A group of Imperial Beyond Grade A traveled from the Shattered World back to the Shattered Star Ring through the Empire's stargate transportation network in the Dawn Star Cluster. After a period of travel, Han Xiao, along with Milizaus and the others, arrived at the headquarters of the Black Star Army in the Colton Star Cluster.
During their journey, the Crimson Dynasty and the Arcane Church confronted each other on the border of the Central Galaxy, creating a tense situation.
Meanwhile, on the Shattered Star Ring side, the Empire's forces deployed at the edge of the Shattered World thoroughly investigated the location of the secret stargate exit that Han Xiao had pinpointed, only to find it deserted.
Upon learning this news on the way, everyone knew that the main task now would be to search the fleet and intelligence personnel. There was not much they could do; they could only wait for the Empire's summons.
Inside the spaceship, Han Xiao, Milizaus's magical clone, Beoni, Maxiler gathered together, gazing out the porthole at the magnificent headquarters of the Black Star Army.
Warships rose and fell on the massive planetary fortress, machinery covered the surface, and rows of metal fortresses stood side by side.
The magnificent fleet landed at the dock, and the legion officers who remained at headquarters had received the news early on and came out to greet them.
As they opened the hatch, Han Xiao and the others disembarked from the spaceship. Before them stood a dense crowd of people, with legion soldiers lined up in rows, bowing and saluting in unison. The sound of their movements was perfectly synchronized, and their shouts echoed in unison.
"Commander!"
Seeing this, Han Xiao paused, somewhat bewildered.
Why is it all so solemn, like a military parade? It certainly has a grand display, but he didn't order it to be done this way.
The legion officers stood at the front of the crowd, Sylvia gave Lagi a push.
Reluctantly, Lagi, the vice-commander, stepped forward, cleared his throat, and forced a smile, saying in a not-too-dejected voice, "Ahem, welcome back, Commander."
Han Xiao's eyelids twitched. "What are you guys doing? It's only been a few months, why are you making such a fuss..."
"Sylvia said that now the whole universe knows that you defeated Beyond Grade A powerhouse head-on, so we should take this opportunity to boost the cohesion of the legion members..." Melos stepped forward and whispered.
There was another reason he didn't mention: Sylvia learned that Han Xiao had invited other imperial allies to the headquarters, so she deliberately created this spectacle to boost Han Xiao's prestige and make him look good.
Of course, Lagi thought this was unnecessary, but in the end he couldn't resist Sylvia and she put on the parade-like display. In front of the powerful affairs officer who handled all kinds of affairs in the legion, Lagi, the slacking-off vice commander, had no prestige and was basically an unlucky mascot.
Han Xiao didn't like this kind of pretentious display, nor did he need the legion to save face for him, but he didn't dwell on this small matter. Since he had delegated authority, he had to allow others to have their own ideas. Changing the subject, he instructed, "Arrange rooms for these three gentlemen."
"It was all arranged long ago." Sylvia nodded.
At this moment, Lagi sighed, "I heard that Austin got involved in this mess, causing heavy losses to the Forbidden Sorcerer forces. I wonder if it's true?"
"Yes." Han Xiao nodded.
"Sigh, some familiar faces have disappeared again. Luckily, I changed jobs..." Lagi shook his head, listlessly. "But there's no point in talking about it. In a few years, the substances that make up our bodies will decay, and we'll all become part of the universe..."
"Alright, I know we're all just dust, so shut up." Han Xiao interrupted Lagi's habitual dejection.
Having prevented Lagi from embarrassing himself on the spot, Han Xiao turned to look at Milizaus and the others.
"I still have some miscellaneous tasks to take care of. You guys go and rest first. If you need anything, just ask the administrator. I'll come find you later."
"Good."
Milizaus and his two companions had no objections. Having arrived on someone else's territory, they observed etiquette and followed instructions.
After watching the three enter the headquarters, Han Xiao turned and went to his office, where he met with all the officers and inquired about recent affairs.
Now that the legion is on the right track, coupled with the deterrent power of their leader, no foolish forces in the Shattered Star Ring dare to provoke them.
