Han Xiao gathered a large group of helpers, the most crucial of whom was Ai Longlegs Merc.
He has rarely returned to Dragon Calm in the past two years, only occasionally communicating and chatting with Ames. Ames trusts him completely, allowing him to move freely outside without ever suspecting him.
The spaceship landed at the dock. Han Xiao stepped out of the cabin, where Wilsander was waiting to greet him. He was always there for Han Xiao when he returned, and he was always very welcoming.
Looking around, Han Xiao was somewhat surprised to find Jenny nowhere to be seen.
"Why didn't Jenny come? I thought she was going to shoot me a few times."
"... She's busy, she doesn't have time." Wilsander grinned.
"Looks like she's quite dedicated to her work."
Han Xiao chuckled.
Wilsander rolled his eyes. "His dedication is all because of you."
After saying hello, Han Xiao headed straight for the imperial palace.
For the past two years, Ames has been staying at home in Dragon Calm, focusing on raising the Hila sisters. When they learned that Han Xiao was coming to visit, all three of them were quite happy.
Ames rose from her throne, floated to Han Xiao's side, and smiled, "It's been a while, I've missed you. What's up?"
"Can't you come back and visit if there's nothing wrong?" Han Xiao smiled. "But I really need your help this time."
"Speak."
Han Xiao explained that he didn't want Ames to deal with Shana and her two companions, as that would make it difficult to send Shana back. What he needed was for Ames to provide support during the attack on the enemy's main camp, ensuring a 100% success rate.
At the same time, this was also an opportunity. He gathered many prominent forces from the Shattered Star Ring in a secluded location. After he defeated Shana and her two companions, they would join forces to attack the headquarters of this mysterious force and rescue the powerful figures from each faction. With so many forces gathered, if Ames were to oversee the operation, she could temporarily lead these forces under the name of Beyond Grade A.
Han Xiao summoned so many forces; dealing with just six Grade A experts would be like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. His bigger goal was to turn this into a sensational news story, thereby expanding his influence.
With so many powerful forces cooperating under the leadership of Dragon Calm, it can change many people's impression of Dragon Calm. Dragon Calm will transform from a neutral force that does not contend with the world into a powerful camp that can command a large following. Even if it is a misunderstanding, it will still be useful.
Among the four Beyond Grade A in the Shattered Star Ring, Ames's power has always been recognized as the weakest. This time, however, it has changed that perception, which is very beneficial.
Hard power cannot be improved quickly, but influence and connections are a shortcut. The stronger Dragon Calm, the more it can benefit itself.
Moreover, after fighting side by side, if he rescues the powerful figures from these forces, they will all owe him a favor. He will establish a good relationship with them in Dragon Calm's name. Although these forces have status, they will obviously give face to Beyond Grade A individuals. He can then use Dragon Calm to turn these forces into his own network of connections.
Han Xiao has always valued power. After all, the universe is so vast, and one person's strength is limited. Even Beyond Grade A person needs help. He must grasp both individual combat power and the scale of his power.
Version updates are inevitable, and players will disappear for about ten years. To maintain the faction's strength during this period, or even make it progress further, more external support is needed.
After hearing Han Xiao's explanation, Ames agreed without hesitation.
She fully supports Han Xiao, and after being cooped up at home for so long, she really wants to get out and stretch her legs, so she wants Hila and Aurora to go out and see the world.
Han Xiao glanced to the side. Hila and Aurora hadn't said a word; after two years of training, their demeanor had changed.
Ames taught the two how to develop their superpowers. Hila's aura became increasingly cold, while Aurora, on the contrary, appeared warm, sunny, and full of vitality.
In terms of strength, Hila has made Godspeed progress. She already had the strength of Grade C, and her own talent was very strong. After being developed by Ames, she did not take any detours and has officially stepped into the threshold of Grade B.
Aurora her rank isn't high, her abilities have become much stronger.
Hila's appearance didn't change much; she just became taller and more beautiful after advancing in rank and undergoing a life transformation. Aurora didn't grow much taller, but her figure became that of a true "nanny," her combat suit bulging out.
Her superpower grants her terrifying vitality, and coupled with her nutritious three meals a day, her lifestyle is almost as robust as her sister's.
Han Xiao glanced at Aurora's chest and sighed, "Your training must be really tough. Look at her, such a nice girl, and she's been beaten up so badly."
Aurora could tell Han Xiao was teasing her, and her face immediately turned red. She didn't want to grow this big either, but it was an ability that came with her superpower, and there was nothing she could do about it. Her shoulders ached from shaking it every day. She wished she could take it off and put it in her pocket.
Two years had passed, and although Hila remained expressionless, she was actually a little excited inside. However, upon hearing these words, her face immediately darkened, and she remained silent, glaring at Han Xiao with sharp, piercing eyes. Of course, she couldn't get any closer and was completely ignored by Han Xiao.
Han Xiao brought up the issue of Section Zero again, saying that he would work for the Amethyst Civilization for a while. Ames had no objections and was very happy to be a hands-off manager. Jenny, on the other hand, was full of complaints.
Han Xiao secretly gathered his helpers and, after making all the necessary preparations, found a relatively unimportant Black Star base and stayed there, waiting for the enemy to step into the pit.
This base is located on a colony planet in Goddora, and many players often land here. Choosing this place as the battlefield was a well-thought-out decision by Han Xiao, and it was also to make a good impression on the players; appearances matter.
