"Such an old-fashioned design..."
Lin Yi grumbled to himself.
That didn't stop him from putting on an intrigued expression and looking around.
"Hmm... My uncle's Source Energy reading is 5. No wonder he's a veteran. Chen Yu only has a pitiful 3 points... There are quite a few Abyssal Wolves outside... Their readings range from 7 to 9..."
Lin Yi wore the Detector and watched for a while.
Any living being, even one that had never cultivated Source Energy, lived in an environment rich in it. Naturally, its body would carry a faint Source Energy reading.
Abyssal Beasts were made of Source Energy to begin with, so that went without saying.
As for the communication function, there was only one Detector for now, so there was no way to contact one another.
After taking a quick look at the area around them, Lin Yi was about to switch off the Detector when he noticed the eager, fidgety expressions on Chen Yu and the other young people's faces.
He paused, then drew back the finger he'd raised to the switch.
"Want to give it a try?" Lin Yi's lips curved slightly. "I don't mind, but let's be clear: you can only take turns and look for ten seconds each. This thing runs on Source Energy, and the Micro Energy Block it came with has limited power. We can't waste it."
Chen Yu was the first to take the Detector and hang it over his ear. The very next second, he cried out in surprise:
"Hey, there's a little 5 next to Uncle Jianjun! A Xuan's got a 4 too..." He whipped around to look at Lin Yi, his voice cracking. "14?! That's a ridiculous threefold difference!"
The Detector soon made its way to Zhou Yuxuan. As soon as he took it, he turned to look out the window, then sucked in a sharp breath.
"Those red dots around the perimeter must be Abyssal Wolves... The lowest reading is 7, and the highest is over 10!"
The words sent a chill down everyone's spines.
After all, apart from Lin Yi, even Zhou Jianjun, who was in the best shape, only had a reading of 5.
At last, it was Zhou Jianjun's turn.
The veteran scanned the area outside, then took off the device and returned it solemnly to Lin Yi. "Keep it safe. This is more important than a gun."
"Definitely. It'll make things a lot easier for us."
Lin Yi nodded, then turned his attention back to the six crystals left on the table.
Now he had to deal with these: three Guidance Technique crystals and three Source Energy Crystals.
Lin Yi cleared his throat. "Three Guidance Technique crystals."
His gaze first fell on Chen Yu.
"A Yu, the armor and weapon you gave me were crucial. Without them, I couldn't have killed an Abyssal Wolf without a scratch, let alone brought back these crystals. And I used your influence when I posted the video, too. You deserve one of the three crystals."
Chen Yu froze for a moment. Although Lin Yi had hinted at it earlier, hearing the final decision still left him incredibly excited.
Usually, he was quick with a clever quip, but now all he could do was grin foolishly and thump his chest. "Don't worry, I'll definitely... uh... do my best to learn it!"
"At least you know better than to promise you'll definitely learn it..." Lin Yi couldn't help smiling at his friend's reaction.
He knew that, given Chen Yu's ability and aptitude for learning, the odds of him mastering it on his own weren't great.
Still, Chen Yu had contributed enough to deserve one of the first Guidance Techniques. It was a matter of principle, and a way to bring the group together.
As for everyone else, there would be more Guidance Technique crystals to distribute later.
They were difficult for ordinary people to obtain, but for him, they would soon be easy to come by.
Then Lin Yi turned to Zhou Jianjun.
"Uncle, you should take one of the Guidance Techniques, too."
"You have experience leading a squad in combat, and your tactical skills are excellent. Once you master Source Energy, combining it with your experience will multiply your combat strength. You'll quickly become a reliable pillar of our team and help protect everyone."
Zhou Jianjun stared at Lin Yi for a moment. He didn't refuse; he simply nodded firmly and replied,
"Okay. I understand."
Finally, Lin Yi's gaze settled on their class monitor, Zhou Yuxuan.
"Class monitor, everyone knows how good you are at learning. I hope you can grasp this as quickly as possible—not only master it yourself, but perhaps help others work through the difficult parts in the future. You could become the backbone of our team's Source Energy theory."
Zhou Yuxuan was stunned.
He had never expected the third crystal to go to him.
After all, although he considered himself on good terms with Lin Yi, they were little more than casual friends, and he was far less close to him than the others in the hall.
But since Lin Yi had offered it to him and openly said he valued his ability to learn, he wouldn't refuse out of false modesty.
Zhou Yuxuan pushed up his glasses, trying to keep his expression calm. "Lin Yi, thank you for trusting me. I'll do my best to master it as soon as possible!"
As he said this, he even felt a little eager. I scored higher than Lin Yi on the Gaokao, and I already have his explanation to build on. With my ability to understand things, maybe I can get the hang of it in less than three hours!
After handing out the Guidance Techniques, Lin Yi noticed the disappointment on some of the others' faces and added a few words.
