With the Dominion's clone destroyed, it was naturally unable to open the Secondary Dimension Army Box again, leaving the mechanical troops left behind by Manison as an isolated force.
Even though the Quantum Non-Distance Transmission Channel could continue to provide Mechanical Force enhancement, it was just a futile struggle of a cornered beast, unable to reverse the situation. Almost all the troops present were captured by Han Xiao.
Han Xiao had Phillip tally the numbers: in addition to tens of millions of ordinary mechanical soldiers, they had also captured two Convict and a large number of Immortal Mechanic Emperor troops.
After realizing the situation was dire, Old Manison tried his best to minimize the damage. The Apostle Weapon were the fastest to escape, and they all fled when things went wrong. In the end, he only managed to salvage one of the Convict- Esper Class. One of the other two was captured by his own Mechanical Deity, and the other was also lost due to interference from Ames.
"He's gotten fat!"
Han Xiao beamed.
With so many mechs, we can reverse engineer the blueprints, especially with the two Convict in hand, we can completely derive the technology ourselves.
We're making a killing here, Old Manison is losing a fortune there.
He ran out to find the Soul-Switching Device, but not only did he fail, he also lost part of his family's wealth. He tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead, ending up with both Convict and a loss. How brilliant!
Just imagining it in his mind, Han Xiao could guess what Manison looked like with his burning rage, and he felt a sense of satisfaction.
That's a huge stroke of luck!
However, while the Mechanic Emperor enjoyed themselves, it also left some troublesome issues. The two Convict regained their self-awareness and needed to be dealt with.
Han Xiao released the Mechanic Class Convict from inside the machine, allowing him to reunite with the other Pugilist Class Convict. He then had the mechanical troops surround the two, maintaining a standoff.
Seeing this, the two Convict immediately adopted a defensive stance, but neither side made a move. Although the Convict could not remember most of the things, they all knew that Han Xiao had saved them after the battle just now. However, they still could not trust Han Xiao, fearing that they had just escaped one danger only to fall into another.
Han Xiao deactivated the Mechanical Deity, and his true form passed through the encirclement, arriving in front of the two. He glanced at them, narrowed his eyes, and asked:
How much do you remember?
The two Convict exchanged a glance and shook their heads.
"Besides fighting, you can't remember any other experiences? What about your name?"
The two shook their heads again.
"No name... only a code name..."
What code name did the Mechanic Emperor give you?
The Mechanic Class Convict pointed to himself, then to his companion.
"I'm the Second Treasure, and he's the Fourth Treasure."
"..."
Upon hearing these two elegant and refined names, Han Xiao was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure how to react.
Why did Manison give his killer weapon such a casual codename? It's actually kind of cute, and it doesn't suit his style at all!
Could it be that this jerk's naming skills are just as bad as mine?
It seems that outstanding people even share similar weaknesses.
Han Xiao stroked his chin, thought for a moment, and said, "How about this, you all stay with me for now. I'll help you find your identities. You were all enemies of the Mechanic Emperor, so the information should be easy to find."
The Mechanic Class Convict Second Treasure, whispered, "You don't want to control us like he did, do you?"
"We don't have that idea yet; you never know what the future holds," Han Xiao said, shrugging. "But you don't have a choice right now, do you?"
Glancing at the densely packed mechanized forces around them, the two nodded silently.
In comparison, falling into the hands of this valiant and extraordinary man would not be any worse than falling into the hands of the Mechanic Emperor.
If the other side wanted to replicate the actions of the Mechanic Emperor, they wouldn't be talking so much now; they would have already taken action and captured them.
"Who... are you?" Fourth Treasure asked.
"Then listen carefully. Standing before you is the commander of the Black Star Army, the protector of the Aquamarine Federation, the pinnacle of personal power in the Shattered Star Ring, the second largest force in the Shattered World, the Pillar of the Nation of the Crimson Dynasty, a special advisor to Three Universal Civilizations, the vice president of the Beyond Grade A Association, the cosmic hero who solved the Intelligence Plague, and the recipient of the Galaxy Medal..."
"There are too many people, I can't remember them all." Fourth Treasure shook his head.
