Chapter 1326 Interlude
After obtaining the secrets of the World Tree, the three Universal Civilizations accepted Han Xiao’s suggestion and adjusted their strategy. They would no longer send any detection devices to the World Tree Civilization’s territory, reducing the possibility of an information link forming between the two sides, and they increased their investment in the secondary dimension expedition team.
Han Xiao rested for a period of time. With the help of the Multi-Dimensional Sky Opening Transportation Device, he made another trip to the World Tree Civilization’s territory. Because he had the intelligence advantage this time, he carefully avoided contact and completed the mission safely, obtaining the reward (Deep Within the Enemy Camp). After that, Han Xiao did not continue to infiltrate the World Tree Civilization’s territory and hara.s.s them. He also reduced his contact with the World Tree Civilization and stayed in the explored universe to build machinery every day. Occasionally, he would go to the Holy Accord Organization to check on Destiny’s Child’s surveillance. On the surface, he returned to his normal life.
In the short term, he did not plan to go to the World Tree Civilization again. Now that the enemy was prepared, he was also afraid of getting into trouble. Furthermore, he had enough intelligence for the time being, so Han Xiao did not plan to provoke the enemy anymore and concentrated on expanding his strength.
The unaware Galactic Society maintained the pace of normal life. As time pa.s.sed, the buzz created by the news of the three Universal Civilizations acknowledging the Beyond Grade A a.s.sociation’s independence also gradually cooled, but it did not disappear. The dissatisfaction of the galactic residents toward the three Universal Civilizations settled down and remained in their hearts.
After the political position was written in the galactic laws, the Beyond Grade A organization had a much better life. No matter how complicated the civilizations of the various Star Fields felt about this, they still acknowledged this point. They treated the Beyond Grade A a.s.sociation like they would treat a civilization and increased their cooperation with the a.s.sociation.
Initially, all the organizations thought that the Beyond Grade A a.s.sociation would take action, but the a.s.sociation continued to develop as usual and kept a low profile, as if they were not the recent topic of discussion.
Whether the Galaxy was chaotic or not was up to the big shots. Since the top organizations did not want to do anything, the life of the Galactic Society gradually returned to normal. Time slowly slipped away in this atmosphere.
In the Flickering World, more than ten small battles.h.i.+ps with the army’s insignia slowly landed on the Kunde Race’s planet no. 77. They docked at a parking platform with three large transport s.h.i.+ps. The wind pressure kept blowing out, blowing away the tiny dust on the ground. Landing gears propped out of the bottom of the s.h.i.+ps, latching onto the Magnetic Force Suspension Lock and stopping steadily.
The cabins opened one after another, and groups of Kunde Race members wearing the standard armor of the Black Star Army alighted from the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps. Leading them was a tall Kunde Race member wearing the special uniform of the logistics department. It was Barton, who had been imprisoned and released by Han Xiao.
There were already groups of people waiting on the ground. They took the initiative to welcome them, and both sides exchanged greetings.
Barton was used to it. He waved his hand and said, “The supplies have been delivered. Help me unload them.”
His prestige here was very high here. When the people heard his words, they started to work. They unloaded batches of goods from the transport s.h.i.+ps, loaded them onto the transport vehicles, and sent them to different cities.
Barton stood at the side with his hands on his hips. At this moment, a Kunde Race member wearing a robe walked to his side and smiled. “How long are you planning to stay this time?”
“…Half a day at most. The army’s logistics department has a very important mission. I can’t delay it. I’ll leave after sending these supplies.”
Barton looked back. The person who had spoken was someone he knew. It was the person in charge of this planet, a feudal lord-type figure.
Over the past few decades, the Kunde Race planets had been freed one after another, but due to some interference, there was no unified regime. Every planet had a feudal lord, and they were only responsible for the affairs of the planet. They allied with each other like a union.
After tens of years of adaptation, the Kunde Race gradually integrated into Galactic Society and got used to the various rules and regulations. However, they were still very weak and developed slowly. The industrial system was not complete, so relying on Supers to feed them was still their main way to obtain various resources.
In the past few years, a large number of the Kunde Race members had chosen to join the Black Star Army and acquired various resources through working for the army. As the subsidies for the various planets were decided by these Supers, their status was extremely high, and the various Kunde Race Lords had to fight for the support of the Kunde Race Supers, forming a dependent relations.h.i.+p.
