Chapter 474 Virtual Blackmail

Following the data link constructed by Phillip, Han Xiao's consciousness jumped to the quantum network node where the Neutral Port was located. The quantum network structure of the Neutral Port, resembling myriad twinkling lights, unfolded before his eyes.

Han Xiao scanned it, identified the target, and his consciousness entered the Neutral Port's database.

This ordinary interstellar port's intelligent defense was like paper in front of a Super A Grade Mechanic who possessed the knowledge of the [Virtual Creator].

Under his control, Phillip easily breached the Neutral Port's database backdoor, copying relevant data. Soon, they found Sagman and Taylor Di's fake identities, and followed the clues, searching the wide-area quantum network for all their activity records to date.

"Both are Aso Clan citizens, unremarkable ordinary interstellar travelers. The last recorded appearance was..."

He browsed the information. The resume was flawless, likely existing in reality, but the person probably died in outer space, and their identity was collected by the Arcane Church spies to impersonate.

Countless interstellar travelers died in the universe every year, providing a large number of protective disguises for many gray forces. Han Xiao remembered that intelligence organizations on the black market were selling such identities on a large scale. It was said that you could buy ten and get one free, with shipping included.

"If it weren't for the players noticing them, no one would pay attention to two ordinary people with clean records in the vast sea of people," Han Xiao said with a shake of his head and a smile.

He further checked the spaceship number when the two entered the port and found that the spaceship was parked in one of the hangars and had been abandoned. This meant that the two had changed to a new spaceship at this Neutral Port. Han Xiao immediately checked the number of the two's new spaceship.

"Since they bought a new spaceship, it means they spent money at this interstellar port. Hmm... but their disguised accounts don't have any spending records, probably using unregistered accounts... Phillip, check which manufacturer this spaceship number belongs to. They should have transfer records there, maybe we can lock onto their secret accounts."

"Master, Neutral Port's database does not contain relevant information about spaceship origin. This information is generally stored separately in the independent database of the shipyard," Phillip replied.

"Hmm... Mark all the network nodes of all shipyards, ship markets, and black markets in this Neutral Port."

"...Marking complete. There are a total of one thousand three hundred and seventy-four nodes."

"Hack them all," Han Xiao waved his hand.

As soon as he finished speaking, Phillip immediately mobilized enormous computing power, and more than a thousand quantum network nodes were invaded one by one. The color of the nodes changed from a peaceful and stable white to a green color, indicating that control was obtained, like a virus infection. Han Xiao's control over this Neutral Port rapidly expanded.

With his current virtual technology, as long as he established a link, he could easily cover the network nodes of an entire planet with his control and remotely take over the planet.

Phillip's processing system had been strengthened countless times by Han Xiao and had extremely strong computing power. Before long, it completed the data search, found the origin of the spaceship, and the spending records of Sagman's purchase of the spaceship, locking down the unregistered secret account that made the purchase.

This added a new clue to the tracking. If this secret account was used for spending elsewhere, even if Sagman and his partner changed their disguise, they would still be exposed.

Han Xiao was not satisfied. He prepared to investigate the early transfer records of this unregistered account. Those who transferred money to this account were eighty percent likely to be related to the Arcane Church. From this, he might be able to implicate some spies and other secret accounts, and then continue to follow the clues in this way. The leads would only grow.

From this small entry point, he might be able to lock onto the identities of some Arcane Church spies.

…

The [Scarlet Empire Search Operation - Regional Investigation] was released and received enthusiastic attention from many legion players. Millions of players accepted this reward pool mission and converged from all directions, moving towards this area.

Originally, although the players had accepted the hunt, they were troubled by the lack of clues and could only search blindly like headless flies, so some people lost interest in the hunt and ran off to do other missions.

But now it was different. The mission had defined the area, greatly increasing the chances of completion. Countless players were attracted by the reward pool of this mission.

The 10 million EXP base pool was not small, but what made the players' hearts flutter was the 3 million Enas. They had difficulty earning 100,000 Enas doing normal missions.

Now, a huge sum of money was in front of them—three million! No more struggling!

Some players even fantasized that if they were the only ones to encounter the target, wouldn't they be able to pocket all the rewards without having to split them?

The entry fee for the mission was only 200 EXP, the cost was so low that the players had no scruples, which led to the crazy accumulation of EXP in the reward pool, which became a factor attracting more players.

The participation of millions of players, which meant two or three hundred million EXP, was extremely generous for the current players.

