Make me leave the team? My beast girl and I can win easily.

Six months later.

Starfield Battlefield, China-controlled Zone.

This once desolate land, which was occupied by countless alien races, has now been completely transformed.

Starting from the border, extending a thousand kilometers into the depths of the starfield battlefield, the entire route is a smooth and wide road.

Along both sides of the road, there is a supply station every ten kilometers. The supply station has a rest area, a medical point, a supply warehouse, and mechanical hunting dogs left by Lin Hui to patrol and guard.

At the end of the road stood three colossal cities rising abruptly from the ground—

That was the "City of a Hundred Tribes" that Lin Yu had built over six months by subduing more than a hundred different tribes.

Between cities, there are specially laid transport tracks. On these tracks, mining carts loaded with source crystal ore run day and night, transporting massive amounts of resources to the border, and then sending them back to the Chinese mainland via teleportation arrays at the border.

In the sky, the Blood Bat Clan patrols shuttled back and forth, vigilantly watching every inch of their airspace.

On the ground, the Thunder Lizard Clan's power plants operate day and night, providing a stable source of electricity for the entire region.

The stone tortoises have fortified their positions in every key location, and no movement can escape their notice.

The once perilous starfield battlefield has now become China's "back garden".

The resources here are outrageously abundant.

Even a random stone picked up from the ground could be a rare material for refining weapons.

You might find valuable minerals if you just go into any cave.

If you take just a few steps, you might stumble upon a thousand-year-old medicinal herb if you're lucky.

The name "Gold Rush Paradise" spread like wildfire.

Countless people flocked from all over China—professionals, merchants, adventurers, and student teams. They either teamed up to hunt down alien races for points, explored far and wide in search of rare materials, or traded in the City of a Hundred Races to earn a profit.

Everyone who comes here feels grateful for that name—

Lin Yu.

It is because of him that this once dangerous place has become the paradise it is today.

……

That evening, a five-person team returned to the safe zone of the City of a Hundred Clans.

They were travel-worn and bore the marks of battle, but their eyes were full of excitement.

Walking at the front was a girl in her early twenties with a ponytail, her skin tanned dark, but her eyes were bright.

Her name is Xia Yue. She was once a student at Wujiang Superpower Vocational University and Lin Yu's former teammate.

Following behind her were Liu Hui and Yang Mei, both former teammates of Lin Yu.

The other two were a temporary team they had formed. One was named Zhao Lei, and the other was named Zhou Xiaoyun. They were ordinary professionals who came to the Starfield Battlefield to try their luck.

"We're in luck today!" Zhao Lei said excitedly. "The gallbladder from that Ironback Bear can fetch at least five hundred source crystals!"

Zhou Xiaoyun laughed, "Yeah, if we work a few more days, we can get that new equipment."

Xia Yue nodded with a smile, but the smile seemed somewhat forced.

Because she saw the statue not far away.

In the central square of the safe zone stands a giant statue that is thirty meters tall.

The statue depicts a young man with black hair and black eyes, a handsome face, holding a small fur ball in his arms, and standing behind him are six girls—a silver-haired swordsman, a pink-haired gunner, a golden-haired mage, an orange-haired assassin, a green-haired sorcerer, and a blue-haired dragon girl.

A statue of Lin Yu.

Several lines of text are engraved on the base of the statue:

Lin Yu – A hero of China, a pioneer of the interstellar battlefield, and the ruler of all races.

Thank you for your contributions to China.

Your name will be forever etched in human history.

Xia Yue looked at the statue, and her smile gradually faded.

Liu Hui walked over, followed her gaze, and fell silent.

Yang Mei stood to the side, her eyes slightly red.

Zhao Lei and Zhou Xiaoyun sensed something was wrong and looked at each other in bewilderment.

"What's wrong?" Zhao Lei asked cautiously, "Do you know Lord Lin Yu?"

Xia Yue did not speak.

Liu Hui smiled wryly and said, "We know each other... more than just know each other."

He paused, then said in a hoarse voice, "We used to be his teammates."

Zhao Lei and Zhou Xiaoyun were stunned.

"What?! You're Lord Lin Yu's teammates?!"

Zhou Xiaoyun's eyes lit up: "You guys must be really amazing! Lord Lin Yu is a legendary figure!"

"I heard he single-handedly subdued over a hundred alien tribes, and even the dragons treat him with utmost respect!"