Moreover, due to the expansion of the Black Star Army, space pirates and scavengers hurriedly avoided the Legion's territory, which improved the security of many areas and was praised by many star system civilizations.
When it was the Logistics Department's turn, Reynold completed his report meticulously. After listening, Han Xiao didn't ask him about legion affairs, but instead inquired about Nero's studies.
"He's very talented and learns very quickly. I can give him any number of theoretical books, and he can finish them all."
They were probably forced to watch it...
Han Xiao's lips twitched. He silently mourned for Nero for two seconds before asking, "Where is he?"
"Outside the door." Reynold went out and brought Nero in.
It had been a while since I'd seen Nero, and he had changed a lot. He had developed dark circles under his eyes and looked sleepy, as if he had been constantly drowsy.
When Nero saw Han Xiao, he wasn't as lively as before. He just stared blankly with his eyes and greeted him listlessly.
"Hello, godfather."
"You..."
Seeing his miserable state, Han Xiao felt a headache coming on.
Reynold, you're a monster! Look what you've done to the child, he's completely exhausted!
Han Xiao muttered to himself, "It seems I have to hide Nero well and not let any players touch him. Otherwise, those chaotic and evil players might be able to trigger a quest like ' Assassination Reynold ' on Nero."
Shaking his head, Han Xiao summoned Nero and gently pricked him, triggering combat information and allowing him to view Nero's stats.
"Wait, what is this...?"
After glancing at it, Han Xiao's gaze suddenly sharpened, and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes!
Suddenly, a new skill appeared in Nero's skill list that hadn't been there before: [Intermediate Mechanical Sense]!
'I guessed right! Nero possesses High-Level Lucky Halo, qualifying him to acquire template feats, even Mechanical Sense feats!'
Although he's only at the [Intermediate Mechanical Sense] level now, if Nero continues learning like this, it seems he really has a chance to master Reynold's [Perfect Mechanical Sense]!
Han Xiao was almost desperate about Reynold's stubbornness, but now that he had a new breakthrough, he was thrilled!
Thinking of this, Han Xiao looked at Nero with concern, patted his little head, and said with heartache, "You look terrible, are you studying too hard?"
Nero glanced at Reynold stealthily, his small body trembling almost imperceptibly, and murmured, "N-not tired..."
"Don't be afraid, I'm here. Just tell the truth."
Meeting Han Xiao's kind gaze, Nero pursed his lips, feeling a surge of courage welling up inside him. He thought of the great figures in history books who fought against the DarkStar. Where there is oppression, there is resistance. He finally couldn't hold back any longer and loudly denounced the crimes of "Great Demon King" Reynold.
"Godfather, he... he doesn't treat me like a human being at all! So much homework, is that for a human to do? I barely get three hours of sleep a day, it's affecting my development! I'm still a child!"
Han Xiao glanced at Reynold and snorted, "Is that so?"
Reynold said with a serious expression, "Since the Legion Commander has entrusted Nero to me, I will not let you down and will definitely train him to become a master mechanic!"
"Sigh, I know your intentions are good, but you need to pay attention to your methods." Han Xiao shook his head.
Upon hearing this, Nero's eyes regained their sparkle, and a surge of excited hope welled up within him.
My godfather is speaking up for me!
Could it be... that this hellish life can finally end today?!
He was so excited he almost trembled; an overwhelming longing welled up inside him, like a person dying of thirst in the desert seeing an oasis.
At this moment, in Nero's eyes, Han Xiao seemed to be radiating holy light.
Just then, Han Xiao took out bottles filled with the blood of the Astral Spirit Dragon, Milizaus's blood, which he had collected on the battlefield. He then said to Reynold:
"Give this dragon blood to One Leaf Green and have her research a gentle physique-enhancing agent."
The next moment, Han Xiao turned around, stared at Nero, and smiled.
"Reynold didn't think this through... How can you study well without a healthy body? This potion made from dragon blood can replenish your nutrients and refresh your mind. Sleeping late won't affect your development. Don't worry, follow Reynold and study hard!"
