158: The second round: a competition to see who prevails in resource development.

The teleportation light of the Virtual Battlefield was soft yet steady, dragging Lin Zhou's consciousness from that battlefield, which was still permeated with the faint lingering scent of death and order, back to a pure white, silent, and infinitely vast initial login space.

The moment his feet touched the ground (as perceived by his consciousness), a bone-deep weakness and stinging pain swept over him, far clearer and more real than what he had felt in the battlefield projection. This was the direct feedback in the real dimension from the damage to his Godhead Origin and the over-exhaustion of his Divine Soul. He let out a muffled groan, his body swaying, nearly unable to stand.

There was no one else in the pure white space, only him and several floating, automatically expanding light screens in front of him.

The first light screen was the final settlement report of the first round of the free-for-all.

[Examinee: Lin Zhou]

[Examination Zone: 79]

[Final Ranking: 3]

[Points Earned: 9,857,421]

[Rewards settling...]

[Based on your ranking and contribution, you have received the following basic rewards:]

faith crystal x 50,000,000 units (can be directly absorbed and converted into pure faith power, accelerating the recovery and development of the Divine Kingdom).

Advanced Resource Card Pack x 1 (contains 5 random resource/terrain cards of Excellent to Rare quality).

Special Privilege: Informed of the general scope of the second round of assessment 24 hours in advance (development-oriented).

Examination Performance Evaluation Report (Top Secret level) has been submitted to Xinghai University and the admissions offices of relevant higher education institutions.

[Special Achievement Reward (Defeating the Leader of the Undead Scourge) being issued...]

[Death Divinity Crystal (Fragment)] x 1 unit (Faint) (Derived from the part of the divinity that collapsed when "Nether Bone" was injured, containing fragments of the laws of death, extremely dangerous, must be handled with caution; can be attempted to be purified and absorbed, used for special forging, or traded).

[Rule Source Essence (Damaged)] x 3 units (The rule Origin matter that dissipated after the projection of the Epic building [gate of death] collapsed; it has miraculous effects on repairing Godhead damage, strengthening Divine Domain rules, and enhancing building potential, and is extremely precious).

Extra civilization points settlement: +1,200,000 points (Due to special performance and significant battle results of the Way of Civilization).

Looking at the scrolling list of rewards on the light screen, especially the [Death Divinity Crystal (Fragment)] flashing with an ominous gray light and the [Rule Source Essence] flowing like liquid radiance, a trace of gratification appeared on Lin Zhou's pale face. The final adventure of the Sharp Knife Squad was worth it; Zhao Hao and the others had successfully captured these dissipated treasures despite the risk of the gate of death's final collapse. The value of these items far exceeded ordinary point rewards.

With a thought, he temporarily stored all physical rewards, except for the faith crystals and civilization points, into the encrypted storage area attached to the login space. Now was not the time to study them carefully.

The second light screen was a detailed personal status report and suggestions.

[Godhead (Temple of Civilization Core) Status: Severely damaged (Crack Level: 7), processing efficiency decreased by 85%, rule-bearing capacity decreased by 70%.]

[Divine Fire (Fire of Civilization) Status: Extremely weak, maintaining basic operation.]

[Divine Power Pool: Depleted (0.8%).]

[Divine Soul: Heavily over-exhausted, accompanied by multiple rule burns and conceptual backlash internal injuries.]

[Follower Core Hero Status (Elwin, Iron Judge, Grand Master Craftsman, etc.): Light to moderate damage, Origin undamaged, can slowly recover within the Divine Kingdom.]

[Suggestion: Immediately enter deep sleep, combined with high-quality faith crystals and restorative curios for nurturing. Estimated full recovery time (natural state): 3-6 months (Divine Domain time). Warning: Before full recovery, forcibly engaging in high-load divine battles or large-scale miracle manifestations carries the risk of permanent Godhead damage or collapse.]

The report was very blunt, and the situation was worse than imagined. 3-6 months of Divine Domain time would require at least ten days to half a month in reality. And the College Entrance Exam clearly would not give him such a long recovery period.

The third light screen was the preview for the second round of assessment that had just been unlocked.

