As soon as Han Xiao's remote projection landed in the venue, he could feel many surprised and admiring gazes coming from all directions.
"Black Star!"
Hearing someone call his name, Han Xiao turned around and saw Kasuyi and others gathering around. They were all familiar faces from the small circle of Peak Beyond Grade A.
"Why did you call me?"
"Hehe, not bad." Kant smiled as he looked at him.
"You should say that to the Mechanic Emperor; they need comforting right now," Han Xiao said, raising an eyebrow.
"Haha, you've gotten even more mischievous since we last met." Everyone laughed.
Within the circle, Han Xiao doesn't have the same aloofness as someone from the Mechanic Emperor; he's more popular, and most people are willing to be his friend, showing him more closeness than respect.
Kasuyi smiled helplessly and asked, "Black Star, I heard you captured the Mechanic Emperor's forces. Did you find out the origins of those two Beyond Grade A individuals?"
Han Xiao shook his head and casually revealed Manison's background, briefly explaining the techniques used on Convict, emphasizing, "Manison messed up their minds; they can barely remember any of their past experiences."
"Sigh, the two people you caught must be Sulett and Kane. I used to have a good relationship with Kane, back a long time ago..." Milizaus sighed, feeling a pang of sympathy.
As a rare and exceptionally gifted individual, he was extremely averse to experiments involving live human modification. Before he became Beyond Grade A, dragon cubs would occasionally disappear and be captured by interstellar hunters to be sold for money. Most of the time, they were sold to research institutions to study their racial characteristics, so he was quite sensitive to this.
The crowd chattered as they recounted the lives of Sulett and Kane. The former was Second Treasure, and the latter was Fourth Treasure. Both were once incredibly powerful Beyond Grade A experts, but for different reasons, they provoked the Mechanic Emperor and ultimately suffered defeat and disappeared. Unexpectedly, when they met again, their old friends had become puppets, leaving many present feeling deeply saddened.
"Not long ago, you weren't even part of the Mechanic Emperor... uh, you were at most on par with them. How come this time the Mechanic Emperor used their trump card and you ended up gaining the upper hand? Do you have some kind of trick up your sleeve?" the Sun Hunter asked.
"It's nothing, just good luck."
Han Xiao instinctively offered a humble remark, but as soon as the words left his mouth, he noticed that the gazes of everyone present had become quite strange.
The crowd glanced Secret Master, nodded, and gestured with their eyes that they had time to hear about his performance.
However, the Secret Master remained unmoved, as if he hadn't heard Han Xiao's words at all.
Seraon couldn't help but lean closer to the Secret Master and whisper, "Why don't you argue with him like you did before? Aren't you a professional?"
The Secret Master glanced at him, "I'll give him face."
"I see..."
Seraon nodded, but then suddenly realized what he meant.
"Wait, why didn't you give me face just now?"
"There's no need."
Seraon's forehead veins bulged immediately.
We're all at the Peak Beyond Grade A, yet you're so blatantly discriminating against us!
"So you're afraid of offending Black Star, but not afraid of offending me, huh?!"
"Yes," the Secret Master, his face full of confusion, "Where do you get the confidence to ask that question?"
He was utterly baffled. Black Star, that unlucky bastard, had luck that was practically nonexistent, but this guy with such incredible luck, didn't he have any self-awareness?
Seraon was immediately choked up, pointing at the Secret Master but unable to utter a word, looking utterly aggrieved.
You're going too far! Can't you at least pretend to appease me a little?
After chatting for a few moments, it was time for the meeting to begin. Everyone filed into the meeting room and took their seats.
Just then, Manison's remote projection arrived late, arriving right on time. Upon arrival, he didn't look at anyone, ignoring the strange looks from the crowd, and walked straight into the venue.
He arrived right on time because he didn't want to meet Han Xiao beforehand. He could easily guess how Black Star would swagger around in front of him.
As he passed Han Xiao, Manison deliberately ignored him, expecting Han Xiao to take the opportunity to make sarcastic remarks. However, to his surprise, Black Star seemed to have changed his ways and completely ignored him.
This left Manison, who had been mentally prepared, feeling frustrated and uneasy, as if he had punched something that missed its mark. Instead, he felt an urge to strike up a conversation.
Noticing Manison's gaze, Han Xiao didn't even look at him... You think I'm going to mock you, but deliberately ignoring you is still a form of mockery.
Suppressing the urge to speak, Manison coughed and said in a deep voice, "I hereby declare the meeting open. Ladies and gentlemen..."
Before he could finish speaking, Han Xiao stood up and said slowly, "I have something to tell everyone."
All eyes turned to them.
