141: Relics of civilization

"Civilization Ruins?"

Qin Jin's eyebrows twitched slightly as he thought back to the area shrouded in thick mist he had seen from the sky when they first arrived on this planet. "Am I currently in that area?"

Before him, new information emerged word by word.

Qin Chi simply observed his surroundings, preparing to check the information once it had fully manifested.

At this moment, he was in a lounge roughly twenty square meters in size. The room wasn't large, but it was fully equipped with various daily necessities.

The lounge door was slightly ajar. He pushed it open and looked out to see a wide courtyard; it was empty inside, devoid of anything.

At the edge of the courtyard was a light-curtain-type Restriction surrounding the area, seemingly preventing the participating students from leaving.

"Even though it's a team competition, everyone starts alone."

As the thought flashed by, Qin returned to the lounge and looked at the information on the light curtain.

[Star Dome Breaking Limit Cup · Team Competition]

[Duration]: 15 Days [Mode]: Exploration/Harvest/Points/Combat [Rules Introduction]: Explore within the Civilization Ruins. Any valuable information, Materials, or items can be evaluated for points.

Defeating others also grants points. Finally, rankings will be determined based on the total points of all team members to decide the placement in this team competition.

Below the rule introduction was more detailed text.

Participants, for the next half month, this lounge will be your starting point.

At random times each day, a portal to the Civilization Ruins will open. Upon entering the portal, you will appear in a random area of the ruins. Explore within the time limit and head to an extraction point to evacuate before time runs out.

Note: For those who fail to evacuate when time ends, the harvest for this session will be cleared to zero.

Note: Extraction points are divided into Random Extraction Points, Fixed Extraction Points, and Mission Extraction Points.

Note: Implicit rules of the Civilization Ruins are to be explored by participants themselves during the team competition.

As Qin's gaze fell on the last line of text, new information surfaced below.

[Student Qin Jin, inside the drawer of the desk to your right, there is a personal exclusive wristwatch. You can use it to check points, scan and evaluate items, and confirm your own status.]

Sweeping his gaze over, Qin Jin opened the drawer, took out the watch, and wore it on his wrist.

The watch turned on, and information appeared.

[Participant]: Qin [Faction]: Wu Yuan Academy [Current Accumulated Points]: 0

[Status]: 100 (Data is generated based on the participant's own condition. If status drops below 50 while exploring the Civilization Ruins, it is considered an exploration failure, and you will be automatically returned.)

Below, there were many other options such as scanning maps.

"So—"

Qin Jin organized these rules in his mind: "Is this team competition mode similar to the 'looting' mode in games?"

"And the Civilization Ruins is the map set up by the organizers?"

Thoughts flashed through his mind. Just then, the rule-related information on the light curtain retracted, turning into icons listed at the bottom, and new information appeared.

[Civilization Ruins Exploration is about to begin]

[Participants prepared to join, please wait in the courtyard]

"Although it's a team competition, it looks like everyone needs to act alone for now, and the points will be totaled at the end."

"Or perhaps, within the Civilization Ruins, there are possibilities for other types of cooperation?"

Since he was here to participate, he would commit fully. Qin Jin weighed the information in his heart as he walked out of the lounge and reached the courtyard.

In the center of the courtyard, a portal slightly taller than a person had formed, currently in a closed state.

Qin Jin's gaze swept across the yard. "This place is so wide; if it were just to generate a portal, the lounge would have been enough."

"Wait..."

His eyebrows twitched as he thought of the information in the rules: "The rules only said to evaluate items from the Civilization Ruins for points, but never mentioned recycling them."

"Does that mean after evaluation, one's harvest can also be utilized?"

While he was making this deduction...

In front of him, the portal opened with a swirling vortex inside. Qin Jin stepped into it.

In an instant, the transit was complete.

The moment his feet felt the solid sensation of the ground, Qin sensed something. Original Power surged, condensing into a beam of light. The Source Kill Cannon activated, suddenly shooting out.

The Original Power streaked through the air.

In the next instant, about several meters to his side, an energy construct over a person's height that looked like a praying mantis shattered. With a clinking sound, something hit the ground.

Qin Chi reached out. As Original Power surged, he pulled the object toward him. After confirming there was nothing unusual, it landed in his palm.

A deep purple, thin wafer-like crystal chip.

This wasn't an energy core, but an energy fragment. Qin Jin could sense energy surging inside.

"The opponents aren't just other participants."

"Within this Civilization Ruins itself, there are also attackers."

With a thought, Qin aimed his watch at it and started the scanning function.

