Chapter 754 Did I Become Blind?
This chapter is updated by Wuxia.Blog
After locking onto Orozen's location, Han Xiao immediately contacted Feidin and Hila.
"Where are you?"
The scene of a beast fighting colosseum appeared on the screen with a couple of beasts from different planets fighting each other in the plaza. The plaza was separated from the spectator stands with a protective shield, and the stands were filled with people. Feidin was seated within the crowd, and both Hila and Aurora were beside him with all their attention focused on the plaza.
"This is the biggest gambling den in the city, so we're gambling here," Feidin replied helplessly.
"Since when do you like gambling?" Han Xiao asked with doubt.
"Cough, I don't like it, but Chen Xing insisted on coming. She said that it would be a waste to not collect free money and asked me to earn some..."
Han Xiao's mouth contorted slightly and asked, "So, what about the other two?"
"They insisted on following me..."
Just as he finished saying those words, the battle in the stadium ended. A large python with screen scales spat out a venomous fog and paralyzed the final beast.
"We won again! We won again!" Aurora waved her arm excitedly. "Sister, we've won four times in a row now!"
Hila nodded before turning around to look at Feidin with a hint of addiction in her eyes. "What will you be betting on next?"
Feidin shrugged helplessly, as if he did not wish to lead them further astray.
Han Xiao felt his head ache upon witnessing such a scene and said, "Stop playing already. We have something to do. Come and meet up with me. I will be waiting for you guys at City No. 2.1 will send you the coordinates later."
Han Xiao then hung up and left the port for City No. 2 while maintaining his connection to the main system of the floating city.
Why bother waiting for another day? Han Xiao decided to move against Orozen and his gang immediately!
However, Sardeem was a subordinate of the Mechanic Empire, so Han Xiao did not plan to reveal his true identity. Furthermore, he had already obtained the blueprints, and there was no need for him to remain on Planet Macipher. Bame's identity was already useless, so he was not afraid of making trouble under Barne's name. He did not need to worry about the repercussions of dealing with Orozen on the surface of the planet.
Han Xiao waited at the gathering point of City No. 2 for a while, and Hila's group of three met up with him soon after. The moment that they saw Han Xiao, Aurora immediately detected Han Xiao's change and let out a gasp.
Tour life force has been strengthened again!"
Feidin and Hila were both stunned as they heard that.
Han Xiao did not deny it and nodded. "I have a feeling that I have already touched the door to becoming a Beyond Grade A Super."
Hila's body shook, and she looked at Han Xiao with a complicated gaze.
Feidin was extremely happy for Han Xiao and asked, "Are we going to leave Planet Macipher?"
Yes, but before we leave, I have something else to do..."
Han Xiao immediately explained to the others about what he intended to do.
Hila nodded. "Since the enemies are Grade A Supers, Feidin and I will accompany you, and Aurora should wait on the spaceship."
Feidin did not have any issue with killing a wanted criminal, but he was a little puzzled. "With your strength, you shouldn't need our help to deal with two Calamity Grade Supers, right?"
Han Xiao shook his head, and his tone became solemn. "Don't look down on them. They are subordinates of EsGod and have an EsGod doppelganger with Beyond Grade A strength. We need to kill them the instant the battle breaks out, so I will be going all out from the start. I will be more confident with both of you there!"
Upon hearing that this matter was related to a Beyond Grade A Super, Hila and Feidin both became serious.
"If the enemy summons EsGod's doppelganger, my life won't be in danger because of my strength, but it is different for the both of you. Thus, both of you must listen to my orders; we only have a single chance."
Han Xiao immediately described his plan to them.
He had already suffered a loss once, so he did not make any rash moves this time. Because the enemy did not know of his existence, he decided to first make sufficient preparations.
City No. 2's Star Bridge Inn was where Colin and the others were staying.
Star Bridge Inn was located in the red light district of City No. 2, and this was a district with various entertainment facilities. This inn was located in the middle of the street and was extremely eye catching.
Colin and his gang had arrived on Planet Macipher that day. After sending their spaceships for repairs, they spent their money like water in the inn and called for hostesses of different races to serve them.
The members of Fallen Ark naturally did not have any discipline and were used to indulging in their desires. Even though Colin was extremely focused on the mission, he did not reject this activity. The moment they began their long return journey, they would have to spend a few years in the desolate universe belt. Those last few days on Planet Macipher would be their final chance to enjoy themselves.
Colin pushed aside the hostess who was sleeping on him and climbed out from his bed. The large bed was currently filled with more than ten exhausted females of different species.
He then put on his robe to cover his scarred body and took out a bottle of beer from the fridge. Finishing half the bottle in a single mouth, he walked to the window of the room and looked outside at the view.
