Green Spirit Shine Crystal

Even Lin Yi, with all his composure, couldn't help but catch his breath when he saw what was inside the box.

The crystals were arranged in three rows, with seven in each.

The top row held seven crystals he knew well, each shimmering with a hazy gray glow.

The bottom row also held seven gray crystals.

But the middle row was entirely different.

Six of the crystals had the warm, lustrous white sheen of fine Mutton Fat Jade. Their light was restrained yet rich, as if they contained several times more energy than the gray crystals, and of far greater purity.

Nestled among them, like the moon surrounded by stars, was a brighter crystal.

It was a deep emerald green, like the purest emerald. As its light shimmered, a unique rhythm seemed to pulse within it.

Six white, one green!

"White crystals are one thing... but there's even a Green Spirit Shine Crystal..."

Lin Yi was quite taken aback.

No one understood better than he did what the different colors of Spirit Shine Crystals represented.

Gray corresponded to Abyssal Beasts below the Stardust level, such as Corrosive Abyss Wolves. Concentrated fire from ordinary light weapons or a heavy machine gun could effectively wound them.

White, on the other hand, meant the slain Abyssal Beast had surpassed the Stardust level, placing it somewhere between Stardust level 1 and 3.

In other words, it was what his previous life had called a low-tier Stardust level Abyss Beast.

The Stardust level was a threshold. Once a beast reached it, its strength underwent a dramatic transformation.

Their skin and muscles were tougher, and their speed and regenerative abilities far exceeded those of ordinary Abyssal Beasts. Conventional light weapons struggled to inflict meaningful damage; it often took repeated direct hits from heavy artillery or missiles to kill one outright.

Even so, they were still within the military's ability to handle.

So Lin Yi hadn't been particularly surprised to see white crystals.

The key was the green crystal.

Lin Yi stared at the Spirit Shine Crystal in the very center of the box. It represented a powerful Abyssal Beast at the Stardust level mid-tier.

Abyssal Beasts of this level usually appeared only in medium-sized or larger nests.

Based on what Lin Yi knew about Xia Country's weapons and Abyssal Beasts, he believed the authorities simply had no effective way to deal with one of this strength.

In his memories of his previous life, the authorities had given up after only a few attempts. The first Stardust level mid-tier Abyssal Beast wasn't killed until the seventh year of the apocalypse.

That wasn't to say human weapons couldn't hurt one at all. The force at the center of a tactical nuclear warhead's blast could still inflict significant damage.

But the crucial problem was—hitting it!

Abyssal Beasts of this level were already as intelligent as children of around ten years old.

How could a Stardust level mid-tier Abyssal Beast—possessing considerable intelligence and incredible speed—let a second or third missile hit it after surviving the first?

If the first strike failed to kill it, hitting it with missile-type weapons again would be all but impossible.

Yet now, on the very first day of the apocalypse, a Green Spirit Shine Crystal lay before him.

Lin Yi felt a weight settle in his heart.

"To kill an Abyssal Beast of this level, what exactly did the military... have to sacrifice?"

He knew that before long, as more and more human powerhouses emerged, crystals of this level would gradually become commonplace.

But in these earliest days, with civilization teetering on the brink and every step an ordeal, the value of this box of crystals was beyond measure.

They were more than just resources. They represented the Supreme Command's trust and expectations in him, without reservation.

"This feeling... sigh... The Supreme Command is a little too eager..."

Lin Yi understood that feeling all too well. After all, he'd spent so many years carrying that burden in his previous life.

For anyone else, especially some other young man, there were only two possible reactions: either his blood would run hot, or the weight of such heavy expectations would leave him struggling to breathe.

So this time, Lin Yi let just the right degree of shock, excitement, and disbelief appear on his face. He acted as an eighteen-year-old boy should when suddenly faced with such profound trust.

He lifted his gaze from the crystals and looked at Captain Tianpeng, his voice tinged with a barely perceptible hoarseness. "This... it's too precious... I..."

Captain Tianpeng watched his reaction with an understanding smile. A hint of pain flickered in his eyes, revealing that he knew all too well how hard-won these crystals were.

He said solemnly, "Staff Officer Lin, you deserve them. Headquarters believes they'll be put to greater use in your hands."

Lin Yi drew a deep breath and nodded firmly. He slowly reined in his excitement, his expression turning intensely serious.

"I'll study these crystals as soon as possible. I'll share any insights and results with the Supreme Command."

In truth, he would have done so even if the authorities hadn't asked him to, just as he'd voluntarily shared instructional videos.

He did it not only to repay their trust, but also because he knew that, in the Civilization Advancement Assessment's evaluation system, "a willingness to teach and to cultivate new forces for civilization" was an extremely important factor in an individual's assessment.

A selfish powerhouse who hoarded everything would earn far fewer contribution points for civilization as a whole. No matter how strong he was or how high his initial individual strength rating, a low assessment factor would greatly reduce his final score.

Lin Yi didn't immediately inspect the crystals to see what they contained. He put the box away and set it beside his feet.

There were no flowers or applause. Everything was kept simple.

In the battered First Floor Hall, amid the dim light and tense atmosphere, Lin Yi accepted the appointment letter and credentials representing his Major rank and position as General Staff Special Technical Advisor.

With the formalities completed, Captain Tianpeng seemed to relax as well. He checked the time. "Staff Officer Lin, our mission is complete. We have to head to the next objective immediately... Take care!"

"Take care! Safe travels!"

Lin Yi stood at attention and returned a salute. It wasn't quite regulation, but it was properly solemn.

He didn't ask where the other team was headed, but he had a general idea.

At this stage, the missions that required an elite team like Tianpeng's were limited to a few possibilities:

Rescuing a top scientist or leading scholar of national importance, recovering critical strategic materials, or conducting close-range reconnaissance of a High-level Nest.

Given the authorities' current strategy, the first possibility was the most likely.

Standing at the entrance to Hongfu Tower, Lin Yi watched the military helicopter roar back to life and rise into the air, eventually disappearing into the pitch-black night. He remained silent for a long time.

Only after the sound of the helicopter had completely faded did he turn and head back inside.

By then, his uncle, Lin Ruiheng, had brought over several women and was eagerly trying to arrange a place for the female Communications Officer, Captain Ren Yinuo, to rest.

"Captain Ren, it's getting late. Let me take you to a place where you can rest. The conditions are rather basic, so please bear with us..." Lin Ruiheng spoke with deference and a trace of caution.

Ren Yinuo shook her head, her eyes never leaving the equipment that had been brought inside. "Thank you, but it's not time to rest yet. I have to calibrate the equipment immediately and establish a stable connection with the General Staff Command as soon as possible. That's our top priority right now. Please just find me a relatively quiet, secure corner to set it up."

At her words, Lin Ruiheng turned to look at Lin Yi.

Lin Yi nodded to show he understood. "Let's do as Captain Ren requests. Uncle, get a few people to help move the equipment upstairs, and make sure it's protected. Captain Ren, just let us know if you need anything."

"Thank you, Major Lin." Ren Yinuo gave Lin Yi a polite smile, then waited where she was, ready to instruct the people who came to move the equipment.

Lin Yi didn't disturb her further. He turned and climbed the rope ladder back to Fujin Hall on the second floor.