Shattered World, Emerald Star Cluster, Black Star Army Branch.
Hundreds of ships, in various colors and of different models, were docked at the silvery-white airport pier. From among them emerged groups of crew members who clearly did not belong to the Legion. They stepped onto the platform, looking around curiously, and under the command of fully armed Legion soldiers, they formed loose lines, chattering incessantly.
"Finally arrived. As expected of the Black Star Army's base, it's heavily guarded."
"Haha, my resume was screened four times, but it finally passed the review. From now on, we're members of the Black Star Army too."
"I hope to get a job with good benefits..."
"I wonder if we'll be able to see Black Star this time. As is customary, every batch of new recruits has to undergo an induction ceremony. The Legion Commander should be able to meet with us, right? Even just an avatar of his would be helpful."
Everyone wore a look of excitement; these were all interstellar mercenaries recruited through the application process.
Today, the Black Star Army's sphere of influence spans multiple star systems, and its various businesses bring in a substantial flow of funds. As a result, the Legion has been constantly recruiting new members, especially after Han Xiao was appointed as a high-level advisor to the Three Universal Civilizations, which brought the recruitment efforts to a new peak.
After years of operation by Han Xiao, the Legion has gained an irreplaceable influence in the universe. According to market research, if free superhumans in interstellar society had to join a faction, 41.3% of them would choose the Black Star Army as their first choice, even surpassing the Three Universal Civilizations.
To draw a comparison, the Black Star Army's status is roughly equivalent to a top-ranking, high-quality company in the "Fortune 500," and its potential is still being realized, with a promising future.
As everyone was excitedly discussing, a Legion spaceship entered the VIP orbit of the airport, immediately attracting the attention of everyone present. The ship's outer armor had two insignia: one was the Legion's symbol, and the other was Red Snake emblem on a dark red background, which was the unique symbol of Hila's forces.
With a hiss, the hatch opened, and a group of female armed personnel clad in red light armor stepped out in orderly formation, flanking the gangway. The insignia on their chest armor identified them as Hila's elite combat unit, designated "Three-Headed Snake Special Operations Unit."
As the deputy legion commander, Hila wields considerable authority. She has already formed a private personal guard and, like Han Xiao, recruited some guard officers.
Tap tap tap...
Hila stepped out of the hatch, her leather shoes making a crisp sound as she walked.
She wore red sunglasses perched on her high-bridged nose, silver snake-shaped earrings, and a gorgeous red uniform resembling a women's suit with gold trim. A black and gold high-necked cape draped over her shoulders, with a red fur collar, giving her an imposing presence.
All eyes turned to her, and many people looked on with admiration, including the legion soldiers around her.
"She's the Legion's second-in-command, the Goddess of Death, Hila. She has such a powerful aura..."
"It would be great to work under her," someone said with longing.
"Only the legion's elite are qualified to be selected as high-ranking guards. Even we are not qualified. Are you dreaming?" a legion soldier scoffed from the side.
Just then, Hila arrived at the front of the crowd with her personal guards. She scanned everyone present, and her powerful aura spread out, gradually calming the commotion. The excited crowd felt a sense of oppression and dared not speak.
Seeing this, Hila parted her lips slightly and said in a cold, indifferent voice:
"Since the Legion Commander is away recently, I will be presiding over your induction ceremony. My time is very valuable, so let's skip the welcoming steps and get straight to testing your strength. The Legion is all about strength, and this will determine your rank assignments after you join, so try to stand in front of me as long as possible."
Having said all that in one breath, Hila, too lazy to explain to everyone, directly released her Higher Lifeform Pressure, sweeping across the entire area.
Before many people present could react, they felt a wave of terror wash over them. The pressure penetrated their bodies and souls, causing them to tremble and feel as if they might collapse to the ground at any moment.
Thump thump--
People were unable to withstand Hila's Higher Lifeform Pressure and collapsed one after another. The longest they could hold on was only about thirty seconds. Their faces were filled with terror, and they were panting heavily, as if they were about to drown.
Seeing this, Hila withdrew her oppressive aura, glanced at her watch, and said calmly, "Those who rank in the top 10% for standing time can serve as squad leaders. As for the rest of you, Phillip will automatically assign positions based on your performance just now. Begin your duties immediately. Meeting adjourned."
After saying that, she didn't even glance at the crowd collapsed on the ground, and turned to enter the base with her personal guards.
Generally speaking, the induction ceremony for new members would introduce the legion's history and cultivate a sense of belonging. Hila, however, had no time for such things. From disembarking to completing the test, the entire process took no more than three minutes, demonstrating her swift and decisive action.
Halfway there, Hila took out her communicator, called Phillip, and asked with a frown:
"Have you been able to contact Black Star?"
"Don't buzz..." Phillip lowered his head, pointing with his fingers, filled with remorse.
"Where on earth did this guy go? He's been out of contact for months!"
