Beyond the relationship of mutual benefit, there is another way players view NPCs: admiration and adoration. This relationship originates from liking the character, their fame, or being impressed by their experiences, thus forming a fan base. For example, some classic characters can be easily mentioned, such as Dragonborn, Enderman Hole, Medivh, One-Punch Baldy, Master Kratos, and so on.
Gaining a player's favor or admiration can influence their judgment, such as abandoning missions from opposing factions and following a famous NPC in battle. Female, eccentric, and abnormal characters have a natural advantage in this regard, and Han Xiao is quite confident in this aspect.
However, without the support of mutual benefits, this kind of adoration relationship cannot play a substantial role. If you want players to fight for you, benefits are an important factor. He understands the nature of players and may help famous NPCs briefly because it's fun, but they will leave sooner or later without any benefits.
Fortunately, his strategy combines both profit and fame, ensuring both are achieved effectively.
Han Xiao also watched Meat Bun's video, which was exactly what he wanted Meat Bun to do: to use the video to throw out some clues and arouse more players' curiosity and speculation.
The revelation of real names is not important; the flow of information between players and NPC factions is limited, and each party possesses different intelligence.
Germinal knew he was Zero, and probably also knew the original owner's name "Xiao Han," but didn't know he was Black Phantom or Han Xiao.
Stardragon knew he was Han Xiao and Zero, but he wasn't sure if he was Black Phantom.
The player knows his name is Han Xiao, he is Black Phantom, and he once served in Stardragon, but he doesn't know that he is Zero... Oh, the player hasn't yet obtained information about "Zero".
The Dark Net knows he is Black Phantom, but nothing else.
Each faction only has partial information. If their identity is ever exposed, they can simply change their appearance and nothing will happen. Once they are strong enough, they can reveal all their identities, allowing their strength to accumulate and transform, thus elevating their legendary status to another level.
As the saying goes, when you're out in the game, you're bound to get hurt. Using alternate accounts to cause trouble is just how sneaky it is.
Since the open beta began, Han Xiao's name has consistently dominated the Planet Aquamarine section of the forum, enjoying high exposure. Just like a celebrity, exposure helps deepen one's impression, and his fame is gradually shifting from a short-term effect to a long-term status in the hearts of players.
The situation was excellent; his actions, coupled with the promotion of various videos, caused his popularity to rise every moment. However, Master Han was used to planning ahead, and he vaguely sensed a bottleneck in the increase of his influence: although the functions currently being displayed were popular with players, they lacked interaction with the players' storyline. Only by moving closer to the main storyline could he get players to actively contact him. Therefore, he set his sights on Bennett's main storyline.
After visiting two newbie villages, Han Xiao decided to take a few days off to give other players time to raise money and to give himself time to do other things, the first being to get his hands on the "Bonfire" miniature reactor.
Han Xiao called Lei Zhenyu to ask where the seller planned to hand over the goods, Lei Zhenyu directly gave Han Xiao the seller's phone number.
I dialed the number, it rang three times, and then the other end answered.
"Hello." The other party's voice was synthesized, making it impossible to discern their age or gender; it was highly confidential.
"How do we hand over the goods?" Han Xiao asked directly.
"I'll send you the coordinates in three days. Cash on delivery."
"Okay, I'll have one of my men take over," Han Xiao said.
Click, the call ended, and ten seconds later, Han Xiao received a message.
"Xivler, a border town of Ordifenna."
In Ordifenna, powerful conglomerates and families are deeply entrenched, domestic policies favor elitism, and strict class divisions exist. Competition is ubiquitous, and every city is shrouded in a solemn, dignified atmosphere. In addition, Ordifenna's frequent rain and the resulting fog make the city hazy and add to its gloom.
It was drizzling in Xivler; the weather was damp and chilly, fitting the city's atmosphere.
A room in a residential building had been set up as a monitoring room, connected to city traffic cameras, monitoring all the roads on three nearby streets. A dozen stern-faced men in black were busy at work; some were adjusting their weapons, some were watching the monitors, and some were sorting through intelligence.
This was an action team from the Ordifenna intelligence agency, and six other action teams, along with special forces, had cordoned off three nearby city blocks.
Ordifenna agents gathered here to capture a fugitive who had stolen state secrets and had been on the run for many years. A few days ago, they finally found a clue that the target would appear in Xivler to make a deal with a third party.
The intelligence source was reliable; it was the result of the hacking team's intrusion into the lines, and from countless eavesdropped calls, they identified key calls that appeared to be from a target.