Nero's smile froze on his face, and his eyes slowly widened.
In his eyes, the holy light surrounding Han Xiao instantly transformed into a demonic black aura, and his godfather's smile was filled with malice, like the smile of a devil.
Two hot tears welled up from my tear ducts, held in my eyes, and almost overflowed like a burst dam.
Nero cried, a heart-wrenching, agonizing cry that could move anyone to tears.
My godfather is a devil too!!
Waaaaah... Mom and Dad, I don't want to come to space anymore, I want to go home!
Upon hearing this, Reynold, who was standing next to him, brightened up, nodded, and looked at him with approval.
--As expected of my respected legion commander, you're a villain too.
Han Xiao asked Sylvia to take Nero aside and comfort him. It was a pity that Lothaire had gone off to start a revolution, otherwise she could have easily recovered from her mental trauma.
Next, he used a Blank Character Card on Reynold to replenish the uses of [Perfect Mechanical Sense]. Unlike the original mission reward, Blank Character Card usually only has one use.
It's unclear how long it will take for Nero to learn [Perfect Mechanical Sense]. After the battle on Lighthouse Star, Han Xiao has remained on guard, worried that the Arcane Church might resort to desperate measures, so he is always prepared with his trump cards.
After finishing his internal affairs, Han Xiao went to find Milizaus and the others, showed them around the legion headquarters, and took the opportunity to contact Tarrokov to discuss the Empire's pursuit.
The Empire's fleet in the Shattered Star Ring's Desolate Universe Belt was smaller than that of the Shattered World, and coupled with the enemy's use of secret stargate jumps, the Empire was unable to set up a blockade in advance. Taking advantage of the brief vacuum of pursuit, Sagman and his men escaped the Empire's sights and fled to the Shattered Star Ring via a detour.
"Based on the spatial folds they left behind, I determine that the four members of the Sagman group split up, which makes our search more difficult." Tarrokov's projection floated beside the four, walking together.
"Once they enter the Shattered Star Ring, it'll be like a drop of water merging into the ocean—they'll be very difficult to find," Beoni said, sputtering sparks.
"Yes, His Excellency thinks so too," Tarrokov nodded. "Moreover, according to reliable intelligence, the Arcane Church has already mobilized its agents, whom they've had planted for years in the Shattered Star Ring, in order to rescue these four Beyond Grade A individuals. Cosmic civilizations have spies lurking in every star system, and there are quite a few of them. They're disguised as people from all walks of life, making them extremely difficult to detect. They are very important intelligence channels and secret forces. With their help, the chances of Sagman and the others escaping will be much greater."
"A lurking spy... If we could get our hands on the spy list and the book, we could trace it back." Han Xiao pondered, stroking his chin.
"That's impossible," Tarrokov shook his head. "These kinds of lists are usually stored in the main database of cosmic-level civilizations, maintained by Beyond Grade A virtual mechanics. The firewalls are extremely robust; there's no way to hack in."
"Didn't those spies make contact with their superiors?"
"Spies and agents of a cosmic-level civilization report directly to the intelligence agency. A simple, encrypted command can make them willingly remain undercover for ten years. They don't have any actual superiors."
"Oh, I see. Never mind then." Han Xiao shook his head, dismissing the idea.
Tarrokov: "Although the capture has become much more difficult, we cannot give up halfway. Moreover, we have gained an unexpected advantage Implicated uncovering the Arcane Church's spy network. We can try to uproot it completely, eradicate the Arcane Church's arrangements in the Shattered Star Ring, and destroy their years of infiltration! It will take them decades to redeploy their spies."
"Yes, that's good. Statistically speaking, it's better to eliminate the spies of the Arcane Church than to hunt down four incredibly agile Beyond Grade A," Maxiler said. He was a tall and composed mechanic.
Having captured two Beyond Grade A prisoners, including Milizaus, they were already satisfied with this result.
Their concern was that the Arcane Church, having lost even more Beyond Grade A, might actually become desperate and resort to large-scale assassinations of each other's Beyond Grade A.
This is not without precedent. More than a thousand years ago, during the end of the 20th century, a historical event called the "Saint Menason Incident" occurred.
