23: Chapter 23: The Wasteland Ecosystem is Too Abnormal; Others Go Bankrupt, I Become Rich.

The Piranhas at the bottom of the Styx, the poisonous bats deep in the mines, and the vultures circling the sky—all of them, stimulated by this surge of extreme energy, underwent even more twisted mutations.

"Very good." Lin Yuan looked at everything before him and nodded.

An army of fifty thousand high-tier Bronze rank, a three-star Silver Tyrant, and a three-dimensional subsidiary ecosystem covering sea, land, and air. Added to the ceaseless tempering from these three radiation towers, his foundation was already sufficiently deep.

"In that case, for my next grand biological drill, I should be able to forcibly ignite the divine fire and charge toward the Demigod realm." Lin Yuan raised his hand, his consciousness returning to reality.

As the college entrance examination and the military district selection drew near, the atmosphere at Jiangcheng No. 3 High School became extremely tense.

The school gave the green light, canceling almost all cultural courses.

All senior students were required to spend their days immersed in their Divine Domains, having plenty of free time for evolution simulations.

The school only cared about one thing: combat power.

His terminal vibrated.

It was an encrypted invitation code sent by Chu Yunxuan.

Working behind closed doors was not advisable.

Lin Yuan knew well that the uniqueness of his Wasteland Divine Domain meant he didn't need to purchase conventional resources like everyone else.

However, he was severely lacking in high-end frontline intelligence and certain special illicit goods.

Thus, he accepted Chu Yunxuan's invitation.

Without hesitation, Lin Yuan accepted the invitation and logged into the Star Net.

His vision shifted.

Lin Yuan appeared in a virtual hall with minimalist decor.

This was a private virtual salon composed of the top students in the senior year.

Everyone sitting here was a genius who had awakened a C-grade or higher Divine Domain or was ranked in the top fifty on the combat power leaderboard.

Lin Yuan found a sofa in the corner and sat down.

In the center of the hall, several wealthy second-generation students who usually looked down on others at school were gathered together, complaining bitterly with troubled expressions.

There were no teachers or Military Representatives in the salon.

Everyone was here not only to exchange insights on laws but, more importantly, to conduct "private, tax-free transactions."

The tax rate in the official mall was too high; private bartering could save a large amount of faith points.

Zhao Tianze sat at the bar, gulped down a mouthful of virtual spirits, and scrunched up his face, "That batch of Orcs under my command just broke through to the Bronze rank a few days ago and started cultivating the [Battle Qi Technique]. As a result, their combat power went up, but their appetite increased tenfold!"

He slammed the table forcefully: "Ordinary meat doesn't keep them full at all; they just poop it out after eating. I can only feed them the Spirit Rice available on the market."

"Three thousand Orcs eat up nearly five thousand faith points a day! This is simply a bottomless pit that can never be filled; I'm going bankrupt!"

A boy nearby who had awakened a Sharpness Divine Domain also sighed: "That's nothing. My Sword Demon kin consume a large amount of iron ore to repair their bodies every time they fight. I've even thought about making them switch to wooden sticks."

A girl who had awakened a C-grade Planting Divine Domain brightened up and leaned toward Zhao Tianze: "Brother Zhao, I just harvested a batch of E-grade Purple Blood Wheat in my Divine Domain. It has a high yield and is very filling. Since we're classmates, how about I sell it to you at a five percent discount?"

"Even with a five percent discount, I can't afford much! Let's start with ten tons for an emergency." Zhao Tianze gritted his teeth and completed the transaction.

Lin Yuan sat in the corner, picked up the clear tea brought by the waiter, and took a sip, feeling secretly pleased.

These geniuses spent every day worrying about the basic needs of their believers.

To maintain the expenses of their high-tier combat groups, they not only had to take out loans but also had to calculate the consumption of every grain of rice and every piece of iron.

Then, look at his own Wasteland Divine Domain.

What do Goblins eat?

They eat the corpses of their own kind, the mutant cockroaches crawling all over the ground, and the meat sacs produced by the Abyssal Carrion Tree.

When they get sick, he doesn't even need to spend money on medicine; he just throws them into the blood pool. If they survive, they live; if they don't, they become fertilizer.

Zero cost! Pure profit!

After death, they can even produce wasteland poison crystals and concentrated venom, which can be taken to the black market to trade for millions.

