The identification mage was staying at a small villa far away from the city. Han Xiao found the place easily and pressed on the doorbell.

After a while, the door opened. An old Godoran walked out and looked at Han Xiao puzzled.

“Who’re you?”

“Hello, Master Angleton. I have come to you for help after hearing about you. I hope that you can help me open an item with magic security measures.” Han Xiao recognized this person as the target, so he went straight to the point.

To his surprise, Angleton was confused. “It has only been three months since I moved here. I did not notify anyone yet, how did you find me?”

Han Xiao was stunned for a second, then he realized. At this period, the players in his previous life were still in their novice planets. He was too ahead of time. Luckily, Angleton had moved here this early, or it would have been awkward if he could not find him.

Angleton could not figure out why but did not dwell on it. He invited Han Xiao into his house and said while he was walking, “You’re the first customer after I moved house. It has commemorative significance. I think I should write this day in my diary. Uninvited surprise guest, what do I call you?”

“Call me Han Xiao.”

“Today is the official opening. To celebrate my first business, I will help you as much as I can…” Angleton smiled.

The inside of the villa was very luxurious. The two of them came to the basement, and there were many magic tools here. Quite a number of magic arrays were embedded on the wall and the floor. There were also many precise instruments to research and analyze magics.

After Han Xiao paid the fees, Angleton placed the Secret Message Bead inside the analytical magic array, flipped open his thick magic book, and started channeling.

Ding.

The seal of the Secret Message Bead appeared in the air. Angleton wore his reading glasses, narrowed his eyes, and observed it. He drew magic lines on the array from time to time, solving it bit by bit, just like opening a lock.

The Mage class and Mechanic class were known as the vastest and complicated classes. There were many types of machinery, ranging from nanotechnology to battleships, from nuclear weapons to psionic canons, from internet technology to artificial intelligence. It was very versatile and mostly about technology. The branches of the Mage class were very complicated as well. There was elemental, secret sorcery, blessing, spacetime, shape manipulation, summoning, curse, and so on.

Mages could learn spells from multiple branches—it had no limitations. They could use ice and fire at the same time if they wanted to. Like Mechanics spending experience to gamble on blueprints, Mages had to spend experience to learn spells as well. As long as they had enough experience, they could learn as many as they wanted. However, to players, there were differences between these two. For a Mage to learn a spell, the spell was divided into different ‘stages’. For example, learning Fire Blast required three stages, and every stage cost experience. The higher the stage, the more it would cost. If a certain stage failed, one had to use experience and try to learn that stage again. When all the stages were completed, the mage would officially be able to use that spell—meaning, the mage would get a new ability.

The success rate of learning spells depended on Intelligence and Mystic. The higher the spell grade, the more stages it has. It was also very experience consuming. It was relatively easier for higher level Mages to learn low-level spells, and it would be very difficult the other way around. Plus, high-level spells usually had prerequisites, such as learning a certain low-level spell or attributes reaching a certain value.

The differences between spell branches were like the differences between machinery types, which was a difference in ability choices. In terms of class focus, the Mechanic class had Cannon Master, Mechanical Pugilist, Mechanic, and so on. The Mage class also had different focuses. The class difference in the Mechanic class was decided afterward, but in the case of the Mage class, it was decided beforehand. The method of awakening decided their path. The first method was awakening Super genes of a Mage normally—those people are born with magic power or those able to activate their magic power through meditation would become official Mages. These were the talented ones.

The second method was for those that could not activate magic power or even had no Mage talent at all. Through planting magic circuitry in their body, there was a chance to generate magic power, granting them the qualifications to be a Mage. This was similar to the Esper class, in which some Espers could self-awaken and some needed Gene Awakening Elixir. The magic circuitry planted into their bodies was the source of magic power; it required continuous enhancement and strengthening. The biggest difference between circuit mages and talented mages was that circuit mages were unable to learn all spells, as circuits usually had certain tendencies. They could only be specialized Mages, as the foundation could not be changed once it was planted, so there was only one chance to choose a circuit.

Of course, as the saying goes, knowing one thing very well is better than knowing many things a little.

Specialized Mages were not weak. Instead, they were the majority. After all, one’s energy was limited, so it was better to focus on one instead of not focusing on everything. In fact, there were even some talented Mages who planted circuit in themselves and became specialized Mages afterward. As circuit was equivalent to an enhancement to that certain type of magic, it meant to give up all-round capabilities in exchange for strong spell powers. Goa, for example, was a specialized Mage, a pure Ice Mage.

There was another special type of Mage, called the MagicNet Mage. Their magic power did not belong to themselves; rather, it was ‘borrowed’ through religion, praying, ceremony, and all kinds of strange methods to come in contact with magic entities of other dimensions—usually of unspeakable appearance. They would then form a contract or deed. They could not learn spells; they could only use spells given by that magic entity. Most of these spells did not cost mana but had a limit to how many times they could be used per day. In other words, they had a cooldown but had no mana cost. The way for them to become stronger was to enhance their connection with the magic entity or to create contracts with more magic entities, granting them more spells and higher usages.

