Chapter 420: Surprise Deal
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
_____________________
Black Star Mercenary Group
Credibility Rating: 875 (High)
Scale: 173 members
Grade D: 39
Grade C: 132
Grade B: 2
Requests Completed: 76
Main Activity Area: Colton Star Cluster
Resume:
[Sunil Defense Battle]
[Silver Rescue Operation]
[Rosai – Planet 9512 Exploration]
[Juberly Hub ‘Letton’ Large Stargate Maintenance Guards (Remarks: Eradicating Space Parasites)]
[Capture of Purple Germ Civilization’s Head of Rebels ‘Pilipelapa Wasasa’]
[71 more missions... (Expand/Collapse)]
Creator: Black Star – Han Xiao
Creation date: Galaxy Calendar Year 688, 02 October
Summary: Small to medium sized mercenary group with a very good name, very high credibility, and strong ability. Completed hiring missions with high ratings multiple times, and most mercenaries under their command are undead. Partner with many large armies. Stationed in the Juberly Hub, often responsible for matters happening around them. Operates under the Dragon Emperor Ames. They are a dependable mercenary group that is active in the Colton Star Cluster. Mainly accepts combat and guarding missions, very trustworthy.
_____________________
In nine months, Black Star Mercenary Group’s resume had become a lot richer.
With players as the combat power, not only did they not suffer any manpower reduction, but their income was increased too; it was very convenient. In the nine months, he had only taken on hiring missions from partners. They had grown while keeping a low profile and made quite a fortune.
His savings were now 784,000 Enas. Other than buying some materials, metals, and parts to build new machinery, he had saved the rest and planned to use it to complete the class advancement mission. With so much money, buying one high-end knowledge would not be a problem, but it would be difficult to buy two.
According to the standard of galactical mercenaries, Planet Dawn’s mission was very easy; therefore, the reward was not high. However, he had not accepted the mission for the reward alone.
Han Xiao planned to gain some information about the Mutation Disaster on Planet Dawn, so he told the spaceships waiting outside Planet Dawn to leave first. He had hitched a ride with the spaceship to this place. It was really great to have so many partners; he did not have to spend money on traveling at all. It was even better than Uber.
The dim light from the communicator’s screen reflected on his face.
The International League is in a few days. After the things here are done, I shall bring the team back to Juberly Hub. Three months ago... which is two weeks ago for the players, the Competition Alliance announced the system for the first international finals. The online store will be selling Gathering Crystals to the qualified players, which has a similar effect to Dungeon Crystals and will gather them from all planets to a simulated stadium. The entire competition will be recorded and broadcast live in all channels.
The system of the first season was the same as the previous life. The international competition would only be held in real environments after the players were able to carry out interstellar travel. By then, the stage would be planets and star systems.
The players from the Chinese clubs had been following him for a year; they had earned a lot, and their equipment was very strong. Thus, their performance in the international competition would definitely be better than in his previous life.
In his previous life, the performance of the Chinese clubs in the first season had been quite enraging. To avoid spoiling their reputation or taking the blame, their battle style had been very cowardly and time-consuming or way too steady. Sometimes, they were able to outlast the enemy, but sometimes, after stalling and wasting a lot of time, they still lost. It was difficult and upsetting to watch.
Hence, it had led to very few people watching the competition every time the Chinese teams were competing. The players preferred to watch other countries’ contestants passionately fight each other and would all directly skip the fights with Chinese teams. Although China’s result in the first season was acceptable, they did not make any impression or notable performance at all. Their first impression on players around the world was that they were very good at dealing with pressure.
If they don’t fight tougher this time, they will’ve followed me for nothing.
When the International League ends, the version update should come soon too. The players will disappear temporarily, and by then, the rewards from accepting requests will not be as high anymore. When the time comes, I shall not do mercenary work for some time. Since moving in a team is more mobile and swifter, it’s more suitable to do some preparation for Version 2.0 Mutation Disaster. It’s going to require some planning. While doing that, I can also recruit some main character type people and increase the number of officers...
As he was thinking, Han Xiao’s senses felt a tiny abnormality. Han Xiao’s eyes swayed, and he stood up and walked out of the tent. It was silent. He looked around and was stunned for a second.
The prison car in the middle of the camp was gone. Rezar was nowhere to be found, and the guards were missing too.
“Escaped?”
He did not want any accidents to happen on the mission, so he equipped his mechanical suit and scanned with its radar. Then he discovered that Rezar’s signal was in a small forest just outside the camp. Beside him were signals from about a dozen soldiers, and there was another individual signal hidden not far away from them. That signal’s strength was much higher than the soldiers’. Han Xiao checked through the database and realized that it was unexpectedly from the commander of the Knights, Rex.
The other soldiers are all asleep. What are they taking Rezar to the bush at night for? Holy, can it be...
Han Xiao took a deep breath in.
That is an old man!
They have a really unique taste!
Han Xiao walked into the forest on tiptoes, terrified, ready to turn away and run anytime he saw something dirty. He activated his night vision and looked inside the forest extremely carefully.
Rezar was tied tightly by the magic suppressing chains, and a few knights surrounded him with steel swords in their hands.
Their lips moved, and they seemed to be saying something. Han Xiao increased the output of the sound collection function in the battle suit and heard their conversation.
“I will ask you one last time, where did you get the ceremony from?”
“I found a stone tablet under the Ancient Ruins, on it was the incomplete method of carrying out the ceremony. I changed the spell into using blood as the energy source. How many more times do you want me to say it?”
“Who else knows about this spell?”
“No one. After I memorized the spell, I destroyed the tablet. Do you think I would tell others such a dangerous spell? It’s only safe in my hands.”
