This is Swallowed Star, not Resident Evil.

Chapter 90 Apprentice Mercenary, Assessment Mission

Inside a brand new, small C1-class spacecraft.

Ye Yang was sitting cross-legged on the floor, his consciousness entering the virtual universe for training.

"Ye Yang, we're almost there," Babata reminded him.

Ye Yang quickly opened his eyes: "The Cosmic Mercenary Alliance's trainee mercenary assessments in the Cui Lang Star Region are all conducted in the 'Hua Liu Heng Star System,' where there is a world left behind by a World Lord called 'Qing Feng World.'"

"It is said to be a realm lord who comprehended the fundamental law of wind."

Babata said, "You have already registered at the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance base on Planet Baiga. As long as you pass this test, you will become Cosmic Trainee Mercenaries."

In the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance, planetary-level individuals can only register as adventurers, while only constant-level individuals are eligible to take the exam and become "Cosmic Purchasing Mercenaries".

Only those at the cosmic level are qualified for the "Cosmic One-Star Mercenary" assessment!

Behind Ye Yang, two level-nine slaves of the Hengxing rank were also waiting.

This time, the three of them traveled together.

"In the killing field of the virtual universe, I can contend with elite level nine controllers without burning my soul. With the illusion and soul attack of the Soul Imprint, as well as the Vacuum Illusion, I can forcibly pull mental master controllers into close combat."

"And once we enter close combat, whether you're a controller, an illusionist, or a martial artist, you'll find it difficult to withstand my attacks!"

Ye Yang was very confident.

"During the assessment mission, the biggest threat is not the harsh environment of the world, but people's hearts! In the mission world, the assessment members of those major forces all travel in groups, and it is normal for a team to have dozens or even hundreds of people. If you are targeted by a team from one of these major forces and besieged by dozens of ninth-level Eternal Stars, you will have to flee even if you don't fight desperately!" Babata said bluntly.

"Haha, in fact, that suits me perfectly!" Ye Yang was not afraid at all, but instead looked expectant.

"You're insane, you're really insane." Babata could only look helpless.

He hadn't witnessed Ye Yang's resurrection firsthand, only hearing Ye Yang's side of the story, so he was still half-believing and half-doubting.

"When I go in, your AI core will remain on the spaceship, communicating with me through the auxiliary AI and the virtual universe network. If I die inside, I will be resurrected on Emerald Rock Star immediately, and then you can simply fly the spaceship back," Ye Yang said.

Having prepared for the possibility of being surrounded and killed, he decided not to let Babata's intelligent entity go with him, as it would be disastrous if it got lost.

"The backlash from the dungeon world should be over, but we still need to be prepared," Ye Yang thought to himself.

……

The Glide Star System gets its name from the fact that the central star constantly ejects violent stellar winds, forming a long, high-speed glide stream in interstellar space.

This star system has no inhabited planets, but on the third rocky, barren planet from the inside out, there exists an underground dwelling left behind by an unnamed world lord who lived in seclusion and cultivated asceticism.

Because there is a world within the underground dwelling, where a cool breeze blows day and night, it is called the "Gentle Breeze World," and the nameless world lord is also known as the "Gentle Breeze World Lord."

Ye Yang's spaceship landed on this desolate planet. Although the planet's magnetic field was stronger than Earth's, its atmosphere was thinner than Mars's, all because of the excessively violent stellar winds of the central star.

"I've been trapped in the 'Celestial Maze' for two years for this assessment."

"Exactly. Compared to the assessments in other star systems, I don't know what our mercenary alliance on Cuilang Planet was thinking, choosing Qingfeng World as the assessment location. Although the environment isn't particularly dangerous, once you get lost in the 'Sky Maze,' you might not be able to find your way out for two or three years."

Two trainee mercenaries, who appeared to have completed their assessment, were talking with dissatisfaction as they passed by Ye Yang and his companions.

"It sounds like this assessment task won't be easy to complete," Ye Yang said.

"Hmph, at worst you can just rob those adventurers who have collected the quest items. Anyway, you didn't become a mercenary for money, but for life-and-death experience." Babata talked to Ye Yang through the attached AI and virtual universe network.

Two ninth-level Hengxing slaves followed silently behind.

Upon entering the headquarters of the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance, a staff member directed us, saying, "Go to that building over there. You can enter the underground space, where staff will guide you into the Breeze World."

Some people in the crowd began to whisper:

"The trainee mercenary assessment mission is to capture four 'Sky Winds' and hunt down a 'Pterodactyl' to obtain its fleshy wing membrane."

"It is said that the sky in this world of clear winds is a 'Celestial Labyrinth' constructed from raging winds. The labyrinth's walls are invisible winds that push people aside, but if you try to force your way through, you will be torn apart by opaque, raging blue winds, and even a cosmic-level being would perish!"

"Wasn't it said that the environment of this Qingfeng World wasn't threatening?"

"Are you stupid? I've already said that the invisible winds will push people away; only the raging storm deep within can tear you apart. Unless someone pushes you in, or you do something foolish yourself, who would be killed by the labyrinth's wind walls?"

"So, this maze can't be forced through; we can only follow the passageways?"

"Yes, I read in the information that this Sky Maze will subtly change over time and with the actions of everyone inside. You might just pass a fork in the road and want to go back to choose another one, only to find that the way you came has become a dead end."

"That's a bit scary."

"No, the Sky Maze itself isn't that dangerous. The real danger lies in the people inside... Imagine what would happen if you encountered other examinees with malicious intent in the maze. Moreover, it would be difficult for you to call for help because the maze is constantly changing, and it's impossible for others to find the way to your location in a short time."

Listening to the conversation in the crowd, Ye Yang and his two companions entered the underground space.

Guided by another staff member, they arrived at a corridor. Ahead of the corridor was a blue, shimmering light screen, obscuring the view inside.

"Everyone, line up and enter in an orderly manner..." a staff member commanded from a high place.

Clearly, behind that cyan light curtain lies the Qingfeng World.

"Oh! That must be Bai Shaxing's team, right?"

"Why are they here too? What bad timing."

"There are already more than 30 people in the team that hasn't entered yet, and we don't know how many people have already entered before."

"It's really bad luck to run into a trial team from such a powerful force."

Upon seeing the group of Eternal Star-level warriors still queuing to enter the Qingfeng World in the passage, some adventurers around Ye Yang began to sigh in despair.

"What kind of power is Baisha Star?" Ye Yang asked.

"They are the top 6 civilian organizations in the Cuilang Star Region. There are ten civilian organizations in the Cuilang Star Region. Apart from the top two being one or two times stronger than the other civilian organizations, the remaining eight are about the same."

Babata said.

"In addition, there is the Cui Lang Holy Land and the Twelve Families, which belong to the official forces."

"It seems to be similar to the situation at Black Dragon Mountain," Ye Yang thought to himself.

After queuing for several minutes, it was finally Ye Yang and his two companions' turn.

"drop--"

The guards at the entrance only allowed entry after the identity scan was completed by making a sound.

"A world of gentle breezes, a labyrinth in the heavens—what kind of scenery will it hold?"

Ye Yang and his two companions leaped into the water and vanished without a trace.

……