It was already late in the night, but there were still many pedestrians on the streets. However, at least forty to fifty percent of them were drunk. Green and red lights intersected each other to form rainbow-colored lights in the sky of the city, and the entire planet seemed to be indulging in luxuries. From time to time, an aircraft would cut across the sky; they were the mechanical patrol squad making their rounds.
Looking out at the scenery, Colin recalled all of his actions over the past few months. He had performed two great feats in the Shattered Star Ring. He had thrown the Star Pupil Holy Race into complete chaos with their local Beyond Grade A Super being tricked by him as well. Following which, he had managed to complete his mission and retreat successfully. Colin could not help but have a sense of pride in his heart.
He then touched the Evolution Cube, which was hanging on his neck, and smirked with disdain.
"Ah...the Shattered Star Ring."
This Star Field did not amount to much.
Just when this thought surfaced in his head, a blinding light exploded from the window before him.
Boom!
The window frame exploded the very next moment!
The shockwave from the explosion sent the unprepared Colin flying backward. His back smashed through the wall of the room, and he landed in the corridor of the inn. At the same time, a similar explosion happened in all the rooms, and all of Colin's subordinates were sent flying.
The entire inn experienced explosions with rocks and concrete slabs flying in all directions. A huge dust cloud enveloped the entire inn, and the inn was reduced to ruins.
A naked Orozen also fell into the corridor, and both Colin and Orozen looked at each other. The look of fury in their eyes revealed the same message.
There is someone who actually dares ambush us?
Could they be bounty hunters?
The enemy was definitely after the bounty issued by the Tyla Civilization, but with both of them present, the bounty hunters were seeking death!
Colin glared at Orozen fiercely and was about to unleash his Calamity Grade strength to get rid of the bounty hunters. The very next moment, two mental attacks swept across the entire inn. One was dark red and the other colorless.
Hu!
The brains of all his subordinates exploded, and only Colin and Orozen were able to endure the two mental attacks. However, they felt a splitting headache, and their minds blanked out, temporarily losing control of their body.
There were actually two Calamity Grade Supers among the bounty hunters?
The faces of Colin and Orozen changed greatly.
But before they could even struggle, a brilliant ray of light shone in their eyes again.
This was the last scene that both of them saw.
Outside the Star Bridge Inn, the pedestrians were all shocked and hid as far away as they could.
A moment ago, a large mechanical army had suddenly appeared and surrounded the entire inn. The mechanical army rained down heavy fire on the inn with tens of thousands of shots being fired every second.
Boom!
The street that the Star Bridge Inn was located on had been flattened!
The crowd on the streets were blocked out by the mechanical army and could not see what was going on inside.
On the other side of the encirclement, Han Xiao watched as the mechanical soldiers brought two corpses before him. The two corpses belonged to Colin and Orozen.
Before either of them could even fight back, they were wiped out by the ambush of the mechanical army!Read more chapter on vipnovel.com
Han Xiao had tried his best to overestimate the combat strength of the enemy and was prepared to personally engage with the enemy when the mechanical army rained down their fire from the side. However, he had never imagined that the two Calamity Grade Supers would die under a single round of fire. He was truly dumbfounded.
This had gone much more successfully than he expected.
Han Xiao had formulated a few backup plans but realized that they were all completely useless. The ease of this mission truly shocked him.
Weren't they the subordinates of EsGod? Why were they so weak?
I thought that the subordinates of EsGod would be a little bit more powerful. It doesn't feel any different from killing other Calamity Grade Supers...
Han Xiao's mouth contorted, and he felt as though he had just plunged his fists into cotton.
This was no different from killing a chicken with an ox's blade.
Oh, it may be because I just had a Class Advancement, which increased my strength. Thus, I am able to suppress ordinary Calamity Grade Supers more easily. Right, neither of them have a talent that ignores true damage. I triggered the True Damage attack thrice, so it's not too surprising for them to have been taken out in a single go.
Han Xiao could only persuade himself as such.
Originally, he could already suppress almost all Calamity Grade Supers. After completing his Class Advancement, not to mention two Calamity Grade Supers, he would be able to face even twenty of them.
With Orozen dead, the [Harrofal's Revenge] mission was also completed. He then got Phillip to use one of his mechanical suits to take Orozen's corpse back to the Tyla Civilization in exchange for the bounty.
At this moment, Han Xiao looked at the other corpse and spotted the cube on Colin's neck.
What is this thing? It actually wasn't destroyed despite the attacks of the mechanical army?
Han Xiao bent down to pick up the black cube with curiosity.
The instant that he touched the black cube, an introduction of the item popped up on his interface.
Glancing at the introduction, Han Xiao's jaw dropped, and he almost did not dare to believe what he had seen. Evolution... Cube?
Did I become blind?
Isn't this Psyker's Universal Treasure? Why would it appear here?
Did I just pick up a divine weapon on the streets?
Han Xiao held onto the Evolution Cube and was stunned silly on the spot.
He then came to an enlightenment.