“Yes, the army’s work is more important. I was thinking of hosting you properly, but since you don’t have the time, let’s postpone it for next time,” the supervisor said.
“We’re already acquaintances. There’s no need to specially entertain me.” Barton shook his head.
“That won’t do. You’re a famous person from our planet after all. Planet No. 77 has been developing quite well all thanks to you,” the supervisor said warmly.
“…Alright, you won’t miss out on the supplies for the next period.”
Barton sighed. He knew what the other party meant.
A few decades ago, after he was pardoned by Han Xiao, he had joined the army without a second word, determined to support his race, and slowly climbed up from the bottom.
As he was a Mechanic, Barton joined the logistics department after pa.s.sing the internal a.s.sessment. He was initially a low-level researcher, but after successfully advancing as a Super to Grade B, he was promoted to a middle-level officer in the logistics department. He was one of the highest ranking Kunde Race Supers in the army. Due to his position, his purchasing of resources was discounted. Thus, Barton’s position in the Kunde Race was very important and prestigious. Every planet’s feudal lord wanted to please him, and he was already used to it.
“How are the thoughts within the race now?” Barton changed the topic.
Hearing this, the supervisor turned to look at his people who were working and smiled. “We have been carrying out ideological reformations. There are fewer and fewer radicals, and most people now yearn for peace.”
“That’s good.”
Barton nodded and looked at the Kunde Race members who were full of vitality. He could not help but feel gratified.
They had a grudge against the Crimson Dynasty for destroying their homeland, but the difference between the two sides was too great. Barton had always been using his position to request the feudal lords of the various planets to strengthen their ideological education so that their descendants would not be influenced by hatred.
After so many years of hard work, the Kunde Race had finally taken a positive development path, and the radicals were rare, unstable factors. Who knew what kind of trouble they would cause under the influence of hatred? Barton did not wish for his race to be implicated by a small group of radicals, destroying the peaceful situation that was obtained with much difficulty.
Luckily, the past few decades had changed the minds of most people, and the number of radicals seeking revenge had decreased. Most of the Kunde Race were satisfied with their current lives and had hope for the future.
“If only we could maintain this peace.”
Barton sighed in his heart.
The courtyard of Bennett’s residence on Planet Aquamarine was like a transparent greenhouse, filled with rows of plants. Bennett walked among the plants, holding a watering pot and slowly watering the plants. He was wearing regular clothes like an ordinary old man, and it was difficult to tell that he was the leader of a civilization.
“Father, we’re here to see you.”
The sound came from afar. Nero pushed open the door while holding Mia’s hand. The two of them walked into the courtyard.
Bennett put down the watering pot and looked back. A kind smile appeared on his wrinkled face. He waved and said, “You guys are here. It’s rare for you to have the time to come and see an old man like me.”
“Don’t say that. Your body is strong; you will still live for a long time. Today is your birthday, so don’t say such things.”
Nero brought Mia to Bennett and pretended to grumble.
“He-h.e.l.lo…” Mia greeted shyly. She was a Calamity Grade Super who killed without batting an eyelid, yet she was so nervous right now.
“You’re here too. Don’t just stand there. Let’s eat together today. Have a taste of my cooking.” Bennett looked at Mia with a satisfied expression as if he was sizing up his daughter-in-law.
Nero had brought Mia to meet his parents before, and Bennett knew that Mia was currently in a relations.h.i.+p with Nero. He did not interfere with his son’s choice, and he was rather satisfied with Mia. Bennett brought the two of them to the dining room beside the courtyard before returning to the courtyard to pick some fresh plants. He personally went to the kitchen to cook a table of dishes and hosted them with a smile. One was the leader of a civilization, and the other two were Calamity Grade Supers. The three of them ate at the same table, talking about family matters like ordinary people.
After chatting for a while, Nero took out a tube of medicine from his pocket and said with a smile, “This is the birthday gift that G.o.dfather told me to bring over. It’s a life potion personally made by Her Excellency Aurora. It can extend one’s life and maintain one’s youth.”
“Please thank Black Star for me.”
Bennett smiled and accepted the potion.
“G.o.dfather expected you to say that. He wants me to tell you that with your relations.h.i.+p, you don’t have to thank him.”
“Alright, that’s his style.”
Bennett laughed and shook his head. He then turned to look at Mia and smiled.