The watch had no reaction.

"Scanning is unavailable while exploring the ruins?"

Qin reacted instantly.

"This will test the participants' own eyesight and perception. It's very likely that things brought back with great effort will have very low point value, or might not even be evaluable for points."

"Large items must exist within the Civilization Ruins; I wonder what the situation is with the extraction points."

He activated the [Map] function on the watch.

A light curtain projected out, but the map above was pitch black, with only several light spots lit up.

One light spot was the most special, representing Qin's own location, while there were three other light spots in total, located in different directions.

Those were the locations of the [Fixed Extraction Points].

At the very bottom of the map, a countdown was ticking away.

[02:58:19]

"So this exploration lasts for three hours."

Qin lowered his watch and scanned the surroundings.

Currently, the place he was in looked like the edge of this [Civilization Ruins].

Beneath his feet was a city wall built from an unknown material, incredibly smooth and about a hundred meters high. The outside of the wall was shrouded in mist, appearing to be outside the Civilization Ruins. Inside the wall were mostly ruined and a few intact unknown buildings, which had a sci-fi style.

This Civilization Ruins was extremely vast, with no end in sight, like a city. At this moment, participants from various dojos and academies had already begun their activities here.

Qin raised his head to look at the sky.

Compared to the city walls, the sky above the ruins was even more dreamlike. Here, there existed a literal dome!

Like an eggshell, an elliptical dome covered the entire ruins. But looking with the naked eye, one could clearly see that on the dome,

there were huge holes created by unknown attacks, more than one. The entire dome was covered in fracture patterns, giving one a sense of the sky collapsing, as if it could fall at any moment.

On the city wall where Qin stood, there were buildings similar to sentry boxes at intervals; presumably, there would be passages inside to leave the wall.

However—

After pondering for a moment, he didn't explore much more on the wall and leaped down toward the interior of the city wall.

His body fell downward. Just as he was about to reach the ground, Original Power surged out, and he landed steadily.

Raising his watch, Qin Jin checked his current location.

Then, he confirmed his direction, his speed exploding as he headed toward his chosen initial destination.

If one were to check the map now,

they would find that the light spot representing Qin was rapidly approaching one of the fixed extraction points.

On the way.

As his Original Power swept out, he carved small special patterns in some places.

Those were the secret signals they, the Wu Yuan students, had discussed on the Wen Wu Hao.

In the camp.

As the students entered the tournament grounds, Mentor Meng Ning withdrew his gaze and took a step forward. When he reappeared, he was already in the area outside the camp, where rows of hall-like buildings were situated.

Mentor Meng Ning's gaze swept across, landing on the building in the center.

On the building's wall, seven logos were arranged in a row.

Those were the logos of the seven top academies in the Corridor Star System.

He walked inside. The hall had been simply decorated, and many people were already there, each with an extraordinary bearing.

At the front of the hall, on a giant light curtain, the host of the Po Xian Cup was seriously introducing the mode and rules of the team competition.

"Meng Ning."

Just as Mentor Meng Ning approached, a call sounded from the side.

Mentor Meng Ning looked toward the sound. The one calling was a beautiful woman who now stepped closer and said softly, "I didn't expect Wu Yuan would have you leading the team this time."

She walked up, wearing a uniform with a logo showing she was from Ling Shu Academy.

Among the seven academies, it was the one most outstanding in the Spiritual Energy User major.

Mentor Meng Ning looked at her, then at the rule introduction on the light curtain, and smiled. "An exploration-focused mode. According to these rules, it seems

Ling Shu is going to shine brilliantly this time."

"He Qingyi, how many Spiritual Energy Users did Ling Shu send this time?"

"Five."

He Qingyi replied casually.

During their exchange, the rule introduction on the light curtain finished, and the image shifted. From a high-altitude bird's-eye view, the Civilization Ruins, covered by the dome with its interior occasionally visible, was shown.

He Qingyi glanced at the giant screen and shook her head slightly. "Meng Ning, are you playing dumb or are you really confused?"

"Did you not receive the information?"

"Of course I did," Mentor Meng Ning replied.

Mentor Meng Ning replied.

"Since you received it, you should know that in a true ancient civilization ruin, spiritual energy is actually more likely to cause various accidents."

"The Po Xian Cup's choice of such a venue has a deeper meaning in itself."

She looked at the giant screen where the scenes were switching. "It's a pity. Our spiritual energy students from Ling Shu might perform excellently in this Po Xian Cup, but they are destined to miss out on something more important."

"On the other hand, your Wu Yuan..."

