by <unknown>
Han Xiao flicked his finger, bouncing it against Sun Hunter’s head, earning him an angered glare from the other party before he sheepishly smiled and gave it up. He had always wanted to do so in his past life, and he had finally ticked it off his bucket list. With all of them being on equal footing, this little joke was harmless, but if it was an ordinary Beyond Grade A that did this to Sun Hunter, the person could probably apply for disability protection.
“Since you don’t like this bet, then I’ll change to something else.” “What?”
“I know you have some issues with me, so let’s do it like this. If you win, I’ll stand still for ten minutes and let you vent your frustrations. If I win, you do the same. Fair?”
Secret Master simply shut his mouth and turned his head away, not wanting to speak with Han Xiao any longer.
Forget about it, who here doesn’t know of your Indestructible Body’s tankiness? Fair my grandpa, I still want to live for a long time.
The group at the table chatted for a while, and suddenly, a group of officers strode into the venue, surrounded by their respective leaders. The venue immediately calmed down as the atmosphere turned solemn.
The Dynasty’s Ruler Urranrell, the Federation’s President Bader, and the Arcane Church’s Pope swaggered to the high platform of the venue under the eyes of everyone present, sitting at the specially arranged seats with the podium next to them.
Han Xiao had only seen Urranrell personally, and this was his first time meeting Bader and the Pope. While both of them had different temperaments, they possessed the same aura of power like Urranrell, causing everyone to turn serious subconsciously.
However, the focus of his observation was not the two leaders, but the personal guards around them, all of which were of the same stature as the Dark Lord Clotti.
On Bader’s side was a male with a white complexion and similar body structure to humans, except that he had a straight horn on his forehead, forcing him to keep his hair to an appropriate length. His hair color was golden and was tied into a twisted braid that hangs down to the waist. He seemed to have some elf blood as he had long ears, deep purple eyes, and a well-proportioned mouth but did not have a nose. The part that was his nose that was supposed to be flat was strangely not ugly
—it instead appeared harmonious with his features.
This person wore a robe that was dotted with light gold and ice blue colors, revealing an elegant nobleness and gentle temperament. This person was the Personal Guard of the Federation, the peak Beyond Grade A ‘Golden Ring’ Oulou.
Oulou’s ability was to borrow the power of a specific secondary dimension. It sounded like the dead Traveller’s ability, but his combat power was not the same. This guy was at the same level as the Dark Lord, able to fight Kasuyi hand to hand and not lose.
Han Xiao turned his head to the other side.
Next to the Church’s Pope was a huge guy, not the kind that got to this size through training but rather naturally huge, as though he had some giant blood running within. This was the Chief Guard of the Church, the one who was stationed at the Temple of God, ‘God’s Chosen’ Wuornos.
tas
Compared to Oulou’s glamorous outfits, Wuornos’ looks and temperament were low-key, as if he was just an ordinary middle-aged man with wrinkled eyes. He wore a silver-gray priest robe, and if not for the robe, one would probably not recognize him if they threw him into a crowd of people. “Oulou and Wuornos…” Han Xiao softly muttered.
Both of them were just like the Dark Lord, generally only following the Head of State, hardly participating in activities other than their duties.
Glancing at Han Xiao, Kasuyi leaned over and casually said, “This is your first time meeting them, right? Here’s a piece of advice, you can joke with Oulou and fool around, but don’t go and provoke Wuornos.”
“What’s with that?” Han Xiao was curious.
“While Oulou is the chief guard, his personality is different to Clotti’s, warmer and not so indifferent. Other than occasionally showing some superiority, he’s not bad. However, Wuornos… heh, just don’t mess with him.”
“You’re making me more curious. You’re the ally of the Arcane Church. Do you know some gossip?”
“Even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you. I can only say that he’s the Beyond Grade A publicly acknowledged to be the strongest, and naturally, there’s a reason.” Kasuyi blandly smiled.
At this time, Urranrell stood before the podium, surveying the scene before speaking.
“Dear friends and guests, today, we’re holding a grand award ceremony to commend all the heroes who made great contributions in the Intelligent Plague disaster. The ceremony will honor every hero with an outstanding meritorious service. “First, on behalf of the three Universal Civilizations, I would like to extend my warm congratulations to the heroes of the universe who will be receiving the Medal of Honor as well as the honorary titles, and I extend my highest respect to them. “We’ve gone through many ups and downs, and today, we have united as one and once again eliminated another new disaster.
“Since the establishment of the galactic society in the last years of the exploration era, generations of heroes with a sense of responsibility have given up themselves to overcome difficulty after difficulty, shaping the cornerstone of today’s galactic society. While many have passed away, their glorious deeds will always spread from generation to generation.
“Only by crossing new mountains can we see a wider distance. Under the leadership of the three Universal Civilizations, we have overcome obstacles, constantly explored the unknown universe, and expanded our territory. Now, we’re in the Flickering World, a milestone achievement and a fruitful result of our external exploration.
