Chapter 1021: The Gradually Rising Status of Players

Chapter 1021: The Gradually Ascendant Standing of the Players

Feng Yue accepted the transmission, and upon the screen materialized a figure resembling a mercenary, his eyes clouded with wariness and curiosity.

"This is the armed escort fleet of the New Moon Consortium. I am Commander Fakoman. Identify yourselves."

At his words, a spark of delight ignited within Feng Yue.

The guild players from Changkong, Jiangcheng, and Baoyu had long scouted the current state of Hak Star, where seven factions carved out dominion, locked in rivalry, each guarding distinct sectors of the outer void to repel intruders and hoard the planet's riches. Had they encountered a militarized force or a galactic civilization's harvesting detachment, negotiations would have grown perilously complex.

Crossing paths with a corporate entity, however, promised a far smoother passage.

Naturally, players lacked the means to uncover such intelligence alone; the information flowed directly from the Black Star Legion, granting them real-time access to the Shining World's affairs—a privileged perk reserved for legion affiliates.

Steadying her breath, Feng Yue spoke: "This is the joint armed contingent of Sky Domain, Baoyu Guild, Jiangcheng Guild, and allied organizations."

Fakoman's expression clouded with bewilderment.

He had never heard of such entities, nor did he recognize the insignias of these player guilds.

Some obscure upstart faction, likely sprung from nowhere...

Fakoman shook his head, his voice dropping to a grave register: "Hak Star currently welcomes no foreign powers. Depart immediately, or we shall be compelled to take necessary measures."

"You have mistaken our intentions. We seek no permanent settlement on Hak Star; consider us mercenaries," Feng Yue replied, deploying her rehearsed script. "Did your consortium not broadcast a recruitment notice across the Shining World regional channels? We intend to partner with your organization and accept armed contract."

Fakoman paused, caught off guard by the revelation.

The Shining World currently suffered no shortage of vacancies; nearly every faction was conscripting soldiers, yet elite powers held the greatest allure. For a minor consortium like theirs, attracting talent in the free competition zones was a long shot. He had never imagined this group had arrived as applicants.

Yet why bypass preliminary contact and arrive unannounced? They must be some unrefined minor outfit, ignorant of industry customs.

Convinced he had read them correctly, Fakoman shook his head inwardly.

He doubted such an organization possessed formidable strength and harbored little expectation, though they would at least contribute combat power, however marginal.

After a brief pause, he asked casually: "Very well. Outline your organization's capabilities first. We must determine if you warrant our employment."

Feng Yue flexed her fingers in quiet excitement, feigning composure: "Understood. Our joint armed contingent comprises seven thousand superhuman warriors, among whom five thousand eight hundred hold B-rank classifications..."

"Hold on, what did you just say?!"

Fakoman suspected his own hearing had betrayed him.

A force of seven thousand superhumans was hardly unprecedented, but the staggering figure of five thousand eight hundred B-rank operatives?!

Hak Star itself did not boast such a concentration of B-ranks!

From Han Xiao's contemporary vantage point, B-ranks barely distinguished themselves from cannon fodder, yet to ordinary interstellar factions, they remained the undisputed backbone, capable of anchoring massive mercenary legions and serving as primary combatants.

In Han Xiao's early mercenary days, a B-rank was already considered a master, a figure of immense stature to the common folk.

Even renowned regional legions like the former Tianhuan or Zijin, before Han Xiao elevated them, possessed merely dozens or hundreds of B-ranks; without two Calamity-tier enforcers to anchor their ranks, their combat strength would have been a mere fraction of this!

Could this be a fabrication? Fakoman's expression twisted with suspicion, that single thought dominating his mind.

Official guilds like Changkong and Jiangcheng maintained vast peripheral memberships; mustering several thousand personnel was trivial. Most players had ascended to B-rank by the 4.0 expansion's launch, with the few exceptions being recent newcomers or those cultivating alternate accounts.

Feng Yue deliberately ignored his shock, continuing smoothly: "Furthermore, we are an affiliate of the Black Star Legion, formerly the Immortal Vanguard under Black Star's direct command..."

"Wait a moment longer!! You claim to be an affiliate of the Black Star Legion, and specifically the Immortal Vanguard?!"

Fakoman's entire frame trembled, his eyes wide with stunned disbelief.

Were they not some obscure, nameless faction? Their pedigree was staggering—were they truly agents of Black Star?!