For a time, a large number of players poured into this area, and the probability of interstellar citizens in this area encountering members of the Black Star Army increased significantly.

…

In the interrogation room of a certain Empire warship, a group of captured Arcane Church spies were tightly bound to their chairs, and Empire soldiers guarded the door with guns.

This group of spies was captured based on the latest intelligence provided by Black Star. Black Star had dug out some spy information from the secret accounts of Sagman and his partner, allowing the Empire to lock onto some new targets.

*Swish*—The door of the interrogation room opened, and a smiling man walked in, wearing a scarlet officer's windbreaker and black gloves.

He stopped in front of the batch of spy prisoners and said softly,

"Let me introduce myself. I am a psychic, and currently a senior agent of the Empire Intelligence Agency. My name is... hehe, I won't tell you. In short, let's hurry up. Next, I will extract some intelligence from your brains. Please cooperate a little, otherwise I won't be responsible if I fry your brains."

As he spoke, the Empire Intelligence Agency agent walked to a prisoner and pressed his palm on the other person's head.

*Bang, bang, bang!* The prisoner struggled violently, convulsing frantically like an epileptic.

A few seconds later, winding blood snakes crawled out of every orifice on his face. The prisoner opened his mouth wide, tears, mucus, and saliva mixed with blood dripped onto the ground. His appearance was hideous and miserable, and his body was still convulsing constantly under the influence of nerves.

"Thank you for your cooperation." The Empire Intelligence Agency agent's smile deepened as he walked toward the next person.

The next spy watched helplessly as this person approached, his eyes filled with horror, and his face was written with "Don't come over!"

"Ah!"

A scream rang out again.

Looking at this scene, the Empire soldier guarding the door unconsciously increased the strength of his hand holding the gun, and his heart turned cold.

Soon, the Empire Intelligence Agency agent completed his work, took off his gloves, put them in his chest pocket, and turned to leave.

Before walking out of the interrogation room door, he patted the shoulder of a guarding soldier, turned his head, and nodded toward the row of spy prisoners behind him who were foaming at the mouth and convulsing unconsciously.

"Don't clean up the scene. These people are still useful. We need their genetic code to verify their identity as spies."

"U-understood." The guarding soldier swallowed.

The intelligence agent walked out of the room, took out a communicator, and reported to Tarrokov.

"Several people have been in contact with Super A Grades. The targets have been confirmed to be Sagman and Taylor Di. We have found their code to confirm their identity as spies and the mission given to them by the Arcane Church."

Tarrokov nodded. "Are there any spies suspected of being real contact personnel?"

"Yes."

The Arcane Church spies were under the direct command of the Intelligence Agency and were tasked with going to different locations. A large number of them were misleading false locations, and only a small group was the real contact personnel for Sagman and his partner.

Now, because Han Xiao had locked down the area where the two were located, the Empire was able to eliminate many misleading locations. The spies whose mission locations were around the area where the two were located were suspected of being the real contact personnel, which greatly narrowed the Empire's screening range.

Only by finding the real contact personnel could Tarrokov implement a plan—that is, to impersonate an Arcane Church spy. Because Sagman and others directly contacted the Arcane Church, their contact with the spies was not a chance encounter, but an arranged one, so they would not trust any spies other than the real contact personnel.

Impersonation was difficult, but not impossible. As long as the real contact personnel were caught, there was a real chance of doing it, and even if the Arcane Church found out afterward, it would be too late.

…

As the Black Star Army searched extensively, Sagman and Taylor Di gradually noticed the abnormality and felt that their whereabouts seemed to be under someone's control.

Alarmed, the two hurriedly took various measures, but it was as if an invisible net was spreading out toward them, covering them and gradually tightening.

Every move seemed to be monitored, and this feeling made the two feel chills down their spines, as if they were sitting on pins and needles.

Although the two did not know where the problem was, they only needed to think about it a little to know that Black Star was probably tracking them in the quantum network, and the spaceship and accounts were likely the source of the leakage of their whereabouts.

Therefore, the two abandoned the spaceship they bought and flew in the universe for a distance, away from the original spaceship. At the next spy rendezvous, the two directly changed to the ship carried by the spy, restarted the journey, and obtained a new batch of disguised identities.

The situation improved for a while, and Sagman and Taylor Di thought they should have gotten rid of Black Star's tracking.

