Simulation: Participating in the Universe Mercenary Assessment

[At 25, you conceal your existence, using Iron Vine Grass to travel ten million kilometers away from Thousand Leaf Planet, before boarding a spaceship to Cui'en Planet.]

[You are very lucky.]

[Although the slave traders confirm that this riot was likely man-made, they do not suspect you, who suddenly disappeared at the time.]

"Very good."

Han Han feels a surge of joy; as long as he doesn't seek revenge on the slave traders, he won't arouse any suspicion.

It is just a pity that he cannot control the direction of the simulation, and the Han Han inside lacks his god-like perspective and various memories of the Swallowed Star plot.

[You arrive at Cui'en Planet. Since you are only at the Planetary Rank and traveling on an ordinary spaceship without bodyguards, you are intercepted by three Star Rank level 7 raiders on your way to the city.]

[Helpless, you have no choice but to use Gold Wood Grass to kill them in retaliation, as it is not convenient for Iron Vine Grass to appear yet.]

[After entering the city, you easily head to the Administrative Building to register your status as an imperial citizen, while also visiting the Universe Galaxy Bank and the Virtual Universe Company to conduct business.]

[Although you have not exposed your identity, there is a Domain Lord on Cui'en Planet, and you worry that he might notice something.]

[Therefore, you spend 20 million Cuilang Coins to purchase a spaceship made entirely of C2-Rank alloy, which comes with ten sets of Auxiliary Optical Computers.]

"Having money really makes a difference."

Han Han immediately feels that his initial choice of Cuilang Coins was a very correct decision. Although a C2-Rank Spaceship cannot be considered top-tier, it is at least better than an A-Rank one.

[You choose to head to the Mugu Star System, which is controlled by the Third Prince of the Cuilang Empire, who himself resides on the core planet, Mugu Planet.]

[You enter Yuanwei Planet, located on the edge of the Mugu Star System.]

[You begin closed-door cultivation. In your view, only by nurturing one of your plant lifeforms to the Domain Lord Rank can you ensure your safety.]

[At 35, having not stepped outside once in these 10 years, you successfully break through to Universe Rank level 1. Within the Micro World, Gold Wood Grass has already broken through to the Domain Lord Rank, though unfortunately, Iron Vine Grass is stuck at Universe Rank level 9.]

[As long as you don't court death, you generally won't encounter any accidents at the Universe Rank in the Mugu Star System, so you feel safe going out.]

[You first enter the virtual universe. You originally wanted to inquire about the slave traders of Thousand Leaf Planet in the public area, but upon asking, you discover that the Strongest Tournament hosted by the Virtual Universe Company is currently accepting registrations.]

(The Genius Tournament has not yet started, so you can only participate in the Strongest Tournament.)

[You decide to give it a try and fill in your information.]

Han Han: "???"

"Was I really that overestimating my own capabilities?"

Han Han laughs for a moment.

Him? Registering for the Strongest Tournament? What a joke! Although it looks like he often spars with Iron Vine Grass, he ultimately lacks real combat experience and is far behind other Universe Rank experts.

[You participate in the preliminary rounds. Through your research, you learn that only the top 10 in the Strongest Tournament preliminaries can advance. However, before you can even adapt to the power fluctuations of the Universe Rank level 9, a flash of golden sword light kills you instantly.]

"I knew it."

Han Han wears an expression of "as expected."

In fact.

He doesn't have high expectations for the Genius Tournament or the Strongest Tournament. After all, his own talent is truly average, and entering the Doomsday Secret Realm isn't necessarily better than staying outside.

Of course, it also depends on luck; if he could trigger a massive feedback of law comprehension, he would certainly give it a try.

[You are deeply discouraged.]

[But you are not disheartened, because you know that in reality, you could completely rely on Gold Wood Grass and Iron Vine Grass to finish off your enemies.]

[At 36, you discover that the backer behind the Thousand Leaf Planet operation is a Domain Lord named Huashan from the Heaven Seeking Pavilion.]

[You feel a hint of trouble.]

[It is not because you cannot kill him—at this time, your Gold Wood Grass has already broken through to Domain Lord level 2, and in a few years, it will be able to surpass Huashan. What you care about is the Heaven Seeking Pavilion behind him, which is not a force you can afford to provoke.]

[You contemplate whether to join a faction, especially since you recently heard that the Third Prince of the Cuilang Empire is recruiting subordinates.]

[After thinking it over, you dismiss this idea, because your background stops at the moment you registered as a citizen; everything before that is a blank slate, making it difficult to gain true trust. It is better to be free and easy.]

[At 40, you break through to Universe Rank level 9.]

[At this moment, you are somewhat distressed, because breaking through to the Domain Lord Rank requires comprehending your own domain, but you have no clue how to do so.]

[You turn your focus to secret techniques.]

"Finally, I've had a breakthrough."

Han Han is truly moved to tears; if it weren't for the current situation, he would have wanted to start practicing long ago.

[You enter the Cui'en Region within the virtual universe, where the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion is also located. You can purchase secret techniques directly through the virtual universe.]

[You are hindered by money.]

[You haven't worried about treasures all these years, so you haven't been earning any, and now you realize you can only afford the most basic secret techniques.]

[After thinking it over, you decide to participate in the Universe Mercenary assessment.]

[Becoming a Universe Mercenary will not only improve your status in the Cuilang Empire but also allow you to take on missions to earn sufficient wealth. Furthermore, you know that the Universe Mercenary Alliance has its own purchasing channels, and you hope to obtain secret techniques through them.]

[You are at Universe Rank 9, so you are participating in the 1-star Universe Mercenary assessment. After completing the formalities, you are taken to a desolate galaxy, where you learn the content of the assessment: enter the Thousand Wave Secret Realm, hunt 10 Ice Prism Beasts, and bring out the ice prisms from their foreheads to submit.]

[The Thousand Wave Secret Realm is a micro-sized universe secret realm filled with an Ice Ocean. An ordinary immortal could sweep through the entire realm, so the Universe Mercenary Alliance uses it for 1-star and 2-star Universe Mercenary assessments after clearing and modifying it.]

[You are not worried about your safety.]

[Data shows that Ice Prism Beasts live on the periphery of the Thousand Wave Secret Realm, with strengths ranging from Universe Rank 1 to 9. The assessment requirements do not specify the strength of the Ice Prism Beasts.]

[You enter the Thousand Wave Secret Realm.]

[There are 18 people in total participating in the assessment with you, and one Universe Rank 9 participant invites you to team up, which is permitted by the rules.]

[You refuse without hesitation.]

[Because you never intended to do the work yourself; using plant life is also allowed in the assessment, and Gold Wood Grass is a genuine Domain Lord.]

[You begin hunting the Ice Prism Beasts.]

[You are surprised to discover that Ice Prism Beasts can often unleash even more terrifying power within the Ice Ocean; even a Universe Rank 1 beast could likely kill a Universe Rank 3 warrior. You sigh, realizing the assessment is indeed not that simple.]

[You hunt nearly 69 Ice Prism Beasts.]

[The Thousand Wave Secret Realm is a universe secret realm, after all, and you feel that no matter how thoroughly the Universe Mercenary Alliance cleared it, there must be omissions. You develop the idea of exploring, especially since there is still plenty of time left before the assessment ends.]

[Protected by the Domain Lord level Gold Wood Grass, you boldly enter the Ice Ocean.]

[As the depth increases, the cold seems to freeze your consciousness as well, and a layer of ice crystals even forms on the battle suit created by the Gold Wood Grass.]

[At the same time.]

[You perceive a faint, mysterious aura.]