After asking around, only a handful of the second Revived chose to join the association. Han Xiao noted their names down, then looked at the members of the Sanctum and nodded:
"I'll leave this to you guys. You don't have much to do anyway, so start by helping the newcomers integrate into the new era. You should be fine with that, right?"
"Don't worry, we're familiar with this area; we just need new card-playing partners."
Baigel smiled and answered on behalf of everyone.
The Oathkeeper nodded subconsciously, then suddenly realized what was happening.
Wait, isn't this my organization? What gives you the right to give orders?
"That..."
The Oathkeeper wants to speak.
However, before he could even begin, Han Xiao clapped his hands, interrupting him, and laughed:
"I'm glad we've reached an agreement. Everyone, you can all leave now and familiarize yourselves with the situation of this era later."
As soon as the words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room eased considerably. The Sanctum members led everyone out of the room in single file, chatting as they walked, their voices fading into the distance.
The Oathkeeper twitched slightly at the corner of their mouth.
Am I, the leader of this organization, just going to be ignored like this? Don't I have any dignity?!
At this moment, Han Xiao walked over, patted the Oathkeeper on the shoulder, and laughed:
"You're probably in for a tough time. I've temporarily intimidated these Revived, but I can't keep an eye on them all the time. Some of them will definitely try to sneak away. You need to keep a close watch, but don't be too obvious, so as not to arouse their resentment."
"I understand... cough, I know what to do, you don't need to teach me."
The Oathkeeper an oath coughed lightly.
Han Xiao smiled, summoned a virtual screen, and quickly compiled a list.
"This is a partial list of keys to several other Sanctuary. You are professionals in this area, so it's best to collect Infinite number. The more keys we accumulate, the more confident we will be."
"You found this in the Third Sanctum?" the Oathkeeper asked, looking surprised. "Why didn't I see it when I went there?"
"It's possible your authority is too low..." Han Xiao shook his head and casually explained. As for whether the Oathkeeper was deliberately concealing something, it wasn't the time to concern himself with such trivial details.
"Okay, this will make it much easier for us to open the Sanctuary in the future." The Oathkeeper was pleased.
Although the information recorded in Sanctuary is different, the Sanctuary Revival is universal. Mastering the methods to open other Sanctuary means that the efficiency of replenishing revival attempts is multiplied several times, greatly shortening the time required to collect Sanctuary Key.
Putting away the list, the Oathkeeper paused, then changed the subject and asked:
Have you decided on the timing for the first batch of Revived?
"Probably within the next few months," Han Xiao hummed in agreement.
"After they emerge, the attitudes of the Three Universal Civilizations will change drastically. Are you sure you're okay?" the Oathkeeper asked with concern.
No matter how much mental preparation one has beforehand, it's impossible not to worry as the leader of this upheaval. Especially since this is a catalyst that will inevitably cause a dramatic change in the cosmic landscape, a turning point in the fate of Beyond Grade A beings, with far-reaching consequences that may steer the future of interstellar society in another unknown direction. He can't help but be nervous.
"I know what I'm doing; this is a necessary step, and there's no need to hesitate."
Han Xiao smiled slightly and patted him on the shoulder.
The Oathkeeper frowned slightly and slowly said, "Also... we concealed the truth about the Sanctuary Revival, making others believe that there's only one chance for it to recover. In that case, while the Three Universal Civilizations will still be wary, they will most likely not abandon their plan for the Great Purge... So are we really not going to reveal the true situation of the Sanctuary Revival?"
Upon hearing this, Han Xiao shook his head.
"It's alright. This trump card needs to be kept secret for now. Revealing it might make the Three Universal Civilizations hesitant to act, but it would also force them to adjust their strategies. It's better to give them the wrong information. After all, Infinite resurrection... talk is cheap. If the Great Purge really happens, it's not too late to resurrect. This will not only disrupt the strategies of the Three Universal Civilizations, but it will also be a pleasant surprise for the dead."
Besides, fear is the shackle of desire. If we tell the Revived the truth now, they'll be hard to manage; they'll just take off!"
The Oathkeeper sighed, "But this will put you under immense pressure... The Revived were introduced to the organization by you, so everyone will think you possess the truth. The Three Universal Civilizations will definitely target you. Can you withstand that?"
"It's not a big problem. As long as the association sees the existence of the Sanctuary Revival, the Beyond Grade A will unite around me like never before. Coupled with my abilities, influence, and the existence of the Netherland, it's not a problem to temporarily stand on equal footing with the Three Universal Civilizations, which will leave room for negotiation."
Han Xiao smiled, reassuring the Oathkeeper the oath.
