To Ye Xiu, the library packed with skill books looked like a treasure trove!
Meanwhile, the talent-enhanced skill was also shared with Yi Tian:
[You shared employee Ye Xiu's skill: Holy Oracle Awakening!]
The team's healing problem was solved, but this was only the beginning.
Ye Xiu continued searching and soon found his next target:
[Green Machine Gun: Fires rapid, consecutive shots at enemies. Restricted to Gunners.]
"A Gunner skill would go a long way toward filling our ranged damage gap."
The strength of the Freelancer class began to show itself here. Ye Xiu didn't need to consider class restrictions when choosing skills.
He could draw on the strengths of every class!
Moreover, the Thousand-Mechanism Umbrella could transform into a Mythic weapon for any class. Combined with his all-class enhancement talent, it let him make full use of every class's abilities.
Ye Xiu was thoroughly pleased. "These class abilities practically feel tailor-made for me!"
With that, he used the Green Machine Gun skill book as well.
[All-Class Enhancement-Green Machine Gun enhanced into: "Metal Storm"!] [Metal Storm: Raises firing speed to its limit, instantly releasing five hundred to eight hundred bullets to form a dense web of fire. Each bullet reduces the enemy's defense and movement speed by 5%.]
Now this ranged damage skill seemed to double as an armor-breaking and crowd-control skill.
Secretly delighted, Ye Xiu swept his gaze over the other shelves of skill books.
"One more ranged damage skill. Medium Secret Realm defenders come in all kinds, so we need some anti-air coverage too."
He considered it for a moment, then reached out and pulled out a book:
[Electro-Optic Ball: Deals bouncing damage to enemy targets, with a chance to inflict paralysis.]
Learn-enhance ↓
[Divine Punishment Thunder Domain: Creates a vast domain of lightning, dealing immense chain-lightning damage to enemies within it and guaranteeing paralysis. When the domain ends, it generates a 'Thunder Tribulation' that deals execution damage.] (Paralysis: Greatly reduces movement speed, with a chance to briefly stun.)
With clear goals in mind, Ye Xiu took and learned one skill book after another.
His abilities became increasingly well-rounded...
[Taunt] enhanced → [Chaos Domain] [Roll] enhanced → [Three-Stage Flash Step] [Decoy Clone] enhanced → [Multi-Shadow Clone] [Wave Slash] enhanced → [Soul-Rending Sky-Splitting Slash] [...]
In the end, Ye Xiu selected eight skills in total, all geared toward teamwork.
He didn't choose more because he knew his current mana and energy were limited. These were already enough.
Yi Tian shared all these skills as well.
The two then said goodbye to Wei Yuan and left the Logistics Department.
With the team's ability lineup sorted out, Ye Xiu felt even more confident about clearing the Medium Secret Realm.
He asked Yi Tian, "Boss, all that's left now is raising the team's levels..."
"If we follow my leveling plan today, we should reach an average of level 17. That'll make clearing the secret realm much more certain."
Yi Tian nodded thoughtfully.
"We might even reach a higher level."
Ye Xiu said, "That's unlikely. My calculations already assume the fastest possible dungeon-clearing rate..."
Yi Tian said nothing. He simply brought Ye Xiu back to the apartment and prepared to use [Hold a Meeting].
Come to think of it, this was his first truly "formal" meeting since obtaining the skill.
It would also mark the start of their first team battle.
[Please select a meeting type-]
Yi Tian said, "Strategic Meeting."
(Strategic Meeting: After the meeting ends, all members gain 40% more experience for 3 hours. If [Employee Benefits] is used, experience gained increases by 120%!)
As his words fell, the scene before him rapidly distorted and reassembled like a hologram.
The meeting room of light and shadow, seemingly suspended above the stars, lit up once more.
"What an amazing ability."
Ye Xiu appeared in the second row of the long crystal table and looked around in surprise. Jiang Che sat across from him.
Bai Qiu Li and Wan Jiang sat in the first row, studying the newcomer Ye Xiu curiously.
"Qingcheng's Medium Secret Realm will appear tomorrow. We'll tackle it as a team, and we will clear it!"
"Ye Xiu here will serve as the team's commander."
Yi Tian got straight to the point without wasting words, introducing Ye Xiu to the others.
In this meeting, no one would challenge Yi Tian's instructions.
Still, Bai Qiu Li studied Ye Xiu, inwardly questioning whether he could shoulder the responsibility of command.
Amid his excitement, Wan Jiang noticed a problem. "A Medium Secret Realm! Wait, Boss, aren't our levels a bit too low?"
Ye Xiu spoke up calmly:
"I've already put together a leveling plan. We'll run dungeons together today and raise everyone's level to at least 17!"
The higher one's level, the harder it became to level up. At high levels, gaining one level a month was quite common.
Ye Xiu's plan already offered an exceptionally fast leveling rate.