Without comparison, one wouldn't know just how twisted this vicious ecosystem really was.

After a few transactions were completed, the atmosphere in the hall eased slightly.

Everyone began to compliment each other.

Zhao Tianze held his wine glass, his gaze sweeping over to Lin Yuan in the corner.

His body stiffened at first, but then he put on a smiling face and walked over quickly.

"Brother Yuan!" Zhao Tianze bowed slightly and raised his glass with both hands, "Back in the classroom, it was I, Zhao Tianze, who was blind and ignorant."

"You are a magnanimous person, please don't lower yourself to my level. I toast to you!"

No one who could make it into this circle was truly stupid.

Although Zhao Tianze was arrogant, he wasn't a fool.

A commoner who was personally received by a Military Representative had terrifying potential.

Since he couldn't suppress him, he had to admit defeat and befriend him.

Lin Yuan glanced at him without getting up, merely raising his teacup to clink it against his glass: "There's no need to mention the past."

"Brother Yuan is straightforward!" Zhao Tianze drank it in one gulp, his attitude submissive.

Just then, the elevator platform in the center of the hall lit up.

Chu Yunxuan, wearing a form-fitting black combat suit, appeared in everyone's line of sight.

The hall quieted down.

He scanned the room, his gaze resting on Lin Yuan for half a second before he spoke.

"Everyone, I won't waste time with pleasantries. I gathered you all here today because I just received confirmed news from within the military."

Chu Yunxuan set aside his usual gentleness, his voice low and serious: "One month from now, it will no longer be the simulation battles of previous years where you lie in connection pods."

He paused, then dropped a bombshell: "The military will unite with all colleges in Jiangcheng to launch the [Live-Action Abyssal Battlefield Landing]!"

The entire room fell into deathly silence.

Everyone widened their eyes and gasped.

"Live-action landing? Young Master Chu, you aren't joking, are you?"

Zhao Tianze's voice trembled, "We only awakened our Divine Domains a month ago! We aren't even Demigods! You want us to descend to the front lines with our true bodies? People will die!"

In a simulation battle, if the believers die, at worst the Divine Domain is damaged, and it can recover after a few years of rest.

A live-action landing meant that their own physical bodies would have to enter the fortresses on the Abyssal front lines.

Once the fortress was breached and the deity fell, there would truly be nothing left, not even ashes.

"I am not joking; this is an order issued directly by the Federal Supreme Command."

Chu Yunxuan pressed his hands onto the conference table, his gaze extremely oppressive, "The Seventh Abyssal Defense Line has been frequently unstable recently; the military needs to replenish its fresh blood."

"They don't need simulated geniuses from greenhouses; they want wolves that can see blood."

A commotion rippled through the hall, and many people's faces turned pale.

Chu Yunxuan raised his voice, suppressing the discussion.

"The danger is immense, but the rewards are equally high. This live-action landing will not only be overseen by the military district commanders themselves, but representatives from Star-Domain-level conglomerates will also be present to watch."

Chu Yunxuan's eyes shone, his tone revealing undisguised ambition.

"As long as you can demonstrate sufficient war potential on the battlefield, even if it's just one brilliant tactical command, you will have the opportunity to be noticed by those big shots and secure a guaranteed spot in the 'Starry Sky-level Sequence'!"

"Starry Sky-level Sequence!"

As soon as these five words were uttered, the eyes of all the combat-type deities present lit up.

Fear was forcibly suppressed by greed and desire.

That was the Federation's resource allocation plan.

Once one entered the Starry Sky-level Sequence, it meant escaping the struggles of ordinary deities.

The minimum guarantee was the True God realm, and one would even be eligible to touch the domain of High Gods.

"My Chu family is determined to obtain this spot." Chu Yunxuan looked at everyone, "I called you all here today to get you ready."

"Bring out all your trump cards; don't end up as cannon fodder on the battlefield."

Lin Yuan sat in the corner, a crack appearing in the teacup he was holding.

Starry Sky-level Sequence!

Old Lin's injury was a completely shattered godhood.

Ordinary medical methods and resources couldn't even alleviate his pain, let alone repair his godhood.

Only top-tier divine items that touched the Star-Domain level could reshape Old Lin's True God body.

This so-called "Starry Sky-level Sequence" was the springboard for him to obtain divine items of that level.

"Live-action Abyssal landing..." Lin Yuan's eyes became increasingly profound.