Chapter 681: Void Faction

Li Hao nodded; the former was a test, but the latter was interesting.

The two Galaxy Emperor II individuals made eye contact. Shilada seemed to be deep in thought. There is a saying in the Emperor's Quotations: Fate is a trial, which can be viewed as a chessboard; only by realizing the game and becoming a player can one possess a future.

Li Hao's pupils shimmered with light as he looked at Shilada. Shilada smiled faintly, "I am a High Priest, so I have memorized these things clearly, but all mortals are chess pieces; who can truly see clearly? By the way, you know Dasha of the Ghost Empire, right?"

"Dasha?" Li Hao was stunned for a moment, "Yes, I was tricked by her when I first arrived at the Ruling Committee. She seemed to have some goal, but then she disappeared."

"She is dead, but we received a timed data packet from her. She likely sensed that her situation was dangerous; it was the kind of email that would be sent out if her death could not be prevented," Shilada said. Although she is a Saint, she actually earned the qualification to enter the Star Realm because she accepted Void power. She also mentioned some things: the Void Faction's infiltration of us is becoming increasingly severe. What they want to see most is the entire Star Alliance falling into war and chaos, which would give them more and more opportunities.

A collapsed order is clearly what that group wants to see most; they would have plenty of room to maneuver. Dasha, the Void Faction—Li Hao knew it wasn't those mysterious creatures of the Void, but the portion of Saints who had fallen and turned toward the Void.

"Some of the information Dasha provided concerns you. In fact, since the Galactic Empire era, Saints seduced by the Void have always existed, even including those at the General level. Dasha may not be the only lurker. Their existence is a huge threat to the Princess, and the appearance of the Super God Weapon will likely exacerbate this," Shilada said. "It seems like the Ozil Empire is reviving, but in reality, there is no shortage of internal and external troubles."

"High Priest, although the enemy is dangerous, your strength is even greater. The Ozil Empire has quite a few Generals, it seems..." Li Hao felt it didn't seem that serious, "Taking a step back, the Void problem is a problem for the entire Star Alliance."

Shilada shook her head, "This is your understanding as a Human. Within the Celestial race, there is no consensus on this issue. Some even feel that the power of the Void is a kind of gift. To be honest, in any country, the independence and autonomy of Generals are very strong. The main energy of peak Generals is focused on the Star Realm Front; they cannot be deployed at will."

"What does the High Priest want me to do?" Li Hao said.

The Star Realm Front is likely the place to resist Void power and maintain the stability of the Galaxy. Now that he thought about it, an ordinary General might not be at the front line, and with the strength of Man Ciku, he should be a standard guardian of the Star Realm Front. He either hid his strength through some method or he had defected to the Void. "Your identity is quite special; perhaps you can help us observe in secret." Shilada smiled, "And your luck is very good. It is strange that someone like Dasha would self-destruct."

Li Hao smiled, "Ever since I came to the Ruling Committee, I feel my luck has improved."

Shilada was also relaxed by Li Hao's interesting expression, "This is fate. Your combat power should be no less than the Universe Force Stage, but also be careful of all kinds of strange powers. It is very important to upgrade to General as soon as possible. Upon reaching the Universe Force Stage, all the abilities you possess will undergo a qualitative change. Do not use Zhou Lan Grade power to speculate about the Universe Force Stage." Oh, I overlooked that; you are a special existence who defeated a General, I am a bit clumsy in front of an expert.

Li Hao knew this was Shilada giving him a hint. The outside world spread that Kepler used a Black Hole Weapon from Ozil, perhaps even a prototype of a new secret super-weapon researched by Ozil—all sorts of rumors. But Shilada was very clear that the thing was not provided by them. He gave a wry smile, "High Priest, don't laugh at me. That really wasn't something my power could achieve. I can only say my luck was explosive. It was a narrow escape, and I also recognized the gap. If I met a General-level, I wouldn't even have the chance to run. This isn't me just coming into contact with the Star Realm and finding the method to advance to General; it just feels like it won't be that easy."

Shilada did not press further. The Star Alliance had actually investigated that black hole; it really might have been a Forbidden Weapon secretly researched by Masa's Orc General, but it might have gone out of control for some reason. The Star Alliance nominally bans them, but privately, which country with a bit of strength isn't researching them? Not to mention the Orcs. Generals are not all the same. The Universe Force Stage just means Universe Power has crossed a step; essentially, it is the true use of one's own talent and power, which can transform into power that is closer to the laws of the universe. However, the types and nature of talent and ability are foundations laid before the Universe Force Stage. Moreover, when Universe Power is stronger, sensitivity is actually lower; being confused by stronger powers and laws makes one's perception dull. The foundation before this is extremely important.

