All the physical attributes in the stats table had reached the maximum values required by the school, which didn't surprise Shen Xingyan. He was always at the top during daily training, so these scores were only natural for him.
However, when he saw the line for his profession, the youth's heart instantly sank, and the light in his eyes dimmed. A farmer? Why this auxiliary profession? Even a blacksmith would be better than this mediocre specialty.
A blacksmith's talent and professional bonuses would at least develop physical abilities. By strengthening the body, one could even attempt to fight the Catastrophes. But the Farmer profession only gave bonuses to crops, providing no benefit to the owner themselves. Its only advantage was the ability to scrape by and earn a living.
And what about his talent—summoning a skeleton with all stats equal to one? What kind of strange gift was that? He had never heard of anything like it. Typically, farmers' talents increased cultivation speed or stamina, and summoning abilities were a first—a truly rare case.
But what good was rarity? A skeleton with such pathetic stats wasn't even fit to be cannon fodder on the battlefield, let alone fight the Catastrophes!
This Awakening result plunged Shen Xingyan into a frigid abyss of despair. The scorching sun's rays couldn't melt the cold that had gripped his heart. Tense for the last few days, he suddenly felt as if all strength had left his body, leaving only sluggishness and helplessness.
Barely moving his legs, like a frail old man, Shen Xingyan headed to the registrars to finalize his profession. The Farmer was the most common low-level auxiliary profession. When the young man stated his profession, the registrar, who had already registered an enormous number of farmers, simply sighed, looking at the bewildered Shen Xingyan. A flicker of regret passed through his eyes, but he said nothing.
After completing the registration, the employee didn't ask any additional questions and simply directed the youth to the most populous waiting area. After all, the profession's limitations were obvious—no matter how impressive the other stats were, they were only for the initial stage and would soon be surpassed. Extra questions would only intensify the bitterness.
Shen Xingyan was no longer paying attention to the looks or attitudes of those around him. He just nodded slightly and slowly shuffled toward the farmers' area.
He had barely taken a few steps when an excited voice sounded from behind him: "Shen Xingyan! I awakened the profession of a mage—an Elemental Fire Mage with destructive power! How did you do? Do you need your big sister's protection?"
Chu Wei's voice instantly drew the attention of those around them. Everyone looked at the girl in the bright red dress, who was excitedly waving her card. Gazing at the future elemental fire mage, people couldn't hide their envy.
Gradually accepting reality, Shen Xingyan turned to the excited girl and smiled bitterly. Although he was genuinely happy for his classmate's success, the thought of his own lowly profession filled him with sorrow.
Having quickly finished her registration, Chu Wei came closer. Noticing the expression on Shen Xingyan's face, she instantly understood the situation. She immediately extinguished her joyful smile, afraid that her happiness might hurt her friend.
Looking at the young man with concern, Chu Wei wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in her throat. She felt that any words would be inappropriate right now and could only stand by silently, comforting him with her presence.
After a while, as if having come to terms with his fate, Shen Xingyan smiled with a feigned nonchalance:
"Don't worry, it's nothing. Even as a farmer, I won't starve, growing crops in the 'Star Source.' When I have a harvest, I'll treat you."
Hearing this, Chu Wei not only didn't feel better but became even more worried. Although she had assumed Shen Xingyan's profession wouldn't be one of the best, she hadn't thought it would be a purely auxiliary profession like a farmer.
After all, at school, he was always the most diligent and outstanding student in both academics and training. Why had fate dealt him such a hand? He only wanted to become stronger to take care of his family and avenge his parents by destroying the Catastrophes. Such a simple wish—and it was mercilessly thwarted by his profession!
Looking at Shen Xingyan's strained smile, Chu Wei's eyes reddened, filling with tears.
"Well, don't be upset," Shen Xingyan said, ruffling Chu Wei's hair. "The fact remains, and no matter how much we fret, nothing will change. We have to look forward."
Unlike before, Chu Wei didn't swat his hand away with feigned disgust; she just nodded obediently. Calmed down, they parted into their respective areas under her worried gaze.
Shen Xingyan joined the huge crowd in the farmers' area, feeling the oppressive atmosphere. Although he smiled bitterly inside, his mind forced him to pull himself together—life went on, after all. Looking at the happy owners of combat professions in the distance, he felt a pang of bitterness, but there was nothing he could do.
When the last participant was ejected from the screen, the light panel gradually turned white and disappeared as if it had never existed. The commander of Base 6, hovering in the air, nodded with satisfaction as he looked over the various zones. From his position, it was clear that the ratio of professions had improved this time.
Knights, mages, warriors, assassins, priests—the share of these combat and combat-support professions had reached approximately 15 percent, which was a significant improvement. These new forces would form the foundation for the future fight against the Catastrophes.
However, looking at the zones for blacksmiths, tailors, farmers, and other lifestyle professions, the commander regretfully shook his head and sighed quietly. While lifestyle professions could assist combat specialists, the newly awakened rookies couldn't be of much use in the near future.
This was especially true for the most numerous profession—farmers. On land saturated with Primal Energy, it was practically impossible to grow crops. The seeds they sowed wouldn't sprout, and dreams of a harvest remained an illusion—the profession only existed in name!
However, the "Star Source" had become their only way to survive, preventing them from starving while also ensuring the stable development of the entire base. Without the "Star Source," this profession would be completely useless in the current conditions.
The very first ancestors who passed through the Awakening screen discovered that everyone received a mysterious black card, which they called the "Star Card." At first, they didn't understand its purpose, thinking it was just a commemorative symbol.
It was only by chance that they discovered that by pressing the card to one's forehead, they could get detailed information about themselves. Moreover, by following the prompts, their consciousness could enter a new world—the Star Source world.
This world resembled the computer games of old. By fighting or engaging in professional activities, people gained experience to level up their profession within the Star Source world. Leveling up increased the effectiveness of professional skills, and products and trophies could be sold through the auction system, private transactions, or in the "Star Store" for an equivalent amount of Star Coins.
Amazingly, these Star Coins were not only used in the Star Source world but also in reality, becoming the base's main currency. Star Coins were a truly miraculous phenomenon—in the current era, one could buy almost anything with them. With enough Star Coins, any wish could be fulfilled, including the materialization of items from the Star Source world into the real world!
The existence of the Star Source world truly embodied the principle: "Spirit can't save you from poverty, but money can change your fate!"