Chapter 366: with translation of chapter title

372. Chapter 372: Pioneering

"Just this once."

In the command hall of the Fifth‑Tier Star‑Annihilation Fortress, Lin Ke, who had just withdrawn, warned himself thus.

The Zero Protocol's field drills cannot be conducted too many times.

Otherwise, the Grand Sage Legion will develop a path dependency.

If the legion commander leads too many charges, it becomes highly likely that upon encountering a slightly stronger enemy, the Zero Protocol must be activated.

Lin Ke's role is that of commander‑in‑chief, not vanguard.

Members of the functional departments—Staff, Intelligence, Inspection, Instruction—looked at Lin Ke with eyes full of admiration, their reverence spilling over.

They joined the Grand Sage Legion drawn by the fame of Linke Grand's genius as a Sage.

Pharmacology, alchemy, cultivation speed, and combat power surpassing peers—these four together constitute Lin Ke's super‑super‑super‑super genius reputation.

As for the first three, these wizards have long heard of them and even witnessed them.

As for the last, although Lin Ke had several stellar performances at third‑rank wizard and below, it truly lives up to its name.

But what happens after he is promoted to Sage?

The gap between a Sage wizard and a regular wizard is enormous.

Even if the Supreme Council's battle record is widely known, that does not constitute strong proof of its power.

After this battle, the Grand Sage Legion may not be wholly united, but at least no one thinks of defecting.

On the battlefield, the Grand Sage Legion completely seized the initiative, relentlessly pursuing and crushing the defeated Abyssal Demon army.

The Grand Sage Legion has formulated relevant plans for how to fight annihilation battles, pursuit battles, and battlefield cleanup.

At this stage of the campaign, Lin Ke does not need to micromanage; he only needs to hold the Star‑Annihilation Fortress to provide a safety net for the legion.

Annihilation, pursuit, battlefield cleanup, and seizing spoils took a full three days.

Afterward came a month of rest and recuperation, experience summary, targeted improvement, assault drills, and digesting the spoils.

The Abyssal World might be the wizard world's close comrades.

Too many newly promoted Sages who have seized their first mid‑ or low‑level civilized worlds rely on the Abyssal World's generous gifts to flourish.

This Water‑Mist World is no exception.

After receiving nourishment from two Abyssal Demon legions, the World Headquarters has already shown clear growth.

Given time, it is not impossible to raise the supernatural ceiling to Fifth‑Tier Sage.

But Lin Ke could not possibly care that much about this Water‑Mist World.

In terms of output, it still cannot compare to the two resource‑type worlds gifted by Sage Rosen‑thal.

Let alone the servant‑soldier source world.

Lin Ke has been mulling over selling this Water‑Mist World to the academy, or through the academy to wizards in need.

On this matter, Lin Ke consulted with Mo Li.

Mo Li agreed with Lin Ke's approach, then suggested he first sound out Dean Frisst.

Coincidentally, the Ruowosuosi Academy has recently been using the opportunity of internal strife in Shadow City to carry out some things.

However, neither the academy's interior nor the outside world is clear about what exactly the academy has done.

Lin Ke can therefore go to the dean to inquire about the situation.

This matter means little to Lin Ke himself or to the Grand Sage Legion.

It does, however, have considerable impact on the development of the Grand family's enterprises.

To expand the enterprise, there are only two lines: internal and external.

With so many great families at the Ruowosuosi Academy, the internal market is already nearing saturation.

Thus pursuing foreign trade is more suitable for the Grand family.

Specialty potions, specialty alchemical products, and Frameworks are the flagship products Mo Li has selected.

Especially Frameworks.

Christina's narrow escape from a third‑rank wizard in Shadow City last time, after fermenting, caused a huge stir.

What let Christina, with the strength of a senior first‑rank wizard, assassinate a third‑rank wizard and survive was the 'Shadow Obliteration' special set, which gained great renown.

Although she is merely a senior first‑rank wizard, she normally possesses combat power above the average of a second‑rank wizard, and after burning her life force she can even briefly contend with a third‑rank wizard.

Even if she cannot win, she can at least avoid being instantly killed.

Such a fine item, of course the wizards will pay attention to it.

Soon, the small internal organization 'Do Anything Freely' of the Ruowosuosi Academy surfaced.

Among the wizards in 'Do Anything Freely,' not everyone has a full set of Frameworks, but at least six out of ten have implanted Frameworks.

This is only because Lin Ke lacks the time; if he had time, he would upgrade the 1.0‑version Frameworks of the 'Do Anything Freely' members to 1.5‑version.

Next, the Framework Fairy Servant Soldier Corps of the Paro Sage Legion was uncovered, leading to a price hike and a surge in sales.

