Those present are all top-tier powerhouses Explored Universe, each wielding influence in different sectors, including warlords, financial magnates, ruthless figures in the gray areas, and heads of interstellar regimes.
These powerful figures disliked wrangling, so things were discussed quickly. Before long, the basic framework of the Development Federation was established. It appeared to be a platform for mediating conflicts among Beyond Grade A individuals, but in essence, it was an organization dedicated to uniting the Super A Tier. Various charters and reward and punishment systems were drafted and could be adjusted as needed.
Meanwhile, the organization's formal preparations were put on the agenda. These leaders began to pass on the message to every Beyond Grade A, recruit members, and select a site in the Shattered World to build the association's headquarters, which required the help of the Black Star Army. Each Beyond Grade A power needed to set up an office there, similar to an embassy, giving it a United Nations feel.
The preparatory work will take several months, and the future management team will be determined before the official announcement of the establishment of the Development Federation. Currently, the structure is set as president, vice president, and council.
After discussion, it was decided that the president and vice president would serve a term of thirty years, and could be re-elected multiple times, with a maximum term of three consecutive terms. After stepping down, they could still serve as directors, and after two terms (sixty years), they could run for re-election.
The president bears the greatest responsibility, needing both charisma and the ability to withstand pressure from the Three Universal Civilizations. Currently, Manison is the most popular candidate, but no one will unilaterally decide on a replacement before Han Xiao returns.
Opinions are divided on the development path proposed by Manison to break the monopoly on Ultimate Knowledge. Ultimate Knowledge has always been monopolized by advanced civilizations and used as a means to win over Beyond Grade A allies. Even if an ally learns it, they are not allowed to easily teach it to others. Han Xiao had encountered such a situation before.
If the Development Federation were to turn Ultimate Knowledge into its own benefit, it would be tantamount to breaking the prohibitions of the Three Universal Civilizations and seizing the core base of the attraction of Beyond Grade A combat power, which would provoke fierce opposition from the Three Universal Civilizations.
However, if they succeed in wresting power back from advanced civilizations, the Super A Tier will indeed be able to break free from many restrictions and become more independent.
This is a necessary step to elevate the status of the Super A Tier, so that future Beyond Grade A newcomers won't have to join higher civilizations for Ultimate Knowledge... Conversely, this makes it easier for the Beyond Grade A Association to attract newcomers, especially the _book_ which benefits those Peak Beyond Grade A who have mastered the complete set of Ultimate Knowledge for their profession.
The point of contention on this issue is the timing. Some believe that this measure should be implemented after the association has established itself, as it would be a direct confrontation with the Three Universal Civilizations, and the fledgling association cannot withstand such a fierce conflict. Others believe that the association should seize the momentum of its initial establishment and take the initiative to reclaim its rights, thus highlighting the significance of its existence.
These details can be discussed gradually. On the other hand, establishing Development Federation also requires an acceptable excuse and a suitable platform. The group plans to contact some Beyond Grade A and pretend to have conflicts with each other over the next few months, engaging in armed clashes. The key to the plan is that when the city gates catch fire, the fish in the moat suffer; the Beyond Grade A are just putting on an act, and all they need to do is ensure that the aftershocks cause losses to different forces.
Not only do they intend to wage war across the Shattered World, but they also want to incite their subordinate forces to create friction in various star systems, making the public and various industries aware once again of the negative impact of the Beyond Grade A tearing each other apart, creating a turbulent situation, and causing the outside world to hope that the Beyond Grade A will cease fighting, paving the way for the establishment of the Development Federation. This will put pressure on the Three Universal Civilizations while also giving them a way out, as neither side wants to expose their conflicting interests to the outside world.
With numerous powerful figures finalizing their strategies, they quickly began taking action, making the already bustling Shattered World even more turbulent. The Free Competition Zone became increasingly chaotic, and conflicts between Beyond Grade A forces occurred to varying degrees in different star regions.
In response to this phenomenon, the Three Universal Civilizations temporarily set aside their differences and held a tripartite remote meeting at their highest levels to discuss solutions.
In a completely confidential conference room, the high-ranking officials of the Glory, the Arcane, and the Empire gathered together via remote projection.
The three leaders—Imperial Head Urranrell, Glory President Bader, and the leader of the Arcane Cult—each occupied one side of the triangular conference table with their respective high-ranking officials, their positions clearly defined.
