Free Web NovelChapter 175: Chapter 175: The Team Strategy Trial
The Team Strategy Trial took place on the third day.
Unlike combat demonstrations, this event placed multiple candidate teams into a shared tactical simulation. They would not use full real bodies, but the simulation was strong enough to reflect class skills, command tendencies, and decision-making under pressure.
Elder Su announced the rules.
"Each team will control a small expedition force inside a simulated ruin. Objectives may conflict. Combat between teams is permitted but restricted. Betrayal, negotiation, alliance, and resource exchange are all allowed."
Qin Mo looked deeply unhappy.
"Allowed betrayal. Wonderful."
Yu Qingmei said, "Expected."
The participating teams included Heavenly Gate Academy, Black Martial Academy, Central Academy, Military Youth Division, Meng Ancient Flame Clan, Jiang Celestial River Clan, and several others.
Each team entered a separate preparation room. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
Their simulated mission appeared.
[Team Strategy Trial Scenario]
Location:
Fallen Star Border Ruin
Primary Objective:
Secure one Star Gate Key and reach extraction point.
Secondary Objectives:
- Preserve expedition members.
- Collect ruin resources.
- Avoid corruption zones.
- Negotiate or compete with other teams.
Warning:
Only three Star Gate Keys exist.
Twelve teams participating.
Qin Mo stared at the number.
"Three keys. Twelve teams. This is designed for conflict."
Qin Yuheng nodded.
"Or alliance."
Lin Xian’er, included as Heavenly Gate’s information support representative, smiled.
"Temporary alliance with betrayal risk."
Qin Yuchen asked, "Who is most reliable?"
"Wei Chen, if placed nearby," Qin Yuheng said. "Military division may cooperate if objectives align. Jiang team unknown but rational. Black Martial likely aggressive. Merchant teams opportunistic. Meng Flame depends on resource value."
Qin Lian asked, "Blood Sun interference?"
"Possible through corruption zones or planted information."
The simulation began.
Qin Yuheng’s team appeared near the western edge of a ruined star fortress. They controlled twenty simulated expedition members: scouts, guards, support workers, and two injured researchers.
Their team status appeared.
[Heavenly Gate Expedition]
Members: 20
Morale: 62%
Discipline: 58%
Supplies: Moderate
Corruption Exposure: 0%
The ruin had five major zones: outer wall, broken observatory, underground archive, star altar, and extraction bridge.
Qin Yuheng did not rush toward the center.
"First, information."
Qin Lian scouted.
Qin Mo established a safe base in a half-collapsed tower.
Lin Xian’er monitored simulated trade channels.
Qin Yuchen organized guards.
Within thirty minutes, they discovered two pieces of information.
First, one Star Gate Key was likely in the underground archive.
Second, a corruption zone blocked the shortest route there.
A Merchant Alliance team offered to sell a map.
Lin Xian’er inspected it.
"Half true."
Qin Yuheng bought only the verified section at reduced price.
The merchant team tried to include a hidden debt clause in the simulated agreement.
Lin Xian’er smiled politely and removed it.
Qin Mo whispered, "Merchant against merchant is frightening."
The first conflict came when Black Martial Academy attempted to seize the western tower base.
Duan Xirong led the assault personally.
He expected Heavenly Gate to retreat or fight defensively.
Qin Yuheng did neither.
He offered a deal.
"Outer wall resources are yours. Western tower remains ours. Fight us, and both teams lose time while Central Academy reaches the key."
Duan Xirong smiled.
"You think I fear time loss?"
"No. You fear losing first claim to combat credit."
That struck.
Black Martial Academy valued direct achievements. If they spent too long fighting Heavenly Gate over a base, they might miss larger battles.
Duan Xirong withdrew after a short exchange of pressure.
No battle.
Qin Mo looked amazed.
"You repelled him with personality analysis."
"Temporary."
The underground archive route required passing corruption fog.
Qin Yuheng used prior preparation principles: Memory Anchor Water, path markers, rotating scouts, and minimal exposure. In simulation, these translated into high resistance.
Halfway through, they encountered Jiang Yuexuan’s team.
Both teams had reached the same archive entrance from different routes.
Tension rose.
Only one key might be inside.
Jiang Yuexuan looked at Qin Yuheng.
"Alliance until key confirmation?"
"Terms."
