With Manison's departure, the operation to capture the Virtual Mutiny Virus core was finally settled.
Han Xiao deactivated the Mechanical Deity, recalled the combat troops, and left behind some logistics and maintenance teams to help the three Universal Civilizations clean up the battlefield.
He and Manison had deliberately moved away from the battlefield, restraining the troops from firing in the direction of the planet. However, the aftermath of the battle still affected Planet Magnetic Cloud quite a bit.
It was as if a layer of the earth had been scraped off by a file, and the 'flesh' that was shoveled off turned into sand. Looking down from outer space, the surface was full of marks left by falling objects. The most obvious of which was the ravine left by Manison's trident, which transformed the wilderness into a large spider web-like rift valley that stretched for hundreds of miles.
The Machinery Faith's settlement was affected to a certain extent. The shield flickered, but it was not destroyed. However, the violent earthquake caused a large number of buildings to collapse, and the surrounding terrain sank by one to two meters. This city under the shield became a towering island, looking rather conspicuous.
Seeing this, Han Xiao had an idea. He controlled his Lord's Avatar to land in the settlement.
They had all come to pursue the virus core, and then there was a battle. Although they had discovered the Machinery Faith on Planet Magnetic Cloud, they had not had the time to make contact.
Manison had warned him that he did not want to see the other Beyond Grade As come into contact with the Machinery Faith, but now that he had fallen out with the Mecha Empire again, Han Xiao naturally forgot about his words.
Han Xiao slowly landed, stopping above the settlement's shield.
More than ten figures followed. They were Kant and the other Beyond Grade A Mechanics.
Han Xiao did not stop them. They were not the Mecha Empire.
After a few seconds, the shield opened on its own. Han Xiao and the others landed on the top of the Mechanical Temple in the center of the settlement. All the priests were excited, forming a circle.
"Look, the Mechanical Deity is alive!"
"So many Beyond Grade A Mechanics. I really want to touch it."
"Say, if we go up and ask for a photo, will they agree?"
Many of the Heavenly Priests whispered excitedly, their hearts wild with joy.
This must be heaven!
Usually, only the Mecha Empire would take the initiative to contact them. The other Beyond Grade A Mechanics did not come, as though they were not interested in the Machinery Faith at all. This made them feel that the other Beyond Grade As were looking down on them.
They generally did not take the initiative to come into contact with the object of their faith. They worshipped themselves, so their interactions were limited. Now that they saw so many living Beyond Grade A Mechanics with their own eyes, they were overjoyed. They were excited but cautious at the same time. They wanted to pounce forward but were afraid of making these 'gods' unhappy.
In the end, it was the Grand Priest who took the initiative to welcome them.
"I am the Grand Priest of this Machinery Faith settlement. Fellow Beyond Grade A Mechanics, I welcome your visit on behalf of the Machinery Faith."
Han Xiao knew how to deal with a group of believers. He did not say any pleasantries, nor did he need to introduce himself. He just glanced at the collapsed buildings in the distance and said with concern in a leader's tone, "I'm sorry.
"I just had a fierce fight with the Mecha Empire. Are you guys alright?"
"We're fine. We all have heavy armor protecting us. Plus, the residents have already taken shelter in the flying vehicles. There were no casualties. The loss of the city is nothing. We can just rebuild it."
Seeing Black Star's concern, the Grand Priest's spirits were lifted, and his face was filled with joy.
My idol is showing concern for me!
I have no regrets in my life!
"Let's move to another planet. The damage on Planet Magnetic Cloud is quite severe. There will probably be frequent natural disasters in the future," Han Xiao said with concern.
"No, no, no. We want to stay here and pay homage to the traces left by you and the Mecha Empire." The Grand Priest shook his head.
Planet Magnetic Cloud was so badly damaged that normal people would move to another planet. However, the Machinery Faith was not normal. To them, after Black Star and the Mecha Empire fought here, Planet Magnetic Cloud became the 'Battlefield of Gods'. It was very memorable, and they could not wait to pay homage to it every day. Move? Not going to happen!
