Chapter 154

### Chapter 154: Like Gods Descending, Hope’s Flame Brought by Bai Fu

On the way to Ulysses, Bai Fu took the opportunity to search the Star Network for detailed information about Ulysses.

In the Edge World, a star region at the boundary between the explored universe and the Dark Domain, hidden civilizations within the Dark Domain are discovered every so often.

Due to their different locations, these discoveries are made by various entities, leading to diverse outcomes after these civilizations integrate into the Star Ocean.

Some dark domain civilizations thrive well in the Star Ocean, especially if they produce one or two powerful superhumans; they might even gain some influence in the Star Ocean.

Others are more unfortunate, struggling just to ensure the continuity of their civilization, let alone gaining any power.

The Ulysses civilization, where Viktor resides, is a typical example. Initially discovered by a mining team, Ulysses was connected to the main controlling force of the Sea Lion Galaxy System through a wormhole. The Star Network Commonwealth, a union of multiple civilizations with inclusive cultural attributes, prefers trading with other civilizations rather than engaging in aggression or slaughter.

Thus, the Ulysses civilization enjoyed a relatively happy period when they first integrated into the Star Ocean. The Star Network Commonwealth established two starports on Ulysses and exported numerous interstellar goods. However, this period of prosperity ended when a ghost civilization, responsible for the dimensional catastrophe in the Initial Gateway Star Cluster, arrived.

Defeated in the civil war, the ghost civilization became a terrorist organization, bringing disaster each time they acted.

Their attacks forced the Star Network Commonwealth to retract its forces. The subsequent Flood Disaster (an assault by the insectoid race) left the Star Network Commonwealth preoccupied, allowing the pirates in the chaotic space routes of the Sea Lion Galaxy System to target the defenseless Ulysses civilization.

These pirates, who could be considered sea thugs, frequently raided Ulysses, plundering its resources and reducing its population.

Fortunately, Ulysses produced several strong A-level superhumans and sold assets to hire interstellar hunters, enabling them to hold on. However, as their assets dwindled, many of the A-level superhumans either died or fled, leaving Viktor as the last one. Ulysses civilization may truly be on the brink of collapse.

“How tragic.”

Bai Fu couldn’t help but sigh silently.

If not for the mining team’s discovery, the Ulysses civilization would still be striving to develop and wondering about the existence of other intelligent life in the universe.

If the ghost civilization hadn’t suddenly caused trouble, with the aid of the Star Network Commonwealth, the core culture of Ulysses might have suffered significant impact, but the quality of life for Ulysses people wouldn’t have been much worse.

However, how can there be so many “ifs” in the world?

The Star Ocean is full of hope, yet also cruel. Here, true saints coexist with cold-hearted blades declaring “destroy you, what does it matter to you.” One never knows whether hope or destruction will arrive first.

Bai Fu turned her head and noticed Viktor praying fervently with his eyes closed.

Shouldering the hope of an entire civilization, Viktor indeed had a stronger protagonist aura than any she had encountered before.

But this aura might not necessarily bring him a good experience. From the various intelligence he provided, Bai Fu believed that in the original plot, the Ulysses civilization would likely completely disintegrate. Then, upon the player’s arrival in the Star Ocean, he would meet the player as the “last flame of the civilization” and embark on a path of revenge or rescuing captured compatriots.

“Relax,” Bai Fu comforted Viktor.

Viktor opened his eyes and managed a weak smile. His lips were pale, and he was sweating intermittently, showing immense pressure.

Bai Fu didn’t say much more.

After entering the Star Ocean, she couldn’t personally lead players around doing quests like she did on the Source Star.

The Star Ocean was too vast. Even with various spaceships, she couldn’t look after all the players. Thus, when establishing her own faction, she needed to recruit more NPCs to work for her.

“Anya is the overall combat commander, Yulia is the laboratory director and the magic booster, and I need many commanders to execute specific tasks.”

She thought about recruiting Viktor, having a group of protagonists working for her. Even if she couldn’t become the true protagonist, she would at least be known as the “Dominion of the Star Ocean – Fu.”