"... Ahem, these are all my titles. You can simply call me Black Star." Han Xiao knew the two didn't know him, so he used as many impressive-sounding titles as possible.
The two exchanged a glance and nodded.
Since they had nowhere else to go for the time being, they didn't mind following Han Xiao. Of all the emotions they had left, their hostility towards the Mechanic Emperor was the strongest. Following this person might be their only chance for revenge; otherwise, if they were alone, they would be captured by the Mechanic Emperor again.
After exchanging a few words, Han Xiao instructed the mechanical unit to take the two Convict back to the spaceship. He hadn't yet figured out how to deal with the Convict who had regained their self-awareness, so he decided to keep them calm for now and consider it later after dealing with things here.
His gaze shifted to the other side, where he saw the Immortal Mechanical Soldier Force gathered to the side, silently watching him. In the Quantum Network Vision, the intelligent life forms that had returned to normal were also staring at him expectantly, as if they were about to turn tail and run if things went wrong.
Having experienced the catastrophe of the Mechanic Emperor, these intelligent life forms have come to understand the food chain. In their eyes, every mechanic is a predator, and there is no trust to be had.
Han Xiao thought for a moment and realized that given his status, it wasn't appropriate to deal with these intelligent life forms. It would be like Butcher telling a group of pigs how beautiful they were—it could easily lead to misunderstandings.
After thinking for a moment, he summoned Resta directly in the virtual realm.
"Your compatriots are in your hands now. Just make sure they don't cause any trouble."
"Clear!"
Resta was overjoyed.
So many years have passed! Finally, the day has come when our compatriots will be liberated!
Although the actual process was vastly different from his imagined infiltration of the Mechanic Emperor's stronghold, the result was positive.
Even if only a portion of our compatriots were rescued, at least we saw a glimmer of hope!
Choosing Black Star back then was definitely the right investment!
Seeing Resta eagerly go up to chat with his compatriots, Han Xiao withdrew his gaze, secretly shaking his head, not optimistic.
Unlike the technology used by Convict, the restoration of Immortal Mechanical Soldier does not mean complete freedom, because the bodies of these intelligent life forms are still bound to the device that transmits and reassembles matter.
Through the energy transmission channel, Manison can locate and track them. Unless the main unit in Manison's home is compromised, these intelligent life forms are still prisoners trapped in their shells. Once the shells are broken, Manison can switch the transmission mode and retrieve the intelligent life forms.
This is a safety measure for the Immortal Mechanical Soldier technology. Han Xiao has not mastered this technology and does not yet know how to reverse-engineer it to break the binding.
Therefore, the only effective solution at this time is to keep these Immortal Mechanical Soldier at home. Forget about taking them out to fight; Old Manison is not going to use his resources to help him reorganize the mechs. They would be picked up by someone else in no time.
Despite winning the fight, Old Manison, after all, a master who had studied mechanical engineering for countless years, and his expertise was not something that could be easily analyzed.
Han Xiao himself didn't expect the Immortal Mechanical Soldier to fight. Firstly, the players under his command were more terrifying, and secondly, he wasn't in a hurry for the Immortal Mechanical Soldier's technology, because the Immortal Mechanical Soldier's strength lay in its near- Infinite endurance, something he could achieve on his own.
Rather than transforming intelligent life forms into Immortal Mechanical Soldier, he would prefer to restore them to their original state and use them to deduce the remaining fragments of the Domino Virus... The destructive power of that thing is far greater than that of Immortal Mechanical Soldier.
It doesn't matter if he can't use them for the time being; the goal is to make the Mechanic Emperor lose money. Of course, these Immortal Mechanical Soldier are not useless to him; they are valuable sources of intelligence, allowing him to find out the situation of the Mechanic Emperor's various bases.
Just as he was pondering this, Hila's voice suddenly came through the communication channel.
"Black Star, come quick, we've found the target!"
"The Soul-Switching Device has been found? Well done!"
Han Xiao's eyes lit up immediately.
He hadn't forgotten that the Soul-Switching Device was the real target of this trip. Now that Earth Ring Planet was sealed off by him, he wouldn't give up until he found them. With Hila, an expert in the field of the mind, leading several lucky individuals in a thorough search, the Soul-Switching Twins were truly trapped with nowhere to go. No matter how miraculous the Soul-Switching Device was, it would eventually Nowhere to Hide.
