by <unknown>
The next second, a figure of light appeared. “Black Star, what do you need me to do?”
“You are an AI lifeform and should be able to travel through cyberspace, right?”
Risda nodded and said, “This is my way of survival. Even if you are able to destroy the shell that I am living in, I can still survive in cyberspace.”
“I will get Phillip to open up a path for you to go to the first base,” Han Xiao said with a deep voice. “I will have the members of Sky Ring work with Phillip to construct a movement channel for you. They will try to attack a DarkStar mothership and help you infiltrate the system of the mothership. I need you to avoid or even replace the original AI system of the mothership and remain hidden in DarkStar.”
Risda was a virtual lifeform who lived in cyberspace. Apart from aiding one in hacking, he could still lie dormant in the main frame system, just like how Risda occupied BlackLight Stealth and had swallowed the original AI system of this spaceship.
If Risda wanted to go undercover, he would be able to easily avoid the majority of firewalls with its processing speed. However, the condition for that is that his target had to have opened up a virtual connection to the outside world. Also, being connected by hardware was much easier than infiltrating through virtual space.
The DarkStar mothership made use of a mother AI and would not be able to cut off its connection so easily. If Risda could fool the mother AI, he could remain hidden and come into contact with DarkStar’s database.
“I can try, but I have a condition,” Risda said.
“Speak.”
“I know that you want to borrow my strength to deal with the enemy, and I am willing to help you. However, I wish that you will help Aroshia to regain her memories quickly.”
“Alright.” Han Xiao nodded. He had never tried to actively complete the mission as it was too troublesome a mission. However, with the help of the players, this mission would become much simpler.
After convincing Risda, Han Xiao contacted the commander of the Sky Ring Army, Gureja.
With their battle strategy finalized, Han Xiao knocked on his communicator and said, “Phillip, connect to BlackLight Stealth and open up a data path to the first base.”
“Roger that, hum…”
Phillip controlled both the bases, and as long as he opened up the path, Risda would be able to reach Planet Golden Gate in an instant.
This was the specialty of an AI life form. As long as it was not destroyed in the virtual world, any physical attack was useless against it.
Risda nodded, and the figure of light disappeared the very next moment.
“It passed through my data path, hum…”
Han Xiao looked at Gureja’s projection and said, “I shall trouble you.”
Gureja burst out into a hearty laughter. “Just take it as me thanking you for your recommendation.”
After the communicator was cut off, Han Xiao let out a long sigh.
“I wonder if this will work…”
Planet Golden Gate was not only Godora’s trap but also his.
DarkStar’s whereabouts had always been extremely mysterious, and from the very start, Han Xiao knew that the only way to take care of DarkStar for good would be to lock onto their location!
…
The battle on Planet Golden Gate was at its peak. Despite the DarkStar fleet being large, they were not able to gain the upper hand over the various mercenary groups. DarkStar was a terrorist organization that scared many out of their wits, but being scary did not mean that they could fight. In terms of battle prowess, the mercenaries were the professionals.
That was especially so for mercenary groups such as the Sky Ring Army that had a resounding reputation in the Shattered Star Ring. Their battle strength had been honed through trials of fire and blood.
Originally, Planet Golden Gate could only remain on the defense. However, after the arrival of the reinforcements, they went on the offensive, and an intense battle broke out between the two parties. From time to time, battleships would be engulfed in flames. DarkStar was caught off guard, and their losses were immense.
In fact, there were a few times when the Sky Ring Army managed to break through DarkStar’s formation and arrive before the nearest mothership. They had even managed to crash into the interior of the mothership and board the mothership. In the end, DarkStar had only managed to force the enemy back after deploying a couple of Calamity Grade Supers.
While both forces were equal in numbers, DarkStar was slowly losing.
“These darn mercenaries!” Degulish was enraged. He looked at the timer and gnashed his teeth. “We will not be able to destroy Planet Golden Gate before the arrival of Godora’s reinforcements. Relay my orders, retreat! Our operation has failed!”
Since they would not be able to achieve their mission objective, Degulish could only give the order to retreat. They had intended to launch a blitz assault on Planet Golden Gate, but the battle had turned into one of attrition. If the battle continued, the risks would increase. Since they were not able to fulfil their mission objective, there was no need to increase their losses. All five motherships had some form of damage, but thankfully, they had not been destroyed. However, that might not be the case if they continued the battle.
Many of the DarkStar upper echelons felt it to be a huge pity. They did not expect Godora to become intelligent, and it seemed like they could only follow their leader’s plan to attack the calamity planets.
DarkStar condensed their battle formation and rapidly retreated. The various mercenary groups gave chase for a short while before stopping. They had accepted the job to fight off the enemy, not eradicate them. The mercenaries were an extremely practical bunch and would only work for what they were paid for. ‘Overtime’ was not a word that was in their dictionary.
DarkStar retreated and disappeared into the galaxy.
In the eyes of the Godorans, despite coming with ferocity, DarkStar had been sent running with their tails tucked between their legs.
