250: Breakthrough in practical combat, advancement in divine level (weak).

The setting sun was like blood, dyeing the shattered battlefield with a layer of tragic dark red.

The fortifications at the entrance of the headquarters were in a mess. The alloy gates had been violently torn apart, with broken limbs of the Zerg and charred marks still hanging on the edges. Most of the temporarily constructed low walls and bunkers had collapsed, and the ground was covered in pits—some left by the Zerg Digging Piercers, others caused by explosives. The air was thick with blood, charred stench, the characteristic acidic rot of Zerg bodily fluids, and a faint, lingering scent of Order purified by the Fire of Civilization.

The battle had ended.

Qin Feng's War God Academy squad and Lin Zhou's remaining defenders had joined forces to clear out the last Zerg resistance units inside the headquarters—about thirty Hydralisks and Drones hiding in ventilation ducts and damaged equipment. At this moment, in the headquarters hall, most of the precision instruments were destroyed, screens were shattered, and wires were exposed, but the core communication array and command terminal, under the desperate protection of technical personnel, barely managed to retain some functions.

Major Rex—the highest commander of the station, a resolute middle-aged soldier with a blood-stained bandage wrapped around his left arm (True God, lv320, mid-stage Lesser Divinity)—stood before the damaged command console, listening to reports on the battle situation from various defense sectors. His face was etched with exhaustion, but his eyes remained as sharp as an eagle's.

Lin Zhou and Qin Feng stood a short distance away. Both looked quite disheveled. Lin Zhou's robes were torn in many places, stained with dust and dark green Zerg blood, and his face was pale from excessive Divine Power consumption, but the light deep within his black eyes was more concentrated and sharper than before the battle. Qin Feng's War God Academy standard armor was also covered in scratches and dents, and the tip of the lightning halberd in his hand still bore charred marks.

They had just experienced a life-and-death battle that turned from despair to reversal.

"...The fourth and seventh defense sectors repelled the attack, with casualties around 15%; the second and fifth defense sectors are still engaged, but the situation is controllable; the first and third defense sectors suffered over 40% casualties due to focused attacks, but the defense line remains unbroken..." The raspy voice of the communications soldier echoed in the hall.

Major Rex listened and remained silent for a moment before turning to Lin Zhou and Qin Feng, solemnly giving a military salute: "Second Lieutenant Lin Zhou, Second Lieutenant Qin Feng, and all the soldiers who participated in the battle. On behalf of the KT-73 Outpost Base, I thank you for your persistence and support. If you hadn't fought desperately to block the raid of the Zerg elites and decisively launched a counterattack, once the headquarters fell, the entire base's defense System would have collapsed completely, and the consequences would have been unimaginable."

His voice was low and powerful, carrying the directness and weight characteristic of a soldier.

Qin Feng straightened his back and returned the salute: "It was my duty, sir. Besides, Second Lieutenant Lin was right to analyze that the Zerg's next target would likely be my defense sector. Striking early was also for self-preservation."

Lin Zhou also bowed slightly in return, his voice calm yet filled with unquestionable determination: "The Zerg are the great enemy of my Human Race. Defending the front line is an inescapable duty. It's just..." His gaze swept across the wounded receiving emergency treatment in the corner of the hall and the bodies of the fallen neatly arranged and covered with blood-stained sheets, his voice dropping slightly, "The cost... was not small."

Major Rex's eyes dimmed for a moment, then hardened again: "The cost of war has never been light. But their sacrifice held the line, protecting the Star Domain and billions of compatriots behind them. Glory belongs to the martyrs, responsibility to the living." He paused and looked at Lin Zhou, "Second Lieutenant Lin, I've reviewed the battle records, especially your command in the face of danger, the construction of the temporary defense line, and the entire process of persuading Second Lieutenant Qin to provide support. Your performance far exceeds the level of a trainee. Your 'Hundred Schools' tactics, and that... peculiar power of thought, showed amazing resilience and adaptability in actual combat. I will record this faithfully in the battle report and request merits for all of you."

