Quick team formation
"Huh?" Luo Xian's expression was uncertain as he looked her up and down. "Judging what? Who will win?"
"No, I mean, the relationship between policy news and the league, or something like that..."
"What do you mean? If I could really understand the policies, I'd be investing in stocks. But this league is definitely going to be extra big. Not only have the rules been changed and the importance of the card maker accompanying the team been clarified, but the participation of the major families and guilds is also very strong. Speaking of which, is there a gold mine in this league? Why does everyone want to go?"
"You've just heard too much. Okay, I'm done writing, now get out of here."
"you……"
When Luo Xian frowned, he finally showed some life, no longer the lifeless, listless creature he once was. Ning Xi quickly pushed him out the door.
It's not Luo Xian.
He hasn't caused me any trouble since the start of the semester, so there's no reason for him to cause trouble now that the semester is halfway through.
Who could it be? With my monotonous life, who could I possibly offend?
According to Luo Xian, Director Song's pressure would definitely be effective, but those lurking in the shadows would always find a way to harass her. One solution was to register for the league and transfer her jurisdiction to Director Song; that way, those lurking in the shadows might not be willing to show themselves again.
However, participating in the league, like reporting others, will also take up her free time. Besides helping her deal with whistleblowers whose whereabouts are unknown, what other benefits does doing this offer?
After checking the information, Ning Xi realized that it was indeed true.
Rather, whether she can solve an important problem in the second half of the semester depends on her performance in the league.
...
Meanwhile, on the college's internal forum.
[Discussion: Do you think this league is worth participating in?]
[Note: The original poster is a graduate student and not eligible to participate. This post is for discussion only; please seek further criticism elsewhere.]
To be honest, Mingxin College has never really valued the league, since graduates can get into the 13th Army or some theoretical research institutes based on their academic performance. As for other units, our college's competitiveness is still a bit weaker compared to other top universities. However, this league is being promoted with tremendous fanfare: participating grants a dedicated training room, guaranteed entry into stable fields, special favors from the department, and extra credits… I've never seen such a grand scale before. Does this mean that participating in this league is worthwhile?
[That package was worth it. Insider information: Both the Xiao family and the Luo family are participating; they've never participated in this kind of competition before.]
"Then we'll just become cannon fodder...?"
Even cannon fodder get academic credits.
I just checked the team-up area, and it seems like everyone's already been assigned a spot. Fellow students, is there any card maker I can snag a leftover?
[Yes, yes, bro, I have some. Ning Xi, the top freshman, hasn't teamed up yet. She's really short on money; you can try to entice her.]
[Is the person upstairs a Ning Xi shill? Seriously, her situation is really unsuitable for the competition: First, Ning Xi can't repair cards; second, has she even crafted a single card of D rank or higher in the past half semester? What is she planning to do when the competition actually starts? Use exquisite E-rank cards to fight D-rank cards?]
[We should choose card makers with some resources, at least those who have practiced crafting and repairing E-grade cards. I think Su Qiongyu, who ranked first in the first-year repair class, is quite good; she can repair C-grade cards, and she's not too rich, so most people have a chance to assemble a team with her.]
[Su Qiongyu has already been assigned to our group, don't worry.]
[Wait, Ning Xi posted a team-up request. Anyone interested?]
[Laughing so hard, so you'll just be part of the denominator after I've finished, huh? No way.]
[Someone tried to access her account illegally; her post has been banned.]
[Le might have given up on the competition after seeing this post.]
...
"You want to invite me to team up? Have you seen the posts on the forum?"
"I saw it." Yu Xiangyin's voice came through the communicator, optimistic and earnest, always with such a powerful infectious quality. "However, what's on the forum is just speculation, while I truly fought alongside you."
"Ning Xi, can you help me see through my weaknesses?"
"Can!"
Early Saturday morning, Ning Xi arrived at the entrance of the domain, following Yu Xiangyin's instructions.
As the strongest card-collecting academy among the thirty-three participants, Mingxin Academy controls access to several stable domains. To support participating students, the academy has opened a D-level domain for both welfare and selection purposes.
The perks, of course, include the opportunity for students to train tactics and gather materials within their chosen field; the selection process, on the other hand, involves new rules from the academy.
"Participating teams must kill three D-level alien beasts, otherwise they cannot participate in the main competition under the name of Mingxin Academy."
They came today not only to meet and get to know each other, but also to kill the strange beast and fulfill the conditions.
Yu Xiangyin arrived early and secured a good spot. His bright orange jacket made Ning Xi spot him immediately; Zhang Min arrived a little later, as she was the one in the team who actually performed the "card maker" function, responsible for repairing the cards.
The remaining two are Wang Rengui, a close-combat specialist and Yu Xiangyin's good friend, and a card master who took the initiative to team up with Yu Xiangyin.
Nariren.
