Chapter 2030

They stared at each other, eyes wide.

In the separate space, Lin An gazed at the big eyeball, somewhat bewildered.

A single step to heaven?

Reacting instantly, in less than a second Lin An instinctively shot back:

"Star‑Radiance War? Are you hoping I'll get a ranking? The rewards there are excellent and would be a huge help to my strength."

After firing off three questions, Lin An's eyes were filled with bewilderment.

He thought the Star‑Radiance War would offer decent rewards, but the more he dealt with 77, the clearer it became just how terrifying the big eyeball truly was.

If he's not mistaken, even first place in the Star‑Radiance War is only at the Death Star level.

To put it bluntly, that kind of reward is practically trash compared to 77.

Moreover, 77's attitude toward him has always been to urge him to advance steadily, to push his foundation to its limits and perfect it—not to chase quick success.

(A single step to heaven… the big eyeball has changed its tune… If I really needed to get strong fast, even a trickle leaking from between my fingers would be enough for me to lounge on a Death Star.)

He could see Lin An's bewilderment.

77 gave a slight shake of the head, without saying more:

"This 'single step to heaven' isn't about quick success!"

"And I don't just want you to get a ranking; I want you to take first place!"

"Lin An, don't rush to ask questions—I know what you're thinking!"

Ignoring Lin An's growing puzzlement, 77 paused briefly and then continued in a low voice:

"If you think you need resources, I can provide better ones; even if I can't, the Star‑Radiance rewards are just that."

"No, first let me tell you: the ultimate reward of the Star‑Radiance War is nothing like what those creator trash claim! Their level is too low, so most of what they know is wrong! The so‑called ultimate reward that could become a Death Star is merely the best they can imagine."

"Of course, in my view the ultimate reward is about that, just a bit special and more suited to you."

"I'm letting you enter not just to get the final reward, but because some resources can only be obtained once you're inside."

"What resources?"

Hearing 77's mysterious words, Lin An couldn't help but ask.

"You can't know right now; even if I told you, the system might not register it. But just in case, it's better to find out after you go in."

With a flick of its tentacle, a crystal storing information appeared before Lin An's eyes.

"Hold it, and look at it after you go in!"

"Don't ask me anymore—I'm short on time; what comes next is important, so listen carefully!"

Noticing 77's extreme seriousness, even a hint of impatience, Lin An's heart jolted, vaguely sensing that some sudden incident had disrupted 77's plans.

"You say!"

"Lin An! After this mission, when you return, do not promote to fifth rank; enter the Star‑Radiance War as a fourth‑rank."

"That's a bit troublesome, which is why I had you first deal with the creators."

"Once you enter, you'll appear in a War‑Star level battlefield, but I believe with your strength breaking through the battlefield shouldn't be hard! Remember! You must be certain to take first place, and then promote to fifth rank within the battlefield."

"After you come out, don't end the Star‑Radiance War; instead, challenge the Destruction‑Star level while still at War‑Star rank! That way you'll enter the Destruction‑Star battlefield, where you can kill as many Destruction‑Stars as you can, then continue challenging after you exit."

"Wait…!?"

"You mean I, as a fourth‑rank, fight War‑Star, then Destruction‑Star, and after that break through the Shatter‑Star level!?"

Lin An took a deep breath and couldn't help but interrupt 77.

He had thought the big eyeball had high expectations of him, and according to the creators, the Star‑Radiance War is also tiered.

He's confident he can get first place.

Moving up a tier isn't impossible either.

But according to the big eyeball's meaning, this is practically letting him, with fourth‑rank strength, carve a path through the entire fifth‑rank system.

Yes! He'll also promote to fifth rank, but what about time? Experience? Not to mention his understanding of the rules is still shallow; neither the faith path nor the body‑cultivation path can be digested without time, nor can power be honed without practice!

"No…!"

77 shook his head, and just as Lin An was about to relax a little, the next second his words made Lin An's face freeze.

"I don't want you to break through the Shatter‑Star level; if possible, it's better to continue challenging the sixth level as a fifth‑rank. Of course, if you're willing, keep challenging their seventh‑rank committee to take his seat—that would be even better."