His immediate instinct was outright rejection.

In his estimation, Black Star was an untouchable cosmic titan; the New Moon Consortium he served amounted to nothing before the Black Star Legion. Moreover, the Immortal Vanguard was the Legion's celebrated trump card. Why would they deign to accept employment from them?!

Fakoman hastily accessed the Black Star Legion's public archives to verify these factions, only to be struck by a jolt of profound shock.

Sky Domain, Baoyu, and Jiangcheng were indeed semi-independent affiliates of the Legion, their rosters composed entirely of Immortals, registered but a short time ago!

Beside Feng Yue, professional players like Kuangdao and core executives from several guilds watched Fakoman's wide-eyed astonishment with quiet, smug satisfaction, a wave of gratification washing over them.

Merely invoking the Black Star banner had utterly unraveled him.

Having such a formidable patron was undeniably comforting.

The game's unparalleled realism bred an abundance of immersive thrills; witnessing NPCs react authentically to their maneuvers granted players a profound sense of accomplishment.

Their direct approach to employment was precisely calculated to drape themselves in the Legion's prestige, amplifying their influence. Standard mercenary contracts would yield no share of planetary resources, but wielding the Black Star name opened the door to negotiation—the Legion's benefits were so astonishingly generous that several guild leaders nearly considered enshrining Han Xiao in their homes.

Opting for partnership over planetary monopoly stemmed primarily from financial constraints. Extraction machinery demanded capital, and mining required manpower; aligning with NPC organizations spared them these burdens. Though players possessed formidable individual prowess, their naval capabilities paled in comparison to NPC factions, making their cooperative overture genuinely sincere.

Observing his prolonged silence, Feng Yue cleared her throat, prompting: "Well? Do you find us suitable? If your services are unnecessary, we shall take our leave."

Fakoman snapped back to reality, panic seizing his voice: "No, no, no. Employing you is our distinct honor. Follow me for descent; I shall immediately notify the consortium's high command!"

As his words faded, every player's interface chimed in unison. Opening them, spirits lifted, and quiet cheers rippled through the ranks.

"It's here, it's here! The quest has triggered!"

"Gandhi, brilliant move!"

"Haha, I told you the plan would work. This is exactly how it's done!"

The interface displayed not a standard mercenary contract, but a faction quest titled [Seizing Control of Hak Star], prompting them to align with one faction to expel rival powers from the planet—a narrative-driven trigger event.

Shortly thereafter, the player fleet followed Fakoman down to a surface base on Hak Star. Upon disembarking, they found a cadre of New Moon Consortium officials awaiting them at the dock, their expressions a mixture of eager anticipation and nervous excitement.

As the players stepped onto the platform, the consortium personnel advanced to greet them. The lead figure approached Feng Yue, extending a hand with warm courtesy.

"Greetings. I am Smodik, the overseer for Hak Star exploration on behalf of the New Moon Consortium. I welcome you all to Hak Star."

"Your name... is rather distinctive."

Feng Yue's lip twitched, biting back a smile as she maintained a stern facade, clasping his hand.

Smodik missed the subtle jest but did not mind, replying warmly: "Your arrival is perfectly timed. We are in dire need of mercenary assistance. I have but one question... Does your application come at the behest of the Black Star Legion, or is it your own initiative?"

"Both," Feng Yue replied ambiguously. The question caught her off guard, yet it seemed to tilt the advantage in their favor.

"Then let us discuss compensation. What terms do you propose?" Smodik inquired.

Feng Yue exchanged a glance with Kuangdao and the others, nodded, and stated: "We seek more than mere employment. Beyond standard compensation, we wish to jointly develop Hak Star."

"Joint development?" Smodik's heart skipped a beat, his mind racing with implications.

If the Black Star Legion intended to claim Hak Star, and this group served as vanguard, the New Moon Consortium stood no chance of competition.

The planet currently hosted seven factions precisely because they were all minor players, evenly matched. Should a colossus arrive, any contest would be futile; they would simply pack their belongings, depart, and hand over a sanitized world without resistance.

Yet Smodik quickly reconsidered. This need not be a disaster. Perhaps they could latch onto Black Star's coattails... or at least, the fringe of them.

The planet's most formidable presences were two galactic civilizations, but only their harvesting detachments were present, allowing for a fragile stalemate. Should their main fleets arrive, the consortium would be forced to flee. Yet under the protection of these Immortals, they could effectively wield the Black Star Legion as a talisman.

