Not long after the numerous Beyond Grade A individuals had chosen their desired rewards, the leaders of the Three Universal Civilizations offered further encouragement before concluding the meeting to discuss and reward merits.
The group filed out of the room and back into their private activity room. At that moment, Han Xiao clapped his hands twice, drawing everyone's attention.
"Everyone, I have an announcement to make. I may be conducting Sanctuary Revival soon to bring back the six Beyond Grade A warriors who died in this battle."
Everyone was taken aback for a moment, then became excited.
"So fast?" Kasuyi blinked, somewhat surprised.
He was someone who knew the details of the Sanctuary and knew that opening the Sanctuary was not easy. He had always thought that Han Xiao would wait until there were more casualties before bringing them back all at once, which would be more cost-effective. But now that only six people had died, he used the Sanctuary Revival, which was somewhat unexpected.
"It's alright, it's part of the plan." Han Xiao waved his hand.
This high-intensity battle has made many Beyond Grade A uneasy. Now, using the Sanctuary Revival to bring back the fallen can boost morale. After all, while the resurrection of historical Beyond Grade A is amazing, it is better to let everyone witness the rebirth of the fallen right now.
This is also an opportunity to demonstrate his attitude. His eagerness to revive the victims can put most people at ease, allowing them to empathize and believe that they too can receive the same treatment. After all, other Beyond Grade A do not know the cost of the Sanctuary Revival. The more relaxed and indifferent Han Xiao appears, the more confidence he gives them.
"I think those six guys don't want to revive so soon. They might die again next time. Maybe we should let them sleep a little longer..." the Sun Hunter muttered to himself.
Han Xiao turned and glanced at him, Sun Hunter immediately shut his mouth awkwardly.
Upon hearing this, many Beyond Grade A individuals displayed strange expressions.
To everyone else, the Sanctuary Revival was a one-time opportunity; those who lived early died quickly. Avoiding some battles during the death period would be the best outcome for an individual. However, from another's perspective, they were eager for the victims to return quickly to share the burden. For a moment, they didn't know what to say.
Some Beyond Grade A couldn't help but glance at Hila. If Black Star hadn't consistently acted reliably, they would have even thought that Black Star's eagerness to revive the fallen was simply to quickly recruit those who had used the Sanctuary Revival to enrich the Netherland.
Han Xiao took in everyone's expressions and could naturally guess their thoughts. He said, "In any case, it's settled then. My trip wasn't just about resurrecting the victims; I also plan to revive some historical powerhouses, expand the scale of advanced combat forces, and share more of the pressure with everyone."
"I see, that's indeed very good." Everyone immediately understood and nodded in agreement.
"Beep beep beep..."
Just then, Han Xiao's communicator rang. He took it out and saw that it was a call from Baigel.
Han Xiao raised an eyebrow and answered the call.
"Baigel, what do you want with me?"
"Black Star, several Revived and I have decided to head to the front lines to join you and answer your call to participate in the war," Baigel said bluntly and solemnly.
"Huh, why so suddenly?" Han Xiao was slightly taken aback.
The numerous Beyond Grade A individuals around stopped their conversation and began to listen intently.
Because of the disagreements, the Revived refused to join the fight, watching them fight on the front lines. Although no one said it, everyone naturally had a lot of resentment towards the Revived group, and even those who understood the Revived's mentality still felt dissatisfied.
Although Black Star said he was waiting for the Revived to change their minds, everyone thought the chances of the Revived responding to the call were too low, so everyone was very curious as to why Baigel had suddenly changed his attitude.
Could it be the rewards from the Three Universal Civilizations that attracted them? That shouldn't be the case; these Revived have seen all sorts of good things, and besides, they just received their rewards, the news shouldn't have reached them yet. Could it be that this great victory and extremely low casualties have given the Revived confidence?
"Well, I've been thinking about it recently. Since we're all comrades in the Beyond Grade A united front, we need to stand together and fight side by side. We can't just watch you guys struggle... Besides, Black Star, you're right. We were all born in this Galaxy, and it's not time to abandon our home. I've also decided to do my part."
Han Xiao was skeptical. These words sounded righteous and awe-inspiring, but he didn't believe them. He didn't think these old people would suddenly get carried away with their passion.
Could it be that the Oathkeeper gave him a hint?
