As Iso, Verna, and Jenny were chatting, a spaceship that all three of them recognized appeared in the distance—it was Han Xiao's Blacklight Stealth.
Why is he back?
All three were taken aback. They had just been talking about Han Xiao and Black Star with the book, and Black Star had already arrived?
The Blacklight Stealth squeezed into the dock of Floating Dragon Island. The hatch opened, and Han Xiao landed on the ground. He glanced at the space pirates trembling like quails in the corner of the dock, pursed his lips, and then saw Iso and his two companions. He walked over to greet them.
"Oh, everyone's here."
"What are you doing back here?" Jenny scoffed.
"It's been so long since I've seen you. I miss you, especially your captivating hairline. I can't stop thinking about you, and I can't sleep well... By the way, have you had any time to sleep lately?"
Han Xiao raised an eyebrow. Having known each other for so long, he knew Jenny's G-spot well and knew how to make her explode with flirtatious remarks.
"You're such a bastard!" Jenny was hit where it hurt, gritted her teeth, and too lazy to talk to Han Xiao anymore. She turned around and left, her footsteps stomping heavily on the ground as if she were using the ground as Han Xiao's washbasin, wishing she could poke a hole in Floating Dragon Island with her heels.
Watching Jenny leave, Han Xiao then turned to Verna, "What were you doing just now?"
"I... we're inspecting the Second Field Operations Unit..." Verna stammered, her face slightly flushed. This unit was set up by Han Xiao with his own money. Iso had just told her that it was a symbol of Han Xiao's determination to leave. Now that the person in charge had suddenly appeared, she felt uneasy and had a strange sense of nervousness, as if she had been caught red-handed.
Iso, having seen his share of ups and downs, wasn't embarrassed at all. He changed the subject, saying, "Are you looking for Ames? She doesn't know you're back. She's probably in the palace practicing her abilities right now. Go find her."
Han Xiao nodded, casually ruffled Verna's hair, and left satisfied when he saw that her face was as red as if it were ripe, almost burning hot.
Although Verna is Calamity Grade, this girl is so cute and cuddly that Han Xiao can't help but want to pat her head and tease her every time he sees her. After all, she is his future successor, so he doesn't stand on ceremony and acts casually.
He had just finished a job, and since Floating Dragon Island was nearby, he decided to come back and take a look around, planning to use the Blank Character Card to inscribe one of Ames's abilities.
As Han Xiao approached the vicinity of the palace, he encountered Hila and Aurora, and his eyes lit up.
Hila wore a red, tight-fitting combat suit made of high-strength nanofiber material. Compared to three years ago, she had a broader chest and a more voluptuous figure. Her appearance and temperament were becoming increasingly similar to the "Goddess of Death" from her previous life. She was extremely cold and indifferent. The aloof art style, combined with her charming and cold face, created a contrasting allure.
Aurora her frame and body size were still Number One smaller than Hila's, her milk production was on par with Hela's. Just by looking at the picture book, it was clear that she had developed her life ability extremely well. Her skin was fair and tender, and she was full of energy, clearly indicating that she was overnourished.
The two men, their foreheads covered in sweat, were walking out of the palace, seemingly having just finished a workout. Upon seeing Han Xiao, they both stopped in their tracks.
"Wow, you've come to see us?" Aurora with delight, jumping into Han Xiao's arms and squirming excitedly.
Hila's eye twitched, and she slowly walked over.
"Alright, alright, that's big enough, big enough." Han Xiao quickly pushed Aurora away, pressing her forehead, and looked at the two of them with a gratified expression. "It seems you've done quite well training under Ames's guidance."
Both sisters possessed Grade S superpower potential and were growing rapidly. Their energy fluctuations reached Grade B standards, with Hila's being slightly more powerful. Han Xiao estimated Hila's energy level to be around 6000.
'In the original 3.0 storyline, she had already reached the Calamity Grade. Although she hasn't increased her strength through slaughter, given her potential and diligence, the chances of her advancing to the Calamity Grade within these seven years are still quite high.'
Han Xiao had a sudden thought, paused, and while rubbing Aurora's head, asked Hila, "When you become Calamity Grade being, come back and help me."
With her past life's achievements as a foundation, Hila's combat strength is definitely not weak. Once she reaches Grade A, she will surely become a powerful assistant. Aurora's milk production is amazing. With this powerful healing, she can effectively reduce casualties among the cadres, which is of great use.
"Okay." Hila nodded, this time answering decisively without the slightest hint of arrogance.
"I thought you'd hesitate for a while, after all, it's very safe here with Ames, and haven't you always prioritized safety?"
Hila remained expressionless. "This was originally something we agreed upon. Once I reach the Calamity Grade, I will naturally be able to protect Aurora. We can't stay in one place forever. Now that we're in the universe, we should see different corners of the world. Besides, she already has a certain ability to protect herself."
Han Xiao looked Hila up and down. "Why do I feel like I'm being a little insincere?"
"Hmph." Hila turned her face away.
She cultivated diligently, not only to protect Aurora in the more dangerous Galaxy, but also to gain the qualifications to help Han Xiao as soon as possible, in order to repay his kindness. She has a strong personality and she must repay what she owes others.
