Divine Nature is Arrogant

While Li Yi and Miao Wanwan were having a brief exchange.

The other seven people in their group were also talking and getting acquainted with one another.

They did not avoid Li Yi's side, so he roughly learned the names and backgrounds of the others.

Among them, three were descendants of the Power Clan from Base 11, and they carried themselves completely differently from everyone else.

Several people who were not from the Power Clan clustered around those three, looking perfectly willing to do so.

At this moment.

For some reason, after the three had said something.

A burly man attached to their group walked over to Li Yi and Miao Wanwan with a smile.

"Greetings, fellow colleagues. My name is Tan Jiantong, from the Merchant Clan of Base 11. May I ask how the two of you are called?"

"Miao Wanwan, Artisan Clan of Base 31."

"Li Yi, The Humble Clan of Base 31."

There was no concealing one's background, so Li Yi stated it frankly.

Still, he had not expected Ding Xu, a descendant of the Power Clan, to have a cousin or fiancée who was merely from the Artisan Clan.

Tan Jiantong said with a hearty smile:

"Brother Li comes from The Humble Clan, yet he was still recruited by the Deep Space Fleet as a mech pilot. You must have some extraordinary skill."

Li Yi smiled. "Anyone recruited by the Deep Space Fleet has a few special tricks up their sleeve."

"Brother Li is absolutely right."

As Tan Jiantong spoke, his gaze shifted back and forth between Li Yi and Miao Wanwan. Then he sighed.

"Still, joining the fleet is only the first step of a journey of ten thousand miles. The waters inside the Deep Space Fleet run deep.

"Every year, different capital ships travel to various human planets to recruit newcomers. Altogether, there are tens of thousands of recruits.

"But fewer than fifty newcomers each year, at most, get to pilot Divine Mechs.

"And our capital ship only has ten newcomer slots.

"The rest can mostly only pilot ordinary mechs. For their entire lives, they can do no more than labor as cannon-fodder mech pilots.

"Several elders in my family were successfully recruited by the Deep Space Fleet in their younger days. Back then, they were all brilliant and high-spirited.

"Unfortunately, not a single one obtained the qualifications to pilot a Divine Mech.

"By their sixties, every one of them had aged beyond recognition.

"Trying to pilot a Divine Mech... evolving the human body is truly difficult!"

At this point, Tan Jiantong sighed endlessly, his expression as moving as that of a top-tier actor.

And honestly.

Someone lacking in worldly experience might truly have been affected by Tan Jiantong's words.

But Li Yi absorbed vast quantities of fragmented parallel memories in his dreams every day.

Such a minor performance naturally could not fool him.

Still, Li Yi did not expose him. Instead, he asked:

"Judging by your manner, Brother Tan, do you have a way this time?"

"You guessed right, little brother."

Tan Jiantong leaned closer, jerked his chin toward the three members of the Power Clan, and lowered his voice.

"In truth, the Deep Space Fleet has existed for nearly a century. Its internal factions have long become deeply intertwined. Take the Jade Pool (Yaochi) No. 7 we're riding—many of those in high positions of power come from the Power Clan of Base 11."

"Even the Jade Pool Nymph AI, the main control AI of the Jade Pool (Yaochi) No. 7, was primarily developed and is controlled by Base 11."

Li Yi stroked his chin. "You mean that if we follow these people from the Power Clan of Base 11, we can get a Divine Mech?"

"Brother Li, merely following them certainly won't be enough. You need to produce some achievements, earn some merits. That's what matters."

"Oh? Merits such as what?"

Li Yi continued along with the other man's lead.

"For example, putting in great effort to assist those noble Power Clan gentlemen during the martial competition, helping them secure a place in the top ten."

"That way, we can latch onto the thighs of powerful patrons. Wouldn't our odds of succeeding in the future be much higher than trying to succeed by taking part in some martial competition?"

Tan Jiantong said smugly, "As for me, I happen to have a little acquaintance with those noble gentlemen. How about this? I'll recommend you to assist them. With Brother Li's abilities—being born into The Humble Clan yet still making it here—you'll definitely accomplish something. What do you think?"

Li Yi merely smiled without speaking.

So this Tan Jiantong, who looked honest enough with his thick brows and big eyes, had actually come to act as a pimp.

It was not that Li Yi looked down on descendants of the Power Clan.

He was already confident that he could make the top ten, so why would he go out of his way to seek out those Power Clan descendants, who might not even be of any use?

If things were truly as Tan Jiantong said, then the Power Clan of Base 11 could easily obtain slots to pilot Divine Mechs.

Then those three would not have come here to recruit other mech cadets.

"Brother Li, what do you mean by staying silent? What, you think I'm groveling to the Power Clan, so you look down on me?"

Tan Jiantong feigned anger.

Li Yi shook his head. "I wouldn't go so far as to look down on you. Everyone has their own path. I just think that in your current state, even if you really got the chance to pilot a Divine Mech, you might not necessarily achieve human evolution. I've heard that Divine Mechs are inherently very proud."

Tan Jiantong's head grew hot, and a surge of anger rose in his chest.

His anger had been fake just now. This time, he was genuinely furious.

First, he felt that he had offered kind advice, only for the other party to fail to appreciate it. Second, he could not deny the embarrassment of having his hidden thoughts exposed.

Indeed, when he had boarded the ship and heard the experienced advice of his clan elders—that he had to cling tightly to the Power Clan of Base 11—he had considered the same question.

If he truly obtained a Divine Mech through sheer clinging and got to pilot it, could he really awaken divinity and achieve human evolution?

The more he thought about it, the more terrifying it became. So he dared not think too deeply.

In the end, Tan Jiantong suppressed the fire in his chest.

"Brother Li, it seems we're not on the same path and can't work together. See you around!"

With that, Tan Jiantong flicked his sleeve and left, returning to the three members of the Power Clan from Base 11.

"Brother Li, I think you're right."

Miao Wanwan suddenly spoke in a clear voice.

She had remained silent until then.

Li Yi had not expected that as soon as Tan Jiantong left, her previously calm expression would suddenly change, as though she could no longer hold her thoughts in.

"I've felt it firsthand. Even ordinary mechs contain extremely faint traces of divinity... How should I put it? Um... they're very picky about their pilots."

"People who are good at compromise probably find it difficult to awaken a Divine Mech."

"So, if one cannot defeat all their opponents by relying on themselves, but merely uses tricks to gain the qualifications to pilot a Divine Mech, then they will probably find it difficult to pilot one successfully as well."

Li Yi turned to look at Miao Wanwan, carefully studying her eyes.

They held determination and seriousness.

"Thank you for sharing that."

His resolve to take first place also grew firmer.

"Interesting. That member of the Humble Clan refused?"

Liang Xing revealed a surprised expression.

"Sorry. Li Yi thinks he has some special skills and is rather arrogant. I couldn't persuade him."

Tan Jiantong said bitterly.

"What about that pretty girl? What did she say?"

"I heard earlier that she's the fiancée of Ding Xu from Base 31, so..."

"Forget it. The Ding Clan also has considerable influence aboard the Jade Pool (Yaochi) No. 7. Leave her alone for now."

"As for that member of the Humble Clan, if we run into him in the virtual simulation, we can casually teach him a lesson. After all, we're still in the same unit right now. There's no need to make things difficult for the instructors and affect our later evaluations."

"Right, right, right. He's just a member of the Humble Clan. Once he truly establishes himself in the fleet, he'll understand what a great opportunity he missed."

Tan Jiantong suppressed the faint trace of disgust he felt toward the Power Clan and echoed the other man.