I can receive unlimited protection; my parents handed me over to the state.

Chapter 12 The Divine Craftsman Project

Lu Yuan stood on the teleportation platform, greedily breathing in the air.

The concentration of psionic energy here is at least ten times that of the outside world.

He could clearly feel that every single psionic particle in the air was dancing joyfully, as if welcoming his arrival.

"Hey kid, what are you standing there for?"

A familiar voice came from behind.

Lu Yuan turned his head and saw Su Lie standing outside the teleportation platform, still fiddling with the two walnuts in his hands.

Beside him stood an elderly man wearing a white coat, with messy hair and a somewhat unkempt appearance.

The old man wore thick glasses, and his eyes behind the lenses were full of curiosity and scrutiny as he looked Lu Yuan up and down.

"Grandpa Su." Lu Yuan stepped off the platform and nodded to Su Lie.

"Hmm." Su Lie pointed to the old man beside him, "This is Qian Sen, the dean of the Imperial Capital Starfall Academy and also the dean of the Star Sea Research Institute."

"Hello, Dean Qian," Lu Yuan greeted politely.

Qian Sen pushed up his glasses, circled around Lu Yuan, and muttered to himself.

"Level 0, Mental Strength 8 points, Physical Attribute D-..."

The more he spoke, the more his brows furrowed.

"Old Su, are you sure you didn't arrest the wrong person? This data looks like that of an ordinary person who would be lost in a crowd."

Su Lie snorted.

"Enough with the nonsense, I've brought the person to you. Whether you can train him or not depends on your abilities."

Qian Sen pursed his lips, clearly unconvinced by Su Lie's words.

"Fine, fine, you decide. Anyway, the resources belong to the country, not me, so I don't care if they're wasted."

Lu Yuan's lips twitched.

These two old men are both unreliable.

"Come with me." Su Lie turned around and led Lu Yuan towards the outside of the teleportation platform.

---

Stepping out of the teleportation hall, Lu Yuan finally saw the full picture of this world.

This is a vast basin surrounded by towering mountains.

In the center of the basin lies a vast city.

The city's architecture is full of technological flair, with skyscrapers intertwined with classical gardens, creating a perfect fusion of technology and nature.

Aircraft frequently streaked across the sky, leaving trails of light in their wake.

On the edge of the city, Lu Yuan saw a giant tree.

It was a giant tree over a thousand meters tall, with an unimaginably thick trunk and a canopy like a green sea of clouds, covering most of the city.

The tree trunk emitted a faint golden halo, filled with a sacred aura.

"That is..." Lu Yuan murmured.

"【Fragment of the World Tree】." Su Lie explained, "When the Star Sea descended, the World Tree was torn into countless fragments, scattered all over the world. China obtained one of the largest fragments and used it as the core to establish this demiplane."

"Everything here, including the air, gravity, and psionic energy concentration, is maintained by the World Tree."

Lu Yuan nodded, feeling a deeper understanding of the world.

The three arrived in front of a detached building.

The building is small, only three stories high, but its design is exquisite and full of classical charm.

"This is your place." Su Lie pushed open the door. "Come in, there are some things I need to make clear to you."

---

The interior of the building features a spacious reception room.

The hall was furnished with several sofas and a coffee table, and several landscape paintings hung on the walls, exuding a scholarly atmosphere.

Su Lie sat in the main seat and gestured for Lu Yuan to sit down.

Qian Sen sat to the side, took out a tablet, and started to bring up some data.

"Lu Yuan." Su Lie's expression turned serious. "From this moment on, you officially become a member of the [God-Making Project]."

"The God-Making Project?" Lu Yuan repeated the name.

"That's right." Su Lie nodded. "This plan was secretly launched by the highest levels of the Chinese government ten years ago. There was only one goal—to cultivate ACE-level, or even higher-level, supreme powerhouses who could break the mold and change the course of battle."

"Currently, including you, there are ten official members in the plan."

Qian Sen operated the tablet, and a holographic projection appeared in the air.

The projection displayed information about nine people.

Everyone's talent is SSS level.

"These are the other nine people." Qian Sen pushed up his glasses. "They are all peerless geniuses who have awakened SSS-level talents and have already made a name for themselves in their respective fields."

Lu Yuan glanced at the documents.

[Codename: Voidwalker], SSS-level talent [Spatial Domination], can freely manipulate space to perform operations such as teleportation and spatial cutting.

[Code Name: Flame Emperor], SSS-level talent [Burning Sky Flame], can summon flames that can burn everything.

[Code Name: Ice Emperor], SSS-level talent [Absolute Zero], can freeze everything around it.

……

Every single one of them is capable of taking on a thousand enemies on the battlefield.

But he, Lu Yuan, an F-level blacksmith, had to stand on the same stage as these people.

"You are the only member selected with F-level talent," Su Lie stared at Lu Yuan, "but you are also the only one tentatively designated as a [ACE-level] training target, surpassing SSS-level."

"Your code name is: [Master Craftsman]."

Lu Yuan was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"I see."

"Good that you understand." Su Lie stood up. "But I must warn you, everyone involved in the plan will face hellish training and high-pressure tests. Talent is just the ticket; those who fail the tests will be ruthlessly eliminated."

"Are you ready?"

Lu Yuan raised his head, his eyes resolute.

"Ready."

---

Just then, there was a knock on the door of the reception room.

"Come in," Su Lie said.

The door opened, and a middle-aged man in a black suit, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, and exuding a refined and scholarly air walked in.

He looked to be around forty years old, with regular features and elegant manners, giving people a pleasant and welcoming feeling.

"Elder Su, Dean Qian." The middle-aged man bowed slightly, then turned to Lu Yuan, "Mr. Lu, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Zhao Qingxuan."

"From today onwards, I will be your personal steward during your time in the Zenith World, responsible for all your logistics and training supervision."

Lu Yuan stood up and shook hands with Zhao Qingxuan.

"Mr. Zhao, you're too kind."

Zhao Qingxuan smiled and nodded, then took out a tablet from his pocket and handed it to Lu Yuan.

"Mr. Lu, this is your [Initial Training Plan]. Please complete it by today. You will not receive any supplies, including dinner, until it is completed."

Lu Yuan took the tablet and glanced at its contents.

Then, his brows furrowed.

**[Initial Training Plan]**

**1. Run 10 kilometers around the base while carrying a 50 kg load.**

**2. Three hours of mental meditation training.**

**3. Perform 5000 basic sword strikes.**

Lu Yuan raised his head and looked at Zhao Qingxuan.

"Why would a blacksmith like me practice this?"

Zhao Qingxuan's smile remained unchanged.

"The instructions from Elder Su and Dean Qian are that before you become a 'master craftsman,' you must first become a qualified 'weapon master.'"

"A craftsman who cannot even protect himself cannot create the strongest weapon."

Lu Yuan remained silent for a moment.