The moment Han Xiao and Ames entered the territory of the Modo Expeditionary Army, it was like adding water to a frying pan. The main force of Modo stationed in the core of the Emerald immediately began to move, searching the entire territory for the two. A portion of the fleet at the front line was also recalled to reinforce the manpower and coordinate the operation.
If this place truly possessed the defensive strength of a Supercluster civilization's main base, any Beyond Grade A infiltrator would face immense difficulties. However, this is, after all, Shattered World in the era of rapid development, and the Modo Expeditionary Army's control over its territory is naturally far from reaching the level of its homeland. Many planets have not even completed their infrastructure.
Not only Modo, but all members of the Super Star Cluster Alliance have limited control over the territories in the Free Competition Zone. The Expeditionary Army's strength was not particularly impressive to begin with, and it has only been a few years since the fourth phase of development began. Most of the time has been spent exploring, leaving little room for management. Now, in a state of war, the territories are more or less vulnerable in terms of defense.
Therefore, under the influence of various factors, Han Xiao and Ames were able to move freely and comfortably in the territory of the Modo Expeditionary Army, going wherever they wanted, while the Modo fleet that was trying to intercept them could only follow behind and suffer in silence.
A meteorite belt drifted slowly through the universe, resembling a dark brown ribbon. On one of the meteorites, two figures sat cross-legged, namely Han Xiao and Ames.
"... The location tracking hasn't changed. The leadership of the Modo Expeditionary Army is still in command post. Tsk tsk, if it were a less advanced civilization, they might be running away, clinging to a sliver of hope."
A dense stream of data flashed in Han Xiao's eyes. He withdrew the data probe that had infiltrated the Modo Expeditionary Army network, and his eyes returned to black.
Ames casually toyed with two high-density metal blocks she'd pried off the meteorite, raising a slight brow as she said, "We've been here for almost half a month now. Everyone in Modo knows we're here, but they haven't even bothered to come. They've just stayed in command post. Are they waiting for us to come over?"
"Perhaps they knew running was futile and resigned themselves to their fate. Only advanced civilizations would be so shrewd." Han Xiao shrugged, not particularly concerned.
As he spoke, he opened the Secondary Dimension Army Box and released batches of mechanical soldiers. With a slight nod, these soldiers transformed into streaks of light and departed in different directions.
Watching this scene unfold, Ames said with a hint of helplessness, "Black Star, we could have gone directly to the headquarters of the Modo Expeditionary Army, saving most of the time. It's all because you insisted on taking the detour; otherwise, we would have already accomplished our objective."
Han Xiao sighed and made a move to get up. "So you don't like me spending more time with you? Fine, then let's get this over with quickly..."
"Who said that? Sit down!" Ames' eyes darted around, and she said nonchalantly, "You said you were going to plant a lot of sentries within the territory of the Modo Expeditionary Army. The plan is already more than halfway done, how can we give up halfway now?"
Black Star is a very busy person, and his next trip to the Secondary Dimension will be at least a decade from now. But now that he has taken time out of his busy schedule to spend with her, she naturally doesn't want it to end so soon.
Han Xiao smiled inwardly and sat up straight again.
Besides carrying out a decapitation strike, he had another important objective when he entered the territory of the Modo Expeditionary Army: to plant spies everywhere in Modo's territory. Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken a detour of more than half a month after rushing into the enemy's heartland.
During this period, he had already dispatched countless mechanized units to infiltrate the territory of the Modo Expeditionary Army.
These mechanized units can be remotely controlled for three purposes: first, to inflict damage on Modo; second, to confuse the enemy and distract Modo's fleet; and third, to gather intelligence, monitor movements, and try to find the destinations of Modo Civilization's various secret transport lines, while also leaving "Throne" nodes so that they can infiltrate undetected at any time in the future.
Leaving these mechanized soldiers behind would surely alert the Modo Civilization, forcing them to expend a large number of people searching for Han Xiao's mechanized forces within their territory, leaving them exhausted.
On the other hand, Han Xiao's deliberate roundabout manner had another meaning.
"I deliberately gave Modo this much time to prepare, but I don't know if any Beyond Grade A officers have arrived to protect the command center..."