The Oathkeeper nodded, his tone solemn:
"It's good that you have a plan. In short, whether we can walk freely in the sunlight in the future depends on you."
The next day, Han Xiao resumed his leadership of the association, Kasuyi stepped down as deputy. He contacted Han Xiao privately more than once, trying to subtly inquire about the outcome of Han Xiao's trip, but Han Xiao always brushed him off.
After disappearing for about four months, Han Xiao reappeared in public, but it didn't attract much attention. It's common for Beyond Grade A characters to go out, so the various forces didn't think much of Han Xiao's short-term disappearance, and it didn't cause any stir.
After patiently waiting for more than half a month, the Three Universal Civilizations finally took action and extended an invitation for a private meeting.
"After observing for so long, have you finally decided to give up...?"
In the room, Han Xiao saw the invitation notification on the communicator and immediately perked up, sitting up straight.
He opened the web link in the invitation and remotely projected himself into the online meeting room.
The next second, their vision blurred, and they found themselves in a secret conference room, where remote projections of the leaders of the Glory, the Empire, and the Arcane were already in the room.
"Black Star, you've arrived."
Imperial leader Mabrus revealed a sharp, angular smile.
Han Xiao glanced around, then put on his Netherland smile, "Gentlemen, what brings you here?"
"We haven't officially congratulated you on becoming the president of the Beyond Grade A Association yet. Congratulations on becoming the president." Mabrus nodded.
"Thank you." Han Xiao smiled. "It's all thanks to the members' kindness."
"We have high hopes for you. You are more suitable than Manison to lead the Beyond Grade A Association. We all believe that under your leadership, the Beyond Grade A Association will go further and further down the right path of cooperation and mutual benefit..."
As is customary, the group exchanged a few pleasantries before getting down to business.
President Louis, the Glory One, stroked his mustache and said, "We called you here today mainly because we need your help with a problem... The chaos of the Beyond Grade A Association members privately imparting Ultimate Knowledge of various superpower systems has gone on for far too long. When Manison was in office, he deliberately condoned it and turned a blind eye. Now that you have become the president of the association, we hope you can help deal with this issue."
Han Xiao raised an eyebrow. "I'll give it a try, but I can't guarantee it will work. After all, I can't restrict every member's private life."
As if sensing Han Xiao's perfunctory tone, the leader of the Arcane Sect coughed, emphasizing his words, and slowly said, "Black Star, we take this issue very seriously. This chaos has persisted for decades, and we cannot allow it to continue indefinitely. There are limits to our patience, and we hope to see the situation improve as soon as possible."
I'll try my best.
Han Xiao wasn't angry; he simply maintained his smile and didn't directly refuse, though he wasn't surprised.
Because the laws of the Three Universal Civilizations have never lifted the restrictions on Ultimate Knowledge, the association can only disseminate it among itself in private. This is an important factor in attracting new members, so Han Xiao naturally cannot agree to it. The Three Universal Civilizations must also be aware of this, and deliberately made this request. Part of their motivation was to test his attitude as the new president, and another reason was probably to pave the way for a "great purge".
If they don't comply, the Three Universal Civilizations will have an excuse to target the association, giving them a legitimate reason to act. If the association compromises, that's fine too; it will likely cause unrest and divisions. Besides, there's always the foolproof tactic of fabricating charges.
The three of them gave Han Xiao a deep look.
"Then we'll wait for your results. You won't let us down, right?"
"Of course, I've always believed in a win-win approach, as you all know," Han Xiao chuckled. "If there's nothing else, I'll log off."
"Okay, you go ahead and do your thing."
Upon hearing this, Han Xiao performed a simple bow, hung up the communication, and the remote projection left in the room disappeared.
Only the three leaders remained in the room. They exchanged glances, nodded, and reached a consensus.
"It seems it's time to take concrete action."
The moment Black Star replaced the Mechanic Emperor was the time to act. In their view, the biggest difference between Black Star and the Mechanic Emperor was that Black Star was too good at seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages, unlike the Mechanic Emperor which was tough. The probability of Black Star overturning the table was very small. This was also one of the reasons why they waited for Han Xiao to take the lead before taking action - the leader's personality is very important.
The three did not intend to deal with Black Star. Their plan was to kill one group and then recruit another. Basically, the Peak Beyond Grade A were not the targets of the Three Universal Civilizations. Instead, they would appease and win over these people during the operation, thereby causing division within the Beyond Grade A groups.