"If that's the case, fine. Since I'm already here, I'll lend you a hand." Han Xiao tapped his finger, and a virtual screen appeared out of thin air, showing the 2D map of Planet Magnetic Cloud. He said kindly, "I'm partly responsible for the damage to your settlement. Pick a location, and I'll help you build a new city."
The Priests widened their eyes in disbelief. They could not believe that the high and mighty Mechanical Deity was so kind.
"We wouldn't dare. How could we trouble Black Star for such a small matter?" The Grand Priest hurriedly declined.
"Don't be so polite. We're on the same side. I've always known about the existence of the Machinery Faith. I heard that you've always worshipped me as a god. Although we haven't come into contact before, since you worship me as a god, I won't be stingy with my protection."
Han Xiao did not beat around the bush. He was just short of directly saying, "I'm a reliable backer. Hurry up and lie on my chest."
Hearing this, the Grand Priest could not help but feel a little moved. Their faith would not change because of material benefits, but there was no need to reject the gift of a 'god'.
After some discussion, they finally selected a location on the 2D map and chose a location for the new settlement.
Han Xiao took a look. It was the rift created by the trident. He was not surprised. He deliberately smiled and said, "Not bad. The Mecha Empire's weapon that I destroyed is here."
As soon as he said that, the curiosity of the Priests was piqued.
They had been watching the battle between the two Mechanical Deities and found that the two had stopped fighting halfway. Later, they heard Kant say on the wide area channel that the two were tied, and then the Mecha Empire ran away. Everything happened too quickly, and they were still confused.
"Your Excellency Black Star, why did you and the Mecha Empire fight? What was the result? Er … if you're sensitive, please forgive my offense. "
The Great Priest could not help but ask. Although he knew that this was somewhat abrupt, his heart was itching like a cat scratching it. His curiosity could not be quenched, like a fanatic's desire to know the latest gossip about their idol.
"This is not a secret. It will be made public sooner or later. It's fine to tell you. You know about the Virtual Mutiny Virus, right?"
"Yes, yes."
The Grand Priest nodded. Not only did he know about it, but he was also very familiar with it.
"That thing is not a simple virus but an information weapon with a core control. It has the ability to constantly evolve and update. Furthermore, it can jump back and forth between virtual and physical, appearing and disappearing mysteriously. The reason we Beyond Grade As responded to the call of the three Universal Civilizations was to cooperate and hunt it down …" Han Xiao briefly explained.
The eyes of the Priests present widened in shock. Only now did they know that the Virtual Mutiny Virus that had troubled the Ancient Star Desert for many days was actually such a powerful technology.
"And then? Did you succeed?" The Grand Priest was immersed in Han Xiao's explanation and hurriedly asked.
"We caught the core, but there was a disagreement on how to deal with it. Manison did not care about the risk and wanted to keep the core to research this technology himself. For the sake of the peace of the universe, I took the virus core and destroyed it. The Mecha Empire was very angry and wanted to teach me a lesson, so we fought. I'm sorry to have affected you guys."
Han Xiao was telling the truth. He only changed the details slightly to highlight how Manison 'did not care about the safety of the universe'.
Kant and the others glanced at him. They knew that he was defaming the Mecha Empire, but no one stopped him. Basically, everyone was happy to see it happen.
"Then the result …"
"Just like what you heard, the Mecha Empire and I were evenly matched. He felt that he could not beat me even if we continued to fight, so he ran away. He did not want to continue fighting with me."
Kant and the others glanced at Han Xiao again and nodded.
Not bad. Maintain this state and continue defaming him. Don't stop.
"So that's how it is …"
The Grand Priest sighed in satisfaction, like a fan who had heard enough gossip.
In the beginning, Black Star was suppressed by the Mecha Empire. He only turned the situation around after his outburst. However, the Machinery Faith only cared about results. Regardless of whether Black Star burned his potential or not, as long as Black Star used his mechanical abilities to fight a strong enemy to a result, they would recognize the tie between Black Star and the Mecha Empire. They believed that the two of them were now evenly matched and could not wait to spread the news in the Faith and share the gossip.
