[Third Ring: The New Hunters]
[Mission Brief: You defeated the first wave of Hunters, revealing just the tip of the iceberg of this behemoth. Now, a new group of Hunters has arrived, stronger and more dangerous, lurking in the shadows, watching you intently.]
[Mission Requirements: Deflect the attack from the new Hunters squad and the Illustrated Book attack]
[Reward: 78.5 million experience points, randomly select one member's ability from the new Hunters Squad]
"Has the mastermind behind Albert's group sent a new team to continue the hunt?"
Han Xiao's expression hardened; the high experience reward indicated the difficulty of the third stage.
The mission description is ambiguous, only stating that a powerful enemy of unknown strength is lurking in the shadows, but nothing is known about their plans.
It was like a time bomb that could explode at any moment. The only good news was that at least the task notification on the panel gave him a warning, letting him know that such a bomb existed.
"Based on previous clues, the mastermind behind the Hunters should be an Ancient Ones from another star system. They haven't given up yet, and the team they've sent this time is definitely no weaker than Albert's team. Hmm... This is troublesome."
Han Xiao found the situation quite troublesome. The emergence of another powerful enemy at this crucial moment in the Secret War added an unexpected variable, which was not a good thing.
After thinking it over, he felt that the most urgent task was to actively search for the enemy's whereabouts, because once the enemy showed up, it meant that they were confident enough to deal with him.
If he didn't know the enemy, it wouldn't have mattered, but the mission prompt gave him a warning, Han Xiao was used to being prepared.
"Now that the third ring has appeared, it means the new Hunters team has already targeted me. There are only a few possibilities for dealing with me: a surprise attack, an ambush, a Reckless assault, or taking advantage of my misfortune..."
Han Xiao frowned in thought. He had almost no clues and no way of judging. Who knew where the enemy would suddenly appear from?
"Looks like we'll have to resort to some mystical methods..."
After boarding the spaceship and setting the destination, the Blacklight Stealth took off, disappearing in a streak of light, leaving behind only a devastated landscape as proof that someone had once visited this planet.
A few days later, at Floating Dragon Island.
The spaceship landed at the dock, Han Xiao ignored the fearful and cowering eyes of the space pirates, heading straight for old man Iso's house.
Iso used to row his boat without oars, relying entirely on the waves. Perhaps it's because he's getting old, but his paternal love has rekindled, and he's turned over a new leaf, now content to retire in Dragon Calm. It's very easy to find him there.
"You said a new group of Hunters has appeared, and they're planning to target you?"
In the room, Iso, dressed in a flamboyant floral pajama and a tilted nightcap, yawned and rubbed his eyes, expressing doubt about the information Han Xiao had provided. He had been taking a leisurely nap, but Han Xiao's barrage of calls had woken him up.
"That's right." Han Xiao nodded upon hearing this.
"So you came to me wanting me to predict what the enemy will do?" Iso stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, the enemy is lurking in the shadows. I need your help."
Iso suddenly looked Han Xiao up and down, then changed the subject, "I heard you recently became Beyond Grade A Seed?"
Han Xiao was taken aback, wondering why he had suddenly brought this up, so he could only nod.
"Hmm, that's something I didn't expect." Iso clicked his tongue. "But don't take it too seriously. Becoming Beyond Grade A isn't easy. It's not just about increasing strength, but also about the sublimation of life form. Every Beyond Grade A is actually a new species..."
Iso had interacted with many Beyond Grade A before, and he didn't mind sharing some of his experiences with Han Xiao.
Han Xiao listened patiently. Although there was a panel, listening to experience was only beneficial and not harmful. As the saying goes, "An elder in the family is a treasure."
After saying a few words, Iso suddenly shook his head.
"Assuming you actually win the gamble and become Beyond Grade A, the Ancient Ones behind the Hunters will immediately cease their Pursuit. The recent Secret War, which has been making headlines, will end because of you alone. The Shattered Star Ring will gain a new Beyond Grade A, and you can immediately sit at the highest level of the table. Those star cluster-level civilizations will voluntarily offer you a share of the spoils. As long as you express your interest, you can easily acquire a vast empire, and all the problems that have been troubling you will be resolved..."
Iso paused, then sighed, "If that day ever comes, you will definitely leave Dragon Calm. Beyond Grade A can't possibly be subordinate to another Beyond Grade A."
Han Xiao thought for a moment, but did not answer.
Indeed, if he truly becomes Beyond Grade A, he will inevitably start his own business.
From the very beginning, Dragon Calm was his chosen short-term patron and springboard. He had done a lot for Dragon Calm and had earned his dues. Even if he left Dragon Calm, he would not be an enemy of Ames.
Ames might be unhappy, but Jenny would absolutely love to get out of there as soon as possible so she could go and cause trouble for someone else.
Iso rubbed his forehead and said helplessly, "Old people tend to ramble. Let's get back to the point. Your clues are insufficient, and I can't guarantee the accuracy of the prediction. It's only for reference. You should weigh the pros and cons yourself."
As he spoke, Iso closed his eyes and began to foresee the future.
Not long after, the old man opened his eyes.
Seeing that Han Xiao was still waiting patiently, Iso spoke up, "I only saw a blurry image. A huge black shadow enveloped you. You struggled left and right, but no matter what you did, you couldn't escape the shadow's range. In the end, the darkness completely swallowed you up."
Han Xiao frowned. "What does this mean?"
