Merit Points

Merit Points were a special product of the Gene Great Era.

Not that they were all that special.

They were simply something that represented both honor and rarity, while also having tremendous practical value.

In the early days of the Gene Great Era, casualties on the off-world battlefields were high. Soldiers fighting for zones such as the European Federation Zone and the United Federation Zone had even begun to show signs of battle fatigue.

Increasing compensation for the bereaved still did little good.

A child without a father wouldn't be much better off even with millions in cash.

In the end, experts came up with the Merit System.

It had immense value, represented honor, and could guarantee the next generation certain rights and concrete privileges. That was in the event of a soldier's death.

Those who retired due to injury—or even returned home in one piece—enjoyed even more privileges.

For example, after earning D-grade authority through merit, one received priority at most public facilities. Hospitals and public transportation offered VIP lanes, exclusive lounges, and the like.

These weren't mere regulations. They were written directly into the Blue Star Alliance Charter and the charters of each zone.

They were laws!

Other provisions, such as extra points for the children of those with D-grade authority, guaranteed admission for the children of those with B-grade authority, and medical insurance privileges, were all protected through legislation, giving them universal credibility.

After nearly a century of continual refinement, Merit Points had become the most important resource of value after currency.

The most important point was that accumulating Merit Points could raise one's personal authority level.

And a person's authority level had a great deal to do with their social standing.

A century ago, the wealthy could enjoy the finest things in the world simply by paying for them.

Now, in some cases, they could still get them by paying two or three times as much. In others, no amount of money could buy them.

Take business-class public transportation, for example. Those with F-grade authority had to pay five times the standard fare. E-grade lower authority required double the fare. Those with D-grade authority paid only seventy percent, while C-grade authority holders paid just one-third.

Then there were public hospitals.

Only those with D-grade authority or higher could enjoy a private room.

Many of the precious potions that had emerged during the Gene Great Era could only be purchased with the appropriate authority.

For example, the Cell Cycle Reversal Potion, a favorite of the wealthy, was actually a type of longevity potion. It required at least D-grade authority to purchase.

Of course, those with E-grade authority could also buy it if they met certain special conditions. After all, it was a commercial society—but the cost would be steep.

That was the big picture.

On a smaller scale, the system could directly affect Xu Tui's cultivation expenses, which made him very interested.

The personal authority system, based on Merit Points, worked just like the nationwide student rank system.

It started with F-grade authority, followed by E-grade, D-grade, C-grade, B-grade, and A-grade. Each grade above F was further divided into lower, intermediate, and upper levels.

For example, E-grade lower authority and E-grade upper authority.

For most ordinary people, decades of hard work could earn them an honorary E-grade lower authority.

Xu Tui's father, Xu Jianguo, had E-grade authority when he bought the E-grade Energy Supplement Potion. Xu Tui didn't know which level it was, though.

Higher authority came with many benefits.

But Xu Tui had only remembered one thing.

Different authority levels granted different discounts on products restricted by authority.

For example, E-grade authority allowed one to buy the E-grade Energy Supplement Potion Xu Tui needed for his cultivation.

E-grade intermediate authority meant paying full price: 5,000 yuan. E-grade upper authority came with a five-percent discount. Even D-grade lower authority only gave a five-percent discount off the original price.

The same applied to D-grade intermediate authority and D-grade upper authority.

Depending on one's authority, a bottle of E-grade Energy Supplement Potion could be discounted by as much as twenty-five percent.

In other words, if he earned C-grade lower authority, the price of one bottle of E-grade Energy Supplement Potion would drop from 5,000 yuan to just 3,750.

A discount of over 1,000 yuan.

How much could Xu Tui save over the course of his cultivation?

An expense of a million could instantly drop to 750,000.

A savings of 250,000!

Xu Tui thought of another possibility.

If he earned a high-level authority, he could even make a fortune reselling potions.

"Senior Chai, is it easy to earn high-level authority?" Xu Tui asked.

Chai Xiao had just gotten off his bicycle, without even a hint of breathlessness. He thought for a moment. "You could say it's easy, and you could say it's extremely difficult."

"How so?"

"If you're strong and dare to go fight on the front lines, earning D-grade authority isn't hard. Of course, once you've earned it, whether you'll live long enough to enjoy it is another matter.

"If you're like me and play it safe, earning D-grade authority is extremely difficult.

