Han Xiao digested the information for a while before pushing open the door and returning to the interrogation room. Izo, Harrison, and Lody all looked over at him.
"Your Excellency Black Star, I..."
Lody was eager to speak, but Han Xiao held up his palm to stop him.
"I already know your basic situation. Just stay by my side for now, and I'll try to find a way to solve your problem."
Han Xiao pondered for a while on how to deal with Lody.
The current Lody was only a semi-finished product, not having completed the transformation, unable to control his own abilities. Perhaps only after the complete transformation would he become the Sprout organization's "Child of Destiny", possessing a powerful precognitive talent.
However, once the transformation was complete, Lody's personality would change, replaced by a brand-new personality, which was a form of death in a way.
A stable and controllable precognitive was far more useful than this half-baked guy who fainted from time to time. But since he had accepted the other party's mission, he couldn't just sit back and watch the transformation proceed smoothly, so Han Xiao decided to do his best and leave the rest to fate, trying to stop Lody's transformation... If he couldn't stop it, he wouldn't mind getting a new "Child of Destiny".
Given Lody's current state, it was necessary to control his range of movement.
Han Xiao specially asked Phillip to clear out a new private laboratory on the spaceship, and asked Harrison to take Lody there, lock him in a nutrient solution tank, and inject him with a hypnotic drug to facilitate research. Lody had no choice but to cling to his only hope and actively cooperate.
After the two left, only Han Xiao and Izo remained in the room, looking at each other.
"I saw you went out for a while just now. Have you found out anything?" Izo asked curiously.
"The source of this guy's mutation may be affected by a special original Esper ability..."
Han Xiao briefly explained some information about the Child of Destiny and his experience with Sprout.
"Child of Destiny... never heard of it," Izo muttered twice.
"That's normal. I don't know much either."
Izo coughed and said thoughtfully, "Regarding your past experiences, I'm not very clear, but assuming that the 'Child of Destiny' you encountered before was a random product of the original Esper ability, like the current Lody, why would Planet Aquamarine see two such subjects appear in succession? If it really is random across the universe, do you think there would be such a coincidence?"
What is this? I've seen even more coincidences...
Han Xiao flashed this thought in his mind, but didn't show it on his face, agreeing, "It is indeed very coincidental."
"According to this line of thought, since the mutation occurs at the information state level, I think Planet Aquamarine may have something unique in this regard, such as the formation of special lines of fate... I'm not talking nonsense. I've seen many people who are born with different lines of fate..."
Halfway through his words, Izo stopped, sized Han Xiao up and down, and said thoughtfully:
"...That's right, Planet Aquamarine has produced someone like you, and another Super A Grade, Hela. Your rise has made your homeworld different, and that may be the reason."
Han Xiao hesitated, but in the end, he said nothing, simply patting Izo on the shoulder hard.
——Smart people are just so easy to fool. I haven't even used much effort, and you've already convinced yourself.
"Thanks. If it weren't for your prophecy, I definitely wouldn't have discovered this."
Jokes aside, Han Xiao was still quite grateful for Izo's notification.
"No need to thank me. Longtan and Planet Aquamarine are neighbors now. I'm just ensuring a safe living environment, and among the people I know, prophecies can only play their greatest role in your hands. I believe in your ability and character," Izo waved his hand.
Hearing this, Han Xiao couldn't help but feel a dreamlike sensation.
Han Xiao used to envy Izo's powerful network of connections, where someone would hand him toilet paper wherever he pooped, but as he gradually rose, he had unknowingly become the biggest name Izo knew.
When something happened, people were willing to come to him first to discuss it, making him feel reliable.
As he spoke, Izo couldn't help but sigh:
"I've lived for so long, and I've seen a lot, but you are the most amazing guy I've ever encountered in my long life. I've never seen another person as magical as you. The first time I met you, although I felt you had a bright future, I never imagined that you would reach a height that countless people couldn't reach in just a few decades... History may forget me, but it will never forget you."
"...Why are you suddenly blowing me up when we were talking so well? It's kind of embarrassing."
Han Xiao chuckled, with a "don't stop" expression on his face.
"Maybe I'm really getting old, and I like to sigh more and more," Izo sighed and said sincerely, "Over the years, thanks to your help to Longtan."