The Great Mechanic Han played a Mage class in his previous life before. It required very high skills, emphasizing on creating combos by using all kinds of spells, and it had countless combinations. It was the complete opposite of the simple and brutal Pugilist class. When battling other players, one had to pay attention to details and make a lot of calculations. It was very suitable for technical players with good brains… Oh, that was except for Fire Blast Style and Summoning Style—these two were more brainless than Pugilist. There was no need for any analysis or whatsoever—they just have to finish their mana bar, and there would barely be anyone standing.

With a cup of magic coconut tea in his hands, Han Xiao sat at the side and waited for many hours. He almost fell asleep.

Clank!

In midair, the magic seal array was finally cracked as it shattered like a mirror.

“It’s done.” Angleton took off his glasses.

“Let me see what on earth is inside…” Han Xiao took back the Secret Message Bead, took a deep breath, and slowly turned it.

Without the seal, the Secret Message Bead was easily split in half. A mini vacuum glass cabinet was fixed to each side. These two things both had a shrinking spell on them, which was why they could fit in such a small bead.

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Unknown item identified. You have received [Secret Message Bead] x 1.

You have opened [Secret Message Bead].

You have received [Seventh Generation Mutation Source] x 1.

You have received [Super-Gene Extractor—Test Version] x 1.

_____________

“Holy… It’s these two things!” Han Xiao’s breathing stopped for a moment. His eyes were fixed on these things. He finally understood why DarkStar had spent so much effort in tracking this down. The significance of these two things was beyond ordinary—he had almost snatched DarkStar’s lifeblood away!

These two things were connected to two huge conspiracies of DarkStar—they were the origin of two big events! One of them was Planet Aquamarine’s main storyline in Version 2.0—Mutation Disaster!

He had a flash of insight and connected the dots.

DarkStar bought these items from another organization. The seller is outside Shattered Star Ring, so they chose to send one of their subordinates to deliver the goods, who happened to be a Silver. He followed a tourist group here and planned to deliver the goods secretly. However, just as the Silvers were having a tour, they were suddenly robbed by slavers. The carrier was unlucky as hell, and that forced DarkStar to come and find the goods. Then, coincidentally, the other Silvers hired us… They did not know about the deal behind this. Everything that happened was because of the first accident.

Han Xiao was astonished. Through many coincidences, he had ruined DarkStar’s secret deal and robbed them of the goods that they had spent an outrageous amount of money to buy!

Secret organizations selling this kind of product were like arms dealers. DarkStar itself did not have the technology to research new ‘weapons’—they could only buy them. The Mutation Source was already generation seven, so it had definitely been tested in another place before.

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, more than one notification of triggering a new mission popped up in the interface.

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You have triggered A ranked main storyline mission [Mutation Disaster]!

Mission Introduction: You accidentally ruined DarkStar’s private deal and discovered the source of the Mutation Disaster. DarkStar has secretly planted Mutation Sources in many mother planets of civilizations. When the virus enters its mature stage, a terrifying disaster will arrive. Defending against the disaster is every life’s responsibility.

Mission Requirements: Clean up the Mutation Disaster virus and protect the planets where a disaster is going to happen.

Planet Aquamarine – Progress: 0/30,000,000

Planet Barrifos – Progress: 0/21,000,000

Planet Dawn – Progress: 0/19,000,000

…

Success Requirements: Successfully protect any planet mentioned above before the mutation virus reach its mature stage.

Failure Condition: All planets are defeated, and all survivors are forced to leave their planet.

Reward: Depends on contribution.

Remarks: Even if the virus spreads and causes the overall progress to decrease, individually earned progress will still be calculated into reward rating.

[Mission Status: Frozen]

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The Main Storyline mission of the next version!

Han Xiao’s eyes sparkled in surprise. He did not expect to trigger the main storyline of Version 2.0 in advance.

The main storyline mission of the Mutation Disaster was not an individual mission but a mission carried out by all players. Planet Aquamarine needed thirty million progress points, and every player’s actions would be added into the progress. There were many stages of the Mutation Disaster, and the virus would grow, causing the progress to drop by large portions. The mission requirement was to complete the requirements before the virus grew into its unstoppable mature stage. It required all players to work together.

This mission is different from the one players would receive. I remember that the players’ mission is just to protect Planet Aquamarine, but my target includes other planets as well… Is it because I got the Mutation Source?

Han Xiao was a little surprised. This was a good thing; it gave him more choices. Of course, he was definitely going to protect Planet Aquamarine first. Not only was it his home, but it was also for the players of the next version.

The status of the mission at this moment was frozen. Only when the timeline reached Version 2.0 and the disaster broke out would the mission start. What he was thinking was how to make full use of the Mutation Source in his hands in order to achieve the biggest impact.

The key component of solving the Mutation Disaster is Godora. In my previous life, Godora took a very long time to invent the cure. If I give them the mutation source, they will be able to invent the cure earlier…

Han Xiao contemplated on the issue. This was probably the best way to maximize the use of the mutation source. However, he had to think of when he should give it to Godora. If he gave it to them too early, the contribution points would not be counted into the mission, and he would be suspected too.

He searched through his memories and had a rough plan. The details had to be improved, but he let it aside for the moment. He looked at the other two new missions.

_____________

– You have triggered A ranked mission [Godora’s Ally]!

– You have triggered S ranked mission [Bloodline]!