Back on the spaceship, Han Xiao immediately spotted two figures tied up in the center of the room, both women, their faces contorted in despair, looking utterly hopeless.
"These are the Soul-Switching Twins?" Han Xiao looked at Hila, Fording, and the others beside him. "Did we grab the wrong one?"
"There's no mistake." Hila took out a dark crystal mirror and handed it to Han Xiao. "They confessed to everything. This is the Soul-Switching Device."
Han Xiao took the Soul-Switching Device, weighed it in his hand, and looked at the item description on the panel.
[Soul-Switching Device: A Cosmic Wonder, its origin and principle are unknown. It can freely transfer souls, ignoring the body's rejection symptoms, to achieve a perfect fit. However, only special individuals can unleash the Soul-Switching Device's power; specific requirements are unknown.]
Another Cosmic Wonder, and something he'd never seen before in his previous life... Han Xiao felt a surge of joy.
How did you manage to catch them?
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone turned to look at Harrison.
"Don't look at me, I'm just pointing randomly..."
Harrison waved his hands repeatedly, looking embarrassed.
"... Okay, I understand." Han Xiao's lips twitched.
There seem to be differences in luck; for example, Harrison is particularly good at finding treasures.
No wonder the Soul-Switching Twins looked so disillusioned – they changed bodies countless times, thinking they were doing it flawlessly, only to be defeated by inexplicable bad luck. Anyone would be devastated.
Han Xiao turned to look at the Soul-Switching Twins and asked:
How do you use this thing?
Gor quickly interjected, "Only the two of us in the entire universe are qualified to use the Soul-Switching Device, and we are willing to serve you! Actually, you have always been my idol! It is our honor to work for the Legion."
Now that things have come to this, all ambitions and aspirations have vanished like bubbles.
Gor had only one thought left: to use her status as the only eligible user of the Soul-Switching Device as a bargaining chip to join Black Star's ranks in exchange for a chance to live!
Seeing this, Han Xiao secretly curled his lip.
Tsk tsk, that flattery was too forced; it's obviously poorly executed.
"You're saying that only the two of you in the entire universe can use the Soul-Switching Device?"
"It's true, I'm not lying to you. The Modo Civilization tested trillions of people, and only the two of us were deemed suitable. We were born for the Soul-Switching Device!"
"You'll only know if you try it. Tell me, how do you usually use it?"
The two had no choice but to explain how they used the Soul-Switching Device.
Han Xiao did it once, but there was no response, only a prompt popped up on the panel.
[Qualification check in progress... Check complete. You are not qualified to use the Soul-Switching Device.]
"It seems like that really won't work."
Han Xiao studied it for a while but couldn't figure it out. The panel didn't show what specific conditions were required to qualify.
After thinking for a moment, he handed the Soul-Switching Device to Hila and said:
"Don't just stand there, all of you come and give it a try."
Hila tried it casually, but there was no reaction either. Seeing this, everyone took turns coming up to test it.
Gor and Lotaire watched this scene, their faces still feigning sincerity and enthusiasm, but a hint of mockery flashed in their eyes, and they were secretly pleased with themselves.
No matter how hard you try, it's useless. We are the only masters of the Soul-Switching Device!
After a while, seeing that no one intended to stop, Gor pursed her lips and couldn't help but speak up, emphasizing:
"I said, only my brothers and I are qualified. No one else can use Soul Transference... What?!"
He had only spoken half a sentence when his eyes suddenly widened, and he froze on the spot.
Black ripples appeared on the mirror of the Soul-Switching Device, swallowing Fording's hand and sinking deeper and deeper. His impatient manner was like that of a horny, unsatisfied woman.
"Huh?" Fording belatedly realized, and exclaimed in surprise, "Did I succeed?"
"That's it?" Han Xiao raised an eyebrow. "The conditions don't seem that demanding."
"You you you you..."
Gor and Lotaire both stammered, their eyes wide open.
They couldn't believe that a single person of exceptional aptitude, one in trillions of races, had appeared before them without any warning!
The two of them had always considered themselves unique chosen ones, but the scene before them shattered their sense of superiority!