"Maintain surveillance. Sniping, be ready at a moment's notice. When the target meets with the transacting party, take them down in one fell swoop. The higher-ups suspect the target's counterparty is likely a domestic political conglomerate; we need evidence." The operation's commander spoke into his earpiece. "The target is cunning, Mr. Mag. You are our last resort. Please be prepared to strike at any moment."
A soft "hmm" came through the headset.
Mag, Ordifenna's top agent, holds a similar position to Mo Ran of White Gull City. He was sent as insurance for this mission, demonstrating the importance Ordifenna on the operation.
The plane couldn't land in the city of Ordifenna, so it landed in a more distant location. Han Xiao traveled for a whole day using his Electromagnetic Hover Boots before finally arriving in Xivler on foot.
On the border of Xivler, a long line of wanderers formed to enter the city. Ordifenna soldiers stood guard and patrolled. Their equipment was different from that of the Stardragon, appearing more refined. They all wore tactical masks, obscuring their faces, and were very solemn.
No one spoke in the group; only the rustling of footsteps echoed as they moved forward, like something out of a concentration camp.
"The rendezvous point is in Xivler." Han Xiao had changed his appearance and clothes, but he still had all his equipment on him. Going through the checkpoints was just asking for trouble; he could only rely on smugglers to cross the border.
With the threat of guns and a sufficient supply of Aquamarine Dollar paving the way, the smuggling went smoothly. Even with strict border guards, the smugglers could not be eradicated, just as humans cannot eradicate cockroaches.
Han Xiao walked through the streets of Xivler, dressed heavily to conceal his equipment and carrying a large backpack filled with firearms.
Light rain sprinkled on the white hooded raincoat, concealing his face beneath the hood. Han Xiao had changed his appearance; he certainly wouldn't swagger into Ordifenna with his real face or the face of the Black Phantom. Antonov's reminder was still valid; Han Xiao didn't want this deal to go wrong. Fortunately, his style had always been low-key.
The meeting place was a roadside coffee shop, seat number seven.
As a buyer, if he doesn't arrive first, the seller might not show up. Han Xiao sat directly in seat number seven and glanced around the coffee shop.
Soothing music played over the loudspeaker, and the rain and mist outside the window created a charmingly bourgeois atmosphere. Half of the seats were occupied, with guests quietly sipping their drinks, reading newspapers, or using their computers. Han Xiao's arrival only drew a few glances from the guests before they went back to their own business, and everything seemed perfectly harmonious and normal.
Han Xiao called over a waiter, ordered a cup of coffee, and sipped it casually while waiting for the seller to arrive.
Turning to look at the floor-to-ceiling window, I saw pedestrians hurrying past on the street, umbrellas in hand, seemingly rushing home. Across the street, under the eaves, several men were taking shelter from the rain, heads down, playing on their phones. A light drizzle fell, water dripping from the eaves and pooling in the street drain, creating ripples on the surface.
Han Xiao lowered his head and took a sip of coffee, acting as if nothing was amiss, but in reality, he had already sensed something strange.
"The customer reading the newspaper three seats away had a heart rate far exceeding normal levels and was breathing rapidly. The woman drinking coffee at the bar had sweat dripping from her temples. The man who had just passed by the window had a steady gait, but deliberately slowed down by thirty percent as he passed the floor-to-ceiling window. The second person from the left across the street, sheltering from the rain, had a subtle tremor in his heel, a sign of anxiety and tension."
At level 55, one's perception is greatly enhanced, and one's observation skills are extremely meticulous. Even the slightest reactions of a normal person cannot escape one's eyes. Through subtle details of actions and expressions, one can perceive the other person's emotional state.
"Someone is spying on the coffee shop. Is it the seller or a third-party force? I'm not the target, am I? I don't think I've ever offended anyone at Ordifenna..." Han Xiao wondered to himself.
When he spotted the monitor, a notification appeared on the panel.
[You have triggered a Grade D quest [Implicated]]
[Mission Introduction: The mysterious merchant you traded with is a notorious criminal in Ordifenna. News of his deal with you has leaked, and unfortunately, you have also come under surveillance, Implicated in a turmoil that has nothing to do with you.]
[Mission Requirement: Escape Ordifenna's pursuit]
[Reward: 65,000 experience points]
[Special Reward: Unknown]
"This is just one of my worst luck days ever." Han Xiao was feeling depressed. He just wanted to get his hands on the Bonfire Miniature Reactor peacefully, but he didn't expect to get involved in such a serious incident. Couldn't he just relax and take it easy?
The Bonfire Reactor is the mecha's energy core and is very important to him. Han Xiao didn't want to back down immediately because of a small risk. Since he was already seated, leaving now would attract attention anyway, so he decided to remain calm and wait for the right opportunity.