Chapter 1 Days Pass

In the blink of an eye, several days passed.

Everything at the training base was as usual, but Hei Xing’s temporary departure caused a ripple of unease.

Having weathered many storms, Hei Xing, in the eyes of the Super-A grade group, had become like a stabilizing force. Under his guidance, the common interests of the Super-A class continued to expand. Today, to a certain extent, everyone was united under the banner of the “Super-A Grade Association” because of Hei Xing’s presence.

Therefore, although Han Xiao's trip was for serious business and wouldn't last long, everyone still felt like something was missing.

During this time, Keshuye was in charge, following Han Xiao’s instructions to pay attention to the movements of the many Resurrected. He originally thought it was routine, but unexpectedly, something really happened.

A few days after Han Xiao left, Dilong and a portion of the pacifist Resurrected disappeared. Keshuye had been monitoring the movements of the association members and soon discovered this anomaly.

As comrades who resolutely stood on the association's side to fight against the three major civilizations, the treatment of the first two batches of Resurrected was naturally different from the third batch. The association had to consider the thoughts of all members and would not deprive the pacifist faction of their freedom just because some members were unwilling to participate in the war. Therefore, Dilong and others were not placed under house arrest like the third batch of Resurrected.

Surprised, Keshuye immediately investigated and asked the pacifist Resurrected who had not left. He finally learned of Dilong and others’ plan to take the opportunity to leave. However, no one revealed their route, only saying that Dilong had used magic to take some companions into a secondary dimension to leave.

Keshuye tried to contact Dilong and his group, but they seemed determined to leave and couldn't be reached at all. Helpless, he thought of the Oathkeeper contact information Han Xiao had left him. With a curious mindset, he turned to this stranger for help.

In the office of the training base, Keshuye leaned back in his chair. The communicator on the desk emitted an inverted cone of light, projecting a virtual screen in front of him, displaying a dialing screen.

The ringing lasted for a few seconds before the call was answered. The dark communication interface suddenly changed, revealing a figure in a hooded black robe, looking quite mysterious.

Keshuye curiously sized up the person and said, "I am Keshuye. Are you the Oathkeeper Hei Xing mentioned?"

"I am."

The Oathkeeper responded calmly, also raising his eyes to examine Keshuye.

The two looked at each other, and the atmosphere became somewhat strange for a moment.

After a few seconds, Keshuye asked with interest:

"Before Hei Xing left, he left your contact information with me, saying that if there were any movements among the Resurrected, I could ask you for help?"

"He also notified me," the Oathkeeper nodded.

"...So what is your relationship with Hei Xing? I haven't heard of you."

"It's normal that you don't know me. I have a closer relationship with Hei Xing." The Oathkeeper’s tone was calm.

Hearing this, Keshuye's eyes narrowed, and various guesses flashed through his mind.

The existence of the Covenant was always a secret, never revealed by the many Resurrected who had come out of seclusion, so he naturally didn't know.

As thoughts raced through his mind, Keshuye tentatively asked:

"Could it be... you are Hei Xing's secret subordinate?"

The Oathkeeper's eyes immediately became sharp, and he said in a deep voice:

"You're thinking too much. I am just his important partner, never his subordinate."

Really? I don't believe it...

Keshuye secretly muttered. Many association members put on airs like this, saying they weren't Hei Xing's subordinates, but they still followed orders. He was used to this situation.

After complaining inwardly, Keshuye composed himself and asked curiously, "I don't quite understand. What is your relationship with those Resurrected? Why did Hei Xing tell me to ask you for help?"

"That's a secret. Hei Xing didn't tell you, and I can't reveal it either. You just need to know that I can help. Don't ask too much."

The Oathkeeper’s tone was indifferent. He didn't know that Keshuye was also an insider to the truth of the Sanctuary Resurrected, so naturally, he was being secretive.

Among all of Han Xiao's partners, the Covenant was particularly important, and Keshuye, as an "outsider," definitely couldn't be involved in core secrets. Therefore, when the Oathkeeper spoke, it was easy to misunderstand his superior attitude.

Seeing this, Keshuye secretly curled his lips.

Tsk, you say you're not Hei Xing's secret subordinate, but why do you have this faint sense of superiority from keeping secrets for Hei Xing...?

Seeing that the Oathkeeper didn't intend to communicate further, Keshuye temporarily dismissed the intention of gathering information and told him about Dilong and others' departure.

After listening, the Oathkeeper's eyes flickered slightly, and he slowly said, "Dilong, huh... It's not unexpected. I will talk to him."

"He has blocked external communication. Can you contact him?" Keshuye asked in surprise.

"I have my own ways. Don't ask too much. Just leave it to me."

The Oathkeeper waved his hand, didn't say much, and directly hung up the communication.

Seeing the communication screen turn black, Keshuye muttered softly with a strange expression.

"Mysterious, never even heard of his name... When did Hei Xing meet this kind of guy?"

...

Somewhere in a secondary dimensional world, Dilong and others were riding on an elven-crafted golem vehicle, traveling all the way.

The room was silent, no one spoke, and they occasionally looked at the radar-like magic compass, fearing that someone would chase after them.

"Everything is going smoothly so far. We have entered the secondary dimensional world. As long as we avoid the three major civilizations’ control areas, we don't have to worry about being discovered."

The vehicle had magical consciousness and was reporting the situation. So far, the operation had been smooth, and they had not encountered much resistance.

"Hei Xing won't be back for at least another month. That's enough time for us to completely hide. The war has nothing to do with us anymore," a companion said in a low voice with a smile.

Hearing this, the pacifist Resurrected who had left with Dilong couldn't help but reveal relaxed smiles, except for Dilong, who wasn't very happy and sat in his seat expressionlessly.