[College Entrance Exam Round 2: Divine Domain Development and Potential Evaluation]

[Assessment Format: Consciousness access to a specific "Simulated Divine Domain" scenario. All Examinees will compete in comprehensive development capabilities such as Divine Domain construction, resource collection, follower cultivation, technical research, and population growth within a specified time under the same initial conditions (standardized Divine Domain area, basic environment, and starting follower quantity and type).]

[Assessment Duration: 72 hours of real time (time flow rate in the Simulated Divine Domain is approximately 30:1, i.e., about 90 days in the Simulated Divine Domain).]

[Core Evaluation Indicators: Total resource output efficiency, average level and potential enhancement of Followers, technology/civilization development degree, overall prosperity of the Divine Domain, achievement of special goals, etc.]

[Special Note: The Simulated Divine Domain is a highly realistic environment with barren initial resources and various challenges and random events in the environment. Resources, Followers (except for basic templates), or buildings cannot be carried directly from one's own real Divine Domain. One can only rely on the initial endowments and self-exploration and development within the simulated environment.]

[Assessment Goal: To test the Examinees' core basic skills and adaptability in planning, managing, and developing a Divine Domain after being stripped of their inherent advantages.]

[You enjoy a 24-hour priority right to know and can perform targeted preparations and deductions in advance.]

"Development assessment... Simulated Divine Domain... same initial conditions... barren resources..." Lin Zhou murmured to himself, his exhausted brain beginning to work at high speed. This was indeed the best way to test a deity's basic skills; by stripping away external factors and luck, what was being compared was true planning, management, development wisdom, and the ability to guide Followers. This would be a severe test for many Examinees who relied on powerful initial Followers or accumulated Family resources.

And for him, who had just experienced a divine battle, suffered Godhead damage, and was almost unable to use powerful miracles, the format of this round of assessment might actually be a kind of "protection"? At least he didn't need to engage in high-intensity divine battles immediately. However, development also required a deity to consume a large amount of mental effort for deduction, planning, and micro-management, which was equally a burden on his damaged Godhead and Divine Soul.

"I can't use powerful miracles... but the Hundred Schools of Thought, especially the advantages of the School of Agriculture, School of Mohism, School of Legalism, and School of Military in development, construction, management coordination, and technical research, can perhaps be utilized to the greatest extent?" A flash of realization crossed Lin Zhou's eyes. This round of assessment might be the perfect stage for him to apply the Hundred Schools of Thought to "construction" rather than "destruction"!

"The top priority is to recover my state as much as possible." Lin Zhou took a deep breath and extracted all 50 million units of faith crystals he had just obtained. The pure white space was suddenly filled with milky-white light spots of faith so dense they were almost liquefied. He sat cross-legged, and his Godhead (even though damaged) began to crazily absorb this pure faith power like a thirsty sponge.

As the faith power poured in, it first nourished the nearly extinguished Divine Fire, making it stable again and weakly growing. Then it began to slowly repair the cracks on the surface of the Godhead and soothe the trauma of the Divine Soul. He didn't dare use the [Rule Source Essence] for the time being; the energy level of this thing was too high, and his current state was too poor. Rashly absorbing it might be counterproductive, so he needed a more stable plan.

Time passed bit by bit during the repair. There was no day or night in the pure white space, and Lin Zhou was completely immersed in regulating himself. The wisp of pure moonlight Su Yueyao had left him before teleporting was like the gentlest spring, always flowing deep in his Divine Soul, greatly accelerating the repair process and effectively alleviating the sharp pain brought by the rule backlash.

Approximately twelve hours of real time later (thanks to the large amount of faith crystals and Moonlight Power), Lin Zhou slowly opened his eyes.

Although there was still fatigue in his eyes, the sense of weakness on the verge of collapse had mostly dissipated. The cracks in the Godhead had been repaired somewhat, downgraded from "severely damaged" to "moderately damaged," and the processing efficiency had recovered to about 40% of the normal state. The Divine Power Pool had recovered to 15%. The Divine Fire had also stabilized a lot, able to support some low-consumption divine arts and continuous rule influences. Most importantly, the internal injuries of the Divine Soul were stabilized by the Moonlight Power, and there was no longer tearing pain.

"I can barely cope with the upcoming development." Lin Zhou moved his consciousness body and looked at the preview light screen. There were about twelve hours left before the second round of assessment officially began.

He didn't waste time and immediately began to perform deductions and preparations based on the known information.