Normally, the three parties are constantly vying for power, each trying to undermine the other. However, when the Explored Universe order is shaken, they will unite to jointly determine the fate of this universe.
Bader glanced around the room and said, "I can't even remember the last time our three companies held a joint meeting."
"Of course you don't remember, the last joint meeting wasn't during your term," the leader of the Arcane Sect said calmly.
Bader glared at him, speechless.
In comparison, the Federation of Light has indeed changed leaders the most frequently; the leader of the Arcane Cult has already experienced several Glory Presidents.
"Let's discuss serious matters." Urranrell said calmly, expressionless, "Unity among Beyond Grade A is an inevitable trend. If we are too forceful in our opposition, the Beyond Grade A will develop strong resentment. In order to escape the fate of being used as tools, more and more new Beyond Grade A will choose to conceal their strength and live a low-key life in the future. Our efficiency in recruiting allies will decrease significantly, and it will also be more difficult to count the total number of Beyond Grade A combatants in the entire universe."
Bader nodded in agreement. "We can't let the Beyond Grade A successfully create that Development Federation, but we can't be too harsh either... Let's cooperate. We can't easily deal with our own allies, so let's put pressure on each other. The Empire will target my allies, I'll target the Arcane ' allies, and the Arcane will target the Empire's people. Let's crack down on the businesses of some Beyond Grade A forces in various fields, especially those wavering ones."
"This only sets up obstacles and makes it harder for the Development Federation to recruit members, but it won't have a decisive effect," the Arcane Cult Leader said calmly. "If Beyond Grade A groups unite and form a cohesive entity, they will have a terrifying influence across all star systems and can shake the balance of power in interstellar society to a certain extent."
Bader shook his head. "Unfortunately, it's impossible to eliminate all Beyond Grade A. Aside from the enormous price we'd have to pay, we must ensure the existence of this powerful force in the Explored Universe. It's not only to suppress those Beyond Grade A who have concealed their strength and escaped to Secondary Dimension World, but also to maintain our advantage in exploring the unknown. We might encounter other unknown advanced civilizations someday; we can't afford to give up this weapon."
Urranrell said in a deep voice:
"In the interstellar social calculation model established by the Empire, this is a problem that will inevitably arise sooner or later, just like in early societies where workers spontaneously formed unions to protect their interests from exploitation. We are now facing a similar situation, except that the targets have become special individuals who wield great power. Throughout history, we have exploited them too much, and there will always be a day when they rebound."
Therefore, we need to prepare a backup plan. If the establishment of the Development Federation cannot be stopped, we need to use divisive tactics. There will inevitably be Beyond Grade A members in their management who have different ideas. We can buy them off or win them over to act as our eyes and ears, and indirectly influence their overall decision-making.
The leader of the Arcane Sect narrowed his eyes, glanced at the two of them, and said:
"Speaking of which, the Mechanic Emperor and Black Star are the main instigators, and their positions are inherently different... Hmph, it seems neither of your families is obedient; my Kasuyi is much more compliant."
"Manison is very ambitious." Bader frowned, his voice tinged with displeasure. "In recent years, he has secretly carried out many schemes, and it's very likely that he wants to further break free from Glory's control... In fact, we can no longer control him now."
Upon hearing this, the leader of the Arcane Sect looked towards Urranrell.
"What about the Empire? Your Black Star is quite troublesome too. Will you teach him a lesson?"
"You don't need to worry about that. The Empire has its own arrangements for Black Star. The Evolution Totem will remain open as usual, so you don't need to worry about that," Urranrell said casually.
The Empire intends to continue to ease tensions and does not want to create a rift, so it decides to be patient and secretly wait for Gaud to grow stronger in order to solve the technical problems of the Evolution Cube. In this way, it can get rid of the dependence of the Evolution Totem business on Han Xiao and regain control of the initiative.
Urranrell naturally wouldn't explain this plan to anyone else.
Seeing this, Bader steered the conversation back on track, saying, "Besides sowing discord, we also need to infiltrate. We can't let our core members be shut out. If they want to establish an association, they have to offer some management positions in exchange, making some of our core members high-ranking officials—essentially spies in plain sight—to keep track of their movements..."
After discussing the matter and coming up with various solutions, the group gradually reached a consensus.
Time flies by amidst the changing landscape of the universe.
Several months later, at the Black Star Palace.
