Chapter 1 Unknown

Existing in an unknowable chaos, the first ray of light pierced the eternal black mist, and a sense called "vision" awakened a dazed consciousness. Through the eyes of the "body," vivid colors shattered the duality of black and white, and everything was so new.

Then came more information—cacophonous sounds, cold air, the metallic tang of blood.

It wanted only to greedily perceive more, but it could only see through the eyes of this body. It tried to turn its head, but the body did not act according to its thoughts. It was like a person watching from a third-person perspective, able only to perceive, not control.

It anxiously wanted to act, emitting a silent cry, like an infant, but no one could hear.

It did not know how long it was conscious, but through this body, it saw countless upright creatures coming and going, engaging in activities it did not understand.

It wanted... it wanted more...

It did not know how long it had passed before the number of perspectives slowly began to increase.

A drop of water fell on a leaf, slowly rolling, and it stared, surprised that there was no itching.

Roots plunged into the soil, and nutrients brought satisfaction, like the feeling of upright creatures eating.

A beast's nose twitched, its sense of smell dozens of times more sensitive, outlining the prey's escape route in the air.

More and more senses brought a torrent of information, and it greedily accepted everything.

Then, a new sense was born—it sensed microorganisms, like a raging torrent, like an army of thousands, and it was amazed to find that this was the first thing it could control, like an army at its command.

*This* is the sense that belongs to me...

An idea sprouted:

No, that's not right.

All is me, and I am all.

...

Sanctuary Three. Ever since a certain cadre inhaled some kind of paralyzing mist leaking from the pharmacy and lay in bed for seventeen days and three hours, Yi Ye Qing's pharmacy had been designated as a forbidden area that normal people could not approach.

Compared to when Han Xiao left, the size of the pharmacy had expanded several times, with more precision pharmaceutical equipment placed inside. Rows of liquid medicines of unknown effect were placed on the shelves, all kinds of colors. On the table were transparent glass cabinets, each containing different plants, all used as raw materials for making medicines.

"Hum hum hum~~" Yi Ye Qing, wearing a white coat, corrosion-resistant gloves, and glasses, hummed a strange tune as she prepared some kind of plant medicine.

Her plant control ability allowed her to sense plants and precisely control the proportions of medicines.

Brushing aside the strands of hair that fell from her temples, she reached out, opened a cabinet, tore off a petal, and prepared to throw it into the instrument as a raw material, but her movements suddenly stopped.

Her ability sensed a kind of peeping, fleeting, like an illusion. Yi Ye Qing frowned slightly and looked in the direction she had felt it. The source was the plant from which the petal had been torn.

"How strange." Yi Ye Qing muttered to herself, thought for a moment, and reached out again to touch the plant.

The moment her finger touched the plant again, an electric-like tremor ran through her ability, sharply stinging her heart.

Abruptly withdrawing her hand, Yi Ye Qing took two steps back, looking at the plant with a mixture of surprise and doubt.

"It wasn't an illusion... When I touched it, there was a very real feeling of being watched..."

If it weren't for her ability to detect subtle changes in plants, she wouldn't have been able to sense the change.

A look of astonishment flashed in her eyes.

"This plant is consciously perceiving me?"

Yi Ye Qing suddenly thought of something, her expression changed slightly, and she hurriedly touched all the plants in the room. Most of the plants didn't change, but a quarter of them gave her the same feeling.

Standing in the huge pharmacy, which was clearly empty, she felt as if she was surrounded by countless eyes, silently watching her.

She couldn't help but shudder.

The plants that couldn't move seemed to have grown eyes, looking at her, observing her.

"Something's wrong... something's very wrong..."

Yi Ye Qing murmured to herself.

...

Late at night.

In the core area of the sanctuary, in the residential area for internal personnel, Hela, wearing a black trench coat, sat on the roof, looking up at the starry sky.

Since Han Xiao left, she occasionally came to the roof to gaze at the stars, lost in thought, not knowing what she was thinking.

During this year, Hela did not leave the sanctuary, and Aurora's body gradually recovered.

"Woof woof woof—"

A white giant bear more than four meters tall let out a low growl. The bear was on all fours, circling in the yard. A blonde girl sat on the bear's back, smiling brightly, her voice clear and melodious, cheerful and lively.

Aurora's ability was slowly recovering, and she was slowly growing taller. She was no longer as thin and small as before, her skin was becoming smoother and fairer, with some healthy rosy color. The bear cub by her side was also growing rapidly, its fur shifting, the ends emitting snowflakes of light. Ice crystal-like scales grew on its forehead, chest, arms, and thighs, making it burly and majestic. Its pair of small, mung bean-like eyes made it look both cute and fierce.