Moreover, as competition intensified, other powers might inevitably descend upon Hak Star. Securing an additional patron would prove highly advantageous.

Weighing these factors, Smodik reached a decision, nodding firmly: "No problem. We will draft the specific terms and present them for your review. Is that acceptable?"

"Agreed."

Feng Yue nodded. Her role was strictly negotiation; legal frameworks were beyond her expertise. Yet this posed no issue. The professional club's official guilds employed specialists in such matters. Guild leaders, functioning as mid-level club administrators, possessed adequate literacy. They could vet the terms, or at worst, search the quantum network for standard templates, or simply pay Philip to review the contract.

This was the Legion's greatest virtue: with sufficient capital, virtually any service could be procured. Microtransactions truly were the ultimate superpower.

...

The Crescent Moon Consortium cleared a sector to serve as a stronghold for guilds such as Changkong and Jiangcheng, allowing the assembled forces to rest and recuperate. By the following day, both parties had reached an accord and signed a formal pact of cooperation.

Upon the contract’s sealing, a multitude of players instantly triggered corresponding mercenary quests; their logs now brimmed with a plethora of objectives tied to Hak Star. Some had been self-initiated, others dispatched by the Consortium, and still more were special incentive commissions decreed by Han Xiao himself—such as “Locate a world to establish a resource extraction outpost”—all designed to urge the players to scatter and expand like dandelion seeds upon the wind.

A single endeavor, yet layered with so many overlapping commissions; should they see them all through, the spoils would be exceedingly lavish, yielding double the reward for half the toil.

With the agreement settled, Feng Yue and her companions sought out Smodik, putting forward a proactive proposal:

“We stand as partners now, yet you have made no proclamation of our origins. Thus, rival factions remain ignorant of our true strength and identity—a distinct advantage. I propose we act without delay, launching an armed raid to seize resource outposts.”

Smodik pondered for a moment before nodding. “Well reasoned. Where do you intend to strike?”

Feng Yue activated a holographic topographical map of Hak Star, tracing several coordinates with her finger—each marking a sprawling resource stronghold held by competing factions across the planet.

“Y-you intend to seize that many extraction outposts simultaneously?” Smodik stammered, caught off guard.

“Rest assured, we are confident in our success,” Hao Tian interjected smoothly.

In the theater of interstellar warfare, fleets held paramount importance, yet the capture of resource bases belonged to the ground campaign, where psionic legions reigned supreme. At present, the combined number of Class-B psionics across all of Hak Star paled in comparison to their own ranks, rendering a multi-front assault entirely without risk.

“...Very well, we shall proceed according to your design. My troops will do their utmost to coordinate.” Smodik silently resolved to hitch his fortunes to this ascending star.

……

The Ursa Minor civilization was a galactic-tier power dwelling upon the event horizon of the black hole frontier, participating in the free competition for the Shining World. One of its extraction detachments stood as the most formidable of the seven factions on Hak Star, having established several sprawling resource outposts across the planetary surface.

Perched upon the rim of a vast canyon lay one such fortress, where levitating extraction rigs rose and fell in rhythmic succession, harvesting the gorge’s unique mineral veins. A steady procession of haulers ferried the raw materials to storage depots, while within the compound, countless Ursa Minor soldiers stood guard. Armored vehicles patrolled the perimeter, flanked by an intricate web of artillery emplacements and concealed traps, and overhead, a squadron of light warships circled in vigilant formation, rendering the defenses impenetrable.

Somewhere within the compound, two figures clad in officer’s dress uniforms strolled at a leisurely pace, conducting a routine inspection.

“I heard a minor fleet arrived at Hak Star yesterday. Did the Crescent Moon Consortium grant them passage?”

The question came in a gravelly tone from the stouter of the two, the base commander and a mid-ranking Ursa Minor officer named Handejabu.

His companion was the captain of the psionic garrison stationed there, a Class-B operative rumored to have been specially conscripted for the Shining World campaign. At the mention, he curled his lip and replied casually, “Likely just mercenaries hired by the Consortium. The defense fleet logged their vessel transponders, and I ran a check. Those organizations hold no records in the Mercenary Alliance’s archives. They’re probably just some unlicensed riffraff.”