"Thank you, sir," Lin Zhou responded calmly, without much joy in his heart. The shadow of Elwin's sacrifice had not yet fully dissipated, and the fallen soldiers and God's People before him weighed just as heavily on his heart. But he also knew that this was the battlefield, a cruel baptism necessary for growth.

"Your Divine Power consumption is very high, especially Second Lieutenant Lin's," Major Rex continued. "The base's emergency repair System and Divine Power replenishment array are being prioritized for repair and can be activated in about three hours. Until then, I authorize you to rest in the headquarters' safe zone and use a limited amount of the stocked Elementary faith crystals for recovery." He pointed to a relatively intact area at the side-rear of the hall, where some supplies had already been simply cleared out.

Lin Zhou and Qin Feng nodded in thanks. They indeed needed time to recover.

Upon arriving at the rest area, Qin Feng sat cross-legged and took out a [Standard Faith Crystal (Small)] emitting a milky white glow, beginning to absorb the relatively pure Power Of Faith within to convert into his own Divine Power. Most of his Titan-descendant followers were also significantly injured and were recuperating in his God Domain, recovering slowly.

Lin Zhou did not start recovering immediately. He leaned against a section of a metal wall that had not completely collapsed, slowly closed his eyes, and his consciousness sank into his own God Domain.

God Domain Status Panel (Immediate post-battle):

God Domain Name: Hundred Schools Divine Kingdom (Faintly Rule-based)

God Domain Area: 82 square kilometers (slightly reduced due to continuous combat consumption and some terrain damage)

Deity: Lin Zhou

Divinity Rank: LV200 (Peak Faint Divinity) [EXP: 99.7%]

Divine Power Reserve: 1850/18000 [Extremely Depleted]

Divine Fire Status: Burning steadily, but the flame is slightly dim; conversion efficiency temporarily decreased by 20% due to divinity overload.

Core Followers:

Literary Heart Elves (formerly Forest Elves): Survival count 1247/1800 (Battle loss rate 30.7%), Average Rank LV32, Hero Unit: Elia (lv38, light injuries, mana exhaustion)

Tiangong Dwarves (formerly Mountain Dwarves): Survival count 856/1200 (Battle loss rate 28.7%), Average Rank LV33, Hero Unit: Grum Anvil (lv36, critically injured and unconscious, recuperating in the God Domain)

Law Fishmen (formerly Shallow Sea Mermen): Survival count 703/1000 (Battle loss rate 29.7%), Average Rank LV31, Hero Unit: Seth (lv35, moderate injuries, still insisting on maintaining part of the Net of Law)

Important Buildings:

[Jixia Academy]: Slightly damaged (Function integrity 90%), Enlightenment efficiency -5%

[Temple of Law]: Moderately damaged (Left side hall collapsed, function integrity 70%), Net of Law range and intensity -15%

[Tiangong Workshop]: Slightly damaged (Function integrity 95%), R&D and construction speed -3%

[Imperial Hospital]: Overloaded, wounded recovery speed +30% (but effect diminishing due to lack of resources)

river of civilization: The phantom is slightly dim, but the radiance of thought flowing in the river remains resilient, and the core of the Fire of Civilization is stable.

Current Main Negative Statuses:

[Divinity Overload Aftermath]: Divinity calculation efficiency decreased by 30%, natural Divine Power recovery speed reduced by 50%, duration 12 hours.

[Mixed Faith]: Recently absorbed a large amount of intense emotional faith such as wartime urgency, fear, and survival; needs time to be purified.

[Rule Oscillation]: The God Domain's internal rules are slightly unstable due to intense divine combat and external rule impact (Zerg chaotic rules).

