Chapter 227: Sixth Enhancement, Promotional Video Protagonist Bai Fu
The moment the 1.5 version shutdown update arrived, all players across the Starsea vanished like ghosts in an instant.
This abnormal scene left all the NPCs, who were witnessing such an occurrence for the first time, completely dumbfounded.
Although their interactions with the players had not been brief, and they had often seen players suddenly disappear due to logging off or entering dungeons and arenas before updates...
This time was completely different.
It was in an instant—every Undead in sight disappeared.
Weird.
And this weirdness carried a trace of dread.
“What the?”
The Chief Steward, Master of the Secret Tower, Scalpel, and all other high-ranking figures of the Secret Tower were stunned.
They stood rooted in place, at a loss for what to do. Just when they were preparing to send Undead to backstab Bai Fu, all the Undead vanished. What the hell were they supposed to do now?
Panic began to spread.
Panic slowly evolved into unease and fear.
Could this be an ominous sign?
Or had they been tricked by Bai Fu?
With no clue what was going on, the Chief Steward could only urgently instruct the bait they had just sent out to hold position and observe the situation before acting.
Outside the Secret Tower, reactions from other factions who had recruited players weren’t much better.
They rushed to gather intel, and only after learning that even the players under Bai Fu’s command had suddenly disappeared—and that the Dark Moon Tide Corporation had even declared a holiday—did they finally feel somewhat relieved.
Maybe things weren’t so bad after all?
…
“Bet quite a few people got spooked, huh?”
Bai Fu speculated with a twisted sense of amusement.
She quickly reined in her smile, as she heard the enhancement prompts she’d been eagerly awaiting.
【Story participation confirmation in progress (0%...10%...)】
【......】
【Current story exploration in the Gateway Cluster: 4.3%】
【Character positioning being corrected (0%...2%...)】
【Character positioning adjusted from [Legendary Protagonist of Ancestral Source Star] to [Legendary Protagonist of Ancestral Source Star] + [Legendary Demon God of Indigo Star] + [Heavenly Savior of Jingu Star] + [Player Guide of the Gateway Cluster]】
【Character setting correction in progress (0%...2%...)】
Last time, her story exploration in the Gateway Cluster was only 0.2%. Now it had increased to 4.3%, nearly 20 times more. This enhancement probably wouldn’t be weak.
Bai Fu opened the new prompts with high expectations.
【Correction 1: Your race has undergone a special evolution. Skill [Mind’s Eye] corrected to [Void Perception]】
This correction was similar to the last one, when [Psychic Perception] had been corrected to [Mind’s Eye].
It had to be said, the effect of [Void Perception] was far stronger than perception skills like [Mind’s Eye]. When she activated [Void Perception], she would link to the void realm and “see” her surroundings from a higher dimensional perspective.
From this perspective, her detection radius could reach over ten kilometers. Even detection skills from psychic-type classes might not match this.
“Prophets are humanoid carbon-based lifeforms that transformed into void beings after being infected by Void Blood, and therefore lack many traits inherent to original void life—like [Void Perception]. Is this enhancement making me more like a true void lifeform?”
Bai Fu, thoughtful, clicked on the second prompt.
【Correction 2: Exclusive talent [Evolving Body (Bai Fu)] corrected to [Void Physique (Bai Fu)]】
Compared to [Evolving Body (Bai Fu)], the new exclusive talent increased both stamina and psychic energy bonuses from 10% to 15%.
But that wasn’t the biggest change. The most significant difference was the addition of a new trait called [Void Regeneration]. This trait allowed Bai Fu to enter void-based nurturing after exiting combat. During nurturing, her body would automatically absorb void energy to restore health, allowing her to recover up to 0.2% of her max HP per second.
This meant even the gravest injuries could be fully healed in just eight or nine minutes!
That speed wasn’t just impressive—it was god-tier.
Damn, that was OP!
Even more so when paired with Prophet’s Mark.
If she realized she couldn’t win, she could use Prophet’s Mark to flee. After exiting combat, she could hide in the void and wait for full recovery.
“Busted!”
Bai Fu’s eyes sparkled.
Void life was truly busted.
Though this move wasn’t invincible—especially as her opponents grew stronger.
If enemies had long-range teleportation skills, or abilities that blocked movement or inflicted curses, this combo’s effectiveness would plummet. Still, this combo significantly boosted her survivability.
“Too bad it’s a passive talent. If it were active, I’d be turning into Little Cecia already!”
Bai Fu cheerfully checked the next prompt.
【Correction 3: You’ve received the legendary title of Jingu Star: [Heavenly Savior (Jingu Star) - Bai Fu]】
Like the two titles she had earned previously, this one had two effects—boosting her own resistances and granting an additional 2% Agility stat to players who joined the Quiet Garden faction.
【Correction 4: Character power ranking changed from [Regional Boss (Sea Lion Galaxy)] to [Special Boss (Edge Worlds)]】
This adjustment caught Bai Fu completely off guard.
