"Have you heard? Over a hundred Beyond Grade A individuals have jointly established a new organization in the Shattered World..."
In the officers' bar at a closed military base of the Empire, the usual lively atmosphere was gone. Some people held their glasses to their lips, forgetting to drink; others covered their glasses with their palms, their fingers unconsciously rubbing the glass; still others squinted, a thick cigarette dangling from their lips, smoke billowing as it burned.
Everyone was in a different posture, but the only thing they had in common was that everyone's head was turned in the same direction, their eyes focused on the virtual screen on the bar wall, where a current affairs talk show was playing at that moment.
The scene shows a studio where a host is guiding several guests in a lively discussion about recent major news.
In the quiet bar, only the enthusiastic voices of the show's guests could be heard.
"I know, the Shattered World Beyond Grade A Development Federation, right? It was just established not long ago. They invited a lot of interstellar media and released a press release, and now it's all over the universe."
"Almost every Beyond Grade A figure in the universe has joined in with such high-profile involvement. Hey, these big shots really can't stand being left out."
Host: "According to the information, the organization was founded with the aim of mediating the increasingly frequent Beyond Grade A armed conflicts. On the day of its founding, they held a plenary meeting and, under the watchful eyes of interstellar media, publicly conducted more than a dozen mediation sessions, resolving conflicts between dozens of Beyond Grade A individuals through peaceful negotiations. This proved to be very effective; all parties ceased their disputes, and the recent spate of Beyond Grade A conflicts was effectively curbed, with no one else unfortunately being dragged into the conflicts."
"In that sense, this organization is actually quite useful." A guest who works as a senior executive of the conglomerate complained, "The destructive power of Beyond Grade A is too great. Their disputes often result in huge public losses. Either a planet is blown up, or onlookers are killed by the aftershocks. It's rare to have an organization that can keep these people in check."
"Yeah, yeah, I have a friend who lives in the Shattered Star Ring. Decades ago, he went to watch the duel between Black Star and the Tyrant, and because he got too close, he tragically died. There was no compensation afterward," someone complained. "I don't know what people who go to watch are thinking. Did they think it was a concert?"
"Aren't there countless ordinary people accidentally killed by superhumans? How long has this social contradiction existed? According to research, the number of ordinary people who die directly or indirectly from superhumans every day in the entire universe is approximately 10 to the power of 10. Just think how terrifying this number is. This is a major issue closely related to our lives."
One of the guests was indignant; he was a representative of an organization advocating for equality between ordinary people and superhumans.
"Therefore, I think this organization is of extraordinary significance. The Beyond Grade A members truly deserve their status as the pinnacle of the superhuman class, setting a great example for all superhumans in the universe and demonstrating a strong sense of responsibility." The host smiled and avoided the sharp topic, displaying virtual avatars of Manison and Han Xiao on the screen behind him, saying, "And the two main initiators are the Mechanic Emperor and Black Star, who respectively serve as the president and vice president of the Development Federation."
"Oh, these two are the biggest of the big shots!"
A socialite made an exaggerated gesture. "Manison goes without saying, he's a veteran Beyond Grade A, everyone knows him. No one is surprised that he's in the chairman's position. On the contrary, Black Star, he's a figure who has only risen in recent decades, has actually surpassed other veterans to take the second seat."
"Beyond Grade A are a bunch of guys who prioritize strength above all else. Not long ago, Black Star fought twelve opponents single-handedly, achieving a historic feat. Seniority is not a limiting factor for him." A slime who was a fan of the star danced with excitement.
"Speaking of which, it seems that this battle was the catalyst for Black Star's idea of Development Federation; Manison was just a partner he brought in."
"No, no, let me tell you, the Meeting of the Gods actually had clues. They had planned this all along. Black Star was the one who acted as a go-between. Because he made the biggest contribution, he got the position of vice president. As for the purposes of these Beyond Grade A, who knows? Maybe they also want to take advantage of the development of the Shattered World to reshuffle the deck. Anyway, everyone's in the same boat."
"I did some research. Black Star has been very active lately. He not only spearheaded the establishment of the Development Federation, but also became a new shareholder of the Infinite Financial Group. The Empire's formal sale of the Evolution Totem is also on the agenda. He's even ventured into the entertainment industry. In the archives of the Interstellar Film Association, a film adaptation of Black Star's story has been officially greenlit, directed by renowned producer Benny Travolta. Perhaps we'll soon be able to witness Black Star's rise to power on the big screen."
The host and guests chatted freely.
