.The university had officially resumed.
The campus was alive.
Students everywhere.
Teachers shouting.
Freshmen looking confused.
Seniors looking dangerous.
And right in the middle of it—
Lin Yan walked calmly like someone who absolutely did not almost get arrested three times last month.
Star whispered in his head:
"MASTER. YOUR WALK IS TOO CONFIDENT."
"…How do you want me to walk?"
"LIKE YOU OWE MONEY."
"…I do owe money."
"GOOD. STAY IN CHARACTER."
The Reward of First Place
Because Lin Yan ranked first in the scholarship exam, the academy awarded him:
5,500 Academy Points
And in this university, points were everything.
They were more valuable than reputation.
More important than background.
Sometimes even more important than talent.
And here was the interesting part—
10 Academy Points = 1000–1010 Blue Star Coins,
depending on seasonal fluctuation and market demand.
Which meant—
5,500 points ≈ 550,000+ Blue Star Coins.
Lin Yan almost fainted when he calculated it.
"…Star."
"YES, MASTER."
"…I'm rich."
"CORRECTION: YOU ARE SCHOOL-RICH.
OUTSIDE? STILL BROKE."
"…Why are you like this?"
"BALANCE."
What Points Can Buy (And Why Students Cry)
The academy store was basically a legal temptation trap.
500 points → Low-level Martial Arts Textbook
600 points → Low-level Laser Gun
One charged bullet could melt diamond
Could pierce almost any low-grade defense
3,000 points → Advanced Combat Suit
100,000 points → Small armed transport vessel
1,000,000 points → Mini passenger ship (80–100 people capacity)
Lin Yan stared at the last one for a long time.
"…One million points for a ship."
Star immediately responded:
"MASTER. WE SHOULD BUY TWO."
"…I HAVE FIVE THOUSAND."
"DETAILS."
Faculty Selection Day
Now came the important decision.
The faculty board displayed options:
Martial Combat
Weapon Engineering
Gene Evolution Studies
Mech Warfare
Ship Piloting
Strategic Command
Students whispered as Lin Yan approached.
"That's him…" "The poor kid from the outer district…" "He somehow got first place…"
Lin Yan pretended not to hear.
He was thinking.
If he chose Martial Combat, everyone would monitor him.
If he chose Gene Studies, government attention would increase.
If he chose Mech Warfare, too expensive.
But Ship Piloting?
Access to ships.
Access to hangars.
Access to flight simulations.
Access to registration channels.
And most importantly—
A legal excuse to eventually claim ownership of a certain "ancestral inheritance."
Star's voice turned mischievous:
"MASTER. THIS IS WHERE WE PRETEND
YOUR GREAT-GREAT-GREAT GRANDFATHER
WAS A SPACE LORD."
"…He was a farmer."
"SPACE FARMER."
The Decision
Lin Yan stepped forward and pressed:
Ship Piloting Faculty
The hall went silent.
Someone dropped their tablet.
"What?!"
"He's poor!"
"He doesn't even own a personal craft!"
"How is he going to practice piloting?!"
Lin Yan scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"…Ambition?"
Star immediately projected a small hologram behind him:
"FUTURE OWNER OF STAR-CLASS VESSEL."
Lin Yan slapped the air. "Turn that off!"
"YOU ARE SUPPRESSING YOUR BRAND."
A teacher adjusted his glasses.
"Student Lin Yan… Ship Piloting requires personal vessel access in later years. Can you afford that?"
Lin Yan smiled.
"…I'll find a way."
Star whispered:
"WE ALREADY HAVE A WAY."
"…Shut up."
Reputation Shift
The whispers changed tone.
Before, it was pity.
Now?
Curiosity.
Some even felt threatened.
Because a poor student choosing Ship Piloting meant one thing—
He was planning something.
And nobody liked unknown variables.
Small Growth, Big Vision
As Lin Yan walked away from the selection hall, he clenched his fist slightly.
Not too tight.
Last time he broke furniture.
He wasn't exploding with power.
He wasn't dominating everyone.
He was growing.
Small small.
But steady.
And now he had:
5,500 points
Faculty access
A long-term ship plan
And a very chaotic AI partner
Star suddenly said:
"MASTER."
"…What."
"STEP ONE COMPLETE."
"…What step one?"
"WORLD DOMINATION VIA ADMINISTRATION."
Lin Yan sighed.
"…We're just trying to graduate."
"SAME THING."