Hila's expression shifted between light and dark.
She knew that Han Xiao had gone to Secondary Dimension World, making communication inconvenient, but even so, Han Xiao and the Phillip main program should not have lost their connection.
However, just a few months ago, Phillip said that Han Xiao had completely lost contact and could not be reached by any means. Hila immediately became vigilant and couldn't help but think of the Sanctum Organization she had encountered in the Secondary Dimension.
Could it be that the legion commander has been ambushed and besieged again?
Hmm... it doesn't seem surprising at all.
To avoid causing unrest within the legion and arousing suspicion from the outside world, she instructed Phillip to keep the news under wraps. On the surface, she maintained the legion's operation, but behind the scenes, she secretly invested resources to quietly investigate Black Star's whereabouts.
Han Xiao is the soul of the legion. With him out of contact, the legion's strength in the Beyond Grade A category suddenly weakened. Hila had no choice but to temporarily take on the responsibility, stop training, return from the Netherland, and take charge of the legion.
Hila grew increasingly anxious after months of searching without finding any news.
She had made up her mind that if there was still no information after three months, she would call on Ames and enter the Secondary Dimension World to search for Han Xiao.
Suddenly, Hila stopped in her tracks, a strange expression on her face.
"You all stand by, I have to go first."
After uttering those words, she vanished abruptly, leaving her personal guards staring at each other in bewilderment.
at the same time.
Hila appeared in the Netherland Dimension, and the Earth Goddess Onicelu appeared.
Why are you calling me?
"I've discovered a group of strange creatures approaching the Netherland. They seem to be cosmic beings living in space storms. You know, monsters born in this kind of environment are not easy to deal with. I'm afraid they are a species that feeds on Secondary Dimension," Onicelu expressed her concerns.
Hila frowned slightly. She now shared the fate of the Netherland, and protecting Netherland was her duty.
"I'll go and drive them away."
She leaped into the air, transforming into a red meteor, and quickly flew out of the spatial barrier following Onicelu's instructions. However, she did not go far, but instead waited in the direction the enemy was advancing, waiting for them to come to her.
The dimensional energy of the Netherland formed a spherical light membrane on Hila's body, providing defense while also preventing her from being swept away by spatial turbulence.
Not long after, a vortex wormhole suddenly appeared in the spatial storm, and huge Void Louse surged out in astonishing numbers.
"So many?!" Hila instinctively clenched her fists.
She had also roamed Secondary Dimension World and knew that there were dangers here that could threaten even Beyond Grade A life forms. Although she had never seen the Void Louse, she instinctively sensed a threat, proving that these monsters were not to be trifled with.
Although Hila wasn't worried about her own safety, there were too many monsters, and she was alone; she couldn't guarantee she could protect the entire Netherland.
"If only Black Star were here..."
Faced with this scene, Hila couldn't help but miss Han Xiao's mechanical army.
"Now it's up to me."
Hila mustered her strength, preparing to strike first.
However, at that moment, a familiar voice rang out in her mecha's communication channel, freezing her in place.
Hila?
Among the swarm of Void Louse, Han Xiao, who was chasing away the little cuties, sensed Hila's energy fluctuations, turned his head and looked over, his eyes immediately lighting up.
The next moment, he flashed and appeared in front of Hila through the Void Leap, smiling as he said:
"It's been a while since we last met. Have you missed me?"
"I want to..." Hila started to speak instinctively, but suddenly came to her senses and asked with surprise and uncertainty, "How did you get here? Where have you been all this time?"
"I took a trip to the depths of the Secondary Dimension World. The signal was bad there. See these little cuties? These are my spoils. I plan to keep them around the Netherland; they'll serve as a defensive line. Their combat power is quite considerable..."
Han Xiao gave a long, rambling introduction, pretending not to notice Hila's several hesitant attempts to speak.
Having been out of contact for several months, he knew it would definitely arouse Hila's suspicion and worry, but he did not intend to reveal his experience of this trip for the time being, so he decided to conceal the truth and make excuses.
After listening for a while, Hila couldn't help but interrupt Han Xiao, asking, "Do you know the impact your disappearance has had on us? If I hadn't blocked the news, morale in the legion would definitely be in turmoil right now..."
Han Xiao chuckled, "You're the deputy legion commander, right? You're here when I'm not around. Nothing will go wrong. I trust you."
Upon hearing this, Hila's expression softened considerably.
She had a vague feeling that Han Xiao was hiding something from her, but since he wouldn't say, she didn't want to ask any more questions; his return was the most important thing.
Hila didn't press further, only instructing her, "Don't do that again next time," before turning to look at the group of willful-looking Void Louse and asking curiously:
"Could this group of creatures, when united, truly possess combat power comparable to Peak Beyond Grade A?"
"Their attack power is a bit weak, but their resistance is definitely up to par. They feed on spatial turbulence and not only won't attack the Secondary Dimension, they'll even protect them. They like the environment around the Secondary Dimension and usually settle down there as their nests, attacking all outsiders." Han Xiao nodded.