The battle loss data was shocking. Especially the casualties among the followers. The Literary Heart Elves' losses exceeded thirty percent, and the Tiangong Dwarves and Law Fishmen were also close to thirty percent. These were the subjects who had followed him for a long time, growing step by step from insignificance. Although he knew war inevitably brought casualties, seeing the cold numbers and feeling the sadness and exhaustion permeating the God Domain, Lin Zhou's heart still felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand.

"The principal was right; war is never a game," Lin Zhou thought to himself. In the academy's simulated battles and competitions, no matter how intense, there was rule protection, and such large-scale permanent losses of followers rarely occurred. But on a real battlefield, every clash could mean an eternal farewell.

He "looked" into his God Domain. The Literary Heart Elves were gathered near the damaged Academy and the Tree of Life, softly chanting from the classics, using the power of culture to soothe the pain and bury their companions. The Tiangong Dwarves were urgently repairing damaged workshops and residences, the clanging of their hammers revealing their resilience. The Law Fishmen, led by Seth, were clearing the battlefield and maintaining basic Order, judging the chaotic and sinful thoughts generated by the war. The physicians and pharmacists of the Imperial Hospital were busy beyond measure, using simple medicinal herbs and the little remaining Spiritual Qi for acupuncture to treat the wounded.

Grief was present, but not despair. Order was still stubbornly functioning. This was the power of civilization—it could not avoid pain, but it could give meaning to enduring that pain and the strength to continue forward.

Lin Zhou's consciousness swept through every part of the God Domain, feeling his believers' relief at surviving, their mourning for fallen companions, their slight uncertainty about the future, and... their deeper, more complex faith in him as their deity. In that faith, there was dependence, gratitude, and awe for his great power, and it also began to blend with a hint of reflection and identification with the "Way of Civilization" itself.

[Faith Feedback Analysis]:

Devout believer ratio: 87% (up 5% from before the battle)

Faith purity: Medium (contains many emotional Impurities, needs purification)

Core belief anchors: "Civilization Protection", "Survival of Order", "Deity's Guidance"

New shallow-level social trends: "What is the meaning of war?" "Is sacrifice necessary?" "Can different races (Elves, Dwarves, Fishmen, and even Orcs) truly coexist?"

civilization points growth: +12470 points (Main sources: practicing thoughts in actual combat, winning against the strong as the weak, joint resistance against enemies, deepening followers' understanding of civilization)

civilization points had once again grown significantly. But what Lin Zhou was more concerned about at this moment was the 99.7% mark on his divinity experience bar, and the throbbing sensation coming from his Divine Fire, as if it were about to overflow.

"It's time to break through..." Lin Zhou realized in his heart. This bloody battle was not only a life-and-death test for him but also a comprehensive tempering. Commanding multiple races in coordinated combat, adapting to use Hundred Schools of Thought to deal with different enemies, using the School of Diplomacy tactics to persuade reinforcements in a desperate situation, enduring the pain of high-load divinity operation, witnessing sacrifice and the cruelty of war firsthand... all these experiences turned into thick nourishment, pushing his divinity firmly toward the next threshold.

From Faint Divinity (lv100-200) to Lesser Divinity (lv201-500), it seemed like just a change in numbers, but it was actually a significant qualitative change on the path of a deity. It meant a leap in the upper limit of Divine Power, an enhancement in rule control, a transformation in the quality of Divine Fire, and it also represented finally having a bit of confidence to stand firm in the vast star sea and cruel divine wars.

Lin Zhou was not in a hurry for success. He first took out the five [Standard faith crystals (Small)] that Major Rex had authorized for use. Each crystal contained about ten thousand units of relatively pure Power Of Faith, which for a True God was better than nothing, but at this moment, it was help sent in an hour of need.

He gripped the crystals, circulated his Divine Fire, and began to slowly absorb and convert them.

[Divine Power recovering...]

