Secondly, EsGod’s level was too high. Only an extremely few peak Beyond Grade As in the universe who were experts in the soul territory could investigate his soul fully, which would also require EsGod to not put up a fight. This was like the difference between using one’s ability to attack and using it to cure a sickness; the latter required much more precision.
Thirdly, on the surface, the effects of having a weakened soul and torn soul coincided. It would be extremely difficult to differentiate them. Both could be seen as the side effects of being locked up by the Spacetime Amber.
Even if all of those difficulties were overcome and EsGod’s soul was proven to be in a torn state, there was no way he could prove the connection between EsGod and Gaud to the dynasty. The evidence was too weak.
Considering all the factors, Han Xiao felt that there was close to no way he could find any solid proof on this matter.
Urranrell did not have many doubts and said, “Being worried is a good thing. At least what you did got rid of a possible problem for the dynasty, and now we can safely lock EsGod up without having to worry. Plus, you captured EsGod again without paying much of a price. You didn’t disappoint me.”
She did not feel what Han Xiao did was completely unnecessary. She was the one who gave the order, and Black Star executed it only after she approved it. Now that the matter was settled, it was not a bad thing but a good thing. From her perspective, this operation was a form of reassurance.
“I guess…”
Han Xiao was not in the mood to say much. He casually chatted for a while and went offline afterward. He looked somewhat upset.
Urranrell had already done a lot for him. There was absolutely no merit in this operation. Instead, she had to bear the risk of letting EsGod escape and the responsibility of approving the operation that caused it. At the end of her term, she definitely had to focus on keeping a low profile and making sure everything was going on smoothly. Willingly approving his proposal was already a sign of her strong trust in him; he could not ask her to do more.
If EsGod… no, Gaud wanted to completely wipe his history clean, he most certainly did everything the dynasty asked him to do and nothing else while he was weak, not showing any signs of his ulterior motives. Han Xiao was not able to find any solid evidence this time, so he could not accuse Gaud of anything.
Without solid evidence, the dynasty had no reason to believe in his accusations and test the loyalty of a direct Beyond Grade A member out of nowhere. Therefore, this method was definitely not going to work.
If Gaud really decided to take the lawful path, even if he found evidence, as long as it was not completely definitive, the dynasty might not even want to recognize it so that they could avoid losing a direct Beyond Grade A member with infinite potential. This was not completely impossible.
I’ll have to make other plans. Since there’s no way to convince the dynasty to investigate Gaud thoroughly, I can only do it myself…
Han Xiao frowned and pondered.
If he was to attack Gaud secretly and it was discovered, he would undoubtedly be in astronomical trouble.
Even if he did it secretly enough, the dynasty would also put in a tremendous amount of effort to search for the culprit. Due to the organizational nature of the Beyond Grade A Association, it would certainly become a key target for the dynasty’s investigation, which would also cause an enormous storm. It might even become the fuse of a new Tragedy of the Pinnacles.
Han Xiao had to admit that the method Gaud used to wipe his history clean was impeccable. He became a direct member of one of the three Universal Civilizations, acquiring super powerful protection. If something happened to him, more Beyond Grade As might be dragged down with him.
However, if he was left alone, the entire explored universe would be in danger. He was a colossal hidden threat. This was especially true because this b*stard already got into the insides of the dynasty. God only knew what storm he would stir up. He might even end up being the usher for the World Tree Civilization.
Furthermore, Gaud’s Esper Ability had way too much potential. He was still considered easy to deal with now that he had only just entered the Beyond Grade A territory, but as he grew stronger, he would rapidly become tougher to deal with.
“What a dilemma…” Han Xiao rubbed his nose and was a little troubled.
Sometimes, there was no perfect solution, and a decision had to be made between two bad choices.
His thoughts fought internally for a while, and he finally made up his mind.
I must get rid of this time bomb as early as possible before he grows too strong. If I wait for him to show any flaws, it’ll be too late!
Han Xiao clenched his teeth.
He started to brainstorm quickly, analyzing the possible consequences while coming up with all kinds of wicked plans.
The best method is to not let Gaud disappear out of nowhere but give a target the dynasty can vent its anger toward. With a direct target, no one else will be dragged down. Hence, not only do I have to avoid being suspected, but I must think of a way to frame it on someone else. I’ll also have to consider what different impacts framing different people will cause…
Han Xiao’s thoughts quickly spun, and he very soon had a rough plan.
Putting aside the differences between the detailed plans, there were only two choices in terms of execution. One was to do it himself secretly and find a way to frame it on someone else afterward. Another was to find a way to create a situation to lure others to attack Gaud so that he would not be suspected.
Not mentioning the former, the key factor of the latter was ‘lure’. It was best for him not to be involved in any way, so calling his friends to murder Gaud was not doable.
For example, the Holy Accord organization had more than enough strength to kill Gaud, but Han Xiao could not possibly ask them to do it. This was the equivalent of handing his vulnerability right into their hands. The revived Primordial Ones all had their own philosophy and were not united, nor were they his subordinates. He could not ensure they would not leak this secret in the future… Plus, whether they would be willing to help or not was another matter.
