Deep Sea Zone, Starmancer Association · Deep Blue Branch, Sound of the Tide.
Dotre: "No! An entire special operations squadron is absolutely out of the question!"
Deep Blue Branch President 'Great White Shark Dotre' finally couldn't suppress his anger when he heard that the General Association's special envoy wanted to transfer an entire special operations squadron from his branch. He slammed his palm heavily on the coral conference table, the force so great that the illuminating pearls hanging above them shook violently.
Under the flickering light, the other people in the meeting room, watching Dotre confronting Byron, the special envoy from the General Association, held their breath, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire. Fortunately, though angry, Dotre was only venting and not truly preparing to defy the General Association. If nothing else, Byron's strength alone was enough to take on their entire Deep Blue Branch.
Therefore, after calming himself, Great White Shark Dotre sat back down. He looked up at 'Unbreakable Body Byron', the special envoy from the General Association, who wore a metal mask.
Dotre: "Byron," he said seriously, "I can give you half a squadron at most, and the leader will only be a vice-captain level."
Dotre: "After all, there's only one low-risk exploration zone around our Deep Blue Metropolis, which means our Association Starmancers here are far fewer in both quantity and quality compared to other New Federation cities."
Dotre: "Not to mention, our valuable personnel are also needed to guard the precious Deep Blue mineral veins."
Dotre: "If those with ill intentions learn that the Deep Blue Branch is short an entire special operations squadron, they will definitely be eager to make a move."
Safe Zone, Low-Risk Zone, High-Risk Zone, Fallen Zone, Forbidden Land...
These were the regional exploration risk levels jointly categorized by the Starmancer Association and the New Federation government. The first three were publicly available regional information, while the latter two were confidential, non-public information.
The 'Safe Zone', as the name suggests, referred to relatively safe areas. Like the urban areas of Deep Blue Metropolis, or the First Floating City · Star Rail Corridor, where the Starmancer Association Headquarters was located. These could all be considered relatively safe zones, where dangers rarely appeared.
The Low-Risk Zone meant that only level-two Star Beasts at most were consistently observed in that area.
The High-Risk Zone meant that only level-three Star Beasts at most were consistently observed in that area.
As for the Fallen Zone and Forbidden Land.
These two areas were confidential zones separately designated by the Starmancer Association and never revealed to the outside world. Unlike the near-transparent status of 'Low-Risk Zone' and 'High-Risk Zone'. 'Fallen Zone' and 'Forbidden Land' were dangerous areas that even the Starmancer Association could not observe. And as equally unobservable zones, the Association differentiated them based on the survival rate of Association Starmancers who entered them.
Any dangerous area with level-four or higher Star Beast activity, and from which Association Starmancers had historically emerged alive, would be classified by the Starmancer Association as a Fallen Zone, explorable only by high-level Starmancers.
And those areas from which no Association Starmancers had yet emerged alive.
Were classified by the Association as 'Forbidden Lands', where exploration was prohibited.
What was quite astonishing was that among the 'Fallen Zones' currently recorded by the Starmancer Association as explorable. More than two-thirds were the result of the current General President's efforts when he was young. The title of the strongest of the contemporary era was truly deserved.
Inside the meeting hall, although Dotre had already explained his difficulties to Special Envoy Byron. Special Envoy Byron clearly anticipated this.
After a moment of thought, he spoke, "Dotre, have your Association members step out first. There are some things I can only discuss with you alone."
Dotre: "Alright."
As Dotre waved his hand, the six Association Starmancers, including Gon, immediately stood up and left the meeting hall. At the same time, two level-two Association Starmancers brought by Byron from the 'City of Steam' also voluntarily left the meeting hall at Byron's signal.
Soon after, the spacious meeting hall was quickly left with only Dotre and Byron.
After confirming that there was no one else besides Dotre, Byron took out a 'jammer-like' starmance item and placed it on the conference table. It cut off all possibility of outsiders detecting the meeting's content.
