This simulation really gave him a satisfying experience

The simulation paused, waiting for Chen Yi to make a choice regarding the progression.

"Option 3 didn't explicitly say. Is it like a freestyle mode where I see how the plot develops?"

This option might carry risks.

But Sun Chengen doesn't seem like an unreasonable man; he wouldn't go as far as beating or killing someone just for saying a wrong sentence.

Choosing this might yield a pleasant surprise.

[You chose 3.]

[When the lieutenant walked up to you holding the silver ingots, you didn't take them.]

[The lieutenant frowned.]

["You lowly laborer, you won't even accept the General's reward? Do you want to cry injustice here too?"]

[You maintained an indifferent attitude.]

["I have no grievances."]

[The way Old Liu and the others looked at you filled with even more admiration.]

[It turns out you really did kill over a hundred people!]

["I don't want silver. That stuff is useless to me."]

[Sun Chengen looked at you with an amused smile.]

["Then what do you want? To lead troops?"]

["I don't know how to fight wars. I want elixirs that can increase my cultivation."]

[Having stayed in the military camp for a few years, you knew that military supplies included not just food and daily necessities, but also cultivation resources.]

[In this world, the elite soldiers in the army are all martial artists. They cultivate while serving in the military.]

[Providing them with cultivation resources is part of their military pay.]

[Sun Chengen gave a faint smile.]

["Body Refining Stage 3. You haven't made much progress in two years; you probably only have a low-grade Root Bone."]

["How does the General know I haven't improved in two years?"]

["A martial artist working as a laborer—of course I have to keep an eye on you. What if you were a spy too?"]

[You know that Sun Chengen is a martial artist at the Spirit Condensation Realm. Upon reaching this realm, martial artists possess Spiritual Sense and can detect the cultivation level of others.]

["General, rest assured. Although I am a convict, my background is clean. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Great Qian."]

["Over the years, I've seen plenty of traitors... A lowly soldier who flashed past you a year ago, hidden among hundreds of people—how did you remember him?"]

[Sun Chengen's gaze became sharp, as if he would instantly crush your skull if you spoke a single word of a lie.]

[Pockmark, kneeling on the ground, also wanted to know the answer to this question.]

[He had been carefully selected by his superiors for this undercover mission.]

[An average face, an orphan, a weak presence—the Qian army would surely never detect that he was a native of the Southern Borders.]

[He never expected that you had been staring at him from start to finish, causing him to accomplish absolutely nothing.]

["I simply have a good memory."]

["I don't believe it. Who can remember trivial details like 'how many mouthfuls of porridge one ate on a morning three months ago'?"]

["Nineteen mouthfuls."]

[Sun Chengen froze for a moment, then a trace of anger flashed across his brow.]

["Are you making fun of me?"]

["The General is welcome to test my memory."]

[Sun Chengen was a serious man, so he immediately ordered his men to prepare props and set up a test akin to 'Super Brain'.]

[But no matter how he tested you, you clearly remembered every detail and answered fluently.]

[The lieutenant watched in a daze.]

["Truly endowed with extraordinary talent!"]

[The soldiers in the tent, along with Old Liu and the others, were also dumbfounded.]

["Boss Chen really is a godlike figure..."]

[Sun Chengen, however, said: "Come to my command tent again tomorrow. Repeat the conversation we just had, word for word."]

[The lieutenant's eyes revealed a look of worship toward Sun Chengen.]

[Answering those memory questions correctly just now wasn't that rare.]

[If he could still repeat everything verbatim tomorrow, then he would truly be a miracle!]

[And you, you would not disappoint them.]

[After all, 'Photographic Memory' is an Epic Trait!]

[The next day, Sun Chengen finally believed that you were naturally gifted with a super memory.]

["Such talent is wasted in the labor camp. However, the current environment in the Imperial Court is harsh, and jealousy of talent is a common occurrence. With your status as a convict, you might not meet a good end if you enter officialdom. Why not stay in my army as a staff officer? Although I cannot officially record your merits, I can exchange all your contributions and efforts for the elixirs and crystals you desire."]

[The crystals Sun Chengen mentioned are fully known as Five Element Crystals, coming in five types: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.]

[Their functions are identical, similar to Spirit Stones in the world of cultivation. Martial artists can directly absorb the essence of heaven and earth within them to increase their cultivation or replenish their Three Energies.]

[At the same time, crystals are indispensable items for alchemy, weapon refining, and array formations.]

[The significance of this item to a nation is like that of oil and coal in modern society; it is the most precious energy resource.]

[You had no objections to this.]

[To have a steady stream of elixirs and crystals to assist your cultivation, you were more than happy.]

["Chen Yi, you only have a low-grade Root Bone. Even if you rely on elixirs to force your cultivation up, the height you can reach in this life is very limited. Moreover, the quality of elixirs supplied in the army is relatively low. Eating too many does absolutely no good to the body, and martial artists cannot expel excessive pill toxins. Why are you so obsessed with the path of cultivation?"]

["General, in a person's life, there are always things worth risking one's life for. One must do them even knowing they are impossible!"]

[Sun Chengen seemed touched. He patted your shoulder, acknowledging your firm martial heart.]

[You were also very clear that 'Effort Will Be Rewarded' could only provide you with a baseline guarantee, ensuring your efforts wouldn't be completely fruitless.]

[It couldn't change the fundamental problem of a low-grade Root Bone.]

[But fortunately, you didn't need to worry about the consequences of pill toxins. Anyway, you would only inherit the cultivation, not the toxins.]

[However, you couldn't die too quickly. You needed to draw a few more traits—what if you got lucky again?]

In the subsequent simulation:

Chen Yi thrived in the military camp.

The "Photographic Memory" trait made him a hot commodity throughout the entire army.

He was like a powerful database, capable of memorizing all data and intelligence up and down the camp.

Coupled with the fact that he was a living human with a brain who could synthesize this data and intelligence...

He was practically a walking AI.

Whenever there was a problem, Sun Chengen would consult Chen Yi.

Seeing that the General trusted Chen Yi so much, everyone regarded Chen Yi as the General's right-hand man.

In the military camp, Chen Yi was effectively second only to one and above ten thousand.

Even Old Liu and the other laborer soldiers rode his coattails to success. Their status in the camp rose steadily, and no one dared to provoke them.

Those cotton quilts that barely contained any cotton were never issued to them again.

The quartermaster gave them the best supplies.

As time went on, everyone learned of Chen Yi's ability of photographic memory.

It wasn't just Sun Chengen who relied on him; the quartermaster, the supervisors, the scouts, and so on—none of them could do without him.

Sun Chengen was a man of his word.

Since Chen Yi played such a major role but couldn't be credited with merits, he simply rewarded him heavily.

Crystals, elixirs, spiritual tools, and money were supplied endlessly.

Sun Chengen did not reward him with women. Unlike other commanding generals, he did not treat women as spoils of war.

Every day, Chen Yi played with crystals in his hand like walnuts. Once the essence inside was sucked dry, he would toss them aside.

He popped elixirs that increased cultivation and training speed into his mouth like snacks.

He was handing out Spirit Artifacts as if they were mere toys, causing a whole crowd to call him Foster Father and pledge to serve him like faithful hounds.

"Damn! This military exile looks absolutely incredible. Even I want to get conscripted! I have Photographic Memory too!"

Just watching the simulation made his real-world self envious.