Time flowed like water, passing quietly on the scale of the Star Sea.
A year had passed since he met General Luger and finalized his participation in the tiered battlefield.
The East Blade Mercenary Corps had not left the Ash Star Domain. Instead, using it as their base, they had operated like patient hunters in the relatively safe Star Domains nearby, taking on second- and third-tier mercenary missions—clearing out small groups of the Kunmo Race, escorting supply fleets, and the like.
These missions kept the risks manageable. They allowed the mercenary corps to stay operational and earn the Star Crystals they needed, while also giving the team a chance to continue honing their coordination.
That day, aboard the North Wind, Lin Yi had just finished a round of high-intensity virtual combat in the advanced training room, where the Source Energy concentration far exceeded that of the outside world.
Data scrolled rapidly across the light screen before him:
[Simulated Opponent: Standard Kunmo Race Elite Combat Squad] [Battle Result: Total Annihilation.] [Kill Efficiency Evaluation: Increased by 0.71%.] [Source Energy Consumption Evaluation: Reduced by 0.3%.] [Proficiency in Applying the Power of Rules: Increased by 0.13%.]
Lin Yi studied the data, his expression calm.
The rate of improvement is still a little slow, he thought.
On a real battlefield, these details could mean the difference between life and death.
According to the information General Luger had shared, the tiered battlefield would officially open in less than three years.
These three years were a precious window for the East Blade Mercenary Corps and for his own development. They could not afford to slack off for even a moment.
Just then, Xuanji's voice rang out.
``` [Received a targeted information stream from the Universal Mercenary Alliance headquarters via the Pan-Spirit Alliance Virtual Network's ultra-encrypted