The Legendary Mechanic

"The Soul Swap Twins escaped‽"

Lagos was shocked to receive the notice from the army emissary and looked worried. However, he was not worried about this but its influence on their plan against Black Star.

"Are you able to capture the Soul Swap Twins?"

The military emissary shook his head and said, "The Shattered Star Ring isn't our territory. The Black Star Army and the local civilizations' surveillance network is all over it. We can't carry out a large operation. The target can use the Soul Swapper and swap bodies. It's too difficult to find them, so we most likely won't be able to capture them."

"The plan…"

"Don't worry. The plan continues." The military emissary smiled.

Seeing this, Lagos looked confused.

Why don't the upper echelons look worried at all about losing a special Universal Treasure?

"You don't seem worried…"

The military emissary shook his hand. "Don't worry, there's no need to send people after them. They'll return on their own."

"You're saying…" Lagos had a rough guess.

The military emissary changed into a serious expression and said, "This information isn't really that confidential. The upper echelons have told me to tell you not to worry about the Soul Swap Twins and continue carrying out the plan as usual. The person in charge of the Marwell project got a Beyond Grade A Mage to secretly plant a mental trap in them long ago and built a hidden sub-personality that's completely loyal to the Modo Civilization. Once triggered, the sub-personality will take over, and they will obediently return themselves."

"I see…" Lagos nodded subconsciously. He then frowned and wondered, "But if that's the case, why not take over the Soul Swap Twins' consciousness completely? Why take the risk?"

The military emissary did not mind and continued explaining. "Controlling the Soul Swap Twins is very easy. No matter how special they are, they're just low level Supers. Do you really think that there have never been such experiments even though the Marwell project has been going on for so many years? We've basically tried everything you can think of.

"However, the results proved that the Soul Swap Twins can only use the Soul Swapper when they have complete self-control and clear consciousnesses. Other than that, any attempt to control the Soul Swapper through controlling the Soul Swap Twins won't work. Even after just the simplest brainwash, the Soul Swapper won't recognize the two of them as qualified users. Therefore, we can only do it this way."

"Why is that the case?" Lagos wondered.

"Hell if I know. It's as if the Soul Swapper has chosen the Soul Swap Twins. It's probably related to the mysteries of the soul. It's all very non-scientific really. And that's the reason we consider the Soul Swapper a Space Wonder. If we could figure out how it works, there would be no Soul Swap Twins…" The military emissary snorted. "Though strange, the two of them are very weak and are no threat. They're only feared because they can use the power of the Soul Swapper. It's like a child holding a gun."

"Understood." Lagos nodded.

"Hmm, good that you know. Anyway, you don't have to be concerned about the Soul Swap Twins. Just be worried about Black Star."

Then, the military emissary cut off the communication, and the screen turned black.

Lagos turned off the virtual screen, exhaled, and smiled with relief.

Although there was a tiny hiccup, to him, the plan targeted at Black Star being carried out smoothly was the most important.

…

At a certain desolate universe belt in the Shattered Star Ring, a secret resources stronghold of the Modo Civilization was being attacked by the Black Star Army's armed fleet.

The images of this battle were transmitted into the main control room in the Thousand Lights Star System's base. Aesop and a group of officers were remotely monitoring the battle.

Not long after, the battle ended. The Black Star Army fleet had annihilated all enemies and was picking up the loot.

"Great! We've destroyed another secret stronghold of the Modo Civilization!" Nero was watching the battle with a smile. "This is all thanks to His Excellency Aesop's accurate prophecy, which helped us find the enemy base."

With their boss leading the praise, the officers present all expressed how impressed and appreciative they were of Aesop.

"No big deal." Aesop was not in the best mood and just waved slightly.

"Haha, a great job is a great job. Don't have to be so humble. I'll have some people take you back so that you can have a proper rest," Nero said with a smile.

"No need, I'm planning on taking a walk outside. I won't be going back to the headquarters for the time being." Aesop shook his head.

Nero was surprised. "How long do you plan to stay outside then?"

"About a month."

"So long‽" Nero hesitated a moment. "I suggest you come back as early as possible. There might be new missions…"

"What's with all the bullsh*t? I don't even have the right to take a walk outside anymore? Am I just a tool now?"

"Er, that's not what I meant."

Aesop narrowed his eyes and coldly said, "Also, take these troops and bodyguards away. I don't like to be disturbed when taking a walk."

"This…" Nero looked troubled. "I can't just remove them for no reason. What if an accident happens?"

Bang!

Aesop slammed the table and yelled, "What, you think I need your protection? Or are these people here to surveil me‽ I'm telling you right now, remove these people, or I'll go back to Floating Dragon immediately! Is it your place to control me? Do you have any idea what my relationship with Black Star is?"

