Chapter 1 The Fleet is Annihilated

More than thirty star system-level technically advanced warships, facing the mechanical lifeforms and mechanical legions enhanced by Han Xiao's Esper Ability through the [Quantum Distance-less Transmission Channel], the result was without suspense.

The battle ended in an instant. This fleet of the Great Universe Mercenary had no power to fight back and was completely annihilated. The main ship was blown into a firework in space.

Before the main ship exploded, Qi Qi jia saw that the situation was not good. In a panic, he wanted to escape in a life pod, but the life pod was shot and exploded halfway by the Crimson Flame group. He originally wanted to break through the encirclement with his own extraordinary combat power, but You Zu kicked him until only a layer of blood remained, and he was captured back.

You Zu and others faithfully carried out the order, blowing up the warships and capturing more than a dozen high-level prisoners, including Qi Qi jia. As for the other millions of Great Universe Mercenary soldiers, they were wiped out along with the spaceship.

In the spaceship, Qi Qi jia and a group of operators were tied up with electromagnetic chains and fell on the ground. The shadows of the mechanical lifeforms covered everyone, making it almost impossible to breathe.

Everyone looked at the tall mechanical lifeforms around them in fear, shivering all over. The mechanical lifeforms had no expressions, and they could not see the thoughts of these metal creatures, and they were terrified, not knowing how they would be manipulated next.

Qi Qi jia had a dazed look on his face. He still couldn't believe the facts.

His powerful fleet was so easily wiped out by this group of strange creatures?!

Moreover, he had no power to fight back in front of these monsters.

The Great Universe Mercenary respected the strong. Among them, there were some esper members, but this group of people did not have a systematic esper knowledge, so each esper was extremely rare in the Great Universe Mercenary, holding various important positions. Qi Qi jia became the leader of a branch team because of his outstanding combat power.

He originally had strong confidence in his own combat power, but this confidence had been kicked to pieces by You Zu, his mentality collapsed, and he doubted his life.

What kind of monsters were these metal creatures? He had plundered everywhere, but he had never seen such a life species.

"Y-you... what exactly are you?!" Qi Qi jia's teeth chattered.

"I am You Zu, the first generation of Black Star's Family, the leader of Black Star Army's mechanical forces." You Zu spoke slowly, the emotionless electronic sound made everyone shudder.

"Black Star Army..." This was the second time Qi Qi jia had heard this name today.

The first time he heard it, he didn't take it seriously, thinking it was just a group of natives. However, now, his contempt had long disappeared with the fleet, leaving only panic and fear.

Qi Qi jia swallowed a mouthful of saliva. What was the origin of this "Black Star Army"? How could it be so powerful? He had never heard of this force, and only felt it was extremely mysterious.

Seeing Qi Qi jia was as dumb as a wooden chicken, his face mixed with fear and confusion, You Zu clicked and tilted his head, raised a finger, and shot a cone-shaped beam of light, forming a virtual screen in front of everyone.

In the screen, images and texts were scrolling, all of which were the deeds and experiences of the Black Star Army.

Before the battle began, Phillip had already invaded the enemy's spaceship. The language of the Great Universe Mercenary had been entered into the database, so it could be communicated at this time. In addition to the language, the information stored by this fleet was also copied and packaged. The other party's virtual technology was extremely clumsy, and there was no secret in front of Phillip. He could come and go freely, entering and exiting as he pleased.

"This is..." As the Black Star Army unveiled its mysterious veil, Qi Qi jia and others gradually opened their mouths wide, dumbfounded. The origin of the Black Star Army brought them unparalleled shock, and everyone's world view shattered to pieces.

Godora, DarkStar, War Realm, Purple Crystal Civilization, Crimson Empire... There are so many forces in the universe? How come they have never even heard of them?!

Beyond Grade A? In Qi Qi jia's impression, Atimoss was already the strongest in this universe. He couldn't imagine how anyone could possess power far beyond Atimoss.

Qi Qi jia was originally fantasizing that Atimoss would lead a large army to avenge them, but at this time, seeing the tip of the iceberg of the Black Star Army, he only had one thought about Atimoss:

--Please don't come over!

...

"They caught the prisoners?"

Han Xiao, who was commanding the fleet to explore another resource planet, received a message from You Zu and immediately retrieved the copied data from Phillip's database.

After taking a look, Han Xiao was stunned.