By this point, the identity of the Framework's originator could no longer be hidden.

Linke Grand, a super‑super‑super genius wizard who has repeatedly entered the sight of major wizard forces under different guises, this time, as the originator of Frameworks, provoked an even greater uproar.

The wizard world never lacks perceptive people.

Frameworks possess the potential to pioneer an entirely new school, and many wizards have seen that.

The wizards also do not think Linke Grand would fail to notice this.

Then, the question arises.

Has the Framework wizard school already been founded?

What is the theoretical upper limit in terms of rank?

Has Linke Grand himself switched to it?

Has he been promoted to Sage by taking on the identity of a Construct Wizard?

Mo Li thought that if Dean Fuli site agreed, Lin Ke would export some 1.0 'Constructs' to Shadow City, thereby making preparations for the future official promotion of the Construct Wizard school.

After careful consideration, Lin Ke generally agreed with Mo Li's suggestion.

After the Grand Sage Legion finished its rest and reorganization, it packed up and returned triumphantly.

After preliminary communication with Dean Fuli site, Lin Ke and the academy reached a consignment agreement.

Here, having obtained a fertile Aqua World, it was sold at a good price.

After evaluation, the output of this Aqua World is worth about two standard three-star Magic Stones per quarter, i. e., eight standard three-star Magic Stones per year.

According to the market standards of the wizard world, the price of an undeveloped resource-type world equals its annual output value multiplied by 40 years.

With this formula, the seller certainly does not lose money, but neither does he gain.

Because the buyer must also invest time and resources to develop the purchased resource-type world, the price cannot be set too high.

However, for Lin Ke, 320 standard three-star Magic Stones is already a very good price.

The paid gacha system requires, for the next two draws, ten standard three-star Magic Stones and one hundred standard three-star Magic Stones respectively.

After drawing twice, there will still be 210 standard three-star Magic Stones left, to be used to expand the Grand family's industry and maintain the Grand Sage Legion.

Leading the Grand Sage Legion back to the station assigned by the academy, Lin Ke announced the order to disband.

The ten-day paid leave made the entire legion extremely excited.

They were even happier than having won two battles against the Abyssal Demon Legions without loss.

There's no way around it; the legion commander's performance was too outstanding, so the three main regiments, the guard regiment, and even the servant troops only needed to expand their victories.

Indeed, there's really no room left to play.

"Mo Li, come quickly!"

Lin Ke filed a report with the academy, obtained approval, and immediately returned to his homeland's Ruowosuosi City, his own villa in the northern district.

As soon as he entered the door, Lin Ke pulled Mo Li toward the upstairs study.

His impatient look made Mo Li quite eager for what would come next.

The fetus, it's stabilized, huh. Result...

The scene replayed.

Lin Ke merely held her, taking a deep breath.

"Hmph!"

Mo Li waited until Lin Ke finished inhaling, then stepped hard on her strange husband's foot, and walked out of the study in a tsundere manner.

Just wait and see.

It's not dark yet.

When the night grows deep and people are quiet, you will find out how formidable a young married woman is who, despite knowing the taste of the marrow, has held back for three months.

Lin Ke's premonition triggered, and he shivered.

He had a bad feeling, but he wasn't quite sure what exactly was wrong.

Anyway, it's not a threat to his life.

In a millennia‑unseen great change, Mo Li. Ji deman also caught the windfall, and is now a third‑level wizard.

This rate of improvement is even faster than that of Lan Ni. Tai Le, who has upper‑middle five‑tier aptitude.

Opportunity is just this unreasonable.

On the northern border trip, for exchange and study, Mo Li's innate divine beast, the God‑Eating Worm, received great benefit, its development greatly advanced, entering the growth phase.

The God‑Eating Worm's two major traits are concealment and foresight.

It is precisely the concealment trait that the God‑Eating Worm shares with Mo Li that makes Lin Ke's premonition vague.

"Let's take it one step at a time."

Lin Ke vaguely sensed that the source of the unease was Mo Li, and so he gave up further probing.

He took a deep breath, focused his mind, and summoned the system.

This time, can he discern the essence of the one‑two paid gacha system?

Previously, Lin Ke also thought that the system might be related to Saint Nuosite luodamu.

"Draw."

Putting aside distractions, Lin Ke gave a soft shout in his heart.

110 standard three‑star Magic Stones vanished in a way that even Lin Ke, now a fourth‑tier sage, could not detect.

On the plain, unadorned panel, the content changed.

【Linke Grand

Wizard aptitude: unknown, full‑element affinity.

