The Legendary Mechanic

Looking at Troy's trepidatious and respectful expression, Han Xiao chuckled and asked, "So what you mean is, the reason you're in this situation today is all because you were framed, and you're innocent, right?"

Troy swallowed and said, "I was tricked by my political enemy. They framed me for many crimes."

"Oh…" Han Xiao did not express whether he believed Troy's explanation and said, "So, now you want to take refuge under my command and let me protect you?"

"I won't dare to ask for your protection," Troy said cautiously. "All I'm asking is for you to allow me to follow the Black Star Army's fleet and leave the Central Galaxy through the stargate. I'm wanted by a Star System civilization. I can't use any stargates without someone's help.

Han Xiao laughed and shook his head. "All the civilizations in the Constellation Corridor are ruled by the dynasty. Don't you know that I'm the dynasty's ally? You're now a wanted criminal of a civilization under the dynasty's rule. It's already kind of me not to capture you right here, but you still want me to bear the risk and take you to the Shattered Star Ring? All you have are words, yet you want me to help you for free. Do I look like a philanthropist to you?"

"No, no, you're mistaken." Troy quickly waved his hands. "Although I do want to take refuge here, my intention to join the Black Star Army is sincere. Your rise in the Shattered Star Ring has spread across the universe, and I've admired you for a very long time. If you don't mind, I'm willing to work for you and be loyal to you in the future."

"Oh?" Han Xiao placed his elbows on the table, and his palms crossed before his nose. He stared at Troy and slowly said, "You said you're innocent, do you think I believe that? Your ambitions failed, and you're wanted by a civilization, so you want me to back you up and use my name to pay the cost of your failure for you. Do you think there are such great things in the world?"

In fact, this guy was not innocent at all. In the years he ruled Sodrian, he secretly planned a lot of conspiracies to obtain more power. When these things got exposed, he rebelled against the civilization. His political enemies did indeed exaggerate some of the things he did, but he was no saint.

The situation Troy explained to Han Xiao was not completely untrue; he just changed some of the reasoning behind it and deliberately kept the factors regarding his own ambitions a secret. He wanted to put the blame on others and make his crimes seem less severe, so he would look like he was forced and helpless, which he deludedly hoped would lower Han Xiao's suspicion toward him.

However, this was completely ineffective to Han Xiao. Sodrian was the earliest novice planet in the Constellation Corridor. With so much information that the players had dug up, Han Xiao knew what had happened all too well. Troy could not hide it from him at all.

Furthermore, Han Xiao had searched through the forums and found a hidden mission in the Galaxy Chronicles recorded by the Constellation Corridor players. When Troy was retreating and fleeing, he arranged people to plant enough high energy explosives in the political building of Sodrian's capital city to wipe out more than ten blocks. He completely ignored the civilian casualties and was extremely cruel. However, this triggered the players' hidden mission, and the trap was destroyed by the players. This was more than enough to prove that Troy was nothing but a cruel and heartless man who would have his revenge no matter the means and the unnecessary casualties.

Under Han Xiao's glare, Troy's expression stiffened. He was anxious. If not because he had no other way out, he would not have taken such a desperate gamble. He clenched his teeth, let go of all his pride, and suddenly dropped prone before Han Xiao. In the universally accepted cultural standards, this position represented complete obedience.

"With your position, who dares lie to you! It's my fault for not saying things clearly and causing your misunderstanding. I am sorry. Please save my life. I'm willing to work for you forever."

Han Xiao curled his lips in his mind. He knew exactly what Troy was intending to do—it was nothing but an attempt to take refuge after making a huge mistake. Since the army was recruiting, he thought that this was his opportunity, so he intended to use sweet words to convince him.

If not because Troy had a special use to him, he would have let people capture Troy long ago in exchange for the bounty.

Han Xiao stood up, glanced at the top of Troy's head, and said, "I don't need your loyalty, and I don't need your appreciation even more. I'm too lazy to capture you, so I'll act as if I never saw you. Get out of my sight right now and don't let me see you again, or else…"

Whoosh!

The door opened, and Hila walked in. She stared at Troy coldly, clearly signifying him to piss off.

Troy's face was pressed onto the floor, and his expression could not be seen. Only after two seconds did he stand up and pat his shirt as if he was patting away the non-existent dust. With his head down, his eyes were fixed to the floor, and he did not dare look up at Han Xiao's eyes. Under Hila's sharp gaze, he walked out of the room step by step silently with clenched fists and was escorted out of the subdivision.

After he left, Han Xiao's expression relaxed and turned into an odd smile.

"I wonder if this will be of use in the future…"

The Great Mechanic Han had a motive to deliberately let Troy leave. As the main storyline NPC of one of the novice planets, Troy still had some storyline in him. According to how things turned out in his previous life, Troy would barely escape from the chase in the end.

Since he was a wanted man, he fled to the border of the Central Galaxy and survived there. Afterward, he was accepted by the Fallen Ark and became one of EsGod's subordinates, but he did not even make it to the officer position. The players only noticed and recorded this because he was once the main storyline NPC of a novice planet.

The fact that an important NPC in the early stages became someone so insignificant in the later stages was like an Easter egg to the players, which was why Han Xiao remembered Troy.

Therefore, before Han Xiao let Troy leave, he secretly planted a ward on him.

