More than ten days later.
The expeditionary force took a break and returned to Nest No. 77. Melos led his men to explore the underground world, New Rock Tribe had become a dead zone, with the corpses of Subterranean Mutants scattered throughout the underground world.
Even the most resolute soldiers of Sunil couldn't help but gasp at the hellish scene, and many players were shaken and couldn't help but feel more sympathy for them.
Melos was heavy-hearted. He ordered his men to destroy the Whispering Stone mine of the New Rock Tribe, then gathered the corpses of the Subterranean Mutants and burned them all.
The group also recovered the bodies of their fallen comrades.
After eliminating the New Rock Tribe, the campaign proceeded smoothly, and no more strongholds like the New Rock Tribe appeared. They continued to eliminate one group at a time and then subdue another, achieving remarkable results.
After a long and arduous battle by the expeditionary force, the last Subterranean Mutants nest finally surrendered, and Melos and his companions were able to return to the main city.
It was drizzling in the early morning.
Forest City, almost all the Sunil people came out of the city, a dark mass of people waiting in the rain to welcome the triumphant army, everyone eagerly anticipating their arrival.
call--
More than a dozen spaceships flew in from the distant mountains, cutting through the rain and landing outside the city.
The hatch opened, and one by Sunil soldiers disembarked. They weren't wearing armor, but rather simple military uniforms, and their faces showed undeniable fatigue. The player, on the other hand, seemed to be in good spirits.
Melos stepped off the spaceship and went to the front of the group, leading the punitive force towards the crowd.
"Hero--"
Suddenly, countless Sunil people erupted in a thunderous cheer, surging forward in a swarm. Every civilian's face was filled with excitement, joy, and gratitude as they lined the streets to welcome this expeditionary force that had been fighting abroad.
Melos was surrounded by a crowd of people, and all he could see were countless grateful faces. Everyone who looked at him had immense respect in their eyes, which made him slightly lost in thought.
The Sunil people already knew that the Black Star Army was willing to lend a helping hand because of Melos. In the eyes of all the people, Melos had surpassed everyone else and become a well-deserved hero, an idol worshipped by every Sunil person.
The crowd cheered and praised the soldiers of the punitive expedition, including the players.
To be precise, Sunil was grateful to the Black Star Army. In the hearts of the Sunil people, Han Xiao had become a revered figure, like a savior, and the Black Star Army's prestige was unparalleled.
Thank you so much.
"You saved Sunil!"
"Black Star Army, you are our benefactors."
Countless people surrounded the player, expressing their gratitude in a cacophony of voices.
Many players were stunned for a moment, then felt a strange sense of fulfillment. They felt that this mission had extraordinary significance, and that everyone's collective actions had changed the future of the Sunil people, which was why they had received so much gratitude.
This sense of accomplishment has given many people a unique experience, making them feel fulfilled and satisfied. This feeling is unrelated to material gain, but rather to spiritual satisfaction.
Many young soldiers reunited with their families. Facing their families who were crying tears of joy, these tough soldiers showed satisfied smiles on their tired faces, hugged each other, and comforted their tearful loved ones.
Parents greet their children, wives greet their husbands, and children greet their fathers.
Heartwarming scenes continued to unfold.
Every day, soldiers' families lived in fear, dreading the day they would receive a death notice. Now it's all over. There will be no more Calamity, and no more deaths in war.
There is no need to despair, no need to worry or live in fear anymore; a bright tomorrow awaits them.
The dark times are over, and the Sunil people see the light of the future.
Peace and tranquility have finally arrived.
Looking at the smiling faces of their compatriots, many Sunil soldiers felt comforted—everything they had done was worthwhile for the sake of their families and comrades behind them.
However, not everyone was happy.
A sergeant, with a somber expression, handed over a box containing the ashes of fallen soldiers to their families.
Some people couldn't believe it, some argued loudly, some cried while holding the urn, and some stared blankly at the urn.
The stark contrast between the families of the fallen soldiers and the cheering crowds made even the light drizzle seem more somber, and the morning temperature appeared to drop further.
Lana's parents held his urn, kneeling in the mud, as if they had lost their souls.
Melos happened to witness this scene, stepped forward to help Lana's parents up, and whispered, "He is a hero of the tribe."
Lana's parents stared at him, speechless.
Seeing this, Melos knew that any words of comfort would be futile. He pursed his lips, silently turned and walked away, clenching his fist— the Sunil people had experienced too many scenes of life and death separations. Fortunately, this should be the last time.