Han Xiao's mind raced, but he put on a relieved expression and smiled, "You made the right choice. I've said it before, whenever you change your mind, you're welcome to fight alongside us."
"It's wonderful that you think that way," Kasuyi smiled.
Everyone chimed in with their welcome. With Baigel's statement, the dissatisfaction of the Beyond Grade A members present towards the Revived diminished considerably, and they found him much more agreeable.
At this moment, Han Xiao's eyes darted around, and he asked, "By the way, is Dilron coming? Did he say anything?"
"He said you took a dump... cough, he said he doesn't want to die." Baigel said helplessly, "Still the same old story, I don't think he'll change his mind."
"Never mind him then, let's ignore him for now."
Han Xiao shook his head. After learning more about Dilron's experiences, he could understand why Dilron was so determined not to help the Three Universal Civilizations. After all, due to the tragedy of the Tragedy of the Pinnacle, this guy was so green that he could directly impersonate a member of the World Tree. How tragic!
After offering a few words of encouragement, Han Xiao hung up the phone, left the room, found a private spot, and dialed the number of the Oathkeeper.
Soon the face of the Oathkeeper appeared on the screen. Han Xiao didn't bother with pleasantries and went straight to the point:
"Did you say something to Baigel?"
"Oh? Is he preparing to join the war? I did give him a subtle hint..." The Oathkeeper nodded slightly and explained.
Han Xiao chuckled softly after hearing this, "You're quite adept at handling things. While I may not necessarily need the Revived as 'materials' to reveal the truth of the Sanctuary Revival, having more of them won't hurt."
The materials revealing the truth of the Sanctuary Revival are not limited to these Revived. Han Xiao had long considered the possibility that these Revived would never participate in the war, and in fact, he had made multiple preparations. This time, entering the Sanctuary Revival some of the direct descendants of advanced civilizations was actually a backup plan. After all, the mentality of direct descendants is different, and they will most likely continue to accept the command of the civilization and risk their lives to fight on the battlefield.
In this way, once these resurrected direct descendants die in battle, he will have material to reveal the truth about the Sanctuary Revival, and he won't necessarily need the previous Revived.
Although Baigel decided to join the war, Han Xiao did not intend to change the plan and still made preparations for both possibilities.
These thoughts flashed through Han Xiao's mind, and he asked the question that concerned him most:
"How's the collection of Sanctuary Key going?"
"Very good. The resources provided by the Three Universal Civilizations and the Super Star Cluster Alliance have replenished a lot of materials. The First Sanctum has already been fully collected, and the Third Sanctum is almost done. Except for the Sixth Sanctuary, the Sanctuary Key have all reached over 75%..."
The Oathkeeper sent the data, Han Xiao glanced at it and couldn't help but smile.
Although there is only one fully-formed Sanctuary Key at present, it does not mean that the progress will be zero after it is used up, because apart from some extremely difficult-to-obtain materials, most other materials are duplicates, Three Universal Civilizations have a lot of stock and supply them in bulk.
Han Xiao looked at the list of materials and realized that even if he used up First Sanctuary Key, his progress would only drop back to between 70% and 80%. He only needed to obtain a few more key rare materials to get another First Sanctuary Key.
"Not bad, not bad..."
Han Xiao muttered to himself subconsciously.
As he intently examined the list, a glint of light flashed in the Oathkeeper's eyes.
Black Star was distracted; a perfect opportunity!
"Hmph, work hard, I represent the organization..."
Click.
Before the Oathkeeper could finish speaking, Han Xiao decisively hung up the call, a cold smile playing on his lips.
Trying to ambush me? You'd better eat shit!
"Beep beep beep..."
The communicator rang again, as if it wouldn't give up.
Han Xiao moved his lips, took a deep breath, and carefully received the communication. Just as he was about to speak first, he suddenly saw that the Oathkeeper was not the one on the screen, and he quickly stopped himself.
Hyperion?
"I received your battle report, it's unbelievable! How did you manage that?!" Hyperion's electronic avatar displayed an exaggerated expression of surprise.
Hyperion did not participate in this battle. On the one hand, his body had not yet been fully adjusted, and on the other hand, he was certain that the World Tree would recognize him, and there was a fear of unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, it was not convenient for him to participate in the first wave of the battle. Only after the information from both sides became irreversibly intertwined could he be allowed to fight with peace of mind.
