271: initiative

This path won't work.

The letter from the future has already explored it.

Regardless of the faction, the mortality rate is terrifyingly high, and one is never in control of their own fate.

[In the end, you still have to return to reality, Ye Su!]

[Just like the core of an Ascender: Deceive! Only then can you survive!]

[Exaggerate your own value! Gain more bargaining chips!]

[As long as you have enough value, there is still a chance.]

[Ister will soon be unable to hold back; that fellow's situation isn't good, and it doesn't have as much confidence as you imagine.]

[A heavens will oath can definitely restrain it. Then, wait for an Opportunity—an Opportunity where the Calamity Mercenary Group encounters a broken Ascension Level Two world. At that time, they will summon all the Ascension Level Twos in the Universe to explore it. There's big loot inside!]

[I cannot be certain that our combat power holds an absolute advantage among the Universe's Ascension Level Twos, but the path of being a private mercenary for Ister's faction is definitely the most valuable!]

[I personally suggest you take this path. As for the others, whether it's Lu Yiyi or Wan Chun, they are 'distant waters that cannot quench a nearby fire'!]

[Alright, this is my and our analysis of the future. Next is the significance of the Start of Summer solar term.]

Ye Su exhaled a long breath.

In the future, many people must have explored the way already.

Or rather, every method that should have been tried has been tried.

The result is still that there is no stable and guaranteed winning path.

In that case—let's wait for an Opportunity.

'They' were right; distant waters cannot quench a nearby fire. Ister holds the key to survival.

Mainly, everyone's interests do not conflict.

It wants timing; it wants the data and processes of this four stars aligned planetary mutation.

And Ye Su wants the Blue Star, he wants Great Xia.

Between them, there is no inevitable life-or-death struggle.

Since there isn't one...

...then there must be a possibility for cooperation!

"The Calamity Mercenary Group's exploration plan, huh? Very well, let's see if I can wait for this Opportunity!"

Ye Su thought to himself, then continued reading.

[Start of Summer, all things grow; the timing for the Spirit Clan has come. Unfortunately, those idiots are currently obsessed.]

[Exploit them ruthlessly! Make them forge high-grade Spiritual Veins!]

[During this period, because the Ice Giant Star has promoted an Ascension Level Two, it will aggressively launch a war.]

[The outcome of this war will be the key to your negotiations with Ister. Consider it yourself.]

[As for opportunities, there is only one Opportunity during the Start of Summer: the Ring Belt Blood Essence Ore. This is the key to the development of Blood Qi Heavy Armor, the evolution of the Ice Giant Star's Orbtial Snowmen, and the development of Lava Hell's Fire Element equipment.]

[Go and seize it. Don't let them get a single piece of Blood Essence Ore. After that, the Ice Giant Star and Lava Hell will fall behind step by step.]

[At the same time, the planet's suppression of Ascenders will be further relaxed. Ye Su, do you want to travel the Universe? Go and try it!]

[Phew... the letter can only be written up to here.]

[I often think of that line from the first letter: 'I, we, are all counting on you.' So, Ye Su, we have a chance to meet again, right? Well then... keep it up!]

The letter...

...came to an abrupt end.

Then, it began to turn into flying ash, rustling as it fell.

Before the ashes even hit the ground, they began to disappear, as if they had never existed.

Start of Summer.

It was originally the season when all things grew wantonly.

But while it brought vitality, it also brought immense pressure for survival.

'I have one bargaining chip now.'

Ye Su thought to himself.

'That is the combat power to truly help Ister stabilize the four stars aligned situation.'

'Heavens Will Strike—it's too overpowered.'

'But this chip can only be brought out when Ister is ready to bargain.'

Balance...

...was the meta of the last season.

But it is not the meta of this season.

With the information from the letter from the future, Ye Su also felt it was time to change the meta.

To seize the true initiative...

...is what Ye Su needs to do right now.

Only by seizing the true initiative can the value of the Blue Star's mutation be utilized to the greatest extent.

Looking up...

...Ye Su gazed at the pitch-black sky.

With a thought...

...the planet relaxed its suppression of the Ascender.

Travel the Universe?

Ye Su began to ascend rapidly.

Even the blue star will, upon noticing, gave Ye Su sufficient thrust.

Mach 1.

Mach 2.

Mach 3!

Mach 5!

...

If not for the protection of his Divine Weapon, this speed would have already started to cause damage.

But eventually...

...Ye Su stood above the atmosphere.

Beneath his feet was the azure planet, and aligned with this azure planet were three other planets.

four stars aligned.

This was the first time Ye Su had seen this scene with his own eyes.

It was truly spectacular.

It was impossible to imagine how the Ghost Clan's Ascension Four had achieved this.

This kind of great power was truly exaggerated.

Suddenly...

...from those planets beneath his feet, streaks of light shot into the sky.

Ascension Level Twos!

Moreover, these three Ascension Level Twos were not locals.

Heh.

It was party a.

Whether it was Ister, Gust, or that Wang Clan leader from Lava Hell...

...immediately after Lu Yiyi's batch of party a left, they had brought in the second batch of party a.

After these party a members farmed the timing during the Start of Summer, they could also obtain timing during this solar term to promote and leave.

Then, the Wang Clan would bring in a third wave of party a.

Selling timing was just like that.

Wave after wave, treating the mutation of the planets beneath them as resources.

Soon...

...these three party a members discovered Ye Su.

"A native?"

Someone exclaimed.

There was astonishment in the tone, but not much disdain.

Hey.

Are there actually polite people in the Universe?

No, it was only because they weren't from the Great Clans.

If this native Ascension Level Two had a chance to bind with a Great Clan, then today's disdain wouldn't they be making fools of themselves?

After they discovered Ye Su...

...Ister quickly rushed over.

Ye Su, after all...

...mastered the Heavens Will Strike.

What if he really went on a rampage and hacked party a to death?

After Ister arrived, Gust and the Wang Clan leader from Lava Hell also came.

Then they persuaded their party a members to leave.

Before leaving, Gust and the one from Lava Hell glared at Ye Su.

This gave Ye Su a slight sense of crisis.

Hey, hey, hey—you're not going to call people to beat me up, are you!

"Ye Su, are your injuries healed?" Ister asked subconsciously.

"Barely."

Ye Su gave a bitter smile.

He pretended to be in a state where his heavy injuries had just begun to improve.

Ister breathed a sigh of relief and moved to turn away, yet stayed, appearing as if it had something to say but was hesitating.

Ye Su, Heavens Will Strike.

This was simply a godsend!

If he were allowed to recover and forcefully slay Gust and the one from Lava Hell...

...then wouldn't it have the final say over these four stars aligned?

All the previous fighting and schemes...

...were completely inferior to the Heavens Will Strike!

"When will you be able to truly recover?" Ister asked.

Ye Su felt a surge of joy in his heart.

Holy crap.

Ister, you really couldn't hold it in.

And here I thought you had so much self-control.

Faced with the temptation of controlling the four stars aligned, you still spoke up.

And since you've spoken...

...it means the initiative has begun to fall into my hands!

"Soon. Do you have something on your mind?"

Ye Su looked at Ister with a faint smile.