Previously, her rank had been confined to the Sea Lion Galaxy as a regional boss. Although her strength had grown significantly lately, and her reputation across the Starsea had soared, she had expected at most a promotion to regional boss of the Gateway Cluster.
But instead, the regional restriction had been leapfrogged straight to the Edge Worlds.
“That’s a huge leap. Is it because I’m now eligible to ascend to Calamity rank? Or perhaps...”
Right.
Bai Fu thought of another possibility.
She speculated the truth might be that the Starsea version was about to launch, and players would be entering the Starsea en masse.
Some players would enter from the Gateway Cluster, others from different clusters.
NPCs like her, who were prone to roaming, would inevitably travel between various clusters. For instance, she might go to the Taim Civilization to support Andras—and the Taim Civilization sat at the center of the Edge Worlds.
Most likely, the developers foresaw this and simply adjusted her regional tag to the Edge Worlds.
That was good news. Since players could see this ranking, it would elevate her standing in their eyes.
Scrolling further, Bai Fu saw updates for other members of the Quiet Garden faction.
Like Vic, Highland, Old Nissen...
Oh, and updates for the Quiet Garden and Dark Moon Tide themselves.
【Correction 9: [Quiet Garden] will be designated as one of the main player factions in version 1.5: [Age of the Stars]】
【Correction 10: [Dark Moon Tide Private Armed Company], under [Quiet Garden], will be designated a renowned force in the Sea Lion Galaxy in version 1.5: [Age of the Stars]】
【Correction 11: [Constructing the Onandi Star Capital] will be designated a main quest in the Sea Lion Galaxy in version 1.5】
Bai Fu nodded in satisfaction.
With these updates, everything she’d done in the Sea Lion Galaxy and on Onandi Star now seemed perfectly justified.
“This round of enhancements is just as powerful as ever.”
Bai Fu stretched lazily.
After closing the prompts, she opened the faction interface. Her reputation had risen significantly recently, which meant she could now set new faction dungeons. She casually drafted two new dungeons and made them appear as if they were part of the version update.
Next, she opened the Prayer Card crafting interface. Her current experience points were low, and she needed to save some for awakening, so she didn’t create any high-cost rare cards. Instead, she crafted some general-purpose debuff cards.
She planned to pair those with the blessing cards she had recently acquired from the Sanctification Order, stocking them in the dungeon shop to fleece players.
“The Prayer Card factory needs to expand again, otherwise it won’t keep up with the influx of players into the Starsea.”
After a brief moment of thought, Bai Fu already knew what to do while waiting for version 1.5 to launch.
Expand the Prayer Card production facility.
Expand Summer Poem’s mechanical production factory.
Commission Andras to search for individuals with rare Esper Powers and attempt to include them in the Nascent Esper Evolution Tree Atlas.
Personally recruit NPCs with [Luck] or [Fortune] talents into Quiet Garden to bolster its strength.
Before the fourth point, Bai Fu had always entrusted the task to Gao Yuan and Old Niesen. The two of them certainly couldn’t match her efficiency as a special NPC with scouting skills.
Truth be told, Bai Fu wasn’t too anxious about this matter at first. She figured she could take her time. But considering that version 1.5 wouldn’t last long, she thought it would be better to recruit more NPCs early on to help out. After all, she couldn’t expect herself, Scarlet Leaf, Anya, and the others to handle everything personally, right?
With such high-intensity work, even an iron man would turn into limp noodles from exhaustion. And if Cersia or Yulia came to her during one of those limp-noodle moments, that’d be a disaster.
Bai Fu was a woman of action.
Once she made the decision, she acted immediately.
Expansion was the easy part. She just needed to ask Green Sludge to help procure supplies. As for Andras, that was just a matter of one sentence. The real challenge was investment.
At that moment, Scarlet Leaf stepped forward and offered to help.
Scarlet Leaf had already been designated as the new Minister of the division, though she was still quite idle for now since the current Minister, Lemang, had yet to step down.
The others were in different situations. Yulia and Cersia were focused on research. Summer Poem was advancing her knowledge of mechanical engineering under Bai Fu’s guidance. Anya and Vic were learning how to use willpower under Simoon’s tutelage.
And believe it or not, Simoon, despite looking dim-witted, had an astoundingly brilliant grasp of willpower thanks to her bloodline. Having her teach Anya and Vic was a perfect match. Even if she couldn’t explain things well, a simple demonstration would benefit them greatly.
Simoon was initially reluctant, but Bai Fu lured her in with snacks and TV dramas, and she agreed right away.
...
“We haven’t had time alone like this in quite a while.”
Inside the ship, Scarlet Leaf looked at Bai Fu with a radiant smile.
Bai Fu nodded.
The last time they were truly alone was when Scarlet Leaf lost control due to Void Blood, spiraling into despair, and Bai Fu bit her to draw blood.
Since then, while they had spent time alone in terms of physical space, they either didn’t talk or were focused on business.