"You mean the losses in terms of high-level combat power?" Han Xiao rubbed his chin and teased, "If I had to say, I could only attribute it to my brilliant and divine prowess."
He meant it as a joke, but to his surprise, Hyperion nodded seriously, looking completely convinced.
"Indeed, without you, the Three Universal Civilizations could not have achieved such a record."
Han Xiao opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.
I never imagined someone with thick eyebrows and big eyes like you would be a simp!
"I originally thought that even if you could defeat the World Tree, it would be a Pyrrhic victory. I didn't expect you to be so powerful." Hyperion with some excitement.
Because the Kama Republic Alliance suffered such a crushing defeat, Hyperion a deep psychological trauma towards the World Tree. However, this resounding victory gave him confidence and gave him hope that this cosmic-level civilization could defeat the World Tree. He realized that clinging to this powerful force would indeed offer him a chance for Revenge, and that's why he finally submitted willingly.
"If there are any tough battles in the future, be sure to use my strength." Hyperion's expression became solemn.
"... Fine, even if you don't tell me, I won't let you be idle."
Han Xiao could only offer him a few words of encouragement before hanging up the call.
Just as I put away the communicator, I heard footsteps behind me.
Han Xiao turned around and saw Hila walking over.
"Do you have time now? Come with me to the Netherland." Hila said slowly, her cold and beautiful face tense. "If we don't go now, the newly accepted Heroic Spirits might rebel."
"Okay, let's go."
Han Xiao nodded, changed into the Sovereign, and disappeared from the spot in the blink of an eye.
The Netherland Dimension.
Countless newly born heroic spirits stood on the dark earth, their faces blank, their memories still frozen on the scene before their death, the pain in their bodies seemingly not yet gone, and in a flash they found themselves in this space.
"Where am I? Why am I here?"
"I... I should have been killed in the explosion, how am I still alive?"
"Wait, what's wrong with my body? Why can't I feel anything?!"
The commotion quickly escalated, and countless heroic spirits grew increasingly panicked, questioning the situation while simultaneously observing their surroundings, trying to understand what was happening.
These newly born heroic spirits come from different civilizations and organizations, and include all kinds of species. Many of them are legitimate soldiers, and they are all vigilantly observing the heroic spirits around them.
Just then, streaks of light suddenly converged above the group, coalescing into the figure of Onicelu, who wore a kind smile:
"Friends, this is the Netherland. You have perished on the battlefield, but you have not truly died. Your souls have been brought here, reborn, and become the heroic spirits of this place..."
The voice, transmitted through the power of the Netherland, reached the ears of everyone. Countless newborn heroic spirits looked up at Onicelu in the sky, their faces filled with astonishment.
"We really did die; I thought it was all a dream."
"Only with permission can one leave the Netherland... so now we've lost our freedom and become slaves?"
The countless newly born heroes were immediately in an uproar, their emotions running high.
Becoming someone's slave without any psychological preparation is hard to accept all at once. It feels like being forced into a sale, with no freedom to refuse and being at someone else's mercy.
Moreover, the enemy took advantage of their deaths to steal their souls, giving everyone the feeling that they were getting a bargain... It was truly a case of "corpse picking"!
Many people were outraged.
"Let me out! No matter who you are, I will never be your slave!"
Control my soul? Don't even think about it!
The boundless newborn heroic spirits roared and clamored together, creating an extremely shocking scene, as if they were about to shatter the earth and rebel at any moment.
However, Onicelu's expression remained unchanged. She simply made a zipping motion with her fingers, and the next second, the whole world fell silent. No matter how much the newborn heroic spirits roared, they could not make a sound.
Seeing the countless newly born Heroic Spirits clutching their throats in shock and anger, Onicelu shook her head helplessly and began to explain:
"In the Netherland, I am the absolute ruler. I control all your actions, and in your soul form, you have no combat power whatsoever."
However, the more this happened, the more indignant the countless newborn heroes became. Unable to utter a sound, they expressed their anger through action, scattering like birds and beasts in an instant, wanting to flee in all directions.
However, Onicelu simply changed her gesture, and this area became isolated from the outside world, turning into a circular space. Once a newborn heroic spirit crosses the boundary, it will return from the opposite boundary and will never be able to leave.