After catching a batch of Void Louse, he and Kasuyi split up and went home. On the way, they did some research and figured out some of the habits of the Void Louse. They were able to coexist harmoniously with the Secondary Dimension and were very suitable for guarding the home. They were practically natural guardians. Placing them in the Netherland could improve the safety of this place.
"Alright, as long as there's no danger, then keep them here. I have no objection."
Hila nodded in agreement, then thought for a moment and added, "Your teacher came to see you three times, but I turned her away each time. Remember to talk to her."
"Hmm," Han Xiao responded, then asked, "By the way, how was the association while I was away?"
"Same as always, nothing's changed, except you and Manison aren't arguing anymore. Everyone finds meetings boring, and they're basically all daydreaming."
"These bastards, all they ever do is rely on me to cause trouble..."
Han Xiao's lips twitched.
To ordinary people, these Beyond Grade A individuals are aloof and unapproachable, but to him, they are just a bunch of repressed perverts.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, he declined Hila's invitation to be tortured, threw the Void Louse into the Netherland, and then used the Sovereign's Teleport to return to the Legion's base camp in the Shining Star Cluster.
With a flash of light, Han Xiao found himself back in the legion's office, where he immediately spotted Sylvia sitting with her legs crossed.
Sylvia was startled by the sudden appearance of another person in the room, but after recognizing Han Xiao, she calmed down. Her eyes darted around, and instead of getting up, she deliberately propped her long legs up on the table, snorted, and said sarcastically:
"Oh, isn't this Lord Black Star? You actually came back? I thought you'd forgotten about us."
Han Xiao didn't take it to heart, strolled over to Sylvia, patted Sylvia head with a smile, checked her hair volume, and smiled back:
"Hmm, it seems you've been working very hard these past few months. Thank you for your hard work."
"Get lost." Sylvia slapped Han Xiao's hand away, stood up and made way for him, saying irritably, "I haven't been able to reach you for the past few months, and there's a huge backlog of work waiting for your approval. Hurry up and get it done; I need it."
After saying that, she ignored Han Xiao and turned to leave. But when she reached the door, she suddenly remembered something, turned back, took the coat draped over the back of the chair and the gold-rimmed glasses from the table, gave Han Xiao a sidelong glance, and then opened the door and left.
"Tsk, they're really holding a grudge."
Han Xiao curled his lip; naturally, he wouldn't argue with his bald little darling at home.
This trip was incredibly fruitful; he learned a great deal about the universe and greatly expanded his knowledge. For him, returning to the Explored Universe felt like stepping into another world. However, in the eyes of the legion's officers, it had only been a few months since they last met, and apart from a few individuals, no one was curious about where he had gone.
Han Xiao reconnected with Phillip and encrypted and saved all the data recorded during this trip.
This technological treasure trove is so rich that even for Peak Beyond Grade A like him, it would take him at least ten years to digest it all. He couldn't finish studying it in a short time. Although Awakening Points and Experience Points could speed up the research, it would be somewhat wasteful to use them on this, since it would be difficult to replenish them before the next version arrived. Fortunately, the 4.0 version update was not far off, so he had time to digest it slowly and was not in a hurry to succeed.
He brought in a housekeeping robot to spray air freshener in the room, dispelling the lingering fragrance of Sylvia's body. Only then did he sit back down, dealing with the backlog of tasks while logging onto the forum to check on other players' activities.
Several months have passed, and the fourth professional league has reached the international stage, with the quarterfinals. Two teams from Huaxia have advanced: one is the Dynasty Team, which has performed the most consistently among the powerhouses, and the other is Jiangcheng.
Having gone through three seasons of the league, Jiangcheng is no longer a rising dark horse, but a stable powerhouse team.
The international group stage, which has already concluded, was the most challenging phase of the tournament. The relentless Sniping from clubs around the world against Huaxia were effective, resulting in one fewer Huaxia team advancing to the quarterfinals compared to the previous tournament.
However, from another perspective, clubs from various countries spared no effort to block them, and some teams were willing to fight to the death with the Huaxia teams even if it meant sacrificing points. Under such circumstances, two Huaxia teams still managed to break through and successfully qualify, achieving gratifying results.
Now the hopes of the entire village rest on the shoulders of the Dynasty and Jiangcheng. If either team wins the championship, they will achieve a three-peat for Huaxia. No one of the other teams in the quarterfinals wants to see this result. However, the quarterfinals are a fair fight between two teams, unlike the group stage where they can use multiple forces to encircle and suppress each other. Tactics like the Tian Ji horse racing strategy and some other tricks are useless. Only hard power matters.
"Reaching the quarterfinals means the league is nearing its end, and version 4.0 will be available in at most two months... I need to get started on preparations."
Han Xiao thought to himself.