CHAPTER 230: SHELTER CORE

In the Pioneering Hall, they approached a wide map simulating the distribution of various shelters and available stationing sites.

Spanning thousands of kilometers, the map made them realize just how vast the Dark Plane was.

This was merely a miniature simulation of the Nova Sector Battlefield; they couldn’t imagine how larger it would be, including the whole Solaris Domain, Chronos Empire, and the Universee.

Although it is said that the dark plane was the mirror of the Universe, compared to the vast empty space, although the dark plane was dangerous, it had more resources.

"You can choose a place to station here. The only requirement is that it must be a five-star danger zone," Zeke said, pointing to the expansive map.

"Got it, Instructor Zeke," they replied.

Turning to the map, they noticed each place bore a Pioneering Seal in different colors.

Green marked places already conquered and recognized by the Void Administrator.

Yellow indicated areas undergoing the recognition trial.

Red highlighted spots without stations, but an ideal place for setting up a base.

Above each Pioneering Seal, stars ranging from one to ten symbolized the degree of danger they would face.

On the side of each seal, stars from one to ten signified the abundance of resources around.

Hoping to pick a five-star danger zone with the most resources, they were disappointed.

The best they could find was a five-star danger zone with three-star resources.

Though most of them were Void Commander and Void General ranks, three-star resources felt insufficient for their efforts.

For motivation, they wanted at least a four-star resource zone.

Unwilling to settle, they scoured the map, hoping to find a newly generated Pioneering Seal.

According to their instructor, the map and its seals weren’t crafted by people but manifested by the Void Administrator itself.

Any changes, anomalies, dark beast threats, or resource shifts are updated in real time.

Eager for luck, they split up, searching for a spot with decent resources.

"I found one!" a seeded talent shouted, quickly claiming a newly generated Pioneering Seal.

The commotion drew not only the seeded talents but also other pioneering teams, who turned to look.

"What luck! Is that a four-star resource zone?"

"Tch, who are these newcomers? They’re too lucky."

"I wish I had that kind of luck when I joined the pioneering team..."

Envious, they couldn’t help but sigh. Unfortunately, someone had already claimed the Pioneering seal.

Unless the team died, no other group could take it.

Gathering together, the seeded talents beamed, as if they had hit the jackpot.

"What do we do now, Instructor?"

"Take these and register your names," Zeke instructed, handing each a token linked to the Nova Pioneering Shelter.

"Remember, if you encounter irresistible danger, activate the token immediately. Don’t be greedy, this is training, not the Cosmic Competition," Zeke warned solemnly.

"Got it, Instructor."

After registering their names, they felt a power surge through them, teleporting them to the spot marked by the Pioneering Seal.

---

Dark Plane, Unregulated Zone.

Teleported into ruins, the seeded talents stood at attention.

"No danger," Natasha muttered, unleashing her power to scan the area.

Currently, they stood in a seemingly ruined shelter, with a floating core in the center dispersing the dense dark energy.

"Interesting. Is this a shelter core?" Nash murmured, intrigued.

Unlike the others’ wariness, Nash was captivated by the core.

This shelter core controlled everything within a shelter, from dividing danger zones, generating dark panels, identifying dark beasts, dispersing dark energy for the living, propping up barriers, and more.

It was, in essence, the master control of every shelter.

Curious to explore its functions, Nash stepped forward, intending to touch it.

Unfortunately, Natasha grabbed his hand before he could.

"Only the leader can control the shelter’s core. Unless you convince everyone, don’t bother trying," she warned.

"Oh? Why not? I’d just mess with it for a bit, then pass it to whoever wants to lead," Nash said with a shrug.

"You don’t get it. A leader can only be chosen once a year. If you touch it, you’ll have authority over the shelter for a full year, unless you die," Natasha sighed, glancing at the others behind him.

Catching her meaning, Nash turned around.

Seeing everyone was staring at him, scrutinizing his every move and expression, he couldn’t help but feel chill.

It was clear that if he touched the core, they’d all attack him without hesitation.

At that moment, he understood Natasha’s warning.

Coveting the shelter’s core without the strength to back it up was a death wish.

Though the Chronos Law prevented them from truly killing him, leaving him half-crippled was fair game.

Instead of fear, however, Nash’s interest in the shelter’s core grew.

It was clearly more than just a control mechanism.

"How do we choose the leader, then? Voting? Battle? Competition?" Nash asked, turning to Natasha.

"With danger all around, battles and competitions aren’t practical. We’ll go with a majority vote," Natasha suggested.

Having experienced the Domain-Level Cosmic Competition, she still knew how to handle these basic decisions.

"Now, who wants to be the shelter leader? Speak up, and let’s see how many agree with you," Natasha said, kicking off the discussion.

"I nominate myself as the leader. As the strongest here and with experience in the Cosmic Competition, I won’t disappoint everyone," she declared confidently.

"My young master also wishes to participate," Hobis chimed in, gesturing toward Skylar, who eyed the shelter’s core with keen interest. "As the rising star of the Nova Sector, backed by my support, you can’t go wrong following his lead."

"Moreover, with the power and wealth of the Nova Family, those who vote for my young master will be distinguished guests of the family," Hobis rallied.

Hearing Hobis’s proposal, many felt tempted. Though the Nova Family was separate from the Nova Government, as the ruling family of the Nova Sector, aligning with such a promising figure could secure their future.

Yet, as seeded talents, they prided themselves on their independence and wouldn’t stoop so low for mere favors.

Unable to decide, they turned to Nash, the silent dark horse among them.

Though Nash kept a low profile, his achievements spoke volumes.

From the Dark Beast Tower to the adaptive training, they even heard rumours that he reached the peak of Void Commander rank in just a few days.

Curious about what he might offer, they waited for him to speak.