Buzz--
A flash of light appeared, and three figures appeared in the legion commander's office. They were Han Xiao and Ames, who had returned from the Secondary Dimension World, and the Mysterious Energy Envoy served as their vehicle.
The two men's mechs automatically dismounted, at which point a surprised voice suddenly rang out from behind them.
"Oh, you finally decided to come back?"
The two turned their heads and saw that there was also a Sylvia in the room, who was lying comfortably on Han Xiao's seat. At this moment, she quickly jumped up, as if she had two springs installed on her buttocks.
Seeing this, Han Xiao couldn't help but joke:
"Well, you little rascal, have you been sitting in my seat every day while I'm away? Are you trying to usurp my throne?"
"How could that be? I just... I just..." Sylvia's face flushed slightly, her eyes darting around as she searched for an excuse, stammering, "Ahem, it's just that your chair is very comfortable."
As she was speaking, her expression suddenly froze, her gaze shifting downwards to Han Xiao's arm, which was currently wrapped around Ames's waist. Ames didn't seem to mind at all, as if it were a normal occurrence.
Noticing her gaze, Ames shifted her body, freeing her lower back from Han Xiao's grasp. Then, she raised her hand to touch Han Xiao's cheek and chuckled, "Busy man, I'll head back to Shattered Star Ring now. Jenny's probably going crazy."
It's really kind of you to still remember her.
Han Xiao smiled and tried to catch Ames's hand that was on his face, but Ames had already withdrawn her hand, winked at him, and a graceful smile appeared on her lips.
Then, Ames turned to look at the stunned Sylvia, smiled gently, and, trailing her long black dress, stepped out of the room.
Sylvia stood there dumbfounded, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
These two went on a trip to Secondary Dimension for two, and their behavior became so much more intimate!
What happened?!
"You... you all..."
Upon hearing this, Han Xiao withdrew his gaze, his smile vanished, and he said sternly, "What do you mean 'you' and 'us'? Can't you distinguish between what's important and what's urgent? How's the situation in the main universe while I was away? And what about Hila? What's she doing?"
Seeing Han Xiao's businesslike and unquestionable demeanor, Sylvia gritted her teeth, suppressed her intense curiosity, and explained the changes in the situation over the past few months.
Earlier, Hila inherited the Netherland Dimension and established a link through the imprint, so she no longer needed to stay in the Netherland to recharge and returned to the main universe long ago. Now she has gone to the Free Competition Zone to continue to lead the exploration work.
Over the course of several months, the fervor surrounding the Hila Rescue Battle gradually cooled down. As exploration of the Free Competition Zone deepened, many factions engaged in fierce battles, and numerous Beyond Grade A factions staged skirmishes, leading to a constant stream of clashes and creating quite a spectacle.
The player's level has increased significantly, their actions have become more organized, and their presence in the universe has been steadily growing. It is said that some small and medium-sized forces have already privately called the player the Cancer of the Universe," gradually developing in the direction that Han Xiao is familiar with. However, the nickname "player" has not yet become widely used.
Meanwhile, the Empire sent a large number of messages, all about the Development Federation. Han Xiao went into hiding for a few months, avoiding direct questioning from the Empire.
Preparations for the Development Federation are almost complete, with most members assembled. During this time, the Three Universal Civilizations have been quite involved, engaging in countless back-and-forth battles behind the scenes. Many Beyond Grade A individuals have suffered varying degrees of suppression, but unfortunately, the effects have been limited. Although Han Xiao did not participate directly, his influence had some effect. Under his instructions, the Black Star Army, leveraging its local power, provided considerable assistance.
On the other side, the Dark Emperor had already escaped from the spatial turbulence and recently publicly captured a new neutral Beyond Grade A. As a direct descendant of the Empire, his presence in the Shattered World at this juncture is attracting the hostility and vigilance of many Beyond Grade A.
All these changes did not affect the Empire's policy of openly selling Evolution Totem. The Legion's Logistics Department had already produced a large number of Evolution Totem prototypes, just waiting for Han Xiao to charge them with Evolution Cube. Countless orders from various forces poured in like snowflakes, and the deposits alone were so plentiful that they were overwhelmed.
As Han Xiao flipped through the intelligence, he muttered to himself:
"It seems things went fairly smoothly while I was away. Those old folks, the Manison, are no pushovers after all... Alright, the establishment of the Development Federation is a done deal. It's time for me to make a trip there."