All the players were in an uproar, their faces showing surprise.
"How was the quest triggered?" Meat Bun was completely confused.
"It must have been an unexpected mission, but why is Han Xiao only now realizing he's lost something important?" Maple Moon pondered, stroking her chin. Unfortunately, the other players had a different focus; they didn't ask why, only looking at the rewards.
"It's actually Non-Commissioned Officer-Grade Armor!" Tai Erzi's eyes gleamed with greed.
This is a level higher than their soldier rank, and nobody wouldn't want it.
"A competitive mission...?"
Hao Tian's expression hardened. Suddenly, he felt the ground shake. He turned his head and saw that Frenzied Saber was the most decisive. He couldn't wait to jump out, cracking the ground with his feet. His speed was like that of a wild rabbit that had broken free of its reins. He immediately went to find clues without wasting a single word.
Li Ge's reaction was completely different from the others; his eyes gleamed with unexpected joy.
"The black bead... isn't that the one I have in my hand?!"
So Han Xiao was the special character triggered by the bead! This thought naturally came to Li Ge's mind.
The bead is in his hand; doesn't that mean he's already met the mission requirements?!
Nobody knew he had already gotten there first, and all the other competitors were destined to work for nothing—it felt amazing!
A surge of joy welled up inside him, and looking at the players discussing around him, Li Ge felt a secret thrill.
Just then, Han Xiao returned. As everyone was about to surround him to ask what was going on, Li Ge pushed through the crowd, took out a bead she kept close to her body, and offered it to Han Xiao.
"Black Star, this seems to be something you left behind," Li Ge said.
Han Xiao's eyes lit up. He took the bead and said happily, "Oh my, how did you know this was my treasure? I lost it a few days ago, and I didn't expect you to find it. You're really lucky; you've helped me a lot. Let me think... Hmm, your armor is a bit damaged. How about this, I'll give you a new set of armor as a reward."
A satisfied smile appeared on Li Ge 'Li Ge handsome face, a stark contrast to the other players, all of whom had stiff expressions.
What the hell? The mission ended right at the start? What's the point of competing? It's such a waste of time!
Various frustrated, speechless, annoyed, and envious gazes converged on Li Ge. Li Ge enjoyed the feeling of being the center of attention, shrugged, and had a smug look on his face that said, "You're all just jealous."
Seeing this, Han Xiao played with the beads, smiling without saying a word.
The competitive task involved comparison. In addition to the actual reward, as long as Li Ge felt that he had an advantage over others, he would voluntarily hand over the beads. These were the characteristics that Han Xiao had learned from Li Ge's past behavior. He tailored this task for Li Ge so that he would feel that he had gained an advantage.
So Li Ge obediently handed over the bead. Even though Han Xiao had anticipated his smugness, Li Ge remained oblivious and smug.
Han Xiao walked to the side and checked the prompts on the panel.
[You have obtained an unknown item. You can give it to a special person to receive a high reward, or you can have it appraised.]
The item description of the bead remained the same. Han Xiao examined the bead; it was jet black and smooth, with a deep magical Glory flashing across its surface from time to time. He quickly sifted through his memories.
"Something from the magic side... Is this some kind of energy gem? An enchanted orb? Hmm... it doesn't seem like it. Since DarkStar values it so much, this bead must be even more precious. Maybe it's Whispering Bead?" Han Xiao thought to himself.
The Whispering Bead is like a high-level safe in the magic world, requiring a special password to open. Its security is based on a sophisticated sealing magic circle, whose circuits form a labyrinthine lock. Only a password can trigger the "eye of the circle," making it extremely complex. Of course, since there is security, there are corresponding methods to break it. These methods include using a large magic circle deconstruction device to analyze the magic lock, or having a high-level magician manually unlock it, "prying open" the Whispering Bead.
"The important thing isn't the bead, but what's inside," Han Xiao guessed.
He initially thought the bead would trigger a hidden quest, but it seems the Whispering Bead is just a prerequisite. He can't guess DarkStar's purpose with just one bead; only by taking out what's inside can he unlock the next step.
The item description lists two ways to use it. One is to give it to a special person. Li Ge has no clue, but Han Xiao is different. DarkStar or Goddora are most likely "special people". You can exchange the bead for rewards and decide which side you are on. If it is appraised, it should lead to a hidden quest.
Whichever he chooses, the initiative is in his hands; he can secure the win.
Han Xiao smiled slightly, feeling relaxed.
Initially, he was only hired to rescue the Silver Spirit People, but unexpectedly, things took many twists and turns, and he not only joined Dragon Calm but also uncovered DarkStar's plan.
Now that the Whispering Bead is in his hands, DarkStar has been misled by incorrect information and is out of the game, the outcome is finally good.
In Dragon Calm Prison, members of the three major mercenary groups sat or lay down in their cells to rest. The long wait had exhausted all the topics of conversation, and there was no point in arguing about whether Black Star could complete the mission. In any case, they could only act as spectators, and everything depended on Han Xiao.
Although Goya said to trust him, everyone subconsciously felt that Han Xiao had no chance.
No one spoke; everyone looked annoyed, and the atmosphere was silent.
As the footsteps approached, everyone assumed it was a patrolling guard, but the newcomer stopped in front of the cell and said, "Gentlemen, I've completed my mission."
That voice... is it Black Star?!
Goya, Fasereni, Porter and the others looked up suddenly and saw Han Xiao standing outside the prison with a smile on his face.
"You rescued the Silver Spirit People?!" Porter lunged at the railing, staring at Han Xiao with disbelief.
