Benefits
Zhao Xin's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that would never cease in the hearts of Shen Xuan and Su Qingyue.
They originally thought that the Blue Star Training Camp, which gathered the most outstanding talents of the One-Star Prodigies, was the pinnacle of the Martial Dao path.
Little did they know, this was just the beginning.
Above them lies the vast Milky Way Star System, and other monsters of the same kind from Sirius and Vega.
"A direct route to the highest levels of the Military..."
Shen Xuan clenched his fists tightly, his eyes burning with an unprecedented fervor.
Isn't this the stairway to heaven he's always dreamed of?
A ripple appeared in Su Qingyue's usually cold eyes; she had Shen Xuan.
The Federation Military is the true core of power in human civilization. Registering with them in advance means that the resources and circles you can access in the future will be vastly different.
Only Tuo Bashan, with his enormous head, was clearly unable to process such complex information.
He licked his chapped lips, grasped the only point he could understand, and asked Zhao Xin in a muffled voice, "Instructor Zhao, are the monsters from other planets... tough to fight?"
"..."
One sentence left the battle-hardened Chief Instructor Zhao Xin speechless.
Looking at Tuo Bashan's face, which was filled with a desire to fight, he was momentarily at a loss for how to respond to this pure battle maniac.
Just then, Gu Ci, who had been silent all along, spoke up softly.
"Instructor Zhao, you only told us half the story."
Everyone turned to look at him, and even Zhao Xin's face showed a hint of surprise.
Under everyone's gaze, Gu Ci's eyes swept over Shen Xuan and Su Qingyue's faces, and finally landed on Chen Fan, who had a calm expression and seemed to be thinking about something.
"Being included in the Military's talent pool in advance is more than just having an impressive resume."
"After the college entrance examination, you will all enter the top Martial Dao universities in the Federation. After graduation, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the vast majority of you will be drafted into the military and sent to the Starry Sky Frontline."
Gu Ci's voice was completely flat, as if he were stating a perfectly ordinary fact.
"Early entry means that from now on, every mission, every competition, and every breakthrough you make can be converted into military merits in a special way and accumulated in advance."
"When you graduate from the Martial Academy, your starting point will far surpass that of your peers. You will receive more resources, higher levels of authorization, and greater freedom in choosing your positions."
At this point, Gu Ci paused.
"They might even be qualified to defend a front line and become a powerful War Zone Commander in the shortest possible time!"
Defend a front!
War Zone Commander!
These twelve words, like a purple thunderbolt crashing down from the heavens, exploded deep within Chen Fan's mind!
Buzz!
In an instant, all the colors in the scene faded.
He seemed to see that small holographic screen again.
I saw the hideous new scar on my father Chen Long's face, the glaring bloodstains on my mother Luo Mengjie's arm, and the steel fortress behind them that was forever filled with explosions and flames.
And those S-Rank Emergency Mission alerts, like death knells!
An unprecedented surge of intense emotion, almost bursting through his chest, suddenly welled up inside him.
If...
If only I could become the Commander of one of the fronts!
With sufficient status and authority, could parents be transferred away from the most dangerous and deadliest resource planet battlefield, G-7?
Let them return to our side, even if only to a relatively safe rear base, to recuperate and rebuild their lives?
The front lines are Martial Artist's destiny, he understood.
But he didn't want his parents to forever teeter on the edge of life and death, with even a simple greeting of peace becoming a luxury.
Once this thought took root in his heart, it was like a vine that had absorbed the most intense nutrients, instantly climbing all over his heart and tightening its grip!
Get stronger!
From this moment on, becoming stronger is no longer about the Invincible Path that Gu Ci planned for him.
It's not about gaining real power!
Go protect the person he most wants to protect!
Go and firmly grasp the path home in the distant starry sky in your own hands!
"Call..."
Chen Fan slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, and the violent heaving of his chest gradually subsided.
A fighting spirit far more resolute, more intense, and pure than ever before ignited deep within his clear pupils!
Zhao Xin and Gu Ci's words acted like two catalysts with different properties, injecting them into the hearts of the four young geniuses.
Shen Xuan, Su Qingyue, and Tuo Bashan were like dry tinder that had been ignited; their fighting spirit had turned into a raging fire. They couldn't wait to rush onto the battlefield and use one brilliant victory after another to exchange for tickets to the Stars and the sea.
Chen Fan, on the other hand, is more like a dormant volcano.
On the surface, it appears calm, but inside, molten lava is surging, waiting for the right moment to erupt and transform the world.
"Very good."
Gu Ci turned around and pointed to an Alloy passage deeper inside the fortress.
"One of the core facilities of the Blue Star Training Camp is the Virtual Battle Realm."
"That place can perfectly simulate your current strength and is connected to the real-time leaderboard of the entire Training Camp. Inside, you can fight without restraint; death won't be real death, it will only deduct points and force you offline for twelve hours."
Gu Ci's voice echoed in the empty corridor.
"Your goal is to etch your names into the top four of the leaderboard within three months."
Before the words were even finished, Tuo Bashan couldn't contain himself any longer. His large, fan-like hands clenched so tightly they cracked, and he asked in a deep, gruff voice, "Teacher Gu, can we go over now?"
He looked as if he couldn't wait any longer.
Shen Xuan and Su Qingyue exchanged a glance, their eyes burning with the same fighting spirit.
However, just as Gu Ci was about to step forward and lead the three of them into the Virtual Battle Realm...
Chen Fan, who had been silent all along, suddenly turned around and looked at him calmly.
"Teacher Gu," his voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly, "I'm going back to the Simulated Training Room."
Shen Xuan, Su Qingyue, and Tuo Bashan were taken aback.
"What?"
Shen Xuan was the first to react, his face filled with confusion.
"Didn't Teacher Gu say that we only need to practice in the Simulated Training Room for six hours a day?"
Even with his enormous head, Tuo Bashan couldn't understand why Chen Fan wasn't fighting.
Su Qingyue's cool gaze also fell upon them, carrying a hint of inquiry.
Chen Fan stopped and looked back at Shen Xuan, who looked anxious, then glanced at Tuo Bashan and Su Qingyue, who looked completely bewildered.
He didn't explain much, but simply looked at Gu Ci with a calm expression.
"Go."
Gu Ci waved his hand, then turned to the three people, Shen Xuan, who were standing there dumbfounded, and his voice suddenly turned stern.
"You must walk your own path."
"I don't care what methods you use, whether it's fighting or scheming. Three months from now, I want to see all three of your names in the top five of the rankings."
"If you can't do it, then get back to where you were!"
They exchanged a glance, and a smile appeared on their faces.
They may not be monsters like Chen Fan, but they are still prodigies who dominated their respective regions for a generation!
They have their own pride!
Yes, Teacher Gu!
The three spoke in unison, their voices carrying a resolute determination, as if they had nothing to lose.
They didn't look at Chen Fan again, turned around, and led by Chief Instructor Zhao Xin with a complicated expression, strode towards the passage leading to the Virtual Battle Realm without looking back.