Mercenary Assessment

Ten days later.

Qiu Long Star.

Since anyone who wanted to become a Universe Mercenary first had to register as a Universe Adventurer, and becoming a Universe Adventurer required applying in person at the Universe Mercenary Alliance, Su Zhe had made another trip to Qiu Long Star.

The Universe Mercenary Alliance had several ranks: Adventurer, Apprentice Mercenary, One-star Mercenary, Two-star Mercenary, and Three-star Mercenary.

Adventurers didn't need to take an assessment. They only had to register, and they were automatically recognized as Adventurers. Apprentice Mercenaries had to pass an assessment, as did One-star Mercenaries... Every title required passing an assessment!

Anyone at Star Level could take the Apprentice Mercenary Assessment.

After registering as an Adventurer, Su Zhe immediately applied to take the Universe Trainee Mercenary Assessment. Once he passed, he would become a Universe Trainee Mercenary.

Su Zhe paid ten thousand Black Dragon Coins, and his application for the Apprentice Mercenary Assessment was quickly approved.

The task was to enter the World of World Lords on Canglan Star, obtain three Wind Horn Stones and one Single-Horned Iron Rhino horn, then hand them over to the Universe Mercenary Alliance staff stationed at the exit of the World of World Lords.

All Apprentice Mercenary Assessments in the Black Dragon Mountain Star Sector took place in the World of World Lords on Canglan Star.

Not long after Su Zhe registered for the assessment, someone approached him to sell a detailed map of the World of World Lords on Canglan Star. Su Zhe spent a few Black Dragon Coins on one and got a general idea of the place.

By rights, entering the World of World Lords on Canglan Star at this point was a bit of a loss.

Su Zhe knew that a few years later, a World within a World would appear there, giving people a chance to obtain a huge stockpile of resources that could serve as starting capital for venturing into the universe.

But Su Zhe couldn't wait that long.

He could use that time to do something else and improve his strength even faster.

Ordinary people needed to make preparations before entering a World of World Lords, such as buying weapons and equipment or bringing along Star Level Nine slaves. But Su Zhe didn't need any of that.

First, he had no money.

Even second-tier Force Weapons and Force Battle Suits cost hundreds of millions or even billions of Black Dragon Coins if you wanted decent ones. With the money Su Zhe had left, he could only afford a first-tier Force Weapon.

First-tier Force Weapons were made for Planetary Level fighters and were completely useless to Su Zhe.

Second, there were Su Zhe's abilities.

With his ability to constantly devour and evolve, he might even reach Star Level Four or Five during this trip to the World of World Lords. And with the Blacklight Virus's Camouflage ability, he could even blend into other groups. There was no need to bring someone along as dead weight.

Camouflage was most useful in places like this, where there were plenty of people around.

Many groups had formed on Canglan Star just for the trip. Since their members barely knew one another, this was the perfect time to blend in.

Canglan Star was one of the top hundred most important planets within the territory of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire.

Su Zhe arrived aboard a spacecraft.

"Master, we've arrived at Canglan Star."

Su Zhe's AI assistant was a small, virtual birdlike figure he had named Xiao Yu.

"Good."

Su Zhe nodded slightly. Babata hadn't come along this time, but Su Zhe had brought the probe from the Black Ink Star Ship. That way, he wouldn't be completely lost once he entered the World of World Lords.

After the spacecraft docked, Su Zhe set out for the Thunder World.

Before him lay an endless night.

Su Zhe landed on the ground. It was a pitch-black world, with only faint glimmers of light far above in the distance. Beneath his feet stretched an endless black desert.

The Death Desert.

Su Zhe narrowed his eyes slightly. The Thunder World's gravity was about 3,900 times Earth's.

The entire World of World Lords had been forged by a World Master using Universe Origin Energy, making it far more unusual than the materials found outside.

The Death Desert was one of the most dangerous regions in the Thunder World. Even vicious beasts dared not live there.

Su Zhe picked a direction at random and flew forward. After a short while, a continuous mountain range appeared before him. It seemed he had landed right at the edge of the Death Desert.

Now that he had found the mountain range, he wasn't far from finding the Single-Horned Iron Rhino required for the assessment.

The Single-Horned Iron Rhino's horn was one of the items required to pass.

Su Zhe continued deeper into the mountains, but stopped flying openly and proceeded on foot instead.

He hadn't forgotten that the most dangerous things in the World of World Lords were the other people taking the assessment.

After killing a vicious beast along the way, Su Zhe used the Blacklight Virus's Camouflage ability to mimic its appearance and headed toward his destination.

"Boss, what do you think we..."

A few voices came from below Su Zhe. He looked down and saw a four-person group. They were all fairly ordinary in strength and had probably entered the Thunder World only recently. They hadn't obtained the items needed for the task yet.

One of them was at Star Level Five. Of the other three, two were at Star Level Three and one was at Star Level Two.

It was an ordinary group, and they looked poor, too.

Su Zhe hadn't even considered killing them, but their conversation made him prick up his ears and listen closely.

"...We've already collected enough Wind Horn Stones. Now we just need to hunt a Single-Horned Iron Rhino, and we can leave." The Star Level Five fighter spoke. He was the group's leader.

"That wasn't easy!"

The group members sighed.

"We've been in here for almost three months. We can finally finish the assessment!"

"Yeah... Too bad about Third," someone said in a low voice.

The group fell silent.

Su Zhe narrowed his eyes slightly. The Wind Horn Stones were the most troublesome part of this assessment. If he killed these people, he could save a lot of time waiting for Wind Horn Stones to appear and focus on improving his strength instead.

Should he do it?

Su Zhe was still hesitating when a commotion broke out below—

"Who's there?!"

The group leader roared. A long, broad saber appeared in his hand. The attacker was a short, slender figure dressed in black robes. After failing to land a hit, the assailant tried to retreat.

"Don't let him get away!"

The group members reacted and immediately chased after the assassin.

Su Zhe frowned slightly.

Seriously, assassin? Why were you running this way?

Su Zhe had wanted to keep his location hidden, but as the assassin passed by him, he seemed to make a casual attempt to kill the vicious beast Su Zhe had disguised himself as.

That was more than Su Zhe could tolerate.

Just a Star Level Four fighter.

He dared to provoke Su Zhe?

Su Zhe willed it, and the Domain of Fire erupted!