Chapter 228

Chapter 228: Sixth Reinforcement, Main Character Bai Fu [47k]

At the moment the v1.5 update went live, all players in the Star Ocean suddenly vanished like ghosts.

This bizarre scene left the NPCs seeing this for the first time utterly bewildered.

They had spent considerable time with the players, who often disappeared due to logging off or going to dungeons and arenas. But this was different.

In an instant, all the non-player characters in sight vanished.

It was eerie, and there was a hint of terror amidst the strangeness.

“What?!”

The Head Butler, the leader of the Tower of Secrets, and others were stunned.

They stood rooted to the spot, unsure what to do. Just as they were about to send the non-player characters to ambush Bai Fu, everyone vanished. What was the point now?

Panic began to spread.

As panic turned into unease and fear, they wondered if this was a bad omen or if they had been tricked by Bai Fu.

Unsure of the situation, the Head Butler hurriedly let the bait he had just released rest, waiting to see how things developed before taking action.

Other factions that had taken players also reacted poorly, frantically gathering information until they learned that Bai Fu’s players had also disappeared. Even the Dark Moon Tide company called a temporary halt. They felt somewhat relieved.

It didn’t seem too dire.

…

“I bet quite a few people got scared.”

Bai Fu thought mischievously.

She quickly wiped away her smile when she heard the familiar reinforcement prompt.

[Plot Participation Confirmation (0%… 10%…)]

[…]

[Current exploration progress in the Initial Gateway Star Cluster: 4.3%]

[Character Position Adjustment (0%… 2%…)]

[Character position changed from [Legendary Protagonist of Source Star] to [Legendary Protagonist of Source Star] + [Legendary Demon God of Indigo Star] + [Savior from Beyond the Stars of Jin Gu Star] + [Guide for Players in Initial Gateway Star Cluster]

[Character Setting Adjustment (0%… 2%…)]

Last time, her exploration progress in the Initial Gateway was only 0.2%, now it has risen to 4.3%, almost twenty times higher. She expected this reinforcement would be significant.

Bai Fu eagerly opened each prompt.

[Correction 1: Your race underwent a special evolution. Skill [Mind’s Eye] has been adjusted to [Void Perception].]

This correction was similar to the previous one, changing from Spiritual Energy Super Perception to Mind’s Eye.

To be honest, [Void Perception] was far more powerful than skills like Mind’s Eye. After activating [Void Perception], she could connect to the Void world and view her surroundings from a higher perspective.

From this angle, her detection radius could extend over ten kilometers, surpassing even the best mental arts profession skills.

“The Seer is a humanoid carbon-based life form infected with the blood of the Void, so it lacks many characteristics of native Void life forms, such as [Void Perception]. Is this reinforcement making me more akin to a native Void life form?”

Bai Fu clicked on the second prompt thoughtfully.

[Correction 2: Special talent [Evolutionary Body (Bai Fu)] has been adjusted to [Void Body (Bai Fu)].]

Compared to [Evolutionary Body (Bai Fu)], the new special talent increased both health points and spiritual energy by 15% instead of 10%.

But the biggest change was the addition of a new trait called [Void Recovery]. This trait allowed Bai Fu to enter a state of void nurturing after combat, during which her body would automatically absorb void energy to restore her health, increasing her recovery speed to nearly 0.2% of her maximum health per second.

This meant that even with severe injuries, she could recover completely in eight to nine minutes!

This wasn’t just impressive; it was out of this world.

Wow, this sixth reinforcement is amazing!

Combined with the Seer Mark, this technique would be even better.

After realizing she couldn’t defeat the enemy, she could use the Seer Mark to escape, wait until she was no longer engaged, and then retreat to the void to fully recover.

“This is incredible!”

Bai Fu’s eyes gleamed.

Void life forms were truly resilient.

However, this strategy wasn’t invincible, especially as her opponents grew stronger.

If the enemy had long-range displacement skills or skills that blocked movement or curses, the effectiveness of this strategy would be greatly reduced. Nevertheless, this combination significantly increased her survivability.

“Too bad it’s a passive skill. If it were an active skill, I’d be unstoppable! I’d be like little Tessia!”

Bai Fu cheerfully read the next prompt.

[Correction 3: You have received the legendary certification of Jin Gu Star [Savior from Beyond the Stars (Jin Gu Star) – Bai Fu]

This certification, like the previous two, had two functions: increasing her own resistance and providing an additional 2% agility bonus to players joining the Silent Courtyard faction.