"That's pretty efficient!" Wan Jiang wasn't surprised that everyone working for Yi Tian was talented.
However, none of the others present, including Ye Xiu, knew about the meeting's additional effect yet.
Yi Tian opened the employee benefits options-
[1. Insurance Coverage: Spend funds equal to 3 × employee count to generate a life-saving shield for every employee. Each shield can block one instance of fatal damage and lasts three days.]
Using employee benefits would raise the Strategic Meeting's experience buff to 120%!
But with four employees, that meant spending 4 × 3 = 12 fund points!
Calling it a fortune was no exaggeration.
Still, to make clearing the Medium Secret Realm more certain, Yi Tian suppressed his heartache, gritted his teeth, and decided to spend it!
Four employees clearing the Medium Secret Realm meant four payouts from Profit Sharing. He would definitely earn back double what he spent!
But his funds balance reminded him that after changing Ye Xiu's class, his original 51.7 fund points had fallen to just 11.7.
"..."
Yi Tian pondered for a moment, then immediately checked everyone's work for the day, hoping to scrape together a little more funding.
Unexpectedly, Bai Qiu Li, who had gotten up early that morning, solved the problem outright:
[Employee Bai Qiu Li: Cleared Monster Wilderness-Hell difficulty three times. Reward: Funds +0.3!]
"What a model employee!"
Three Hell-difficulty dungeon runs in one morning-she truly was a hardworking genius.
Yi Tian couldn't help marveling at her effort, even wondering whether he should get her some kind of reward.
With 12 fund points secured, Yi Tian granted everyone the Employee Benefits [Insurance Coverage] before the meeting ended!
His funds balance dropped to zero.
"A shield that saves us from death! Great stuff. Thanks, Boss!"
"With this shield, maybe I should go push my limits in the Demon-Sealing Tower again..."
"..."
The employees thanked Yi Tian, never expecting an even bigger surprise after the meeting ended.
"Holy crap!"
Looking at the buff now on him, Ye Xiu was completely stunned:
[Strategic Meeting buff: Experience gained increased by 120% for three hours!]
Leveling was difficult for all class holders, which made effects that increased experience gain especially precious.
Sometimes an item that boosted experience by 20% could fetch an astronomical price of several hundred thousand at auction, with demand still outstripping supply.
Yet Yi Tian had just given everyone a 120% experience boost!
Ye Xiu turned toward Yi Tian in disbelief. "I'm not hallucinating, am I, Boss?"
Yi Tian said, "You only have three hours. Make good use of them."
At those words, Ye Xiu immediately grew fired up.
With this buff and his leveling plan, they could make up for their level disadvantage!
If they still couldn't clear the realm after this, then the fault really would lie with him as commander!
"Leave it to me, Boss!"
Meanwhile, at Qingshan No. 2 Middle School.
Small maglev trains pulled up outside the school gates one after another, and this year's seniors lined up to board.
Four days before the college entrance exam, the Ministry of Education organized an opportunity for every senior taking the exam to undergo a large-scale team dungeon trial.
The team dungeon was an important pre-exam event, designed to improve students' practical combat and teamwork skills while also letting them obtain decent equipment and skill books.
The students eagerly boarded the trains.
Bai Qiu Li had just emerged from a secluded corner of the school, looking somewhat surprised at the buff she had received after the meeting.
"Qiu Li, where did you go just now?"
Principal Ji Changlin couldn't help asking when he saw her. He raised a hand to gesture toward the train. "The team dungeon train is about to leave. Hurry aboard!"
Having learned that Yi Tian intended to tackle the secret realm, Bai Qiu Li had already changed her plans.
"I'm sorry, Principal. Something came up, so I won't be joining the team dungeon. I hope you'll approve my absence."
"What could possibly be more important than the team dungeon?"
Ji Changlin frowned slightly and earnestly tried to persuade her. "Qiu Li, a large-scale team dungeon can help make up for some gaps in your equipment. You'll only get this one chance!"
Both of Bai Qiu Li's parents had died. Apart from the school's scholarship, she had no one to help her and could only rely on herself for equipment and resources.
Compared with wealthy students or candidates backed by large guilds, she was inherently at a disadvantage in equipment, skills, and items.
That would put her at a disadvantage when competing for a high rank in the college entrance exam.
Bai Qiu Li naturally understood what Ji Changlin meant, as well as the pros and cons.
But tackling a Medium Secret Realm was too outrageous, completely beyond what a high school senior should be capable of. She simply offered a different explanation:
"Don't worry, Principal. I understand all of that."
Her gaze was confident, her tone serious. "I'm determined to take first place in the East China Region in this year's college entrance exam!"
Ji Changlin, who had intended to keep persuading her, was moved. His words caught in his throat, and after a long pause, he nodded.
"All right. I'll get you special approval to skip the team dungeon. Until the exam, you're free to make your own arrangements."
"Thank you, Principal."
Before you continue