My equipment is designed for cultivation; I started by slaughtering my way through a small world.

"Okay, that's settled then!!"

"Go back and prepare."

The vice principal sat at his desk, his hands resting on a document, and looked at the ordinary-looking boy in front of him, speaking calmly.

"Participate in the Xianmu Group's...mercenary trial?"

Gu Qing was taken aback.

He originally thought that with his grades, he could at least get into an ordinary university, if not a top-tier one.

Upon hearing the vice principal's words, Gu Qing felt dizzy and found it hard to accept.

In fact, for poor students like Gu Qing, becoming a mercenary is also a way to realize their own value.

Over the course of more than ten million years, the Immortal Kingdom has been conquering various planes, and military expenditures have always been a major part of its operations. Even mercenaries have received decent treatment.

During the expansion of the Immortal Kingdom, it conquered one plane of existence after another and waged war against different civilizations.

Within the Immortal Kingdom, besides the regular Immortal Kingdom Expeditionary Force, many powerful immortal cultivators also run companies and recruit mercenaries.

Gu Qing attended Songyang Yucai High School, a school invested in by the Xianmu Group. Students who failed the entrance exams would join the Xianmu Group as mercenaries.

"Oh no, this is a huge problem!!"

Gu Qing couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Although the Immortal Kingdom holds an overall advantage in its external expansion, it must not have a smooth ride in local battles.

In the depths of the void dwell extraordinary civilizations, some exceptionally powerful, no less so than immortal kingdoms. Some void entities traverse countless realms, directly hunting and devouring the void warships of immortal kingdoms.

In the battle against the Void Civilization, even the Immortal Kingdom's expeditionary force suffered a mortality rate as high as 50%.

The mortality rate of mercenaries recruited by private groups is even higher, approaching 90%.

It was a near-death experience!

Gu Qing took a deep breath and pleaded:

"Principal, can we talk about this? I have a disabled father, a sick mother, and a young brother at home. They all need my care..."

Upon hearing this, the principal said seriously, "Don't worry, according to the Immortal Kingdom's mercenary system, your family will be properly taken care of."

"Your father can get a prosthetic limb, and your mother can get a prosthetic heart."

"Your younger brother's tuition will be completely waived from now on, and he has a guaranteed university admission after graduating from high school. He only needs to apply for a 30-year student loan from Xianmu Group to complete his university studies and change your family's destiny."

"So, sacrificing myself brings happiness to the whole family..."

Gu Qing felt heavy-hearted.

Honestly, this treatment is not bad. At least my family will be much better off after I die.

The father was disabled due to a work injury, and all the compensation he received went to support Gu Qing and his brother's schooling. The mother has suffered from illness due to overwork over the years, and with a mechanical heart transplant, she can at least live out her old age in peace.

As for my younger brother... a guaranteed admission to the Immortal Cultivation University is an opportunity that money can't buy.

Entering the Immortal Cultivation University allows you to learn the most cutting-edge knowledge of immortal cultivation.

however.

Gu Qing was simply unwilling to accept it!

Having been given a second chance at life, how could Gu Qing be willing to become cannon fodder for the Xianmu Group?

"Principal, can I repeat a year? I still want to go to university. I'm also willing to sign a 30-year student loan."

Gu Qing remained silent for a moment, then couldn't help but ask.

Becoming a mercenary is a life-or-death situation, and Gu Qing can't guarantee that he'll be able to live again.

"Gu Qing, if you fail to get into your desired university, you will be employed by the Xianmu Group as a mercenary. This is a contract you signed on your first day of school, and you can't back out now."

"Furthermore, the void contains countless planes and countless opportunities."

"As long as you make contributions, the Immortal Wood Group will not treat you unfairly. You might even become a legion commander, guarding a plane world and controlling the fate of billions of living beings."

"This is an opportunity that is unattainable for ordinary people."

The principal patiently comforted him.

"But……"

Gu Qing wanted to say a few more words.

But the vice principal waved his hand, interrupting:

"Alright, you can go out now."

"Xianmu Group won't be coming to pick you up for another week, so you can spend some quality time with your family."

Under the increasingly indifferent gaze of the vice principal, Gu Qing got up and left the office.

Outside.

There are also more than thirty classmates waiting in line.