The more people who knew about it, the higher the risk, no matter who he asked to help do it.
“No matter which path I take, I’ll have to muddy the waters first…”
Han Xiao’s eyes sparkled.
…
The Beyond Grade A Association headquarters on Planet Finn were visited by a dynasty fleet.
Gaud walked out of the hatch. The dynasty’s senior officer uniform reflected the light of the artificial sun like it was shining.
“Welcome to Planet Finn, Your Excellency Gaud.”
A receptionist who was wearing the association’s uniform instantly approached with an enthusiastic smile.
The news of the dynasty acquiring a new direct Beyond Grade A member had already spread out among the high-class circle, but it was only limited to the name Gaud and nothing else. The dynasty did not publicize too much information; they even controlled the flow of any information regarding Gaud. Therefore, many organizations were guessing Gaud’s way of doing things and his specific abilities… This was the normal treatment for a new Beyond Grade A.
Gaud handed over the request to join the association with all the documents needed. The Beyond Grade A Association hosted a meeting just to welcome this new member. The staff was arranged long ago to wait for Gaud there.
“Lead the way.” Gaud’s tone was casual.
The two of them left the dock, boarded an anti-gravity carrier, and headed toward the spherical conference room at the top of the headquarters building in the middle of the city.
Looking down from the sky, the ground was filled with closely packed buildings. It was a highly advanced galactic city. The receptionist pointed out some of Planet Finn’s hotspots on the way like a tour guide. Gaud did not stop him. He looked down and silently observed the streets that passed by.
The various Beyond Grade
A organizations had all set up their agencies there. In the last decade, Planet Finn had already become a prosperous galactic city. Flying carriers dashing across the sky formed the transport network.
Base level personnel in uniforms of different organizations could be seen everywhere on the streets. Gaud even saw quite a number of base-level office workers of the Black Star Army.
However, these organizations were just stationed there. The association’s staff were the ones who were responsible for managing this planet.
The carrier arrived at the platform outside the conference room very soon. Gaud followed the receptionist into his personal lounge. As he was the focus of today’s meeting and he had come with his original body, he had to wait for someone to notify him to enter the venue from another door.
After watching the receptionist leave and shut the door, Gaud casually picked up the snacks on the table and started chewing. He sized up the marvelous lounge, and his eyes were filled with enjoyment.
“The Beyond Grade As have been split up for so many years, only finally showing signs of unity in recent years. Black Star, Manison, and Kasuyi have done a really good job. Sadly, I did not wait for such a good time to arrive in the past… However, they probably wouldn’t dare take in the most vicious criminal in the universe anyway. If I didn’t change my identity, all of this would have nothing to do with me.”
Gaud could not help but sneer.
After gangs earned enough money, they would all consider wiping their history clean and turn to legal businesses. It was the same for him. Committing crimes was not his goal, just a path he took to accumulate enough strength.
After getting rid of his past identity, he could now start a new life.
A while later, someone finally came to notify him to enter the venue.
Gaud stood up, patted his clothes, walked down the corridor all the way to the end, and pushed open the tall, exquisite gate. Light shone from within and entered his eyes.
A huge, round table conference room entered his sights. The remote projections of all the Beyond Grade A members were sitting in their own seats. They turned to face him simultaneously. Their eyes all focused on Gaud with all kinds of different emotions.
Gaud became the focal point of the entire venue. He looked around at the familiar faces and uncontrollably dazed off for a moment.
This was the first time he had appeared in front of most of the Beyond Grade As in the universe with his new identity. Looks of hatred, hostility, and fear were no longer anywhere to be found. The hate and conflict of the past was all gone; his relationship with every one of them was completely new.
Being reborn had never felt so refreshing.
At this time, Manison, who sat in the main seat, nodded and said, “This friend here is Gaud. On behalf of all the members of the Beyond Grade A Development Union, I welcome you to the association.”
“It’s my honor to join the association.” Gaud regained focus. A smile with unknown meaning appeared on his face as he placed his hand on his chest and did a universal greeting gesture.
Clotti, who had always been quiet, pointed at the empty seat beside and said, “You’re a direct member of the dynasty. I’ve saved a seat for you. Come here and sit.”
Seeing this, Gaud smiled, walked over, and sat beside Clotti. The entire row beside him was the seats for the direct members of the dynasty. It was like he had found his clique.
However, as soon as he sat down, a voice filled with a strong sense of curiosity sounded.
The content of what that person said made Gaud’s calm heart skip a beat.
“Gaud, right? I heard your ability is the Super High Risk Esper Ability that only exists in theory, Energy Control! Is that true?”
Chapter 1224 - Muddy the Waters
1224 Muddy the Waters
As soon as this was said, the atmosphere in the conference room changed immediately. Everyone looked toward the source of the voice and saw that the person who asked the question was a neutral Beyond Grade A called Lucie, nicknamed ‘Ancient Snake’. He was a shapeshift-type Esper who occasionally worked as a mercenary for advanced civilizations. He also frequented the black market.Gaud stared at him feeling shocked inside.