Having completed this series of confidentiality measures, Byron finally began to disclose some of the mission details he could reveal to Dotre. And upon hearing the astonishing information contained in those words. Even the experienced Branch President Dotre couldn't help but widen his pupils and open his mouth, utterly shocked.
Ten minutes later.
Byron: "Dotre, this is all the information I can disclose to you. As for anything else, you cannot, and it's best you don't know. Because knowing too much will not only bring you no benefit, but it's also likely to bring you a fatal disaster."
Dotre, still in shock from Byron's words, didn't respond. He took deep breaths, clearly processing the astonishing information in his mind.
A moment later, Dotre closed his eyes, and the gills on the sides of his ears completely shut. When he opened his eyes again, his original concerns and anger had been replaced by an emotion called excitement.
Dotre: "Alright, Byron, a special operations squadron it is. As long as the promise you mentioned can be fulfilled. Then forget a mere special operations squadron; even if you want this old man to personally take action, there's absolutely no problem."
Watching the emotional Dotre, Byron, with his characteristic rational demeanor as a Mechanoid, calmly urged him to cool down.
Byron: "No need, Dotre. It's not that I look down on you, nor that I don't want a powerful helper like you. It's because their intelligence on Deep Blue Metropolis might far exceed your imagination."
Byron: "While the deployment of just one special operations squadron will still draw their attention, it's far from enough to make them disregard everything and relocate immediately."
Byron: "But if even you, the branch president, start taking action, then with their intelligence network built up here over the years, they will certainly detect the danger in advance and immediately relocate."
Byron: "Once things develop to that point, it won't be so easy to catch them anymore."
Hearing this, Dotre couldn't help but ask a core question.
Dotre: "Byron, since you're so afraid of startling those guys in advance, why don't you ask for help from the family behind you, or even the Association Headquarters?"
Dotre: "You know, whether it's your Iron Dome family, or the Association Headquarters that gathers the most high-level Starmancers in the entire New Federation, they are both much stronger than my mere Deep Blue Branch and can dispatch far more high-level Starmancers."
In response to Dotre's question, Byron gave an unexpected answer.
Byron: "That's because our family once had an agreement with the General President: unless that person did something harmful to the New Federation, we would absolutely not act against them."
Byron: "And while that guy has done a lot in recent years, from the perspective of the New Federation and the Starmancers, what he's done isn't harming the New Federation at all; rather, it's promoting the development of the New Federation and the Starmancer world."
Byron: "Therefore, if the General President knew that we were outwardly abiding by the agreement but secretly investigating him, he would certainly not let us off easily."
Byron: "And both the Headquarters and our family have quite a few of the General President's people."
Byron: "Only in remote areas like Deep Blue Metropolis and the City of Steam, far from the seven great floating cities, can I ensure there are no General President's eyes."
Byron: "Otherwise, even if I claimed to be exploring a high-level Fallen Zone, I couldn't guarantee that news wouldn't leak."
At this point, Dotre finally understood the whole story. And after realizing the importance of this mission and the immense benefits he could gain from it, Dotre said without further hesitation.
Dotre: "Alright, Byron, I understand. Tell me, who from our branch have you set your sights on? Just say the word, and I'll have them cooperate fully with you."
Byron: "Gon. You must temporarily borrow Gon."
Dotre: "Are you sure?"
Dotre looked at Byron in surprise, then seriously reminded him, "Byron, while Gon's strength is considerable, due to the demanding conditions of a perfect awakening, he absolutely cannot and will not unleash his full power right now."
Dotre: "Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen our small, remote Deep Blue Branch over the core branches within the seven great floating cities."
Facing Dotre's reminder, Byron's answer was firm.
Byron: "Don't worry, I have a way to make him unleash his full power without breaking the conditions of his perfect awakening."
Dotre: "Is that so? Then I have no problem with that, it's up to him. But his personality is rather unique, and I can't say for sure that I can persuade him. I hope you understand this."