Han Xiao scratched his chin.
Without the protection of Beyond Grade A, taking down the commander would be easy, but Han Xiao was trying to lure him out. He deliberately moved so slowly, firstly to give the higher-ups of Modo more time to consider, and secondly to put pressure on them. After all, the longer it took for him to brazenly meddle in their territory, the more humiliating it would be for Modo.
If the higher-ups at Modo couldn't resist sending Beyond Grade A bodyguards, they could inflict even greater losses on Modo, truly making them feel Modo pinch. That was his biggest objective for this trip.
It appears to be targeting only the commander of the Modo Expeditionary Army, but in reality, it's a battle of wits with the higher-ups of the Modo Civilization.
Thinking this, he opened the forum and took a look. At this time, Melos was still leading the main force to attack the outer defense line of the Modo Expeditionary Army, but he only attacked and did not advance. Even if he broke through the enemy's formation, he would not cross the defense line, but would go back to rest and then continue to attack the next position.
If those armed groups that followed along were still in the Ferdinand War Zone, they certainly wouldn't have let this opportunity pass and would have continued to advance. This is why the outer defenses of the Modo Expeditionary Army kept shrinking.
Now that Han Xiao has driven away all those armed groups, no one is taking advantage of the opening to attack and capture strongholds. So Modo has time to mobilize troops to fill the gap, but this has only made things more difficult for them.
The Black Star Army's actions were driving the commanders of the various defense lines of the Modo Expeditionary Army to the brink of madness—they were constantly harassing the outside but refusing to break in, which was a form of torture. However, their duties did not allow them to lie down and let the enemy explode; they had to put up one futile resistance after another.
On the other side, with Han Xiao gone from the front lines, the guild alliance of the Super Star Group felt they were back in power and continued their nation wars with the legion players, tearing each other apart with great enthusiasm. Although it was a fight, both sides were enjoying it; one side was glad the big boss was gone, and the other was glad they didn't have to watch the cutscenes anymore.
In another part of the Shattered World, on a planet occupied by a Beyond Grade A being, a tall figure paced back and forth in a palace, holding a communicator in his hand, appearing quite anxious, as if waiting for someone's call.
Beep beep--
The communicator rang, and the tall figure immediately answered it, speaking hastily:
"How's my application going? Has it been approved?"
"No, the higher-ups have forbidden you from supporting the Modo Expeditionary Army. Do not act on your own!" A messenger whose face was obscured said solemnly in the secret channel.
"Black Star has been loitering in Modo's territory for almost a month. We've had so much time to prepare, yet we haven't sent any Beyond Grade A reinforcements. It's simply unacceptable! What will other forces think of Modo? Won't our colleagues in the Expeditionary Army feel disheartened?" The tall figure roared in fury.
If Han Xiao were here, he would recognize that this was the kid who had stirred up trouble at the Beyond Grade A Association meeting, the secret henchman of the Modo Civilization. But despite being a henchman, he was not without his own temper and was quite bold; otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to speak up when facing the two Peak Beyond Grade A, Black Star and the Mechanic Emperor.
Black Star's announcement of his personal involvement meant that almost all the major powers in the Shattered World were watching his actions, knowing that he had been in the territory of the Modo Expeditionary Army for nearly a month. If Modo did nothing under these circumstances and let Black Star wreak havoc inside him, it would be a disgrace to the entire civilization, which would inevitably anger this Beyond Grade A.
"What's the point of going? You think you can beat Black Star with that book? You'd just be sending yourself to your death! Even if all the hidden Beyond Grade A in Modo attacked together, they wouldn't be a match for Black Star!" the envoy said angrily. "Stay rational! Every Beyond Grade A is hard-earned; we can't afford to expose or lose them here! Temporary restraint is only for a future explosion!"
The tall figure looked resentful, but he had to admit that Black Star was terrifyingly strong; in the past, he could only be a lamb to the slaughter.