The citizens of Planet Golden Gate were overjoyed and forgot all about the unhappiness from being stopped when they tried to escape. The drastic change in attitude truly dumbfounded the guards.
This victory brought Godorans all around the galaxy joy, and all the news outlets in the Garton Star System were full of praise for Godora’s victory. The fear caused by DarkStar had also diminished greatly.
They only needed a single victory to bring their citizens out from the dark and help many of their citizens regain confidence in them. This was why the War Bureau had so desperately needed a victory.
…
Han Xiao had always watched the news and waited patiently. Even until DarkStar retreated, his communicator had still been silent.
Han Xiao tapped on the table rhythmically while letting out a deep sigh.
The worst-case scenario would naturally be Risda being found and forced to escape. The AI of the mothership would not be able to block Risda, and Risda would definitely be able to escape. However, this would mean that he would lose contact with Risda. Han Xiao was still extremely concerned about such a good hacking partner.
“I’ll wait a while longer. Risda should need some time to deal with the AI of the mothership.”
Han Xiao paced around the room, and after waiting for a long time, his communicator rang.
Taking a look at it, his furrowed brows and expression eased up.
A bright smile could be seen on Han Xiao’s face as he scrolled through the communicator.
“I wonder how much the Godorans are willing to pay for this information.”
Chapter 567. The Endless Potential of Selling Intelligence |
Han Xiao received from his communicator that Risda had successfully infiltrated the AI system of a DarkStar mothership. By making use of the authority that he had obtained, he was currently breaking into DarkStar’s database. With Risda’s abilities, as long as he could infiltrate the AI system, breaking into the database was a certainty.
&nbs
p; As long as Risda could infiltrate the bottommost layer of the database, Risda would be able to replace the AI system of the mothership. When the other motherships exchanged information with this particular mothership, all of their coordinates would be exposed. Currently, only the coordinates of this particular mothership were exposed.
The extremely concealed DarkStar truly made one feel helpless. They hid in the dark while stirring up trouble with their mothership base moving around. Han Xiao was not aware of their exact location, and before Risda’s appearance, Han Xiao did not have many ideas.
This was an idea that he had thought of after working together with Risda to deal with the sudden ambush on Planet Aquamarine previously. It was a feasible plan, and after some estimates, Han Xiao had arrived at a conclusion that excited him. This might be a way for him to take care of DarkStar for good and was extremely enticing.
Because he had set himself against DarkStar time and time again, DarkStar’s enmity toward him would only continue to deepen, and it was a matter of time before they dealt with him.
Han Xiao would not have been afraid if he was alone. After all, during his previous life, it was an extremely common thing for him to be chased all around. While he would be perfectly safe, his comrades would be in danger. His foundations were still weak, and it would be extremely easy for DarkStar to destroy them.
With such a dangerous enemy, Han Xiao definitely would not let go of a chance to eradicate them. Even if he would not be able to activate a future mission, he would get rid of DarkStar at the first opportunity. Missions were endless in the galaxy, and it was more important for him to get rid of his enemies.
He needed Godora’s help for this, and Godora would not let go of such a chance either.
With that thought in mind, Han Xiao left the room and went to the Godoran camp to find Nagakin.
“Black Star, you’re here.”
In the Godoran camp, the Godoran troops were currently packing up their items and moving them all onto the spaceship. The entire camp was bustling with activity, and Nagakin was supervising them from the side. Seeing Han Xiao arrive, Nagakin walked forward with a smile. It was obvious that he was in a good mood.
“Are you guys preparing to leave?” Han Xiao looked around.
Nagakin nodded with a face full of smiles and slapped Han Xiao on the back. “Yes, with the problem on Planet Aquamarine having been resolved, our mission is over. Our fleet and disaster relief squad will leave today.
“I still have to thank you. The higher ups are very satisfied with my efficiency and hinted that they will promote me after everything is over. This is all due to you.”
His current Favorability with Han Xiao was over sixty points, and he had also hopped on a free ride with Han Xiao’s contributions.
Han Xiao looked around before bringing Nagakin to a more concealed spot and saying softly, “I have some new intelligence. You will definitely be extremely interested in this. Help me contact the upper echelons of the War Bureau.”
More benefits‽ Nagakin’s eyes lit up.
“Drop me some hints so that I can describe it to the higher ups.” Nagakin also suppressed his voice but had an expectant look on his face. Black Star was like a treasure trove to him. As long as he worked together with Black Star, he would definitely be able to gain benefits.
Looking at the way that Nagakin was acting, Han Xiao’s face twitched slightly. Nagakin would not reveal his prestige and might when he was in front of Han Xiao. With the level of Favorability increasing, Nagakin would reveal his true character when they were in private. While being committed to his mission, he did not conceal his desire to go up the ranks. The image of a Calamity Grade expert in his mind collapsed completely.