Seeing this, Han Xiao also restrained his smile and slowly said, "My achievements are also inseparable from Longtan's cultivation. If it weren't for Ames' protection in the past, I wouldn't have been so smooth, so there's no need to thank me. What I give to Longtan is all the return and feedback I should give."
Just like doing business, it was easier to develop with a backer than starting from scratch. When he was still weak, Longtan provided enormous help, so even though his status in the universe far exceeded Longtan's now, he still maintained respect for the various departments of Longtan, treating everyone as equals, and had never stopped supporting them.
"Perhaps being able to sponsor someone like you is the good fortune of our Longtan."
Izo's expression was complicated, with helplessness and gratification, as he said earnestly:
"Ames is like my daughter, but you also know that all I can do is foresee, unlike you who possess great power. You can protect her better than I can now...
I've lived for many years and never ask anyone for help, but today I'm asking you to protect Ames. I'm entrusting her to you, and I hope that even after hundreds or thousands of years, you will still remember what I said today."
After saying that, he took a deep look at Han Xiao, pushed open the door, and walked out of the room, his slightly hunched back disappearing at the end of the corridor.
"Old geezer..."
Han Xiao watched him leave and gently exhaled. He understood Izo's intention.
Although Izo was a long-lived species, he was old after all and didn't have much combat power. Even if he knew how to prophesy, what he could do was limited and far from omnipotent.
He foresaw the future of potential turmoil, and the disaster in his prophecy made him feel a long-lost worry, afraid that he would not have the ability to protect Ames. Therefore, he made preparations in advance, willing to put aside his pride and privately ask Black Star to always act as Longtan's protector, obtaining a guarantee - in Izo's eyes, only Black Star simultaneously possessed the motivation and ability to protect Ames, and he was the best person he could find.
And Ames would never say these words, so Izo knew that only he could say them, and he had to say them.
This was why the old geezer changed his usual behavior and actively sought cooperation - he was frightened by his own prophecy.
"The old man suppresses his nature of seeking excitement and stays in Longtan, such a monotonous place, for decades. Although he's nominally grounded by Ames, if Izo wanted to leave, he would definitely have a way to do so. Now, because he's worried about Ames' future, he puts aside his pride and comes to ask me... Seeing a person's heart over time."
Han Xiao smiled.
In his previous life, Ames allowed Longtan to be destroyed in order to take revenge. Now it seemed that the old Izo deserved such treatment.
But this time, with him here, he wouldn't let Longtan repeat the same mistakes.
...
Calming his emotions, Han Xiao returned to his office and summoned Phillip.
He still remembered his goal of searching for the owner of the Soul Flame. Using his authority, he retrieved the information of the original owner, "Spiritual Emperor" from the Empire's database and quickly browsed through it:
The Spiritual Emperor's real name was Lovell Sissork, and he also had nicknames such as "Specter Monarch" and "Mystic Spirit Master." He was also one of the original owners and was already a powerful Super A Grade spiritual Esper before becoming the host of the Soul Flame.
This person came from an advanced civilization and was also a formidable figure during the Exploration Era.
At that time, Super A Grades had just emerged. Compared to other types of abilities, spiritual Espers who broke through the Calamity Grade were more difficult to deal with. The upgraded Mind Barrier devices that could not stop the Spiritual Emperor. He could easily penetrate shields and armor to kill or control crew members, and he quickly established a reputation for himself in the Exploration Era wars.
After obtaining the Soul Flame, he was even more powerful. With his strong personal ability, he captured cities and fortresses for his civilization in the war, winning local battles. He received countless commendations and honors and was regarded as a hero and protector by the entire civilization.
However, as advanced civilizations began to focus on researching Super A Grades, the short era of original owners going on rampages quickly passed, and the battles began to become difficult. Super A Grade casualties began to appear.
The Spiritual Emperor was no exception. Although his performance was still strong, and he was still a powerful unit in interstellar warfare, because he was targeted every time he appeared, it was difficult for him to play his former role in the war and unable to single-handedly open up a local war situation.
In addition, the civilization's overall strategy was severely affected by frequent failures on other fronts, and the good situation was gradually eroded by the enemy's joint efforts.