"If you follow him, you'll definitely—"

"No," Xia Yue interrupted her, her voice unusually low. "We didn't follow him."

Zhao Lei was stunned.

"What do you mean?"

Liu Hui sighed and slowly began to recount that past event.

……

That was a year ago.

At that time, the five of them—Lin Yu, Xia Yue, Liu Hui, Yang Mei, and Zhang Tian—formed a team at Wujiang Superpower Vocational University.

Lin Yu is the team leader.

Back then, Lin Yu wasn't as strong as she is now.

His profession is alchemist, and his role in combat is limited; he is mainly responsible for logistical support.

But he's the captain because he always comes up with the best tactics and always makes the right decisions.

Under his leadership, they overcame all obstacles and won the honor of being the number one team in the grade.

Everyone thought they would continue like this forever.

until that day.

A rich second-generation member of the Li family has his eye on a spot in their team and is willing to pay a high price to "buy" a member's position.

Xia Yue was moved.

Liu was tempted.

Yang Mei was also tempted.

Li's father asked for 200,000.

Two hundred thousand is an astronomical sum for a student from an ordinary family.

They found Lin Yu and forced him to leave the team.

Lin Yu did not argue or try to stop them; she simply watched them calmly.

Are you sure?

Xia Yue remembers saying at the time, "I'm sure. You'll only hold us back if you come with us."

Lin Yu was silent for a few seconds, then smiled.

That smile was faint and calm.

"Okay, I'll back out."

He only asked for a severance package and then left without looking back.

They thought they had made a smart decision.

It wasn't until later that they realized what they had missed.

Lin Yu's strength improved by leaps and bounds after that, sweeping through city-level, provincial-level, and national competitions.

Then, in the Battle of Wujiang City, he dealt 800 million damage, instantly killing a level 80 Naga Grand Duke.

Then he single-handedly stormed the Cherry Blossom Country and wiped out the entire headquarters of superpowered beings.

Then they subdued the Taotie, the dragons, and more than a hundred other tribes.

then……

Then there is no more.

They watched Lin Yu rise to prominence, from a "good-for-nothing who only knew how to refine pills" to a "hero of China," and watched him and his beast girls create one miracle after another.

And what about themselves?

With Lin Yu leaving the team, their strength plummeted, and the Li family looked down on them completely.

Zhang Tian went astray and became a spy, and is currently imprisoned.

Six months later, they couldn't take it anymore and disbanded the team.

Xia Yue joined a small guild and barely managed to get by.

Liu Hui became an adventurer, taking on missions everywhere, with an unstable income.

Yang Mei returned to her hometown and opened a small shop, living a simple life.

Those who once fought alongside Lin Yu have now become mediocre.

The person they abandoned has already reached a height they can never reach.

……

After listening, Zhao Lei and Zhou Xiaoyun remained silent for a long time.

Zhao Lei opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say.

Zhou Xiaoyun looked at Xia Yue with a complicated expression.

"Two hundred thousand..." she murmured, "You sold Lord Lin Yu out of the world for two hundred thousand?"

Xia Yue lowered her head and did not answer.

Liu Hui said with a wry smile, "I didn't know he would be this good back then. If only I had known..."

He didn't finish speaking, but everyone understood what he meant.

If they had known Lin Yu was this good, they would never have let him leave the team.

Unfortunately, there's no going back.

Zhou Xiaoyun suddenly asked, "Where is that young master Li? Where is he now?"

Liu Hui scoffed: "Dead. Six months ago, I went to the Starfield Battlefield and encountered an alien race. I couldn't even escape."

Zhou Xiaoyun fell silent.

She looked at Xia Yue, then at Liu Hui, then at Yang Mei, and suddenly felt a sense of irony.

For 200,000, they sold out their future legend.

Then the "buyer" died six months later.

And the person who was betrayed became a hero of China.

This deal was a real loss.

……

As night fell, the lights in the safe zone came on.

Xia Yue sat alone on a bench by the square, looking at the giant statue.

The statue of Lin Yu depicts a handsome man with calm eyes and a faint smile on his lips.

She remembered that smile.

He smiled like this a year ago when they forced him to leave the team.

At that time, she thought it was a helpless smile.

Now she understood; it was disdain.

He simply didn't bother arguing with them.

Because he knew that they would only regret the decision they made in the end.

Xia Yue's eyes were a little wet.

She recalled the days when they fought side by side.

Lin Yu was always the last to go to sleep and the first to wake up. He would plan the tactics for the next day in advance, prepare the necessary pills for everyone, and protect everyone in the safest way during battle.