I knew it, there was no hidden star system-level civilization in this area. It turned out to be this group of idiots from the Great Universe Mercenary. They actually had a branch team here... Han Xiao suddenly realized.

"I didn't expect the target of this hidden mission to be this group of people. They didn't encounter the Empire this time, but encountered me... It seems they are still unlucky." Han Xiao chuckled in his heart.

The territory of the Great Universe Mercenary was mainly located in the central part of the Gorotan Star Cluster. According to the normal exploration progress, it would take at least a few years to explore that location, but now they encountered this group of people ahead of time.

After destroying one of their fleets, the other party would definitely investigate to the end. Although this group of people could not have any impact on him and the Empire, it was not his style to ignore it.

Han Xiao walked back and forth with his hands behind his back, thinking for a while, and suddenly his eyes lit up.

"That's right, this group of people has plundered many planets. They must have the information of these planets in their hands. Even if some planets are destroyed by them, they are still relics that can provide Exploration Points. This information is very valuable to the Empire. It can be regarded as an achievement."

If he could get this information, the total Exploration Points of the main storyline would definitely skyrocket, which should be able to directly improve the evaluation by one level. Moreover, this was a remarkable Exploration result, and the Empire would also reward him, making his Exploration seem smoother than the War Realm.

"This is a good opportunity." Han Xiao's eyes were fixed. Although the Great Universe Mercenary was very weak, the information they accumulated was very useful.

He opened the communicator and contacted Commander-in-Chief Tarrokov directly, bypassing Senikov.

"Black Star, what do you need from me?" Tarrokov was a little surprised. General matters only needed to be discussed with Senikov, but Han Xiao contacted him directly. Was there anything special?

"Commander-in-Chief, I have a new discovery." Han Xiao said slowly, "A few days ago, my legionnaires discovered a damaged beacon on Pangurid. After repairing it, I traced the link of the beacon in reverse and sent a troop to contact an unfamiliar local force..."

He explained the information of the Great Universe Mercenary, emphasizing: "According to the information, this force lives by plundering and operates in the central part of the Gorotan Star Cluster. It seems that they have many territories. In my opinion, the planet information accumulated in their hands can greatly help our Exploration."

"So that's how it is."

A flash of light flashed in Tarrokov's eyes. He pondered for a while and nodded, "If you are not mistaken, this can indeed allow us to obtain a large amount of planet information at once. This is no small feat. You bypassed Senikov. Do you want me to allow the war?"

Han Xiao remained silent.

The Empire's Exploration Code stipulates that indigenous people should be treated with peaceful contact. If you want to start a war with a star system-level indigenous force, you need the Empire's approval. If you destroy an indigenous civilization without authorization, it will cause dissatisfaction with the Empire. After all, the Star Field belongs to the Empire, and allies are only helping to mine.

Therefore, if you want to destroy the Great Universe Mercenary, you need the permission of the Commander-in-Chief, so that the procedures are complete and there are no negative effects.

Han Xiao had no psychological burden for destroying the Great Universe Mercenary. This group of people lived by plundering and enslaved dozens of indigenous races. In essence, they were already space pirates. As a space pirate hunter, he was itchy when he saw space pirates.

Tarrokov thought for a while and said in a deep voice: "I will write an order and issue it to the Black Star Army, stating that your actions are my intention. The matter of seizing intelligence will be left to you. There is no need to keep this group of people."

"Okay." Han Xiao nodded.

"I will report the truth. The Black Star Army discovered this intelligence. This is your achievement, and the credit is naturally yours." Tarrokov smiled and released a signal of goodwill.

After a pause, Tarrokov suddenly changed the topic and said meaningfully, "Of the three Star Clusters developed in the first phase, Renoir is sandwiched in the middle. Its geographical location is superior, and it looks like it has the most resources, so the Empire's top management attaches the most importance to the development of the Renoir Star Cluster."

Why did he suddenly talk about another Star Cluster? Isn't Renoir the area explored by the War Realm... Han Xiao was slightly stunned.

Tarrokov continued: "As for the Gorotan Star Cluster... Because there are more barren universe belts, the Empire's top management has the lowest expectations for Gorotan. This is also why the fewest people choose to explore Gorotan... But if the Exploration of the Gorotan Star Cluster goes smoothly, it will be a surprise to the Empire."