"Barren initial resources... means the start of development will be very difficult, maybe even basic food and clothing will be a problem. It tests how to find a Breakthrough under extreme conditions."

"Standardized Followers... the combination of Elves, Dwarves, and Murlocs that I'm good at guiding might not necessarily be there; I might need to adapt to new follower templates. But the universality of the Hundred Schools of Thought should be able to play a role."

"90 days of simulation time... three days in reality. The pace will be extremely fast. I must plan meticulously; every decision could affect the final evaluation."

"Special events... random challenges within the Simulated Divine Domain. They are both risks and opportunities."

Combining the Hundred Schools of Thought he had mastered, he began to construct a framework for an extreme development strategy in his mind, suitable for 'starting from scratch' and 'resource scarcity.' He focused on the Early Stage applications of the School of Agriculture (solving food and shelter, soil improvement), the School of Mohism (improving efficiency, researching tools), the School of Legalism (efficient management, eliminating internal friction), the School of Military (rational labor allocation, dealing with external threats), and the School of Confucianism (uniting people, enhancing potential).

He even simulated several extreme starts he might encounter (such as deserts, ice fields, and swamps), thinking about how to use the wisdom of the hundred schools to break through the predicament.

Just as he was immersed in his deductions, a faint mental link request with a familiar, cool aura came from within the login space—it was Su Yueyao.

Lin Zhou felt a slight warmth in his heart and accepted the link.

"Lin Zhou, how is your injury?" Su Yueyao's voice sounded directly in his consciousness, still cool, but her concern was clearly discernible.

"It has stabilized, thanks to your Moonlight Power," Lin Zhou thanked her sincerely. "The second round is a development assessment. How are things prepared on your end?"

"I am aware. Development is not my forte, but Moonlight Divine Power has some advantages in nourishing life, promoting plant growth, and purifying the environment," Su Yueyao replied. She paused, then added, "Your... your 'Dao' should have great potential in this round. If there's a need for coordination, you can contact me. If my initial Simulated Divine Domain coordinates are nearby, we might try limited cooperation." Her words were subtle, but the intent to offer support was clear.

Lin Zhou's heart stirred. Su Yueyao's Moonlight Divine Power indeed had unique advantages in agricultural development, follower health, and environmental optimization. If they could complement each other... "Alright, after entering the Simulated Divine Domain, if conditions permit, we'll contact each other again. You must also be careful."

After ending the communication, Lin Zhou felt more at ease. Su Yueyao's recognition and potential support made her a valuable ally.

In the remaining time, Lin Zhou continued to nurture his recovery while deepening his deductions. He also took a moment to check that [Death Divinity Crystal (Fragment)] and the [Rule Source Essence]. The former was filled with cold death and a trace of Chaos; with his current state and the attributes of his Fire of Civilization, the risk of forcibly absorbing or using it was too great, so he could only seal it away for now. The latter was much gentler, and the flowing radiance of rules made even his damaged godhead throb with desire. However, he suppressed the urge to use it immediately, deciding to save it for a critical moment or until he found a safer way to utilize it (perhaps by combining it with Mohist technology or Daoist methods).

Finally, the light in the pure white space lit up once more.

[Attention all Examinees: The second round of the College Entrance Exam, God Domain Development and Potential Assessment, is about to begin.]

[Consciousness connection in progress...]

[Loading Simulated Divine Domain scene...]

[Standardizing initial conditions...]

[Teleportation countdown: 3, 2, 1...]

Lin Zhou felt his consciousness being stripped away and cast into a shimmering tunnel. A moment later, a grounded sense of "reality" returned, and a massive flow of information flooded into his consciousness.

He had "descended."

The first thing he felt was barrenness.

It wasn't just desolation, but the kind of barrenness that felt like it had been repeatedly drained, leaving behind a sense of decay with almost no vitality left.

He stood on a gentle slope. As far as his eyes could see, there was a closed God Domain land area of about 50 square kilometers (similar to the size of his real God Domain at the end of the first round). The sky was a murky yellow, as if covered by a layer of dust that could never be wiped away. The sunlight was dim and weak. The air was dry, carrying the scent of dust and a faint metallic rust.