They were injured, and he immediately handed them healing pills.

They were short of money, so he voluntarily gave up his share.

When they feel lost, he patiently guides them.

At that time, she felt that this was all to be expected, since he was the captain.

Now she understands that it wasn't expected; it was because he truly considered them his teammates.

And she betrayed him for a mere 200,000 yuan.

"Yue'er."

Liu Hui's voice came from behind.

Xia Yue wiped her eyes but didn't turn around.

Liu sat down next to her, looked at the statue, and remained silent for a long time.

Then he said, "I just inquired and found out that Lin Yu is currently living in a villa near the border. His wife just gave birth to a boy."

Xia Yue did not speak.

Liu Hui continued, "I heard that he treated the subjugated tribes very well, building them houses, letting them open shops, and even sending their children to school. Those tribes all call him 'Great King' and genuinely respect him."

He paused, then gave a bitter laugh: "More than a hundred alien tribes all regard him as their benefactor. But we, his former human teammates, are now not even qualified to get close to him."

Xia Yue finally spoke, her voice hoarse:

"Tell me, if we hadn't let him leave the team back then, would things be like this now...?"

She didn't finish her sentence, but Liu understood what she meant.

Liu Hui remained silent for a long time, then shook his head.

"have no idea."

"Perhaps we'll grow alongside him and become strong ourselves."

"Maybe we'll still hold him back and he'll eventually leave us behind."

"But at least—"

He took a deep breath and said earnestly, "At least we won't be living in regret every day like we are now."

Xia Yue lowered her head, and tears finally streamed down her face.

Yang Mei also came over at some point and stood behind them.

She cried too.

Three teammates who once fought side by side now sit beneath Lin Yu's statue, weeping like three children.

……

Not far away, Zhao Lei and Zhou Xiaoyun stood in a corner, watching this scene.

Zhou Xiaoyun sighed: "Two hundred thousand for a lifetime of regret, this deal is really not worth it."

Zhao Lei shook his head: "It's not about the 200,000. It's that they don't know what's truly important."

He looked at the statue with deep respect in his eyes.

"Lord Lin Yu's success today is not due to luck, but to his character. He never abandons his teammates, never gives up on the weak, and never becomes arrogant. Such a person deserves his success."

Zhou Xiaoyun nodded.

The two turned and left, leaving the three people to continue to wallow in regret.

……

At the other end of the safe zone, in a small tavern.

Several adventurers were drinking and chatting.

"Have you heard? Lord Lin Yu has subdued another alien tribe. They're said to be called 'Rock-Armored Rhinoceroses,' with thick hides and tough flesh. They can be used to guard the mines in the future."

"Nonsense, who doesn't know about Lord Lin Yu these days? Within a thousand kilometers of the border, which foreign tribe doesn't listen to him?"

"I heard from my brothers at the border that recently many foreign tribes have come to surrender, saying they have heard of Lord Lin Yu's reputation and are willing to become slaves."

"Willing to become slaves? Have these foreign races gone mad?"

"What's wrong with you? Look at those who submitted earliest: the Stone-Armored Turtle, the Lightning Sable, the Thunder Lizard Clan, the Blood Bat Clan—aren't they all living good lives now? They have houses to live in, food to eat, and they can even learn human technology. If you were in their shoes, wouldn't you want that?"

"That's true..."

"So, Lord Lin Yu is truly remarkable. Not by killing, but by winning people's hearts and minds."

At this moment, a young man came over and whispered, "I heard that Lord Lin Yu is currently researching a new kind of elixir that can awaken supernatural abilities in ordinary people."

The tavern fell silent instantly.

"What? Really?"

"I don't know, I've only heard about it. But if it's Lord Lin Yu, he might actually be able to do it."

"Holy crap, if that's true, he's not just a hero, he's a saint!"

"you do not say……"

The crowd buzzed with discussion, their eyes filled with admiration.

In the corner, Xia Yue and her two companions silently drank their wine, listening to the discussions, their hearts filled with mixed feelings.

They were once so close to that person.

Now, they can only listen to others discussing his deeds from across the crowd.

Late at night.

Xia Yue returned to her room, lay on her bed, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

My phone rang; it was a message from my mother.

"Yue'er, how was today? Did things go smoothly on the Starfield Battlefield?"

Xia Yue's eyes reddened again as she looked at the message.