Han Xiao's heart stirred. He understood. Tarrokov was revealing the direction of the Empire's internal affairs and giving him some reminders.

The Empire valued Renoir more, so it paid the most attention to Renoir. The War Realm needed more achievements to meet their expectations. As for the Gorotan he was exploring, as long as the results were not too bad, it would be a surprise. Relatively speaking, it was easier to obtain credit and gain the appreciation of the Empire's internal affairs. There were advantages and disadvantages.

Seeing that Han Xiao was thoughtful, Tarrokov smiled and stopped talking about this topic. He deliberately reminded Han Xiao, in addition to befriending Han Xiao, it was also to motivate the Black Star Army. This was one of his jobs as Commander-in-Chief.

After chatting for a few words to establish a relationship, he ended the communication. At this time, a notification popped up on Han Xiao's interface.

[【Beacon of Unknown Origin】 Completed!]

[You have gained 3 million experience points, 70 Personal Exploration Points]

[You have obtained 【Bold Explorer】 Skill Fragment x1 (2 fragments are required for synthesis)]

"I have one fragment, at least it's a start. I have to try to get the second fragment."

Han Xiao was in a good mood. This was a pleasant surprise. Maple Moon's luck was really good.

At this time, the interface notification had not ended.

[You have triggered the Faction Mission 【Destroy the Great Universe Mercenary】!]

[Mission Introduction: The Great Universe Mercenary is a plundering force entrenched in the Gorotan Star Cluster. They are evil and heinous. I hereby request the Black Star Army to destroy this force - Tarrokov, Commander-in-Chief of the Empire Exploration Army]

[Hint: This mission is a sub-mission of 【Shining World】 and will reward Exploration Points]

[Hint: This mission is a Faction series mission. You can complete the following requirements in this mission]

[Kill Enemy 1: Kill 10 ordinary warriors of the Great Universe Mercenary. Reward: 750,000 experience points, 3 Exploration Points]

[Kill Enemy 2: Kill 10 elite warriors of the Great Universe Mercenary. Reward: 1.5 million experience points, 6 Exploration Points]

[Kill Enemy 3: Kill 10 spaceship operators. Reward: 2 million experience points, 9 Exploration Points]

[Destroy Ship 1: Destroy a frigate. Reward: 3.6 million experience points, 12 Exploration Points]

...

[Capture the Leader First 1: Kill 1 senior combatant. Reward: 5.5 million experience points, 24 Exploration Points]

[Capture the Leader First 2: Kill 1 Big Boss. Reward: 7 million experience points, 30 Exploration Points]

[Capture the Leader First 3: Kill "Emperor" Atimoss. Reward: 22 million experience points, 60 Exploration Points]

[After the mission ends, it will be rated based on the number of completed objectives and performance, and additional rewards will be given]

Han Xiao's heart stirred. This Faction mission was a mission issued by the Empire to the entire Black Star Army, which meant that other legion players could also accept it.

Han Xiao originally planned to send an expeditionary mechanical force to crush and annihilate the Great Universe Mercenary, but he changed his mind at this time.

Since players can accept this mission, let the players do it. Spending more time is not a big problem. This Great Universe Mercenary is not strong, and it is just right for the players to deal with it.

The average combat power of players is gradually increasing now. He might as well let the players destroy the Great Universe Mercenary alone. Except for the spaceship, he does not plan to let any legion NPCs act together this time.

This is the first military operation with only players!

This can enrich the player's exploration of Shining World's events and give them a better experience. Compared with pure exploration, most players still prefer to fight.

The people of the Great Universe Mercenary are all walking experience. Letting the players kill them is just like fertilizing the leeks. Now it is still the early stage of version 3.0, and there are no players who have reached the maximum level.

Moreover, players have to replenish ammunition when fighting, equipment durability drops and has to be repaired, and repairs have to cost money. Even mosquitoes are meat, not to mention that the base of players is so huge, accumulating little makes much, and the income is not much worse than mining resource planets.

Han Xiao has never ignored the legion's arms business, and he is making war money.

"Let the enemies gather together and take the initiative to attack, so you can save some time..."

Han Xiao rolled his eyes, contacted Phillip, and instructed You Zu.

...

Central region of the Gorotan Star Cluster, Great Universe Mercenary Headquarters.

