Chapter 919: Outlook and Version Update (Part 1) (Thanks to ZAISIN's alliance leader 100,000 reward!)

Chapter 919: Vistas and Version Updates (Part One) (With Gratitude to ZAISIN’s Benefactor for the Ten-Thousand-Renown!)

In the days that followed, the forums of the Broken Star Ring district erupted in celebration.

The Third League concluded with the Han Dynasty claiming the championship, securing a place among the top four international contenders—a feat that marked their finest performance in the league. The Han, Yangcheng, and Changkong garnered widespread acclaim.

Players, still buzzing with post-victory euphoria, lingered on the forums, endlessly recounting the league’s most thrilling battles. The boards were drowned in such posts.

Post-match promotions became essential for the teams. Each club and guild rented venues at the Black Star Legion’s headquarters, hosting lively interactions with ordinary players.

As the version wound down, the ancient war in Galar had settled into history.

The league spanned many days, and most players who hadn’t qualified through preliminary rounds returned to the Galar frontlines, watching the matches while fighting. During this time, their fleets captured all territories from the Ancient Emperor faction and the Descendant faction, day by day, until the First Vanguard faction ascended to the seat of civilization’s leader.

The First Vanguard’s leader thanked the Black Star Legion for their aid, and the hired sumptuary had already been deposited into the Legion’s account.

Players’ tasks were settled. After the ancient war’s conclusion, only one main quest remained—Shining World—left unresolved. This long-term endeavor clearly couldn’t be concluded in this version, and the players, unperturbed, moved on.

Thus, after the league’s end, many players embraced leisurely pursuits, cataloging their gains from the version, traveling with friends, and indulging in leisurely activities. Even without combat, the cosmos offered countless forms of entertainment. Players could adjust their sensory feedback at will, explore diverse gameplay, and exercise creativity to craft all manner of self-entertainment challenges.

The 3.0 version had traversed numerous monumental events, witnessing firsthand the Black Star Legion’s rise to super-A status. Players’ experiences were rich and varied. The more tasks they completed for the Legion, the stronger their sense of belonging—mutually beneficial, a win-win.

Through the collective efforts of all players, the *Star Sea Chronicle* swelled with content, its pages brimming with details about the Black Star Legion—from its founding to its ascension, chronicled by players at every stage.

The *Star Times* launched a new program, interviewing the four Han teams that advanced internationally and previewing the next version. Han Xiao, overseeing preparations for the Black Star Gathering, was among the first to watch it.

…

Male Host: “Greetings, dear players! Welcome to the *Star Times*, dedicated to sharing firsthand game news and guiding your gaming journeys.”

Female Host: “The Third Star Sea Professional League has come to a triumphant close. The Han, Changkong, Yangcheng, and the Temple, as Han representatives, achieved outstanding results in international competitions. Today, we’re honored to welcome the captains and some players from these four teams to discuss the challenges and amusing tales they encountered…”

On screen, the four teams’ players stepped forward, waving to the audience, exchanging pleasantries, then began their interviews.

“Your Highness, the mighty one, congratulations on your victory! What are your thoughts?”

“The Han’s form was exceptional this time, performing at their best. We’re all overjoyed to have claimed the title,” Wanghou Liangxiang lazily offered a platitude.

The second-in-command, unable to contain himself, coughed indignantly: “Our victory was due to the team’s seamless cohesion—everyone excelled within their capabilities. This is the collective effort… absolutely not because of the captain’s leadership!”

The host interviewed a few more questions before turning to Yangcheng.

“Yangcheng Team, though you missed the championship, your contributions were invaluable. You defeated the Koi Team in the semifinals, securing the Han’s title defense. On behalf of the audience, thank you for your efforts.”

“We merely did what we could,” Dongao spoke humbly.

“Yangcheng is a rising team, rapidly progressing. Your performance in these three leagues has steadily improved, earning you recognition as a new elite club. What do you think?”

“Thank you all for your love. During the semifinals, countless fans offered advice—it was deeply moving,” Dongao nodded.

Host: “In this league, the Maple player contributed immensely to Yangcheng. As captain, how do you view her?”

Dongao paused, then said earnestly: “So far, the most correct decision Yangcheng has made is signing Maple. She greatly strengthened our team, becoming an indispensable member—my left hand and right arm.”