“Such an achievement cannot be achieved with the cooperation of the entire galactic society. It’s this bond of order that connects us and creates a never-ending pioneering spirit. Anyone who tries to disrupt this order and unity will become the enemy of the entire universe…”
The media was broadcasting Urranrell’s speech to the entire universe. When she finished speaking, there was a tsunami-like applause in the venue. Han Xiao and the other Beyond Grade As also gave face to clap a little.
Han Xiao heard that in Urranrell’s words she emphasized the importance of collectivism, on the correctness and achievements of the leaders of the three Universal Civilizations, vaguely throwing arrows at the Super Star Cluster Alliance as well as the Mechanic Emperor. While she did not explicitly mention anything, everyone knew who the so-called ‘people who disrupted galactic civilization and society’ were.
Bader and the Pope also gave some short speeches before entering the formal award process. One by one, the heroes came to the stage, accepting the honors and making a speech. Some also answered questions from the reporters.
Before long, the ceremony approached the end. There was only one person left, and everyone’s eyes were focused on Han Xiao.
“Black Star limited the outflow of the virus during the disaster and discovered the true character of the virus core at the critical moment, reversing our erroneous strategy and allowing us to reformulate our plan. He alone changed the course of the disaster. He later captured the virus core and destroyed it, completely eliminating any hidden dangers, putting an end to the crisis of a second outbreak of the Intelligent Plague, saving countless lives. His contribution is huge and thus needs to be rewarded.”
After Urranrell spoke, Han Xiao stood up, stepping onto the stage and shaking hands with the leaders. Numerous news media reporters in the audience took videos and photos, turning the stage white with their flashes.
“Black Star has many good qualities. He is determined, resolute, flexible, and strong in principle…” Bader gave a series of praise, finally coming to the conclusion. “In view of his achievements, we have decided to jointly award him the Galaxy Medal.”
The moment he finished speaking, everyone in the audience paused.
The Galaxy Medal, which was the highes
t symbol of honor jointly set up by the three Universal Civilizations since their establishment, was the golden glory of the explored universe. There were only a few winners of this medal in history.
While many of them had this expectation in their hearts, they were still shocked to hear it. They always felt that although Black Star had great achievements, there was still a certain distance from this medal. Now it seemed that the factor behind this medal was if the three Universal Civilizations would support them.
But no matter what they thought, the honor was real, and the audience burst into applause.
Pa pa pa…
Amid the warm applause, Urranrell took out a star-like dazzling medal, placing it in her palm, while the other two held it by the edges, handing it to Han Xiao.
This image seemed to freeze, and the flashes under the stage flickered, recording this historic scene.
The commotion lasted a long time, and it took dozens of seconds before all movement gradually ceased.
Han Xiao reached out to accept the medal, pinning it on his chest before shaking hands with all three of them once more. He came up to the podium, clearing his throat.
“Many thanks to the Crimson Dynasty, Federation of Light, and the Arcane Church. To be able to receive this award is an honor for me. As part of the explored universe, I have the responsibility and obligation to maintain our stability and prosperity…”.
Reading from his prepared script, Han Xiao raised his head to gaze at the clock on the venue before smiling. “Since I’m the last person, it means that the ceremony is about to end. I won’t do a lengthy speech. Everything is about the same, and I feel that everyone here is already tired of hearing it…”
The audience let out laughs.
Han Xiao smiled as he nodded. “In short, what sort of person I am can be seen from my actions. I believe that society has its own views of me, and I don’t need to repeat it, so let’s skip that and go to the questions… Anyone?”
Hearing this, many of the reporters raised their hands enthusiastically, hoping for him to point at themselves.
Just as Han Xiao was about to pick someone, one of them stood up on his own and began to speak.
“Your Excellency Black Star, I heard that the Mechanic Emperor Manison also made a great contribution to the Intelligent Plague. Without him, the three Universal Civilizations would not have been able to find the location of the virus core. Thus, it can be said that a third or even half of your Galaxy Medal belongs to Manison… but for this award ceremony, the Mechanic Emperor did not obtain anything, and you seem to have forgotten about it and ignored his merits, accepting the medal with a peace of mind. What do you think of this?”
The originally enthusiastic venue suddenly seemed to have been doused in cold water, instantly quieting down.
Everyone moved their eyes subconsciously to Manison, who had been sitting indifferently at the edge of the venue.
Han Xiao narrowed his eyes a little as he sized up the reporter. He saw the cold smile on that person’s face, obviously wishing to embarrass himself and the three Universal Civilizations in public.
Chapter 1147. Only Interested in Causing Sensational News |
The moment he started to ask his question rashly, the meaningful gazes of Urranrell, Bader, and the Pope immediately landed on him.
The reporter’s chest had his nametag, and he was called Porters, belonging to a news group in the Primeval Star River. His position was not low, otherwise he would not be responsible for the interview of the three Universal Civilizations on behalf of his media. Having participated in many press conferences for the three Universal Civilizations, his performance had been normal. To suddenly get into trouble, naturally someone had to put him up to it.
Han Xiao’s thoughts spun. At first, he suspected the Mechanic Emperor, but he quickly banished that thought.
The Old Man could not wait to pretend to be an ostrich right now. The more low-key he was, the better. This behavior of hiring people to question for himself was actually in some manner a self-damaging act… Manison was not so humorous and would not do such disturbing things.
