Chapter 988: Cut the Gordian Knot

Chapter 988: Cutting the Gordian Knot with a Swift Blade

When outsiders spoke of Manison's forces, they generally referred to them as the "Mechanic Nation," the "Mechanic Race," or simply by Manison's own name, for his personal name alone embodied his faction, without any need for titles like "Organization of XX."

Manison's domain lay somewhere in the Ancient Star River, nominally under the jurisdiction of a galaxy-level civilization, but in truth, it was territory firmly under Manison's control.

Han Xiao's Sovereign Avatar led a mechanical army to visit Manison, having sent a private message to arrange the meeting beforehand; Manison agreed, setting the rendezvous on a planet inhabited by the Mechanic Race, one of the countless worlds under his banner.

Upon reaching the destination, the Sovereign Avatar beheld a mechanical planet enveloped by a colossal psionic shield, with outer space patrolled around the clock by a massive host of mechanical warriors; a cursory glance estimated their numbers at three or four hundred million, and that was merely the outer patrol of a single planet.

"An old fox is indeed an old fox; his coffers are truly overflowing."

Han Xiao clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Manison's sphere of influence was vast, with mechanical factories and legions deployed across multiple star regions, bolstered by a fully developed mechanical civilization as a crucial ally; the exact size of his military remained a mystery, known to the great powers only as an astronomical figure.

Han Xiao's forces did not wait long before a gap opened in the planetary shield, and a squad of Manison's mechanical warriors arrived to guide them.

Following the guide, the Sovereign Avatar descended slowly, the surface details growing ever clearer in his vision.

This was one of the residential planets of the Mechanic Race, where cities dotted the landscape, and streets teemed with ant-like pedestrians—all members of the Mechanic Race.

Manison was the second Super in the history of the Mechanic Race, and though he had evolved into a new species, he still regarded them as his kin and served as their leader.

Yet unlike Sisco, who deeply valued his people, Manison saw the Mechanic Race merely as a vital resource, devoid of any profound sense of duty or sentimental attachment.

As a race inheriting the legacy of a Super, the Mechanic Race possessed superior mechanical aptitude, providing Manison with a wealth of elite talent; many of his mechanics hailed from their ranks, and over eighty percent of their population were devout believers of the Mechanical Cult.

After flying for a while, a massive mechanical floating island soon came into view, one of Manison's palatial retreats.

The Sovereign Avatar and his mechanical forces landed one by one on the island's landing platform.

Clang, clang, clang, clang...

Their metallic feet struck the ground, emitting heavy, resonant clashes of metal.

No sooner had they touched down than voices were heard from nearby.

"Heh, Black Star, I must admit, it is somewhat unexpected that you would take the initiative to visit me."

Accompanied by the clatter of footsteps, Manison's Sovereign Avatar approached; once again, it was not his true body that came to meet him.

Seeing this, Han Xiao sneered inwardly.

Hah, you fragile little glass cannon, what a coward.

Muttering a silent curse, Han Xiao composed himself and spoke:

"You invited me to visit you a few years ago, but I was always delayed; I happened to be in the neighborhood recently, so I thought I'd drop by."

His tone was calm, making no mention of their past discord, while the electronic voice of the Sovereign Avatar was equally devoid of emotion, betraying no sentiment.

Manison smiled, nor did he bring up their previous grudge.

He had defeated more than one Divine Throne Mechanic, and to a figure of his stature, such conflicts had not yet reached the point of mortal enmity upon meeting.

One thing at a time; for beings of this caliber, even amidst rivalry, they could still sit down and discuss matters with equanimity.

"In that case, follow me, and I shall give you a tour of my base."

Manison turned and led the way.

Due to their previous virtual duel, relations between the two had plummeted to freezing point, but since Black Star was, after all, a peak Super who had made a special trip to visit, Manison would not be discourteous, let alone refuse to see him.

The two toured the base, seeing only common facilities and nothing out of the ordinary, for Manison had no interest in showing a potential rival his hidden cards, just as Han Xiao had once refused to show him the Spacetime Amber.

Han Xiao had anticipated this, knowing full well that Manison was not one to flaunt his secrets, so he harbored no other illusions; the primary purpose of this visit was to conduct serious business.

After a brief tour, they entered the conference room, both taking their seats to discuss the matter at hand.

"Since we are both using avatars, there is no need to serve drinks," Manison said lightly, leaning back in his chair. "What brings you to me today?"

"I would like to borrow some intelligence," Han Xiao said slowly.

"Regarding what?"