Byron: "It's fine."
As Dotre and Byron settled on the candidate, the scene of the series switched again, arriving at the corridor outside the meeting hall.
To the surprise of the Dimensional Audience, the camera focused on an unfamiliar middle-aged Starmancer. Along with this person, simple information about him also appeared in the frame.
[Name: William Howard (Clock Knight)]
[Faction: Starmancer Association · City of Steam Branch]
[Level: Level Two · Mid-Tier]
[Base Starmance Energy Value: 7500]
[Star Source: Transformation Type · Iron Clock]
During the boring wait for the two important figures in the meeting hall, William, bored, leaned against the corridor wall outside the meeting hall, his expression focused as he meticulously adjusted the time on the pink children's watch on his left wrist. The children's watch was not only childish in style, but its dial edges were also intentionally adorned with crooked strawberry stickers. This made it incredibly out of place with William, who wore heavy black armor, a two-handed greatsword on his back, and exuded a formidable aura.
Benjamin: "William, why do you always wear this children's watch? Does it have some special meaning?"
Just as William was completely immersed in his own world, a voice suddenly came from beside him. William looked up, following the direction of the voice. The speaker was none other than Benjamin Iron Dome, the current captain of the City of Steam's First Squadron, who had been transferred from Headquarters a month ago.
At the same time, information about Benjamin also appeared in the series' frame.
[Name: Benjamin Iron Dome (Explosives Expert)]
[Faction: Starmancer Association · City of Steam Branch]
[Level: Level Two · High-Tier]
[Base Starmance Energy Value: 8500]
[Star Source: Mechanoid Type · Metal Detonation]
Although not particularly familiar with Benjamin. William still smiled and offered an explanation.
William: "Captain, this isn't some childish children's watch; it's an important good luck charm given to me by my precious daughter. Of course, I can't just take it off."
Looking at the happy William, Benjamin Iron Dome, a Mechanoid-type Starmancer, immediately leaned his upper body back by 15 degrees in a very formulaic manner. At the same time, the muscles in his face were precisely adjusted to a 'helpless and envious' expression. He perfectly displayed the 'complex emotions' of envy and jealousy he felt upon hearing William's words.
While Benjamin's performance was incredibly realistic. As a tenth-generation Mechanoid elite from the Iron Dome family, he had already undergone the family's 'emotional excision surgery' at the age of six, where the amygdala tissue in his brain, representing human emotions, was removed by the family doctor. Therefore, all his current reactions were nothing more than cold disguises displayed after precise calculation.
Mechanoids don't need boring human emotions.
Because they would only become a burden to Mechanoids.
[Human Emotion Simulation Program Activated, Specific Emotional Expression Behavior Generating...]
[Optimal Emotional Expression Method Generated, Expected to Increase Target Subject 'William Howard's' Favorability by '5%~10%']
[Specific Emotional Expression Method as Follows...]
Relying on his powerful 'Human Emotion Simulation Program', Benjamin quickly found the optimal way to express himself. He suddenly lowered his head and earnestly observed the children's watch on William's wrist.
A moment later, he kindly reminded him, "William, I see that the time on your watch seems a bit off. Is it because the internal parts are old and rusty?"
Hearing this, William sighed helplessly.
William: "Yes, the air in Deep Blue Metropolis is too humid, far less dry than in the City of Steam, causing my precious good luck charm to have problems as soon as it came here."
William: "But it's okay. When I get back to the City of Steam, I'll use the tools at home to give it a thorough maintenance again, ensuring it works normally again."
Benjamin asked 'curiously', "Why wait until you return to the City of Steam to do the maintenance? If I remember correctly, the internal structure of such a watch should be quite simple."
Benjamin: "As a famous watchmaker in the City of Steam, repairing it shouldn't be difficult for you, should it?"
William chuckled and waved his hand, saying proudly, "Captain Benjamin, your thoughts are purely from the perspective of an excellent watchmaker, not an excellent father."
