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A living Symbol of the Alliance!

Jiang Chen looked at the man across from him and inwardly cursed—

It wasn’t that he was prone to overreacting, but rather the man’s identity was just too special.

The strongest mecha pilot, the first person of Planet Blue Star, the Symbol of the Alliance, the Protector of Order…

Just by searching the man’s history on the encyclopedia, Jiang Chen imagined a novel-worthy template, a walking embodiment of a thrilling protagonist.

Even more importantly.

As an SSS-class rookie, Jiang Chen had been able to explore, grow, and be unfettered, and it was all thanks to this man.

If this had been more than a decade ago, when Blue Star had yet to rise within the Alliance.

He might have had to endure many tribulations like: family kidnappings, threats and bribes, selective breeding by the strong, enduring hardships, living a life of stealth, quietly developing, and slowly seeking revenge.

Perhaps therein lay the essence of a legend.

But that kind of legend, he’d rather not have.

That’s why, after learning more about him, Jiang Chen held this Symbol of the Alliance in great esteem.

At this moment, he couldn’t help but take a few extra glances at the man.

Hmm… An ordinary appearance, indeed a protagonist’s template.

Li Xiao, evidently accustomed to such gazes, began with a smile.

“All right, let’s begin the trade.”

“Lyle mentioned that besides the materials he needs, you’ve also obtained several new materials from the Eternal Frost Magic Realm on Hell difficulty level.”

“May I take a look?”

“Of course.”

Jiang Chen nodded, touched the Abyss Rune with his right hand, and swept across the table.

Azure chips, ice-crystal eyeballs, and other modules and materials fell onto the table.

These materials were wrapped in a faint mist of ice, which instantly lowered the room’s temperature by more than ten degrees.

However, this change in temperature did not affect either of them in the slightest.

Li Xiao also completely ignored the frosty mist and picked up an ice-crystal eyeball, examining it in detail.

Jiang Chen had thought that the Symbol of the Alliance appeared before him because he had single-handedly cleared the Age-Old Shadow on Hell difficulty level…

Such an event was not unusual for startling the big shots.

Now it seemed he really came for the material trade?

Examining it so closely?

Jiang Chen hesitated for a moment, then asked in confusion.

“Big shot, Lyle senior wants to strengthen his mecha, so he wanted to see these materials…”

“Can you decide for him?”

Li Xiao looked up, his pupils having changed to a mysterious Array nearly identical to Lyle’s, and spoke with a smile.

“Of course, because his new mecha uses my blueprint.”

“… Then it’s fine.”

Jiang Chen broke out in a sweat.

Normally, it would definitely be the mecha pilot himself who knew his mecha best.

But there are always exceptions.

If one is using a predecessor’s Mecha Blueprint, then they must ensure that the module and material combinations, as well as the nurturing of the mecha soul, all align with the blueprint’s requirements.

If there’s too significant a deviation, a single rank advancement is still manageable.

But after several advancements, one might deviate greatly, evolve into an entirely different form, and lose the essence of the blueprint.

That’s why Li Xiao personally showed up, to check for Lyle.

Of course, he probably also wanted to meet the rookie who had cleared Hell difficulty level alone.

Considering this, Jiang Chen’s mind stirred.

It seemed that the Symbol of the Alliance was very attentive to the condition of new talents.

He not only proposed and implemented the New Talent Protection Act but also disclosed his own mecha path and gave special guidance to talented rookies.

Both he and Lyle possessed the special magic of enhanced sight.

There couldn’t be no connection.

Now that Jiang Chen had cleared Hell difficulty level, he was quick to arrive and trade for Lyle…

This degree of attention seemed to exceed the boundaries of merely caring for juniors; it was almost too eager.

Jiang Chen hesitated for a moment before asking.

“Big shot, are you Lyle’s master?”

“If we’re being strict about it, half a one?”

Li Xiao had finished inspecting all the materials, placed them back on the table, and spoke.

“Actually, you want to know why I’m so focused on new talents, right?”

I just asked about your relationship with Lyle, how did you jump to this conclusion?

Seeing Jiang Chen’s surprised expression, Li Xiao shook his head with a smile.

“After so many years, every new talent has had the same thought; there’s no need for guessing.”

“The answer is simple.”

“You all are the future of Planet Blue Star.”

Li Xiao paused briefly, then continued.

“I’m not just throwing around official platitudes, but stating facts.”

“Let’s put it this way.”

“In twenty years, not a single 9th Rank mecha pilot has emerged from Planet Blue Star. You’re aware of that, right?”

“… Yes, I’m aware.”

Jiang Chen nodded.

His previous research had revealed just that.

The mecha pilots of Planet Blue Star were 8th Rank, with no one reaching 9th Rank.

Even the Symbol of the Alliance, the strongest, the first person.