Turning around abruptly, his gaze was fixed on Feidin, who was by his side.
"Why are you looking at me?"
Feidin felt his hair stand from Han Xiao's gaze.
Han Xiao swallowed a mouthful of saliva and gave a thumbs up.
"Feidin! Awesome!"
Feidin had a face full of confusion.
A few minutes later, Sardeem led a large machinery army and arrived at City No. 2.
Only a pile of rubble was left behind, along with a huge crowd watching by the side. Han Xiao and his mechanical army had long disappeared.
The security squad hurriedly cleaned up the battlefield but could not find a single clue.
The group of people being monitored were all killed without their corpses being left behind. I can't even find a single trace of their attackers!
Sardeem was truly exasperated.
Because of Han Xiao's control, the scouts that Sardeem had used to spy on Colin did not send any information to Sardeem. All the mechanical patrol squads did not stop Han Xiao's group, and the surveillance footage had been destroyed.
Up until now, Sardeem had been kept in the dark and did not know what had happened.
Just who killed Colin and his group?
Just how powerful would an enemy capable of instantly killing a Calamity Grade Super be?
What was the objective of the attackers? Were they bounty hunters, were they Psyker's special force, or was there a hidden reason?
If the attackers were not Psyker's men, this meant that the people under his watch had been killed with the attackers disappearing. Just how would he answer to Psyker?
Sardeem felt a headache coming on and could only report the situation honestly to Psyker.
Chapter 755 Preparing for a Hot Potato
This chapter is updated by Wuxia.Blog
Meanwhile, Han Xiao took Hila and Feidin to escape from the scene. He clutched the Evolution Cube in his hand, his expression conflicted.
It was an unexpected joy to be able to pick up the Evolution Cube. After this ecstasy, Han Xiao gradually calmed down.
Since the Evolution Cube had already appeared, it should have nothing to do with Feidin. There had to be a deeper reason behind this, likely an event that happened somewhere that he was unaware of.
The emergence of the Evolution Cube had also cleared up any blind spots of information. Han Xiao's brain moved rapidly, re-examining this series of events and speculating on the causes and consequences.
The appearance of Psyker's Evolution Cube in the hands of these people means that they stole the Universal Treasure from Psyker in some way and transported it. No wonder they went silent for months after killing Harrofal. Turns out, their plan was not to retaliate but to plot to steal the Evolution Cube...
Han Xiao now understood their plan.
It seems like I was mistaken. These people were not here to deal with me but to steal treasures...
But why did they kill Harrofal? Did he have something to do with the theft of the treasure, or was there another motive behind it?
In his previous life, the Evolution Cube had only been made known to the players when it was in the hands of the Arcane Church. Until Austin revealed the secret, Han Xiao did not know that the Evolution Cube actually belonged to Psyker during this time period. While this might not have been a secret to the higher levels, it was not something that was publicized, and with the current level of the players, it was difficult to obtain this sort of intelligence.
In the later versions, players who joined the Arcane Church faction could pay contribution points and Enas in exchange for the opportunity to use the Evolution Cube.
The effect of the Evolution Cube was mainly for the transcendence of a species, and its specific role varied from each person. If the weaker party became stronger, the stronger would increase even more. However, the first time that it was used would give the greatest effect. Any subsequent attempts would become weaker until there was no longer any effect.
The Evolution Cube went from Psyker to the Arcane Church. I'm not sure what happened halfway. Did EsGod interfere in the transportation?
Han Xiao suddenly paused. He recalled that in his past life, there was intelligence about EsGod creating trouble in the Star Pupil Holy Race. However, it did not occur during this time period but an event in between Versions 3.0 and 4.0.
The players did not experience it in person, only seeing a text record on it, and there was no mention of the Evolution Cube.
"Phillip, do a search on the latest news report of the Star Pupil Holy Race," Han Xiao ordered.
Planet Avitan's news was quickly searched through by Phillip, but due to the PR control by its government, the specific process was obscured. There was only mention that Planet Avitan had suffered heavy casualties and did not mention the name of the EsGod.
Because the huge Star Field would generate hundreds if not more of such stories every day, the event on Planet Avitan did not affect the Shattered Star Ring on a large scale. Thus, Han Xiao would not normally have paid attention to such a small story that did not involve him.
Han Xiao thought for a moment. The incident on Planet Avitan should have been committed by EsGod. I am eighty percent certain that they stole the Evolution Cube from Psyker, with the strategy of feigning an attack in the east but hitting the west.
In that case, the attack on the Star Pupil Holy Race by EsGod was carried forward.
In connection with Harrofal's death, Han Xiao had a feeling of shock.
Could this be related to me? Is this the so-called butterfly effect?
A pity, if only there was one person left alive.
Han Xiao was a little troubled. He had planned for everything to be foolproof, going out with full force, but who knew that their opponents would be so weak that they would be wiped immediately? There was no chance left to interrogate any of them.