At the same time, the Grand Priest felt that it was a pity.
He was not a warped fanatic, but when he heard that such a powerful technology like the Virtual Mutiny Virus had been destroyed by Han Xiao, he still felt a little distressed.
However, this also made him admire Black Star's feat even more. The virus core was clearly within his reach, but he cared about the common people. For the sake of righteousness, he destroyed this powerful technology, eliminating the possibility of any faction obtaining this technology from the root. This made the virus no longer have the possibility of harming the universe. It was admirable.
The Mecha Empire wanted to research the virus in order to gain control of this weapon. The safety of the common people was not within his consideration. Although the Grand Priest could understand the Mecha Empire's actions, he still felt that they were inferior to Black Star. Unconsciously, the Mecha Empire's image in his heart was no longer as lofty and mysterious. On the contrary, it was Black Star's image that was raised by quite a bit.
Rumors were always distorted. The insider information revealed by these big shots was still more reliable … many of the High Priests thought to themselves.
Han Xiao and the others had come here to spread the news of the tie and at the same time, smear the Mecha Empire's reputation. This group of Machinery Faith members would spread the news internally and pry into the faith of the Mecha Empire.
The Machinery Faith was a group of traitors who believed in whoever was stronger. They did not have any die-hard fans. With the battle results as evidence, it was not difficult to poach them.
With their goal achieved, Han Xiao and the others communicated with the believers here and deepened their impression of the Machinery Faith. They then left the planet and deactivated Lord's Descent, leaving only the construction machinery army to build a new settlement for the Machinery Faith.
…
"The Mecha Empire has retreated."
The live broadcast ended, and the three Universal Civilizations' leaders looked at each other.
"Although there were some twists and turns, the operation was a success. The threat of the virus core has been dealt with. Black Star's intelligence was correct. He also contributed greatly in the operation. If not for him, we would have suffered a great loss. His achievement can be said to have turned the tide. He must be rewarded, "Uranril said first.
Bader and the Ethereal Pope nodded silently and had no objections. This was a disaster that threatened the entire universe. Past grievances should be put aside for the time being.
"Furthermore, in order to destroy the Mecha Empire's plan, Black Star had no choice but to burn his potential and fight with us. We must give him sufficient compensation," Uranril said.
Bader cursed in his heart for being shameless and retorted, "This doesn't make sense. Handing over the virus core to us is also destroying the Mecha Empire's plan. Black Star might not have done so out of consideration for maintaining the order of the universe, but more so because he doesn't trust us. He's still not on the same side as us. I think the reward is fine, but there's no need for compensation."
"That's not what I meant." Uranril shook her head. "Black Star had his own considerations when he destroyed the virus core. It was to protect himself and not obviously take sides. It was also to cut off the source of the disaster. However, through this action, we finally saw his unclear position … He chose order. Even if Black Star isn't a direct member of our family, his position is in line with our interests. We should give him more trust. "
Bader frowned and said nothing.
Seeing this, Uranril said in a deep voice, "Actually, we didn't lose anything by destroying this technology. Monopolizing virus technology is mainly to prevent it from leaking. With our own strength, we can suppress the explored universe. Without this Virtual Mutiny Virus, we're still the overlords. Instead, we'll have one less variable that can threaten the universe."
She didn't hide anything. It was obvious that she wanted to obtain more benefits for Black Star. Bader was about to say something when the Ethereal Pope suddenly spoke.
"We need to consider how to deal with the Mecha Empire. His position is very dangerous. If not for Black Star revealing the characteristics of the virus core, he would have been hiding the information in his hands.
Manison's appetite is getting bigger and bigger. Although he didn't succeed this time, he has already shown his ambition. We can't allow him to do whatever he wants. We have to find a way to weaken him. For example, his business, his position, his faith in the Machinery Faith, and his right to speak in the development union. Therefore, we have to choose a suitable candidate to be his opponent and continuously take away the resources of the Mecha Empire. "
"You're saying that Black Star should replace the Mecha Empire's position?" Bader was unwilling.