Grade B formed the middle rung in the galaxy, and the Calamity Grade belonged to the upper rung. The War Bureau naturally attached great importance to Nagakin. However, the population of Godora was far too big, and there were still more than ten Calamity Grade experts. All of them were like imperial experts and the royal guard. Thus, Nagakin still had to face some competition.
“My intelligence this time is about DarkStar,” Han Xiao said with a mysterious tone.
“What about them?”
“Their location,” Han Xiao said briefly.
Nagakin’s eyes widened in shock, and his breathing became heavy. He naturally understood the significance of those words.
“I need to ask you solemnly. You aren’t lying to me, right?”
“I would lie to anyone but you.” Han Xiao rolled his eyes.
“Follow me. I will inform the upper echelons immediately.”
The both of them then walked into a secret meeting room and locked the door. Without saying another word, Nagakin took out his communicator to contact the higher ups.
The call went through, and the secretary of the War Bureau head appeared.
“Nagakin, the director-general is currently in a meeting. This is a meeting that the highest leader called. Wait until after the meeting if you have something.”
The battle on Planet Golden Gate had just ended, and the upper echelons of Godora were discussing their follow up plans.
“I have something urgent!” Nagakin said.
“Then tell me first. I will pass the message to the director-general after the meeting.”
“Tell him to forget about the meeting. It is a really big intelligence!” Nagakin’s voice was filled with agitation. “Black Star has DarkStar’s location!”
The expression of the secretary changed drastically, and he yelped, “Don’t hang up!” before running toward the conference room. The conference room was filled with many people, with some being present physically and others just projections. They all turned to look at the secretary with doubtful expressions.
The secretary hurried over to the director-general of the War Bureau and explained the situation briefly. The eyes of the War Bureau’s director-general widened, and he abruptly stood up. Picking his communicator up, he walked over to the highest leader and explained the situation.
The expression of the highest leader changed slightly, and he immediately bellowed in a deep voice, “The meeting is paused. Those who aren’t called, please go out and rest.”
Those present were all startled. Anyone capable of sitting at that conference table was a leader of an integral departments. Even the lowest ranked officer there was part of a core department that had access to the strategic plans of Godora. If Godora was an empire, this room would consist of the organs of the empire.
Just what would cause the highest leader to stop the meeting and even want some of the upper echelons to leave the room? Just what kind of intelligence was it that even they could not have access to it‽
The majority of the upper echelons left the room, and only the core group of the upper echelons remained. This matter was far too important, and the highest leader only kept his closest aides behind.
“Black Star, I am the highest leader of Godora, Serbia the Fifth.”
Godora was a magical civilization, and their governance structure had the style of a magical planet. They did not rule over the civilization with a federation, and there was no need to talk about having a democratic election.
The highest leader was chosen by the traditions of an ancient monarchy. The superiority that purebloods felt was also because of this tradition. However, Godora did make some changes in this Galactic Civilization era to ensure that the governance structure could keep up with their productive capacity and technological standards. Their highest leader was no longer a lifelong title, and his authority was restricted. Much of his authority had been split up.
The noble families and royal bloodline were not as precious and sacred as in ancient times. The royalty had the majority of their special rights taken away from them, and only their status and honor were left behind. This was something that the Godoran citizens who had seen the many different ruling systems of the galaxy could barely accept. As a Galactic Civilization, the intelligence of their c
itizens was directly correlated to the progression of their civilization. Even if they had to go against their traditions, they had to continuously improve.
The moment their progression fell behind, it would be very likely for a change in governance to come about.
In fact, there were many civilizations that were more advanced in technology than ruling system. For example, Harmon’s hometown was a boorish civilization that heavily emphasized combat prowess and did not use much of their brains. However, such a civilization was actually able to construct spaceships!
In the Galactic Civilization era, there were many different kinds of skills and technology. As such, the ruling system of a civilization was no longer as important to the productive capacity of the civilization. Thus, despite the three great civilizations of the galaxy having different ruling systems, their strength was equal.
Facing the highest leader of Godora, Nagakin bowed solemnly. On the other hand, Han Xiao only nodded casually as a greeting. This was the best part about being a mercenary—there was no need to perform any formal salutations.
“This is the third time that we’ve negotiated.” Han Xiao smiled.
The first time was the Mutation Source sample, second about revealing DarkStar’s plan and forming a bridge to the mercenaries. This was the third.
The previous two times, the ones negotiating with him had been the upper echelons of Godora. This time, it was the highest leader talking to him directly.
Without beating about the bush, they went straight to the point. Han Xiao proved that his intelligence was reliable, and Risda’s ability was one that could not be replicated. To Godora, this intelligence was a hundred times more valuable than the Mutation Source. DarkStar was like a parasite to the entire civilization, and Godora yearned for the opportunity to get rid of DarkStar every single day.
Both parties had been fighting for many years, and if they could get rid of DarkStar thoroughly, they would be able to erase one of their biggest enemies. Be it in terms of the conflict between the pure and mixed bloods or their status and security, there would be many benefits.