As she pondered, Viktor finally contacted the Ulysses people and learned from the conversation that the slave traders only had one spaceship equipped with ordinary weapons, possibly weaker than the cargo ship of Suixing.

“There are 2 A-level superhumans and 6 B-level superhumans on the ship, along with over 200 C-level grunts. Though the C-level grunts aren’t strong, they all carry new hotlines and particle guns from the Star Network Commonwealth, which pose a certain threat to A-level superhumans.”

Viktor looked grim.

Bai Fu agreed. She had experienced the power of particle guns.

This intelligence confirmed that defeating these slave traders would be harder than eliminating the Firehouse, given that Viktor was also an A-level superhuman and she had acquired dozens of guns from the lava, boosting the players’ combat power significantly.

“The only problem is that our primary goal isn’t to eliminate the slave traders but to rescue people. Therefore, a direct assault might not be appropriate. If they sense the situation is unfavorable, they might flee.”

Bai Fu pondered for a moment.

“It seems we should lure them into attacking us. If we can get someone inside, it would be even better.”

Viktor nodded, “Luring them is simple. They’ll definitely investigate if the ship lands on Ulysses. But getting inside their ranks…”

That was quite ambitious.

Slave traders were greedy but cautious. They would thoroughly search anyone they caught, making it impossible to infiltrate their ranks and orchestrate an inside job.

“That’s not necessarily true,” Bai Fu smiled, “I think you should reconsider me and the brave ones who followed me to the Star Ocean.”

“Brave ones?”

Viktor was taken aback.

He hadn’t heard this term in a while.

“They have very special abilities. Don’t be too surprised.”

Bai Fu nodded at the Excavator. It was time for her to perform!

Alright!

Excavator, who had been taking photos for Bai Fu, immediately ran over upon receiving orders.

Viktor was bewildered.

Special abilities?

While speculating what the Excavator’s ability was, she suddenly shot herself in the heart.

“Oh my God!”

Even Viktor and the audience watching Bai Fu in the live stream were startled.

“This is bad, I can already imagine how scared this alien will be.”

“She’s going to do something crazy.”

“I hope she won’t die. The medical technology in the Star Ocean should be reliable.”

Seeing the Excavator lying on the ground, Viktor’s brown skin turned green. No, sister, it’s just a performance, why so harsh?

He rushed over, stretched out his hand, unsure what to do, and finally looked back at Bai Fu.

Help her now, quickly!

But Bai Fu seemed oblivious to his urgency, “Don’t worry, she’s fine.”

No breath, and still fine?

Viktor clenched his teeth, ready to do something, when he was astonished to see the Excavator appear in the central hall of the ship.

Just like a sudden flash.

He bent down, noticing the body was gone. Looking up, the Excavator was already in front of him.

Viktor’s mind froze: “Illusion? Dummy? Projection? Existence cognition? Or…”

“Resurrection,” Bai Fu gave the correct answer, “She and they have the ability to resurrect. If you don’t believe it, you can verify it.”

“No, no need to verify.”

Viktor’s mouth opened slightly, a storm raging inside.

He believed, yet it shocked him even more. Nearly a hundred warriors with resurrection abilities—was this a racial talent? Even in the Star Ocean, races with resurrection abilities were rare. And Bai Fu, leading these warriors, what was her identity?

“Who are you?”

Anya jumped in, smugly, “You can call the boss Silver Moon or the Exalted Moon.”

In promoting the Fu Sect, she was just as enthusiastic as the Excavator.

“Whoever calls the boss, we’re like siblings.”

“But you can keep praising, I’ll be the one to get close to the boss.”

Silver Moon, Exalted Moon?

Viktor had never heard of these titles, but he memorized them nonetheless.

Now he believed Bai Fu could genuinely help solve his problems, but the more he did, the more he felt indebted. After all, he had only paid her 2000 credits.

That money wasn’t enough to hire Bai Fu, let alone her entire team.

He needed to find a way to compensate.