This girl with long, light-gold hair and a face unlike that of the Hanhai Star Region looked at Yu Xiangyin, Wang Rengui, and herself and Zhang Min with her pale-colored pupils.
She pursed her lips: "Yu Xiangyin, the team composition is unreasonable."
She pointed a finger at Ning Xi: "Replace her. League teams don't need a card maker who can't fix things."
"Stop." Before Naliren could say anything more, Yu Xiangyin made a "stop" gesture. "Tell me you're willing to follow my instructions before I'll agree to let you team up with us. If you have any objections, you can leave now."
“Yu Xiangyin, I chose you because I think you are a passionate, optimistic, and rational person.” Naliren’s voice was flat. “I didn’t expect you to make such an irrational choice of teammates. For your own sake, please think it over carefully.”
“Wait a minute,” Zhang Min straightened up, “I only came here because Ning Xi came. I left when she left too. I also signed up for the card-making competition.”
“A first-year student?” Nariren glanced at Zhang Min indifferently. “If you have such thoughts, please leave as soon as possible. The league is not a place for you to play house.”
“I said,” Yu Xiangyin frowned, “you’re the one who should be leaving…”
"Don't fight!"
Ning Xi suddenly stood up, slammed her hand on the table, and attracted everyone's attention.
She braced herself on the table with both hands, looking down at Nariren: "You don't submit to me?"
“I don’t respect anyone.” Nariren met her gaze coldly. “I’m just picking the right teammates, but you’re not one of them.”
“If you’re not your friend, you don’t even deserve to be in the league.”
“Let’s make a bet,” Ning Xi said with a smile. “Once we enter the domain, we’ll split up. You and Wang Rengui will go together, and I’ll go with Yu Xiangyin. Zhang Min can choose to support one of the groups. Whichever group can hunt more D-rank animals will be the one to follow the orders of the other group.”
“Wang Rengui should also go to your side,” Naliren agreed without hesitation. “Otherwise, you won’t have any chance at all.”
“You’re the only one who thinks there’s no chance,” Ning Xi said. “But I have to let you know—your judgment is completely wrong.”
...
After Naliren and Wang Rengui entered the domain, Ning Xi, Zhang Min, and Yu Xiangyin followed closely behind. The domain gate sent them to different corners.
Yu Xiangyin said, "Actually, we can change teammates, it doesn't matter."
Ning Xi shook her head: "At this point in time, it's hard to find suitable teammates. Even if you change, the person who comes might be even more bizarre. Compared to those truly troublesome traits, Naliren's admiration for strength is already an easy problem to solve. Besides—your good friend has been keeping an eye on Naliren, it seems like she came for her."
Yu Xiangyin suddenly realized: "No wonder..."
"So, are we really going to have a showdown?" Zhang Min interrupted their conversation with great interest. "What are you planning to do? Yu Xiangyin, do you have some secret weapon?"
Yu Xiangyin spread her hands and shook her head innocently: "I'm just a support."
“Let’s begin then,” Ning Xi said. “Time waits for no one. Yu Xiangyin, fly up and scout ahead.”
Within the domain lay a lush forest, a vast, endless expanse of trees stretching to the horizon. Countless animals roamed beneath the trees, their chirping and rustling creating a lively atmosphere. However, most of these creatures were not exotic beasts, but rather manifestations of the domain's energy.
As Yu Xiangyin ascended the scale, Ning Xi fell into thought.
This place, like the area she had been trapped in before, is a D-level area with abundant vegetation.
According to Chapter 2 of "Domain Taxonomy," in lower-level domains, those with the same or similar vegetation will also have similar distribution characteristics of their exotic beasts. In other words, her past experience can also be applied here.
Just then, Yu Xiangyin came down from the scale and said that the plants were too dense and she couldn't see anything at all.
"However, one thing is certain: Nariren and the others are not nearby. Her cards are rather... impressive. If they were nearby, I would definitely have found them."
Ning Xi nodded: "Okay, let's go this way."
The further they walked, the more traces of small animals they could see. They were heading in the same direction as the four of them, towards the only water source nearby.
The realm is not reality, but it can reflect reality to some extent. Where there is water, many creatures, whether powerful or weak, will inevitably gather.
When they came to the edge of a shallow lake, the animals there also saw the three of them. Since they were not native to the area, the beasts were extra hostile towards them.
Sensing their unusual behavior, a wolf-like beast of high rank E-level roared and pounced, driven by its own hostility.
Zhang Min was startled and quickly activated the shield card she had prepared beforehand, and a transparent shield enveloped the three of them.
But before the shield could take effect, Yu Xiangyin activated [Musician], and a musical note sword appeared in her hand, piercing through the heart with a single strike.
After half a semester of practice, ordinary E-rank high-level alien beasts are no match for him.
But that wasn't the end of it. As the wolf-like beast fell, many pairs of eerie green eyes appeared on the lakeshore.
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