She recalled that two years ago, when the Dawn Team became the top team in their grade, she called her mother to tell her the good news.

The mother cried on the phone, saying that her daughter had made something of herself.

She was so proud of herself back then.

What now?

The Dawn Squad is long gone.

She herself was neither doing well nor doing well, and didn't even have a stable job.

If you try your luck in the Starfield Battlefield, you can only take on the most basic missions and earn the least amount of money.

That money wasn't even enough for her to buy a piece of mechanical equipment made by Lin Hui.

She picked up her phone and replied to her mother's message:

"Mom, today went well. I made some money. I'll continue tomorrow."

After sending the message, she threw her phone aside, covered herself with the blanket, and started crying.

In the next room, Liu Hui was also awake.

He lay in bed, thinking about what had happened during the day.

He recalled the words he had said to Lin Yu on the day she left:

"Lin Yu, you should leave. From now on, we'll go our separate ways. Someone like you who only knows how to refine pills is just a burden to us."

He spoke so confidently back then.

Looking back now, how ridiculous that statement was.

All you can do is refine pills?

Lin Yu's single pill can now fetch more money than he could ever earn in his lifetime.

He rolled over and gave a wry smile.

"Lin Yu...I'm sorry..."

Unfortunately, he will never have the courage to say "I'm sorry" to her face.

Yang Mei, on the other side, was also awake.

She stared at the ceiling, a single image flashing through her mind—

That was the last time Lin Yu looked back at them on the day she left.

In that glance, there was no anger, no disappointment, no resentment.

Only peace.

It's like looking at a few strangers.

She didn't understand then, but she does now.

That's because when they said those words, Lin Yu had already treated them as strangers.

He never needed their apologies.

Because they are no longer important to him.

……

The next morning, Xia Yue and her two companions got up early to prepare for their mission.

When they reached the square, they saw the statue again.

The morning sun shone on the statue, gilding Lin Yu with a golden hue.

He continued to smile, calm and serene.

Xia Yue stopped and looked at the statue.

She suddenly spoke, her voice so soft that only she could hear it:

"Lin Yu, I'm sorry."

Liu Hui and Yang Mei also stopped and looked at the statue.

They didn't say anything, but they were both thinking the same thing.

I am sorry.

Unfortunately, that person couldn't hear it.

There's no need to hear it.

The three turned and walked towards the city gate.

Behind me, the statue still stands, silently watching over everyone who passes by.

As the sun rises, a new day begins.

……

Inside a villa at the border.

Lin Yu held Lin Li in her arms and sat on a rocking chair in the garden, basking in the sun.

The little one is already six months old, chubby and fair-skinned, with big, bright eyes. He inherited Lin Yu's black hair and Lin Xue's red eyes, and is unbelievably beautiful.

The Taotie nestled at Lin Yu's feet, dozing off with its eyes half-closed.

Lin Xue sat beside them, holding a book in her hand, occasionally glancing up at them with a faint smile on her lips.

Lin Ya, Lin Duo, Lin Shan, and Lin Qing were all busy with their own things.

Lin Huan was preparing lunch in the kitchen, Lin Yue and Lin Su were researching new formulas in the studio, Lin You was monitoring the network, and Vera was patrolling the yard.

The years are quiet.

Lin Li stretched out her little hand, trying to grab the Taotie's fur.

Taotie opened one eye, looked at him, and whispered, "Little baby, grab me..."

Lin Yu smiled and hugged her son closer.

Lin Li's little hand finally reached the Taotie, grabbed a tuft of fur, and pulled hard.

The Taotie gritted its teeth in pain, but did not flinch.

It muttered softly, "I am his sister... I must endure it..."

Lin Xue put down her book, walked over, and sat down next to Lin Yu.

"Master, I heard that many people have come from the border, all here to try their luck in the Starfield Battlefield."

Lin Yu nodded.

Lin Xue hesitated for a moment, then said, "I heard... your former teammates are here too."

Lin Yu paused for a moment.

Then he gave a faint "hmm".

Lin Xue looked at him: "Master, do you want to see them?"

Lin Yu shook her head.

"There's no need."

He looked down at Lin Li in his arms, a gentle smile on his face.

"I have you all, that's enough for me."

Lin Xue looked at him, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

She leaned on his shoulder and whispered, "Okay."

The sunlight shone down and fell on the family.

In the distance, towards the border, people come and go, creating a lively scene.

But none of that matters to them.

They have each other, and that's enough.