Han Xiao leaned forward, his hands lightly resting on the table, and said, "Regarding my experiences some time ago, some of you may not know the inside story. Let me explain first. I have a personal grudge against the Modo Civilization, which originated from the Kunde Race incident during the second phase of exploration. Modo lured the native civilization to ambush the Crimson Dynasty, which led to the outbreak of war. My Black Star Army also participated in the war and lost many of its men. Later, the Kunde Race joined my ranks and accepted my protection, so I also took on the mission of pursuing the True Culprit."
This war could have been completely avoided, but Modo's conspiracy robbed us of the opportunity to coexist peacefully. My grudge against Modo stemmed from both personal vendettas over troop losses and moral obligations.
It's understandable that I and Modo are enemies and harm each other; I accept the casualties Modo has caused to my troops on the front lines. However, Modo's use of scheming behind the scenes... Scheming is one thing, after all, it's a viable method. But what he shouldn't have done was drag another unrelated Beyond Grade A into this matter."
As he spoke, Han Xiao pointed to Ames, who was present, and seeing that everyone was listening quietly, he continued:
"The Dragon Emperor originally had nothing to do with this matter, but Modo wanted to kidnap her adoptive father to threaten me, and some people present even helped Modo..."
As he spoke, Han Xiao glanced at Manison, and before Manison could speak, he immediately continued, saying:
"This behavior is utterly despicable and shows a complete disregard for others, so the Dragon Emperor has decided to intervene in the war and teach Modo a lesson. I have also decided to personally lead the attack..."
Han Xiao paused, looked around the room, and said in a low voice:
"Now that I've finished speaking, who agrees? Who disagrees?"
A moment of silence fell over the room; everyone exchanged strange glances.
Before the Shattered World Battle, the agreement reached in this house was that Beyond Grade A officers would remain neutral, their troops could get some benefits, or in certain special cases, they could take revenge, but not personally participate in the battle. This was a common agreement. Black Star's demand at this time clearly meant that he would be the first to break this agreement.
Manison narrowed his eyes and began to nitpick, "I don't think that's acceptable. You're the vice president. If you lead the way in violating the agreements we've already made, wouldn't the principles of our united front lose their binding force? If you find a reason to take action yourself today and we agree, and I find a reason to take action against you tomorrow, will you agree to that too? If anyone can act recklessly as long as they have a reason, then what's the point of the association's existence?"
"Older people really do tend to be a bit inflexible," Han Xiao clicked his tongue. "Our association has only been established for a short time, and it's already showing signs of rigidity? That's quite typical of you as a leader."
Manison's eyelids twitched, but he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Same recipe, same taste. Black Star is still Black Star, the same old two-faced guy.
Han Xiao ignored him, looked around, and said, "My proposal is not just because of personal grudges, but also for the sake of the association's prestige and the principle of a united front."
"What's the explanation for that?" Kant, standing to the side, naturally took on the role of the straight man.
"What the Mechanic Emperor said does make some sense, but we need to analyze each case individually. We must first clarify the nature of this matter— Modo, in order to deal with me, is arbitrarily scheming against an unrelated Beyond Grade A Beyond Grade A, who is also a member of the Association... What kind of behavior is this? Let me give you an example, hmm, let's take the Infinite Financial Group as an example. Suppose I want to seize the assets of the Infinite Financial Group, and I know that Manison is a major shareholder, so I kidnap Manison, torture him in every way possible, and use this to force Sorokin to sign some unequal agreements. How would you react?"
Sorokin was caught off guard by the sudden mention of the topic.
You guys keep talking, why are you calling me?
If that's really the case, I'd be ecstatic; another scoundrel who used to pocket money is gone...
"Ahem, I would be furious."
Han Xiao then looked at Manison and said, "If you escape... I mean, if you do, since everyone knows that if you fall into my hands, you'll definitely have nowhere to run... Anyway, you'll definitely take retaliatory measures afterward, right?"
"... That's right." Manison's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
"See? This is only human nature, and it's very similar to what I've encountered." Han Xiao clapped his hands and said in a deep voice, "But why is the association doing the opposite and trying to stop this behavior? Wasn't our original intention in establishing the association to help the Beyond Grade A class achieve better prospects and higher status? How come we've ended up putting shackles on ourselves?"
As he spoke, Han Xiao walked up behind Manison, placed his hands on his shoulders, and said loudly:
"The principle of the united front is that when one member is in trouble, everyone should come to their aid. The Modo Civilization attacked an unrelated Beyond Grade A member first, breaking the rules. If we don't deal with it, what will others think? Will they think that the association is retaliating against Beyond Grade A members after restraining them, and thus they are more confident and bold in attacking Beyond Grade A members? What kind of nonsense is this!"
If we want a higher status, besides establishing order within ourselves to make interstellar society feel safe, we must also ensure that outsiders maintain awe of Beyond Grade A beings. This is the way to control the discourse, not to put the cart before the horse.