Wizard level: fourth‑tier sage;

0‑ring wizardry: (omitted)

Innate construct: battle armor (4‑ring) (loadable modules)

1‑ring wizardry: (omitted)

2‑ring wizardry: (omitted)

3‑ring wizardry: (omitted)

4‑ring wizardry: repulsion field (mastered), Return (initial completion)

Status: unknown bond

Card pack: "Twin" contract card, talent share card, talent fusion card

Used: "Alchemy Specialty" talent card, "Wizardry Specialty" talent card, "Material Specialty" talent card

Draw count: 0 (1 standard tier-4 Magic Stone)

Two consecutive draws, and there was no big win.

The paid gacha system is still as dead as ever.

Lin Ke also couldn't figure out the system's operating mechanism, much less discern its essence.

The panel has three noteworthy items: 'Status', 'Talent Sharing Card', and 'Talent Fusion Card'.

As for the 4th-circle wizardry 'Return, Go Back', it's merely Lin Ke's past-life literary youth acting up, giving his self-created teleportation wizardry that name.

The so-called state of unknown bondage actually existed ever since leaving the immortal martial world.

If Lin Ke guessed correctly, it is precisely the karma formed after using the two counterfeit seals given by the Void Tranquil Heavenly Master to kill the White Lotus Holy Mother.

The effect of the 'Talent Sharing Card' is that Lin Ke can share one of his talents with a designated person.

The effect of the 'Talent Fusion Card' is to fuse two talents.

After consideration, Lin Ke chose to fuse the 'Alchemy Talent' and the 'Wizardry Talent'.

Actually, the 'Alchemy Talent' and the 'Material Talent' are theoretically the best match.

However, Lin Ke had his own considerations.

The Construct Wizard School was actually founded, with a theoretical limit reaching Great Sage level.

However, to reach this theoretical limit, or even raise it, Lin Ke must have more accumulation.

This accumulation includes, but is not limited to, knowledge, resources, and talent.

Version 1.0 of 'Construct' can essentially be understood as an alternative form of alchemy, or as a novel wizardry.

So, Lin Ke wants to see whether the product of fusing the 'Alchemy Talent' and the 'Wizardry Talent' can help pioneer the Construct Wizard School.

After a moment, the fusion ended.

A new talent appeared, and Lin Ke's face involuntarily turned strange.

'Alchemy Talent' + 'Wizardry Talent' = 'Mystic Talent'!

This result made Lin Ke's mood extremely complicated.

Could it be that the paid gacha system is really related to the extinct mysterious system wizard Saint Nuosite Luodamu?

If so, what does it mean that the wizard world's will favored the one who once snatched the 'Brain Seal Technique' and 'Multithreaded Thought' status cards from the system?

Lin Ke thought for a while, got no useful result, and simply stopped thinking about it.

Many lice don't cause itch.

Anyway, having already incurred karma with the Void Tranquil Heavenly Master of the parallel universe, he won't rush to shake off the resurrection trump card left by Saint Nuosite Luodamu as before.

Better to focus on the present and focus on improving oneself.

If he could one day become a Saint, these things are nothing to worry about.

The object of using the 'Talent Sharing Card' is naturally his wife Mo Li, who has already become his wife.

Evening.

Late night, all is quiet.

Mo Li burst forth with feminine might, wanting to vent the malicious anger she had unreasonably suffered during the day.

Lin Ke just finished a battle of plundering like fire, decided to change tactics, focusing on back-and-forth sawing, emphasizing being slow like a forest and still like a mountain.

After a prolonged battle, Mo Li finally sounded the retreat and surrendered obediently, ending the fight.

Having consolidated his family status, Lin Ke didn't forget the important matter, sharing the fused 'Mystic Talent' with Mo Li.

Immediately, Lin Ke recalled that the 'Twin Soul Contract Card' obtained from the previous draw had not yet been used.

Might as well use it together on Mo Li.

After using it handily, Lin Ke recalled the function of the 'Twin Soul' contract card.

After using the 'Twin Soul' contract card, Lin Ke can designate a person to temporarily sign a 'Twin Soul' contract with.

The contract's effective range is the area covered by Lin Ke's outward mental power.

The duration varies depending on how much mental power Lin Ke injects when using the contract card.

During the effective period and within the effective range of the 'Twin Soul' contract, Lin Ke and the contracted person share life and death, and can freely shift forms and swap positions.

To prolong the contract's duration as much as possible, Lin Ke injected the vast majority of his mental power at once.

"Mo Li, you are truly happy."

Out of the blue, Lin Ke, embracing the panting Mo Li, suddenly spoke.

"How so?"

Mo Li's head rested on Lin Ke's right arm, lazily asking.

"Because you always get a tiny bit of gain!"