Based on big data analysis, Black Star has a strong tendency to seek advantage and avoid harm. In order to protect his own interests, there is only a very small probability that he would completely oppose the Three Universal Civilizations for the sake of other Beyond Grade A beings. As long as their actions are resolute enough and their methods are ruthless enough, Black Star will most likely protect himself, which provides them with the conditions to split the association.
The ideal outcome would be the dissolution of the Beyond Grade A Association, with the core and lower-level forces almost entirely wiped out, most unstable factors eliminated, leaving only the core members and the Peak Beyond Grade A. In this way, individual power could fall back into the control of the Three Universal Civilizations and return to normal.
Just as the three were discussing the plan, in the Black Star Army's office, Han Xiao put down his communicator, his eyes flickering, and muttered to himself:
"The situation is nearing a critical point; it seems it's time for the Revived to emerge... Perfect timing, a new member recently applied to join, we can take this opportunity to make their debut and announce their existence to the entire universe."
Two weeks later, at the headquarters of the Beyond Grade A Association, on Planet Fein.
A small fleet, trailing blue flames, slowly entered the planet's spaceport.
A slender figure stood in front of the bridge porthole of the main ship, gazing at the panoramic view of Planet Fein.
"Finally arrived! The Beyond Grade A Association has finally accepted my application..."
Mael breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a great weight lifted from his shoulders.
He was a newly born Beyond Grade A being, created a few years ago by a galactic civilization—the odds were slim, but not entirely impossible; some civilizations always had incredible luck.
As the civilization's only Beyond Grade A being, Mael bears a heavy responsibility. After entering the Beyond Grade A realm, he took on the Protector of the civilization, consolidating its power and seeking benefits for the region. He did not join the Beyond Grade A Association immediately, and also rejected offers from other civilizations.
He only applied to join the association now, and he came with a mission: to gain a foothold in the Beyond Grade A Association and use the resources of other members to give back to civilization.
Today is a welcome party specially held for him by the association. Mael has made many preparations for this day. He even asked a professional to draft a speech, which he memorized, intending to give a proper speech at the welcome party to win the favor of others and quickly integrate into the group.
"Hope everything goes well..."
The spaceship docked at the port, Mael walked onto the pier. As he followed the reception staff through the internal passage to the temporary lounge of the venue, he kept rehearsing in his mind what kind of posture he should use when he spoke.
Soon, Mael arrived at the door of the lounge, pushed it open, and went inside. He glanced around instinctively and suddenly froze on the spot.
The room was filled with dozens of people, some sitting and some standing, chatting casually. When they heard someone push open the door, they immediately stopped talking and all eyes turned to him.
'Aren't the temporary rest rooms supposed to be single rooms? Did I go to the wrong place?'
Mael paused for a moment, took a step back, glanced at the house number, and looked completely bewildered.
That's right, this is the waiting room for newlyweds, shouldn't this be my room? Where did these people come from?
Just then, everyone in the room suddenly burst into laughter. The person near the door stood up, pulled a bewildered Mael inside, and pressed him down onto the sofa.
"Oh, finally a real newcomer has arrived."
"Please sit down, please sit down, have something to eat."
This is the first time I've met someone from this new era.
The others gathered around, curiously looking him up and down, and chattering excitedly.
Caught between the crowd, Mael was at a loss and couldn't help but ask:
"Who are you all? This should be my room. Those who are not involved, please leave!"
Upon hearing this, the group exchanged glances, revealing subtle smiles, before suddenly shuddering in unison.
BOOM!!
The aura of Beyond Grade A erupted suddenly, then receded just as quickly.
Mael was startled, frozen in place, completely dumbfounded.
This room full of strangers are all Beyond Grade A?!
"You... what exactly...?"
Mael's eyes widened, his mind went blank, and he could barely speak.
Baigel said with a playful tone, "Don't be so nervous. We're just like you, newcomers to the association this time."
"Impossible! How could dozens of newly recruited Beyond Grade A beings appear silently in the universe?! Who exactly are you people?!"
Mael suddenly stood up, completely losing his composure.
Wasn't today's welcome party just to welcome him alone?!
Baigel smiled and waved his hand, "We're not strangers. Take a good look again, do you recognize us?"
Upon hearing this, Mael hurriedly scanned the crowd present, and suddenly his expression changed drastically.
"I've seen your files... You're the First Ones?!"
"Haha, I knew you knew us... Don't make that face, we've just been resurrected, what's the big deal?"
Baigel smiled and patted Mael on the shoulder.
Mael slumped on the sofa as if his bones had been removed, his eyes glazed over, looking like he had lost his soul, completely broken.
At that moment, his mind went blank; he was completely bewildered, with only one thought remaining...
When did I fall asleep?