Rezar’s face was full of impatience as he replied to the knight.
This knight rubbed his hands, and he said with a tone of suppressed excitement, “How about this, let’s make a deal. You tell us the method to carrying out the ceremony, and I will let you live. Frankly, I am... quite interested in the higher world as well.”
Rezar’s eyes brightened like he had caught the last straw to save his life.
Hahaha, there is always a way out!
Rezar pondered, and a sense of derision appeared on his face. He felt that after he told them of the method, these people would definitely kill him. He secretly raised his alert and asked, “How do I know you don’t just want to trick me out of my spell?”
“We are the guards on duty during this time,” the knight before him said. “If you die, it will easily be traced back to us.”
“Are you not afraid of me killing you after I escape?” Rezar said with narrowed eyes.
“Humph, do you dare? As soon as there is magic movement, these higher world mercenaries will come to deal with you.”
“If I run, won’t you people be traced as well?”
“Hehe, this is not a question that you need to worry about.”
“What if, after you let me go, you immediately alert the rest?”
“Then you can go ahead and sell us out.”
With the conversation, Rezar gradually started to believe that these knights really did want to make a deal with him. His tightened nerves became more relaxed. His attention was completely on talking with the knight in front of him, and he did not notice that a few knights behind him secretly raised their steel swords and aimed at his vital parts.
Even if Rezar was at grade B, if he was penetrated by steel swords when his powers were suppressed, his life would still be in danger.
Han Xiao secretly observed the situation, his eyes swayed as he saw this. He had thought that these knights wanted Rezar’s spell. The deal was almost coming to an end, yet they suddenly wanted to kill him?
Seeing that these knights were about to attack, Han Xiao thought about it and walked out.
Hearing the footsteps, the people immediately turned around. When they saw who it was, they were all shocked.
Rezar’s face changed immediately. You again!
If their conversation had been overheard, his tinder of hope would be extinguished once again.
Han Xiao looked around and noticed that although these knights were surprised, they did not panic like their private deal had been found out.
“What’s going on?” Han Xiao decided to speak first.
“Yo—you heard?” a knight asked carefully.
“Guess.” Han Xiao’s eyes landed on his steel sword.
“Kill him!” that knight yelled as he turned around and stabbed his sword at Rezar’s chest, blood splashing all over.
Han Xiao’s expression was strange. He had thought that these knights were going to fight him, but what was happening now?
Rezar’s eyes widened. Before he could react, the other knights lunged at him with their swords. Han Xiao’s outline swayed, and these knights could only see a flash before their bodies fell back in the air. They were all sent flying by Han Xiao’s kicks in an instant.
“Although I don’t know what’s going on, I shall stop you first.”
Han Xiao looked at Rezar. This guy was kneeling on the ground. His face was pale, and he was gasping for air. Although he was a Mage, he had at least more than one hundred Endurance, so he would not die. The steel sword did not cut too deep, but it probably penetrated his lungs, so he was having a hard time breathing.
“Can anyone explain this?” Han Xiao glanced at the knights. They closed their mouths and did not say anything.
Han Xiao turned to look at the deeper side of the forest and said to the darkness, “The one hiding, they’re not speaking, so you will explain it to me.”
The sound of footsteps approaching appeared in the forest. Having hidden for a long time at the side, Rex walked out with a serious face. He knew that he could not hide anymore as soon as Han Xiao appeared.
Rex took a deep breath and said slowly, “These knights are my supporters. I arranged for them to be on duty at the same time. Bringing Rezar here was to kill him.”
Han Xiao raised his eyebrows and said, “Isn’t he already captured? Why bother killing him secretly? Just kill him in broad daylight.”
Rex shook his head and said, “The king wanted me to capture him alive, interrogate him openly, and lock him in a cell. Captain Black Star, you’re not someone from our kingdom, so I shall tell you bluntly. For criminals at the level of ascenders like Rezar, the higher-ups of the kingdom will very likely give them to the Godoran emissary in exchange for something. This way, Rezar will still be alive, and his dream of going to the higher world will become true as well. When it comes to this kind of person that almost killed a million of others for his own sake, I don’t even want to give him the slightest chance of staying alive!
“Also, Rezar knows the ceremony to absorb the Origin Water. Maybe someone in the kingdom is interested and might force him to share the ceremony spell in exchange for not killing him. Then this horrifying spell might be leaked out. If that happens, something like this will happen again. Therefore, even if this means disobeying orders from the king, I can’t let him reach the Kingdom City alive!
“As long as we kill him this way, we can use the excuse of Rezar trying to escape to cover up his death. Captain Black Star, I appreciate your timely assistance very much, but this is our kingdom’s matter. Please do not interfere.”
Rex spoke in a very justified tone. Although he clearly knew that he was no match for Han Xiao, he did not intend to back off.
Han Xiao now understood.
So, that’s what happened. As it turns out, the deal was a trick to divert Rezar’s attention. Quite a smart plan.
He sized Rex up. Being so full of justice, could he be another main character type of person?
Or... did you make up an excuse long ago and are lying?
Han Xiao pointed at Rezar and said, “Since you don’t want him to go back alive, how about giving him to me? It’s easier for you this way.”
“What do you want him for?” Rex frowned.
“That’s not for you to know. Anyway, I will take him into the galaxy... er, the higher world, far away from you, and never let him come back here.”
Rezar heard this and was immediately surprised; going to the higher world was something that he had dreamed every day. He was already in a hopeless situation, but now he felt like he had found hope again!
However, when he looked up, he saw Han Xiao smiling at him with unknown meanings in his eyes. That look was almost wicked and giving out a cold aura.
Rezar felt a chill, and the excitement immediately dissipated.
His intuition suddenly told him that this was probably not good news...