The various families of the Celestial race will lay a solid foundation before this, and only then will they advance. Your situation is relatively special; you might as well accumulate Intermediate Soul Supplements while improving the types and intensity of your abilities, especially focusing your energy on A-Grade and S-Grade talents. This is the key to releasing great power after being promoted to General. On tasks of this nature, you might as well communicate more with Princess Hermia.

Li Hao nodded, "High Priest, how many attempts does someone with 'good talent' usually need to succeed?"

"Emperor Augustus is considered the most talented Warrior of the Celestial race in the last hundred years. He succeeded in his third attempt to reach General. 99 bottles each time; more is meaningless, less is a waste. Usually, those with good talent need eight or ten times. I also succeeded on my ninth time back then," Shilada said.

Li Hao nodded. The tricks and key factors in this really are only known to Generals. If the talent ability is not good enough, even if one is promoted to General, the power cannot be exerted. And once at the General's Universe Power intensity, the difficulties encountered in perceiving better talents will be even greater. He felt that Masa's Man Ciku only had strong enough Universe Power, but did not display power beyond his cognition. Regarding the... Ghost Ability he obtained, how should he put it? He was truly torn between laughing and crying; it would have been better to give him a few more Soul Potions.

"By the way, High Priest, when Dasha was deliberately approaching me, she once mentioned some details." Li Hao suddenly remembered and recounted Dasha's rhetoric about wanting to be his servant when they first met, along with various probes.

Shilada nodded, not too surprised, "People who can transmit Dimension Power all like to be mysterious and package themselves. However, to reach this level and cultivate a Sergeant as excellent as Dasha, the other party's influence and talent are extraordinary. It should belong to S-Grade? And coming directly at you like this is a bit strange; perhaps the person behind it knows you."

Cultivating an excellent Sergeant like Dasha could definitely infiltrate the upper echelons of the Star Alliance in the future, yet they risked exposure to use her on Li Hao, and even killed her to silence her immediately after the mission failed. "They are very afraid of you obtaining information about the mastermind from Dasha. They should know you very well and be very wary of you. Do you have any ideas?" Shilada was someone who could find clues from simple processes.

Li Hao felt the same, "Actually, she wasn't completely exposed; she could still have been covered up, but the other party's actions were truly ruthless." "Not to mention, there is someone in my heart who could do it, but he is already dead. It was very certain before, but after experiencing the Star Realm, it seems the death I determined before might not necessarily be true death. Can the soul be transferred?" "It's not Xilian, then it is very likely Nangong Yuhang. He most likely didn't die. The reason is not Nangong Yuhang himself, but Bleem. The one Xilian received, the one Nangong Yuhang received, and the one he received—could there even be creatures from other civilizations? Could it be the same one?"

Shilada pondered for a while, "Soul transfer, symbiosis, and even other more profound soul techniques exist. Soul-type talent is also an S-Grade ability. If this is the case, you must be careful. Humans are not as simple as they look. I checked the data; although the Star Alliance's archives say the Solar System is also part of the Seed Civilization plan, and it has always been thought so, the original documents no longer exist because of the war. Now, after evaluation, something is a bit off."

"If the person Li Hao mentioned is Human, then the potential and performance of Humans are far from what a Seed Civilization can compare to. More than a dozen Celestial Seed Civilizations that successfully joined the Star Alliance possess decent combat power, but their insight into the soul is really too poor. They are effective supplementary star-level combat power, but they will definitely not have a high growth ceiling. Humans are different, and back then the Emperor..." Shilada looked at Li Hao, stopping mid-sentence; it was not yet the time to speak.

"Soldiers come, generals block; water comes, earth covers!" Li Hao shrugged indifferently. "I see that there are many representatives coming to the Ruling Committee this time, and the personnel are very mixed. My identity is indeed quite convenient for observation. Is there anything special I need to pay attention to?"

For Hermia, she doesn't necessarily need much direct combat ability and talent; she only needs sufficiently powerful Universe Power, sufficient resistance, and control over the Super God Weapon. After all, not every monarch can be like Augustus.

"There is a delegation from the Star-Forging Dragon Race," Shilada said, showing her trust in Li Hao. One must know that the Dragon Race is an ally of the Ozil Empire.

