Chapter 470 "Spatial Displacement" Type Ability?

"‘Spatial displacement’ type ability?" Han Xiao narrowed his eyes.

"You don't seem tense at all." Yi Shen squinted, suddenly realizing something. He abruptly squeezed, crushing the small silver cube.

His palm loosened, and a scattering of silver alloy fragments fell from his hand. There wasn't a trace of evolution energy to be found.

Seeing this, Yi Shen's movements froze.

Han Xiao chuckled. "You didn't really think I'd bring the Evolution Cube myself, did you? I'll return your words… are you underestimating me that much?"

This guy wasn't Sisko, who had possessed the Cube for years and practically refined it into a 'magic treasure'. Yi Shen didn't have Sisko's psionic sensitivity to instantly verify its authenticity!

Yi Shen was silent for a few seconds, then shook his head. "You're right. Since you decided to reject me, you wouldn't bring the real thing. I was misled by you."

When his true body had just appeared, Han Xiao had acted tough, telling Yi Shen to come and snatch the Evolution Cube if he wanted it, focusing Yi Shen's attention on the "Evolution Cube" on his person. This, combined with the fight that broke out, left Yi Shen with no time to think carefully, and he subconsciously assumed that the thing on Han Xiao was the real deal.

He'd just said he wasn't easily fooled, but he was immediately tricked... Yi Shen's expression wasn't pleasant.

It wasn't a secret that the Evolution Cube could be transformed into a portable mode. Because of Sisko's constant vigilance, it was impossible to entrust the treasure to someone else... and Han Xiao had been creating this illusion, making people believe that the Evolution Cube was always with him. So, in Yi Shen's eyes, locking onto Han Xiao's whereabouts was the same as locking onto the Evolution Cube's location. Due to this preconceived notion, he fell into a cognitive trap, failing to immediately consider the possibility of the Evolution Cube being separated from Han Xiao.

The data left behind by the Evolvers' civilization recorded ways to locate the Evolution Cube, but unlike Sisko's psionic sensitivity, these methods relied on special detection instruments that were paired with the Cube, capable of precise localization only within a certain range.

The technology for the Cube detector dated back countless years. Compared to the present day, it had certain flaws, and the Evolvers' civilization's surviving technical data wasn't complete. The detector had limitations, primarily in range. Its principle was to receive a specific energy wave band emitted by the Evolution Cube, but this wave band took time to propagate through the universe, and like ripples, it weakened with distance, preventing the detector from performing unlimited-range localization.

In the past, when Yi Shen stole the Cube, he first learned that the Evolution Cube was on Sisko's homeworld, giving him a general location. Only then did he go nearby and use the detection instrument to bypass Sisko's psionic shielding, obtaining the Cube's precise location within the homeworld. Afterwards, Yi Shen's clone was able to use his teleportation ability to evade the Star瞳 Divine Race's guards and sneak in. If he hadn't initially known the Cube's whereabouts, the detection instrument wouldn't have been able to find the target across the vast starfield.

The detection instrument was an external device, unlike Sisko's innate ability. Yi Shen had a preconceived notion and was distracted by the three people holding him back, preventing him from checking the instrument, otherwise he would have noticed the anomaly... the detector wasn't detecting the Evolution Cube nearby at all.

Sisko's psionic power was connected to the Evolution Cube. Although the localization was blurry at long distances, it was unlimited in range, which was why Han Xiao usually kept the item on his person. Having a Super-A grade like himself protecting it was the safest option. But this time, actively contacting Yi Shen was different. Knowing the other party's many methods, Han Xiao wouldn't come unprepared. The Evolution Cube wasn't actually on him now.

Not long ago, after departing from the Crimson Ring Star, it took several days to reach the border. During this time, Han Xiao quietly launched a spaceship, sending it off on a separate course. Instead of heading to the border, it concealed itself within the empire's territory, stealthily making hyperspace jumps. The real Evolution Cube was inside, and this fact hadn't been disclosed to anyone.

Sisko was far away, and the greater the distance, the less accurate his sensing. He only knew that the Evolution Cube was in the general direction of the Central Starfield. Moreover, even if he knew what was happening here, a renowned figure from the Void Church couldn't enter the empire's territory, so the threat from Sisko could be temporarily ignored.

And for good measure, a separate mechanical army was stationed in the stealth spaceship guarding the true Evolution Cube.

Because of the Emperor Mechanic's skill \[Quantum Unimpeded Transmission Channel], even if the army was far away from Han Xiao himself, he could still transmit Mechanical Force over long distances, giving the remote mechanical army Super-A grade combat power!

Establishing a base of operations and sending out a Super-A grade combat power mechanical army on expeditions was the defining characteristic and strength of a Super-A grade mechanic: extreme kiting.

— If the person wasn't even on the scene, how could the enemy close the distance?!

This was similar to Yi Shen's clone ability, and perhaps even surpassed it. Manison, the God of Mechanics, used this combat style. When fighting him, you couldn't even see his shadow.

Han Xiao wasn't using this tactic at the moment because his army's foundations hadn't yet reached Manison's level, and his own personal tankiness was an ace in the hole. Not using it would be a waste.

But the mechanical army he sent out on "expeditions" still possessed the combat power to crush Calamity Grades, enough to temporarily serve as the Evolution Cube's guardian.

As various thoughts flashed through his mind, Han Xiao's hands didn't stop. He continued to direct the mechanical army to focus fire. Although Yi Shen's energy deflection shield could negate most energy cannons, Han Xiao had ways to deal with it.

The mechanical army had various attack methods. A single ability wouldn't be able to stop a Super-A grade. His mechanical army could even counter metal manipulation abilities, so a mere energy deflection ability wasn't difficult for him.

