The metal bulkhead of the battleship was covered in ridges and holes, with exposed energy lines sparking uncontrollably. The cabin resembled a scene from a fierce battle—flames crackling inside, and the ground was littered with the charred remains of crew members. A group of warriors in full body armor surveyed the bodies, firing energy guns whenever they found a survivor. The killed crew were all Rock Sprites, an older race with rough, tawny skin, standing around three meters tall, and covered in coarse hair. Though made of flesh and blood, they had naturally rock-hard skin and excelled at uncovering rare ores. With their metal resources, they were a relatively powerful star system-level civilization in the Sea of Star Spirits. The uniforms of all crew members bore the symbol of their civilization, confirming this was a regular unit under their official government. Yet, it had been attacked and the entire crew annihilated. At the far end of the battleship stood a massive metallic warehouse door. The leader of the attackers stood before it, using a specialized tool to crack the code. The disc-shaped device was pressed against the door’s control panel, and a high-pitched beep echoed.
Buzz!
The door swung open with a loud creak. The leader strode inside and saw hundreds of Evolutionary Totems neatly arranged in the warehouse.
"We’ve secured the goods. Clean up and deliver them." The men nodded, satisfied, and led their subordinates over.
The Rock Sprites had purchased a batch of Evolutionary Totems from the Black Star Army. When this news leaked, their attackers had set an ambush to steal these Totems. To infiltrate and clear out the guards of a star system-level civilization so easily... it was clearly not a small bandit group. These attackers were also interstellar mercenaries, but their modus operandi differed. Mercenaries were categorized into three types: registered ones under the Mercenary Alliance (like the Black Star Army), independent operators, and black market mercenaries.
‘Black Jobs’ referred to criminal operations violating interstellar law, typically posted only on the black market. These included looting, kidnapping, and assassinating officials. Black market mercenaries were usually criminals—many originally on wanted lists. This group belonged to a top black market mercenary organization, the Blood Gold Organization. The Blood Gold Organization operated around the Sea of Star Spirits, Ancient Star Desert, and Primeval Star River, with their members’ identities, ships, and bases kept secret. Their actions were low-key, making their exact size a mystery, but it was obvious they were a gigantic force to conduct business across three star fields. At the same time, the Blood Gold Organization ranked high in the black market hierarchy. Wherever there was trade control, black markets would emerge, breeding into vast networks. Different levels existed within the black market, categorized by region and business scope—from planetary to star system-level and finally galactic. The highest level black market dominated all others. And this top-tier black market knew how to make a fortune—or else they wouldn’t have named themselves the ‘galactic black market’. Those unfamiliar might still think it was just a term, but it was an actual organization. Of course, not all black market operations followed the galactic black market’s hierarchy, like how some gang leaders didn’t acknowledge a central kingpin. The galactic black market was colossal, covering the entire universe. It served as a communication hub for underground societies. However, not all criminals existed for evil; many were simply in it for profit, requiring order and credibility. Hence, administrators emerged, representing mercenaries, intelligence agencies, smuggling trades, and other gray industries. The Blood Gold Organization was one of these administrators, equivalent to a tyrant in the underworld. The Fallen Ark was not an administrator, as the galactic black market’s rulers typically fell under Lawful Evil. They also disliked EsGod, a Chaotic Evil faction. While both were criminals, they did not align. After Fallen Ark collapsed, the Blood Gold Organization absorbed many of its criminals, helping them reintegrate. An officer approached the leader, eyeing the crew carrying away the Totems. "The price of Evolutionary Totems on the black market is sky-high now. As far as I know, several civilizations are secretly buying them. How much do you think we can get for this batch?" "Don’t even think about it. This is our employer’s order—we just need to deliver. To think of hoarding the goods... are you losing your mind?" The leader shook his head. After a year and a half of operations, the Evolutionary Totems’ market had stabilized. Some civilizations dependent on the Federation of Light or the Arcane Church couldn’t deal with the Crimson Dynasty directly and began purchasing now. No one had forgotten the Black Star Army’s battle records a year and a half ago, so stealing from them was too risky. They focused on other organizations transporting Totems, targeting civilizations willing to pay. This violated Galactic Laws, so the Blood Gold Organization—a key player in the black market—was uniquely positioned. The Evolutionary Totems were nearly priceless on the black market and always in short supply. After stealing the Totems from the Rock Sprites, they destroyed the spaceship entirely before departing. Such incidents had occurred frequently in recent months across the universe. ...
"Another buyer got robbed halfway?"
In his office at the Black Star Army headquarters, Han Xiao closed the player forums, studying Sylvia’s long-distance projection with a frown. "Thirteen star system civilizations have been robbed. Thousands of Evolutionary Totems now flood the black market. Where did this happen?"