"I've thrown myself into all sorts of missions for two years, and I've only accumulated five Merit Points.

"Even earning E-grade lower authority by the time I'm a junior might be out of reach," Chai Xiao said.

"Are school missions and going to war the only ways?" Xu Tui asked.

"Of course not!"

"There are plenty of ways to earn merit, but the others are even harder."

"For example, doing research and making a breakthrough or a major discovery. Or making an outstanding contribution in a particular field.

"Or earning merit during some major event.

"Also, our school gives out different amounts of Merit Points based on students' annual rankings," Chai Xiao said.

Xu Tui's eyes lit up. "That sounds good. Easy."

"Easy?"

Chai Xiao sighed. "I'm telling you, that's hell mode."

"Hell mode?"

Xu Tui was confused.

"Your big brother here is pretty strong, right? I became a C-grade Gene Liberator in just one year. Impressive, right?"

"Look at your front teeth. You've already been killed!"

Chai Xiao was about to brag, but Xu Tui's words left him so frustrated he nearly spat blood.

"No, I was just careless earlier."

"You've already been killed!"

"No, when we fought before, you set up the battlefield beforehand and limited what I could do—"

"You've already been killed!"

Chai Xiao was speechless.

"Anyway, with my strength, I barely scraped into the bottom of the rankings. Last year, I placed ninety-first among the first-year students and got one Merit Point. Think about that."

Chai Xiao shook his head helplessly, a little dispirited after Xu Tui's teasing. "Bro, you'll understand later. Come on, let's get you tested first. There aren't many students in the Mysterious System, and there are even fewer in your Wisdom Heart System."

"By the way, the Gene Aptitude Test's results on your Gene Point ability direction are usually pretty accurate. If you haven't noticed or experienced anything unusual over the past few days, just go over and register or take a supplementary test," Chai Xiao said.

Xu Tui thought it over, then shook his head.

"By the way, Senior Chai, what rank were you assessed at when you first enrolled? What level of treatment do you get now?" Xu Tui suddenly asked.

Xu Tui's question immediately made Chai Xiao proud. At last, he had something to brag about.

How should he put it? He'd taken quite a few hits to his pride in front of this younger brother.

Mostly because Xu Tui kept putting him on the spot!

"My original assessment when I enrolled was D-grade upper. A month later, because I performed exceptionally well and stood out from the crowd, I started receiving C-grade lower treatment. I've kept it ever since.

"Let me tell you, among the students who started last year, fewer than fifty still receive C-grade treatment.

"I'm one of those fifty!"

"Senior Chai, you're amazing!" Xu Tui chimed in, finally satisfying some part of Chai Xiao's ego.

"Don't worry, bro. I've looked at your file. With a foundation of fourteen Gene Points, plus my guidance and connections, I'll make sure you get D-grade lower treatment!"

Chai Xiao, thoroughly satisfied, thumped his chest so hard it boomed!

"Then I'll thank you in advance, Senior Chai."

"No problem, no problem. It's only right."

The receptionist for the Wisdom Heart System at Mysterious Academy was a middle-aged teacher who looked to be in his thirties.

Why middle-aged? The teacher looked young, but half his hair had already turned white, and he wore a pair of thick glasses.

"I heard Teacher Bian of the Wisdom Heart System was a famous genius many years ago," Chai Xiao muttered.

"Hello, Teacher Bian. I'm Xu Tui, and I registered for the Wisdom Heart System. I'm here to get my freshman rank assessed." Xu Tui was always polite to his teachers.

"Mm, Xu Tui, from Jincheng Prefecture, right? Let me check your blood sample results first." Teacher Bian pushed up his glasses and opened the workstation in front of him. After taking a look, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Your blood sample comparison shows that you've activated a total of twenty Gene Points. By the rules, you can be ranked Low C-grade.

"But since you don't have a clearly defined ability direction, we'll lower your rank by one level, to D-grade upper.

"However, your file notes that you have sensory abilities.

"Go over to the Manifestation Sensing System and get your sensory abilities tested.

"If you perform well, you should be able to get a Mid C-grade assessment.

"Even if your sensory abilities are only average, a Low C-grade assessment is guaranteed," Teacher Bian said with a smile.

"Thank you, Teacher Bian."

Beside him, Chai Xiao was stunned.

"A Low C-grade assessment is guaranteed."

Those words made Chai Xiao's heart ache.