However, what they didn't know was that, after various secret plots, the Empire had completely locked down their location, secretly arranged an encirclement, followed their actions closely, and waited for the Empire Super A Grades to arrive to close the net.

…

Central Star Cluster wormhole group of the Shattered Star Ring, the Fallen Ark fleet led by the Heteromorphy God was cruising in it.

"Your Excellency Heteromorphy God, are you sure we are leaving the Shattered Star Ring from here?"

In the main ship, Harkison asked the Heteromorphy God's main body beside him.

"Otherwise?" The Heteromorphy God shook his head and smiled. "Whose Stargate can I borrow?"

At this time, the Heteromorphy God had already completed his evolution, and his whole body was filled with vitality. Harkison felt a deeper level of life pressure from him.

The Heteromorphy God, who had mastered the information of the Evolver civilization, had obtained evolutionary energy, and no one knew how big his changes were.

The Fallen Ark had only established a temporary Stargate between the Flickering World and the Desolate Universe Belt, and there was no Stargate in the Shattered Star Ring. In the beginning, they had borrowed the Arcane Church's long-distance Stargate to come from the Central Star Sea. Now that the cooperation between the two sides had ended, they naturally could not borrow it on the way back.

From the very beginning, the Heteromorphy God had planned to leave this star field through the central wormhole group of the Shattered Star Ring, partly because of his past adventures here.

"The transmission locations of these unstable wormholes are completely random. I don't know where they will be thrown. The risk is too great. Let's move slowly in the Desolate Universe Belt. It just so happens that we need to avoid the limelight after this incident," Harkison advised.

The Heteromorphy God turned a deaf ear, looking at the unstable wormhole groups that were constantly born and disappeared outside the porthole, and said with emotion, "Look, what a chaotic and disorderly scene. The essence of the universe is contained in it. Only a disorderly state contains endless possibilities."

As he spoke, the Heteromorphy God turned to look at Harkison and casually asked,

"Is there any information on the remaining Super A Grades of the Arcane Church?"

Harkison nodded. "The Empire is making great efforts to hunt down the remaining four people and hasn't invested much energy in us. The Black Star Army, War Realm, and Klent Empire are the local snakes of the Shattered Star Ring. With the help of these forces, the Empire may not be able to capture one or two more Super A Grades."

"It seems that the Arcane Church has suffered a big loss this time." The Heteromorphy God glanced at Harkison lightly. "Are you very happy?"

"Of course." Harkison chuckled softly. "They once wanted me, and I'm happy to see them suffer."

"Heh, I'm afraid it's not just for this reason..."

The Heteromorphy God chuckled, but he didn't mean to get to the bottom of it. He turned his head and continued to look at the wormhole, slowly saying, "Let's go in."

The Fallen Fleet slowly set off, sailed into the wormhole group, and disappeared without a trace.

…

A stream of light swept across the dark space of the universe. It was Sagman and Taylor Di's spaceship.

"In seven hours, we will be able to reach the next public Stargate station. It is closer to the border of the Shattered Star Ring. The Scarlet Empire does not have a high degree of control over the next star cluster. Those spies are already in place and are waiting to assemble the Stargate channel to quickly transfer us to other areas of the Shattered Star Ring. This way, it will be more difficult for the Scarlet Empire to find us," Sagman said.

Taylor Di nodded, his expression slightly relaxed.

After hiding for more than three months, this suffocating life of escape was unbearable. Now, there was finally hope of escaping safely.

Sagman sighed. "It's a pity that Metes and Dylon were caught. We acted together with six people, but now only four people are going back... no, maybe only three people. Sisko's base is in the Shattered Star Ring. Sooner or later, he will have to come back to face the pressure of Black Star and the Overlord."

Thinking of this, the two felt bad. The foolproof mission actually ended with a humiliating escape. This time, they were planted.

At this moment, the spaceship AI suddenly spoke, and a familiar voice rang out.

"Instead of worrying about others, you should worry about your own situation first."

The two were shocked and their faces changed drastically.

This voice... it was Black Star!

The next moment, the hull of the spaceship shook violently, and the spaceship AI directly locked the warp engine, and the spaceship detached from the warp mode.

Even the ordinary engine was completely turned off, and the spaceship was floating in the universe.

Millizaus and Ravenlaude's magic interference traps, which had been deployed in advance in the void, covered this area, and all space transmission abilities were interfered with, and the space-time coefficient tended to be constant.