Smack
At this moment, an Imperial officer slammed down his wine glass, curled his lip, and said disdainfully, "What kind of bullshit mediation is this? It's just a bunch of Beyond Grade A putting on an act. They're really capable of doing this. Anyone who believes their lies is a bunch of idiots."
The people in the bar burst into laughter.
Everyone present was discerning, and being soldiers of the Empire, they naturally opened up and began to speak from the Empire's perspective.
"This is practically Beyond Grade A official association. It seems they're finally trying to wrest some power back from the Three Universal Civilizations."
"I didn't expect Black Star to be the main instigator. Heh, as expected, you can't trust outsiders. I even admired him for a while."
"There's nothing strange about that. After all, he's not an Imperial citizen, so there's no reason to demand his absolute loyalty."
"The future of the Three Universal Civilizations is bleak; another formidable competitor has emerged."
Listening to his colleagues' discussions, Gaud swirled the glass of amber-colored liquor in it, silently staring at Han Xiao's virtual avatar on the show, his gaze meaningful.
"Your status is rising higher and higher..."
Because the Chaos Mysterious Energy was stolen, Gaud kept a close eye on Han Xiao, watching helplessly as Han Xiao continuously acquired capital and rose higher and higher in status in the universe.
The recent Hila Rescue Battle also surprised him once again with Han Xiao's rapid growth.
Gaud stopped his wrist, and the wine continued to swirl and rotate in the glass due to inertia. He lowered his head, watching the vortex in the glass, and a playful smile appeared on his lips.
"Manison had this idea before, and now the opportunity has finally arrived. Development Federation is a good excuse. Once I become Beyond Grade A, I'll probably join. I just didn't expect you to support this approach as well. Do you agree with Manison's theory of a Beyond Grade A united front, or... have you also discovered that thing?"
Black Star Palace, Legion Commander's Office.
"It seems the Development Federation's first appearance was a great success..."
Han Xiao leaned back in his chair, his legs propped up on the table, rapidly browsing news from various media outlets on the quantum network, a satisfied expression on his face.
Just recently, the Development Federation was officially announced to the public, and I, as the vice president, also appeared at the ceremony.
For ordinary people, the establishment of the Development Federation came out of nowhere, and the movements of nearly a hundred Beyond Grade A individuals attracted much attention. Therefore, as soon as the news was released, it sparked widespread discussion across all sectors of society in the universe.
The most shocking event was that in the Shattered World, the vast majority of forces in the Free Competition Zone were stunned by this sudden event.
Many forces are exploring the Shattered World, but in the eyes of these organizations, the true situation in the Free Competition Zone is actually a three-way standoff: the Empire stands alone on one side, the Glory and the Arcane unite on the other, Super Star Cluster Alliance is the last one.
In contrast, the other forces exploring freely are merely dealing with economic issues and are just a bunch of scattered individuals, while these three parties are in a political standoff, a dispute between top-level giants, much like the difference between corporate rivalry and national conflict.
Originally, although there were many Beyond Grade A forces, they each belonged to different factions. But now that they are banding together, if they form a coalition of interests, then there will be an additional behemoth, and the situation may change from a three-way balance of power to a four-way struggle for supremacy.
However, this is just speculation from the outside world. Neither Manison nor Han Xiao has any intention of launching a fierce operation. During the negotiations on Ultimate Knowledge, the Three Universal Civilizations tried to get them to deal with the Super Star Cluster Alliance. Even though Han Xiao wanted to take the opportunity to target the Modo Civilization, he could only refuse in order to consider the overall situation.
In the planning, the Development Federation's biggest role at present is to provide a communication platform. Its primary task is to gradually integrate the resources of its members through the platform and strive to form a Beyond Grade A interest alliance. Only by uniting this scattered group into a huge interest network and consolidating its foundation can the Development Federation have any meaning. Otherwise, the Development Federation will just be an empty shell.
"It will take a long time to accomplish this, and the Three Universal Civilizations will definitely continue to obstruct it. Therefore, the Development Federation has no energy to do anything else before it is completed... Even if those Beyond Grade A have their own ideas, they will not show them in the early stages. They will only support this kind of resource integration to achieve a win-win situation."
Han Xiao scratched his chin with his thumb and muttered to himself.
The Beyond Grade A Association has just been established, and there is still a long way to go, both in terms of what Manison envisioned and what he envisioned. This is a long-term undertaking, with a timeframe of at least ten years. There's no need to rush it, and there's no need to keep it in mind.
It is worth mentioning that Sorokin, as the only outlier, used money and connections to pave the way and squeeze into the board seat, which was full of Peak Beyond Grade A members.