"I wish to access the classified personnel files of the four super-star-cluster-level civilizations of the Ancient Star River, as well as those of other star-cluster-level civilizations."

Manison was somewhat surprised, sitting up slightly straighter.

"What do you need that for?"

"To find someone."

Han Xiao was concise and to the point.

He had already gathered the planned data; on the casualty list, someone had indeed forged their resume, and now all that remained was to cross-reference the classified personnel files, making the Mechanic Nation the optimal choice for this task.

The ruffians of the Ancient Star River were no crippled civilization like the Kunde, but bona fide super-star-cluster-level civilizations, their technological prowess second only to the three universal civilizations.

Invading them personally would be not only time-consuming and labor-intensive but also have a low success rate; even if one breached their defenses, discovery was imminent, and complete data would be unattainable... acting rashly on his own, he could not simply run amok.

Moreover, the files to be cross-referenced were not from just one source; to complete the screening, he would have to invade all four super-star-clusters, and even if he found the culprit, he would offend the other three, and if he found nothing, it would be even worse, making enemies for no reason—a losing business Han Xiao had no desire to engage in.

On the other hand, Han Xiao suspected that the mastermind behind the scenes had certainly tampered with the data, likely deleting the culprit's files, meaning that even if he could breach their systems, he would find absolutely nothing.

The Mechanic Nation was different; as a heavyweight of the Shining Alliance, his role in the Ancient Star River was akin to a stabilizing force, constantly gathering intelligence for the Alliance.

With such four fine neighbors, Old Man next door was having the time of his life, slipping into their houses from time to time to steal and back up a vast amount of classified documents from various eras... thus, at the Mechanic Nation, one could obtain the complete, unaltered files of the four super-star-cluster-level civilizations.

Manison pondered for a few seconds before shaking his head and saying, "Lending is out of the question; I only accept trades."

"Fine, what do you want?"

"The Spacetime Amber," Manison brought up the old matter again.

"Impossible."

Han Xiao refused categorically.

You ghostly old man, you must be dreaming.

You think a single piece of intelligence can be exchanged for a cosmic treasure? You're truly a bloody business genius; only the Bank of Heaven and Earth could accommodate a talent like you.

"Not even one?"

"Heh."

Hearing this, Manison spread his hands and fell silent, his meaning obvious... if you won't accept my price, then what conditions are you prepared to offer?

Han Xiao thought for a moment, "I can publicly declare my support for you as the strongest mechanic in the universe."

"I already am, so why would I need your support?" Manison countered.

"Wouldn't it further consolidate your position?"

"I have no need for it," Manison waved his hand.

I, the illustrious Mechanic Nation, need paid shills? What a joke!

Han Xiao stroked his chin, "Or we could make an agreement: for fifty years, I will not challenge your position."

Hearing this, Manison said with interest, "Do you mean you believe it will only take you fifty years to surpass me?"

"Anything is possible," Han Xiao replied noncommittally.

Manison chuckled lightly and said faintly, "No need, I do not require such methods to secure my position."

Han Xiao leaned forward, "How about this, just consider it as if I owe you a favor?"

"A favor is only valuable if it can be repaid. Judging by the nature of our relationship... your favor means nothing to me."

Manison shook his head, signaling that Han Xiao was no longer within his circle of mutual exchange.

Pausing for a moment, he did not wait for Han Xiao's reply, but spoke again, saying slowly:

"Forget it. I can give you the intelligence you want, but you cannot give me what I desire. Let the Crimson Dynasty come and negotiate with me."

Han Xiao feigned deep thought. "Since that is the case, how about I try to persuade the Dynasty to supply you with a steady stream of Evolver Totems over the long term?"

Manison was uninterested. "You'd be closer to the mark if you offered me an Evolutionary Cube."

"...Are you awake or asleep right now?" Han Xiao asked, his tone bewildered.

Thick-skinned and unfazed, Manison replied, "But the totems are useless to me."

"Are you sure about that?" Han Xiao tapped the table. "You may have no use for the totems yourself, but you still lead the Mechanical Race. They would certainly find them useful, wouldn't they?"

Hearing this, Manison began to weigh the offer.

Seeing this, Han Xiao shrugged. "I cannot offer you any more than this. You must understand that other factions have, to varying degrees, acquired some of these civilizations' secrets through various channels. What you have is merely more comprehensive, not entirely unique. If you do not agree to these terms, this transaction is off."

"Fine, I agree." Manison nodded slightly.