Wait a minute...
At this point, Han Xiao lurched to a stop. Thinking about the intelligence that he had received, a new doubt surfaced in his mind.
Since EsGod was acting secretly, and there was no sign from the Star Pupil Holy Race that the Evolution Cube had been stolen. Then, the reason Sardeem was monitoring this group would be interesting indeed.
Perhaps Sardeem was not interested in the bounty reward offered by the Tyla Civilization but the Evolution Cube in their hands?
Han Xiao's brows furrowed. He thought of three possibilities.
The first possibility was that Sardeem had some sort of special intelligence channel and managed to obtain news of the location of the Evolution Cube, thus wanting to take it for himself.
The second was that the Mechanic Empire was aware of this matter and wished to be the fisherman that obtained all the benefits, thus instructing Sardeem, who was situated in the Shattered Star Ring, to obtain the Evolution Cube.
The last possibility was that Sardeem had been asked by Psyker to help the Star Pupil Holy Race regain the Evolution Cube... no, Psyker might not have told the truth, as Sardeem was only told to monitor them, so he might not have known about the existence of the Evolution Cube.
Whichever possibility it was, Sardeem was a competitor, and in the worst-case scenario, it meant that a Beyond Grade A Super, Psyker, was also on his way there.
Weighing the Evolution Cube in his hand, Han Xiao's eyes were solemn.
He was no stranger to the Evolution Cube. At least he knew that the original shape of the Evolution Cube was huge, so the cube in his hands should be a portable version of the Evolution Cube.
Austin said that he himself had not seen the appearance of the Evolution Cube before. Psyker has not publicly displayed the Evolution Cube like the Arcane Church, so there should be few people that know of it, and Sardeem himself may not even recognize it...
At this moment, Han Xiao suddenly thought of something, and his face changed as he hurriedly contacted Aurora who was on the spaceship.
"How's the situation on the ground at the port?"
Aurora was mystified. "Uncle, how did you know that there was a situation? We've just received a notice from the ground control that someone attacked the city, so the departure passage will be temporarily closed and departure restricted. Only when all the perpetrators are caught will they loosen the regulations."
Indeed!
Han Xiao kneaded his fingers.
The moment he got rid of the subordinates of the EsGod, Sardeem immediately locked down the entire planet, not allowing anyone to leave.
Such a big move was not only just to 'arrest the perpetrators of the attack on the city' but also to keep the Evolution Cube on this planet.
However, this would raise a new problem. With him having concealed his tracks, Sardeem had no way to pursue him. Even if they did security checks on Planet Macipher, how long would it take to find the Evolution Cube? With the number of people present, the difficulty was just like finding a needle in a haystack. Without the corresponding detection method, just shutting down the planet was futile.
Thus, Sardeem should have some methods of locating the Evolution Cube. Maybe it's a detection instrument that can sense the position when it comes within a certain distance. This may also be the detection method of Psyker. The detection should be limited, otherwise I would have long been spotted by Sardeem.
Although he did not experience the whole process himself, based on the clues that the Evolution Cube gave him, Han Xiao could guess the sequence of events. His mind suddenly brightened up.
With this in mind, Han Xiao told the other two to stop.
His original intention was to leave Planet Macipher immediately after killing Orozen, but Sardeem had already stopped the air traffic control before he could even get into his spaceship. If he wished to leave, he would have to forcibly break through their defenses, so he was in no hurry. Rather than rushing back to the port, he might as well think of how to deal with the Evolution Cube that he had now gotten his hands on.
Han Xiao summed up his current situation.
Getting the Evolution Cube meant having to face Sardeem, whose intentions were unknown; Psyker, whose house had been robbed; the scheming EsGod; and the Arcane Church!
At least two Beyond Grade As and a Universal Civilization would be looking for trouble with him!
Han Xiao sucked in a deep breath of air, realizing that this Evolution Cube was a hot potato!
While it was a joyful surprise, it posed a danger!
Therefore, he had to be cautious when dealing with the Evolution Cube.
Han Xiao turned solemn and quickly calculated the pros and cons in his head.
There are only two ways to deal with this. Hide it or give it away.
If I wish to keep the Evolution Cube... Well, I'm not far away from the Beyond Grade A class myself, so I have the qualifications to occupy a Universal Treasure. But the consequences will be becoming an enemy of Psyker. EsGod will also target me in order to obtain the Evolution Cube. I already have a relationship akin to fire and water with the Tyrant. If Psyker and the Tyrant join hands... things don't look too optimistic.
But the benefit of keeping it is that not only can I use it to strengthen those in the Black Star Army, I can also use it to attract more forces. There are few civilizations that can resist the temptation of the Evolution Cube. Psyker did ^ this as he and the Arcane Church monopolized the usage of Evolution Cube. They did not wish to use it to cultivate more competitors.