Moreover, Yi Shen couldn't use too many abilities at the same time. Maintaining constant defense without attacking was naturally impossible, and there were two other Super-A grades restraining him.

One against three wasn't enough to defeat Yi Shen, but similarly, Yi Shen couldn't easily defeat the combined efforts of the three. A victory couldn't be decided in a short time, and the two sides were deadlocked, mutually restraining each other.

In the battlefield, Mu Leliqi, who had escaped the calamity, didn't have time to relax. He directed the fleet to attack. Although arrogant, he was able to command a border defense legion on his own, and his professional abilities weren't for nothing.

Under his tactical command, the empire's forces launched a frenzied attack, steadily gaining the upper hand, devouring the enemy fleet in large bites. Without Super-A grades interfering, this branch fleet of the Fallen Ark wasn't his match at all, and he quickly shattered it into pieces.

Yi Shen, dealing with the three-person siege, glanced at the battlefield and frowned slightly. He could see that this batch of fleets was likely to be completely annihilated.

He had just confirmed that the Evolution Cube wasn't on Han Xiao. For Yi Shen, this battle no longer needed to continue. This place was too close to the empire's border, and reinforcements could arrive before long. Even he didn't want to face the empire's border defense army on a large-scale deployment. Even if he could retreat safely, he didn't want to provoke the three great civilizations too much.

If he killed too many people from the Crimson Empire, the Crimson Empire would probably immediately mobilize a large army to go deep into sensitive areas, launching a hunt and wipe-out operation against his Fallen Ark main force. When that time came, Clotti and the other two old rogues of the empire would arrive.

Although Yi Shen wasn't afraid of them, the losses he would suffer would be far more than just this branch fleet. It wasn't worth it.

Just then, Han Xiao suddenly spoke in their psionic link, his voice solemn. "With a spatial displacement ability, you never intended to trade with me from the start. It was just a trap, right?"

Yi Shen raised his hand to block Ames' force field. Hearing this, his tone was playful.

"I certainly don't have any credibility, but you're wrong this time. I'm actually full of sincerity. Originally, the Evolution Cube was the only hope I saw to reach a higher level, but that's no longer the case. I've seen a broader new world! For me now, the Evolution Cube is no longer my ultimate goal, just a tool I want, not indispensable. If you're willing to let me borrow it, I really won't do anything to you…"

A higher level? Han Xiao's heart stirred. Yi Shen was synthesizing super-high-risk abilities that were explicitly prohibited, accepting countless interstellar wanted criminals to establish the Fallen Ark. Everything he did was for a more powerful strength. His motives were very pure.

"You want to emulate the First Sanctum and break through the limits of individual power, discovering a new realm?" Han Xiao narrowed his eyes.

"Heh." Yi Shen was noncommittal, then suddenly changed the subject, saying with emotion, "Speaking of which, I must thank you. It was you who showed me new hope, changing my goals."

"Thank me?" Han Xiao was puzzled.

"A few years ago, my clone fought with you in the Shattered Star Ring and was tricked by you, thrown into a wormhole." Yi Shen's tone was strange. "Unfortunately, you didn't travel through the wormhole with me. You have no idea what you missed."

The implication in his words was that every cloud has a silver lining.

Han Xiao was stunned, then a flash of insight connected all the clues he had gathered. He exclaimed, "Could it be that your people were targeting Harlow Fal because of this?"

Back then, the leader of DarkStar had returned to assassinate him, using Yi Shen's clone. That was also the first time he had any interaction with Yi Shen.

At the time, he was no match for Yi Shen's clone. Using the surrounding wormhole environment, he cooperated with a mechanic named Harlow Fal who studied wormholes, leading Yi Shen's clone into the wormhole and banishing it.

Later, Yi Shen sent his subordinates to steal the Evolution Cube, but they also killed Harlow Fal in passing. Han Xiao had never understood the reason. The matter had passed long ago, and he didn't expect Yi Shen to bring it up on his own, seemingly with hidden information.

"Harlow Fal?" Yi Shen paused, as if thinking for a moment before recalling the name. "Hmm, that's right, that's the name. He was the guy who worked with you to trick my clone. I obtained the data from that wormhole channel from him."

Han Xiao was apprehensive. Yi Shen said he saw a further hope... what exactly did this guy see on the other side of the wormhole?

Yi Shen obtained the data from that wormhole teleportation. Could it be that he wanted to locate the position of that random teleportation and build a stable channel?

What place did that wormhole lead to that was worth Yi Shen going to such lengths?!

Han Xiao's heart itched with curiosity, but Yi Shen wasn't interested in continuing. He suddenly teleported, breaking away from the three-person siege. With a wave of his hand, he opened a portal behind him.

From afar, Yi Shen's gaze pierced Han Xiao like a knife. From his eyes, Han Xiao understood Yi Shen's meaning:

— I'll let you off this time. We'll take our time playing in the future. There's plenty of time!

Their eyes met, clashing fiercely.

Then, Yi Shen took a step back and disappeared along with the portal.

"He retreated…"

Han Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, hovering in place, his expression changing. The mechanical army, having lost its target, also stopped moving.

Having failed to obtain the Evolution Cube this time, Yi Shen was probably preparing to go back and slowly make plans. He didn't know what methods he would use to deal with him in the future.

The two had completely fallen out this time, but this guy couldn't leave the Central Starfield easily. He didn't know when their next confrontation would be.

And the wormhole that Yi Shen mentioned had also piqued his curiosity.

Thinking of the strength Yi Shen had displayed in this confrontation, Han Xiao couldn't help but feel heavy-hearted, his pressure greatly increasing.

"As expected of the ultimate boss of the Chaotic Evil alignment. My current level isn't enough to deal with him…"

Han Xiao felt a sense of urgency. He still needed to improve his strength.