Garton Star System, Fourth Star Zone.
A certain Goddora public space station, entertainment area, erotic club.
The psychedelic lights flashed and danced in a dazzling array of colors, and the dynamic and exciting music enhanced the atmosphere. There were round and rectangular booths scattered throughout the area, where women of different races dressed scantily cladly danced provocatively. Below them were virtual screens that introduced or fabricated the women's origins and ages, using various tragic or depraved stories to provoke the audience's wicked thoughts.
Large groups of males surrounded each booth, their eyes glued to the dancers, their laughter rough and boisterous. Occasionally, one of them would reach out and grope her. Not far away were bars with semi-private booths, mostly occupied by males who had various races' female companions with flirtatious expressions in their arms, groping them and laughing and talking freely, seemingly full of bravado.
Scantily clad waitresses carried drinks back and forth, and male guests of all shapes and sizes, from various races, occasionally groped them.
Laughter, whispers, and flirtatious sounds rose and fell, filling the venue with an atmosphere of decadent indulgence, as if tinged with a dark pink hue representing allure.
In a luxurious booth, several males were laughing and talking loudly, downing glasses of drinks. It was clear at a glance that they were mercenaries.
Several men were holding the hostesses in their arms, their movements rough and barbaric. Many of the hostesses showed a hint of pain in their eyes, but dared not voice any objections and could only force a smile.
They knew the origins of this group; the people present belonged to a well-known mercenary group and were all Grade B superhumans. In the eyes of ordinary people like them, Grade B superhumans were already important figures who absolutely could not be offended.
However, among this group of mercenaries looking for fun, there was one exception.
A tall, thin man sat at the edge of a booth. There were no female escorts beside him, and he hadn't touched his drink. He sat upright and meticulously, with his hands on his thighs. He was completely out of place with the atmosphere around him. While others were having a blast, his expression was as serious as if he were conducting scientific research, which dampened the enthusiasm of the other mercenaries.
"Reynold, don't be so serious. Why don't you have a drink? It's on me this time, so have some fun."
The captain of the mercenary group couldn't help but speak up, looking at this unusual companion. He didn't act condescendingly because he was the captain; instead, his tone was ingratiating.
Reynold remained still, only turning his neck slightly to stare at him, his eyes bright and piercing like an owl in the night. His tone was flat and even. "Alcohol slows down my brain and makes me think slower. I need to stay sober."
"Uh, then you could find a woman..."
Before the captain could finish speaking, Reynold continued, "Women distract me and interrupt my train of thought; physical desires also affect my clarity of mind."
"Oh well..."
The mercenary captain gave an awkward smile. He was helpless against Reynold, Reynold held a high and indispensable position in his mercenary group.
Because Reynold is a Grade B mechanic.
In the universe, mechanics are relatively rare, especially advanced mechanics. Unlike martial artists, psychics, or telekinetics, mechanics need to learn a vast amount of knowledge. Only mages can compare to them in this regard. For mechanics, knowledge is the fundamental way to become stronger.
His team had been working with Reynold for quite some time. Reynold had been providing weapons and equipment, repairing ships and machinery, and handling the logistics for the entire team. He also possessed Grade B combat capabilities. Reynold's status was even higher than his, the team leader's.
If Reynold hadn't held such a significant position, the mercenary captain would have long since given up on his eccentric personality.
"Have you heard? Recently, a lot of freelance mercenaries want to join the Black Star Army. They say that Black Star will monopolize the mercenary business in the Garton Star System. What should we do?" At this moment, another mercenary brought up the topic.
"Ignore them. It's too early for Black Star to monopolize the Garton Star System. We can find work in other star systems later."
The mercenary captain curled his lip, unconcerned.
At that moment, Reynold spoke expressionlessly, "Let's go join Black Star."
A moment of silence fell.
The mercenaries present looked at Reynold in surprise.
The mercenary captain retorted irritably, "What do you mean by this? I'm the captain; don't make decisions for me."
"OK."
Reynold nodded, immediately took out his communicator, pressed a few buttons, and then got up and left.
"Wait, where are you going?" The mercenary captain suddenly sensed something was wrong.
"I've left the team."
Reynold went further and further away.
Everyone was stunned. He left the team without a second thought, without the slightest hesitation. That was too decisive!