As soon as Gu Qing came out, another student immediately went into the vice principal's office.

"Gu Qing, what did the principal call us here for?"

The student who asked the question had a pair of bull horns, was two meters tall, and clearly had demon blood.

"Hey, don't worry."

"The principal will notify you one by one."

Gu Qing sighed, offered no further explanation, and left directly.

Students who don't get into university aren't necessarily going to become mercenaries for the Xianmu Group. They might be resold by the Xianmu Group and sign contracts with other companies.

arrive home.

Gu Qing found that her parents were both home, and her younger brother, who was in elementary school, was also there.

Today is Gu Qing's birthday, and there is a birthday cake on the table, but unfortunately Gu Qing has no appetite at all.

On the contrary, the younger brother, Gu Cheng, kept swallowing his saliva.

"Aqing..."

Mother Wu Ming looked at Gu Qing, who was in low spirits, and hesitated to speak.

The father, Gu Ciyuan, frowned deeply, taking a deep drag on his cigarette, seemingly lost in thought.

Gu Qing was selected as a mercenary by the Xianmu Group. His parents had already received a message from the Xianmu Group. This matter involved everyone in the family, so it was impossible to keep it from his parents.

"Ah Qing, if you don't want to become a mercenary, there might still be a chance!"

"Your uncle is a researcher at the Xianmu Group. If we sign a contract with the Xianmu Group's research lab for experimenting with immortal techniques, perhaps..."

The cousin mentioned by his father, Gu Ciyuan, was a distant relative.

As for the contract for the trial of immortal techniques, it is similar to the clinical drug trials in my previous life, but the cost is incomparable. In the clinical trials of new immortal techniques, if you are not careful, it may change your bloodline or even cause your soul to mutate.

"No need to trouble yourself..."

Gu Qing shook his head. Compared to the near-death experience of hiring mercenaries, the experimentation with immortal techniques was no better.

It's nothing more than a lifetime of suffering.

It's better to die quickly than to be half-dead.

"I'll go back to my room to rest first."

After having a casual meal of cake with her parents and younger brother, Gu Qing got up and returned to her room.

As soon as I entered.

A semi-transparent square grid suddenly appeared in Gu Qing's eyes.

Current equipment slot count: 1

Available equipment slots: 1

[Equipment and item requirements: The weight of a single item must be within the range that the host can lift.]

[Equipment Effect: Enhances or weakens the host's personal attributes based on the item's characteristics.]

[Equipment method: Physical contact.]

Currently eligible equipable items are: clothes, pants, and shoes.

Holy crap!!

"Eighteen years, eighteen years, do you know how I've spent these eighteen years?"

With the cheat software in hand, Gu Qing was greatly encouraged.

The cheat mechanism is not complicated; it's like the equipment slots in my previous game—simple and practical.

Gu Qing went to his desk and found the book "Analysis of the Numbers of the Immortal Kingdom's Formation," which was the most difficult course in his high school curriculum.

"equipment!!"

In the blink of an eye, the book in Gu Qing's hand vanished into thin air.

At the same time, a flash of light appeared in the square grid, and a book appeared inside.

[Equipped Item: Celestial Kingdom Formation Numerical Analysis]

[Rank: A textbook explaining the numerical simulation and analysis of basic immortal formations]

Completeness: 100%

[Equipment Effect: General Knowledge of Formations, laying the foundation for modern immortal cultivation formations.]

[Note: If the item is equipped for more than 6 hours, all its effects will be permanently granted.]

Immediately, Gu Qing looked at the exercise book on the desk.

Gu Qing quickly glanced at the previously obscure and difficult-to-understand formations and the answer immediately came to mind.

"Holy crap, that's awesome!!"

Gu Qing was overjoyed.

The "Digital Analysis of Immortal Kingdom Formations," a book that an ordinary person couldn't fully comprehend even after a year, allowed him to instantly grasp its knowledge through his equipment slots.

Not only that.

The notes section states that it only takes six hours to permanently master the knowledge in the book.

"With this cheat code, I was born to be a top student, but unfortunately... there's only one chance to take the college entrance exam."

"Equipment books have this effect."

"What kind of incredible effects would occur if we equipped ourselves with magical artifacts, elixirs, and talismans?"