The ground was a lifeless grayish-brown, the soil compacted, with only a few scattered clusters of withered, unknown weeds struggling to survive. A few small streams meandered through, their flow turbid and slow, nearly at the point of drying up. In the distance were some low, bald hills with no visible mineral outcroppings or traces of forest. The only thing that could be called a "resource" was likely the sparse patch of shrubs bearing shriveled fruit at the bottom of the slope, and a small, shallow puddle of questionable water quality further away.

Environmental Scan (Preliminary Godhead Assessment):

Divine Power Concentration: Extremely Low (approx. 0.3 standard units, a near-magicless environment).

Land Fertility: Barren (Score: 15/100).

Water Resources: Scarce and poor quality (potable, but long-term consumption may lead to disease).

Mineral Resources: No obvious enrichment points found (requires exploration).

Vegetation Coverage: Extremely Low (5%).

Potential Threats: Trace amounts of inert Chaos aura detected in the environment, which may induce minor natural disasters (dust storms, droughts, insect plagues, etc.). A fragile barrier exists at the boundary; there may be impacts from wild demonic creatures or random events from the outside.

Geographic Score (Development Potential Base): 15/100 (Extremely Poor).

As the announcement had said, this was an extremely barren Simulated Divine Domain with a very high development difficulty! Many Examinees accustomed to resource-rich environments would likely fall into a predicament right at the start.

Next came the information regarding the initial Followers.

On a relatively flat open space below the slope, light flickered, and his starting Followers were "refreshed" into existence.

Quantity: 1000 units.

Race: Standard Template—Humans (Agrarian Settlement).

This was the most basic, least distinctive, yet most plastic Human Race follower group. They lacked the natural affinity of Elves, the forging talent of Dwarves, the powerful Physiques of Orcs, and the special abilities of elemental lifeforms. They were just ordinary Mortals who needed to eat and drink, who would get sick and grow old.

Among these thousand people, able-bodied young adults accounted for about 60%, while the elderly and children accounted for about 40%. They wore simple linen clothes, their faces were sallow from malnutrition, and their eyes were filled with a mix of confusion and terror, clearly extremely unsettled by the sudden change in environment. The "property" they carried was meager: some crude farming tools (stone hoes, wooden plows), a few pottery jars, several bags of shriveled seeds (likely from those shrubs), and just enough hard food to last for a few days.

Initial Follower Panel (Overview):

Race: Human (Standard Agrarian Settlement Template)

Quantity: 1000

Average Rank: LV1 (Civilian)

Average Attributes (Estimated): Strength 8-10, Agility 7-9, Physique 9-11, Intelligence 6-8, Spirit 5-7, Charisma 5-7.

Talents: [Learning Ability (Common)], [Adaptability (Common)].

Initial Skills: [Basic Farming LV1], [Basic Gathering LV1], [Basic Construction LV1].

Initial Loyalty: 60 (Fearful and Unsettled).

Initial Faith Level: Pan-believer (Extremely low faith output efficiency).

Special: None.

Looking at this group of bewildered Mortals who had almost nothing, and then at this barren and desolate land, Lin Zhou took a deep breath.

No powerful Followers, no abundant resources, no rich environment, and not even much time.

All he had were 1,000 most ordinary Mortals, a nearly abandoned piece of land, and... the vast wisdom of the hundred schools in his mind.

This start could be described as Hell difficulty.

But in Lin Zhou's eyes, the flames of fighting spirit ignited. The Hundred Schools of Thought were exactly what could shine brightest in such a pioneering environment of hardship!

"Very well," he whispered to himself, his voice carrying absolute determination. "Let this desolate land become the first touchstone to test whether the 'Way of Civilization' can truly 'turn decay into magic.'"

With a thought, his godhead began to operate (though it still carried a dull ache), and the Fire of Civilization swayed slightly in his Sea of Consciousness. His voice, carrying a faint but clear divine majesty, rang out over this barren God Domain and in the minds of all the initial Followers:

"My people."

"Though this place is barren, it shall be your new home."

"I shall lead you to use your hands and wisdom, amidst this desolation..."

"...to open up fertile soil, establish order, and ignite the Fire of Civilization!"

"Now, listen to my guidance—"

The second round of the College Entrance Exam, the battle for resource development, officially kicked off on this ultimate "blank slate"! And Lin Zhou would use a completely different method to interpret what... development truly meant!