The player guilds operated as subsidiary factions of the Legion, and Han Xiao had deliberately withheld their registration with the Mercenary Alliance, subtly transforming the Legion itself into a parallel platform of identical standing. Consequently, their dossiers could only be accessed through the Legion’s own network. With the guilds still flying under the radar, the Ursa Minor detachment remained ignorant of their true origins and thus entirely unaware of the proper channels to verify them.

Handejabu’s voice turned icy. “The Consortium has secured reinforcements. They will likely make their move soon.”

“Do you suppose we are their intended target?”

“Impossible,” Handejabu declared flatly. “The Consortium lacks the audacity for such a venture.”

“You are so certain?”

Handejabu’s expression hardened with absolute conviction. “Of course! This is the most heavily fortified installation in the sector. Beyond our extensive defensive grid, we house over seventy Class-B psionics. If the Consortium possesses even a shred of sense, they would never dare to assault my ba…”

BOOM!!

Before his words could fully settle, a thunderous detonation erupted beyond the perimeter walls. The ground shuddered violently, and both men stumbled in unison.

“What in the void is happening?!” Handejabu gasped, hastily boarding a levitating skiff to ascend and survey the direction of the blast.

Below lay the outer minefield and trap zone, now swarmed by a torrent of anti-gravity ground vehicles bearing the Consortium’s sigil. Armored with deflector shields and electromagnetic kinetic cannons, they surged toward the main gates while trading relentless volleys with the perimeter artillery. The air tore apart with crisscrossing fire and the staccato roar of weapons.

“Enemy assault! All personnel to battle stations!” The base sirens wailed to life without delay.

Shock and fury warred across Handejabu’s ashen features. “The Consortium dares to attack me?!”

His confident assessment had crumbled within a single heartbeat. Sensing his commander’s mounting humiliation, the psionic captain wisely chose not to provoke him further and stepped forward. “I shall lead the psionic legion to engage them.”

“See to it,” Handejabu nodded sharply.

As the captain departed to marshal his troops, Handejabu remained alone in the skiff. His gaze fixed coldly upon the advancing enemy ranks, and a mask of unshakable confidence slowly returned to his face.

“To dare make me your objective... it appears I must teach you a lesson you will never forget.”

Soon, the Consortium’s ground forces breached the outer defensive lines. In response, the base’s own infantry launched a counter-advance, flanked by the psionic vanguard moving to intercept the invaders.

Both sides traded fire as they closed the distance at breakneck speed, mere moments from collision, when suddenly, the battlefield shifted!

The lead vehicles of the Consortium’s advance suddenly threw open their hatches, and a succession of figures leapt into the fray. Roughly a hundred of them hit the dirt, rolling forward with momentum, but as they tumbled, their bodies violently swelled and contorted. They erupted into bio-engineered abominations of monstrous proportions, their velocity skyrocketing as they charged headlong into the base’s infantry lines.

RUMBLE!

These biological horrors advanced through the hail of gunfire, their hide thick and resilient, their strength boundless. Enormous hands swept through the air with devastating arcs, sending every obstructing vehicle flying as they carved a path through the ranks unimpeded.

The “Black Star Legion Badge: Evolution,” a refined derivative of the original Ovitan insignia, had been acquired at a steep discount by the guilds, who procured them in bulk and distributed them among the players.

One hundred players channeling the [Limit Evolution: Mutation] state served as the ultimate siege weapons, instantly tearing the base’s ground forces into scattered fragments!

Handejabu’s countenance darkened, and he barked an immediate order. “Deploy the psionic legion! Eliminate those monsters!”

The command echoed across the front lines as the psionic captain led several thousand operatives into the fray. The majority were Class-C or Class-D, with a vanguard of dozens of Class-B elites spearheading the charge.

From the opposing flank, over a thousand players emerged from the Consortium’s ranks, launching their own relentless advance.

A mid-scale psionic war was on the verge of igniting. Observing that the players held a distinct numerical disadvantage, a smirk crept across Handejabu’s lips.

“Their psionic numbers amount to barely a quarter of ours, a mere thousand. They are finished!”

The thought had scarcely crossed his mind when the two psionic forces clashed with brutal ferocity. Yet the outcome defied every expectation, so violently that his eyes nearly bulged from his skull, his face a mask of utter disbelief!

Every single one of the thousand players erupted with Class-B combat prowess, seizing absolute dominance in an instant and slaughtering an enemy force several times their size into disarray!

Witnessing this spectacle, Handejabu’s complexion drained of all color, terror seizing his very soul!

“How could there possibly be so many Class-B psionics?!”