"Don't run too fast, be careful you fall," Hela looked down and frowned.

"Sister, are you looking at the moon again?" Aurora looked up and asked curiously.

"I'm not looking at the moon."

"I know, you must be thinking about Black Phantom Uncle." Aurora giggled. "I miss him too."

"I'm not thinking about him."

Hela snorted. "I'm just curious what the universe he talked about is like. Hmm... I'm just occasionally wondering what he's doing in the universe. Humph, that guy left behind some inexplicable disaster prophecy, making us worry, while he ran off to the universe to have fun."

Aurora's eyes darted, and she blew a breath, sending out a holy light-like kiss toward Hela's cheek.

Hela waved her hand, scattering the light imprint that flew to her face, and said unhappily, "Stop it."

Just then, Aurora suddenly froze, her smile frozen on her face, her body trembling involuntarily.

"Si-sister..."

"Hmm?" Hela looked down and her expression changed immediately. Crimson light flickered, and she instantly appeared next to Aurora, hugging her in her arms, reaching out to stroke her forehead, and said anxiously, "What's wrong? Are you sick? I'll go find that pharmacist."

"It's not..." Aurora said with difficulty, her petite body still trembling. "My ability sensed a strange creature, no, no, that thing can't be considered a creature, I don't know what it is..."

Hela's eyes widened in surprise. Aurora's ability had the effect of sensing life, and she had never seen Aurora show such a panicked expression because she had sensed some kind of life.

"What did you sense?"

Closing her eyes, Aurora's lips turned white.

"It's very young... but it's very vast, it's spreading..."

When she reopened her eyes, they were filled with fear.

"It's everywhere!"

...

Jubely Hub, Black Star Army main hall. All the members of the mercenary group gathered here.

"It's almost time." Wang Hou Jiang Xiang looked at the panel. "The version update will start in an hour. Let's log off here."

"It's safer here." Hao Tian nodded.

"Yes, with the update, we'll experience a period of time skip and unknown changes. Staying at the base is the best."

Kuang Dao said seriously. As one of the closed beta players, he knew that the update would cause a time skip, and the original characters and factions would act on their own, undergoing different changes. At the start of the public beta, he had even been separated from Han Xiao because of this.

No one knew how long this version update would last, or what Black Star would become. Everything was unknown.

Kuang Dao only hoped that he wouldn't be separated from Han Xiao again. It was still possible to find him on Aquamarine Star, but if he got lost in the universe, he was afraid he would have to start a single-player mode. Therefore, staying at the Black Star base was the safest.

Throughout Version 1.0, the benefits Black Star had given them allowed their combat power to grow to its current level. Each had gained something. Even players of different classes had gained different increases due to Han Xiao's equipment, not to mention those high-reward missions. The players present wanted to continue following Black Star in the next version.

And it wasn't just them; the players on Aquamarine Star were even more so. Every time they watched Rou Bao's videos, they couldn't help but want to become a member of the mercenary group. Adventure and fun were secondary; the main thing was that the rewards were *really* damn good!

We're just jealous!

"Brothers, I'm out first. Maybe we can grab a bite to eat together sometime." Rou Bao chuckled and was the first to log off.

Feng Yue smiled demurely, waved goodbye, and disappeared on the spot.

The others said goodbye to each other and logged off one after another. Soon, all the players in the mercenary group had disappeared.

It wasn't just them; the same scene was being played out on the thirteen novice planets at the same time. Tens of millions of players disappeared all at once in a short period of time!

All the cadres in the sanctuary were stunned. Huang Yu was even more dumbfounded. He had been preparing in private for three days and was about to divert the increasing number of Supers today, but they all disappeared suddenly and without warning!

What the heck is going on!

I already took off my pants, and you pull this on me?!

The formerly busy and crowded player plaza had now become desolate and deserted, with not a single person in sight. A cold wind blew, and an old newspaper flipped on the street.

The residents in the distance came to the street one after another, looking at this side with surprise and uncertainty.

Many people thought of the same thing. The disappearance of the Supers was as sudden as their appearance, as if they had never existed...

However, the traces left by the Supers touched all aspects of life and could not be ignored. These were the traces of their existence.

Far away in the Jubely Hub, the great mechanic Han, who was punishing Sylvia by making her recite, suddenly frowned and opened the panel.

A new prompt jumped into view.

[Version 1.0 Update Activated]

[Saving Data... Save Complete!]

[Player Forums Closed]

[Update time unknown. Please wait patiently.]

Han Xiao tried to enter the forum, but the entrance had turned gray and could not be entered, just like at the end of the closed beta.

He closed the book, shook his head, sighed, drank a cup of tea, and calmed his mood.

"What's coming is finally here. Sigh, tough days are ahead..."