The Soul-Switching Device, which they regarded as a sacred object, not only sought new lovers right in front of them, but also appeared incredibly thirsty and impatient, as if it wanted to absorb the other person completely!
In that instant, the two felt their eyes widen in horror, their pupils turn green, as if they were watching their wives, with whom they had sworn eternal love, betray them and throw themselves into the arms of another. Their composure instantly crumbled.
Han Xiao shook his head. "After testing trillions of people, we only found the two of you. This can only mean one thing... the Modo Civilization is suffering from a severe talent shortage."
Gor suddenly realized something was wrong; if she lost her usefulness, even survival would be a luxury.
Thinking of this, Gor mustered her strength and shouted:
"We're still useful! We can pass on our experience using the Soul-Switching Device over the years, we can reveal what missions the Modo Civilization has had us perform over the years, and we also..."
Click!
Before he could finish speaking, his shout abruptly stopped, his head spun 360 degrees, his neck twisted into a pretzel shape, and shattered cervical vertebrae pierced his skin.
Ames stepped into the cabin, flicked her finger, and with a swirling force field, snapped Lotaire's neck before his face could fully contort in terror. Her actions were swift and decisive.
She glanced around, her gaze finally settling on Han Xiao, and said in a deep voice:
"I want those two lives."
"That spendthrift woman..." Han Xiao muttered under his breath, "If we could keep her alive, we might be able to extract a lot of information from her."
When it comes to Iso's safety, Ames is never reasonable; she doesn't even want the Soul-Switching Twins to breathe for a second longer.
At this moment, Hila narrowed her eyes, suddenly raised her hand and grabbed, and two wisps of gray mist rose from the Soul-Switching Twins and disappeared into the Netherland Mark on the back of her hand.
"I've spared your soul. I'll report back to you after the interrogation is complete."
"You're the most reliable one." Hearing this, Han Xiao couldn't help but give a thumbs up.
"What about this thing?" Fording forcefully pulled his arm out of the mirror of the Soul-Switching Device.
"Since you can use it, you can take it with you for now, and I'll study it more thoroughly later."
Han Xiao didn't care. He trusted Fording completely, and it was perfectly acceptable for Fording to carry the Soul-Switching Device for the time being. He was in a great mood at the moment and didn't care about these details.
"This trip was incredibly fruitful; not only did we seize a Universal Treasure, but we also received an unexpected surprise from Old Manison..."
Han Xiao was secretly delighted.
In contrast, Manison was at the complete opposite extreme. His affiliated forces left behind in the Shattered Star Ring were almost completely exposed, and he ultimately failed to obtain the Soul-Switching Device. In fact, he even lost many of his trump cards, leaving him with almost nothing.
"Without Manison's generosity, I wouldn't be where I am today... This is the spirit of passing on the torch!"
Han Xiao was filled with awe.
At the same time, at the secret base of the Mechanic Emperor.
"You bastard! I'll never forgive you!"
Manison, his beard bristling with rage, slammed his hand down on the table in front of him, shattering it.
He prides himself on being a refined and easy-going person, and he generally doesn't swear... unless he can't help it.
His composure was only possible when the losses were not painful enough. In the past, no matter how many mechanical legions he lost, he could remain calm because he had as many mechanical troops as he needed, and such losses were just a drop in the ocean.
But today, he was truly hurt.
He wasn't angry because he didn't care enough, but now that he's feeling the pain, he's naturally furious.
The thought of the two Convict falling into enemy hands made Manison's heart bleed, even more so than when he lost the core of the Virtual Mutiny Virus.
This was his trump card, his last resort. He had planned to teach Black Star an unforgettable lesson today, but Black Star had taken it from him!
Even now, Manison still doesn't understand how Han Xiao did it, and he's both shocked and furious.
Moreover, after wasting so many resources, he didn't even see a trace of the Soul-Switching Device. He had never made such a losing deal before, and he was so angry that his lungs felt like they were going to explode.
Over the years, he had cultivated his character and rarely experienced intense emotional fluctuations. However, his cultivation had been completely disrupted by encountering Black Star in the past ten years.
"Black Star! Ah!"
Manison's angry shouts echoed continuously throughout the room.