[Absorbed faith crystals *5, obtained approximately 50,000 units of Power Of Faith]

[Divine Fire converting... (Current conversion efficiency: 0.8 Divine Power / 10,000 Faith, affected by aftermath)]

[Obtained Divine Power: +4 points]

[Current Divine Power Reserve: 1854/18000]

It was a drop in the bucket. However, Lin Zhou was not impatient. He adjusted his breathing, allowing his consciousness to resonate with the river of civilization, drawing upon the relatively pure civilization faith deposited within it (derived from the portion of his believers' identification with the concept of civilization within his Divine Domain) to assist his Divine Fire in the conversion process. Simultaneously, he began to review and organize every detail of the battle, every decision made, and every application and collision of thought.

The School of Diplomacy's 'Vertical and Horizontal Alliances' had not only persuaded Qin Feng on the battlefield but had also 'united' a path to survival for all the defenders in their desperate straits. The School of Military's 'Immovable as a Mountain' and 'Swift as the Wind' had achieved a new level of tacit understanding during defense and counterattacks. The Legalist School's 'Net of Law' defined Order and illegality, showing significant effectiveness when confronting the chaotic insect tide. The Mohist School's quick-witted creations forged critical obstacles when resources were scarce. The Confucian concept of 'Enlightenment' even soothed the emotions of the sub-races after the battle, maintaining the stability of the Divine Domain... There was also the tenacity of the Daoists, the benevolence of the School of Medicine, and the sophistry of the School of Names (used against the Titans, and although not used in this battle, the experience remained)... Each school of thought was not an isolated theory, but a living force tempered in life-and-death combat. They intertwined, complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses, together forming a corner of the grand tapestry of 'Civilization'.

“Civilization... is not merely words in classics or the radiance in temples.” Realizations welled up in Lin Zhou's heart like a spring. “It is alive; it is the wisdom of struggling for survival, the torch lit when facing darkness, the common denominator found by different individuals and races for coexistence, the values defended by the sacrificed with their lives, and the reason for the living to forge ahead under heavy burdens... It exists in every choice, every stand, every alliance, and even every battle that must be fought.”

As his comprehension deepened, the river of civilization within his Divine Domain seemed to sense something; its flow speed increased slightly, and the points of light representing thoughts in the water grew brighter, as if the whispers of countless ancient sages were resonating. The bronze ancient lamp, formed from the [seed of civilization (Incomplete)] obtained from the ancient grotto-heaven, saw the flame at its wick sway gently, producing a deeper resonance with Lin Zhou's Divine Fire.

[Comprehension accumulating... Godhead experience growing slowly... 99.71%... 99.73%... 99.78%...]

Lin Zhou no longer made a conscious effort to guide it, instead allowing his mind to fully immerse itself in this practical realization and retrospective reflection on 'Civilization'. Time passed quietly. In the resting area, Qin Feng had finished his preliminary recovery and was checking his equipment, occasionally glancing at Lin Zhou with a hint of curiosity and inquiry. He could feel an unusual fluctuation brewing within Lin Zhou.

In the headquarters hall, repair work proceeded against the clock; the wounded were being transferred one after another, and the fallen were being properly settled. The air was thick with the exhaustion and faint sadness that follows tension, but a sense of relief from surviving the disaster was also quietly taking root.

An unknown amount of time passed.

Within Lin Zhou's Divine Domain, the Godhead experience points finally reached that critical threshold—

[Godhead Experience: 100%]!

Buzz—!

There was no world-shaking roar, but an invisible, grand fluctuation quietly spread out with Lin Zhou as the center! This fluctuation was not a pure venting of power, but more like a slight adjustment of rules, a quiet leap in the level of existence!

First was the Divine Fire.

The ball of pale-gold flame burning steadily at the core of Lin Zhou's consciousness suddenly shrank inward, as if turning into an extremely condensed point of light, before abruptly expanding! The color of the flame shifted from pale gold toward a purer, more solid bright gold! The volume of the flame did not increase much, but its 'density' and 'quality' underwent a visible enhancement! The light emitted during its burning was more gentle and restrained, yet it contained more majestic transformation power and rule affinity!

