Planet Sunil.
The sky was a jewel-like blue, with white clouds like wisps of floating ribbons. A gentle breeze carried a thin mist through the dense forest, and the lush green trees swayed like waves.
The freshness of nature has not yet been buried; green is a beautiful color. Looking down at the earth through the porthole, Han Xiao couldn't help but feel refreshed and invigorated.
The Blacklight Stealth slowly landed in the military camp area Forest City. Melos and Sunil's high-ranking officers were already waiting there, and a large number of Sunil armored soldiers were patrolling in the distance.
As soon as Han Xiao stepped off the gangway, Melos rushed up to him and gave him a warm hug.
"Black Star, you've finally arrived!"
Han Xiao patted Melos on the shoulder, making him let go. Melos looked excited and introduced the Sunil executives to Han Xiao one by one.
The two sides shook hands and greeted each other. The Sunil leaders were very respectful. Black Star's status in the interstellar world far exceeded that of the entire Sunil Race. Moreover, Black Star took the initiative to help them solve the planet's hidden dangers. They would never forget this great favor.
After the introductions, the group got down to business, and Han Xiao asked, "How's the situation now?"
"Great!"
Melos was visibly excited. Over the past few months, he had been acutely aware of the role the Black Star Army had played, significantly improving the situation of the Sunil people.
With that, Melos turned on his communicator, pulled up a 3D map projection of Planet Sunil, and began to explain in detail.
The threat to the Sunil people comes from the beasts of the planet, and the cause of the Calamity is the Whispering Stone veins buried throughout the planet. Quantitative changes lead to qualitative changes, and the veins form Psionic Undercurrent that stimulates the beasts to go mad on a spiritual level.
Therefore, the Sunil people's primary goal was to eliminate the Whispering Stone veins on this planet.
However, due to the dangers of the wilderness and the books, exploration was extremely difficult. The Sunil people only controlled a very small area and could not afford the cost of expanding their territory, which would have cost many young warriors.
The Black Star Army played a crucial role in this regard. With the help of spaceships and vehicles, the 200,000 players, undeterred by sacrifice, discovered thousands of shallow Whispering Stone veins within a few months.
The closer you are to the vein, the more pronounced the Psionic Undercurrent. There are almost no wild beasts lurking nearby, so players can easily mine the vein and destroy all the Whispering Stone.
According to calculations by Sunil's research department, the intensity of the planet's Psionic Undercurrent has decreased significantly, and the intervals between Calamity are likely to be extended to more than ten years, a two- or three-fold increase. This means that Sunil's situation is no longer urgent, and it has more time to recuperate, resulting in remarkable achievements.
This achievement was announced to the entire tribe, and the whole tribe burst forth with unprecedented vigor and saw hope.
The situation of the tribe has improved significantly, and all the Sunil warriors are very excited.
Melos was the most excited. His tribe was his homeland, and the Black Star Army was Sunil's benefactor. He was the one who connected the two sides. He was excited about his decision and grateful for Black Star's help.
Of course, this achievement is far from enough. Since the goal is to solve the problem, the Sunil people naturally hope to do it more thoroughly.
After listening, Han Xiao asked, "What difficulties have you encountered in clearing the mineral vein?"
Upon hearing this, everyone's expression turned grim. Melos said in a deep voice, "We anticipated various scenarios at the beginning, but we didn't expect the resistance to be this severe."
Han Xiao immediately became curious. Judging from the tone, it seemed that even 200,000 players had failed to solve this problem?
"By the way, where did all the mercenaries go? I don't see any of them." Han Xiao looked around and found that he didn't see a single mercenary.
"Most of them are still out exploring and fighting. We've built many operational camps in the wild so that mercenaries can get supplies outside without having to keep returning to Forest City. Currently, only a small number of mercenaries are staying in Forest City to recuperate," Melos explained.
I see, that's normal... Han Xiao nodded, his mind racing. It seemed he needed to find a reason to call the players back from the wilderness so he could easily gain experience.
Putting this idea aside for the time being, Han Xiao rubbed his chin and asked doubtfully, "Then what difficulties did you encounter?"
"That's right. Shallow veins are easy to clear, but there are also massive veins underground, possibly several times the number of shallow veins. They are much more difficult to mine and require larger tools and more manpower, but that's not the main problem..." Melos sighed and projected an image showing several strangely shaped beasts that had some insect-like features.
"This is..." Han Xiao frowned.
"As the excavation deepened, we reached a completely different rock stratum and were astonished to discover traces of some strange monsters. Preliminary confirmation indicates that they are ancient subterranean beasts that have never come to the surface. A vast race lives beneath the Planet Sunil, and the number of monsters in just the few nests discovered so far exceeds one hundred million. We don't know how many more exist in the underground world we haven't explored..."
Melos said gravely, "Perhaps they are the true masters of this planet."
Han Xiao suddenly realized.
The Sunil people's original home planet was destroyed, and they later migrated to their current Planet Sunil. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they were guests who usurped the nest.
Due to limited resources, the Sunil people had not explored the underground world deeply. Only today have they discovered that a vast race exists beneath the planet's surface, and these monsters are the original inhabitants of this planet.
If it weren't for the Black Star Army, the Sunil people would still be living on a planet that poses a huge threat.
"For some reason, these monsters have built nests around the underground Whispering Stone veins to indirectly protect them. They are very averse to outsiders, and their bodies are tough, agile, and secrete corrosive mucus. They are about the size of a wolf. Dozens of underground exploration teams have already been wiped out. The underground is the monsters' home ground, and we can't maneuver properly, making it difficult to fight them."
"Protect the Whispering Stone vein?"