Nero's expression froze, and he was rather unhappy inside.

This old man is usually easy to talk to. What's wrong with him today? Did he swallow a bomb, or is it that time of the month?

However, unhappiness aside, Nero did not dare talk back to Aesop. After all, Aesop was there to help and represented Floating Dragon. Plus, Aesop was his senior and the Dragon Emperor's foster father, as well as his godfather's good friend.

Aesop did not want to return to the headquarters, and it was not like he could force him or kidnap him. Otherwise, even if his godfather might not blame him, Aunt Ames would not be happy about it for sure.

Nero barely forced out a smile and said, "Since you like to be alone, I won't have the guards follow you."

"That's better."

Aesop turned, glanced at the officers around, and said casually, "You all heard that?"

While the two of them argued, the people in the room all stopped what they were doing and stood in place, frozen. Hearing what Aesop said, they could only nod.

"Good, that's all. I'll go back to my room," Aesop said monotonously. He turned around and left with hands behind his back.

Watching Aesop disappear from their sights, dissatisfaction showed on many people's faces.

"Who does this old man think he is? So arrogant," a Calamity Grade bodyguard said with a frown. "As if I'd be willing to protect him if not for the army's order."

"Exactly, this old man is in over his head." Another person was rather unhappy too.

"Alright, alright, that's enough. He's my senior no matter what. Maybe he's just not in a good mood today. Let's not force him if he's not willing to do so." Nero frowned slightly. He said a few words and hung up the communication.

To be frank, he had been a little tempted to report this to Han Xiao. However, Aesop had just made a big contribution, so if he reported him just because his attitude toward him was a little off, it would be too petty of him, like a kid crying to his father when just slightly unhappy. His godfather hoped he could be independent, and him doing that might disappoint his godfather.

"I'm not angry… I'm not angry…"

Inside the headquarters office, Nero softly murmured to himself. Then, he started to really feel his emotions gradually calming down, as if he was meditating. He had a subtle feeling that he seemed to have learned some kind of special trick to keep himself calm.

…

"Godfather! Godfather!"

More than a half month later, Han Xiao, who was in the Flickering World's Black Star Palace, received a communication request from Nero. He was startled by Nero's loud voice right after he picked it up.

"Calm down, what's wrong?" Han Xiao moved the communicator a little further away and picked his ear with his pinky finger.

"Aesop is missing!" Nero's tone was anxious.

Han Xiao's movements paused for a second. He frowned and said, "What do you mean by missing?"

"It means he's missing! We have no idea where he's gone, and we can't find him."

"Didn't you send people to follow him? How did he go missing?" Han Xiao asked.

"I…" Nero explained what had happened with a regretful tone. Aesop had shown displeasure toward the bodyguards, so the bodyguards did not follow Aesop closely around so that Aesop would not be disturbed. However, when they were resting on a city planet, the bodyguards discovered that Aesop had gone missing.

"Also, they've discovered a video message Aesop left inside his room."

"What did that old man say?"

"He said it was a message for you, telling you to remember your promise from not long ago." Nero played the video of Aesop saying that.

Having figured out the whole picture, Han Xiao caressed his chin and wondered.

About a month ago when he chatted with Aesop, Aesop had mentioned that he planned to leave the Shattered Star Ring and continue travelling, and he had come to an unspoken agreement with Han Xiao. This was the first possible reason for Aesop going missing that popped up in Han Xiao's mind.

However, with some thought, Han Xiao felt something was not right.

That's weird. The old man clearly said he'd only leave after the Super Star Cluster Alliance issues are over and he's done helping me with it. By leaving now, it means he didn't keep the promise. Was he just unable to endure it any longer?

Han Xiao was wondering but it did not show on his face. He nodded at Nero and said, "Got it, I'll deal with this matter. You can put it aside."

"I… sigh, alright then." Nero wanted to explain himself but gave up after pausing. He sighed and hung up the communication.

Han Xiao stood up from his chair, softly tapped the table twice, and suddenly pulled Phillip out.

"Master, hum… What is it?"

"Bring up the records of Aesop's whereabouts in the last month."

Although Han Xiao felt that Aesop might have run away deliberately, it was better to check through with caution in times like this.

Very soon, Phillip found the records. Han Xiao closed his eyes and browsed them quickly in his mind.

"Hmm, doesn't seem like anything is wrong. He even successfully destroyed a secret stronghold of the Modo Civilization more than ten days ago. Everything seems normal," Han Xiao murmured.

No part of these records seemed abnormal, but he still had a strange intuition that something was off.