Just as the Divine Fire expanded to its limit and its light was at its Peak, deep within the core of the flame, a crystal fragment—smaller than a grain of rice, yet crystal clear and seemingly containing endless mysteries of rules—slowly condensed and precipitated! It slowly rotated around the originally existing main Godhead crystal (representing Lin Zhou's initial Godhead), with invisible rule threads connecting the two, together forming a more complex and stable micro-System.

The second Godhead fragment!

Though this newborn fragment was tiny, it meant that Lin Zhou's Godhead structure was beginning to move toward complexity and specialization! It was not water without a source; the rule tendencies it condensed clearly bore strong 'Civilization' characteristics, especially the imprints of the thoughts of the 'School of Diplomacy', 'School of Military', and 'Legalist School' that had been profoundly applied in actual combat! This meant that Lin Zhou's future Godhead development would be more closely bound to the Dao of the Hundred Schools of Civilization!

Immediately following was the explosion of Divine Power!

The Divine Power pool, which had been nearly dry, was like it had connected to a vast ocean; its upper limit began to climb crazily! The efficiency of the Divine Fire converting faith into Divine Power, after breaking through the Bottleneck and improving in quality, instantly recovered and surpassed its optimal state!

[Godhead Rank increased! LV200 → LV201!]

[You have officially stepped into the 'Lesser Divinity' Realm!]

[Divine Power limit increased! 18,000 → 27,000 (50% increase)!]

[Divine Power recovery speed increased! Base recovery speed +100%!]

[Divine Fire conversion efficiency increased! Current efficiency: 1.2 Divine Power / 10,000 Faith!]

[Godhead calculation capacity recovered and enhanced! Overload sequelae eliminated!]

[Rule perception and control slightly increased!]

[Divine Domain rule bearing capacity increased! Divine Domain area limit slightly increased!]

[Obtained Lesser Divinity trait: [Preliminary Rule Extension] — Your Divine Domain rules can exert a more significant and lasting influence on the external environment.]

On the data panel, values refreshed like bamboo shoots after a rain! A Divine Power limit of 27,000! That was a full 9,000 points higher than at the Faint Divinity Peak! This was a qualitative leap! More importantly, the Divine Fire conversion efficiency had increased from the pre-war best of 1 Divine Power / 10,000 Faith to 1.2, which meant the daily faith collection and Divine Power accumulation speed would increase by 20%!

Within the Divine Domain, changes were occurring simultaneously. The world, which had been somewhat unsettled due to battle and rule vibrations, quickly stabilized and even became more solid. The boundaries of space seemed to expand outward by a fraction. Under the feedback of the Godhead promotion, the Spiritual Qi concentration also recovered slightly. Most importantly, the phantom of the river of civilization became more solid, and the sound of the rushing river water became clearer, as if a real river carrying the history of civilization was gradually taking shape in the void of the Divine Domain.

All sub-races, regardless of the severity of their injuries, felt the shroud of a grander and warmer will from their deity at this moment. Their exhaustion was dispelled slightly, their pain seemed to lessen, and their confidence in the future inexplicably strengthened. Especially those individuals who had gained insights during the battle or had a deeper understanding of civilization thoughts, their bodies even glowed with a faint light, and their attributes received a small permanent boost.

[Some sub-races received Breakthrough feedback]

Elia (Literary Heart Elves Hero): Level increased to LV39! Learned new skill: [Civilization's Healing] — Channels the concept of civilization to soothe pain, healing effect +15%, with a slight effect of dispelling negative mental effects.

Seth (Law Fishmen Hero): Level increased to LV36! Skill [Judgment] effect enhanced, dealing +5% extra damage to 'Chaos' and 'Evil' factions.

Grum Anvil (Tiangong Dwarves Hero): Serious injury status stabilized, recovery speed +30%.

Literary Heart Elves Sub-race: Average level increased to LV32.5! Compatibility with Confucian thought slightly increased, hidden growth in Wisdom attribute.