Moreover, working for Han Xiao meant I could see him often, whereas cultivating in Dragon Calm meant I could only see Han Xiao once in a long while, which I missed terribly.
"Are you here to see His Majesty the Dragon Emperor?" Hila asked.
"Mmm."
"... She should be in the garden, go find her."
Hila lowered her eyes.
Just as Han Xiao was about to step into the palace, Hila suddenly called out to him from behind, unable to resist asking, "Just how powerful have you become?"
She hadn't reached Han Xiao's level yet, and all the news reports exaggerated things, so she was always very curious about Han Xiao's true combat strength.
"Hmm, even if you had two hands, I could probably take on a hundred thousand of you." Han Xiao smiled.
Hila gritted her teeth inwardly.
Even though he had known Han Xiao the longest, he couldn't even keep up with Han Xiao's pace, which once again ignited his competitive spirit.
Upon arriving in the garden, Ames was floating in the air, gazing at a dim star on the horizon with her hands behind her back.
Hearing footsteps, she looked down and slowly landed in front of Han Xiao, her long, smooth hair and sheer black dress fluttering in the wind.
"You're back, Black Star." Ames' eyes crinkled with a smile as she praised, "I heard about your sponsorship of the Second Field Operations Unit; you did a great job."
"Money makes everything easy." Han Xiao chuckled and secretly used Blank Character Card from the panel on Ames. The new character card instantly took shape and became Ames's Character Summon Card.
"You came back to find me, is there something you need?" Ames blinked.
"Can't I come back to see you if there's nothing wrong?" Han Xiao naturally wouldn't say directly that it was for the Blank Character Card.
Ames suddenly remarked, "You're becoming more and more relaxed around me."
"It's because we're already quite familiar with each other," Han Xiao chuckled.
"Is that all?" Ames stared into Han Xiao's eyes, a half-smile playing on her lips.
As Black Star grew stronger, his status and power continued to rise, and the gap between the two in all aspects narrowed rapidly. Black Star became more and more casual when facing her, no longer acting as a subordinate, but rather exchanging ideas as equals.
The thought flashed through her mind, Ames suddenly asked, "How long has it been since I last visited your territory?"
Han Xiao was taken aback, then thought for a moment, "It's been several years, hasn't it? What happened?"
The last time Ames visited the Black Star Army was at the very beginning of version 2.0, and it was around that time that she took Hila and her sister as her students.
"Only a few years have passed, and your power has grown to this extent. Black Star, take me to visit your territory again." Ames tilted her head, a smile in her eyes that Han Xiao couldn't understand.
Han Xiao was a little surprised, but he was used to Ames's impulsive and unpredictable personality. After thinking about it, he didn't seem to have any reason to refuse, figuring that Ames was probably just bored out of her mind. So he nodded, "Okay, since you want the leader to come on an inspection tour, I'll accompany you. I happen to be on vacation recently, so how about we go to the Black Star Army headquarters?"
"Yes, you decide." Ames smiled.
The two of them left without hesitation.
Iso was still inspecting the troops at the dock and hadn't left. When he saw that Han Xiao had only left for a short while before taking Ames away on the spaceship, he immediately looked helpless.
The outer space orbit of Planet Golden Gate, the Black Star Army headquarters satellite.
The Blacklight Stealth returned to headquarters, and the two disembarked from the spaceship. Han Xiao led Ames on a tour of the various areas of headquarters, while members of the Black Star Army who passed by cast strange glances at them.
Rumors of the two splitting up have never disappeared. Seeing their legion Ames appear together now, many people felt strange. Currently, Ames is still the Black Star Army's superior, and it seems like she's here for an inspection.
Han Xiao introduced everything along the way, Ames listened silently without saying a word. They quickly toured all the areas of the headquarters and finally arrived at Han Xiao's office. At this time, all the Black Star Army cadres who were at the headquarters had been summoned by Han Xiao and were waiting in the office to meet with Ames and be inspected.
As soon as Ames entered, the Black Star Army officers who were waiting stood up, nodded in greeting, and showed sufficient respect to the Beyond Grade A powerhouse.
Ames glanced around, saw Melos and the others, and smiled slightly, "I still remember you guys; you were all Black Star's old subordinates."
"Your name is Melos, right?" Ames approached Melos, smiling and nodding. "I can see your potential; you should be able to reach the Calamity Grade."
Melos's face lit up with joy. He had been troubled by this matter, but now he felt much more relaxed. He trusted the judgment of the Beyond Grade A.
Ames then went to Aroshia, and seeing that she was still so indifferent, she smiled slightly, said nothing, and then moved to Sylvia, reaching out to pat Sylvia's head.
"What a bright child! I think you have the potential to become Calamity Grade monster."
Sylvia blinked, her eyes wide, feeling a little strange.
She always felt that Ames seemed to enjoy speculating about other people's potential, wondering if it was just a quirk of hers.
Ames paused briefly in front of each of the officers, saying a few words. Each officer reacted differently: Fording smiled warmly, Harmon looked bewildered, Reynold was serious and earnest, Lothaire was neither humble nor arrogant, Kampe, Marion, and Mischich, the three Calamity Grade who had come to join them, were both trembling and excited.
