Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!-Chapter 860 - 614 Star Sea Lantern

The news of the starship's upcoming flight spread widely among the players. Kuang Xin and the others, who were planning to meet Bai E, were among the first to hear about it.

Knowing that Master Bai E hadn't abandoned the plan to explore the Star Sea, they were undoubtedly the happiest ones.

Thus, whenever players encountered other intelligent lifeforms in the deep reaches of space, they knew they should promptly inform the master—after all, it might actually help him in some way.

Freshly returned from testing the new starship beyond the atmosphere, Bai E soon heard reports that those "Sons of Demons" he was most familiar with were waiting for his attention.

'They usually wouldn't seek me out unless there's something they deem valuable—either crucial information or a worthwhile item they want to present,' Bai E thought.

Nodding slightly, Bai E responded to his assistant, "Bring them in."

...

In the reception hall of Bai E's exclusive City Lord Manor, Bai E once again met the squad members who had been sticking together since the game's very beginning.

For a player to build their "little family" within the game, it's always a truly joyful thing.

The fact that these players had managed to continue their companionship for so long—perhaps that was their greatest achievement in the game.

Seeing them triggered long-cherished memories in Bai E—memories of friends he had known and bonded with during earlier days in the game. Even though he could barely recall their names or personalities today, the happiness they had shared always remained etched in his heart.

"What's the news?" Bai E asked with a smile.

Kuang Xin immediately leapt forward with excitement, "Master, we found aliens!"

That succinct statement instantly ignited the suspense Bai E had long been carrying in his heart.

"Aliens?" Bai E questioned.

Though the indigenous inhabitants of the game world had mostly reached a consensus that beings like the "Sons of Demons" or "Renegades" held unexpected channels for communication, none but Bai E, who truly understood the players' identities, knew how incredibly useful their forums could be in the real world.

The players' eyes and ears were infinitely connected and shared.

That Kuang Xin and the others came rushing to him meant that this information had indeed been verified.

After all, these players had consistently proven their reliability to Bai E over time.

"That's right! Aliens!" Kuang Xin's face was full of enthusiasm. "Our companions uncovered significant information about them. Upon learning this, the first thing we thought of was that you, Master, might need this intel the most."

Companions?

No doubt referring to those players who ventured out using small escape pods during the starship's return journey.

The intention behind letting them roam freely was precisely to test whether the players' luck and resilience could uncover surprises in the universe.

And now, it seemed they had indeed found something remarkable.

Bai E felt invigorated inside, his expression openly encouraging as he asked, "Tell me, what are these aliens like?"

"We don't yet know their internal structure, but at least from appearance, they look very similar to us. Height, physique, and even racial traits are almost indistinguishable. Only humans who evolved under unique planetary conditions show distinct characteristics tied to their environments. But in general, it seems like we all might trace back to a shared ancestor across different branches," Kuang Xin explained.

Dai Lian stepped forward as well, elaborating on all the details they had deliberately gathered, including the players' own reliable conjectures: "Moreover, their social structures function in a way akin to nation-to-nation diplomacy. Broadly peaceful in scope, with pockets of conflict at smaller scales. However, based on the limited information our companions have obtained so far, we still can't determine how they'll react to encountering civilizations like ours—a planet new to interstellar exploration."

Those players who had ventured out were far from reckless. Before fully understanding the cosmic situation, none were foolish enough to outright reveal their origin as being from a relatively secluded planet that had just stepped into the age of widespread interstellar navigation.

More information would require time, or potentially larger fleets to perform in-depth exploration.

Nodding in thought, Bai E asked with anticipation, "Do your companions have any idea where they are located within their Star Domain? If they do, perhaps on our next voyage we could set course directly for their region."

The currently planned Star Domain target showed only traces of possible human alteration—how could that compare to the firsthand intel provided by the players as guides?

"Well..." Dai Lian hesitated for a moment, slightly embarrassed, "We'll still have to dig into that and investigate further."

Astronomical navigation wasn't exactly the players' strong suit.

They'd likely need to scour online forums, searching for expert guidance capable of pinpointing directions within the game's starlit cosmos based on the information the players provided.

"I'll leave that to you, then," Bai E said, pursing his lips briefly before adding, "And if you can find companions willing to contribute a Spiritual Energy Beacon, that would be even better."

With these thoughts in mind, Bai E immediately began drafting a mission on the spot—

[Commission description automatically generating...]

[Side Mission—Star Sea's Light (Resource-Based Commission): On humanity's path to exploring the Star Sea, an insurmountable obstacle has emerged. To overcome this challenge, we must deploy some forerunners to establish guiding beacons far ahead at the target points. Only the shining wisdom of higher-dimensional brilliance can serve as the sole flame to lead humanity onward! (Note: This mission is valid only for the first completion. Subsequent completions by others will not yield rewards.)]