After three leagues of struggle, Dongao, once a rising star, now stood as a top-tier deity, his status rivaling that of Zhaotian. Meanwhile, Maple had become Yangcheng’s core player, adored by a legion of followers, her standing comparable to the Han’s second-in-command and Changkong’s Mingyue Chongzhi.

The host continued interviewing each team. Changkong sat gloomily, their fourth-place finish a step down in their eyes.

Finally, the Temple was interviewed, and the chat exploded with joy.

Host: “As an offering, what are your thoughts?”

“Thank the Temple for their sacrifice, igniting themselves to light the way for others.”

“I’ve always wronged Li Ge. You’re a saint who sacrifices oneself for others. I’ve converted to the Temple!”

“Hey, everyone shout with me—sorry, Temple Brother!”

“The Temple’s contribution is truly immense. Had they been placed in Group A with the other three teams, they’d have occupied an elimination slot. The Temple likely would’ve fallen in the first round of the finals. If Changkong had been in Group A instead, they might not have advanced at all—losing two slots. Now, with the Temple in Group A, they sacrificed the weakest team, securing the other three’s stable advancement. From a strategic standpoint… the draw organizer must be a Han brother!”

The chat erupted in laughter, and the team members chatted about their mindset and amusing moments during the matches. The interview concluded, moving to another topic: predictions for the next version.

Female Host: “As players ascend in rank, more regions are opening. We previously predicted the next version might introduce inter-star domain functionality.”

Male Host: “In the 3.0 version, examples of inter-star domains already existed, all tied to the Black Star Legion in the Broken Star Ring.

The Black Star Legion provided a one-way inter-star domain channel for Constellation Corridor players. Meanwhile, the Shining World’s main quest for Broken Star Ring players allowed them to venture into a brand-new domain. Based on the scale of Shining World’s quests, this likely signals a major event for Broken Star Ring players in the next version.

These trends suggest inter-star domain functionality is imminent, with the Black Star Legion poised to play a pivotal role.”

When Constellation Corridor players crossed into inter-star domains, *Star Times* had already speculated this, reiterating it now.

The Black Star Legion’s presence in 3.0 was overwhelming. Drawing from the first two versions, their actions hinted at future events, and *Star Times* treated their deeds as critical evidence for predicting upcoming content.

“Because of the main quest, Legion players deduced Shining World would be their next major event, but no one foresaw it would span the world server,” Han Xiao mused, nodding quietly.

In the previous 4.0 version, Shining World’s initial development was complete, opening to the public. Various factions vied for recruits, rushing there to carve out territory and build settlements, competing fiercely.

High circulation is one of the cosmos’s foundational pillars for forming a unified society. Circulating citizens, resources, and wealth—like blood and sinews—connect scattered civilizations into an interconnected whole, setting off a domino effect that binds the cosmos into an ordered system. No longer isolated islands, each civilization contributes to this structure.

Thus, opening to the outside world is inevitable for new star domains. With regions stabilized and territories divided, new domains offer fresh development opportunities. Some factions, denied new territories, see hope in these spaces, triggering a power reshuffle and massive interstellar migration. Many weaker factions, lacking upward mobility, migrate to the vast Shining World, sparking fierce competition over territory and resources.

The Crimson Empire, holding the highest domain sovereignty, opening Shining World was both a natural trend and a way to ease its own construction burdens.

Construction demands far exceed mere exploration and land clearing. Even cosmic civilizations find the task of independently building a new star domain overwhelming. With two rivals eyeing opportunities to undermine the Empire from other angles, the Empire must distribute construction costs across countless factions, freeing labor, then slowly harvesting Shining World’s vast gains through taxation and other means.

The entire cosmos eyed Shining World. Even the Crimson Empire, famed for its iron-fisted rule, knew it couldn’t monopolize. Greed breeds poverty; if it clung to the new domain as a private stronghold and resource reserve, it would inevitably fracture from the tripartite balance of power, creating a binary opposition that upends the cosmos’ order—a lose-lose.

Cosmic society values free trade, so the Crimson Empire wouldn’t impose exclusionary policies on non-allies. Moreover, fostering competition among incoming factions aligns with the Empire’s hopes.

Only the most fertile, most critical regions would be tightly held. Part managed by the Empire’s domain branches, another portion entrusted to key allies like the Black Star Legion, serving as a keystone guarding Shining World, maintaining the Empire’s domain control.

In this balance, players’ room for maneuver expanded like never before. Even without quests guiding them, they could act on their own judgments, stirring strife.