Sending Beyond Grade A Beyond Grade A Expeditionary Army allow Black Star to devour them; not sending them would damage the reputation and image of the Modo Civilization, not only making them look bad but also making them appear heartless and ungrateful. This would inevitably lead to a sharp drop in the morale of the expeditionary force and a cooling of morale.
Simply walking slowly on purpose can achieve such an effect...
This is Black Star's open conspiracy!
Thinking of Black Star's confident and eloquent speech at the meeting, this Beyond Grade A felt both resentment and fear.
What sins did Modo commit to deserve such an opponent?!
Time flowed slowly, and in the blink of an eye, about half a month had passed. Despite their dawdling along the way, Han Xiao and Ames finally arrived at their destination.
The densely packed Modo fleet unfolded before them, guarding the Modo Expeditionary Army's command post. The crew members in the fleet were all tense, their expressions solemn. Although they outnumbered the enemy, they were the ones who were on edge.
"Those two bastards are finally here!"
In the command post, Roddick gritted his teeth, his eyes were bloodshot, his hair was disheveled and unkempt, and he looked extremely haggard, yet his face was burning with a livid rage.
"Finally here..." Lagos next to him wasn't much better off, but he had a relieved expression on his face.
The two knew perfectly well that the Black Stardragon Throne was coming for them, but it was moving far too slowly. Their initial tension and despair gradually turned into anxiety, and they were almost going crazy waiting. The Black Stardragon Throne was like two knives aimed at their heads, making each day feel like an eternity.
The feeling of watching the guillotine slowly chop towards their heads exerted Mountain pressure on the two of them, a form of psychological torture.
Originally, Roddick and Lagos didn't want the enemy to come, but later they got so anxious that their thoughts changed from "it's best if they come slowly" to "why the hell aren't they here yet? What the hell are you doing?" They wished they could personally take the whip and urge the enemy to hurry up.
Furthermore, with the Modo Civilization failing to send Beyond Grade A reinforcements for a month and a half, Roddick and Lagos became even more certain that they were being abandoned. Feeling dejected, they were ready to die. They figured they were going to be killed no matter what, and they just wished they could be cut down quickly.
Roddick opened the wide-area channel, his tone fierce, somewhat resigned to his fate:
"Black Star! Weren't you here to kill us? Come on!"
Hearing the roars from the channel, many of the Modo soldiers present felt somewhat uneasy.
They were all involved and naturally knew that Modo's refusal to send reinforcements forced these ordinary superhumans to confront Black Star, a god of the universe. It was impossible for them not to feel some resentment, but as soldiers, they knew that the road ahead was fraught with danger, and they would obey orders.
Han Xiao scanned the entire scene, his senses fully activated, and couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head:
"Oh ho, Modo's got some nerve. I even came knocking on their door and gave them plenty of time, but they still didn't send a single Beyond Grade A. Are they that afraid of me?"
Ames chuckled softly, "How many people in the universe aren't afraid of you right now?"
"Fine, this proves that I beat Modo badly enough and he's learned his lesson."
Han Xiao shook his head. Although he hadn't managed to lure the snake out of its hole, he didn't mind. In any case, he could still carry out the decapitation and damage Modo's image.
His gaze swept across the area, finally settling on one of the locations within the Modo Expeditionary Army base. That was where the command post was located, and the objective he needed to eliminate on this mission lay there.
"So, are you going to kill the target yourself, or do you want me to do it?" Han Xiao asked, turning his head.
At first, Ames intended to kill Lagos and the others herself, but after thinking about her experiences with Han Xiao these past few days, she shook her head indifferently.
"It's the same whether you come or I come, there's no difference."
"Then I'll do it; it'll be more efficient. You're too slow."
Ignoring Ames's glare, Han Xiao coughed lightly, and the mechanical soldiers who had been following him stepped forward.
He knew that the Modo Civilization would definitely deploy a large number of space stabilization devices near the base, so he summoned a batch of mechanical troops before arriving, saving himself the trouble of setting up barracks on the spot.
Upon seeing this, the Modo Fleet reacted immediately. The crew members suppressed their complex emotions, hardened their hearts once more, and stared intently at the renowned Black Star in the distance, ready for battle.
