Crafting a Local "Genius" Persona

Lin Yi was a member of the War Faction at the time, always active on the front lines fighting against the Abyssal Beast.

"The War Faction..."

Thinking of this, a cold, mocking smirk curled the corners of Lin Yi's mouth.

Even as they built a line of defense with their own flesh and blood on the front lines, the internal friction and obstruction in the rear never ceased, ruthlessly dragging the possibility of completely eradicating the Abyssal Beast into nothingness.

It wasn't until the envoys of the Purple Gold Star Union descended with their cold evaluation that the higher-ups finally realized...

All of this was not the "interdimensional overlap" or "Higher Dimensional Life experiment" they had speculated, but an assessment that would determine the future and destiny of their civilization.

The price was the entire Blue Star being nailed to the pillar of shame as a "Resource Star."

After stepping into the universe and gaining the qualifications to use the Pan-Spirit Alliance Virtual Universe Network, the unwilling higher-ups of the Blue Star Civilization immediately looked up information regarding the Civilization Advancement Assessment.

Lin Yi still remembers the cold assessment rules vividly to this day.

If the civilization is destroyed or the Abyssal Beast is wiped out, the assessment ends early; if they remain in a stalemate, it concludes after one thousand years.

When the assessment ends, the nascent civilization receives a civilization rating, and surviving individuals receive personal ratings.

Personal ratings are determined based on the number and level of Abyssal Beast killed by the individual during the assessment, as well as their performance in specific events, categorized into nine grades.

From the lowest grade 1 to the highest grade 9, these will directly determine the individual's resource quota and level of access after the assessment concludes.

The civilization rating is comprehensively evaluated based on factors such as the duration of the assessment period, overall performance, survival rate of the population, technological potential, and resistance will, also divided into 9 grades.

This will determine the civilization's initial status, resource allocation, and subsequent development space after being incorporated into the Human Race territory.

In his past life, the Blue Star Civilization ultimately only obtained a civilization score of over 6 million, receiving only a grade 2 comprehensive civilization rating.

This resulted in Blue Star being designated as a bottom-tier "Resource Star" after being placed under the jurisdiction of the Purple Gold Star Union in its sector.

However, Blue Star is located in a Source Energy Barren Zone, and the vast majority of equipment requires the consumption of Source Energy Crystal to start.

Therefore, human labor containing weak source energy became the top priority.

After all, the Purple Gold Star Union would not bother with any source energy infrastructure for a grade 2 rated civilization.

Just like that, countless compatriots were forced into the Grassroots Material Refining Factory, performing day-after-day repetitive labor while receiving only meager compensation.

Even though he knew these were things that had not yet happened in this life, as the memories flooded back, Lin Yi still couldn't help but press his lips together tightly.

And what about himself?

The long and arduous journey of his previous life weighed heavily on his memories.

In the ruins during the early stages of the assessment, he fought to the death with strangers over a lowest-level Spirit Shine Crystal, nearly being buried by a collapsing floor slab.

In the corner of a dark shelter, by a glimmer of light, he hungrily studied the basic cultivation techniques extracted from the crystal, groping his way onto the path of cultivation, every step accompanied by immense risk and endless loneliness.

To obtain a bit of scarce resources, he traveled through the ruins of old cities filled with unknown dangers, brushing shoulders with death countless times.

And at that time, his friends and family had long since been freed from this apocalypse, leaving only him to walk alone in the darkness...

Even though he relied on the tenacity and courage honed on the edge of life and death to endure for over seven hundred years to promote to the Star Core level, and remained active on the front lines of resisting the Abyssal Beast, he ultimately only obtained a grade 4 personal rating, allowing him to become an outermost member of the Galactic Mercenary Alliance and leave Blue Star to step into the vast universe.

But that was merely the most basic entry ticket to the vast sea of stars; his starting point was low, and resources were scarce.

Even though he later luckily climbed to the Star Vortex realm, that power came too late and was too thin.

He didn't even get the chance to go back and change the fate of Blue Star; just because of an insignificant "chance encounter," he was wiped away by an elder of the high and mighty Ziles Family as if brushing off a speck of dust.

"Heh... Ziles..."

Lin Yi closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. When he opened them again, only the calm facade belonging to his current age remained in his eyes.