Han Xiao secretly nodded to himself. Sardeem might have locked down the planet, but he could not stop him from taking the Evolution Cube. Even without forcibly breaking through, he could still quietly take the cube away from Planet Macipher with a Void Dimension Jump.
So long as Sardeem was unable to find the cube, sooner or later, the lockdown would end, and the trio would then be able to get out through the spaceship.
The issue was, if he kept the Evolution Cube, he would not be able to disguise it from the other organizations. The Black Star Army would then become a target of public criticism.
Han Xiao groaned.
Even if I hand it over, choosing the person to hand it to will be a problem-EsGod, the Mechanic Empire, the Universal Civilization, or Psyker.
Passing it over to EsGod would turn him from a foe to an ally, but if things were revealed, he risked offending the three Universal Civilizations as well as many other forces. Generally speaking, the risks were too great, and the disadvantages outweighed the advantages.
It would also be strange to hand it over to the Mechanic Empire. It would be in line with Planet Macipher and Sardeem, throwing the Evolution Cube that was the hot potato over to someone else, and using it to exchange for a large amount of resources. At the same time, it would also allow him to get rid of the danger, stay out of the fight, and avoid any struggles.
If given to a Universal Civilization, they would turn into staunch allies. Who it was given to would affect the benefits. The Federation of Light would give a lot of resources in exchange, whereas the Crimson Dynasty would give him a ticket to the Flickering World in addition to the resources.
These two were possible. As for the Arcane Church, it would be detrimental for him to hand over the cube to them.
If he passed it to the Arcane Church, things would be more complicated since Psyker was already considered an ally of theirs. The Arcane Church might not forsake Psyker to favor him, and either way, he would lose a Beyond Grade A ally.
However, with him turning into Beyond Grade A, the Arcane Church might not use force to try to snatch the Evolution Cube, which meant that the final result would be them returning the Evolution Cube to Psyker to maintain their relationship if he handed it over to them. In that case, not only would they retain Psyker, they would have him as their ally and still be allowed to use the Evolution Cube.
Psyker might appreciate the Arcane Church, but the same could not be said of Han Xiao.
Of course, the Arcane Church was a hegemon and would not be afraid of annoying Psyker. There was also the possibility of them pocketing the Evolution Cube.
The final option would be returning it to the owner and keeping things quiet. This would undoubtedly allow him to gain the friendship of Psyker, and he might even be able to borrow the Evolution Cube from time to time like the Arcane Church.
Just as Han Xiao was weighing the costs and benefits, Feidin asked, "Black Star, where are we going now? Aren't we going back to the spaceship?"
Han Xiao regained his senses, thought about it, and shook his head. "There's no need. Hila, bring Aurora over."
They could not go back to the Cornerstone Summit Corporation anymore. Sardeem would definitely suspect himself first of all as an unknown Calamity Grade Mechanic, and he would have reported him. Since he would be suspected whether he returned or disappeared, there was no need to keep up with the pretenses.
Anyway, I was the one who did it, and I, Barne, am righteous and unafraid of trouble!
Han Xiao temporarily let go of his mental struggle.
He was long used to taking a rain check and calculating the best possible outcome, but no matter what, the Evolution Cube belonged to him alone for the moment.
Enjoy it before deciding!
Your Excellency Psyker, I've already locked down the planet's port."
On the other side, Sardeem was communicating with Psyker.
"Before I arrive, don't let anyone go," Psyker blandly replied.
"Alright... but please hurry. I cannot keep the lockdown for an indefinite period of time."
Sardeem had an expression of helplessness. Luckily, there was an excuse of hunting down the perpetrators to maintain law and order, but locking the port for too long would cause Planet Macipher's business to suffer, and this was something that he could not accept.
You've worked hard. I'm almost here," Psyker replied.
"Ok, what should I do now?"
"There's no need for you to do anything else. Just ensure that no one leaves Planet Macipher. If anyone tries to forcibly leave, stop them personally."
He could tell that the Evolution Cube was still on Planet Macipher, but the distance was too far from it to be accurately predicted. Thus, when Sardeem informed him that EsGod's subordinates had been killed, Psyker was slightly surprised but regained his calm afterward.
As long as the treasure was still on Planet Macipher, it would all be good. The moment he arrived personally, he would then be able to discover the position of the Evolution Cube.
Chapter 756 Genetic Optimization and Ambitions
This chapter is updated by Wuxia.Blog
Along one of the continuous mountain ranges of Planet Macipher, a mountain face was dug out by Han Xiao's machinery to form a cave, and the cave was equipped with a fully automatic environmental shelter, disguised as a rock. In the light of dawn, those outside could not see the existence of the cave, and the energy detection shield blocked out many of the satellite detectors that Sardeem had arranged in outer space, making it impossible for the owner of the planet to discover any energy responses here with just satellites. This area was a blind spot on their radar.