A deputy hurriedly came to Atimoss's seat and said in a trembling voice: "D-Emperor, we have lost contact with the troops of Big Boss Qi Qi jia!"

A cold light flashed in Atimoss's eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "What's going on?"

"H-he planned to invade the location of the beacon, but they encountered the enemy's troops on the way and were annihilated by the enemy..." The deputy said tremblingly, "Those enemies call themselves the Black Star Army and have sent us a message."

"Black Star Army..." Atimoss frowned, "What did they say?"

The deputy trembled and opened the device, unfolded the screen, and played the message.

You Zu's figure appeared on the screen. At his feet was Qi Qi jia, who was lying on the ground, shivering.

"I am You Zu, the leader of the Black Star Army's mechanical forces. People of the Great Universe Mercenary, listen up. The Black Star Army will flatten all your territories, kill all your warriors, and rob you of everything. Tell your leader, Atimoss, that the Army Commander will drink with his skull."

As the voice fell, You Zu's arm suddenly turned into a blade flickering with psionic light and slashed across Qi Qi jia's neck.

Puchi!

Fresh blood spurted out, Qi Qi jia's head separated from his body, and the head rolled around, the headless body fell to the ground, still twitching.

You Zu's tone was emotionless: "Prepare to welcome the war!"

With that, the screen went black, and all the information was played.

Atimoss originally watched the recording indifferently, but when Qi Qi jia was beheaded in front of his eyes, his eyes flickered.

"Emperor, this is a provocation..." The deputy asked cautiously, "What should we do?"

Atimoss slowly stood up.

"Summon all fleets, all combatants, all Big Bosses..."

Atimoss's tone was cold, "I will personally lead the expedition this time!"

"They want war, then I will send them a war!"

...

[【Beacon of Unknown Origin】 Completed!]

Maple Moon was teaming up with Meat Bun and others to run a dungeon, and was fighting the Boss. Suddenly, a message popped up on the interface that the mission was completed, her movements froze for a moment, and she was surprised.

"It's only been a few days, and the mission is completed. I haven't done anything yet!"

Maple Moon looked surprised.

She handed over the beacon to the legion according to the mission's suggestion. There was no doubt that this was due to the credit of the Faction.

It was indeed the right decision to hand over the things to the legion.

"Don't be stunned, hurry up and control the field!" Not far away, Meat Bun was being swung around by the Boss, smashing away teammates one by one.

Maple Moon ignored it and immersed herself in her own thoughts.

She had thought about it these few days. The requirement of this mission was only to contact an unknown force, so there must be follow-up progress. She immediately opened the Faction mission list, and her eyes lit up.

As expected, there was a follow-up mission, and it was also a large side mission issued by the Empire!

"Great Universe Mercenary, what a chuuni name... So it's a plundering force. The mission requirement is to destroy this force. It seems to be a collective mission. There must be many people participating."

Maple Moon pondered.

"Sa-ve me..." The Boss pressed Meat Bun to the ground, punching him in the face again and again. Meat Bun could only shout out one word each time the Boss retracted his fist, and the cry for help seemed very rhythmic.

The last layer of health was gone, and Meat Bun turned into a white light and cooled off.

Maple Moon came back to her senses, raised her head, and threw out a large pile of compressed balls, spreading out a field of machines.

A large number of mechanical creations submerged the Boss, and before long, this Boss, who still had half of his health left, was soloed by Maple Moon, who showed great power.

After playing for three versions, she found that she was quite talented in this area, her pvp skills were getting stronger and stronger, and this version was the strong period of the Mechanic class, making it much easier to clear dungeons. Mechanic classes above level 100 were welcomed by most dungeon teams, and she was definitely a carry in Meat Bun's team.

Everyone exited the dungeon and returned to the legion's warship.

"Why were you distracted..." Meat Bun looked resentful, "I didn't need to waste a resurrection."

"Look at the Faction mission."

Meat Bun opened the Faction interface in confusion, saw the 【Destroy the Great Universe Mercenary】 mission, and was immediately surprised.

He opened the forum again and found that the legion players were already cheering on the forum.

Although the Exploration of the main storyline was full of unknowns and was quite interesting, players spent most of their time on the spaceship, and there were few opportunities to fight.

Most players were very itchy, and usually had to run dungeons, and now the main storyline finally had a chance to fight, and all the legion players were excited.

Destroying a force, it didn't sound like a small mission.