Chapter 1 Sunil Officer-Grade Armor

The requirements for the Sunil officer-grade armor were met, and Han Xiao could reverse engineer the blueprints from the armor. He didn't plan to sell it to the players just yet. After all, he had only just sold the soldier-grade armor, and immediately releasing the officer-grade armor would affect the enhancement profits of the soldier-grade armor, so he decided to hold off for a while.

"I now have five advanced knowledge skills, which can be combined to create many new blueprints. I can update my own equipment..." Han Xiao stroked his chin in thought. He currently had four combat modes: the core system of the Soaring Serpent mechanical suit; the magnetic chain splitting blade + electrothermal cutting gauntlet for close combat; the sonic ball for mid-range attacks; and Garutan's Fury and sniper kiting for long range. These four modes formed a basic comprehensive combat system.

[Heavy Mechanical Modification] gave him the technology to manufacture large machinery, while [Advanced Electromagnetics] allowed him to create stable electromagnetic kinetic weapons. Electromagnetic kinetic weapons were the next stage of conventional weapons, superior to gunpowder weapons. These two skills were very useful and would need to be upgraded sooner or later. He spent sixteen potential points to raise them both to max level, Lv5.

If he wanted to update his combat modes, his close-range weapons were already lagging behind. He could use his new knowledge to create some thick and powerful new gadgets. For mid- to long-range combat, it would be enough to replace gunpowder weapons with electromagnetic kinetic firearms. His Ghost Gauss Sniper Rifle had always been an incomplete version, lacking only Advanced Electromagnetics, which he could now perfect.

The Soaring Serpent mechanical suit itself couldn't undergo revolutionary innovation yet, so he would just strengthen it. If he wanted to add functions, creating new attachments would be a good choice. Han Xiao had a vague idea, rubbed his hands, and prepared for a major manufacturing spree.

In addition to updating his own combat modes, now that he had the ability to manufacture large machinery, Han Xiao planned to build a large vehicle for ground operations to serve as transportation for the entire group during collective actions. As soon as this idea popped up, two big words immediately sprang to his mind:

——Reliable!

Han Xiao's eyes lit up. "An action vehicle can serve as the symbol of the mercenary group, demonstrate the expansion of the team's scale, and increase the members' interest. Moreover, Heavy Mechanical Modification combined with Advanced Electromagnetics could create a crude electromagnetic railgun! The vehicle is the best carrier!"

He immediately got to work, buying enough parts and materials, and went into seclusion in the modification room, telling the players to rest at the hub for a while longer.

The others had no objection. Unlike when they had just entered the interstellar world, the players had already tasted the sweetness of following orders. Even Li Ge had no other ideas. Strolling through the hub hall every day, interacting with different races, and learning about more civilizations was also a very interesting experience. Although professional high-level players were extremely utilitarian, there were also many people like Feng Yue who liked the storyline, and the colorful Star Sea was very attractive to them.

Taking advantage of the downtime, Rou Bao produced the second episode of the Black Star series, still using film-like editing techniques, like a continuous drama. Not only on Aquamarine Star, but players from all countries in the Star Sea were eagerly awaiting it. As soon as it was released, more than ten thousand people watched it immediately.

The program content continued from the previous episode, showing the Black Star Mercenary Group's first employment mission, the history of the Sunil people, and the scenes of calamity, which the vast number of players who could not enter the Star Sea found very interesting. The mercenary group was the core of the program, and also equivalent to the eyes of countless viewers. The audience gradually learned about the Star Sea through the mercenary group's experiences, so they felt a close connection to the mercenary group.

The program continued until the end of the calamity, when the mercenary group gained a new partner, Melos. Just like a new character appearing in a drama series, it immediately aroused the curiosity of a large number of players. Rou Bao released new products in the faction store at the right time, and the narration explained the faction's growth characteristics, making the audience look forward to the mercenary group's future adventures even more, while also envying the high-level players who followed Han Xiao in his actions.

Han Xiao also watched the program and was very satisfied with Rou Bao's handling. He lived up to his expectations. If this kind of program continued, it could gradually cultivate the audience's habits, slowly give birth to feelings, and the effect would be very good.

...

In a combat simulation room in the hub hall, Melos wielded his ship-splitting blade, agile and fierce, smashing a simulated beast with each strike. He had not fought for too long, and he came to the combat simulation room every day to regain his feel. Because Han Xiao was immersed in manufacturing and had not updated the mercenary information, in Melos's heart, he was still the only Grade B Super on the team. He felt a great responsibility and worked hard to train.

After fighting for several hours, all the phantoms disappeared, and the battlefield covered in corpses returned to an empty white room. Melos shook his hand, folded the ship-splitting blade, wiped away his sweat, and strode out of the room. At this moment, Kuang Dao, Hao Tian, and Wanghou Jiangxiang walked out of the gravity room next door. When they saw Melos, they immediately came over.

"You're also training," Melos nodded to the team members. The players had been very enthusiastic towards him these days. He felt that he was getting along well with the team, and they were relatively familiar with each other. Melos was no longer surprised by the players' names. Every civilization had its own naming methods, and he assumed that this was a custom on Han Xiao's planet.

He was only curious as to why the players would not die. The players naturally could not tell the truth, so Melos just assumed that this was a collective ability.

"Can you guide us in combat techniques?" Hao Tian asked.

In the eyes of the players, Melos was an unopened treasure, and they were trying to trigger events, such as learning skills. Melos did not teach skills, but at most guided them in close combat techniques. With his guidance, the players' close combat skills would gain a considerable amount of experience. Triggering guidance events required luck—mainly depending on Melos's mood—but the benefit was that it was free, so players would occasionally come to ask.

As they belonged to the same team, Melos naturally had no objections. Just then, the regional news broadcast on a high-rise building nearby suddenly issued an emergency alert.

"...Interrupting with a breaking news report. A Silver Spirit civilian travel team was attacked by mysterious scavengers while passing through the Shattered Star Ring. A group of Silver Spirits were captured by slave traders. It is reported that the attack location is the Colton Star Cluster - Feiven Star System - Fourth Star Zone. The identity of the scavenger force is unknown. The escaped Silver Spirits have issued a high reward, recruiting mercenary groups to rescue their compatriots..."

This news caught Melos's attention. Silver Spirits? This race came from the distant Star Spirit Sea and belonged to the cosmic noble level of races!

Certain powerful and highly evolved races are called cosmic nobles. The ruling races of the three major cosmic civilizations are typical cosmic nobles. The Silver Spirits have not reached the level of the three major civilizations, but they are also a long-standing advanced civilization and enjoy a special status in the universe... Similarly, noble races are very popular in the slave market, and are juicy prey in the eyes of scavengers.

Silver Spirits were very rich, and the reward they issued must be astronomical. Melos, who was short on money, was tempted. Such a good opportunity to make money, he would have to persuade Black Star to get involved.

Godora's jurisdiction was the Garton Star System. The Feiven Star System was adjacent to Garton. Unlike Garton's dominance, several star system civilizations slightly weaker than Godora controlled different star zones. Although territories had been delineated, there were often territorial disputes on the borders, which did not lead to war, but also caused chaos, making it almost a no-man's land.

The Feiven Fourth Star Zone happened to be on the border, and the jurisdiction was ambiguous. The neighboring two star system civilizations did not accept the Silver Spirits' distress call, so the Silver Spirits turned to mercenary groups for help with a high reward.