Soon, countless newborn heroic spirits despaired and stopped their futile escape attempts, their angry eyes fixed on Onicelu in the sky.
Brush!
But just then, a flash of light appeared in the sky, and two figures appeared out of thin air—it was Han Xiao and Hila.
Countless newly born heroic spirits immediately turned to look over, and were all stunned. No one present didn't recognize Black Star.
"Huh? What's going on here?" Han Xiao noticed something was wrong as soon as he arrived, turning to look at Onicelu. "You took away their voices?"
"Yes, because they were a little angry, I haven't had a chance to explain everything yet..." Onicelu explained.
"It's alright, I'm already here. Release them from confinement." Han Xiao waved his hand.
Onicelu as instructed, and the many newly born heroic spirits immediately returned to normal, but they stopped making a fuss and all looked at Han Xiao, their expressions changing.
Han Xiao now enjoys extremely high prestige. When they saw him appear, most of the new Heroic Spirits quickly calmed down. They didn't trust Onicelu, but they trusted Black Star.
"Oh, you're quite self-aware."
Han Xiao glanced at them and immediately chuckled. He was amazed at how much influence he had gained; just by showing his face, he had managed to calm these people down.
At this moment, a newly born heroic spirit spoke loudly:
"Black Star, are you the one who brought us here?"
Upon hearing this, Han Xiao glanced down at him and saw that he was an Imperial officer. He shook his head, patted Hila beside him, and said, "Hila and Aurora are the masters of the Netherland. I asked them to use the Netherland to rescue the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the war. That's how you all came to be."
Before the numerous newly born heroic spirits could question him, Han Xiao continued speaking, his voice deep and resonant:
"Only Beyond Grade A can enjoy the Sanctuary Revival. You do not meet the requirements. If you die in battle, you will truly die. However, you are all valuable talents in interstellar society, and I cannot bear to see you sacrifice yourselves so easily. The Netherland is my only means to save you all, so I have no choice but to do it. Now that foreign enemies are eyeing us, every bit of our living strength is extremely important. Doing this is to protect our limited armed forces. The Three Universal Civilizations are also aware of this and support this plan as well."
Although becoming a spirit of the Netherland will mean losing freedom, it's still better than a heroic sacrifice. Here, everyone can still contribute to interstellar society and rejoin the battlefield to resist foreign enemies.
But please understand, we never intended to enslave you. I promise that once the war ends, if any of you wish to remain in the Netherland, I can release you from your heroic spirit status and allow you to rest in peace.
After he finished speaking, the crowd stirred. The expressions of the many newborn heroes changed, their feelings were very complicated, including confusion, relief and relief.
But no matter what everyone thought, their anger gradually dissipated and they calmed down.
Onicelu is a stranger and her words carry little weight, but Black Star is a familiar face throughout interstellar society, and his words are trustworthy.
Since they were already here, there was no way to resist, so they had to accept reality. Moreover, Black Star promised that they could choose to break free from the control of the Netherland in the future and would not remain slaves forever. Although they didn't know if Black Star would keep his promise, they could only believe it for now.
Besides, after calming down, few people really want to rest in peace; this current state is better than complete annihilation.
Seeing that the newly born heroic spirits had quieted down, Han Xiao turned to look at Hila and shrugged.
"All done, my work is finished. These people are your next assignments."
His appearance here was solely to appease these newly born heroic spirits; given his extremely high reputation and Legend Points in the Explored Universe, no one was more suitable for this task than him.
In other words, his status in the Explored Universe is comparable to that of a user of the "Face Fruit" ability; he can stabilize morale simply by using his connections.
"Alright." Hila, sparing with words, turned to communicate with the many newborn heroic spirits, providing a more detailed explanation.
Han Xiao surveyed the boundless sea of people and gently exhaled.
War indeed became an opportunity for the rapid growth of the Netherland, a truly lucrative opportunity.
This time, they plundered so many heroic spirits and poached countless talents from various factions, making them invaluable.
And to get all these people to play their roles...
Han Xiao clicked his tongue, suddenly feeling a subtle worry about Aurora's bust size.
"She's using up so much of her breast milk, I have a feeling she'll end up with a flat chest..."