He cast his gaze out the window; the sunlight was still bright, the cicadas were still noisy, and the laughter of children downstairs was still full of vitality.

However, this warm picture, falling into his eyes at this moment, seemed to be shrouded in an invisible shadow.

One week later, that Eternal Divinity avatar would descend into the outer space of Blue Star to begin the Civilization Advancement Assessment.

Lin Yi knew clearly that for the natives of a nascent civilization, wanting to change their own destiny, change the destiny of their home planet, and strive for a high-level rating was the only way out.

And if he wanted to aim for a high-level personal rating, he would inevitably have to display shocking talent.

Terrifying combat instinct, extremely high cultivation speed, astonishing comprehension of rules...

"With my Star Vortex level foundation, it will be effortless to disguise myself as a Blue Star genius..."

Lin Yi pondered secretly.

"Even if I enter the universe in the future and someone discovers that this 'genius' has 'exhausted his talent' after the Star Vortex realm... the rewards and resources will already be in my hands. There are so many geniuses among the Human Race who fade into the crowd, one more won't matter."

"However..."

"There is one point that requires special attention."

Lin Yi frowned, carefully pondering an assessment rule he had discovered while sorting through his memories just now.

[If a potential candidate with a personal rating of grade 7 or higher is unearthed, the deity in charge of the assessment can receive additional rewards!]

When he saw this rule in his past life, he only wrung his hands and sighed at the rewards for those high ratings.

Now, he couldn't help but secretly rejoice in his heart that he had once checked information related to high ratings.

Because this cold rule would become a sword hanging over his head.

What does this mean?

Obviously, Divine Spirits have sufficient motivation to pay attention to individuals who display exceptional performance and astonishing potential.

The Rule Domain at the Star Domain level, the Internal World at the World Derivation level, and the Micro Universe at the Eternal Divine level—commonly known as the Divine Kingdom—are all renowned hallmarks of their respective realms.

At the same time, these are the three most widely circulated and well-known aspects of these realms on the Pan-Spirit Alliance Virtual Network.

After all, the Star Core and Star Vortex levels are too low-tier and exist right beside us. As for those above the Eternal Divine level, one must show deference to the Venerable Ones; much of that information is sensitive and rarely appears on the Virtual Network.

During the civilization Assessment Period, the entirety of Blue Star is shrouded under the Divine Kingdom Projection of a Divine Spirit.

Lin Yi guessed that if he were to receive a rating of level 7 or higher, it would very likely attract the gaze of a Divine Spirit.

Furthermore, from the moment the Divine Kingdom Projection covered Blue Star, everything that occurred throughout the entire assessment could be traced back and reviewed at any time, provided the Divine Spirit wished it.

If he, as an ordinary Blue Star youth who had just graduated high school and had never come into contact with any transcendent power, were to abruptly display superior killing efficiency and an uncanny, prophetic knowledge of Abyssal Beast types, habits, weaknesses, and even their movements...

Would these displays be reasonable for an ordinary teenager?

Long, arduous trials of life and death had long ago carved the word "caution" into his soul.

He did not know what attitude the upper echelons of the Human Race, or rather, the Divine Spirit responsible for the assessment, would take toward a genius who performed so "abnormally" during the test.

Would they be overjoyed and cultivate him vigorously?

Or, out of some security concern or desire for research, would they conduct deeper investigations and exert control?

He did not know where the tolerance threshold of the Human Race's upper echelons lay regarding anomalies.

He dared not gamble.

To entrust one's fate to the "goodwill" or "rules" of unknown existences is extremely foolish.

Fortunately, the starting point for the Divine Spirit Avatar's retrospective review could only begin from the moment the Divine Kingdom Projection covered Blue Star; otherwise, the mere fact that the Ancient Jade had turned to ash would have exposed him without a doubt.

Lin Yi only pondered for a moment before making up his mind.

"Regardless of whether the Divine Spirit Avatar decides to review the footage, from this moment on, I must perfectly integrate into the persona of high school graduate Lin Yi."

"I must mold myself into a homegrown Blue Star genius who erupted with astonishing potential, heaven-defying comprehension, and tenacious willpower during this apocalyptic disaster."