"There is a very special Dragon in this delegation, please pay extra attention for me: Ji Yao, a Star Dragon. The Star-Forging Dragon Race is divided into many types; the strongest are Star Dragons. Like Ning Long, who belongs to the Fire Dragon." Shilada didn't say much more; Li Hao roughly knew the scale, just to see if there was anything unusual.

"Alright, tell me your requests. I heard you started complaining to Helena the moment you met. It's rare to see a Governor like you." Shilada smiled.

"Stop, stop, don't complain to me. I am not the Princess; I won't have empathy. If you want to trade, bring out good chips."

Shilada was also very direct. These negotiation tactics were useless for someone of her age. Besides, she wasn't Hermia. Li Hao's face had long been tempered to be indestructible back when he was selling pizza; if you want a good review, you have to be able to take it, otherwise, how could you be blessed with a gold medal?

Seeing that Shilada was in a good mood, he immediately brought up the several requests that everyone had made him memorize by heart. Shilada listened silently. In fact, these conditions were not too difficult for the Ozil Empire; they were all achievable, and the Empire did indeed intend to support Humans. This was also a reason that the Council of Elders and the Ruling Committee could accept on the surface.

But from the perspective of interests, one often tries to leverage the other party. The exchange of interests between countries is quite a tug-of-war. However, based on Shilada's positioning of Li Hao and Humans—mainly Li Hao—frankly speaking, Ozil is not short of hired hands. They value the Princess's mood more. From the Super God Weapon, they see that Li Hao can assist the Princess. Of course, they also understand Li Hao's personality. Using little tricks in this regard would actually be counterproductive if problems arise at a critical moment.

Speaking of this, Shilada glanced at Li Hao. Li Hao was also staring intently at Shilada, his heart pounding. Shilada didn't say much, but she hoped Li Hao understood how significant Ozil's help this time was to a country. It might be something that could save countless Human lives. The Celestial race's excellent Heaven Martial technology is no joke; even if it's not the latest model, once Humans master it, with Human learning ability, they will at least no longer be at a disadvantage when facing third-tier civilizations.

"High Priest, I am very clear about the weight of this!" What else could Li Hao say? Shilada had no friendship with him; he was going to risk his life. "Regarding starships, I cannot make a promise, but if the Solar System can afford the price, we can add you to the military procurement list according to Star Alliance custom."

Shilada effectively agreed to most of the requests Li Hao made. As for starship technology, Human appetite was a bit big; the Council of Elders would not pass it, even if the Empress demanded it by force, it would only put herself in a passive position.

Honestly, Li Hao himself was quite surprised. He originally thought that just establishing diplomatic relations would not be a loss, but this whole set of outcomes left him feeling a bit delirious... It seems the things he needs to do later won't be easy either.

Overall, both sides were very satisfied with this negotiation, taking a step forward in better cooperation and impressions.

Leaving the Hall of Valor, Li Hao walked along the Ruling Chant, feeling the joy and bustle around him. The High Priest's current promises were all verbal. To put it bluntly, it still depended on performance. According to Kevin, Humans are qualified to be an 'A' card for the Ozil Empire to deal with the Lalutu Orcs. This also facilitates the game between the Ozil Empire and the Silver Heart Commercial Alliance. This is also an important factor in why they would agree. Truly involving technology transfer and a series of other issues will definitely have more cumbersome details; it won't be given away for free.

Shilada and the others only need to provide the policy direction; the Empire has its own specialists responsible. Regardless, for Humans, it is the biggest benefit. One must know that this is something Makemu and the others are currently racking their brains over but cannot break through, because there is no path, let alone the opportunity to negotiate with someone of Shilada's level, not to mention having basic trust. This is also an important foundation for many collaborations. This is why one must go out and not close the country; opportunities come through communication.

No matter what happens later, Li Hao's mood was much lighter. Then he thought of Dasha. The person Dasha mentioned, targeting him so much, and also dream control—it was obvious that they had exerted considerable influence on Dasha and helped Dasha complete a class leap from an ordinary Ghost Race to a Sergeant. This method and this means, why are they so like Nangong Yuhang? He couldn't be blamed for overthinking; after all, even Xilian didn't die. If Nangong Yuhang also came into contact with the Star Realm earlier, and Xilian felt he was just one move short...

But he felt Nangong Yuhang had crushed Xilian. Would such a person have other ways to survive?