"Just kill me."

Looking at 77's earnest eyes, Lin An remained silent, then after a while managed to utter a sentence.

He fears neither strong foes nor death, but that doesn't mean he's an idiot.

Don't even mention Death Star; after seeing the Shatter‑Star‑level apocalyptic meteor in the skill exchange, he realized the gap between each rank is as vast as the Pacific.

Especially after fifth rank, the power gap between Shatter‑Star beings and Destruction‑Star beings is even greater than that between an ordinary person and a Destruction‑Star.

This conclusion may seem counter‑intuitive, but it's a fact.

It's like the weight difference between a human and an elephant being several tons, whereas the difference between a bacterium and a human is at most a few hundred pounds. Thus, a human's mass is closer to a bacterium's, and the gap to an elephant is at least millions of times the mass of a bacterium.

"Lacking confidence? You don't dare?"

"I dare; even if I can't do it, I'll still try, but I really lack confidence."

Lin An confessed, looking sincerely at the big eye.

If 77 truly demands he do this, he'll do it when he returns. As for where he might die, he doesn't know. Anyway, having fought his way this far, he's grown accustomed to it.

The big eye stared at the small eye; a few seconds later, 77 finally let out a sudden laugh:

"Don't worry, Lin An. I've considered everything you're worried about. I couldn't possibly waste your solid foundation for the sake of so‑called quick success. Even if you wanted it, I wouldn't agree. A seventh‑rank rushed into existence would be meaningless to me."

"As I said before, you'll know once you go in."

It's still the same saying; you'll know once you go in.

As for my hope that you, as a War Star, break through the Fifth Stage... To be honest, that's indeed impossible. As a Destroy Star, there might still be a sliver of hope, after all you are Three Systems, and after the Fifth Stage your combat power will experience an explosive growth.

Shatter Star... they want to kill you, it's not that simple, especially since it's still on the battlefield.

The talk shifted, Number 77 waved its tentacles, and a rare flash of cunning crossed its eyes:

Do you know why I wanted you to enter and then advance to Fifth Stage?

You haven't figured it out? The mission difficulty is calculated based on when you entered. Likewise, the Stellar War is not organized by any civilization; it's a special system task. Very few know that this mission scenario has already "died." So the entire battlefield will be extremely rigid, following only the earliest rules!

So, as long as you enter with a Fourth Stage identity, don't even mention shattering stars; even if you kill the star, the system must give you a way out!

Lin An, you still have some miscellaneous rewards left on you, right? Don't worry about them, exchange them all for recovery items! As long as you aren't instantly killed, you'll definitely have a way to kill them! And the rules there just happen to prevent you from being instantly killed!

Besides, with the hammer I gave you, you might not be unable to create a grand miracle!

As the words fell, Lin An's pupils suddenly contracted.

He suddenly realized what Number 77's entire plan actually was!

All he had done before, all the resources he had obtained, hadn't really raised himself; it was all for this moment!

Gather the minimum conditions for a miracle, then push all your chips all in!

How can a Fourth Stage break through the Stellar War? How can they kill through Fifth Stage?!

Lin An doesn't know, Number 77 doesn't know, but the system definitely knows!

Taking a deep breath, in the independent quiet space, only Lin An's heart was pounding wildly.

You're not... exploiting a loophole, are you?!

Permissions can be exchanged for a perfect enhancement plan, and you're using the system as a permission!? Let the system calculate itself!? Even if the success rate is nearly zero, I can keep using that hammer to increase the odds!

Interlocking, for a moment Lin An couldn't help but be shocked by Number 77's cunning and even perverse ingenuity.

Reaction is pretty quick.

Number 77 slowly waved its tentacles and spoke softly:

Exploiting a loophole?

Kid, how do you play the game without cheats? Without exploiting loopholes, what do you have to oppose the system?

Haven't you heard this saying?

Not exploiting a loophole makes you an idiot.

Having said that, Number 77 silently gazed up at the vast starry sky.

Why does he want to become an Overseer?

Because it's the strongest fortress.

It can only be breached from within.