He had only ever used his ability a few times. He had only fought a little bit decades ago during the Kunde Race war and never sparred with anyone after becoming a Beyond Grade A. Only a few people in the dynasty should have known about his exact abilities. This information was tightly controlled and had yet to spread. He did not expect someone to find out his ability on his first day after joining the association…
Where did the information get leaked?
Gaud did not respond, so someone asked curiously, “Lucie, where did you get that information?”
“The black market, of course. I heard it coincidentally,” Lucie casually said.
“Is it reliable?” someone else asked.
“How would I know? I’m trying to find out now, aren’t I? Did none of you hear anything similar at all?” Lucie questioned.
Secret Master frowned and slowly said, “My subordinates acquired similar information too, but there’s no solid proof. There are hundreds of speculations like this on the black market. God knows who they came from. Most of them are random guesses anyway.”
Seeing this, a few more frequents of the black market also expressed their agreement, saying that they had all heard similar things, but none took it seriously.
Han Xiao watched from the side and heaved a sigh of relief in his mind.
He was indeed the one who anonymously placed the information about Gaud’s ability into the black market. With his Virtual Technology skills, he left no traces behind at all. From others’ perspective, this rumor looked like it appeared out of thin air and spread so quickly that no one could find the root of it. This kind of thing happened every day on the network.
The black-market network was a magical place. Countless information trades were carried on here every day. There was a lot of false information, but secrets would also appear occasionally. Sometimes, even the advanced civilizations had no idea how their secrets were leaked.
For example, a Super High Risk Esper Ability that only existed in theory attracted enough attention and spread very rapidly. Currently, all the organizations were using their own intelligence channels to search for information related to Gaud. Therefore, for someone like Secret Master, who frequented the black market, there was a high chance he would discover it.
However, there were way too many speculations and no solid proof. These guys would not ask Gaud directly just because of these rumors. Therefore, Han Xiao selected a few targets to specifically leak this information to, luring these guys to bring up this topic when everyone was present. Lucie was one of them.
He did not select these targets randomly. Others thought Lucie was a neutral Beyond Grade A, but the truth was that his identity was exposed in the later versions in his previous life as a secret member of a Super Star Cluster civilization just like Traveler. Han Xiao knew all about who he was.
Due to the sensitive competitive relationship between the three Universal Civilizations, Han Xiao had some confidence that he could lure the secret members of the Super Star Cluster civilizations in the association to deliberately stir things up. Even if that failed, he had backup plans.
The crowd discussed the rumours for a while before turning to look at Gaud with strong curiosity in their eyes.
“What’s your real ability?”
Looking at everyone’s curious expression, Gaud exhaled and slowly said, “Do any of you have a habit of announcing your secrets? Well, I don’t. You don’t have to be so curious. You’ll find out in the future.”
Lucie curled his lips and continued to question him. “We’re all association members. What’s so secretive about it? You’ve joined the association, but you won’t share any information with us. That’s not sincere at all. It’s unfair to us. Or is your ability really Energy Control?”
Hearing this, man
y people nodded in agreement.
In the Beyond Grade A circle, rookies were all treated this way. Everyone wanted to know about the rookie’s secrets and abilities so that if they had to fight the rookie, they would not be surprised by unknown abilities. Most Beyond Grade As had already walked down the same path.
Gaud’s eyelids twitched.
He totally understood that Lucie was basically a sh*t stirrer who wanted to force him to share his secrets.
“Don’t bother asking anymore. I won’t answer you.”
Gaud shook his head and did not deny it but avoided the question.
Keeping his ability a secret was only temporary, not permanent. Once he grew to a certain stage, the dynasty would no longer keep it a secret and would instead promote the fact that he was the first person ever in history to possess this Esper Ability to intimidate the Beyond Grade As of other civilizations.
Therefore, dynasty’s current demand of him was only not to directly answer any question about his ability but not lie about it, or the promotion they did in the future would not be as effective.
Furthermore, denying his own ability was not something someone as strong as him should do. It was bad for his reputation. If he damaged his image among the Beyond Grade As, making up for it would be much more troublesome than simply not answering and avoiding the questions.
“So, you’re not going to give us face?” Lucie narrowed his eyes. “Our real bodies aren’t here, otherwise all we’d have to do is spar with you, and your ability would no longer be a secret. Why are you being so secretive about it? Looks like the rumors are not complete nonsense. Your ability is probably really Energy Control. Even if it isn’t, it’s definitely very special. That’s why you’re keeping it a secret.”
“Think whatever you want.” Gaud did not want to argue with him anymore and looked away.
Seeing this, many people’s eyes flickered with some suspicion.
From the way they saw it, by not giving a direct answer, Gaud having the Energy Control Esper Ability seemed more trustworthy. If this was not his ability, he could have just denied it.
The Legendary Mechanic c1-1385 Page 876