William: "You see, for an excellent father, fixing this watch is certainly important, but even more important is enjoying the admiring and adoring gaze of his daughter beside him."
William: "So, this watch... I really can only fix it after I get home."
Looking at the happy William, Benjamin paused, then said with great 'emotion', "Without a daughter, I really can't understand the thoughts of you fathers."
William: "It's alright, it's alright. Once you, Captain, find someone you want to protect for a lifetime and become a father, you'll be able to understand how I feel."
Benjamin: "...Then I hope that day comes for me."
William: "Don't worry, Captain, that day will definitely come."
Real world, Station 13.
The Dimensional Audience watched these two unfamiliar characters who appeared for the first time on screen. Although they didn't know what their future roles in the plot would be or what interactions they would have with the protagonist group. But since the production team specifically introduced them and dedicated valuable series time to shaping them. It meant that they would definitely play a significant part in the subsequent plot. Otherwise, the production team of Starfall would never waste so many valuable resources on two irrelevant supporting characters.
Combining the current dialogue between the two and the recent conversation between Branch President Dotre and Special Envoy Byron. Some intelligent Dimensional Audience members seemed to have vaguely understood something.
'Daughter's gift, a suddenly broken watch, the desire to go home... Uncle, why do you look so dead?'
'Seven Great Floating Cities, Fallen Zones and Forbidden Lands, the suddenly appearing City of Steam... I feel like the production team is already setting the stage for the second season's plot. Could the main setting for the second season be the City of Steam?'
'The General Association's special envoy specifically requested Gon? Looks like Gon is getting into a high-tier game this time. I wonder how he'll perform in this high-tier game.'
'To the previous commenter, could it be that Gon has always been 'fishing' and isn't really a 'fish'? After all, according to the Branch President's statement earlier, although Gon has been suppressing his strength, he's still thriving in Level Two, clearly not belonging to this tier.'
'Human Emotion Simulation Program? Goodness, are the Mechanoids in the Starfall world that terrifying? Instead of being good humans, they choose to be robots. Scary.'
'Do you think the General Association's special envoy's mission is the cause of Tendo's terrible prophetic dream earlier? Otherwise, why would the production team suddenly release this plot section?'
'Damn, according to your theory, Tendo and the others are suddenly going to face a Level Four High-Tier General Association Starmancer, four at least Level Two Mid-Tier elite branch Starmancers, and a number of Level One branch Starmancers? How is Ember Base supposed to fight that now?!'
'What's wrong with a Level Four High-Tier? Based on the Doctor's consistent impressive demeanor, his level is either Level Four or above, or a perfect Level Three. Otherwise, how could he have created the Starfall Project?'
'What the previous commenter said makes sense.'
Just as the Dimensional Audience members were engaged in a heated discussion about the various information revealed in this plot section. The scene within the series suddenly switched to the meeting hall door.
Creak—
As the meeting hall door slowly opened, the first thing that appeared was the special scene composition inside the meeting hall. The illuminating pearls on the ceiling of the meeting hall seemed to be slowly covered by thick clouds. Not only was the light they emitted very faint, but even the originally straight light rays now showed slight distorted halos, giving off an inexplicably oppressive feeling. At the same time, the tidal patterns carved on the walls around the meeting hall slowly flowed, like tides gathering before a storm.
Previously, it was just an ordinary meeting hall. But under the deliberate rendering of the production team, this ordinary meeting hall now gave a sense of an impending storm.
As the camera slowly zoomed in, the entire series' frame quickly focused on Special Envoy Byron, who was at the center of the 'storm'.
Byron: "Alright everyone, Dotre and I have finished our discussion. You... may enter."
As Byron's voice fell, the entire series' frame instantly dimmed. Only a pair of special eyes remained, emitting a mysterious faint light in the profound darkness. This faint light, coupled with the unique sound of ocean waves from the Sound of the Tide. Made the Dimensional Audience in front of their screens realize one thing.
That a great storm was about to arrive.