The mercenary captain panicked and jumped to his feet, shouting, "Are you crazy? We've fought side-by-side for so long, we all consider you a friend, and you're just going to leave like this?!"
"I'm cooperating with you on equal footing; I haven't sold myself to you. Why can't I leave?"
Reynold didn't turn his head or pause at all; every step he took was as precise as if it had been measured, the Sight of Father's Back disappeared through the doorway.
Only a group of mercenaries were left looking at each other, their expressions blank.
"What is Reynold thinking? Does he think there's no future with us?" someone complained indignantly.
The mercenary captain's face was grim. He flung the bar hostess he was holding away, and she fell to the ground. Without even looking at her, he slammed his fist hard on the table.
Clang!
The table cracked open like a spiderweb, startling everyone.
"That bastard!"
Without Reynold, the team's strength would be greatly weakened. Thinking of this, the mercenary captain was furious, but there was nothing he could do.
Inside an interstellar travel spaceship in the Garton Star System.
In the passenger cabin, Borick stared at the Black Star Army interview notification displayed on his communicator, his eyes flickering uncertainly.
He was a mixed- Goddora, a freelance mercenary. His resume passed the initial screening, and Phillip notified him to come for an interview.
However, being a mercenary is just a facade. Borick's true identity is that of DarkStar agent left in the outside world. Before becoming a mercenary, he was an elite member trained by DarkStar.
The DarkStar fleet was wiped out, and almost all of its high-ranking officers were captured. However, some DarkStar members did not follow the fleet but remained in the outside world, disguising their identities. These people were once part of DarkStar's intelligence network, but now they have become the remnants of DarkStar. Due to their leader's bankruptcy and escape, they are now leaderless and everyone is in danger.
Goddora has been effectively eliminating the remaining forces of DarkStar recently, uprooting several of DarkStar's secret intelligence networks.
For safety reasons, the remnants of DarkStar ceased contact with each other. Many harbored their own agendas: some wanted to flee, some wanted to clear their names, and some wanted to abandon the darkness and embrace the light.
Borick was one of the best at disguising himself. Not long after the destruction of DarkStar, he deliberately cut off contact with other remnants. His mercenary record was impeccable, and he had no apparent connection with DarkStar, concealing his identity very well.
But he had no intention of clearing his name.
Before the attack on DarkStar, Borick had been ordered to infiltrate Black Star's forces, and now he has decided to carry out that mission.
Using this clean identity, he passed the interview and legitimately became a member of Black Star, going undercover.
The first reason is that Goddora has a close relationship with Black Star. Having the identity of Black Star's mercenary can better protect her secrets, which is commonly known as "the darkest place is under the lamp."
The second reason is Borick's main motivation.
He is loyal to DarkStar, hates Black Star, and firmly believes that the DarkStar Leader will one day return!
"The Black Star Army is an obstacle. By infiltrating beforehand, I might be able to rise to the rank of squad leader or officer, and even split the Black Star Army from within. When the leader returns, that will be my time to shine. I will become a thorn in the enemy's side..."
Borick's expression was sinister, and he harbored ulterior motives.
The players bought new equipment and excitedly began their new quests.
While being hired, they are also exploring interstellar space. They are still in the initial familiarization stage of interstellar travel. It is estimated that after two or three more hiring experiences, they will be fully accustomed to interstellar space and become proficient in it.
Meanwhile, the hundreds of thousands of players remaining on Planet Aquamarine continued to pass the tests. Every so often, tens of thousands of players joined the Black Star Army. These players were considered newcomers, but thanks to the influence of the forums, they at least knew how to start hiring and wouldn't be starting from scratch. If they didn't understand something, they could ask the first batch of players who joined Black Star.
Therefore, in the short term, Han Xiao doesn't need to worry about the players' movements. Things are on the right track, so he can just let them play by themselves.
Fifteen days passed quickly, and the day for interviewing the new recruits finally arrived.
For the past two weeks, Han Xiao has been in seclusion, creating many new machines. However, the workload of upgrading his entire set of equipment is enormous, and he hasn't finished yet. He has to stop his seclusion and take some time to interview these mercenaries.
In the grand base hall, thousands of mercenaries who had come for interviews gathered. They were of all races, including humans, beasts, and insects, and of all genders, including men, women, and hermaphrodites. They all sized each other up, creating a noisy and chaotic atmosphere.