"There are quite a few outstanding young people this year. Perhaps after this Po Xian Cup, someone will be selected."

Gales swept past his side.

Qin's perception power spread out.

While moving at full speed, he couldn't achieve finer perception. Therefore, the main direction of Qin Jin's perception was energy. If energy anywhere was different from other places, he planned to go and explore it.

He continued forward.

After reaching the target of this trip, Qin stopped.

Not far ahead, amidst the ruins, a large portal stood tall.

One of the fixed extraction points in this area.

At a glance, it was about ten meters high and four or five meters wide. It was currently inactive. In front of the portal, there was a control console with a start switch on it.

Looking at this switch and the portal, a subtle thought suddenly occurred to Qin.

"Once this switch is pressed, does the portal open in real-time?"

With the thought flashing by, Qin stepped directly forward, intending to try.

Only by understanding it could he make better arrangements for what was to come.

Just then.

Qin Jin's ears twitched slightly. Hearing a movement, his gaze shifted and he suddenly looked toward the other side.

The vicinity of the extraction point was mostly ruins and seemed to have no exploration value.

At this moment, in the distant ruins, a figure was leaping and rapidly approaching.

A few breaths later.

The other party arrived.

The newcomer was a man wearing a participant uniform. In his hand, he held a somewhat damaged energy-extension weapon that looked somewhat like a lightsaber.

However, this weapon was unstable, its blade flickering bright and dim.

"Weapons can be found in this Civilization Ruins."

While the thought flashed through Qin Jin's mind, the man looked at him. His eyes showed some surprise, but he quickly regained his composure and spoke: "I didn't expect

there would be another smart person with the same idea as me."

"It seems you haven't tried it yet."

He gripped the hilt of the light sword in his hand. "Pity, you ran into me."

"If there's a chance to meet again next time, I'll tell you the result of the trial."

His voice fell.

The light sword pointed forward, flickering dim and bright. Battle Intent surged in his eyes: "Thunder Echo Dojo, Lu Shan. Pardon me."

"Which academy or dojo are you from? I'll give you a chance to announce your name."

Qin Chi's expression was steady.

Hearing the other's words, he spoke slowly: "Martial Abyss, Qin Jin."

"Hmm?"

"Martial Abyss?!"

The moment Qin Jin's voice fell, Lu Shan's expression changed abruptly, and the Battle Intent in his eyes vanished instantly. He flipped the light sword back in his hand:

"Sorry to bother you!"

Without any hesitation, he turned around, his speed exploding as he immediately tried to leave.

But—

At that moment, a light flashed in Qin's eyes. Original Power spread out, and a suppression from the spiritual level swept in all directions.

Lu Shan had just made a move when he felt an incomparable pressure coming from all sides. If he moved even a little more, what awaited him

would likely be an incredibly torrential attack.

"Damn it, how did I run into a student from Martial Abyss?"

As a top academy in the star system, the first impression Martial Abyss gave people was of Martial Artists.

The second impression—

Was that they could fight! They could really fight!

"I've offended you, classmate Qin Jin."

Lu Shan's face showed a smile that looked worse than crying. "Our Thunder Echo Dojo also has Senior Brothers who have studied at Martial Abyss. By extension, we're classmates. Could you let me off?"

Qin Jin shook his head, his voice ringing out.

"Hand over the things you've collected, then exit this exploration yourself."

"How is this any different from you just smashing me to pieces?"

Lu Shan's face grew anxious.

"There is a difference."

Qin's tone was steady. "The lounges aren't equipped with healing gear. If I really made a move, you would miss out on all subsequent explorations."

Upon hearing this,

Lu Shan's expression changed repeatedly.

He gritted his teeth and threw the light sword in his hand onto the ground.

"This is my only harvest."

"I hurried here to the extraction point as soon as I entered. I didn't find anything else."

While speaking, feeling the surrounding pressure, he raised his arm and operated his wristwatch.

In the next instant!

Above the dome of the ruins, a teleportation light beamed down, and Lu Shan's figure vanished abruptly.

As he disappeared, Qin's watch vibrated slightly.

He looked down and saw that in the points column, the 0 had changed to 20.

"The judgment is quite intelligent, directly counting it as me defeating the opponent."

"Without other information for comparison, I can't tell if 20 points is a lot or a little."

The thought flashed through his mind. He stepped forward and directly pressed the extraction point switch.

The moment he pressed it,

the extraction point portal was no longer silent. A beam of light emerged, climbing straight into the sky.

At the same time, Qin's watch also began to vibrate.