[Your total level has reached 100. You can continue to level up after completing the advancement quest.]
[Trial of the Strong]: Defeat an enemy whose combat power exceeds yours by one rank. Can be completed in a team, but team members cannot exceed their own rank. Current progress: 0/1
"Damn it..." Han Xiao gritted his teeth. This advancement mission itself wasn't the most difficult, but at his level, the difficulty was several times greater.
He had encountered a similar advancement mission before, when he was level 40, which required killing three targets five levels higher. The difference between that and the current advancement requirement was enormous.
"I'm currently at Grade B. Moving up one rank would mean I have to kill a powerful enemy at Grade A!!"
Han Xiao's lips twitched. If this task appeared at a lower level, it would only be somewhat challenging, like teaming up to fight a BOSS. However, the gap between higher and higher levels becomes larger and larger, and the difficulty increases exponentially.
The [Trial of the Strong] only appears in the advancement requirements for B to Grade E. Once you reach Grade A, this task will no longer appear. If he were at the B+ level, the difference in strength wouldn't be that significant. However, he is only level 100, which, in terms of level alone, is only at the beginner to intermediate level of Grade B. Yet, this requirement happens to appear right at this level. It feels like Lady Luck just kicked him while lifting his skirt. He is incredibly unlucky, which makes Han Xiao extremely uncomfortable.
What does Grade A mean? It means being able to cause a devastating disaster on the surface of a planet. Its power is only below Grade S, enough to make it roam freely in the Galaxy, dominating a region. Grade B is the backbone of the Galaxy sea, while Grade A is the high-end power, with a difference in numbers of tens of thousands of times.
The difference in strength is too great!
Han Xiao sighed. The mission was already set, and there was no use in being annoyed. He couldn't just not advance, so he had to find a way.
"Even among Grade A superhumans, the gap is huge. If I want to complete the mission, I can only pick the weakest one... But even the weakest is much tougher than me. A direct confrontation would definitely result in defeat, so I can only resort to underhanded tactics. Fortunately, there's no one-on-one fight, and there's no set method for completing the mission, otherwise I might as well just give up and go to sleep."
Han Xiao pinched his chin, his brain working at a rapid pace.
"First, we need to identify our target and search our memories for similar opportunities. Second, we must devise a plan to weaken the enemy as much as possible before the battle, striking while the iron is hot. Otherwise, we have no chance against a fully-fledged Grade A expert at their peak."
The method of killing is not limited, which means that you only need to finish off the target yourself. The ideal solution is to kill prisoners who cannot resist. This might be possible at lower levels, but there is no chance at this level. Even if some forces are holding Grade A prisoners, they will not kill them casually, nor will they allow others to do so. Therefore, the only way to complete the mission is through combat.
It's like hunting. The hunter spots a powerful prey, hides in the shadows, and needs immense patience to lure the prey into the trap.
However, he couldn't expect to complete the advancement task in the short term. Han Xiao he hadn't changed jobs first, or he would have suffered a huge loss.
"We have many targets, but none of them are easy to deal with; we need to plan carefully..."
Han Xiao thought to himself.
Back at the base, most players were not there. With the first season over and many events following, these professional players' online time had decreased significantly. Only Meat Bun, Maple Moon, and a few other players maintained their online time, but they were not at the base at this time; instead, they were out doing daily tasks.
Han Xiao knocked on the other people's rooms, but Melos, Aroshia, and the others had all gone out, leaving him alone at home.
The large lobby of the outpost was deserted and quiet.
He checked the time; it was dinnertime. He took a shiny silver bottle of alcohol from the cabinet, activated the portable food box, and within a minute, a box of ready-made food wrapped in tin foil appeared. Inside were some lean meat and beans, drizzled with black sauce.
Han Xiao placed the fast food and drinks on the table in the center of the hall, sat down on the sofa, took out a spoon, and slowly ate. These simple things were his dinner.
After eating for a while, the stronghold gate opened, and the officers returned in groups. Melos, with a toothpick in his mouth, walked ahead, chatting and laughing with the Volga Three Brothers. Sylvia, carrying large and small bags, pestered the expressionless Aroshia, talking incessantly. Aroshia's replies never exceeded five words, but Sylvia seemed to enjoy the conversation immensely. She recovered from her feelings of loss much faster than expected. No wonder, at least her father was still alive. Only what is lost can cause such deep longing. She understood her father's intention: to help her start a new life, and naturally, she didn't want to remain depressed.
Aroshia also changed into a new outfit, a long dress, which Han Xiao knew from her was probably bought for her by Sylvia.
While Han Xiao was away on his business, the group of cadres went shopping together and had a meal together—otherwise, Aroshia would have preferred to stay at home.
Upon entering, everyone saw Han Xiao sitting on the sofa, eating a box of instant food.
Han Xiao glanced up and asked, "You're back?"
Everyone quickly suppressed their smiles and nodded seriously.
"Old Mei, go check the mission reports of Sunil Squad during this period. Three brothers, remember to enchant the batch of machines I gave you last time. Aroshia, don't transform in the base these next few days, it'll be difficult to clean up." Han Xiao put down his spoon, stood up, and walked towards the mechanical modification room, saying, "Sylvia, come with me."
Sylvia's expression tightened, and she quickly followed Han Xiao Han Xiao the mechanical modification room, closing the door behind them.