"This is Black Star's headquarters."
"It looks quite impressive, not bad."
Borick looked around. Since he came in with the main force, he had been observing the structure of the base, looking for weak points, memorizing them, and forming a map in his mind.
After a while, the alloy floor in front of the thousands of people cracked open in a spiral, revealing a round hole. Han Xiao, his trench coat fluttering, slowly flew up and landed in front of the crowd.
The eyes of thousands of people immediately focused on Han Xiao, their gazes filled with curiosity, awe, and eagerness—they looked as if they had seen a great figure.
Han Xiao's current fame, strength, and status make him a truly important figure in the Garton Star System.
"This is Black Star..." Borick's eyes narrowed slightly. He had seen Han Xiao's video, but this was the first time he had seen him in person. He secretly sized him up.
Han Xiao glanced at everyone, then turned to look at Sylvia, who was waiting to the side, and nodded in acknowledgment.
Sylvia nodded, stepped forward, cleared her throat, and spoke in a clear, crisp voice:
"Welcome to Black Star! You are all experienced mercenaries. Those who pass the interview will become members of our Black Star Army and will need to sign the Mercenary Alliance's induction treaty. All benefits and treatment are written in the contract, as are the Black Star Army's rules and regulations, and the obligations you are required to fulfill..."
After saying that, Sylvia obediently stepped aside. With Melos absent, Han Xiao treated her as his assistant.
Han Xiao glanced around and said loudly, "You all know the rules. If you have any objections, you can leave now."
Thousands of mercenaries whispered amongst themselves, but no one left.
"Alright, let's not waste any more time and get straight to the test."
Han Xiao raised his hand. "The method is simple. You will all come up to me one by one, and I will tap you. Through touch, I can roughly sense your energy level. Those who pass, please wait to the side."
No one objected; no one present would question the abilities of Calamity Grade powerhouse.
However, many people are unsure, as this testing method relies solely on Black Star's judgment; if he says you're good, you're good, and if he says you're not, you're not good—there's no hard and fast rule.
At this moment, Han Xiao added, "Don't worry, those who didn't make it won't be a wasted trip. You have two choices: leave or accept training from Black Star and improve your strength through intensive training. During this period, you cannot accept employment. Only after passing the test will you be allowed to use the name of the Black Star Army to accept employment."
He values talent, and the more powerful freelance mercenaries the better. However, he knows that not every capable mercenary will be willing to join his ranks, and talent needs to be cultivated.
Therefore, Han Xiao decided to establish a mercenary training camp.
Master Han had this idea long ago; it was an important part of the expansion plan. In his vision, each branch base would not only be a stronghold but also have the function of recruiting and training soldiers.
His recruitment efforts are not limited to mercenaries; he also recruits ordinary people from different planets. Planet Aquamarine is one example, as in addition to players, there are also Planet Aquamarine inhabitants who yearn for the universe, and Sunil is the next pilot planet.
Upon hearing this, many mercenaries present had their eyes light up. The fact that even those who were not selected still had a chance to join Black Star immediately dispelled their concerns.
Everyone lined up obediently, and Han Xiao took turns testing them.
This interview method involves viewing the opponent's attributes by interacting with the combat information displayed on the interface.
Unbeknownst to these mercenaries, Han Xiao already knew their abilities inside and out, and had even examined their trump cards several times.
Testing one person takes two seconds. There are six or seven thousand people here, which would take several hours. This method is very troublesome. However, the origins of the free mercenaries are complicated. They come from all over the world, and many are not citizens of the Garton Star System. Who knows what their background is? Han Xiao felt that it was better to be safe than sorry. Things had been calm recently, and he could squeeze out this little bit of time.
After a while, it was finally Borick's turn.
He calmly walked forward and let Han Xiao pat him on the shoulder.
--Testing the energy level poses no risk of exposure; Black Star can't possibly know he's from DarkStar just by touching him.
Borick remained calm and composed, showing no sign of panic.
Opportunities to observe Black Star up close are rare, and this could even be a good chance for an assassination. However, Borick suppressed these dangerous thoughts and, without delay, prepared to wait to the side like the people before him.
Just as he turned around, he heard Han Xiao's voice behind him:
"You... stop right there!"