"What I see may not be a concrete reality; it might just be a symbol." Iso, acting like Duke of Zhou, immediately began to analyze the dream. "I think this prophecy means that a dark force will be relentlessly Pursuit you. You can't shake it off; there's no escape. In short, it means it's very dangerous."
"... That's it?" Han Xiao's lips twitched. You're trying to fool me, aren't you?
"I told you, the clues are too few, the prophecy is too vague, and it might not even be correct." Iso shrugged. "If I were omniscient and omnipotent, would you have been able to catch me back then?"
Han Xiao was speechless.
You're basically saying nothing at all. I think even the Child of Destiny character card is better than you. If I didn't only have one use left, I would have used it already. You're unreliable, old man.
Iso Aesop messing up, Han Xiao turned to find Ames. Since he was already there, he naturally had to meet her.
Only Ames was in the palace. She was quite happy to see Han Xiao and they chatted for a while. Han Xiao didn't see Hila and the other person, so he asked about it. He learned that Hila had been stimulated by something and had been training hard with Aurora lately.
Han Xiao didn't inform anyone of his return, nor did he intend to disturb the Hila sisters. He chatted with Ames for a few minutes and then asked for her help.
He had a gut feeling that the third mission would be very dangerous, and if he could get Ames's help, he could rest assured.
Unexpectedly, Ames smiled faintly, exuding elegance and nobility, and parted her lips slightly to reject him.
"Black Star, not this time. I have other things to do, and you can't keep asking me for help. This might be a crisis, but you have the potential to become Beyond Grade A. If you really want to become Beyond Grade A, you have to overcome difficulties on your own."
Based on recent rumors, Ames saw the possibility of Han Xiao becoming Beyond Grade A, and she decided to reduce her help to Han Xiao. In her view, crisis is nourishment; only by experiencing crisis can the seed sprout and eventually break through the soil.
When Iso trained her, he used a hawkish approach to help her grow into someone who could stand on her own. Ames followed this method and applied the same requirements to Hila and her sister, although the two sisters had not yet reached the standard to go out into real combat and adventure.
As for Han Xiao, Ames had great faith in his abilities. She believed that overprotecting Black Star was not a good thing, as it would reduce Black Star's opportunities to hone his skills—she genuinely wanted to see Black Star become stronger and would be happy for her friend.
Han Xiao was helpless. After all, Ames was the leader of the faction, and she wasn't always willing to help, not to mention that the enemy this time hadn't even actually appeared yet.
He only asked Ames for help to save trouble. If the Dragon Emperor didn't help, he would have to find a way himself. Over the years, he had encountered countless crises. He would never back down, not in his entire life. He would just get it over with.
After bidding farewell to Ames, Han Xiao boarded a boat and left Dragon Calm, acting swiftly and decisively, coming and going in a hurry.
He was somewhat disappointed that his return to Dragon Calm was not fruitful; he realized that he could still rely on himself after all.
That makes sense, though. As his strength and influence have increased, the level of struggle has become higher and higher, and Dragon Calm's help to him is no longer as great as before.
In the cockpit, Han Xiao piloted the spaceship while pondering countermeasures.
"Ames won't help, Iso is a complete disaster. I need to advance as soon as possible; every bit of strength counts..."
After thinking for a moment, Han Xiao took out his communicator, preparing to contact his friends to find someone to spar with.
Didi--
The communicator suddenly vibrated; Bennett had sent a message.
Han Xiao was startled. After glancing through the text, his expression immediately darkened.
This is not good news.
Since Bennett established Black Star City, he has been so busy with work that he has reduced communication and hasn't sent him a message for some time. Unless it's something important, Bennett won't bother him.
Han Xiao has always attached great importance to this beginner planet. Although most of the veteran players have joined the legion, there will be a continuous stream of new players in the future.
At this critical juncture, he was extremely sensitive and could not help but connect the sudden situation on Planet Aquamarine with the third stage of the [Prey] mission.
Han Xiao frowned, becoming highly vigilant.
"There's definitely something fishy going on here!"
One day ago, on Planet Aquamarine.
In the Black Star City government building, Bennett finished reviewing the backlog of documents, breathed a sigh of relief, put down his pen, and rubbed his temples to relieve eye strain.
"Sigh, being a national leader is more tiring than fighting a war."
Bennett sighed, picked up the hot tea beside him, blew on it to cool it down, and took a small sip. The warm tea warmed his throat and his stomach, and his mental fatigue slowly subsided. His furrowed brows softened and relaxed, and he let out a comfortable sigh.
He spun his chair around to face the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing down at the cityscape outside. Trains sped along their tracks, and the streets were bustling with people chatting and laughing. A harmonious and lively scene unfolded before Bennett's eyes, and he couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.
Seeing that people had a stable life, Bennett felt it was all worthwhile.
Ring ring--
Suddenly, the internal telephone on the table rang urgently, as if it were a matter of life and death.
"There's absolutely no time to rest."
Bennett sighed and reached out to answer the phone.
"Your Excellency, something terrible has happened!"
On the other end of the phone was a high-ranking official under Bennett's command. He was speaking haltingly, his voice sharp and shrill, a typical male voice cracking. Bennett could clearly hear the other person's panic even through the phone, and felt a sharp pain in his eardrums. He held the phone a little further away from his ear.
"What are you yelling about? What happened?" Bennett asked, puzzled.
"Six Nations have simultaneously declared war on us!!"
Bennett froze, his eyes widening in disbelief, and he abruptly stood up!
"They've all gone mad?!"
Clang!
The teacup slipped from his hand and fell to the ground, breaking a hole in the bottom, and hot tea spilled all over the floor.