Intelligence of this sort was something he had in abundance; it cost him nothing and required but a wave of his hand. To gain Evolver Totems as a bonus was a price Manison found perfectly acceptable.

Though he placed little value on the trade itself, the totems did hold some marginal utility for the Mechanical Race.

"Then it is settled. I will go and petition the Dynasty," Han Xiao said.

This move was unorthodox, but as long as the quantity of totems sold was kept in check, the Dynasty would not dwell on such trivialities.

Due to the suppression by the Shining and the Virtual Spirit, quite a few totems had already circulated in the outside world. Although the Dynasty did not openly sell them, they would not be overly rigid if it meant acquiring needed intelligence. Given Han Xiao's status, all of this was negotiable.

He had originally planned to use the Evolver Totems to exchange for this intelligence. As for the so-called verbal support and verbal agreements mentioned earlier, if Manison dared to agree, Han Xiao dared to say it.

Han Xiao was not a man obsessed with face like Herber. According to his plans, he still had immense room for growth and had no intention of continuing to feud with the Mechanical Lord right now. Thus, he cared nothing for such verbal promises. If Manison agreed, he could even save the Evolver Totems for himself.

Manison only knows my potential is high, but he has no idea just how fast I accumulate strength. His impression of me is still frozen at the time of our last clash, completely unaware that I have fully acquired the Perfect Mechanical Sense. As long as we do not fight, it will be hard for him to notice... Han Xiao mused silently.

Exchanging for this file is for the Kunzu race's mission reward. Manison might think this is merely work for the Dynasty, unaware of what abilities I can glean from it.

Having reached a consensus, Han Xiao submitted an application to the Dynasty. The high command, aware that he was tracking down the identity of the mastermind, discussed the matter and decided to approve his request.

After some deliberation, they finalized the supply of totems at a mere hundred or so, a trivial amount that would cause no harm.

Manison would not haggle over such trivial details in the transaction either, and simply tossed the intelligence over.

With the intelligence in hand, Han Xiao stood up. "The totems will be delivered in due time. I'll take my leave first."

"Mm."

Manison had no objections. He watched Han Xiao depart before quietly withdrawing from the quantum network's field of vision.

Having bested Black Star in their last virtual duel did not mean Manison was entirely without apprehension. Fearing that Han Xiao had come prepared and might emulate him with a virtual invasion, he had long since taken precautions, reinforcing this quantum network node layer upon layer and setting up traps.

For virtual mechanics of their caliber, invading an opponent required a frontal assault; there was no way to bypass the firewall without being detected.

If Black Star refused to accept defeat and tried to invade, he would be in for a bitter pill.

He had not expected Han Xiao to come and go in such a rush, with no intention of causing trouble, rendering all these preparations utterly useless.

"It seems he truly has no desire to continue competing with me... The Dynasty must have done some ideological work on him."

Judging by Han Xiao's recent behavior, Manison formed a conjecture and mused silently.

...

As the starship left the territory of the Mechanical Race, Han Xiao immediately sprang into action. He brought out the parameter model he had prepared long ago, fed in the pre-arranged data, and began the matching process.

Supported by highly efficient computing power, the matching was completed swiftly, locking onto a target.

"The Modo Civilization? It really is them."

Han Xiao took a glance, his eyebrows raising slightly. The screen displayed that the perpetrator who had forged the resume was indeed an intelligence operative of the Modo Civilization.

"If it's the Modo Civilization..."

Han Xiao sifted through his memories for a moment, recalling some of the Modo Civilization's notable figures. A thought struck him, and he took out his communicator to dial a number.

It rang twice before the connection was established. Only the sound of soft breathing could be heard; the other party did not speak first.

"Rotel?"

"Here."

"Come to the Ancient River of Stars. There's a mission, and I happen to have a gift for you."

"Understood."

After a few brief words, the call was hung up. Rotel was a man of few words.

A reliable adult male who needed no extra instructions, summoned with just a single sentence.

It could now be confirmed that the Modo Civilization was the mastermind behind the Kunzu race incident.

However, Han Xiao did not yet know who the specific planner was.

But it did not matter. The mission requirement was simply to retaliate against the mastermind as much as possible.

Then, it would be better to cut the Gordian knot with a swift blade.

Every single famous and named figure in the Modo Civilization, across all walks of life, in the present and the future, without exception...

I'll slaughter every last one of them!

——

ps: (I haven't used Weibo all this time, only opened an account at the end of last month. Search for "Qidian Qipeijia". Brothers who are interested can follow me (*｀▽′*))