Within the cave was a hollowed-out mountain belly, and Han Xiao had unfolded a portable mechanical fortress there, occupying thousands of square meters. Numerous mechanical foundations were spread across the mountain walls, supporting the hollowed abdomen of the mountain. This area had turned into a stronghold, and the multiple mechanical foundations also served as light sources, illuminating the darkness of the cave.
After laying his hands on the Evolution Cube the previous night, Han Xiao had analyzed his situation clearly and decided to leave the Planet Macipher's city to set up a temporary hidden stronghold in the wilderness of the planet to prevent Sardeem from detecting their usage of the Evolution Cube. After Hila brought Aurora over, Han Xiao took the three of them there and built a small base with the compressed orbs that he carried with him.
He always carried equipment to set up a temporary camp.
After settling down, Han Xiao took out the Evolution Cube, explaining his hypothesis so far. Originally, the three of them were confused over Han Xiao's sudden irrational behavior, but after hearing the history of the item, they were enlightened.
The trio looked curiously at the small black cube in Han Xiao's hands. Aurora was purely curious about Universal Treasures, while Hila was interested in its ability to promote one's strength.
Feidin, however, showed an anxious expression. "This is the Evolution Cube of legends? Since we've picked it up, what do we do now? Do we return it to Psyker? Will he think that we stole it?"
Because he had followed Han Xiao to visit Austin, he knew that this belonged to Psyker.
Han Xiao could only helplessly reply, "I haven't thought of that yet."
"It can't be that you're thinking of keeping the Evolution Cube," Feidin said. "If you do, we'll also become enemies with Psyker. Now that you've already provoked the Tyrant, if we add on Psyker, that would mean that you've provoked half of the Beyond Grade As in the Shattered Star Ring..."
Han Xiao interrupted him. "We can discuss that later. Since the Evolution Cube is in my hands, let's first use."
How do we use it?" Hila impatiently asked.
"If my memory serves me right..."
Han Xiao flipped the small black cube around, scrutinizing it. Every face was as smooth as a mirror, absent of any notches. Even when he exerted strength with his fingers, it did not leave any traces.
After hesitating, he covered the two sides of the cube with both his palms, pressing down on all corners of the cube simultaneously. The next moment, the inky black surface lit up with streams of light, and a spherical black energy ball wrapped around the cube, suspending it in midair.
"The first step was right..." Han Xiao was overjoyed.
The easiest way to utilize the Evolution Cube was to enter it when it was in its natural state. However, when the Evolution Cube was fixed in its portable mode, the container needed to be opened in a specific manner to expose an opening where the energy from the cube could exit.
The first step was thus to put the container into its 'Ready* status. This was what Han Xiao had just done. However, it did not mean that the cube had been activated yet.
A cover would then materialize around the cube, which served as a password input screen. A series of specific 'passcode symbols' would have to be drawn on it to open the container. This was equivalent to a password. Compared to the Secret Message Bead, this was actually quite simple.
Many players from his past life had used the Evolution Cube in the Arcane Church in exchange for their Contribution Points. Thus, there were a few that had watched the NPCs from the Arcane Church unlock the Evolution Cube in person and recorded it. The process was not a secret to him, and there were even others who posted a summary of the passwords for the Evolution Cube, which were made up of forty-two different symbols.
However, the exact shape and position of the symbols were a little vague to Han Xiao. Fortunately, his Intelligence attribute had improved so much that his memories were already structured like a bookcase. All his memories were stored in different categories, which could be manually accessed and viewed. Such thinking modes could be mastered by ordinary people just after training, let alone for Mechanics with extremely high Intelligence and large brain areas. Otherwise, would it not be too difficult for them to memorize their blueprints?
After pondering for a while, he slowly recalled the structure of the symbols and started to trace with his fingers on the energy cover of the cube, leaving behind golden trails. He quickly finished drawing the symbols, but the energy hood was only drawn back, and the cube dropped onto the ground. Obviously, it was a failure, causing him to stagger slightly.
That's right. The password set by the Arcane Church might not be the same as that set by the EsGod. Han Xiao suddenly realized the issue. He was a little depressed. If he failed to open the Evolution Cube, he could only smash it to allow it to regain its original size. The commotion created by that would be too big, and people would definitely notice.
Frowning and sighing, he consoled himself. That might not be the case as well. The Evolution Cube belonged to a lost civilization, and making portable containers was also this civilization's technology. It is very advanced and is not something ordinary people can decipher. Maybe the Gods can make containers such as these, but it should be difficult to improve the technology.
As such, these forty-two symbols should be the fixed password of the container. As to why the container was not opened... maybe my drawing was inaccurate, or the order was wrong.
Han Xiao did not know that he had guessed upon the truth. This set of symbols was a fixed activation password of the portable Evolution Cube, which could not be changed. It was not only used to unlock the container but also the key to harnessing the energy of the Evolution Cube.