"For now, we're allocating things based on what's best for the team. As long as we all work together, we'll gradually get more Guidance Techniques and Source Energy Crystals."
Lin Yi didn't really care what the others thought. His main concern was how his parents might feel, which was why he'd taken the time to explain.
Besides, with how efficiently he could gather these resources, they wouldn't be a big deal once they got through the early stages. Everyone in the hall was a friend or relative he'd chosen to bring along; in time, no one would go without.
Lin Yi met his parents' eyes.
His mother, Zhou Jinghua, looked concerned and reluctant, but more than anything, she understood.
His father, Lin Ruiming, nodded firmly and said in a deep voice, "Xiaoyi's right! This is how it should be! We can't do much to help, and we certainly can't hold you back. Your strength is what keeps everyone safe!"
He said it both for Lin Yi and for everyone in the hall.
Lin Ruiming and his wife's support instantly dispelled any trace of resentment that might have lingered in anyone's heart.
Even Lin Yi's parents hadn't received a Guidance Technique. What could anyone else complain about?
After distributing the three Guidance Techniques, Lin Yi picked up the remaining three Level 1 Source Energy Crystals.
"I'm going to absorb these three Level 1 Source Energy Crystals myself."
"I nearly used up all my Source Energy in that fight. I need to recover as soon as possible and keep training to get stronger. That's how I can keep everyone safe and gather crystals more efficiently."
No one objected. At the moment, no one else could use Source Energy crystals, so of course Lin Yi should use them right away. There was no reason to leave them sitting around.
After putting away the three crystals, Lin Yi looked at the people who'd received the Guidance Technique crystals.
"The Guidance Technique contains a huge amount of information. It can be imprinted directly into your mind, but it still takes time to digest and understand. You can use it now and see what it feels like."
Chen Yu, Zhou Jianjun, and Zhou Yuxuan had been impatient to try. At once, they picked up their own Gray Crystals and crushed them, excitement and reverence clear on their faces.
Hiss...
Gray light entered the three of them between the brows.
Zhou Jianjun barely managed to hold back, but Chen Yu and Zhou Yuxuan both clutched their heads and cried out in pain.
After a while, Chen Yu's whole face scrunched up as he held his head and groaned.
"Ow, man... Is it just me, or does it feel like someone crammed the entire Five Years of Gaokao, Three Years of Practice Exams and an Encyclopedia into my brain?"
He shook his head, trying to sort out the flood of information pouring into his mind, but it was like facing a tangled mess. He had no idea where to start.
Zhou Jianjun kept his eyes closed, brow furrowed, the muscles in his face twitching slightly.
He was trying to work through the abstruse diagrams and text appearing in his mind. The abstract descriptions of "Source Energy Particles," "energy circuits," and "coordination with mental intent" felt like reading a book written in another language.
"But some of the descriptions of gathering and releasing power seem to match the core principles of force in military hand-to-hand combat... I'll have to take my time with it. No need to rush."
Zhou Jianjun opened his eyes and exhaled, his expression growing even more serious. He knew the road ahead would be anything but easy.
Zhou Yuxuan took the hardest hit.
Before crushing the crystal, he'd worn the focused, confident expression of a top student.
Now, his eyes were full of confusion.
"How... How is this possible..."
Zhou Yuxuan muttered, his voice dry.
"Three hours? No, at least ten days..."
His confidence evaporated, and his heart sank.
"No, even ten days might barely be enough to sort out these basic concepts... It'll probably take much longer to truly understand them and try guiding Source Energy... Lin Yi... How did he manage it?!"
The huge gap left him dazed. For the first time, he seriously doubted his own ability to learn.
Could Lin Yi be one of those freakishly gifted people? Is his talent in Source Energy? Was that just never a subject before?
A possibility suddenly occurred to Zhou Yuxuan, and he began reassuring himself. Otherwise, he couldn't accept that he and Lin Yi were now so far apart when they'd once been about even.
Lin Yi took in all three reactions.
Chen Yu's frustration, his uncle's solemnity, and Zhou Yuxuan's defeat were all just as he'd expected.
He patted Zhou Yuxuan on the shoulder and spoke in an even tone.
"Class monitor, the Guidance Technique is profound. I was lucky to figure out a little of it. Take it step by step and start by understanding the basics, like how to sense Source Energy Particles... It takes time and patience. There's no need to rush."
Zhou Yuxuan nodded, forcing himself to calm down.
"All right. The Guidance Technique will take time to digest, and there's no point rushing it. But we can't just sit around. There's something even more important we need to do."
Lin Yi's voice drew everyone's attention back to him.
"Hongfu Tower is safe for now, but we have to strengthen our defenses and gather supplies, so we're prepared for anything worse that might happen."
Before you continue