Chapter 3: Building a “Genius” Identity in the Native World
Lin Yi had once been a member of the “pro-war faction,” always active on the front lines resisting the abyssal beasts.
“Pro-war faction…”
At the thought of this, a cold, mocking curve appeared at the corner of his lips.
Even though they had used flesh and blood to build the frontline defenses, internal conflict and obstruction in the rear had never stopped—forcefully turning the possibility of completely exterminating the abyssal beasts into nothing more than a fantasy.
It was only when emissaries from the Purple Gold Star Alliance descended with a cold judgment that the higher-ups finally realized the truth—
None of this was some imagined “interdimensional overlap” or “high-dimensional life experiment,” but a test that determined the fate of civilization.
The price was that Earth was nailed to the shameful label of a “resource planet.”
After entering the universe and gaining access to the “Pan-Spirit Alliance Virtual Universe Network,” the unwilling leaders of Earth’s civilization immediately searched for information about the Civilization Advancement Exam.
The cold rules of the exam were still deeply etched in Lin Yi’s memory.
If civilization is destroyed or abyssal beasts are exterminated, the exam ends early. If neither side collapses, it lasts up to one thousand years.
At the end of the exam, surviving individuals receive personal ratings.
Personal ratings are mainly based on the number and level of abyssal beasts killed, as well as performance in specific events. They are divided into nine tiers—from Level 1 (lowest) to Level 9 (highest)—which directly determine post-assessment resource allocation and authority access.
Civilization ratings, on the other hand, are based on duration of survival, overall performance, survival ratio, technological potential, resistance will, and other factors. They are also divided into nine tiers.
This determines a civilization’s initial status, resource allocation, and future development within human territory.
In his previous life, Earth’s civilization ultimately scored just over 6 million points, receiving only a Level 2 civilization rating.
As a result, after being incorporated into the Purple Gold Star Alliance, Earth was directly designated as a bottom-tier “resource planet.”
However, Earth existed in a region poor in source energy. Most equipment required energy crystals to operate.
Thus, humans with even faint source-energy potential became the most valuable resource.
After all, the Purple Gold Star Alliance would never invest in building energy infrastructure for a Level 2 civilization.
And so, countless Earth inhabitants were forcibly sent to basic material refinement factories, enduring repetitive labor day after day for extremely meager compensation.
Even though Lin Yi knew all of this had not happened in this life, the memories still made him press his lips tightly together.
And himself?
The long and arduous journey of his past life weighed heavily in his memory.
In the early days of the apocalypse, he fought for a single low-level Radiance Crystal in the ruins, nearly buried alive by collapsing debris.
In dark shelters, by dim light, he voraciously studied the basic cultivation techniques extracted from crystals, groping his way onto the path of cultivation—every step filled with danger and loneliness.
To obtain scarce resources, he wandered through unknown ruins of old cities, repeatedly brushing past death.
By that time, his family and friends had long been gone from the apocalypse, leaving him alone to struggle forward in the darkness.
Despite surviving through sheer will and reaching Star Core level after more than seven hundred years of hardship, and eventually earning a Level 4 personal rating that allowed him to leave Earth as a peripheral member of the Universe Mercenary Alliance…
It was still only the most basic entry ticket into the vast cosmos.
His starting point was too low, his resources too scarce.
Even when he later managed to reach Star Vortex level by sheer luck, that power came too late and was too shallow.
He never even had the chance to return and change Earth’s fate. Instead, he was erased like dust by a Purple Les family elder during a trivial “encounter.”
“Hah… Purple Les…”
Lin Yi closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then exhaled long and slowly. When he opened them again, only calm remained on his youthful face.
He turned his gaze toward the window.
Sunlight was still bright, cicadas still noisy, and the children downstairs still played with energy and laughter.
Yet in his eyes, this peaceful scene seemed veiled by an invisible shadow.
A week later, that Eternal God-level avatar would descend into Earth’s outer space and begin the Civilization Advancement exam.
Lin Yi knew clearly: for native individuals of a newly born civilization, the only way to change their fate—and their planet’s fate—was to obtain a high evaluation.
And to achieve a high personal rating, one must display extraordinary talent.
Terrifying combat instinct, astonishing cultivation speed, and shocking comprehension of laws…
“With my Star Vortex foundation, it would be effortless to disguise myself as a genius of Earth.”
Lin Yi thought silently.
“Even if in the future I’m discovered to have ‘run out of talent’ after Star Vortex… it doesn’t matter. Rewards and resources will already be secured. There are countless geniuses in the universe who fade into mediocrity. One more like me won’t stand out.”
“However…”
“There is one thing that requires special attention.”
Lin Yi frowned slightly, carefully recalling a rule he had noticed earlier.
[Individuals with potential above Level 7 personal rating will grant additional rewards to the supervising deity.]
In his previous life, he had only sighed at the rewards such high ratings could bring.
Now, however, he felt a trace of relief for having once studied the rules carefully.
Because this cold rule had become a blade hanging over his head.
What did it imply?
Clearly, it meant the gods had strong incentives to pay attention to individuals showing abnormal talent.
Star Domain-level rule domains, World-creation-level inner worlds, Eternal God-level miniature universes—also known as divine kingdoms—were all well-known markers of high-level existence.
These were also the three most widely known realms in the Pan-Spirit Alliance virtual network.
After all, Star Core and Star Vortex levels were too common to be noteworthy, while anything above Eternal Gods was too sacred to discuss openly.
During the exam, Earth would be entirely covered by the projection of a divine kingdom.
Lin Yi speculated that if he achieved a Level 7 or higher evaluation, he would likely attract divine attention.
And once the divine projection covered Earth, everything that happened during the exam could, if the god wished, be reviewed and reversed at will.
If a supposedly ordinary high school graduate suddenly displayed terrifying killing efficiency, intimate knowledge of abyssal beast behavior, weaknesses, and even predictive insight into their actions—
would that make sense?
Years of life-and-death experience had engraved the word “caution” into Lin Yi’s soul.
He did not know how the human higher-ups—or that supervising deity—would react to such anomalies.
Would they eagerly nurture him?
Or, out of caution or research curiosity, subject him to deeper scrutiny and control?
He did not know where the system’s tolerance for anomalies lay.
And he did not dare gamble.
Entrusting one’s fate to the goodwill or rules of unknown beings was foolish.
At this moment, Lin Yi felt a faint sense of relief.
Fortunately, the god’s ability to review events only started from the moment its projection covered Earth. Otherwise, even the disappearance of the jade earlier would have exposed him completely.
After a brief thought, Lin Yi quickly made his decision.
“Regardless of whether the divine avatar will review everything or not, from this moment on, I must fully integrate into the identity of Lin Yi, a high school graduate.”
“I will craft myself into a native genius—one who shows explosive potential during the apocalypse, with monstrous comprehension and unbreakable will.”
(End of Chapter 3)
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