Kicked aside the discarded parts on the ground, Han Xiao found a box, sat down, and looked Sylvia up and down without saying a word.
Sylvia felt uncomfortable under his gaze and cautiously asked, "What do you want from me?"
Han Xiao tapped the table and said in a deep voice, "I've had you for ten years. You're my subordinate now, not here for a vacation. What use do you think you can be to me?"
"I don't know..."
Sylvia lowered her head. She didn't understand why Han Xiao wanted her to work for ten years. She was just a child and couldn't help at all.
"You're useless now. In the future, I'll teach you the knowledge of a mechanic. Only when you become stronger will you be of use to me. If you resist learning and don't want to work for me, don't think I'll allow you to coast along in my mercenary group. I don't need trash." Han Xiao said bluntly.
"You... you want to teach me about superpowers?" Sylvia was stunned, stammering, "I thought you just wanted a maid."
Han Xiao frowned. "What would I need a maid for? Could you be more useful than a cleaning robot?"
Sylvia's eyes darted around, and she said uncertainly, "I... I've never thought about it. A superhuman... can I really do it? Hmm... I mean, do I have that kind of talent?"
"My eyes can see a blurry future, and in you, I see potential." Han Xiao said calmly, "Langley never let you get involved in the realm of superhumans, which was a foolish thing to do. From the moment you were born, Esper Gene have been dormant within you, waiting to awaken. Your bastard father buried your potential for many years."
"Don't call him a bastard," Sylvia protested. "He's my father."
"I haven't lost my memory." Han Xiao raised an eyebrow. "He faces seventeen major charges, including but not limited to treason..."
"Okay, he really is a jerk." Sylvia bit her lip, "But you're not allowed to say it, only I can say it!"
"Enough with the nonsense, let's get down to business. I'll help you awaken your magnetic powers and teach you about super-mechanical technologies."
Sylvia straightened up, feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness as she prepared to step into a new realm.
"Then... what should I do?"
Han Xiao pulled out four thick books, stacked together, about forty centimeters thick. These four books were all basic mechanical theories written by different people. The panel allowed him to avoid such learning and accumulation, unlike others who were not as convenient as him.
To become a mechanic, one must undergo years of study; even with Sylvia's talent, this initial step is indispensable.
"Memorize all four books first."
Looking at the thick stack of books, Sylvia's mouth dropped open. It was far from what she had imagined. "There are just too many..."
Ignoring her opinion, Han Xiao continued, "I'll only give you ten days. After ten days, I'll test you. If you fail, you'll have to memorize another book until you pass."
Sylvia's face immediately fell. Memorizing so much in ten days? She felt she couldn't possibly do it, even if she died. Besides, she had never been exposed to related knowledge before, so how was she supposed to understand the contents of the books?
"Ask me anything you don't understand. Once you pass the test, I'll teach you how to awaken your Mechanical Force."
Han Xiao waved his hand, Sylvia had no choice but to carry her books out, looking dejected, and hurried to memorize them.
Although Han Xiao himself doesn't need to study in this way, the knowledge truly exists in his mind. Han Xiao has also done his research, so teaching other people Mechanic Class knowledge is no problem at all.
"I wonder how long it will take for her to grow to a point where she can be of help."
Han Xiao shook his head.
Long-term investing is like this; getting your money back doesn't happen quickly. Fortunately, he has no shortage of patience.
The afterglow of the league hadn't faded, and players were still reminiscing when, just a few days later, the official version update announcement suddenly appeared on the forum, instantly becoming the top post. This once again greatly surprised the players. Translated into various languages and made available to players in all regions, the number of replies quickly exceeded ten thousand in less than a minute and was still growing rapidly.
The announcement stated that the 1.0 version update would officially launch at midnight twelve days after the game's launch date. At that time, all accounts and books would be inaccessible, and users were advised to log off in advance to avoid unnecessary losses.
However, no details about the update were mentioned, leaving players feeling intrigued. The unknown new version only heightened their anticipation.
The main storylines for all the starting planets have been completed, and the famous figures on each planet have showcased their charm, each gaining a following. After completing the main storyline, players are now in a period of free exploration, remaining enthusiastic. Even the side quests offer numerous extended storylines, creating a highly realistic experience. Rather than simply grinding through levels, it feels more like a journey, captivating players. Consequently, many players are eager to know what new storylines will unfold on their planet in the new version, are concerned about the fates of these characters, and look forward to exploring the vast universe.
The unknown content of the version has sparked speculation among players from various planets. Many people are trying to guess what will happen next by looking at the plot and character relationships of version 1.0, and the reference material is a chronicle of events from various planets.
After the main storyline of each region's 1.0 was completed, players finally started posting their own chronicles, which attracted a huge following and led to many players sharing their own planet's history.
All players contribute by posting their own encounters, events, characters, and more, recreating everything that happened on the planet during this period, from main quests and side quests to even a unique NPC.
The feeling of everyone participating in the same thing keeps players entertained, as if they are in the midst of a great era, working together to achieve a great cause, creating an extremely strong sense of belonging.
These are the first batch of hardcore and die-hard players of Galaxy. In the previous life, even if some players stopped playing Galaxy due to being busy or other reasons, they would still log on occasionally to see how the story was progressing. Because there were so many new things, the sense of immersion was unparalleled. It was both a game and like watching a TV series.
Not long after, the Galaxy Times published a special program analyzing various speculations regarding the unknown new version.