Thus, the most likely suspect would be the Super Star Cluster Alliance, who contradicted the three Universal Civilizations most openly. Not only did they wish to sow discord, they also wished to badmouth the three Universal Civilizations in public. It cost little to do so.
All they had to take out was a sum of Enas, which would be astronomical in the eyes of ordinary people, and the reporter would naturally be tempted. In such a grand scene, the negative impact of an untimely question would be further magnified.
The identity of a reporter acted as a shield for him, allowing him to add fuel to the fire. The three Universal Civilizations naturally did not wish to worsen the situation, and thus, they would not capture him or threaten him afterward. As the ruling party, a pawn was just a pawn to them. They had to show some class and go straight for the orchestrator behind the scenes.
The surrounding reporters look at Porters in surprise and agitation.
“Have you lost your mind!”
“Quick, apologize and sit down!” “You don’t want to be in this business anymore!” Those who knew him whispered in low voices, wishing to pull him down, but Porters stood firm, staring straight at Han Xiao with a spirit of getting to the bottom of the matter.
Han Xiao pressed both of his hands on the podium, slowly saying, “Dear reporter, I don’t seem to have invited you to ask your question.”
“So, are you avoiding the question now?”
Porters turned a deaf ear to them, his gaze sharp and his bearing aggressive. Oh, there’s a hint of a western reporter’s flavor in his attitude.
“You guys, only thinking about sensationalizing news every day,” Han Xiao said with a smile that was not a smile. “I believe that the galactic society has a unified view of the Mechanic Emperor’s behavior, but looking at you, it seems like you wish to fight for him, huh?”
“I’m just asking the questions that the public might be curious about, based on the professional ethics of a reporter.” Porters straightened his back, with a conscientious attitude.
“Alright. This question is a little more sensitive. While I did not call upon you, I can answer this one.” Han Xiao tapped his fingers on the podium, his tone casual. “Manison did indeed make a contribution. This is an undeniable fact, but your statement is wrong. In fact, Manison discovered the problem of the virus core earlier than I did. This medal should have belonged to him, but he deliberately chose not to report it because of his selfishness. If it was not for me who revealed it, he would not have revealed this key information. In this manner, the three Universal Civilizations would always have been kept in the dark, and the universe would still be shrouded in the shadow of the Intelligent Plague.”
“So, you’re admitting that the Mechanic Emperor should be sharing the Galaxy Medal with you? You also think that it’s unfair he has not been awarded the medal?” Porters pressed on. “I only admitted that he has credit due in this area, not that he deserves the Galaxy Medal. Don’t distort my meaning at your own will. Moreover, Manison’s final decision is enough to make everyone here re-evaluate his motives.”
“Your Excellency Black Star, please don’t digress. We are not talking about the Mechanic Emperor’s choice, only his objective achievements.” Porters was skilled in such evasive methods.
“No, they are not separable. Part of my credit comes from my plan to stop the Mechanic Emperor. If he did not do anything at that time, my credit would be limited. If you think based on this logic, technically, he might deserve half of the Galaxy Medal. Hmm, that actually makes sense… but seriously, if we were to hand him a medal, then those not in the know would believe that he has done a good thing, and those who have worked hard for the universe would feel that this is unfair. I believe the three Universal Civilizations only made such a decision after great thought.” “But the Mechanic…”
“I’ve answered your question. You may sit dow
n now. There are still others waiting to ask their questions. Please do not flout the rules time and again, or I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
Han Xiao indifferently cut off Porters.
The other party’s goal was to create trouble, so whatever he said would make the atmosphere uncomfortable. He would only stop at his own explanation, never thinking of making the other party speechless. As long as an earnest attitude was shown, most viewers would naturally listen to it, and continuing to argue would not only be pointless but also damaging to his image. Seeing the nearby guards already eyeing him, Porters could only sit back down in anger.
Ignoring the contempt, disgust, and complicated gazes of his peers around him, Porters suppressed the fear in his heart and tried his best to make himself look calm. He controlled the trembling in his hands and feet, secretly breathing a sigh of relief.
Hu… I fulfilled the requirements.
Most likely, the President of my broadcasting station is going crazy now. Luckily, it’s not my problem anymore. I’ll immediately resign once I return. Whether the station gets suppressed or not isn’t my problem. Why would I still work when I’ve gotten my remuneration?
Dreaming of the future, Porters felt that a beautiful life was waving its hands at him.
The memory in his mind was extremely clear. Not too long ago, a few mysterious people suddenly contacted him, offering him a huge sum of money to make him launch a verbal attack during today’s occasion.
He knew that the moment he did this, his career would come to an end. Even if the three Universal Civilizations were too lazy to deal with him, the people below would act spontaneously and demand that the media industry ban him.
He was mentally prepared for this. Not only was the amount raised enough to move him, but the other party also had huge backing. The moment they looked for him, he could not reject their offer, so he did not have much choice to begin with.
While his actions would invite investigations and industry bans for him, his employer not only gave him money but also promised to arrange an escape route, allowing him to change his face and move to their territory to live, thus avoiding the grasp of the three Universal Civilizations.
