"The intelligence you found gave us new clues. After extensive investigation, we discovered traces of Germinal origins in a long-sealed, classified file from a defunct nation..."
As soon as he finished speaking, the task results finally appeared on the panel.
[[New Era--Origin] First Ring Completed]
[You have gained 350,000 experience points]
[Completion rating: Good]
[You gain an additional 280,000 experience points, and you obtain 5 Lv45 rare large-scale Dungeon Crystal - [Battle for the Defense of Golan]]
[Listen to what Hannes has to say]
Hannes recounted the story in detail.
"In the old days, there was a small country called Golan. Its ruling government had undergone numerous upheavals and changes throughout history. One year, a terrorist organization targeting Golan, called ' Minmok,' quietly emerged and carried out several attacks, Golan widespread panic. The government took action, but Minmok members seemed omnipresent. These repeated attacks eroded the sense of security among the people of Golan, who demanded even stricter measures. The Golan government complied, enacting various harsh laws, imposing strict regulations, and placing the people of Golan under close surveillance and management—a system known as 'protective measures.' After that, Minmok seemed to vanish overnight, and no more major incidents occurred; the measures appeared to have been effective."
"However, the Minmok is actually an organization secretly cultivated by the Golan government, which commits violence within the country. For their safety, the people of Golan voluntarily accept strict 'protection.' The government has taken back various rights from the people, controlling all media and all platforms where voices can be heard, all of which are under the government's strict control..."
Bennett nodded and interjected, "That's a reign of terror. You create an enemy on the opposite side of the people, and then you're on their side, making them feel the danger firsthand. When security is not guaranteed, fear will drive most people to surrender their freedom and accept a harsh system for the sake of safety."
"Indeed." Hannes nodded, then continued, "The reasons why that Golan government chose this method of governance are unknown. Perhaps it was to avoid repeating history. However, the truth could not be hidden forever. Some pioneers exposed the truth about Minmok, and the government's tricks were exposed, becoming a scandal that could bring about its downfall. The people of Golan were furious, marching and protesting in the streets, forming civilian resistance organizations, and engaging in repeated violent clashes in an attempt to overthrow the government."
"Just as the internal struggles within Golan reached their climax, an interstellar civilization arrived, bringing with it knowledge that would revolutionize the world. Chaos ensued, and war broke out. Golan was invaded by a neighboring country, and the domestic situation consumed much of the Golan government's resources. Beset by internal and external troubles, the government collapsed, the country was conquered, and Golan perished."
"And Minmok was the predecessor of the Germinal Organization."
"The current Germinal Leader is Golan person; he was once a member of the Golan civilian resistance organization."
Han Xiao asked in surprise, "Oh? The Golan civilian resistance organization and Minmok should be enemies... What exactly is his identity, and what's his name?"
Hannes shook his head. "The era is too long ago, and specific identity information can no longer be found, but what is certain is that the Germinal Leader was once just a nobody. After the destruction of Golan, Minmok survived. After breaking away from government control, the leader of Minmok became ambitious, turning the organization into a hungry wolf seeking opportunities in the war, and was active for a period of time in the early stages of the Old Era War. But one day, Minmok suddenly disappeared, and only reappeared before the world many years later, by then it had changed its name to Germinal Organization, and its power had expanded dozens of times, from a small shrimp to a shark, and the leader of the organization had become the current Germinal Leader, while the original leader of Minmok had disappeared without a trace... This is all the information I have found."
The room fell silent, and the three of them looked at each other in bewilderment.
Han Xiao pondered for a moment and said, "It sounds like the leader took Minmok away..."
Bennett was more concerned with another question, "What about the other Golan?"
"Some were executed by the countries that occupied Golan, some had their nationality changed and were accepted, and the rest became refugees." Hannes paused, then said, "And... the country that invaded Golan is now Raylen."
"I see. Now I understand the Germinal Leader's motive for being hostile to the Six Nations. He is also a victim of a fallen kingdom, and the Germinal's ideology is based on his personal experience. This is Revenge against the Six Nations." Han Xiao nodded, crossing one arm over his chest and resting the other on his chin, striking a standard detective pose.
Humans live in a world with hope, which grows into aspirations. As experience deepens, aspirations continue to grow into ideals. Different ideals diverge and eventually collide in this world, thus beginning the struggle, and war is the ultimate form of struggle.
The Germinal was established in the old era and has always been at the forefront of suicidal actions, yet it has survived to this day and is growing stronger. The leader's experience sounds legendary, from an unknown ordinary person to the leader of a powerful force that can rival Six Nations. He truly deserves to be one of the protagonists of Planet Aquamarine.