“What about you guys? Do you have any plans to have children?” Mia’s face instantly turned red, and her voice was as soft as a mosquito. “That… I don’t have such thoughts for the time being…” Nero scratched his head and said embarra.s.sedly, “It’s mainly because the higher the life level of an individual, the harder it is for them to give birth to a child. Mia and I have tried many times and used all kinds of positions, but unfortunately, we were unable to…”
Bang!
Before he could finish speaking, a shy iron elbow landed on his ribs, causing Nero to almost suffocate.
“D-don’t talk nonsense!”
Mia flew into a rage out of humiliation and subconsciously gave Nero a loving elbow strike. She immediately thought of Bennett and quickly returned to her lady-like sitting position like an innocent person.
“…It’s good to be young.” Bennett wiped off his cold sweat. The elbow strike from a Calamity Grade had made his hair stand on end, and he could not help but look at Nero.
Dear son, you’ve worked hard.
“It’s… it’s fine. I like this kind of play…”
Seeing Bennett’s complicated expression, Nero quickly defended Mia and rubbed his ribs for a while, feeling pain and joy together.
After coughing twice, Nero changed the topic and said with a serious expression, “Oh right, G.o.dfather also told me to tell you something important.”
“What is it?”
“G.o.dfather said that he might migrate everyone on Planet Aquamarine.”
“Moving the entire Planet Aquamarine?” Bennett was shocked. “Where to?”
“He didn’t say. He just wants you to be mentally prepared,” Nero replied.
Hearing this, Bennett’s smile disappeared, and his expression became serious. He rubbed his chin and pondered, trying to figure out what Han Xiao meant.
To suddenly migrate Planet Aquamarine, could it be to move into the territory promised by the three Universal Civilizations to the Beyond Grade A a.s.sociation? Or was it an emergency refuge?
If he was talking about refuge, could it be that some kind of battle was about to break out? But wasn’t everything going well?
“I don’t think it’s a good thing…”
All kinds of thoughts flashed through his mind, and Bennett was secretly worried. At the same time, on a wasteland on Planet Aquamarine, Hila and Aurora were walking slowly.
Not far away, there was a huge crater with rubble obliquely inserted into the ground like fragments thrown by a violent explosion. It was the ruins of the Germinal Organization, which was now protected as a historical doc.u.ment.
The two of them had originally come to visit Ames, but because they had come at the wrong time, they had been chased out. Suddenly, they wanted to revisit their old place, so they came to the Germinal Organization’s ruins to take a stroll “Do you remember? I was locked up here in the past. At that time, I thought I would never be able to escape.”
Aurora picked up a piece of metal and played with it.
Hila looked at her surroundings, and the memories of the past came back to life. She softly said, “That’s right. I did so much dirty work for the Germinal Organization, saying that it was to save you. In fact, I was just as lost, sinking deeper and deeper like a walking dead. If not for Black Star, I probably would not have survived.”
After experiencing so many things, the two of them could finally face the painful memories of the past. Looking back at the past, it was like a dream.
Aurora suddenly laughed and said, “Speaking of which, Black Star was so young back then, unlike now.”
“Humans have to grow.”
Hearing this, Hila’s lips curled up slightly. She remembered the time she tortured Han Xiao for more than half a year, and when she thought of the infamous Black Star, she had a feeling of joy at having seen the big shot at his weakest. Although they were not really childhood sweethearts, they were old friends.
However, Hila’s smile quickly disappeared, and she sighed with complicated emotions.
Aurora turned to look at her sister.
“What are you sighing about?” “… I was thinking, if I had chosen to go with him when he first entered the galaxy, maybe now… I wouldn’t be late.”
Hila had a complicated expression on her face.
On Floating Dragon Island… “Are you leaving?”
“Hmm, when I rushed over, the machinery was only half done. I have to go back and finish it.”
Han Xiao put on his clothes, b.u.t.toned up his s.h.i.+rt, and covered his strong chest muscles, preparing to leave.
At this moment, two fair fingers grabbed onto his s.h.i.+rt and tugged gently.
“Accompany me for a while more.”
“…Alright.”
Not long later…
On the other side of Floating Dragon Island, in Aesop’s residence, the plates on the table moved slightly, and the juice spilled onto the table.
Aesop held onto the cutlery and looked at the corner of the ceiling helplessly. The wall was trembling slightly, and dust was falling. “Sigh, it’s shaking again…”