The intuitions of Beyond Grade As were always rather accurate. Considering what Aesop had said some time ago about facing some kind of danger in the future, he had a bad feeling about this.

"I have to find him and make sure things are fine."

Initially, his agreement with Aesop was that he would only symbolically chase after Aesop if he ran away but actually let him go. If he really captured Aesop, Ames would definitely be more cautious and monitor Aesop even more closely, and Aesop would probably not have the chance to escape again.

However, out of caution, Han Xiao decided to catch Aesop for real this time. Anyway, the old man did not keep his side of the bargain, so he would still have the moral high ground even if his intuition was wrong.

Having made his decision, Han Xiao gave an order to Nero and told him to command the Shattered Star Ring troops to use all the resources to search for Aesop.

Then, Han Xiao walked out of the room and entered a secret lab.

Inside the lab was a translucent hibernation cabin where Rody was locked inside. Around it were Information Form restrainers. It was the Destiny's Child sub-body that had yet to fully transform.

Aesop's foresight is strong. If he really has made up his mind to escape, unless Nero or Feidin go after him personally, it really won't be an easy task to capture him with just my subordinates. However, now I have a reliable foresight talent in my hands…

Han Xiao chuckled.

In the past, he was only a fake 'Foreseer', so he could only rely on superstition and luck to capture Aesop. However, this time was different. He had a real foresight master in his hands.

Foreseers could see the multiple possibilities of the future. When their abilities clashed, it was basically something like 'I foresaw that you foresaw what I foresaw'; whoever could see further would win.

Although Rody was only half transformed and could not control his ability fully and the focus of the prophecy was basically random, with the uniqueness of Destiny's Child, he should be able to have a few rounds with Aesop.

Han Xiao operated on the hibernation cabin for a while, and Rody awakened shortly after. He opened his eyes slowly with confusion and was dazed for quite some time before gaining focus. Seeing Han Xiao outside the cabin, he shrunk his head and said softly, "Your Excellency Black Star?"

"You're awake." Han Xiao opened the cabin door and said with a smile, "I need your help for something. I have to borrow your foresight ability."

"Huh? But I can't control this ability yet." Rody panicked a little.

"Just do your best… Do you remember that old man who can see you too? The tall, skinny one, the one who spoke for you."

"Yes." Rody nodded. He had a strong impression of anyone who could see him.

"That guy is playing hide and seek with me. I need to find him now. Keep saying his name in your head, then touch me and try to trigger a prophecy that's related to him."

"W-what if the prophecy isn't related to him?" Rody asked softly.

Han Xiao smiled but said with an indisputable tone, "Then try until it is!"

Rody shivered.

He could not control his ability yet. He had to come into contact with the person and would certainly faint afterward. After which, he would wake up feeling extremely weak, and that did not feel good at all.

At this moment, Han Xiao's smile looked like a devil in his eyes.

"Ready?"

"Y-yes."

Rody knew he was in no position to object. He swallowed his saliva and started to rapidly repeat Aesop's name in his mind, hoping he would overperform and succeed in one try.

He extended his shivering hand and touched Han Xiao's arm.

The moment they touched, Rody started to tremble all over his body like he was being electrocuted.

"Ah!"

A few seconds later, his eyes rolled up, and he fell onto the ground. He had fainted.

Han Xiao was not surprised. He took out an emerald green potion from his pocket and injected it into Rody.

He could observe Rody now, which meant he could touch him. Rody fainted because he was just an ordinary man, and he could not afford the energy consumption of his ability, so giving him some potions would speed up his awakening… This was the result Han Xiao had obtained after more than a dozen tests.

As expected, not long after, Rody's eyelids shook, and he slowly opened his eyes. His blurry vision started to clear up as he saw Han Xiao's large body squatting in front of him, staring at him with burning emotions in his eyes.

"Tell me, what did you see?"

Rody shrunk his neck with fear, recalling the images he saw in his dreams. He looked at Han Xiao's expression and said cautiously, "I-I saw that you and a black-dressed woman were dragged into a war. Countless battleships exploded in your hands, and a corpse lay under your feet…"

"A corpse?" Han Xiao was stunned. The storyline of the previous life flowed up his mind, and he said subconsciously, "Aesop's?"

"Yes, his."

Han Xiao narrowed his eyes.

In his previous life, Aesop's death was what caused the Dragon Emperor to lose control and start a slaughter, which went against the peace contract between Universal Civilizations and led to her being hunted.

Is this the world correcting the timeline, or is it because of some reason I'm unaware of? Han Xiao crossed his arms, scratched his chin, and pondered. Interesting. It feels like someone is plotting something in the dark…