Tiangong Dwarves Sub-race: Average level increased to LV33.5! Compatibility with Mohist thought slightly increased, the chance of creating items of Excellent quality slightly increased.

Law Fishmen Sub-race: Average level increased to LV31.5! Compatibility with Legalist thought slightly increased, discipline and Execution strengthened.

In the resting area, Lin Zhou slowly opened his eyes.

In that instant, Qin Feng keenly noticed that a subtle yet profound change had occurred in the temperament of this Xinghai University freshman. Before, Lin Zhou had been steady and rational, with a depth in his eyes that surpassed his age, but he ultimately carried a sense of academic 'framework'. Now, that framework seemed to have been melted by blood and fire, broken by choices between life and death; having re-condensed, it became more restrained, yet also heavier, more... dangerous? No, it was more like the prototype of some unwavering 'Dao' was beginning to manifest upon him. His Divine Power fluctuations were also significantly stronger; although still not comparable to his own (LV210), that growth speed was startling.

“You broke through?” Qin Feng raised an eyebrow, his tone certain.

Lin Zhou nodded, feeling the much more surging Divine Power within his body and the clearer perception of rules like 'Diplomacy', 'Military', and 'Law' brought by the newborn fragment in his Godhead. He said sincerely, “It was luck. I gained some insights between life and death.”

“Luck?” Qin Feng smiled, a smile carrying a soldier's straightforwardness. “On the battlefield, those who can survive and break through aren't lucky. It's your accumulation and that... well, resilience of thought.” He paused, as if trying to find the right word. “Your 'Civilization' fighting style is very interesting. It doesn't seem as direct and violent as traditional Divine Domains, but it's very effective when dealing with complex situations, especially when cooperation and brains are needed. This time, I've truly seen it.”

“Captain Qin overpraises me. If your Titan scions hadn't arrived in time to open up the situation with a frontal assault, my little tricks wouldn't have lasted long,” Lin Zhou said modestly, which was also the truth. Different Divine Domain paths had their own pros and cons, and Qin Feng's frontal assault capability was indispensable in this joint operation.

“We just complemented each other,” Qin Feng waved his hand, then said seriously, “However, breaking through to Lesser Divinity is only the beginning. Divine wars at this level are larger in scale, rule confrontations are more intense, and opponents are more cunning. Your Dao of 'Civilization'... seems to lean more toward the rules and strategic level; facing super-strong enemies head-on might still be a shortcoming that needs strengthening. Additionally, the Zerg suffered a great loss this time and will certainly not let it go. Major Rex just received news that the Zerg have increased pressure on the frontal battlefield, possibly accumulating strength for the next major strike, or... masking other intentions. We must be prepared.”

Lin Zhou's expression turned solemn, and the slight sense of ease from his Breakthrough immediately vanished. He said in a deep voice, “Understood. Thank you for the reminder, Captain Qin.”

Just then, a communications soldier walked over quickly and saluted them: “Second Lieutenant Lin Zhou, Second Lieutenant Qin Feng! Major Rex requests your presence; there is the latest enemy situation analysis and mission briefing.”

The two looked at each other and immediately stood up.

The joy of Breakthrough was short-lived; the war on the front lines never ceased. Lesser Divinity, in this cruel broken Star Domain, only meant having more capital for survival and combat.

Lin Zhou clenched his fist, feeling the Divine Power surging within him that had reached a whole new level; his gaze became sharp and determined once more.

The road ahead was long and fraught with obstacles. But since the Fire of Civilization had been lit, it should illuminate the mist and forge ahead through hardships.

He followed the communications soldier toward the command console, which was still busy but had recovered some vitality. Behind him, within the Divine Domain, the river of civilization flowed endlessly, and the second Godhead fragment slowly rotated around the main crystal, flashing with a unique light belonging to 'Civilization' and 'Actual Combat'.