After breaking through to 8th Rank, he hit a wall.

For a whole fourteen years, there had been no breakthrough from the 8th Rank barrier to become a 9th Rank mecha pilot.

People speculated wildly about this.

Some believed that the 8th Rank was the endpoint for mecha pilots and no stronger mecha pilots existed.

Others thought that breaking through to the 9th Rank was too difficult, the promotion trials too challenging, and that all who attempted had perished, even the Symbol of the Alliance feared to proceed.

There were also those who said that the Symbol of the Alliance had long been able to break through to the 9th Rank, but was forcefully suppressing himself—

After all, since his Supercharge Module was taken from him, he had not obtained a second Supercharge Module to this day.

This might have affected his strength.

His constant challenges of the Hell difficulty level were an attempt to obtain a Supercharge Module, to craft the strongest mecha, and enhance his own strength and foundation.

Then, he would break through to the 9th Rank.

Since he was already the strongest on Planet Blue Star, and no one was his match, he could afford to grow slowly.

Such claims were numerous.

In response to these speculations, all 8th Rank mecha pilots, including the Symbol of the Alliance, never responded directly.

Jiang Chen previously felt that the “suppression theory” might be more credible.

Now, looking at the Symbol of the Alliance’s statement, it seemed there was more to it?

At this moment, Li Xiao gave the answer.

“The reason is very simple.”

“The 8th Rank mecha pilot is now the limit for Planet Blue Star.”

Such a short sentence contained a wealth of information.

Jiang Chen picked up on the most critical keyword.

“Planet Blue Star?”

“That’s right.”

Li Xiao nodded and went on to say.

“To explain this, you need to know three things first.”

“First, Planet Blue Star is not the only civilization in the universe, or even in the abyss.”

“Second, the planets and civilizations we encounter during the promotion trials are not shadows of the Age-Old Shadow.”

“They are real planets and civilizations, just like Planet Blue Star.”

“…What?”

Jiang Chen was stunned.

The scenes of promotion trials were not the “Age-Old Shadow” but “other current worlds?”

He had been completely unaware of this!

After all, the worlds within the Age-Old Shadow were just like game instances, infinitely reshaped and refreshed on a whim.

Due to cognitive inertia, he hadn’t paid much attention to the scenes within the promotion trials.

After receiving his evaluation, he’d promptly left.

He had never imagined that the worlds of the promotion trials were not mere recreations of the past but the real, disaster-stricken worlds!

That is to say, at this very moment.

In the vast universe, there really existed a Steam Planet that slumbered with a Sea Abyss Ancient God.

The girl Laila he had come across, the gentleman in the tailcoat, were struggling to survive on a nearly destroyed planet with many other survivors…

Jiang Chen felt numb.

Had he known this, he would have at least said goodbye before leaving.

Seeing his expression, Li Xiao explained.

“If everyone knew that the planets in the promotion trials were real, it could have an impact.”

“So, we’ve kept this matter confidential.”

“However, you don’t need to be too troubled about it.”

“The goal of the first promotion trial was to save the Seed of Civilization; you received an SSS-class rating, which was highly successful.”

Li Xiao paused for a moment, then continued.

“Moreover, this involves the third thing.”

“When you perfectly achieved the trial’s objective and preserved the seed of civilization.”

“You also leave behind a seed of the Abyss Rune.”

“That is truly the ‘Seed’ within the trial.”

So, that means…

The Steam World has now also given birth to new mecha pilots?

And like the mecha pilots of Planet Blue Star, they can explore the abyss, clear instances, and even advance in rank?

In the future, could he possibly encounter Laila and the others again?

Jiang Chen rubbed his forehead.

The information was overwhelming.

And moreover…

“I remember that Abyss Runes first appeared on Planet Blue Star due to someone who returned from the abyss?”

Li Xiao nodded.

“Not many people came into contact with him, and he didn’t reveal much before he disappeared again.”

“So, he’s likely not from Planet Blue Star, but a visitor from another civilization.”

Was everything you concealed just too much?

Apparently, not everything on the online encyclopedia could be taken at face value.

Jiang Chen was momentarily speechless.

However, he quickly returned to the initial topic of conversation.

“Big shot, since Planet Blue Star is not the only explorer of the abyss…”

“What does it mean that the current limit for Planet Blue Star is the 8th Rank?”

“It means exactly that.”

“The 8th Rank is the current limit for Planet Blue Star, not the limit for mecha pilots, and certainly not for the abyss.”

Li Xiao spoke.

“Once we advanced to the 8th Rank and recharged the Abyss Runes completely, we received a notice—”

“Insufficient potential of civilization to advance in rank.”

“If we want to initiate the promotion trials, our civilization must make a leap across the ‘abyss’.”

78 Chapter 76 This is Your Era [Please Subscribe First!]_1