Viktor wasn’t the type to owe debts. In his years in the Star Ocean, he knew maintaining balance in interests was crucial for maintaining relationships.

He said, “With their abilities, infiltrating the slave traders would be easy, but there’s a problem. They’ll confiscate their weapons. Without weapons, they might not be effective.”

C-level superhumans’ basic strength was too ordinary.

Bai Fu laughed, “That’s not a problem. Just trust me.”

Slave traders might search them thoroughly, but they couldn’t take away the players’ experience. With experience, players could buy items from her shop anytime. Once players throw prayer cards onto the slave traders’ ship, causing it to explode, everything else would be manageable.

Though Bai Fu didn’t explain further, Viktor stopped questioning, believing she had a plan.

Since receiving the distress signal, no, since he was the last A-level superhuman in Ulysses, he felt relaxed for the first time. This relaxation came from the hope Bai Fu had ignited in him.

Over a century had passed. The suffering Ulysses civilization must have its lucky moment soon, right?

Viktor tried imagining a better future but hesitated to delve too deep. Don’t treat those met in hardship as gods; otherwise, the gap between imagination and reality might hurt.

Standing by the porthole as the ship entered the atmosphere and sank into blue Ulysses, Viktor suddenly sighed.

“In fact, I was once called a hero.”

Bai Fu turned around. Nearby players playing cards also perked up.

“After Ulysses was invaded by those people from the chaotic space routes, to continue the civilization, many superhumans stood up. We actively resisted the invasion, wandering the Star Ocean to find a safe haven for Ulysses. But it was impossible. No one wanted to risk their lives for Ulysses without rewards. Over time, more superhumans died, and the remaining ones split. Some thought Ulysses was beyond saving and decided to pursue their own futures, while others, like me, stayed.”

Viktor fell silent for a moment.

“I considered leaving, but my father invested too much in Ulysses. I wanted to leave some hope behind. Otherwise, no one would remember what he did.”

“Anyway, after that great split, the spirit of the Ulysses people nearly dissipated. Few called me a hero, and even fewer had hope. If someone looks at you unfavorably when the ship lands, I apologize in advance.”

Bai Fu nodded, understanding.

Hearing Viktor’s words, the players discussed among themselves.

“Wow, Ulysses is worse off than the Source Star.”

“Just imagine living in such a place.”

“Damn it, I’m furious. Chaotic space routes? I’ll act when the 2.0 Star Ocean version comes out!”

“Wow, the Emperor of the Human Race has arrived!”

Players were all fired up, wishing they could teleport to Ulysses immediately.

Minutes later, a player standing on the opposite porthole suddenly screamed.

“What’s that?”

Bai Fu followed his finger and saw a nearly circular area on the ground crystallized, white and black crystals mixed together, resembling scorch marks.

Viktor explained, “Decades ago, Ulysses was attacked by a large pirate fleet. To intimidate us, their flagship launched a plasma spear at the ground. Under the spear’s burning, this area turned into this state.”

Oh my god, that’s like burning glass!

Bai Fu’s pupils dilated.

Such attacks were hard for even S-level superhumans to withstand, let alone A-levels. Only dodging was possible.

Amidst the gasps, the ship finally landed.

The door opened, and Viktor walked out first. The environment of Ulysses differed greatly from the Source Star—gravity, air composition, and temperature were all different, but adapting was easy for Bai Fu and the players.

The nearby city, resembling ruins, had already taken notice of the ship’s descent. Few people came to greet them; only a few scattered individuals, with a little girl in front, ran towards Viktor.

“Viktor brother, you’re finally back!”

Viktor greeted the little girl, while Bai Fu and the players looked around.

Ulysses was even worse than they imagined. Living quarters were in ruins, black buildings resembling metal blocks were missing chunks, clothes looked old, and only a few people wore protective battle armor.

This isn’t how things should be!

Bai Fu was speechless.

“These are the interstellar hunters I hired, Silver Moon and her followers,” Viktor introduced.

