, Lin Yi.

He steadied himself and turned to face the king and his entourage, whose expressions were shifting between surprise and doubt.

"Everyone, please calm down and do not act rashly."

He pointed to the terrifying military formation overhead, his voice carrying clearly throughout the entire palace area.

"What you see before you is neither an illusion nor an incomprehensible calamity. They come from beyond this world, from that truly boundless and vast universe with endless stars—the main universe."

Zhou Yuxuan looked around at everyone, his gaze sweeping over the hesitant and unwilling faces, and finally focusing on the two royal figures whose auras were still restless.

"The main universe is vast and boundless, with civilizations as brilliant as the Milky Way and powerful beings as numerous as clouds. But the most crucial point is that there is no Blood Sun there."

"No Blood Sun?!"

These four simple words, like four thunderbolts that split the heavens and the earth, exploded in the minds of all who heard them.

Whether it was the king, the patriarch, the general, or the ordinary civil officials and guards, everyone was stunned.

No Blood Sun?
No longer need to guard against the rampant erosion day and night?

No longer need to face attacks from monster hordes every now and then?

We no longer need to watch our compatriots, and even ourselves, gradually become twisted and degenerate in despair.

This is their deepest, most painful, and most unthinkable desire in their generations of struggle for survival.

Now, someone is telling them that there is a place where this wish can be fulfilled?

"Sect Master Zhou, are you serious?"

The king stared intently at Zhou Yuxuan, as if trying to discern the truth from his words.

"Absolutely true! I guarantee it with the Silver Blue Society's decades-long reputation!"

Zhou Yuxuan naturally knew what these natives cared about most. To put it bluntly, it was nothing more than escaping the Blood Sun and ensuring that their descendants would no longer be troubled by madness.

"The Astral Army is one of the pillars that protect our human race in the main universe. They are the defenders of order and civilization. They have come to guide, not to conquer. They are here to lead all of us out of this cursed prison and to a new land that is truly suitable for survival, where we can safely pursue higher realms."

Of course, Zhou Yuxuan also knew that simply describing the future was not enough to make these people in high positions give up completely; what was more important was the irresistible force.

Therefore, he directly presented facts that were enough to completely shatter any wishful thinking.

"Everyone, as you all know, these ten god-like emperors, along with these thousand king-level elites whose murderous aura soars to the sky, are enough to easily destroy the Heng Kingdom."

"but"

"Do you know that this is just an advance squad sent out by a standard battle group of the Astronautical Army? A full battle group can send out hundreds of such squads at the same time."

"A regular legion of the Astral Army has as many as a thousand battle squadrons!"

"Our human race's Astral Army has countless legions. The legions I am familiar with alone have been numbered up to 93778. Moreover, the Astral Army is only one of the human race's publicly displayed military forces."

A small team?
A battle group has hundreds of such squads?

Does the Astronautical Army have countless chapters?
This series of astronomical descriptions of military strength completely crushed the last shred of pride in the hearts of Hengguo's top brass.

Seeing the dramatic changes in everyone's expressions, Zhou Yuxuan knew the time was right.

His tone softened, and he continued:

"The old kingdom order is indeed no longer necessary within the vast scale of the main universe and the framework of the Human Supreme Council. But please rest assured, the Astral Army has strict laws and clear rewards and punishments, and is by no means tyrannical and ruthless towards its own kind."

"Based on your strengths, talents, past experience and contributions, they will give you a fair starting point and a future far broader than being confined to this place in the new star field."

Finally, Zhou Yuxuan added, "Once you have settled into your new home and become familiar with the rules of the main universe, if you still harbor the ambition to traverse the stars, explore the unknown, and achieve great things..."

"I, Zhou Yuxuan, as the Lord of the Royal City Pavilion of the Silver Blue Society and a core member of the Dongfeng Mercenary Group, sincerely invite you all to come and join our Dongfeng Mercenary Group."

"As for Lin Yi, the leader of my Dongfeng Mercenary Group, his name and legend will resound in your ears once you step into the main universe. He is a peerless figure who dominates the present era, makes the geniuses of all races pale in comparison, and truly leads the times. It is our honor to follow him."

Zhou Yuxuan's words, which progressed step by step and combined soft and hard tactics, were like silver needles in the hands of the most skilled doctor, precisely piercing the most sensitive nerves of Hengguo's top management.

First, they established their superior status and deterrence by taking advantage of the Star Realm's "nod," then they used "Main Universe" and "Bloodless Sun" to depict an irresistible blueprint of hope, completely crushing their will to resist with an absolute power gap, and finally they offered the "Dongfeng Mercenary Group" and "Lin Yi" as an alluring and seemingly respectable way out and a ladder to heaven.

If Zhou Yuxuan weren't unsure whether his lifespan would be restored after eradicating the rampant pollution in these people, the mere thought of extending his lifespan would have been enough to tempt these natives.

Throughout the entire process, the Astral Army troops in the air maintained absolute silence and solemnity, tacitly approving or even condoning Zhou Yuxuan's "advertising" behavior.

The King of Heng felt a chill in his heart, yet strangely, a sense of utter relief and bewilderment also welled up within him.

Resistance is a certain death sentence, while submission does not seem to be a dead end.

He saw it clearly: the fact that Yinlan was willing to recruit them meant that they still had value and would not face a tragic end such as being slaughtered or enslaved.

As an emperor, he was the best at weighing the pros and cons. Being valuable meant he could survive, and might even have a higher starting point in a new environment.

Compared to the continuation of the royal family and a better future, the empty title of the royal family and the temporary power seem not so irreplaceable.

The two royals, who were originally prepared to fight to the death, exchanged a glance and saw similar shock in each other's eyes, as well as a desire that had been forcibly suppressed for hundreds of years and suddenly burst forth.

There was no madness, no bloodshed.
For these old monsters who struggled under the shadow of the Blood Sun, constantly resisting the erosion of their souls, and watching generation after generation of geniuses fall due to madness, this held an ultimate allure that surpassed everything.

The shock and indignation in the hearts of the other civil and military officials were gradually replaced by a complex emotion.

Judging from their behavior over the years, although the Silver Blue Society is mysterious and powerful, it is indeed trustworthy, fair in its dealings, and has never engaged in fraud or bullying.

Furthermore, the fact that this so-called Star Army, despite possessing such an absolute advantage, did not immediately take action to establish its authority, but instead allowed Zhou Yuxuan to come forward and explain in detail, and even provided a clear solution, is itself a manifestation of its attitude.

As for those exaggerated claims, the gap in strength is too large, and there is really no need to deceive.

If the other side really wants to exterminate them, they can just take action and turn the royal city into ruins in an instant. Why bother talking to them so much?

After exchanging bewildered glances, the Hengguo executives' resentment and doubts ultimately vanished in the face of absolute power and a promising "backup plan."

The two Emperor-level experts slowly withdrew all their auras, as if they had put down a heavy burden, and nodded slightly to the sky.

A complex sense of desolation flashed across the King of Heng's face, but more than that, it was a sense of relief after seeing reality clearly.

He took a deep breath, as if instantly relinquishing the power he had held for many years, and slowly lowered his once noble head towards the Stardust officer in the air.

"Hengguo is willing to comply with all arrangements and cooperate with the relocation and reorganization."

　I've been too busy lately, with so many things to do as the year draws to a close. I can only update once a week for now, but I'll keep it at least above 6 words.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)