Chapter Sixty-Four: Earth · Beast Tide (VI)

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“How is Earth right now?” Sun Meng gazed at the screen as he asked. Only moments ago, he had already received the rewards for his breakthrough. Yet, given the different circumstances, he now understood why, after Kokolaru’s breakthrough, so many valuable options had appeared in the exchange menu.

“According to scans, at the roots of famous mountains and great rivers all around the world, spiritual energy is surging. It seems as if some invisible force is fundamentally changing Earth’s environment,” the red scrolling text replied.

“What about humanity? Have the monsters shown any new signs of strength or outbreaks?” This was Sun Meng’s true concern. It was clear the monsters, under the system’s guidance, had launched their attacks on human civilization. Now, with his own advancement and Earth’s ascension in level, a new trial was likely to follow.

“Nations worldwide have begun purging low-tier monsters in the wild near their bases. This may help lessen the magnitude of the impending beast tide. As for large-scale weaponry, our progress remains slow, so we may have to set aside that research for now,” the red text replied.

“I see. So, this must be one of the constraints of a cultivation-based civilization. The next exchange is almost upon us; I’ll display the special items available for redemption,” Sun Meng said. If humanity could truly transform all their former technological advancements into corresponding cultivation products of equal rank, that would be extraordinary. But perhaps it was for the best—it would guide Earth’s civilization more firmly onto the path of cultivation.

“By the way, my ability to cultivate stems from achieving balance among essence, energy, and spirit. Are there any breakthroughs on Earth now? I think I can finally share the method for cultivating one’s essence,” Sun Meng continued.

“According to our monitoring, those who were halfway to the middle of the second tier have all broken through. We’ve felt a significant strengthening of our life force and achieved some degree of balance, though each person’s path is shaped by the core technique they’d originally practiced, so there’s variation among us,” the red text replied.

Sun Meng frowned but soon grasped the meaning.

“Understood. Tomorrow, when the exchange opens, I’ll offer this new cultivation method to Earth.”

“Then we’ll speak tomorrow.”

Sun Meng stepped out of his room. He truly hadn’t expected that his own country would be so formidable on this path, surpassing others in the art of cultivation. Since that was so, he saw no reason not to help his homeland further widen this lead. For the rest, the rules of the exchange were fair; their past accumulation would depend on themselves.

“You’ve succeeded, haven’t you? Can you tell me what it felt like? My civilization has hit a bottleneck in both magic formations and magical constructs, and my cultivation is progressing step by step, but I can’t sense the next turning point,” Kokolaru approached as Sun Meng emerged.

Her question drew the attention of others as well. Sun Meng had already been the strongest among those at the middle of the second tier, and now, having advanced to the later stage, any thoughts they’d had of challenging him were gone. Some, in fact, were already planning to relocate to other camps at the upcoming trading conference.

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Sun Meng glanced at the others. Most averted their gaze as his eyes swept over them; only a few could withstand the mental pressure that radiated from him.

“Come with me,” Sun Meng said.

The two entered a private room, and he said, “First, tell me—what was your civilization like before, what is it now, and what path do you envision for the future?” These three points were the crux of the entire game.

Kokolaru hesitated, then replied, “We’d already shifted to a civilization powered by machinery and low-purity crystal stones, with magic preserved only in the form of magical formations, adapting slowly to the changing society. But after the game began, my civilization experienced a surge of magical power, the elements grew active again, and all sorts of magical resources reappeared. Now and in the future, we intend to build a system centered on crystal energy, with the widespread application of magic formations and mages as the drivers of life’s evolution. The system classifies us as an arcane energy civilization.”

“So, you focus less on high-level individual power and more on large-scale weaponry,” Sun Meng interpreted. This was much like Earth, he thought, or rather, like the majority of civilizations at this stage, save for a few exceptions. His conjecture was confirmed.

“To put it simply, although each civilization’s system is different and their paths diverge, I’ve found that up to the third tier, there are many commonalities—sometimes only adapted to suit their civilization’s nature. From my own progress, I see that advancing from mid- to late-stage second tier hinges on balance—balancing energy, spirit, and the body. Only when all three are in harmony can one evolve. On a civilization level, it’s about balancing personal development, collective evolution, and technological advancement.”

“So, before the third tier, every civilization must strive for comprehensive development. But how does that reflect each civilization’s unique characteristics?” Kokolaru wondered aloud.

“That, I don’t know,” Sun Meng chuckled, and Kokolaru laughed as well. “Fair enough! Still, I owe you my thanks. Without you, many would have been stuck at this bottleneck.”

Sun Meng said, “I suspect that after this stage’s assessment ends, the subsequent civilization missions will change. At the very least, they won’t be so relentless; the rewards will be greater, too. Tasks may arise that can only be completed through cooperation. When that time comes…”

Kokolaru smiled warmly. “Don’t worry. If that happens, we’ll team up. Judging by the civilizations we’ve encountered in recent missions, the worlds to come won’t be tailored to any one civilization. Cooperation will be essential, and our civilization is willing to work with yours.”

Previously, she had sought Sun Meng’s help out of necessity and had even prepared several backup plans to seek out that inheritance. She hadn’t expected his strength and resourcefulness to be so impressive that he succeeded on the first attempt. As they spent more time together, she learned about Earth’s path and realized the two civilizations complemented each other, which explained their frequent exchanges of knowledge.

Most importantly, Sun Meng had helped her immensely when facing monsters in the wild. Later, when dealing with other civilizations in the main city, she’d gradually developed a sense of insecurity. Sun Meng’s presence brought her comfort.

She thought to herself, ‘I asked the system before—reproductive isolation can be solved. I wonder if he would accept me?’

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“Hey, Coco?” Sun Meng raised his voice slightly, noticing Kokolaru had been lost in thought, her head bowed.

“Huh? What is it?” Kokolaru snapped out of her reverie, suddenly realizing she was not in her own room, but standing before Sun Meng.

‘How embarrassing!’

Sun Meng said, “Anyway, let’s check out the Pimon camp together later. We should start hunting late-stage second-tier monsters, maybe even probing some at the third tier. This game is probably only just beginning, and I intend to lead my civilization to the end.”

“So do I!” Kokolaru replied. Seeing Sun Meng glance her way, she quickly added, “Well, I’ll head back now,” and hurried away.

“I wonder, is this really necessary? Surely the civilization behind her can see what’s going on,” Sun Meng remarked to the screen, a hint of helplessness in his tone.

He had been just an ordinary college student—a bit of a homebody who seldom joined group activities during breaks. He wasn’t antisocial, but when it came to relationships, he was a blank slate. In his view, bonds between contestants alone had little bearing on the grand scheme of civilization.

“Contestants needn’t worry. If she’s not disguising herself, then there’s only one explanation for her behavior—she’s developed a psychological reliance and fondness for you. This will be very helpful for our arrangements in the next stage.”

Sun Meng curled his lip. “Well, I don’t understand these matters anyway. Just don’t mess it up. In the contest of civilizations, reliable allies are invaluable. See you tomorrow!”