Fasereni interjected, his tone questioning yet tinged with anticipation, "You're not joking, are you?"
Upon hearing this, Han Xiao immediately took out his communicator. He had just contacted his employer, who was overjoyed to learn that his companion had been rescued again. Han Xiao had saved them from a major financial loss, and his employer was full of praise, practically extolling him to the heavens.
Han Xiao was naturally unaware that there had been internal disputes within the employer's organization. The captain, who chose to trust Han Xiao, was the happiest, feeling that Han Xiao had not disappointed him. Those who had previously doubted him were now speechless, especially the employer who had suspected Han Xiao of colluding with Horlade to swindle money, who felt extremely ashamed.
The employer personally confirmed that his companion had been rescued by Han Xiao, and hundreds of mercenaries stood up abruptly, their faces filled with shock.
Most of the mercenaries had given up hope, and when they were captured, they were powerless to help. That's why they entrusted the mission to Han Xiao, letting him take on the task in a time of crisis, hoping for a miracle. However, Han Xiao actually succeeded, which moved everyone.
Goya clenched her fist, her eyes bright. "You haven't let us down."
Han Xiao raised an eyebrow and retorted, "Really? Your current behavior makes it seem like you never had any expectations of me before."
The mercenaries scratched their heads sheepishly, looking embarrassed. Sky Ring, Blades, and Purple Gold were three renowned legions. Although Black Star was their teammate, they didn't show it on their faces, but they felt a sense of superiority.
In the eyes of most mercenaries, Han Xiao's team was an optional extra. However, it was precisely this person they underestimated who single-handedly completed the mission when everyone else was powerless.
All the mercenaries felt ashamed.
After a brief moment of joy, everyone composed themselves. When Fasereni asked what had happened, Han Xiao recounted the relevant details, naturally omitting things like the DarkStar. The mercenaries listened quietly.
After he finished speaking, Fasereni shook his head and sighed, "Horlade thought he was a bargaining chip, trying to extort money from the Silver Spirit People using his companions. He had a good plan, but he ended up losing everything. That's greed for you..."
Han Xiao nodded. Horlade originally had many options, but his appetite was too big. If he could sell the Silver Spirit People sooner, he wouldn't be targeted.
One can only say that greed leads to poverty.
The mission was successfully completed thanks to the Black Star Mercenary Group's covert operations. The mercenaries recognized Black Star's abilities and were filled with admiration.
Han Xiao's visit to the prison was not only to inform his comrades, but also to ask them when they would be released.
"Our legion's high command has paid compensation and is on their way to Dragon Calm. Once they arrive, we'll be free, probably in a few days," Goya said.
"A few more days... that's good."
Han Xiao nodded. He had obtained the good stuff and the mission was finally completed. He wanted to leave with the three major mercenary groups to return and hand in the mission. He wanted to obtain two Advanced Knowledge from the Silver Spirit People and combine them into "Compression Technology." Only in this way could he be considered to have stepped into a new level of mechanic. He had been looking forward to this day for a long time.
He didn't want to stay in Dragon Calm forever; being confined to one place was detrimental to the mercenary group's development. His own faction was the foundation of the blueprint. Although Dragon Calm had many advantages, the opportunities were limited, far inferior to the vast universe. However, Han Xiao couldn't abandon the Dragon Calm faction. He hoped to submit an application to conduct field operations, thus achieving the best of both worlds.
"There are still a few days left. Hopefully, I can persuade Ames..."
After Han Xiao left, the prison was no longer as dull as before, and was filled with a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere.
The mercenaries were relieved of a worry and were in high spirits.
Fasereni and Porter were thinking about the same thing:
'I wonder if Black Star will continue as a mercenary. His team is very capable, and with Dragon Calm as their backer, they're no longer the small mercenary group without any backing. After this incident, I'll apply to the higher-ups to establish a cooperative relationship with Black Star Mercenary Group. We can't let Sky Ring monopolize Black Star.'
To enable the floating island to travel freely through space, Ames equipped it with top-of-the-line devices, using the shield generator of the Federation of Light's Apocalypse Class flagship and the plasma engine of the Crimson Dynasty's Horn Class assault ship, giving it exceptional long-range capabilities. Ames acquired these devices using her influence, and even so, it cost a fortune.
Dragon Calm passed through the meteorite cluster without incident, and many spaceships immediately took off, scattering before the floating island entered the border between the two civilizations.
A few days later, Paiji's spaceship had long since left Dragon Calm and was slowly sailing through a desolate star sector, where there were no stars, only lifeless, gray-black planets.
Suddenly, the dark space ahead rippled, and an object hundreds of times larger than the Paiji ship broke out of its stealth state and blocked the Paiji ship's path.
In terms of size, they are like a soybean and a watermelon.
This object was tall and imposing, entirely black. Its shape was not a streamlined wing, but rather the form of two isosceles trapezoidal weights pieced together at the base, like a prism. It was thick and full, with golden patterns hidden within its blackness. This was not a normal spaceship, but a medium-sized mothership of the DarkStar, similar to a mobile base, containing a large number of combat ships. Each mothership represented a fleet!
DarkStar has no fixed base; all its bases are motherships, which are constantly in a state of stealth and mobility, roaming everywhere. This is why they appear mysterious and unpredictable, difficult to contact, and no one can pinpoint DarkStar's location. They remain hidden in the shadows, waiting for their chance to strike.
The scavengers on the boat were filled with doubt and speculation.
Upon seeing this, Paiji was overjoyed.
"DarkStar kept their promise; they came to accept me!"