But only the leader himself knows his specific thoughts and exact experiences.
At this moment, the panel displayed the second part of the [New Era--Origin] quest. It was the same type as the first part, consisting of many small tasks involving discovering clues around the world, totaling nine. It was even more complicated, so Han Xiao decided to use the old method and break it down for the players to do.
"This hidden storyline is about uncovering long-forgotten historical secrets. The description says it will have unknown effects on Planet Aquamarine. Could it be that we'll dig up some bombshell that will change the world's perception?" Han Xiao wondered to himself.
The base reward for the second stage is 800,000 experience points, while the evaluation reward remains unknown. The first stage of this quest rewards five Dungeon Crystal, which are from a large 20-player dungeon that allows players to save their progress and play for several days. Large guilds would definitely need these, and he felt he could sell them for a good price.
After chatting for a few more minutes and reflecting on history, the three returned to the convoy.
Han Xiao was sitting to one side eating dry rations when suddenly a fragrant breeze wafted towards him.
Hila came to his side and said with a stern face, "We've escaped. When are we going to pick up my sister? I'm very worried about her."
He stuffed the last piece of compressed biscuit into his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed the crumbs that scraped his throat. Han Xiao wiped his mouth and said, "If you want to pick up your sister, you'll have to quietly return to the New Stone Wasteland. Those people from the Six Nations definitely won't agree to take the risk."
"Then we'll go ourselves," Hila said decisively.
Han Xiao shook his head. "If I go back, the leader might come back again, causing unnecessary trouble. There's a saying, 'A true man doesn't turn back.'"
Just as Han Xiao said at the beginning, bringing back Aurora was a troublesome matter, but separating them was necessary. If they took Aurora with them, they would have to be distracted by taking care of her, unable to fight at full strength, and their actions would be greatly hampered. Moreover, Aurora herself would be in danger and might become the enemy's weak point. If the enemy discovered that the two of them were protecting Aurora, they would focus their fire on Aurora, and the two of them would be overwhelmed and expose more weaknesses. With her with them, they might not even be able to break through the initial encirclement in the New Stone Wasteland.
Hila frowned, her brows furrowed, and remained silent. Having gone through thick and thin together, she trusted that Han Xiao wouldn't go back on his word.
The four ironclad bonds in life are: fighting together, studying together, sharing spoils together, and visiting prostitutes together. He and Hila can be considered comrades-in-arms who fought together.
At this moment, Hila was far too naive and immature compared to the cold and unfathomable Goddess of Death in his memory. But it was precisely this contrast that made Han Xiao feel refreshed. Being able to see the immature appearance of a future great power made him very happy.
Friends made during difficult times are naturally closer than those made after one has achieved success.
He stood up, patted Hila on the shoulder, and smiled, "Don't worry, I have a better candidate."
Hila frowned. To be honest, she didn't want an outsider to pick up her sister, but Han Xiao must have his reasons for saying so, so she asked, "Is that person reliable?"
Han Xiao rested his chin on his hand and thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "We have a business relationship, so he has no reason to be my enemy. Besides, his abilities are best suited for this mission."
Hila nodded, choosing to trust Han Xiao, and followed him. Han Xiao took out his tablet, made a call, and after a few seconds, the computer spoke.
"Black Phantom?"
"It's me," Han Xiao said with a smile. "Long time no see, Dean."
"... I didn't expect you to contact me at this time. Aren't you on the battlefield? Information about you is everywhere." Dean was surprised. Han Xiao's influence was astonishing; he was a big shot. His tone became slightly more eager.
"Then you'll have to wait and see the latest information." Han Xiao Han asked casually, "How's business lately?"
"Very good. At this critical juncture of war, there are many large clients willing to pay."
Han Xiao said, "I was just thinking of buying some things from you. The Bonfire Reactor from last time, and PE-0 Nano Muscle Fiber, etc. I'd like to buy a few more. Money is no problem. I'll give you a list later."
Viper is out of commission, so Han Xiao is planning to build a new one. Now that his skills have improved, he wants to create an enhanced version.
As a mechanic, if your equipment breaks, just rebuild it. That's life...
"Okay," Dean readily agreed. "I'm also on the Andia Continent. You know, war is business opportunity. Just name a location, and I'll deliver the goods to you... Hmm, it's best not to go near Ordifenna's positions."
"You're in Andia? Perfect, I'd like to ask you for a small favor."
"What's up?"
Pick someone up for me.