[Correction 4: Character strength rating changed from [Regional Boss (Sea Lion Galaxy)] to [Special Boss (Edge World)]

This change came as a complete surprise to Bai Fu.

Before, her position was limited to being a regional boss of the Sea Lion Galaxy. Despite her recent power increase and rising reputation in the Star Ocean, she had assumed her role might expand to being a regional boss of the Initial Gateway Star Cluster. However, the actual change elevated her status to a boss of the Edge World.

“That’s quite a leap. Could it be because I’m about to ascend to the Catastrophe Tier anytime now? Or maybe…”

Ah, yes.

Bai Fu had an idea.

She speculated that the real reason might be that the Star Ocean version was about to open, and a large number of players would enter the Star Ocean soon.

Some players would enter from the Initial Gateway Star Cluster, while others would come from other star clusters.

Such as herself, an unruly NPC, would likely be active across multiple star clusters, not just limited to the Initial Gateway. For instance, she might go to the Tam Civilization to help Andreas, and Tam Civilization was located in the central region of the Edge World.

It was likely that the official decided to adjust her position to the Edge World to accommodate these changes.

This was good news, as players could see this adjustment, subtly elevating her image in their minds.

As she continued reading, Bai Fu saw the position adjustments for other members of the Silent Courtyard faction.

For example, Wei Ke’s, Gao Yuan’s, Elder Nissen’s…

Ah, right, there were also adjustments for the Silent Courtyard and the Dark Moon Tide.

[Correction 9: [Silent Courtyard] will be adjusted to one of the main player factions in the v1.5 [Era of the Stars].]

[Correction 10: [Dark Moon Tide Private Armed Company], a subsidiary of [Silent Courtyard], will be adjusted to a well-known force in the Sea Lion Galaxy in v1.5 [Era of the Stars].]

[Correction 11: [Construction of the Main City on Ulysses Star] will be adjusted to one of the main quests in the Sea Lion Galaxy in v1.5.]

Bai Fu nodded in satisfaction.

With these corrections, everything she did in the Sea Lion Galaxy and on Ulysses Star now made sense.

“This reinforcement is as powerful as ever.”

Bai Fu stretched lazily.

After closing the prompts, she first opened the faction interface. Her reputation had increased recently, allowing her to set up new faction dungeons. She casually edited two new dungeons, making them appear as if they were part of the version update.

Next, she opened the Prayer Card synthesis interface. With her experience low and needing some for awakening, she didn’t synthesize rare cards that required a lot of experience. Instead, she made some universal cards that applied debuffs to opponents.

She planned to put these cards, along with the blessing cards she had just obtained from the Blessed Sect, in the dungeon shop to exploit players.

“We need to expand the Prayer Card production factory. Otherwise, it won’t meet the needs of the massive influx of players entering the Star Ocean.”

After a brief thought, Bai Fu had already decided what to do while waiting for v1.5 to open.

One: Expand the Prayer Card production factory.

Two: Expand Xia Shi’s mechanical production factory.

Three: Entrust Andreas to help find individuals with rare abilities and attempt to record them using the ability evolution tree diagram.

Four: Personally go out to find NPCs with the [Luck] or [Fortune] talents suitable for investment, bring them into the Silent Courtyard, and boost its strength.

Previously, Bai Fu had assigned this task to Gao Yuan and Elder Nissen. Their efficiency was certainly lower than hers, a special NPC with reconnaissance skills.

Initially, Bai Fu wasn’t in a rush, but considering the short duration of v1.5, she felt it was better to recruit more NPCs sooner rather than later. She couldn’t rely solely on herself, Scarlet Leaf, Anya, and others.

Such intense work would exhaust anyone, and if something happened to her when she was exhausted, it would be disastrous.

Bai Fu was an action-oriented person.

Once she made her decision, she immediately acted upon it.

Expanding the factories was easy—she just needed to ask Green Mud to procure materials, and it would be done with a word to Andreas. The real challenge was investing.

At this moment, Scarlet Leaf stepped forward, offering to help.

Scarlet Leaf had already been designated as the new minister of the branch office, but since the current minister, Lemang, hadn’t left yet, she was still quite idle.

Others were different. Xia Shi was researching, Anya and Wei Ke were learning from Xiphilis about the application of spiritual energy, and Anya and Vik were studying under Xiphilis.