The Ulysses people’s reactions were subdued. Since their appearance, their brows had remained furrowed, now slightly relaxing and nodding in welcome.

Ultimately, no one believed Bai Fu could solve the problems. Even if she solved this one, what about next time?

Bai Fu was an interstellar hunter, hiring one was expensive.

Despite knowing the situation, Viktor felt awkward.

“Sorry, I’ll take you to the city to inquire about the details.”

“Let’s go.” After walking a few steps, Bai Fu asked, “Viktor, how old are you?”

Viktor was puzzled, “25.”

“Young man?”

“In Ulysses, he’s young.”

Bai Fu: “…”

No wonder the little girl called him Viktor brother. But he didn’t seem that young, his weathered face always made Bai Fu think he was as old as Elder Nissen.

A 25-year-old A-level superhuman, no wonder he was a lucky NPC.

On the way to the city, Viktor briefed Bai Fu on Ulysses’ situation.

Ulysses now had only three cities left, with the population dropping from hundreds of millions to tens of thousands. These cities resembled the settlements on the Source Star, except Ulysses had higher technology and a metallic aesthetic, giving even the crumbling buildings a cold technological feel.

“Viktor brother is back!”

The little girl shouted, and many people peeked out from their houses, watching silently.

Finally, Viktor led Bai Fu and others to the administrator’s residence to gather information.

The administrator was an elderly man with cloudy eyes. When Viktor entered, he was calculating the remaining food supplies in the city.

“These slave traders caught 725 people this time. They didn’t catch more because their ship was full. All 725 are young and strong, and after they’re taken, collecting food will become even harder.”

The administrator scratched his head in frustration, and the surrounding Ulysses people sighed similarly.

Interstellar slave traders frequently visited Ulysses, commonly referred to as “stockpiling.” They abducted hundreds or thousands of people each time, drastically reducing the population.

Ulysses people harbored boundless hatred, but hate couldn’t be converted into fighting power.

When the slave traders returned, they could do nothing but submit.

Resistance required both force and money. They were about to lose all their power, and where would they get the money?

The administrator always regretted his decisions.

Perhaps during the great split, he should have led the entire tribe to leave Ulysses, when they still had some money to hire spaceships.

Unfortunately, he feared abandoning Ulysses would make them rootless drifters, easier targets in the Star Ocean. Even if their lineage continued, Ulysses would only exist in memories.

In reality, staying in Ulysses offered no improvement, and now only tens of thousands remained. Would Ulysses vanish in the cosmic flood?

The administrator forced a smile, “Viktor, why did you come back early? Never mind, it’s good you’re back. With you here, the slave traders will probably be less aggressive.”

Viktor replied, “Uncle, I came back to rescue the people taken by the slave traders.”

Hearing this, the administrator’s face changed, “That’s too dangerous, don’t be rash.”

He no longer wanted to cause trouble.

Viktor was the last A-level superhuman in Ulysses. If he died, Ulysses would have no last hope and would soon be torn apart by the slave traders.

Viktor said, “I brought help.”

The administrator glanced at Bai Fu and Yulia and shook his head, “Those slave traders aren’t ordinary. It’s safer to be cautious.”

The Ulysses people behind him moved their mouths but said nothing.

Viktor anticipated this, “We have no choice but to resist. Not resisting means certain extinction. Resistance might hasten death, but it might also offer hope.”

The administrator sat silently.

Viktor stood for a moment, then firmly stated, “I’ll follow my own path.”

Leaving those words, he walked out of the administrator’s house.

Outside, he muttered to Bai Fu, “The administrator wasn’t always like this. As he aged, he, well…”

The Ulysses people were almost completely demoralized, living like zombies. There were exceptions, but most either died or assimilated.

Bai Fu surveyed the surroundings, her gaze sweeping across the Ulysses people.

She suddenly thought of the Source Star. After the 2.0 version launch, the Source Star would connect to the Star Ocean. Would it become like Ulysses?

With players present, the Source Star wouldn’t be as miserable, but it might still encounter hardships. The Star Ocean’s trials falling on an ordinary civilization like the Source Star could be like an earthquake, and in this earthquake, many she knew, even those close to her, might die.

