After waiting for a few days on the celebration planet, Han Xiao clearly witnessed the increase of the planet's security level. Regular military troops arrived one after another and took over the responsibility of protecting the planet. The defense line was impenetrable, safer than any place he had ever seen.
Half of the surrounding Star Zones were under martial law, and all kinds of advanced defense measures were set up to prevent all kinds of long-range attacks from threatening the celebration planet.
The Intelligent Plague broke out in the Ancient Star Desert, so logically speaking, the ceremony should be held in the Ancient Star Desert. The three Universal Civilizations said that they had considered the fact that many Beyond Grade As were currently in the Flickering World, so they changed the venue. They also said that this place had symbolic meaning, representing another major exploration result of the galactic society after so many years.
It was a rare sight for the leaders of the three Universal Civilizations to attend the commendation ceremony together. Due to their sensitive identities, such events would usually be held in the Central Galaxy and would rarely be held in other Star Fields. Even if there were thorough security personnel, accidents were inevitable in life. To the leaders of the three Universal Civilizations, leaving the Central Galaxy rashly was undoubtedly a risky action.
Han Xiao guaranteed that some organizations with ulterior motives would definitely be tempted. Although the three Universal Civilizations already had a mature operating system, and even if their leaders were assassinated, the operation of the government would not be affected much. However, temporary chaos was inevitable, and they might be targeted by some people because of this.
Of course, if any organization dared to do this, they would have no place in the explored universe and would suffer the revenge of death. Their relationship would forever be 'hatred'. Furthermore, with so many armies and Beyond Grade As, the success rate of the assassination was basically negligible.
However, this did not hinder the plan of deliberately framing them.
Han Xiao was very suspicious that the three Universal Civilizations had other intentions for doing this. Was it a self-directed show, pretending that some outsider would assassinate their leader during the ceremony? Then, they would shift the blame to the target and get an excuse to attack them?
This direction felt very familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before …
Could it be that I gave them some inspiration?
Han Xiao had just experienced a 'backstab' not too long ago, and the memory was still fresh in his mind. His thoughts could not help but wander in this direction.
With his understanding of the three Universal Civilizations, it was not impossible for them to do such a thing. The probability of it happening was about twenty percent, and he could not ask Uranril for confirmation.
In the past few days on the planet, he had not been able to contact the leaders of the three Universal Civilizations. Like the others, he could only stay in the official guest house and wait silently.
On the day of the ceremony, Han Xiao and a group of guests, including Han Xiao, were transported to the venue of the ceremony by official vehicles. The venue was a large hall in the style of the Empire. Countless invited guests could be seen queuing up to enter the venue. No one was making a ruckus. Only the sound of whispers could be heard. The atmosphere was quite solemn.
Han Xiao's seat was arranged at the front table, and the other peak Beyond Grade As were seated at the same table as Kasuyi and Kant.
After greeting them, Han Xiao sat down next to Kasuyi. He glanced at the people at the same table and whispered, "The Mecha Empire didn't come?"
"He's here, but it's just a clone." Kasuyi pointed behind him.
A steel lump was arranged in the distance, sitting at the edge of the venue. Even though it was separated by a layer of steel, Han Xiao could smell Manison's scent on it.
"He won't cause trouble during the ceremony, right?" Han Xiao blinked.
"Manison isn't that crazy," Kant interrupted.
Today, Kant had turned into a handsome middle-aged space human. His nose was high, his eyes were deep, and his facial features were sharp. He was sitting upright.
Han Xiao glanced at the security guards at the edge of the venue and whispered, "I have a feeling that it won't go so smoothly. There might be an assassination attempt."
"We have so many Beyond Grade As sitting below. Who would be so bold?" Sun Hunter said in a muffled voice.
"Maybe it's a self-directed act …" Han Xiao winked.
Secret Master could not help but roll his eyes at Han Xiao. He snorted and said, "Come on, do you think the three Universal Civilizations are like you? How can you do such a petty thing?"