At that time, the leaders of the Three Universal Civilizations were not the people they are now. The incident was caused by the fact that a certain important Beyond Grade A of the Federation of Light named "Saint Menason" was suspected of being attacked by two Beyond Grade A- levels of the Empire without authorization. Their goal was to steal the Universal Treasure in Saint Menason's possession. During the escort, the Federation of Light gathered more Beyond Grade A combat power, intercepted them halfway, retrieved the Universal Treasure, and killed the two Imperial Beyond Grade A.
The fact that the two deceased Imperial Beyond Grade A had many friends became the catalyst for the subsequent events.
Because of this incident, the Federation of Light and the Crimson Dynasty politically condemned each other, and the matter should have been dropped.
However, nine months later, the Empire's Beyond Grade A combat forces secretly joined forces and went to another star system to massacre the headquarters of three Beyond Grade A forces allied with the Federation of Light. They besieged and killed two Federation of Light Beyond Grade A, with only one escaping because he was away. During this time, the biological brother of a Beyond Grade A from the Arcane Church was visiting the territory of the attacked party and died in the aftermath.
Therefore, the Arcane Church was also dragged into the fray, and the massive assassination of Beyond Grade A beings, known as the "Tragedy of the Pinnacle," began. The Three Universal Civilizations frequently assassinated each other's Beyond Grade A beings. The more people died, the more uncontrollable the situation became, because in the eyes of the civilizations, Beyond Grade A beings were strategic deterrent weapons. If their own Beyond Grade A beings died, they would not allow others' Beyond Grade A beings to survive. Moreover, under the influence of blood feuds and the attitudes of allies, the Three Universal Civilizations could not alleviate the contradictions between their Beyond Grade A combat capabilities and could only grit their teeth and fight against each other's Beyond Grade A.
In the "Tragedy of the Pinnacle" incident, many Beyond Grade A beings from the Three Universal Civilizations perished. The turning point of this incident was that the Three Universal Civilizations claimed that behind the "Saint Menason Incident" and the deaths of their Beyond Grade A brothers in the Arcane Church, there was actually a mastermind: the supercluster-level civilizations at the time. The Three Universal Civilizations claimed to have solid intelligence and believed that these supercluster-level civilizations were stirring up trouble behind the scenes, wanting to cause them to lose their Beyond Grade A.
Immediately afterwards, with their tacit agreement, the Three Universal Civilizations shifted the blame and wiped out the Beyond Grade A allies of those supercluster-level civilizations, thus bringing this bloody "Tragedy of the Pinnacle" event to an end.
At that time, about half of the Beyond Grade A in the entire universe died. In the midst of the frenzy, even some Beyond Grade A who had remained neutral could not escape the chaos, and some were forced to join the Three Universal Civilizations.
As for whether the mastermind behind it all is a supercluster-level civilization, only the Three Universal Civilizations know for sure; that's what the history books say anyway.
Beyond Grade A beings died, but their civilizations endured. Although the Three Universal Civilizations since the Galaxy Era were much more peaceful compared to the Exploration Era, which was filled with iron-blooded energy, most people did not want to see history repeat itself. After that event, the probability of Beyond Grade A beings sacrificing themselves decreased significantly.
Tarrokov smiled and said:
"Don't worry, even if we can't catch Sagman and the others, we have one target that they absolutely cannot escape from."
"It's Sisko, isn't it?" Han Xiao laughed as well.
The Star Pupil Protoss are in the Shattered Star Ring. Sisko can't just run away; he can't hide forever. Even if the Empire abides by the Peace Treaty and doesn't attack the Star Pupil Protoss, Sisko can't stay away forever. Sisko must be regretting it.
If they had successfully killed Han Xiao, eliminated a major threat, and reclaimed the Evolution Cube, even if the Empire held them accountable, Sisko wouldn't be in such a passive position now, thanks to the protection of the Arcane Church.
As for now, Sisko's face is practically screaming "misery."
Han Xiao has only one opinion about Sisko's current situation:
--It's hopeless, let's move.