"Share archive information. If one key, compete by guardian contribution. If two resources, divide by compatibility. No attack until guardian defeated."
Qin Yuheng looked at Lin Xian’er.
She nodded slightly.
No hidden trap in wording.
"Accepted."
The alliance worked smoothly.
Too smoothly, Qin Mo thought.
Inside the underground archive, they faced Star Archive Sentinels and corruption puzzles. Jiang Yuexuan’s water-star abilities cleansed star locks. Qin Mo handled formations. Qin Yuheng commanded mixed forces carefully, not using full Chosen Road Banner Field but enough field clarity to coordinate willing members from both teams.
Jiang Yuexuan noticed the boundary.
"You are not extending full command."
"Not needed."
"Or not trusted?"
"Both."
She smiled faintly.
At the archive core, they found a Star Gate Key guarded by a Level 38 simulation boss: Fallen Star Archive Knight.
The boss tested alliance coordination by targeting whichever team contributed more, trying to create resentment.
Qin Yuheng recognized the pattern and openly declared contribution tracking.
"Guardian core belongs to higher damage contributor. Key goes to team holding archive seal after puzzle completion. Secondary resources split by prior terms."
Jiang Yuexuan agreed.
Transparency prevented resentment.
They defeated the boss.
Heavenly Gate solved the final archive seal first by combining Qin Mo’s formation and Qin Yuheng’s gate resonance.
They gained the Star Gate Key.
Jiang team gained the guardian core and several archive crystals.
No betrayal.
That surprised observers.
Su Mei smiled.
"Efficient cooperation."
Han Zhaolie nodded.
"Coalition potential."
Bai Chengsu watched Qin Yuheng’s restraint carefully.
The final phase required reaching extraction bridge.
Black Martial Academy attempted interception.
This time, Duan Xirong fought.
The battle was controlled but intense. Heavenly Gate had the key. Black Martial wanted it. Jiang team, bound by alliance until extraction route, helped block flank attacks but did not overcommit.
Qin Yuheng used Chosen Road Banner Field for the first time in assembly simulation.
A thunder-gray banner appeared.
Willing allies gained coordination. Jiang team members who did not fully accept still received anti-confusion protection without being controlled.
Observers reacted immediately.
"That is the Banner Path skill."
Duan Xirong attacked directly, trying to break the banner.
Qin Yuheng met him with sword and thunder.
The exchange was short but fierce.
Duan Xirong’s martial pressure was heavier than Lu Sheng’s and more aggressive than Zhao Tianyu’s current controlled style. But Qin Yuheng did not need to defeat him fully. He only needed to hold him until extraction.
He did.
The simulation ended with Heavenly Gate successfully extracting one Star Gate Key.
Final score:
[Heavenly Gate Academy]
Primary Objective: Completed.
Expedition Survival: 18 / 20.
Corruption Exposure: Low.
Alliance Stability: High.
Resource Gain: Moderate.
Combat Losses: Low.
Evaluation: Excellent.
Jiang team also scored high despite not extracting a key, due to alliance efficiency and resource gain.
Black Martial scored well in combat but lost strategic points.
Central Academy extracted another key.
Military Youth Division extracted the third.
The trial ended.
Duan Xirong approached Qin Yuheng afterward.
"You avoided a full fight again."
Qin Yuheng answered, "The objective was extraction."
"One day, the objective will be victory."
"Then we will see."
Duan Xirong laughed.
"I look forward to it."
Jiang Yuexuan passed by and said quietly, "Your banner protects even those outside full trust."
Qin Yuheng looked at her.
"That is its principle."
"Good. Keep that principle. Many will try to make you abandon it."
Then she left.
Qin Mo watched her go.
"She gives warnings like someone leaving knives wrapped in silk."
Lin Xian’er smiled.
"That is a very Jiang style."
The assembly rankings updated.
Qin Yuheng’s team rose to the top tier.
And Mo Cangyan, reading the report, finally marked the next phase.
Tower Simulation Mission.
There, the assembly would create scarcity, danger, and mixed objectives.
There, Blood Sun would not interfere directly.
They would only place one true thing in the wrong place.
A Crimson Eclipse clue.
Not enough to act on.
Enough to force Qin Yuheng to choose whether to abandon objective, protect team, or chase truth.
The best traps did not lie.
They waited beside something real.