"So what if it's petty? It's fine as long as it's useful." Han Xiao clicked his tongue. "Want to make a bet?"
"You still dare to gamble?" Secret Master was shocked.
Don't you know what kind of luck you have?
If my luck is a flawless gem, then your luck is like the moldy green filth on the wall of a smelly gutter. You dare to bet with me, a master of controlling luck? I'm afraid you're doing charity.
"Sure, what do you plan to give me?"
"I'll bet with Sun Hunter. If I lose, I'll give him to you. How about that?" Han Xiao grabbed the head of the little guy on the table with two fingers and lifted him up.
“？”
Sun Hunter, who was being lifted up in the air, had a face full of question marks.
What does it have to do with me? I'll blow you up.
Secret Master was speechless. He quickly patted Han Xiao's hand and asked him to put down the confused Sun Hunter. He apologized and then whispered to Han Xiao, "How can you bet with someone else? Although His Excellency Sun Hunter is a little pocket-sized, how can you joke about his size?"
"We have a good relationship. Can't help it."
With a flick of his finger, Han Xiao flicked Sun Hunter's head, causing the other party to glare at him angrily. Only then did he chuckle and stop. He had always wanted to do this since his previous life, and he finally got what he wanted. With their equal status, this little joke was not a big deal. If an ordinary Beyond Grade A dared to tease Sun Hunter like this, they could basically apply for disability protection.
"Since you don't like this bet, I'll change it."
"Change it to what?"
"I know you have a problem with me. How about this? If you win, I'll stand still and let you beat me for ten minutes. If I win, you stand still and let me beat you for ten minutes. Fair, right?"
Secret Master simply shut his mouth and turned his head away, too lazy to argue with Han Xiao.
Forget it. Who doesn't know how tanky your Indestructible Body is? Fair my ass. I still want to live for another hundred years.
The people at the table chatted for a while. Suddenly, a group of officers strode into the venue, surrounding their respective leaders. The venue immediately quieted down, and the atmosphere became solemn.
The Dynasty Ruler Uranril, the President of Radiance, Bader, and the old Pope of the Arcane Church strode up the stage under everyone's gaze and sat on the specially set seats. Beside them was a podium.
Han Xiao had only seen Uranril in person before, but this was the first time he had come into close contact with Bader and the Ethereal Pope. Although the two of them had different temperaments, they had the same aura of a ruler like Uranril, which made people subconsciously become serious.
However, the focus of his observation was not on the two leaders but the personal guards beside them. They were all existences similar to Dark Emperor Clottey.
There was a male creature beside Bader. His skin was snow-white, and his body structure was similar to that of a human's, except that he had a straight horn on his forehead, which forced him to keep his hairstyle in the middle. His hair was golden, smooth, and as thick as a lion's mane, it was tied into a braid that reached his waist. He seemed to have some elf bloodline, as his ears were long and pointed. He had deep purple eyes and a well-proportioned mouth, but he did not have a nose. The part where the nose should have been was flat, but it did not look ugly under the aesthetic standards of the humans of the universe. Instead, it was very harmonious.
This person was wearing a soft and gorgeous robe, embellished with light gold and ice blue. He exuded an elegant and noble aura, and his temperament was gentle and gentle, like the elf king in the legends of some civilizations. This person was the president's personal guard of the Radiance Alliance, a pinnacle Beyond Grade A, 'Golden Ring' Oulou.
Oulou's ability was to borrow the power of a specific secondary dimension. It sounded quite similar to Traveler, who had already died, but their combat strength was completely different. This guy was at the same level as the Dark Emperor, able to fight back and forth with Kasuyi.
Han Xiao turned around and looked to the other side.
Beside the Ethereal Pope was a huge guy. He was not the type of Pugilist who had trained but was born with a huge body, as if he had part of the giant bloodline. This person was the captain of the Pope's personal guard of the Ethereal Federation, the 'God's Chosen' Wuornos, who was also the High Priest of the Temple of Ten Thousand Gods.