Bai Fu had feelings for the Source Star, her game’s hometown.

“We need to prevent this from happening. The best way is for me to grow strong enough to protect the Source Star before the 2.0 version launches. S-level strength should suffice.”

S-level was the pinnacle of “mortals,” the path from “mortals” to catastrophes.

“When do you plan to start?” Bai Fu asked Viktor.

“Now,” Viktor replied, “Please temporarily give me command of your followers. I’ll arrange them to distract the slave traders.”

“What’s your plan?”

“I suspect someone within us secretly sided with the slave traders. Last time, they left early when I was halfway through. So this time, I only contacted those I trust.”

Bai Fu nodded, “Good to have a plan.”

She called Tianqi, Black Warrior, and Paida Xing, explaining the situation and warning them.

“This mission is important. I know you usually compete, but now isn’t the time.”

After discussion, Viktor temporarily left with half the players.

Bai Fu stood on the decaying streets for a moment, suddenly noticing the little girl who welcomed Viktor earlier walking towards her.

“Sister, you’re so pretty.”

Oh, kids really know how to talk!

Bai Fu pulled out some energy candies and handed them to the girl.

“Sister, I heard Viktor brother say he couldn’t afford an A-level superhuman, but you lowered your price and sent him back with your ship. Thank you.”

The little girl thanked her after receiving the candy.

Bai Fu replied, “It’s fine, just a normal transaction.”

The little girl looked up, “Sister, is there really no future for Ulysses?”

Bai Fu paused for a moment, “You are the future of Ulysses, and so is Viktor. One day, he will become the hero who leads you out of hardship.”

This boosted the little girl’s mood, “Sister, you’re such a good person.”

Bai Fu neither affirmed nor denied, calling Anya over to play with the little girl.

The upcoming battle was dangerous, and Anya shouldn’t participate.

But letting Anya play with the girl wasn’t just for fun; she mainly wanted Anya to watch and see if any saboteurs would reveal themselves during the fight.

Anya’s strength was close to B-level superhumans. Few in Ulysses could defeat her, especially with her power armor and prayer cards, making catching saboteurs easy.

Everything arranged, Bai Fu led the remaining players back to the ship, keeping an eye on the situation to prevent the slave traders from bombing directly.

During the wait, she marked Ulysses on the map.

She liked this planet. Buying a habitable planet was too expensive. If she could transform Ulysses into her base in the Star Ocean, to receive players from various newbie planets…

Bai Fu thought it was a good idea, but she didn’t know how the Ulysses people felt.

To her, it would be beneficial for Ulysses, as she didn’t represent any civilization. Her followers were players and NPCs she “recruited.” Her presence here would ensure Ulysses’ safety without impacting its civilization.

In any case, she would see.

With her current strength, driving away the slave traders wouldn’t solve Ulysses’ problems. Only when her name struck fear in the hearts of evil organizations in the chaotic space routes of the Sea Lion Galaxy System could she confidently cause trouble in Ulysses. Otherwise, investing heavily in building here might end in ruin.

Bai Fu waited for over two hours.

As dusk fell, she received an urgent message from Viktor.

“A division of slave traders attacked your followers. According to their reports, they are interrogating the captured people. Once the interrogation ends, they will strike us immediately. They don’t know your followers have special communication methods, so they don’t realize their plans are exposed. This is our chance!”

Viktor was emotionally charged.

The various special abilities displayed by the players made Bai Fu increasingly believe she was a superhuman.

Bai Fu nodded, “Let’s begin. Lure them to a location far from the city where landing the ship is difficult. I’ll be right there.”

Viktor complied.

After hanging up, Bai Fu glanced at Yulia, who was trimming her toenails.

“It’s time.”

Yulia put away her nail clippers, “Let’s go.”

It was time to flex their muscles. Spending too much time in the lab would dehydrate anyone.

PS: Thanks to Yuan Yuan and Bo Yan for the donations.

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