Looking up, Melos saw Han Xiao standing outside the crowd with legion officers. He composed himself and walked over.
"It's finally over. Just one last step and the mission will be complete."
Seeing him approach, Han Xiao spoke.
Melos stared at Han Xiao, then suddenly bowed deeply, his voice hoarse, "On behalf of the entire Sunil tribe, I thank you."
"No need for such a big reaction. I was just fulfilling a promise I made to you."
Helpless, Han Xiao reached out to help Melos up, but Melos refused to move, his tone extremely serious.
"No, please let me finish."
Upon hearing this, Han Xiao raised an eyebrow, released his hand, and let Melos maintain his bowing posture.
Melos, his heart pounding, slowly said, "Your name is worthy of being etched in Sunil's history. You are not only Sunil's benefactor, but also my benefactor..."
"In my eyes, this is not a promise, not a transaction, not an employment... it is a debt of gratitude that I can never repay."
"Lord Black Star, from this day forward, I am willing to become your sword, to follow you forever, until the end of the universe."
After he finished speaking, the cadres fell silent, staring at Melos with various expressions.
Is this loyalty...? Han Xiao paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Good."
Melos then straightened up, smiled, and followed the gaze of the crowd to look at the common people, who were experiencing both joy and sorrow.
"The price of peace is hands stained with blood." Jinda shook her head.
"I hope Sunil will remember this war, and remember the atrocities we, the so-called heroes, committed for the continuation of our race," Melos lamented.
"Survival of the fittest; every civilization will eventually become evil, carrying the weight of history as it moves forward."
Han Xiao casually said something, then looked to the side, where a group of Sunil's senior executives walked over. This time, it was not Ochizi came to negotiate, but Sunil's leader.
Leader Sunil expressed his gratitude personally, and Han Xiao reciprocated.
After exchanging words for a while, Leader Sunil tactfully suggested that Han Xiao would settle his payment after he had relocated all the Subterranean Mutants, to which Han Xiao readily agreed.
Watching the group of Sunil executives leave, Sylvia slapped Melos on the back and said angrily, "Those people are really annoying."
"I hate politicians too." Melos didn't argue; he wasn't doing all this for the sake of politicians.
At this moment, Fording reminded him, "Black Star, about the migration..."
Han Xiao was about to reply when his communicator suddenly rang. He glanced at it and immediately laughed, "You've come at just the right time."
The next moment, everything went black as a huge shadow suddenly appeared, enveloping the crowd and continuing to grow.
Both the Sunil people and the players looked up in surprise.
Hundreds of super-large transport ships slowly descended from the sky, blotting out the sun.
"The moving company I called has arrived."
Han Xiao exhaled and laughed.
He borrowed a batch of large transport ships from two conglomerates, specifically for transporting the Subterranean Mutants. After just a few trips, all the Subterranean Mutants and the Whispering Stone could be delivered to a selected uninhabited planet. In any case, the Subterranean Mutants live on rocks and are not so demanding in terms of environment, so habitats are easy to find.
The players had already been notified of the migration plan, and seeing so many spaceships now, many players became excited and started whispering among themselves.
"That must be a migration team."
"Relocating billions of people is quite a spectacle."
"The Subterranean Mutants will not perish; Black Star has indeed not disappointed me."
Seeing their own faction put on such a grand spectacle, the players felt very proud, experiencing a strong sense of collective honor. At the same time, many players strongly approved of the Black Star Army's decision to fund the relocation of the Subterranean Mutants.
After such a long battle and witnessing so many tragedies, players have come to believe that the Subterranean Mutants are the absolute underdogs.
Sympathy for the vulnerable is a habit. When players feel sorry for the Subterranean Mutants, it indirectly increases their sense of identification with the migration plan, resulting in players feeling a greater sense of belonging to the Black Star Army.
Han Xiao was well aware of this. He himself intended to exploit sympathy to make this mission a memorable faction story in the players' minds, thereby increasing the faction's perceived significance.
The results seem to be good.
Beside him, Fording smiled slightly, thinking this might be the best outcome for both sides.
As Fording watched Han Xiao's the Sight of Father's Back, Fording flashed through his mind.
He has grown rapidly and is now able to suppress the Morning Star within him on his own. Moreover, the conflict between him and the Morning Star has been almost resolved, meaning that he no longer needs the help of the Black Star Army.
He had originally planned to find a time to say goodbye, but now he felt that staying with the Black Star Army might not be a bad choice.