Compared to Oulou's flashy outfit, Wuornos' appearance and temperament were very low-key, as if he was just an ordinary middle-aged man with wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. His expression was meticulous, and he wore a silver-gray priest robe. If not for his eye-catching size, he might not have been able to be found in a crowd.
"Oulou and Wuornos …" Han Xiao whispered to himself.
These two people were just like the Dark Emperor, usually following their leader and rarely participating in activities outside of their duties. This was the first time he had seen them in person. He had only heard of them before and did not have much interaction with them.
Kasuyi glanced at Han Xiao, leaned over, and casually said, "This should be your first time seeing the two of them, right? Let me give you a piece of advice. You and Oulou can joke around, but don't provoke Wuornos."
"What do you mean?" Han Xiao was curious.
"Although Oulou is the personal guard of the leader, his personality is different from Clottey's. He's gentler and not as cold. Other than occasionally showing an inexplicable sense of superiority, he's not a bad guy. However, Wuornos … heh, just don't provoke him."
"Now that you mention it, I'm even more curious. You're Ethereal's ally. Do you know something?"
"Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. I can only say that he's the publicly acknowledged strongest Beyond Grade A, so he naturally has his reasons." Kasuyi smiled faintly.
At this moment, Uranril stood in front of the podium, looked around, and spoke loudly.
"Friends and guests, today, in order to honor all the heroes who have made great contributions to the Intelligent Plague disaster, we hereby hold a grand award ceremony to award the honor to every hero who has made outstanding contributions.
First of all, on behalf of the three Universal Civilizations, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the heroes of the universe who have received the Medal of Honor and the title of Honor today.
We've been through storms and storms together, and we've experienced disaster after disaster. Now, our wills are as strong as an impregnable fortress, and we've once again stepped on a new disaster.
Ever since the galactic society was officially established at the end of the exploration era, generations of heroes with a sense of responsibility for history have sacrificed themselves for the greater good. They have contributed countless efforts to our universe, leading us to overcome difficulties one after another and shaping the cornerstone of the galactic society today. Although many people have passed away, their Radiance will always be passed down with our reproduction generation after generation.
"Only by crossing new mountains can we see a wider distance. Over the years, the galactic society has achieved many achievements under the leadership of the three Universal Civilizations. We have cut through all obstacles, constantly explored the unknown universe, and expanded our territory. Now, the Flickering World we are in is a milestone achievement, the full fruit of our exploration.
"To be able to achieve such an achievement, we can't do without the cooperation of the entire galactic society. The galactic society is an inseparable whole, and everyone's contributions are indispensable. The bonds of order connect us, forging a never-ending pioneering spirit, allowing us to not be afraid of all difficulties and obstacles. Anyone who tries to destroy this order and unity will be the enemy of the entire universe …"
The media broadcasted Uranril's speech to the entire universe. After she finished speaking, there was a tsunami of applause. Han Xiao and the other Beyond Grade As also gave her face and clapped a few times.
Han Xiao could hear the hidden meaning in Uranril's words. She emphasized the importance of the collective, emphasized the correctness and results of the leaders of the three Universal Civilizations, and also vaguely stabbed the Supercluster Alliance and the Mecha Empire. Although she did not say it explicitly, everyone knew who she was hinting at by 'those who destroy the order and unity of the galactic society'.
Bader and the Pope of Ethereal also came up to give a short speech. Then, they entered the formal commendation process. The meritorious people came up to the stage one by one, accepted the awards from the leaders of the different civilizations, and gave a speech. Some people even had to answer one or two questions from the reporters. The process was all the same.
The atmosphere of this commendation ceremony was formal and serious, and there would be no entertainment performances. It was like a large-scale report to publicize the results of their work to the entire universe. Entertainment was not considered, and everyone could only sit and wait for their names to be called.