Scarlet Leaf had been predestined as the new branch manager. Due to the current minister, Lemang, still being present, she was currently quite free.

Others were different. Anya and Vik were learning from Xiphilis, while Xia Shi was advancing her mechanical knowledge.

Scarlet Leaf’s hands brushed through her hair, pinching her deep red earrings gently, an unexpectedly graceful gesture contrasting sharply with her usual carefree style.

“Yes, but I don’t want to talk about it now.”

“Hmm? Then what do you want to talk about?”

“You.”

“Me?”

“That bite you gave me…”

Scarlet Leaf stood up, her eyes now shimmering with a gentle glow, not tears, but a soft warmth after the fire had softened.

“That bite, I’ll remember forever.”

Scarlet Leaf approached Bai Fu.

“Without you, I would probably always be stuck in place, year after year, without any change. I wouldn’t be able to move past the day my sister passed away, or break free from the cage woven by the blood of the Void, or escape the chains I’ve set for myself… Until your warm teeth touched my shoulder, until your teeth broke my skin, everything changed. It was like this…”

Scarlet Leaf leaned in, opened her mouth, and gently bit Bai Fu’s shoulder.

She didn’t apply much pressure, just feeling the warmth and the immediate fragrance filling her nostrils.

She felt genuinely happy.

Though she wasn’t like Anya, supporting Bai Fu together, nor was she entangled with Bai Fu like Yulia, or had a shared beginning like Xia Shi, she had something unique—she and Bai Fu were both Seers!

Scarlet Leaf sent a request to Bai Fu.

“Bite me.”

“Mm.”

…

Bai Fu and Scarlet Leaf spent ten days exploring the Sea Lion Galaxy and its vicinity, finding two B-grade NPCs with potential.

These NPCs were likely to be the main protagonists players would encounter when they first entered the Star Ocean, similar to Vik but slightly weaker.

Bai Fu brought them back to the Star Treaty branch, where they followed the two main characters of Indigo Star, Theresa and Eki, to get acquainted with the situation.

Bai Fu was very satisfied with this trip.

Scarlet Leaf was equally pleased, treating it as a sort of honeymoon.

During the journey, Bai Fu discovered that the official had finally released the final promotional video for v1.5, Era of the Stars.

The content of the video was somewhat unexpected.

The first half introduced the main characters of various beginner planets. At first, she thought she wouldn’t be featured, but in the latter half, the tone of the video changed completely.

She, Bai Fu, appeared!

Not only did she appear, but she also stood at the center of the stage. Other NPCs in the video became mere background, even the powerful Sworn One and the leader of the Tam Civilization were no exception.

She had done it.

At the beginning of the Era of the Stars, even the official acknowledged her as the most prominent figure!

Upon reflection, Bai Fu realized this made sense.

There was no help for it. One of the most important storylines in the Initial Gateway Star Cluster had been completed by her, and the remaining storyline, the chaos caused by the Dark Domain Bug Clan, was also under her control thanks to Xiphilis.

So, who else could be the protagonist if not her?

But this good fortune wouldn’t last forever.

Once the storyline in the Tam Civilization began or another new storyline started elsewhere, she would no longer be at the center of the stage.

This was not what Bai Fu wanted.

Therefore, she needed to strive to stand in the middle of the stage!

Bai Fu closed the promotional video and checked the community, unsurprisingly, Digging Maiden had quickly uploaded a video analyzing the promotional video.

This time, it wasn’t necessary for Bai Fu to analyze it; everyone could see that Bai Fu would be important in the new version, though the extent of her importance remained unclear.

Would she become the mastermind behind the scenes, or would she be the main logistics support for players entering the Star Ocean…

[Let’s see how the official sets it up]

[Anyway, Bai Fu is awesome!]

Time slowly passed.

Once the maintenance was over, v1.5 officially launched.

Instantly, countless players reappeared in their previous locations.

Seeing the sudden reappearance of players, Bai Fu remained calm as always, but the Tower of Secrets, which had been worried for over ten days, was different.

“?”

The usually composed Head Butler was startled.

Only after hearing from the players that they periodically disappear did he calm down.

So, this wasn’t Bai Fu’s trick?

Good, very good!

“Continue executing the plan.”

…

Days later.

Bai Fu received a secret message from the Star Network.

“Bai Fu, a key member of the Tower of Secrets has betrayed the faction. The Tower is now sending people to hunt him down. We may need your help.”