Han Xiao glanced at them, then flicked his finger. The mechanical soldiers suddenly paused, their bodies emitting dense white noise and a slight spatial distortion.
The next moment, the squad of mechanical soldiers vanished into thin air. When they reappeared, they had moved forward a considerable distance and were now stationary, like a frozen portrait.
Rumble--
Faced with this bizarre scene, the Modo fleet did not hesitate and opened fire immediately, obliterating the entire squadron.
However, something astonishing happened: the soldiers reappeared, not only restored to their original state without a scratch, but also moved forward a considerable distance, getting closer and closer to the command post.
This bizarre scene left the Modo fleet bewildered and uncertain.
"Using the Kunde Race's technology to fight against you bunch of behind-the-scenes manipulators is just what's needed."
Han Xiao narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips.
This frame-skipping action pattern is precisely the black technology that Han Xiao obtained from the Kunde Race — Spacetime Shearing Technology!
Moreover, after so many years of research and improvement, the Spacetime Shearing Technology he possesses is no longer the original version. He has perfected it considerably and it is now quite mature, unlike the original version which was easily neutralized by various spacetime devices. The difficulty and time required to crack it using the same methods have increased by at least seven or eight times, which is equivalent to gaining a longer operating time.
Although the Crimson Dynasty forbade him to use it in front of outsiders, just now, Han Xiao had a sudden inspiration and instinctively felt that using the Kunde Race's trump card against Modo would be beneficial to the mission. He now trusted his intuition quite a bit, so he did it.
Faced with this unknown technology, the Modo fleet panicked and tried all sorts of methods. However, no matter how they attacked, they could not stop the mechanical soldiers from moving in a frame-by-frame manner. Some of the fleet could only turn to attack Han Xiao's main body, but all of them were easily blocked by Han Xiao and Ames. Moreover, warships were occasionally virtually invaded and fell into his control.
"How is that possible!"
Roddick stared in shock at the approaching mechanized force, his eyes filled with intense despair.
In preparation for the decisive battle against Black Star, he mobilized a large fleet, thinking he could at least hold them off for a while. However, to his surprise, Black Star simply used an ability he had never seen before, which easily broke through the fleet's defenses and threatened his life.
"What kind of technology is this?!" Lagos was completely baffled.
Hearing the two people's astonished shouts over the wide-area channel, Han Xiao's eyes flickered, and he suddenly smiled slightly, his tone playful:
"What a cruel twist of fate... To tell you the truth, this is a technology that your Modo Civilization missed out on. You were just a hair's breadth away from obtaining it. What a pity."
The stowaways from the Modo Civilization were the first to discover the Kunde Race. If they hadn't wanted to harm the Kunde Race and scheme against the Crimson Dynasty, they wouldn't have missed out on the Spacetime Shearing Technology. Now, they've completely lost sight of the bigger picture.
"The technology we missed?"
Lagos muttered to himself, his intuition telling him that Black Star might be telling the truth.
For a moment, his heart was filled with a complex mix of emotions.
Finally, under the frenzied siege of the Modo fleet, the mechanized forces appeared out of the command post window in a completely unremarkable, frame-by-frame manner.
Roddick and Lagos stared wide-eyed as the energy reactors on the chests of the mechanical unit lit up, flashing with dazzling incandescent light.
The next moment, their consciousness was left with only a vast, white expanse, as if the world had been created anew.
Boom!!
A violent explosion occurred, and blue-white wavy Psionic Energy shockwaves spread far and wide throughout the universe.
The command center was completely annihilated, leaving not even ruins. A large part of the base was missing, and the shield exploded from the inside out.
Roddick and Lagos, along with the vast majority of the leadership of the Modo Expeditionary Army, perished in the explosion, leaving no trace.
"This is just a small interest charge. I hope Modo won't be discouraged. We still have plenty of time to play around."
Looking at the enraged Modo fleet, Han Xiao chuckled, put his arm around Ames ' waist, and then the Sovereign Mecha extended to envelop the two of them.
Wow!
A flash of light.
Before the Modo fleet could surround them, the two figures vanished into thin air without a trace. The space stabilizers deployed in this area were completely unable to prevent their departure.