Therefore, the Spiritual Emperor's fighting style gradually became radical. Sometimes, even if he was injured, he would try to turn the tide of the battle. Although it was a drop in the bucket, it could be seen that he hoped to contribute to the civilization's vision and loyalty.
——The original owners of the past were different from the current Super A Grades. Many people did not have the idea of self-preservation. In the Exploration Era war, the fate of individuals and the fate of civilizations were almost bound together.
In the years of tireless conquest, the turning point soon arrived. The civilization to which the Spiritual Emperor belonged invested a huge amount of troops, with the two star systems as the main battlefield, launching a decisive key battle with numerous enemies.
Countless fleets tore at each other on the battle lines, and the battle situation changed rapidly. At the height of the battle, this civilization encountered a choice...
On the one hand, the Spiritual Emperor was targeted, fell into heavy encirclement, and exhausted from fighting. He urgently needed full-force rescue.
On the other hand, a very important battle line was in critical condition and also needed support.
If this battle line collapsed, it would cause a chain reaction, which could lead to the failure of the entire battle. On the contrary, if they defended it, they would gain huge strategic advantages and greatly increase the chance of victory. It was precisely for this reason that the enemy was constantly sending reinforcements to this battle line.
A large number of troops in this civilization had already been invested in the battlefield, and there were only a few quick-reaction fleets left that could be dispatched. It was known that dividing the reinforcements had a chance to rescue the Spiritual Emperor, but it would definitely not be able to defend the important battle line.
At this time, the choice came... How should the troops be allocated, which side should be the focus of support, and how should the decision be made?
For civilization, this choice did not seem difficult at all.
They abandoned the Spiritual Emperor and chose to maintain the overall strategy, investing all reinforcements in the important battle line. The final result was as they thought. The battle line was successfully defended, and the stalemate was broken, gradually repelling the enemy, and finally winning the battle.
The Spiritual Emperor was naturally sacrificed. The civilization claimed to the outside world that he died in battle, claiming that the Spiritual Emperor's sacrifice laid the foundation for their victory. So the whole country mourned and paid tribute to him with worship, and held his funeral with the highest standard ceremony, adding the "Balverde Quinta" medal, which represented the highest honor of the civilization, and erected the Spiritual Emperor's hero monument on the home planet for remembrance.
However, in the ever-changing Exploration Era wars, the most indispensable thing was the enemy. The key battle victory of this civilization could not always be their talisman.
In the end, this civilization still did not become the winner of the Exploration Era. It was destroyed by a more powerful civilization, and the race was almost extinct, becoming the loser that was eliminated.
These were the general experiences of the Spiritual Emperor. The file had already been marked as "killed in battle."
The era was long ago, and the Exploration Era was a period of war. The databases of the three major civilizations only had the general information of the Spiritual Emperor, and there was no too detailed information. With the demise of the civilization where the Spiritual Emperor was located, a lot of information about him was buried by history.
After reading the information, Han Xiao fell into thought. He was used to the Spiritual Emperor's experience and was only interested in the whereabouts of the Soul Flame at this time.
"The Spiritual Emperor is the last Soul Flame host known to the world. Is this guy the Oathkeeper? Either the Spiritual Emperor pretended to be dead, or the Oathkeeper is someone else who snatched the Soul Flame from the Spiritual Emperor. So there is a chance that one of the Super A Grades who participated in that battle, but it is not ruled out that someone picked up the leftovers..."
At this time, Han Xiao suddenly thought of those original owners who were resurrected in his previous life, and it seemed that the Spiritual Emperor did not exist among them, and his eyes lit up immediately.
"In this case, the possibility that the Spiritual Emperor faked his death should not be small..."
Han Xiao's heart moved, and he pondered secretly.
In his previous life, many original owners were resurrected. If he waited until the people of the Superpower Calamity were born, he might be able to find someone who knew the truth and ask...
But at this moment, Han Xiao suddenly thought of something and was suddenly stunned.
Wait a minute!
Those who know the truth... are not only the original owners who were resurrected by the Covenant.
The Netherworld Dimension inherited by Hela also seems to have the heroic spirits of the original owners!
"This is awesome..."
Han Xiao opened his eyes wide.
Is it preordained?
Or is it that collecting lucky halo owners can really improve the overall luck?!
——
ps: (py recommendation, <