Whoosh—

Just then, clusters of black flames suddenly appeared out of thin air, forming the Oathkeeper’s mental projection, appearing before Dilong’s eyes, immediately stopping the laughter in the room.

"I knew you would come."

Dilong wasn't surprised at all.

The Oathkeeper stared at him, not angry either, and said calmly, "Leaving without saying goodbye, isn't that inappropriate?"

"Who knows if the world will explode tomorrow? Any time could be the last time, so there's nothing to be particular about." Dilong crossed his arms and said coldly.

"Hei Xing will be very unhappy if you do this," the Oathkeeper said calmly.

"Do I care if he's happy or not?" Dilong snorted lightly. "If you're just here to chat, you're welcome. But if you want to persuade me, forget it. You know I would never help the three major civilizations."

The Oathkeeper shook his head. "I understand your hatred for the three major civilizations and won't advise you to let it go, but leaving the main universe is just a form of escape."

"For the sake of owing you a favor, I won't retaliate against the three major civilizations. What else can I do if I don't leave? Or are you trying to persuade me not to escape and stay here to make the three major civilizations pay the price in blood?"

Dilong’s tone was sarcastic.

The Oathkeeper didn't mind and slowly said:

"It's normal for you to have grievances, but you have to look forward. Now we are fighting for the three major civilizations only to protect the interstellar society, our homeland. The current alliance is just a temporary measure. Even if we ultimately win, there will still be many irreconcilable contradictions between the three major civilizations and us... Hei Xing is lenient with you, partly because he sympathizes with your experience, but also because he foresees that there will be many conflicts with the three major civilizations in the future. He has never asked you to let go of your hatred, so why not wait a little longer?"

"Hmph, I don't doubt Hei Xing's foresight, but I'm not someone who easily changes my mind. In any case, I'm unwilling to work for the three major civilizations. If you want me to go back, wait until the day you are enemies with the three major civilizations again."

Dilong straightened his back and curled his lips.

The Oathkeeper said indifferently, "Now you are deserting and not participating in the war with the association. Even if you return in the future, we will not welcome you."

"Then I won't come back." Dilong pointed at the Oathkeeper and said coldly, "Also, watch your words. I'm not your soldier, and the association is not an army. Don't use words like desertion."

The Oathkeeper nodded and said calmly, "It's your choice to be determined to leave. Since that's the case, I won't try to persuade you anymore. The association doesn't lack one person like you. Just don't regret it."

After speaking, the Oathkeeper turned to look at the other Resurrected and said casually:

"As for you, when Hei Xing returns from the Sanctuary, I will tell you a valuable piece of information. Whether you completely leave with Dilong or come back and join us in the war, you can decide for yourselves then."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Oathkeeper’s mental projection cracked, turning into clusters of black sparks, and then dissipated.

With his identity, he could actually stand up and emphasize the truth of the Sanctuary Resurrected, corroborating Han Xiao's statement, but the Oathkeeper didn't plan to do so now, partly due to personal willingness and partly due to Han Xiao's instructions before entering the Sanctuary.

If some Resurrected wanted to take the opportunity to leave, then so be it. There was no need to beg others to enjoy the benefits of the Sanctuary Resurrected, which led to eternal life.

The Oathkeeper knew that all he had to do was to use the communication function of the Flame of the Soul to show this group of leavers the scene of Hei Xing's Sanctuary Resurrected this time. Those who wanted to return would return on their own, and those who wanted to get lost would get lost. At that time, it was hard to say who would beg whom. Don't think that he and Hei Xing would try to retain them again and again. The world didn't lack a few small fries and could still turn the same.

Seeing the Oathkeeper's figure disappear, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief, their eyes flickering, lost in thought.

Dilong, on the other hand, sneered.

"Regret? That word has never been in my dictionary!"

...

Under Keshuye's control, Dilong and others' departure didn't cause too much of a stir, but it was inevitable that other association members would feel uneasy.

Most people were fighting and dying on the front lines, while some companions in the rear were far away from the war, enjoying themselves in the secondary dimension. It made some association members feel unfair to some extent.

However, as Super-A grades, they wouldn't easily change their choices. Although there was some wavering and dissatisfaction, no one followed Dilong's example and took action, but instead hid their emotions in their hearts and buried themselves in training.

Soon, more than a month passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, a Sanctuary Channel appeared in the space of the Ancient Star Desert, spitting out a figure.

"Huff, I'm back..."

Han Xiao shook his head, only feeling that this time the symptoms were lighter than the last, and he recovered his normal senses faster. The numerous technologies he had fished out of the First Sanctuary this time quickly stabilized in his memory palace.

He adjusted his state for a while and took out his communicator to check the time, and the corners of his mouth immediately curled up.

"This time it only took more than forty days. My authority has been upgraded by one level, and the time flow has also been reduced. If this continues, I might be able to come out in a few days in the future."

Han Xiao was in a cheerful mood and flipped through the information bar.

He had only been away for such a short time, and there were no other major events, except that Keshuye and the Oathkeeper had each reported Dilong's departure to him.

"Slipped away while I was gone, huh... Tsk, I'll settle the score with him later."

Han Xiao curled his lips. Considering Dilong's character, he wasn't too surprised.

But for now, this guy's problem wasn't important. The top priority was to digest the gains from this trip.

Han Xiao lowered his head and looked at the back of his hand. The new Sanctuary Resurrected imprint was radiating a faint light, and he couldn't help but smile.

"This time, I can finally completely strengthen the Super-A grade group's determination to participate in the war... I hope the three big rascals can calm down."