“Scarlet Leaf, have you ever suspected there might be hidden truths behind the Void Disaster you and your sister experienced?”
Bai Fu’s expression turned serious.
She felt it necessary to give Scarlet Leaf a mental heads-up in case a related quest triggered and emotionally impacted her again—it involved Scarlet Leaf’s sister, after all.
Scarlet Leaf brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and lightly pinched her deep red earring. The motion was unexpectedly ladylike, a stark contrast to her usually boisterous demeanor.
“I have, but I don’t want to talk about it now.”
“Oh? Then what do you want to talk about?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“That bite you gave me…”
Scarlet Leaf stood up, her eyes shimmering as though veiled by a faint mist.
It wasn’t tears. It was the gentleness that emerged from the warmth of passion, quietly rippling.
“That bite, I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”
Scarlet Leaf walked up to Bai Fu.
“If it weren’t for you, I’d probably be stuck in place forever. One year, five years, ten years… Nothing would have changed. I couldn’t move past the day my sister died. I couldn’t escape the cage woven by Void Blood, nor break free from the shackles I placed on myself… Until the warmth of your teeth touched my shoulder, until your bite pierced my skin—everything changed. Just like now…”
Scarlet Leaf leaned down, opened her mouth, and gently bit Bai Fu’s shoulder.
She didn’t bite hard, just quietly savored the warmth pressing against her teeth and the scent that instantly filled her nose.
She felt genuinely happy.
Though she wasn’t like Anya, who shared mutual support with Bai Fu, nor like Yulia, who was deeply intertwined with her, nor like Summer Poem, who began everything alongside her—she had something unique of her own—
She and Bai Fu were both Prophets!
Scarlet Leaf sent Bai Fu a request.
“Bite me.”
“Okay.”
...
Bai Fu and Scarlet Leaf spent ten days traveling around the Sea Lion Galaxy and nearby regions. During this trip, they found two NPCs who were currently only B-rank but seemed to have great potential.
Most likely, these two were also storyline protagonists that players could encounter early in the Starsea, similar to Vic, though a bit weaker in strength.
Bai Fu brought them back to the Star Agreement division and had them get acquainted with the situation under the guidance of Teresa and Ichi from Azure Sky Star.
Bai Fu was quite satisfied with the gains from this journey.
Scarlet Leaf was also very pleased, treating it as a kind of alternative honeymoon.
During the trip, Bai Fu discovered that the official final promotional video for version 1.5 of “Starsea Era” had been released.
The contents of the trailer were somewhat surprising to her.
The first half mainly introduced the protagonists from the various Newbie Planets. At first, she thought she wouldn’t be featured this time. But then the style completely shifted in the latter half.
She—Bai Fu—made her appearance!
And not just a brief one—she stood center stage. Every other NPC featured afterward seemed to serve merely as her backdrop in this promo, including powerful figures like the Vow Master and the leader of the Taim Civilization.
She had done it.
At the start of the Starsea Era, even the official team acknowledged her as the most prominent!
Upon reflection, Bai Fu realized it was actually quite reasonable.
After all, she had nearly completed one of the two most important main storylines in the Initial Gate Galaxy Cluster. As for the remaining one, “Dark Domain Insect Swarm Crisis,” she had also taken control of that since Simoon was in her hands.
If she wasn’t the protagonist, who could be?
Still, she doubted these golden days would last long.
Once the Taim Civilization’s storyline kicked off or some other new questline appeared elsewhere, she, residing on the edge, would likely be pushed off center stage.
That was definitely not the outcome Bai Fu wanted.
So, she needed to strive even harder to stay in the spotlight!
Bai Fu closed the trailer and scrolled through the community. Sure enough, the Excavation‑Princess had already released a promotional breakdown video.
Truthfully, there wasn’t even much need for analysis this time. Everyone could see Bai Fu would be important in the new version. How important, though—that remained uncertain.
Would she become the mastermind behind the scenes, as the Excavation‑Princess claimed? Or the logistics commander players relied on after entering the Starsea, as many speculated?
[Let’s see what the official plans.]
[In any case, Fu-fu is awesome!]
Time ticked by.
Once the maintenance window passed, version 1.5 went live right on time.
In an instant, countless players popped up at the spots where they had previously logged out.
Seeing the players reappear suddenly, Bai Fu remained as composed as ever. But the people over at the Secret Tower, who had spent days in a state of anxiety, reacted very differently.
“?”
Even the always-calm Chief Steward was startled.
It wasn’t until they heard from players that this was a regular occurrence—players disappearing for a period and then reappearing—that they calmed down.
So, this wasn’t one of Bai Fu’s schemes?
That’s good, that’s good!
“Proceed with the plan.”
...
A few days later.
Bai Fu received a confidential message from the Starweb side.
“Bai Fu, an important member of the Secret Tower has betrayed them. The Secret Tower is currently sending people to hunt him down. We may need your help.”