This was the top-secret information left behind by the Evolutionary Cube's Civilization. At present, such knowledge was only in the hands of EsGod. Even Colin and the others did not know how to open it, to prevent their greed, betrayal, or accidental disclosure of information.
In his previous life, the Arcane Church had not been afraid of leaking out such information as no one could take away their items, so Han Xiao had become one of the few people currently who knew the password needed to open it.
He tried more than thirty times, slowly replicating the symbols, refining his accuracy. Finally, on his thirty-seventh try, there was a different reaction from the Evolution Cube.
From the center of every face on the cube, a small hole appeared, in which a black stream of ribbon-like particles escaped, surrounding the cube and propelling it in the air.
"It's open!" Han Xiao exclaimed.
Looking at the others, Han Xiao first took a deep breath, before stretching out his palm and releasing his Mechanical Force toward the Evolution Cube.
Hu!
The next moment, the black stream seemed to have discovered a vent to escape from and flocked over to Han Xiao, continuously infiltrating his body from his skin.
Itchy!
That was his first thought.
This sort of itch seemed to be bom from his soul. His skin, muscles, bones, blood vessels, and organs all felt the itch, but it was impossible to reach out and scratch it like scratching one's body. The symptoms could not be relieved at all.
At this point, notifications started to pop up from the interface.
You have utilized the Evolution Cube (Gold Grade)!
You have received a permanent special benefit-[Gene Optimization: Evolution Cube]!
Identifying species... Identification complete. Your current species is: [Void Star Pursuer].
Your genetic structure is now being adjusted to the best state of the [Void Star Pursuer]. Please do not interrupt the Evolution process.
The first optimization has succeeded. Your potential qualities have increased. You have received +6 STR, +4 DEX, +5 INT, +4 MYS, +3 CHA, and +30 Energy.
Because your Energy Level is above Level 0, the second optimization has automatically succeeded. Your potential qualities have increased, and you have received +8 STR, +7 DEX, +11 END, +7 INT, +5 MYS, +6 CHA, and +40 Energy.
Because your Energy Level is above Level 14, the sixteenth optimization has automatically succeeded. Your potential qualities have increased, and you have received +64 STR, +67 DEX, +72 END, +76 INT, +61 MYS, +43 CHA, and +240 Energy.
When he was rushing toward level 238, his Energy Attribute had broken through the 40,000 mark, achieving the [Level 14] bonus.
For each additional energy attribute level, one would be able to access an additional layer of genetically optimized attributes as a reward. Hence, the stronger one's body was, the better the effect of one's first use. The attributes awarded were based on a variety of factors, such as cell activity, life span, and species-of which the species had the greatest impact. The Evolution Cube would be optimized based on the race, and if one's racial species was more powerful, their benefits would be greater.
When the Evolution Cube was used for the second time onward, it would not be calculated based on the new strength level but rather repeat the optimization process for each layer. However, the attributes given would be greatly reduced, with each subsequent usage giving out less than the previous one, until there was no effect. Only through the sublimation into a new racial species would one then regain some benefits, but even that would be far less effective than the first use of the Evolution Cube.
Han Xiao endured his itchiness while calculating in his mind. This series of genetic optimizations had provided him with an extremely terrifying increase in his attributes. The five attributes of Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, Intelligence, and Mystery shot up by more than five hundred points, while Charm was increased by nearly four hundred points. As for Energy, there was an increase of 2,100!
This wave of soaring attributes exceeded the total amount of attribute points that he had obtained up till Energy Level 14!
The sum of all his improved attributes added to reach more than three thousand points, which was equivalent to Han Xiao's attributes being improved by a third. The effect was outstanding!
Because the potential of the [Void Star Pursuer] was strong-coupled with his young age, high vitality cells, and strong energy-the increase was terrifying!
When he had upgraded his profession to Emperor Mechanic, rising to level 238, his total Energy count had been at 32,600. Right now, after utilizing the Evolution Cube, he suddenly leaped up by another 2,000 points, reaching 34,450.
Even though the itchiness in Han Xiao was hard to bear, he could not help but reveal an expression of joy. This genetic optimization was too worthwhile.
However, the notifications on the interface had not yet ended.
The first time utilizing the Evolution Cube awarded you with sixteen layers of genetic optimization. There will be a +40% experience penalty to level up, which will last for 16 months.
Han Xiao nodded to himself secretly. Players would suffer from experience penalties upon using the Evolution Cube. After all, the attributes obtained were equivalent to gaining ten or more levels. It was just like the saying of pulling up seedlings to help them grow-it would be impossible without a cost. This principle was just like how a stronger lifeform would find it harder to sublimate themselves. Each time the Evolution Cube was utilized, there would be a forty percent experience penalty, and the duration would depend on the number of genetic optimizations obtained.