Finally standing before Lagi, Ames looked him over a few more times. "I never imagined you were Austin's Forbidden Sorcerer commander."
"Sigh, what's the use? I still got fired."
Lagi sighed. He was used to seeing Beyond Grade A powerhouses, and at this moment, his attitude was the most casual among all the cadres. He was obviously a lazy bum who had seen the world.
Ames smiled and returned to Han Xiao's side. She had just inspected everyone, and at this moment, none of the legion's officers spoke; their auras were completely suppressed by Ames.
"Alright, Black Star, I'm going back now."
"You're leaving already?" Han Xiao was taken aback. They came all this way, only to take a stroll around and then leave. Aren't they going to stay and play for a few more days?
"I've seen what I wanted to see." Ames shook her head.
The rise of the Black Star Army was too rapid. Observing the Black Star Army was equivalent to observing Han Xiao's ambition. She had figured out what she wanted to know and already had the answer in her heart.
Perhaps... I'm really not suited to be his leader.
Han Xiao's eyes flashed, and he understood something. He sighed inwardly and had no choice but to dismiss the cadres. He then took Ames back to the dock, and the two remained silent the entire way.
"Send me a spaceship, I'll go back myself, you don't need to make the trip again," Ames said.
"Okay, I'll have someone arrange it." Han Xiao called over the person in charge of the dock and asked him to bring over a spare spaceship.
The two waited for the spaceship at the dock. Without turning her head, Ames suddenly spoke.
"Years ago, you informed me that you were going to participate in Secret War, but you didn't ask me for help. Why didn't you do that?"
Upon hearing this, Han Xiao coughed and said, "Your identity is sensitive, and it's not suitable for you to participate in the Secret War. I informed you, and you didn't stop me, so I took that as your tacit approval. At that time, you didn't express any intention to interfere, so I didn't ask you for help."
"But why not give it a try?"
What does this mean...? Han Xiao frowned, only able to see the back of Ames's head; she still hadn't turned around, so he had to change the subject.
"A few years ago, when I was ambushed by Wan... cough cough, Krent, I asked you for help, but you didn't agree."
Han Xiao was referring to the third stage of the [Prey] quest, when he requested Ames's help but was refused.
"If you had insisted back then, I would still have agreed. If you had insisted on inviting me to join the Secret War, I might not have refused... although I don't like getting involved in these things." Ames said calmly.
Han Xiao couldn't see her face, but could analyze her tone, and tentatively asked, "You mean, you want to get involved in the Secret War?"
"They don't need me anymore."
Ames paused, then changed the subject, saying calmly, "From the first day I met you, I've never seen you stop moving forward. Why?"
Are you trying to play riddles with me? When did you become so enigmatic...? Han Xiao's lips twitched. After thinking for a moment, he said helplessly, "It's not time to stop yet. You have the means to stop, but I don't."
"... What are you afraid of?"
Han Xiao's eyes flickered slightly, but he did not answer.
Just then, a spaceship finally stopped in front of Ames, the hatch opened, and a gangway was lowered to invite her aboard.
Ames stretched, her clothes tightening to accentuate her beautifully curved waist. She sighed and whispered, "I hope one day you'll be willing to stop and look at the scenery along the way... This universe, however vast, has an end, but ambition is endless."
After saying that, she strode up the gangway, closed the cabin door, and blocked Han Xiao's view. She never looked back, so his expression was not visible.
Watching the spaceship eject from orbit and disappear into the horizon as a streak of light, Han Xiao finally looked away, exhaled, and rubbed his temples.
He always felt that Ames had changed; her temper was becoming increasingly unpredictable.
When exactly did she start to change...? Han Xiao pondered.
The conflict between the Crimson Dynasty and the Federation of Light has an impact that extends throughout the entire Galaxy. A single move can have Crimson Tide consequences, affecting various star regions and causing ongoing unrest. The power structure is being reshuffled amidst these conflicts, and battles of varying sizes are taking place in the star clusters of the Shattered Star Ring.
The Crimson Tide swept across the entire Galaxy, and by comparison, the chaos of the Shattered Star Ring was merely the tip of the iceberg under the overwhelming force of the Crimson Tide.
The situation in the Secret War is several times more complex than in the previous life, with more participants and even many "unexpected" events that did not occur before. However, in general, the War Realm and the Section Zero remain evenly matched, and the situation is deadlocked.
Scenes of ion cannons clashing, warships shattering, and superhumans fighting one after another unfolded, with countless battles, negotiations, Assassination, looting, and rebellions taking place in turn.
War is also an opportunity. No one goes to war for the sake of war. The Black Star Army draws nourishment from war and expands steadily.
Han Xiao is active in the Secret War, using war to sustain war, and has become the most dazzling new star on this stage.
The tide of events is like a surging river, never to be stopped or reversed. The Secret War between the Shattered Star Ring Krent and the Amethyst intensifies amidst this chaos that affects the entire universe.
The raging flames of war claimed seven years of this universe.