Now that the Black Star Army has fulfilled its role in guiding the faction, Han Xiao's next goal is to retain players and keep them on the Black Star Army's side.
In the next version, the number of selectable factions will increase dramatically, many of which are allied forces with high benefits and a large main storyline. Players will be tempted, and Han Xiao will need to maintain the appeal of his factions. As the faction leader, he must continuously improve players' impression of him.
After waiting for several days, Shana and her two companions finally took action. In fact, they had arrived in the Garton Star System long ago and had been observing Han Xiao's movements.
Han Xiao had been observing them as well, and the second stage of the [Prey] quest popped up.
The requirement is to repel the attack of three people. In addition to a high experience reward, you can also randomly draw an ability from Eilet and the other two. Han Xiao deduced that this high-difficulty series of missions might have a special reward of drawing an ability at each stage. If you're lucky, you can make a fortune.
Since this was a Goddora colony, Shana and her two companions didn't want to cause too much of a commotion. They decided to use infiltration tactics, a close-range attack, to quickly take down Black Star and then evacuate.
Eilet used advanced stealth and disguise techniques, rendering the base's security measures ineffective against Grade A experts. Without alerting Phillip, he and Adrian easily infiltrated the base, while Shana waited outside to provide backup.
The disguise made the two look like ordinary mercenaries. Eilet was very confident in her magic and thought it was impossible for them to be detected. The two swaggered around as if they were strolling in their own backyard.
However, after walking for only a short while, the two realized something was wrong. Wherever they went, almost all the Black Star mercenaries would look at them with strange expressions, as if they were out of place.
"I feel something's wrong," Adrian whispered.
"Have we been discovered? Impossible, how could so many people have seen through my magic?"
Eilet couldn't believe it.
His disguise was actually effective; at least the players around him couldn't see any information about them, not even their names.
However, the question marks on Eilet and her companion's faces were a bright red!
Two red-named enemies were walking around the house, which startled the players, who had no idea what was going on.
Although Borick was a member of DarkStar, he was still an undercover agent. DarkStar was already dead, and before he joined Black Star, he was just a yellow-named player. However, Eilet and Porick were enemies, and a red-named player was practically the most eye-catching sight in the eyes of the players.
Bang bang bang!!
A player suddenly fired at the two, and other players around them followed suit. The barrage of bullets engulfed the two, resulting in a violent explosion.
Although they didn't know what was going on, they were all red-named, so there might be a quest that could be triggered. Going all in would definitely not be a loss.
Buzz--
A magical shield opened, blocking all attacks.
We've been exposed!
Eilet was astonished. He couldn't understand how these mercenaries, who were only at the Grade C level, could see through his flawless disguise!
At this moment, Han Xiao, who had been prepared all along, immediately appeared, floating in the air and looking down at the two of them, putting on an act and pretending that he did not know their origins.
"I felt something was wrong when I was attacked last time. Sure enough, someone was targeting me, and I just happened to catch them. Who exactly are you people?"
Eilet did not answer, but instead shouted and unleashed a variety of spells, while Adrian's aura surged.
Knowing that her teammates had been exposed, Shana outside immediately took action, tearing apart the outer wall of the base, preparing to surround and attack Han Xiao together. Although the infiltration failed, her three near-A+ level superhumans could absolutely crush Black Star in a head-on confrontation and could still finish the battle quickly.
Han Xiao easily dodged the attack and chuckled, "Did you think I wasn't prepared at all?"
As soon as he finished speaking, several towering auras erupted around the base, and Nagokin and two other Goddora Grade A executives charged out from their hiding places.
The forces Han Xiao gathered were prepared for an attack on the enemy's main base. At this moment, his goal was merely to force Shana and her two companions to retreat. By deliberately choosing the Goddora colony as the battlefield, he had reached an agreement with Goddora to ask for their help. Since their strength wouldn't be overwhelming, he could naturally hold back and allow Shana and her companions to successfully "escape."
The Black Star Army has a deep partnership with Goddora, so this small request is just a matter of a phone call from Han Xiao, Nagokin is happy to help.
Eilet frowned. There were four Grade A powerhouses among their opponents. The three of them weren't afraid, but they couldn't finish the battle quickly. This was the Goddora colony. If they were held up, Goddora's fleet could cause them considerable trouble.
The three exchanged a glance and reached a consensus.
Black Star was far too vigilant. After only one attack, without knowing their background, they went so far as to make a big fuss to lure the enemy out. In their eyes, this was extremely cautious and decisive.
The three of them didn't suspect that their whereabouts had been leaked. Han Xiao pretended that he was using a clumsy method of waiting for them to come to him, so as not to arouse their suspicion. They were confident that their actions were very secretive.
Moreover, if Black Star had known they came in threes, he wouldn't have ambushed only three Calamity Grade beings.
Han Xiao continued his performance, saying in a deep voice, "You have nowhere to escape. No matter who you are, I will force you to reveal your origins."
"You're too confident. If you think you can stop us, then try."
Eilet scoffed.
He didn't take the four Calamity Grade opponents seriously; perhaps only Black Star was a bit troublesome.
The three remained calm. They were confident in their own strength and knew that the few men Black Star had planted couldn't hold them back; they could leave whenever they wanted.