"That's right. He's the best candidate. Although he's not directly related to us, his position is trustworthy. He won't do anything that disrupts the order. Letting Black Star grow is better than letting the Mecha Empire continue to be unrestrained. Therefore, it's best to let Black Star and the Mecha Empire fight and complete the separation … If it's Black Star leading the development union, it'll be even better. We won't have to worry about the Beyond Grade As doing anything radical."
Everyone discussed and came to a consensus.
As for Black Star, not only did they have to reward him, they also had to publicize his deeds throughout the universe. This was to create momentum for Black Star, help him fight for the resources of the Mecha Empire, and promote the correct values that were beneficial to order.
As for the Mecha Empire, they had to suppress it. They couldn't let it be so carefree anymore.
At the very least, they had to lock onto this old thing's main body first. Manison was not Black Star. His main body was his biggest weakness.
…
The vision of the Lord's Avatar disappeared, and it returned to the main body.
Han Xiao slowly opened his eyes. His main body was still in the Virtual Brainwave Amplifier, and the consciousness of the others did not return to their avatars. He was the only one moving in this space.
"I've finally dealt with the virus core."
Han Xiao opened the interface, and the special requirement to personally destroy the virus core showed that he had completed it.
However, the entire [Intelligent Plague] mission was not over yet. The three Universal Civilizations would only receive all the rewards of this mission after they cleared the first-generation virus in the Ancient Star Desert.
As for ['Mecha Empire' Manison · Mechanical God's War], he could receive the rewards. After fighting with Manison for half a day, he had already reached the highest rating.
Fu Ding, Nero, and Ames were not around, so he could only make do with Harrison.
Randomizing … complete.
Please select one from the following five options as your reward.
1. [Blueprint — Mechanic Emperor's Holy Trident] – Ability: A Universal Treasure-level melee weapon dedicated to the Mechanical Deity. An excellent product developed by Manison after summarizing various weapon technologies. Specific Parameters: (Collapse/Expand). Manufacturing Requirements: Character Level not lower than 310, INT greater than 20,000, [Ultimate Mechanical Engineering Lv.5], [Endless Material Science Lv.5], [Eternal Energy Lv.4], etc.
2. [Perfect Mechanical Sense] – Talent: Total Machinery Affinity x 1.4x, + 4 Mechanic Class Skill Levels, Mechanical Force Bonus Grade 1 – 2 (Cannot exceed Pink Grade Rare Grade).
3. [Blueprint — Felon] – Ability: An advanced mechanical soldier developed by Manison himself. A powerful war weapon created by using biological modification and biochemical technology. It requires living Supers as the material. The stronger the original, the higher the performance after modification. Specific Parameters: (Collapse/Expand). Remarks: The requirements to transform a living Beyond Grade A into a Felon are Character Level not lower than 340, INT greater than 32,000, [Endless Material Science Lv.5], [Mechanical Life Tinder Lv.5], [Eternal Energy Lv.5], [Virtual Creator Lv.5], etc.
4. [The Ancient One] – Talent: A long life allows you to have rich experiences. This is a precious spiritual wealth. + 20% INT, + 10% MYS, + 2 All Skill Levels.
5. [Trillion Mecha Empire — Manison] – Talent: + 15% INT, + 1.2x Machinery Affinity, + 2 Mechanic Class Skill Levels, [Machinery Fusion — Give], [Emperor's Gift], [King's Mentor], [Tinder Awakening], [Apostle Creation], [Dimension Factory], [Apostle Evolution], [Mechanical Tinder Proliferation], [Machinery Civilization Enhancement], and other Skill Levels + 6. + 5,000% Machinery Production Efficiency, + 10% – 40% Quality of Machinery Creations, + 36% R&D Ability for Normal Blueprints, + 12% R&D Ability for Gold Blueprints.
When fighting against any machinery, you will receive a + 10% bonus to all attributes, -15% damage received, + 10% damage dealt, and -25% energy and stamina consumption.
Remarks: You are the master of billions of machines. You are the kingdom of machines!
Gulp!
Han Xiao was a little stunned. His throat rolled, and he subconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
Is Lady Luck finally willing to take off my pants?
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