Time passed very quickly while they were in a daze. The commendation ceremony soon came to an end, and there was only one person left. Everyone's eyes were focused on Han Xiao.
"Black Star, you limited the outflow of the Intelligent Plague virus and discovered the true face of the virus core at the critical moment. You reversed our wrong strategy and helped us reformulate the plan, changing the fate of the disaster. At the same time, you seized the virus and destroyed it during the actual operation, completely eliminating the hidden dangers and preventing the second outbreak of the Intelligent Plague. You saved countless lives. Your contribution is huge, and you are hereby awarded."
Hearing Uranril's voice, Han Xiao stood up, walked up to the stage, and shook hands with the three leaders. Below the stage, countless media reporters recorded and took photos. They purposely turned on their flashes, illuminating the stage in white.
"Black Star has many good qualities. He's determined, flexible, and principled …" Bader said a lot of praises before finally concluding. "In view of Black Star's contributions, we've decided to award him the Galaxy Medal together."
As soon as he said that, the many reporters and guests below the stage held their breaths.
The Galaxy Medal was the highest symbol of honor that the three Universal Civilizations had jointly set up since the establishment of the structure. It was the highest honor in the explored universe, and there were very few people who had received this medal in history.
Although many people had expected this, they were still shocked when it actually happened. They always felt that although Black Star's contributions were huge, there was still a certain distance between him and this medal. Now, it seemed like the three Universal Civilizations were deliberately supporting him.
No matter what they thought, the honor was real. The applause below the stage was thunderous.
Clap clap clap clap!
Amidst the warm applause, Uranril took out a medal that was as dazzling as the starry sky and placed it in her palm. The other two reached out and handed it to Han Xiao together.
The scene seemed to be frozen. The flashes below the stage flickered, recording this historic scene.
The commotion lasted for a long time, and it was only after dozens of seconds that the commotion gradually died down.
Han Xiao reached out to pick up the medal, pinned it to his chest, and shook hands with the three of them again. Only then did he come to the podium, cough, and speak.
"Thank you to the Red Empire, the Radiant Federation, and the Arcane Church for your kindness. It's my honor to receive this honor. As a part of the explored universe, I have the responsibility and obligation to maintain the stability and prosperity of the universe …"
After reading a long speech according to the script, Han Xiao looked up at the clock on the wall of the hall and smiled.
"I'm the last person to receive the medal. Since the ceremony is about to end, I won't make a long speech. What I said is about the same. Everyone is probably tired …"
The people below the stage laughed kindly. Whether it was from the bottom of their hearts or fake laughter, the effect was achieved. This kind of occasion could not tolerate mavericks who did not know how to respect others.
Han Xiao nodded with a smile. "In short, you can tell what kind of person I am from what I've done so far. I believe the galactic society has its own views, so I don't need to elaborate here. So, let's quickly get to the question and answer session. Don't waste everyone's time to go back and take a nap … Does anyone have a question?"
Hearing this, many reporters raised their hands, hoping that they would be chosen.
Han Xiao was about to choose a person when a reporter in the crowd stood up and said, "Your Excellency, Your Excellency, the Intelligent Civilization.
"Your Excellency Black Star, I heard that the Mechanic Emperor Manison also made a huge contribution to the Intelligent Plague. Without him, the three Universal Civilizations would not have found the location of the virus core. It can be said that one-third or even half of your Galaxy Medal belongs to Manison … However, in this award ceremony, Your Excellency Mechanic Emperor did not receive any honor. You seem to have forgotten about this person, purposely ignoring his contributions. You even accepted the medal with a clear conscience. What do you think of this?"
As soon as he said that, the venue, which was originally quite lively, suddenly fell silent as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over it.
Everyone subconsciously moved their gazes and looked at Manison of the Mecha Empire, who had been standing at the edge of the venue without moving.
Han Xiao narrowed his eyes and carefully sized up the reporter who asked the question. He saw a faint sneer on the other party's face. He obviously wanted to embarrass him and the three Universal Civilizations in public.
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