However, this was nothing to Han Xiao. Just a forty percent experience penalty, under the influence of his thirty percent increase through the Political Asset, was essentially just a ten percent penalty. Han Xiao's experience gain relied on the experience of his leek fields. He could afford to just wait for a while, using this sixteen-month penalty in exchange for a large increase in attributes. This was a permanent force that would result in larger combat power.
Furthermore, the stronger one's attributes, the higher the energy level. As such, his chances of breaking through to the Beyond Grade A at level 240 was even higher now.
At this time, the interface popped up with the last few notifications.
Special Conditions met: On your first time utilizing the Evolution Cube, you unlocked more than ten layers of genetic optimizations.
Special effect triggered.
In the next advancement, you will receive an additional opportunity to perform a Race Evolution.
Gene Optimization has ended.
The black particle flow finally stopped flowing, retreating into the Evolution Cube.
Han Xiao hurriedly squatted down to take a breath, calming himself. He then slowly sensed the power within his newly increased attributes, giving him the feeling that he could blow up a whole planet.
Feidin rushed up to help, asking, "How was the effect?"
Han Xiao only waved his hands, signaling that there was no need for any aid. He then slowly stood up, feeling refreshed. Seeing Hila staring at him, he could not help but laugh.
"I've tested it, and the side effects are small. All of you should have a go."
Hila immediately nodded. "Let me go first then."
Han Xiao did not hesitate, opening the Evolution Cube again to allow the black particle stream to flow toward Hila.
From the perspective of an outsider, the black particle stream would wrap the user into a black cocoon. It took a while for Hila to break out of the cocoon, as though emerging from the cocoon as a butterfly. There was a red glow in her eyes, which then slowly faded.
"Sis, how do you feel?" Aurora curiously asked.
Hila clenched her fists, and her sharp look softened suddenly, as she revealed a rare smile.
"I feel really great."
Seeing the situation, Han Xiao smiled. He was happy to share the Evolution Cube, which would allow him to improve the backbone of his group.
Soon, there were another two cocoons beside the Evolution Cube. It was Feidin's and Aurora's turn to enjoy the baptism of genetic optimization.
Han Xiao stood beside them, looking at the two people who were undergoing the process, and suddenly spotted a problem.
If the Evolution Cube returned to Psyker, he would not know the opening symbols, only being able to destroy the container and release the evolution block, making it return to its original state.
It seemed ... that only Han Xiao knew how to use the evolutionary block in its portable state.
Once this thought was bom, Han Xiao's eyes flashed.
Maybe this is a foundation for cooperation...
In a short while, Feidin and Aurora also completed their optimizations, and each experienced with their own changes.
"Ok, what's the plan now?" Feidin immediately asked. Since the Evolution Cube had been used, it was time for them to think about what to do next.
Han Xiao's answer was out of his expectations.
"You all will stay here."
The three of them stopped in shock.
"Are you planning to..." Feidin was in disbelief.
Before waiting for him to finish, Han Xiao nodded. "Sardeem has already sealed up the entire planet, so Psyker will probably catch up soon. I have my ways of protecting myself from a Beyond Grade A but not you guys. We will act separately this time. You guys stay here temporarily. I have a way to leave this planet."
His real objective was to utilize the Void Dimension Jump to leave Planet Macipher on his own. This way, he could precisely test the accuracy of the detection method that Sardeem or Psyker had.
No matter how he planned to deal with the Evolution Cube, he could not avoid taking a risk. In this manner, it would be better if he just operated solo. This way, he would not need to worry about his teammates.
In reality, this Evolution Cube was a hot potato, but since it had already fallen into his hands, Han Xiao was not willing to hand it over.
Risk and opportunity co-existed side by side. This was the situation that he had analyzed, and there was no doubt that only by keeping the Evolution Cube in his possession could he maximize the benefits.
As for whether he had the ability to keep it... if he did not try, how would he know?
Thus, Han Xiao decided to enter the desolate universe belt with the Evolution Cube by himself, giving himself time to accumulate enough experience to reach level 240.
While he did not know the exact context, he felt that the facts should be similar to his own deduction. It was likely that there would be a pursuer, which was most probably Psyker.
Han Xiao had nothing against Psyker and even respected such heroes who cared about their races.
The Evolution Cube only worked for an individual, but the descendants of powerful individuals would also end up inheriting certain genetic optimization effects. Furthermore, undergoing another process through the Evolution Cube would be a positive cycle, and this was exactly how Psyker had managed to evolve his Star Pupil Holy Race to its current state.
To this day, the Evolution Cube was still a very important tool for the development of the Star Pupil Holy Race...
However, what had that got to do with him?
He was not a member of the Star Pupil Holy Race!
He was not even the one who stole the cube!
He just picked it up!
Han Xiao had already made his decision. At least, he had to exchange blows with Psyker once. If he could not fend him off, it would not be too late to negotiate!