She Was Only a Key, Unlocking a Nation's Treasure

Mike stared at the flood of talent data displayed before him, his previously calm expression giving way to growing shock. His eyes widened, disbelief etched into his features as the numbers continued to climb. When he finally saw Lin Yue's combat power score—a staggering 20,000—he couldn't hold back any longer.

"Hiss…"He drew in a sharp breath, momentarily stunned into silence.

This is insane!

Even Jiang Xiaoci, who had ascended to S-rank as a National Destiny Prodigy, only managed a value just over 10,000. But Lin Yue? She had doubled it.

Why? How is this even possible?

Was there a hidden hierarchy within National Destiny Prodigies? Could their strength differ so greatly? Or was Lin Yue simply... unique? The outlier, the one who broke all conventions?

Mike's disbelief warred with the cold, hard data staring him in the face. Yet the truth was undeniable—Lin Yue's stats eclipsed Jiang Xiaoci's by a margin so vast it defied logic.

"Could it be... her purity?"

He dove deeper into the details, scrutinizing Lin Yue's traits and abilities. They were nothing short of extraordinary, borderline overpowered. Her skills were stacked with collective buffs, unique mechanisms, and auxiliary effects—making her the ultimate force multiplier for a military unit.

Every trait, every talent, was absurdly potent.

Even [Death Immunity] was on the list.

Mike's shock mingled with a strange sense of familiarity. He squinted at the overwhelming array of traits, trying to pin down where he'd seen something like this before.

"These descriptions… Wait. This… this feels like…"

Mike scrolled back through the data, his breath catching. Then it hit him.

Of course! It's the template of those legendary wartime armies!

The kind that endured the harshest conditions, triumphed against impossible odds, and forged countless military myths with their bare hands. These were the soldiers who elevated war itself to an art form, transcending human limits to carve miracles into the pages of history.

The kind of soldiers who made tales of curving bullets in TV dramas seem modest in comparison.

Mike rubbed his temples, staring at Lin Yue's stats. Her traits and talents all pointed to one direction—creating the strongest army of this era.

The more desperate the battle, the stronger the results. The deeper the crisis, the more miraculous the comeback.

Even if a nigh-invincible enemy were to annihilate his forces… Lin Yue wouldn't just survive. She'd turn the survivors into legends. The remnants would rise as superhuman war gods, the pinnacle of military prowess on Earth.

"This isn't about Lin Yue being broken," Mike muttered to himself. "It's about what she represents."

The realization dawned on him like a hammer blow. It wasn't Lin Yue who was absurdly powerful. It was the nation she came from.

Lin Yue wasn't the source—she was the key. A key that unlocked the hidden depths of her nation's legacy, transforming it into raw power. The [Bloodline Legacy] artifact hadn't given her anything new; it had merely awakened the unparalleled strengths already inherent in her heritage.

If Lin Yue had been a soldier of another nation, her traits and talents would've reflected that culture's characteristics—perhaps impressive, but nowhere near this level.

But China?

China's military history was a realm of legends.

Unmatched discipline. Unyielding willpower. Invincible battle doctrines. A faith that transcended death itself.

Lin Yue's newfound abilities weren't an anomaly. They were a manifestation of the extraordinary foundation she was tied to.

"I thought Lin Yue was broken," Mike murmured, shaking his head. "Turns out the real cheat code is her nation."

As the golden glow surrounding Lin Yue began to fade, her figure emerged from the light. She looked almost unchanged—her composed demeanor, her crisp military uniform, her shining eyes—all remained the same. Yet, there was an undeniable shift in the air around her.

"Commander," Lin Yue greeted, her voice steady and clear. She glanced down at herself, her brows furrowing slightly as if processing something unfamiliar.

"How do you feel?" Mike asked, his tone laced with curiosity and a hint of awe.

Lin Yue hesitated, then said thoughtfully, "I feel… different. Like I've gained a wealth of combat knowledge overnight. It's strange—like I'm connected to everyone in the shelter. Even if I can't see them, I can sense their emotions, their thoughts… even their strengths and weaknesses."

She paused, her voice softening. "I think I can teach them. A lot. It's hard to explain—it just feels… profound."

Mike chuckled. "What's so profound about it? You're basically a political commissar now!"

Her role had crystallized before his eyes: a leader who empowered the collective, a strategist who amplified the army's fighting spirit.

Her abilities even included probability-based effects, but thanks to her newfound [Luck] trait, she could defy the odds consistently. Lin Yue had gone from being an Explorer to a walking lucky charm—an "empress of fortune."

"What's a 0.1% chance to someone like her?" Mike thought, smirking. With Lin Yue, that 0.1% might as well be 100%.

It was nearly impossible to imagine a scenario where he could lose now. No matter the challenge, Lin Yue's presence ensured his forces would always be at their peak. The weaker they started, the stronger they'd become.

"These soldiers," Mike thought, "aren't just unbreakable—they're the stuff of nightmares for any enemy."

"Unless someone shows up with an absolutely overwhelming advantage to wipe us off the map, we're pretty much untouchable."

Mike leaned back with a sigh of relief. Between Jiang Xiaoci's brilliance as an S-rank National Destiny Prodigy and Lin Yue's unmatched military synergy, his shelter was practically unassailable.

Even his greatest worry—loyalty—was a non-issue now. Jiang Xiaoci's influence ensured collective devotion, and Lin Yue reinforced it further. With these two pillars in place, betrayal was out of the question.

In fact, Mike could turn the concept of betrayal into a weapon. With Jiang Xiaoci's experience in counterintelligence, he could infiltrate and destabilize his enemies, using loyalty as both shield and sword.

"So that's what Jiang Xiaoci was hinting at all along…" Mike muttered, slapping his forehead. "She wasn't just warning me about internal threats—she was showing me how to use the system to my advantage."

"The fears I feel… others will feel them too. The key is to weaponize them."

Mike smiled, his confidence renewed. In the hands of the clever, even the sharpest risks can become the greatest tools.

4o