He always felt that in the Battle of Kepler, he won a bit too easily; it didn't quite fit Nangong Yuhang's personality... He was someone who would stop at nothing for victory and wouldn't care about things like face. If he knew he couldn't win, he would definitely leave himself a way out. This was reflected in the Nimeier Secret Realm. Could it be him? The scent on Dasha was too much like him. If he is alive, nine times out of ten he would respond to the power of the Void. That would be truly troublesome. Besides himself having Bleem's care, Nangong Yuhang also received Bleem's information. Bleem said this is just a projection signal of Dimension Power in the Solar System.

The signal is this representative, but who is the person projecting it? Is there a possibility that Theseus is not all of Nangong Yuhang? What if it is an existence at the same level as his own Bleem? If even he can reach this point, how could Nangong Yuhang die so easily?

Of course, it is indeed possible that he is being too subjective, or it could be because of B Ge that he is being targeted. He even hopes it is the latter. On the contrary, Xilian doesn't seem to be that big of a threat. One thing Nangong Yuhang said was right; he also felt Xilian was easier to deal with.

Mentioning Xilian, Li Hao really had some accounts to settle with him. The most direct fuse for this Masa incident was his five ships. Afterwards, he had Kevin check the route. Walking through the Orc territory was indeed no problem. If they said they would let Humans take a big detour, they didn't have the face for it. But there was a detail: when the Cthulhu Family's caravan was transporting these five G800 Ring Ships, there was no cover, and they were even a bit showy, as if they were afraid outsiders wouldn't know. Normally, in the transport of such valuable ships, one would wish to be silent.

Killing two birds with one stone, this matter was mostly resolved. He should settle accounts with Xilian; he definitely had 20% of the responsibility in this. How could he take such a loss in silence?

Xilian was also paying close attention to Li Hao's every move at this time. He was extremely disgusted by Shilada's behavior of inviting Li Hao to observe the ceremony, even feeling it was targeting him. He didn't think Li Hao could go further with the Ozil Empire; Li Hao's status was too disparate, he wasn't worthy. But if it were used to disgust him, or even to leverage conditions, it would be very useful. This was wanting to use Li Hao to form a competitive status to exert pressure, and the other party's situation wouldn't have any side effects. High Priest Shilada played a good game, "The Ozil Empire intends to support Humans as their secondary combat force; they will definitely bestow favors to win them over."

Ning Long smiled slightly, "I didn't expect Human combat power to be so stunning, and the Human population is also very large."

Xilian nodded silently. Although he had lived as a Human for a long time, Human reproductive ability is only second to the Orcs. Not only the Ozil Empire wants it, but the Seventh Art also wants it.

However, he didn't want to do anything that would benefit Li Hao, especially letting Li Hao rise as a Human; it felt like a slap in his face. A dirt-attribute guy actually became the Governor of Kepler; this matter actually succeeded. Back then, Romero was a hero, plus the need for him to manage Giant Insects, and the right time, place, and people, plus Star Alliance recognition, only then did he sit in the position of Governor. For such an important position, those greedy Old Money of the Solar System didn't covet it—it completely didn't fit their style.

"I think we should strive for it. Since Li Hao is here, the previous cooperation was also good, why not strengthen it?" Ning Long smiled. Many things that the Dragon Race and the Seventh Art find inconvenient to do, Humans can do. It's the same principle as the Orc Empire. It's not that they haven't supported a few, but none are as easy to use as the Orcs. The ruthlessness and desperation of Humans in Masa, plus their potential, made the Star-Forging Dragon Race look at them with new eyes.

"You are very optimistic about his role in the Dragon Alliance?" Xilian asked.

"Yes, he is very special. You also know that in the last few decades, more and more Saints have fallen, and in the last few years, they seem to have found some key person or factor, and their behavior is even more unscrupulous. We need more power," Ning Long said.

Within the Saint camp, the Dragon Race is the core force. From every aspect, the Star-Forging Dragon Race are firm defenders of the Star Alliance. Compared to the disputes over Star Alliance power and resources, their focus is on maintaining the balance of the Star Realm. And with more and more Fallen, especially when the Fallen hidden among the Saints begin to plot with organization and factions, the problem is a bit big. Moreover, Void Rifts are becoming more frequent, and various Void infection events are all somewhat unusual.

For example, Dasha—the people around her were actually Void Fallen. They were completely unprepared and didn't even notice. Void Fallen have been at a disadvantage in thousands of years of fighting, mainly not because their power is weak, but because they don't master mainstream power. Possessing sufficient power in the Star Alliance will affect the pattern of the Star Realm. When they discovered this and began to lay out infiltration of the Star Alliance, that is very terrifying.