Han Xiao pondered. Most subterranean creatures are drawn to radioactive minerals, even feeding on them. However, the Whispering Stone vein doesn't emit energy radiation; instead, it drives wild beasts mad. Logically, wild beasts should try to stay away from Whispering Stone veins, so why are these subterranean monsters building their Whispering Stone around them?
In an instant, a word popped into Han Xiao's mind.
Mutations!
"Their lineage may have continued for tens of thousands of years. As organisms adapt to their environment, they change. Over long periods of time, they undergo genetic mutations. Think about it: Calamity can drive wild beasts around the world into a frenzy, yet you have never encountered such a monster. This means they have never gone mad and left the underground, implying that they are accustomed to the Psionic Undercurrent, immune to such stimulation, and possess extremely strong mental resistance." Han Xiao pondered.
The Sunil people were later settlers on this planet, while the Whispering Stone had existed for countless years. They had no idea how much influence the Whispering Stone had had on the planet's beasts during those countless years.
Melos nodded. "That's right, we call these subterranean monsters Subterranean Mutants."
"So, you summoned me because..." Han Xiao had a guess.
A high-ranking official of Sunil said respectfully and solemnly, "Lord Black Star, we would like to request your help. We need to kill all the Subterranean Mutants and completely control Planet Sunil. Only by killing these subterranean monsters can we completely solve our predicament. Moreover, the underground contains countless resources. Only by eradicating the Subterranean Mutants can we mine them with peace of mind."
To completely eradicate this Calamity, the only option is to destroy the underground mineral veins. However, the Subterranean Mutants scattered throughout the planet's subsurface are the biggest obstacle. Moreover, the future exploitation of underground resources is inevitable, and the Subterranean Mutants will undoubtedly hinder their development. In terms of sheer numbers, the Subterranean Mutants are probably hundreds or even thousands of times larger than the Sunil people. The Sunil people have absolutely no desire to coexist with such a massive species.
So that's how it is... Thinking of the beautiful natural scenery he had seen when he landed, Han Xiao couldn't help but sigh and looked at Melos, "What do you think?"
"That's what I meant too," Melos said firmly.
"... Alright." Han Xiao said slowly, "I hope you understand that the nature of this incident has changed. This is a war-related mercenary operation, and I will gather more spaceships and mercenaries."
"Great!" Everyone was overjoyed.
"To ensure the transportation of personnel and supplies, I need to build a branch base on Planet Sunil immediately. Do you have any objections?"
"No." Everyone shook their heads.
Having reached a consensus, Han Xiao stepped aside and called out to Phillip.
"Help me contact the Noriosse Financial Group and Rosoth Financial Group. I'm about to build my third branch base on Planet Sunil in the Garton Star System. Please provide a list of supplies to these two conglomerates and utilize their channels."
"Summon the 200,000 mercenaries from Planet Sunil. All of them must assemble in Forest City; they are needed to build a base."
"Also, issue a legion conscription notice. The conscription location is Planet Sunil, and the target group is all Black Star mercenaries!"
Phillip responded to the series of orders.
"Command confirmed..."
Han Xiao didn't stop there; he directly issued a new mission to all players through the faction panel.
[Legion Expansion: Number Three Base]!
Meanwhile, at a campsite in the wilderness of Planet Sunil.
Sunil's soldiers patrolled the perimeter, while inside the camp, many players set up stalls and recruited members to form teams.
Each camp is home to many players, and the area around the camps is dotted with quest and exploration points. Players stop at the camps to resupply, naturally forming a unique ecosystem for players.
Maple Moon sat on the ground in a corner, with a "repair" symbol above her head. She was setting up a stall to repair equipment, and business was booming.
She chose to follow the crowd and come to Planet Sunil.
As a casual player, she doesn't enjoy fighting and has always felt that the Mechanic is the most suitable class for her. In version 1.0, she followed Black Star for a long time and accumulated a lot of benefits. Her abilities are more outstanding than other Mechanics. Her ability to repair and manufacture equipment is significantly better than many players of the same class, making her one of the best.
Although she no longer received special treatment from Black Star in version 2.0, Maple Moon's business remained thriving thanks to her leading advantage. Other players were more willing to repair and buy equipment from her, allowing her to earn a lot of money and have more resources to improve her strength, creating a virtuous cycle.
However, Maple Moon rarely fights. She enjoys the storyline more than PvP. The Sunil people's mercenary service suits her perfectly. Saving this tribe from danger and gaining Sunil gratitude makes her very happy.
There are many story-driven players like Maple Moon. For these players, profit is secondary; they want a good story. Han Xiao's business strategy for the Black Star Army is to leverage existing resources, allowing players to experience different storylines through hiring them. Sunil is an example, turning their stories into the legion's achievements.
Just then, Maple Moon noticed that all the players on the street had stopped and opened their game panels. Seeing this, she knew that something big had happened again, and she hurriedly checked her own panel.
The mission to build the Number Three Base issued by Han Xiao immediately caught their eye.
"Huh, Black Star's here in Sunil too? That's strange. The Sunil Rescue Operation mission isn't even finished yet, and they're already building the Number Three Base?"
"Who cares? We can build a new base now, that's a good thing."
The players discussed it amongst themselves, and left in groups to head towards Forest City, leaving the camp deserted.
Most players have already identified themselves with the Black Star Army, and they feel proud that the faction's expansion is due to their own efforts and that their performance in Sunil has contributed to the faction's growth.
Each faction development provides players with a sense of accomplishment from managing their own faction, demonstrating the effectiveness of Han Xiao's methods in fostering a sense of belonging.
Maple Moon packed up her stall and headed towards Forest City. Besides her mission, she had another goal: to learn some better blueprints from Black Star. She had accumulated a lot of experience over the past few months. Not only her, but all the Mechanic Class players staying on Planet Sunil were hoping to learn new blueprints from Han Xiao.