After learning of Sorokin's attitude from the Traveler, Han Xiao remained outwardly calm but secretly kept a close eye on the man. Now that the situation had shifted, with the enemy in the open and Han Xiao in the shadows, Han Xiao, as a shareholder of the conglomerate, did not try to exclude Sorokin, as that would only arouse the other party's suspicion.
However, as the saying goes, practicing Marxism in reverse can lead to wealth, and putting everything else aside, Sorokin certainly had a knack for making money.
"In this way, my goal will be achieved. When the Super Calamity breaks out, I can intervene from a high position and even guide the main storyline of this version..." Han Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, his mind relaxed.
Beyond Grade A, representing the pinnacle of individual power, are idols to countless superhumans. When Beyond Grade A individuals band together, they can, to a certain extent, guide the movements of the entire superhuman class. This is also an important reason why their influence quickly swept across the universe after the Super Calamity broke out.
Putting that matter aside for the moment, Han Xiao opened the forum and browsed the players' opinions on the matter.
As expected, players weren't focused on the significance of the Development Federation, but rather on the sheer number of top-tier NPCs with their Beyond Grade A titles, and they were quite excited about them.
He even saw a post from a Huaxia player that applied the style of Liangshan Marsh to the Beyond Grade A Association, ranking each Beyond Grade A member:
Hu Baoyi Manison, Jade Kirin Black Star, Wise Star Kasuyi, Cloud Dragon Milizaus, Flower Monk Seraon, Little Whirlwind Sorokin, Nine-Tattooed Dragon Secret Master...
Seeing familiar faces being identified one by one, Han Xiao's lips curled into a wide smile.
Upon seeing Hila's nickname, he finally couldn't hold back and burst into laughter, slamming his fist on the table.
"Hela, the Hila?! Hahahaha--"
What are you laughing at?
At this moment, Aurora in and was surprised to see Han Xiao's overjoyed expression.
"Cough cough, it's nothing."
Han Xiao suppressed a laugh, wiped his eyes, and beckoned to Aurora, "Come here."
Upon hearing this, Aurora walked up to Han Xiao. She had been suddenly summoned to the office and looked puzzled.
Han Xiao suddenly raised his hand and grabbed Aurora's forearm, gently kneading it all the way down to her shoulder.
Aurora, standing rooted to the spot without flinching, a mixture of curiosity and trepidation in her eyes.
"What... what are you doing?"
Han Xiao looked him up and down, then withdrew his hand and said thoughtfully, "I see you have extraordinary bone structure; you can withstand even a backlash."
"W-What do you mean?"
Smack
Upon hearing this, Han Xiao took out the containment device for the Holy Light Particle, slammed it on the table, and laughed:
"During my recent trip to the Secondary Dimension, I encountered a new Primordial Esper Ability Entity. I'd like to inject it into your body. What do you think?"
Han Xiao explained that after some consideration, he decided to find a host for the Holy Light Particle.
He values the new power system brought by the Holy Light Seed, but this consumes his primordial essence. Therefore, finding a host who can use life potions to cure kidney deficiency Mysterious Energy Envoy.
Aurora possesses innate life-sustaining abilities, is naturally the first choice. Making her the host would essentially eliminate the risk of kidney deficiency.
If they don't match, Han Xiao will consider his previous life's host Evans.
"Primal Esper Ability?" Aurora's eyes widened as she curiously looked at the golden energy inside the containment device.
The Holy Light Particle were displeased, emitting a resentful mental wave. "Hey, this is the host you found for me? She's way too inexperienced!"
"What do you mean 'young'? She's only about ten years younger than me." Han Xiao secretly rolled his eyes.
"What! Beyond Grade A like you must be at least several hundred years old!" Holy Light Particle was even more enraged. "Then isn't she also several hundred years old? Shameless, still pretending to be young!"
"... Can I crush it?"
Aurora speechless.
I... pshaw, I'm full of vitality, I'm naturally this young, don't try to act tough!
The Holy Light Particle persisted, shouting, "I need a strong male host; only then will I be worthy of my power!"
Han Xiao had long since figured out its temperament, and said impatiently, "Why are you talking so much nonsense? If you keep nagging, I'll hand you over to the Chaos Mysterious Energy and let it have its fun with you."
The Holy Light Particle instantly shut up, their submission remarkably efficient.
Han Xiao pressed the containment device, which ejected the needle. Aurora reluctantly reached out, biting her lip, and let Han Xiao insert the needle into her body.
Boom!
The next moment, a blinding light suddenly exploded in front of Han Xiao's eyes, as if a solar flare had erupted!