Therefore, although the association's primary aim is mediation, it must take immediate action against the provocative behavior of the Modo Civilization. Otherwise, it will damage the prestige of the entire Beyond Grade A class. This is the true essence of our united front! The slogan of 'advancing and retreating together' does not mean that we should only 'retreat,' but that we should also 'advance' together!
We are now a collective. If others don't want to suffer the same undeserved calamity as Dragon Emperor did, they should not only support the action but also provide assistance to deal with Modo together. Don't forget how the Tragedy of the Pinnacle came about; unity is crucial. The Association should issue a serious statement against Modo and launch Thunder counterattack. Only then will the entire universe know that the Beyond Grade A- class is different now, and that we have united."
Although something felt off, many people couldn't deny that Black Star's words resonated with them and sounded quite reasonable.
"Of course, our association needs freedom. I won't force anyone to join me against Modo, but I will definitely help Ames myself, because I always remember how I built my empire. Now, let me ask you the same question again..."
Han Xiao's gaze was fixed on the entire room as he spoke, each word deliberate and forceful.
Who's in favor? Who's against?
There was a two-second silence in the arena before Beoni raised his hand high, breaking the silence.
I agree!
"Me too," Kohler retorted.
With someone taking the lead, the members of the Crimson Dynasty faction, except for Heber who remained arrogant, all voted. The neutral Beyond Grade A members within the association who had sided with Black Star also expressed their approval, and a wave of support swept through the ranks!
Ames watched this scene with her chin resting on her hand, her smiling eyes full of laughter. She loved seeing Han Xiao Calm and Composed talking in front of everyone.
The members of the Mechanic Emperor looked at Manison, and seeing that Manison remained silent, they did not voice their opposition. Seeing this, Kasuyi and a group of council members also voted.
"Black Star makes a good point. We can't interfere with the personal feud between Modo Civilization and him, but even wars follow the laws of war. You can't use underhanded methods without Infinite. Modo's scheme against another Beyond Grade A family member who isn't involved in this matter has already crossed the line," Old Dragon chimed in.
"That's right, that's right. I completely agree with what Black Star just said about the true meaning of a united front. If the Mechanic Emperor ever captures me for live modification, you guys have to come and rescue me!" Sun Hunter joked.
Manison glanced at him dismissively. "Don't worry, you're too young. I'm not interested."
After a while of commotion, a neutral Beyond Grade A who had been quietly observing suddenly spoke up, saying, "Black Star said he wanted to deal with Modo, but the Mechanic Emperor is also an accomplice. Why don't you retaliate against them? I think we should treat everyone equally."
Upon hearing this, the room fell silent again, and many people's expressions turned strange.
This guy's definitely stirring things up! He's got guts, kid!
Han Xiao glanced at him and immediately chuckled.
Hey, I remember this guy was one of the "mercenaries" of the Super Star Cluster Alliance in his previous life. Maybe he was like the Traveler, actually a direct descendant of some Supercluster civilization.
Is this guy trying to divert hatred and confuse the public? Could he be a secret henchman of Modo?
The thought flashed through his mind, and seeing that everyone was looking at him, Han Xiao waved his hand magnanimously and deliberately sighed:
"One of our association's goals is, after all, to mediate conflicts between Beyond Grade A individuals. Although Manison is unkind, I cannot be unjust. Consider it a loss on my part, and I will not pursue the matter with the Book."
As soon as he finished speaking, Manison shuddered. The composure he had finally managed to regain over the past few days almost exploded again.
Can it speak human language?!
You took the Soul-Switching Device and robbed my two Convict, and you call that a loss?
I'd love to suffer that kind of "loss," and I'd want to suffer it every day!
Seeing Manison's twitching face, many people hurriedly raised their hands to stroke their beards, trying hard to suppress their wildly upturned mouths and laugh.
Manison closed his eyes, took a few seconds to suppress his anger, and said expressionlessly, "Black Star, even if you get my samples, you won't be able to learn my technology."
He had this confidence because he incorporated his own unique techniques into both the Convict technology and the Immortal Mechanical Soldier technology. This was the essence he had mastered after quietly innovating virtual technology.
Without prior knowledge of Virtual Technology Innovation, he concluded that even if Black Star made some progress, he would at most obtain something vague and inaccurate, and it would be impossible to reconstruct all the details of the two technologies.
"Don't worry, I won't stop you from comforting yourself." Han Xiao chuckled.
"Hmph, stubborn as a mule. If I'm not mistaken, your research hit a bottleneck right at the beginning."
Han Xiao hesitated for a moment, then did not reply.
Seeing this, Manison's lips curled slightly, feeling that his prediction was correct, and his mood finally improved. He slowly said, "I guessed right, so you don't dare to answer?"
Han Xiao shook his head, his tone hesitant:
"I think you're getting old, and you don't have many years left to live. I'm afraid if I tell the truth, you'll have a heart attack and die on the spot. If that happens, the credit for killing you won't go to me, wouldn't that be a waste?"
"... roll!"