"In the Sea of Star Spirits. The perpetrators’ identities are unknown, but preliminary analysis suggests they’re connected to past attacks."
Han Xiao stroked his chin. "Monitor the black market. If Evolutionary Totems disappear for a while, it’s likely the black market mercenaries’ handiwork. They usually deliver quickly."
"Teacher, do we need to intervene?"
"No need. I’m not in charge of after-sales. Whether they protect their purchases is their problem... though if they hire my mechanical troops, things could change." Han Xiao waved his hand. "What’s the Rock Sprites’ response?"
"They’re hoping you’ll send another batch."
"Send? Not buy?"
"Correct. They know Evolutionary Totems have low base costs and refuse to buy more at inflated prices. They want you to gift them a batch. You’ve known their directness before." Sylvia helplessly sighed.
"Tell them I don’t run an insurance business. If they want to buy, they can purchase another batch. There’s no such thing as a replacement batch. This is a matter of principle."
Han Xiao shook his head. If he agreed, who knew if some civilization would resort to ‘self-theft’ to get a replacement? He wouldn’t risk it. This kind of unpredictability was hard to manage. He didn’t mind Totems being stolen—the more they were robbed, the more he’d sell, easing market pressure. He wasn’t losing money anyway. The only issue would be the dynasty, not him. As long as it didn’t escalate to the Black Star Army, he didn’t care.
Sylvia understood. Over the past year and a half, the Black Star Army had stabilized operations, expanded influence, and refined their business model. His style of doing things had become akin to a mechanic—staying behind the scenes to build machinery while his mechanical army handled looting missions for random rewards, using them to earn Mission Completion Cards. His experience reserves had slowly accumulated, and part of his Potential Points went into upgrading his Ultimate Knowledges. During this period, he gained his fifth Ultimate Knowledge, [Ultimate Mechanical Engineering], from the Dynasty for 6,000 Contribution Points.
This knowledge focused on machinery manufacturing, greatly enhancing production efficiency and line capacity. He also unlocked the talent [Ultimate Manufacturer], boosting base performance by 25–30% and production speed by 300–500%. As for [Inspirational Creation], an inactive ability requiring max-level 5 for [Ultimate Mechanical Engineering], it allowed unlimited blueprint combinations for refinement. While not directly useful for Han, it was irreplaceable for synthesizing Universal Treasure blueprints. One could focus on attack, defense, or other aspects, creating more stable blueprints than random ones. Leveling up this ability required vast experience—a mountain of it. For players unable to manually refine blueprints, this ability acted like magic. However, Han could refine blueprints himself, making this skill less critical but still valuable.
Currently, Han Xiao had two Universal Treasures but definitely wouldn’t complain about more. Synthesizing them wasn’t easy, as even identical blueprints yielded different results due to randomization. In his past life, some players had created Universal Treasure blueprints, but two issues limited this: opacity in combinations and the high entry requirement (only available to Beyond Grade A). Most players couldn’t even meet the prerequisites. Thus, Han Xiao temporarily set aside [Inspirational Creation]. To reach max-level 5 for [Ultimate Mechanical Engineering], he needed too many Potential Points, and he reserved some for version upgrades. He dared not waste experience.
...
The overall situation in the Gulal Civil War had stabilized, and they were progressing step by step. No issues arose during the process as the Pioneer Party approached victory. However, players’ attention had shifted to the Pro League. With more players, this version’s Pro League gained popularity, attracting significant interest. The schedule had been fine-tuned: heats and qualifiers started earlier, allowing more participation and time for wildcard selections and regular season lineups.
Han Xiao watched qualifiers via the forums, appreciating the players’ absurd antics and idiocy. Official matches included three formats: Capture the Flag (free-for-all with infinite respawns), team dungeon challenges, and survival battles (referred to as ‘holding pee the longest’ by players in his past life). The Pro League aimed to boost competitiveness and engagement. Adding dungeon battles attracted more PVE players. The rules were stricter, with a ‘Prohibited Items List’—and the [Black Star Army Badge: Evolution] topped the list!
Black Star Army players didn’t care much—everyone in their faction used it—but other clubs heaved a sigh of relief. This equipment was too overpowered; if the Shattered Star Ring all had one, they’d just surrender outright! However, Han Xiao didn’t think this was the reason. He believed it was because the badge’s appearance was too ‘aberrant’ and might scare off potential users... If one was ugly, they’d have no rights. What an accurate saying!
Komentar Chapter (0)
Login buat ikut berkomentar.
Belum ada komentar di chapter ini. Jadi yang pertama!