EsGod was immune to the Observer's Mark, but Troy's appearance gave Han Xiao a flash of insight. If Troy joined the Fallen Ark in the future like he did in his previous life, Han Xiao would be able to monitor EsGod's movements.

Although he had no idea when and if this would work out, since it was not a significant plot, Han Xiao was casual about it. After all, he did not have any good way to deal with EsGod yet. It would be great if this ended up working, but it would not be a big deal even if it did not.

…

Forty days passed very quickly.

Han Xiao stayed on Planet Gilman the whole time, waiting for the subdivision to recruit more people. During this time, he expanded his mechanical army every day and used the new Ultimate Knowledge to slowly create mechanical lives. Starting with Psionic Prime, he now had three thousand first-generation mechanical lives under his command.

There were a few reasons he did not create more. Firstly, [King's Mentor]'s cooldown used days as a unit, and this was the prerequisite ability of [Tinder Awakening].

Secondly, although [Tinder Awakening] could be used on multiple targets at the same time, its upper limit was not very high. Even at its maximum level, it could only be used on little more than ten targets at once. Furthermore, Han Xiao had discovered that if he used it on multiple targets at the same time, their initial level would not be as high compared to if he used it only on one target. The cost of this ability was the same, be it single or multiple targets, so when his energy was spread among multiple targets, they naturally received less energy individually.

Thirdly… his body could not take it if he used it too frequently.

This had also made Han Xiao's thoughts about developing a mechanical civilization firmer. The efficiency of creating mechanical lives was not high just with [Tinder Awakening]. His health and energy recovered fast, but stamina required rest to recover. In comparison, a fully developed mechanical civilization could provide him with a supply of soldiers at a much faster efficiency without him having to put in so much effort.

In the past forty days, the recruiting of the Planet Gilman subdivision had settled.

There were many Beyond Grade A organizations in the Central Galaxy, so the Black Star Army's appeal there was not as high as back in the Shattered Star Ring. The Planet Gilman subdivision had recruited little more than ten million new members, and it was slowing down. Compared to the Beyond Grade A organizations in the Central Galaxy, this number was quite low. This was only the beginning for this subdivision.

Among the new members, more than four million were players, which made up about eighty-five percent of all the players in the Constellation Corridor. Through the army's benefits and word of mouth on the forums, the majority of the Constellation Corridor players had rushed there to join.

Of the more than four million players, most decided to become members of the mercenary department. There were two types of army members; one was the full member who obeyed the army's orders, and the other was the semi-member who worked for the army but generally had complete freedom. Mercenaries were a typical example of the latter.

The mercenary system was lenient, and the mercenary department of the army did not violate the rules of galactic mercenaries. Most of the Constellation Corridor players were there for the benefits, so being mercenaries was a choice with more freedom. They basically had a very simple relationship with the army of doing things for the army in exchange for resources; this way, their faction would not be locked.

Han Xiao was not surprised about this. The players in the other Star Field had just met his army. He knew that feelings needed time to develop.

He gave the Constellation Corridor players more than enough time to make their choices. Among the more than four million players, seven hundred thousand accepted the Flickering World main storyline mission and requested to go to the Shattered Star Ring with the army.

The majority of the seven hundred thousand players were normal players. The remaining millions of players decided to stay in their birth Star Field to continue exploring while watching how things turned out for those that decided to go to the Shattered Star Ring.

Han Xiao was able to dig up seven hundred thousand leeks just in the first batch, so he was quite satisfied with this.

It was the day of departure. An enormous Black Star Army transport fleet was ready to leave—all seven hundred thousand players had already boarded the ships.

At this time, players from all the Star Fields were paying attention to this occasion from the broadcasts on the forums.

All the players were interested in the first time a player would cross a Star Field. This might be an example for them in the future when they got the chance to do the same. Therefore, this became the most-watched occasion ever since the Black Star Army's creation. Its popularity among the players had broken the record!

On the transport ships, the players chatted with excitement.

"I wonder what it feels to travel across Star Fields. How will it be different from normal stargates?"

"Will the Shattered Star Ring players bully us?"

"Guys, do you think something fun will happen if we jump out of the ship in the stargate?"

"Guards! That's the guy!"

Inside the command room of the main ship, Hila leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, Aurora busily operated on the main pilot seat, and Feidin stood beside her and watched.

Hadavy sat on the sofa with a blue, square-shaped crystal wine bottle in his hand, gulping down the mercury colored wine inside that made him choke and his face blush. Wayne Cards were on the table; the rule was to drink if you lost. There was a pile of empty bottles beside his seat, and opposite him was the speechless old man Aesop who had been dragged there.

Ames stood behind the scenery window with hands behind her back and looked at the fleet around. With Han Xiao, Hila, and Aesop, these people she was close to accompanying her for the past more than a month holiday, she had quite a good time.

Han Xiao stood before the star map. The destination had been set long ago. When everyone had boarded, he gave out an order to the entire fleet.

"Depart."

Boom!

The thrusters shot out flames, and the battleships took off.

"We've finally departed!" The many players on the ships were thrilled, and the countless people watching on the forums were looking closely.

The fleet slowly headed away from the Planet Gilman subdivision and accelerated. Carrying seven hundred thousand leeks, it headed to the Shattered Star Ring.