With the prerequisites for the Sunil Non-Commissioned Officer-Grade Armor met, Han Xiao could deduce the blueprints from the armor. He didn't plan to sell it to players for the time being, since he had just sold the Soldier-Grade Armor and immediately releasing the Non-Commissioned Officer-Grade Armor would affect the enhancement benefits of the Soldier armor. So he decided to hold off for now.
"I now have five Advanced Knowledge, which can be combined to form many new blueprints, and I can upgrade my own equipment..." Han Xiao pondered, stroking his chin. He currently has four combat modes: the core system, the Flying Serpent Mecha; close-range Magnetic Chain Split Blade + Electrothermal Cutting Gauntlets; mid-range Sonic Attack Sphere; and long-range Garetan's Wrath and Sniping Kite Style. These four modes constitute the basic comprehensive combat system.
[Heavy Mechanical Modification] granted him the technology to manufacture large machinery, while [Advanced Electromagnetism] enabled him to create stable electromagnetic kinetic energy weapons. Electromagnetic kinetic energy weapons are the next stage of conventional weapons, surpassing gunpowder weapons. These two pieces of knowledge are very useful and he will upgrade them sooner or later. He spent sixteen potential points to upgrade both to Lv5, the maximum level.
If he wants to update the combat mode, his close-range weapons are no longer up-to-date. He can use the new knowledge to create some new, bulky gadgets. For mid-to-long-range combat, he can simply replace gunpowder weapons with electromagnetic kinetic energy firearms. His Ghost Gauss Sniping Rifle has always been an incomplete version, lacking only Advanced Electromagnetism, which can now be perfected.
The Flying Serpent Mecha itself cannot achieve revolutionary innovation; it only needs some enhancement. If you want to add functions, creating new accessories is a good choice. Han Xiao had a vague idea and was eager to make a big splash.
Not only has the combat mode been updated, but now with the ability to manufacture large machinery, Han Xiao plans to build a large vehicle for surface operations, serving as the entire team's mode of transportation for collective action. The moment this idea popped into his head, two words immediately came to mind:
--Reliable!
Han Xiao's eyes lit up. "Vehicles can serve as a symbol of a mercenary group, showcasing the team's expansion and increasing member interest. Besides, with heavy machinery modifications and Advanced Electromagnetism, we can easily create a crude electromagnetic railgun! Vehicles are the perfect platform!"
He immediately took action, buying enough parts and materials, and secluded himself in the modification room to manufacture them, telling the player to rest in the hub for a while longer.
No one objected. Unlike when they first entered the interstellar world, the players had already tasted the benefits of following orders. Even Li Ge had no other thoughts. Strolling around the Nexus Hall every day, encountering different races, and learning more about civilizations was a very interesting experience. Although professional high-level players were extremely ambitious, many others, like Maple Moon, enjoyed the storyline, and the colorful Galaxy was very attractive to them.
During the break, Meat Bun produced the second episode of the Black Star series, still using a cinematic editing style, just like a TV drama. Not only on Planet Aquamarine, but players from all over the Galaxy had been eagerly anticipating it, and as soon as it was released, more than 100,000 people watched it immediately.
The program continues from the previous episode, featuring the Black Star Mercenary Group's first mercenary mission, the history of the Sunil Race, and the scenes of Calamity. This captivated many players who couldn't access Galaxy. The mercenary group is the core of the program, essentially the eyes of countless viewers. Through the mercenary group's experiences, viewers gradually learn about Galaxy, thus developing a strong emotional connection to the group.
The program continued until the Calamity ended. The mercenary group gained a new partner, Melos, which, like a new character appearing in a TV series, immediately aroused the curiosity of many players. Meat Bun timely released new products in the faction shop, with narration explaining the faction's growth potential, making the audience even more eager for the mercenary group's future adventures, while also feeling envious of the group of high-level players who followed Han Xiao.
Han Xiao also watched the show and was very satisfied with how Meat Bun handled it. As expected of the person he had chosen, the show could gradually cultivate viewers' habits and foster a sense of nostalgia. The effect was excellent.
In a combat simulation room in the hub hall, Melos wielded his ship-slaying sword with agile and ferocious skill, slicing through simulated beasts. He hadn't fought in a long time and came to the simulation room every day to regain his feel for the game. Because Han Xiao was immersed in manufacturing and hadn't updated the mercenary information, Melos still considered himself the team's only Grade B superhuman, feeling a heavy responsibility and training diligently.
After several hours of fighting, all the illusions dissipated, and the battlefield, littered with corpses, returned to an empty white room. Melos folded his ship-slaying sword, wiped his sweat, and strode out of the room. At this moment, Frenzied Saber, Hao Tian, Kings and Generals emerged from the gravity chamber next door. Upon seeing Melos, they immediately approached him.
"You guys are training too." Melos nodded to the team members. The players had been very enthusiastic towards him these past few days, and he felt that he was getting along well with the team and they were quite familiar with each other. Melos was used to the players' names; different civilizations had their own naming conventions and book titles, and he assumed this was a custom of Han Xiao's planet.
He was only curious about why the players didn't die, and since the players naturally couldn't tell him the truth, Melos assumed it was a collective superpower.
"Could you instruct us on combat techniques?" Hao Tian asked.
To players, Melos is like an untapped treasure. Trying to trigger events, like learning skills, is possible. Melos doesn't actually teach skills; at most, he'll guide players on melee techniques. Receiving his guidance will significantly increase a player's melee skill experience. Triggering these guidance events depends on luck—mainly on Melos's mood—but the benefits are free, so players frequently inquire about them.
Being on the same team, Melos had no problem with it. Just then, a regional news broadcast from a nearby high-rise building suddenly issued an emergency alert.
"... Breaking news! A civilian Silver Spirit People travel group was attacked by mysterious scavengers while passing through the Shattered Star Ring. A group of Silver Spirit People were captured by slave traders. The attack occurred in the Colton Star Cluster, Feven Star System, Fourth Star Zone. The scavengers' forces are unknown. The escaped Silver Spirit People have offered a high reward to recruit a mercenary legion to rescue their people..."
This news caught Melos's attention. Silver Spirit People? This race comes from the distant Sea of Star Spirits, and belongs to the level of Cosmic Nobility!
Certain powerful and highly evolved races are called Cosmic Nobility. The ruling races of the three major cosmic civilizations are definitely Cosmic Nobility. The Silver Spirit People have not reached the level of the Three Universal Civilizations, but they are also a long-standing advanced civilization that enjoys a special status in the universe. Similarly, noble races are very popular in the slave market and are considered lucrative prey by scavengers.
The Silver Spirit People are very wealthy, and the bounties they offer are bound to be astronomical. Melos, who is currently short of money, is tempted. He's determined to persuade Black Star to get involved in such a lucrative opportunity.
Goddora's territory is the Garton Star System. The Feven Star System is adjacent to Garton. Unlike Garton, which is the only dominant system, several star system civilizations that are slightly weaker than Goddora control different star sectors. Although they have defined their territories, there are often territorial disputes on the borders. They do not go to war, but they have caused chaos and are almost no-man's-land.
The Fourth Star Zone of Feiwen is located right on the frontier, and its jurisdiction is ambiguous. Neither of the two neighboring star system civilizations responded to the Silver Spirit People ' alarm for help, so the Silver Spirit People turned to mercenaries for high-value assistance.