Streams of light shot from all directions, surrounding Sagman and Taylor Di's spaceship, blocking their retreat.

Millizaus and other Empire Super A Grades all arrived at the scene, each occupying a position, staring intently.

"We're surrounded!" Taylor Di exclaimed in shock.

Sagman's face twitched violently, his expression mixed with disbelief, anger, and shock. He suddenly looked at the Mechanical Army blocking the front, which was Han Xiao's army.

In front of the Mechanical Army were four Apostle Weapons lined up in a row. The Netherking, who wore a crown and held a spear, the Gigantic Ape, who wore specially made heavy armor and was huge, the Silver Flash, who held a giant cannon, and the agile Frenzied Hunter.

In front of the four Apostle Weapons was another figure. It was not Han Xiao's main body, but the Mechanical Armor with the code name "Mammoth". At this moment, Han Xiao's will was projected into the Mechanical Armor through [Sovereign's Descent]. The tough Mechanical Body was surrounded by blue-gold Machinery Force, which was very dazzling.

This Mechanical Armor seemed to have become Han Xiao's clone, sharing a large number of his attributes, skills, and talents, possessing a real Super A Grade combat power.

"Surrender." Millizaus sprayed two streams of dark energy from his dragon nostrils, as if he was enthusiastically venting air.

Although he was unwilling to pursue relentlessly, the Empire had locked on the enemy, and it was not good for him and the other Super A Grades to blatantly slack off and disobey the Empire's orders.

Sagman glanced around, his gaze finally fixed on Han Xiao's Mechanical Clone.

He had been planted in Han Xiao's hands several times in a row, and he was furious.

Seeing this, Han Xiao controlled the Mechanical Clone and said slowly,

"In this situation, your chances of escaping are slim. We just want to capture you alive, so why don't you surrender."

Sagman took a breath and suddenly laughed, his smile full of ferociousness.

"When have you ever heard of a Super A Grade surrendering before fighting?"

"...Maybe today?" Han Xiao raised an eyebrow.

Although he said so, he lowered his body slightly, made a sprinting posture, and prepared for battle. The other Super A Grades also saw this and became ready to follow Han Xiao to attack at any time.

Sagman looked ahead and said to Taylor Di beside him, "Later, I will try to hold all of them back. You look for an opportunity to escape. They only want to capture us alive. One person can escape is good."

"Don't be silly. They are obviously prepared. I can't escape." Taylor Di showed a wry smile and took out his staff. "I'd better stay and fight with you. Even if we can't change the result, we can't be captured without dignity."

Sagman nodded and said in a low voice, "I don't know how long it will take for us to regain our freedom after this battle."

The two looked at each other.

*Boom!*

The next moment, the spaceship exploded, and the two launched a charge towards the endless Imperial troops.

…

《The Galaxy Chronicles (Official Revised Edition)》:

[On September 27, Star Ocean Calendar 705, the Arcane Church and the Fallen Ark joined forces to launch a surprise attack on the Light Beacon Star Outpost of the Flickering World, with the aim of seizing the Evolution Cube and killing the Scarlet Empire's Super A Grade allies Black Star, Millizaus, and Beoni]

[The 'Curse Wizard' Austin intervened in the battle. The Arcane Church used the Myriad Deity Scepter to severely injure Millizaus, but it was sealed by Black Star with special means]

[Black Star captured the Arcane Church's Super A Grade Dylon, which was a great achievement. He turned the tide and foiled the Arcane Church's surprise attack plan. The Arcane Church fleet was forced to retreat and entered the escape stage, and the Empire launched a hunt]

[On October 3 of the same year, when the Arcane Church fleet fled the Flickering World, the fleet commander Rogoe and the Super A Grade Metes were captured]

[On January 21, 706, with the assistance of the Federation of Light, Black Star Army, War Realm, Klent Empire, and Purple Crystal Civilization, the Scarlet Empire successfully intercepted the Super A Grades Sagman and Taylor Di in the Shattered Star Ring. The two fought bloody battles and were finally captured by the Scarlet Empire]

[So far, the Empire's hunt has come to an end. The Arcane Church fleet was completely destroyed. Of the six Super A Grades who participated in the surprise attack, four became prisoners of the Scarlet Empire, and only two escaped. This is known as the "Light Beacon Star Battle" and the "Arcane Church's Enemy Incident"]

——

(Happy April Fool's Day, the new month has begun, please give me a monthly ticket)