The Legendary Mechanic

Chapter 333: Black Star: The Beginning (3)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

[Faction Management] was the most complicated among all the NPC interfaces. There was a dizzying number of options and information. Through this interface, Han Xiao had access to all the faction-related features a player would have, and he could also give out faction missions, albeit a limited amount.

The level of reward that he could give out was dependent on his own level, faction rank, faction influence, and legendary points.

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Faction Reward Limit: 92,000

Faction Leader Level: 70 (+56,000 reward limit)

Officers: None (NPC)

Faction Size: 47 (+20,000 reward limit)

Renown: 2 (+4,000 reward limit)

Faction Leader Legendary Points: 3 (+15% reward limit)

Allies and Enemies: None

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92,000 was the limit for a single mission, but the daily total limit was twenty times that amount, far more than the limit for individual members, which was only five times more. Moreover, the other factors such as the faction officers and renown would all add on to that limit. With everything added up, their faction’s currently daily total limit was twenty-six times the base amount.

This meant that he could reward the players in his faction with a total of 2.4 million experience every day, but as there were currently fifty or so players, each player could only receive around 50,000 experience. This was not really a lot of experience for the players at their level.

The reward limit mainly controls the speed at which a faction can grow. This is only the base limit, so there’s still a lot of room for growth.

He made some calculations, and putting aside his leadership level, his own character level also contributed to the reward limit. Recruiting strong NPC officers to their faction would also greatly increase their reward limit. This convinced him of the need to start interacting with main storyline characters. The faction size was also separated into different stages, with the next cutoff being a hundred members. Renown was basically the same as the reputation system with a small difference. Faction renown was the aggregate of all area reputation points. For example, ten points of renown in the Garton Galaxy and five points in the Gelock Star Cluster would add up to a total of fifteen faction renown.

Legendary Points gave a percentage increase to the reward limit, and this increase was calculated after all the other factors such as leadership points were accounted for. The “Allies and Enemies” was basically the faction’s foreign relations.

Aside from faction missions, the system also allowed him to manage and monitor the player-faction relationship, as well individual players’ level of contribution. Overall, Han Xiao was very pleased with this new interface, and it could help him attract more players.

After Han Xiao established his faction, the other players also received notifications on their interface.

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You have joined [Black Star Mercenary Group].

Current relationship: Cold (0/300)

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The players were not surprised, as something like a faction notification was everyday business to them.

Han Xiao’s Faction Management system started listing out the names of the member players. His eyes flashed, and he gave out another notification.

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You are the Black Star Mercenary Group’s first batch of recruits. You have gained 300 contribution points. Current relationship status: Neutral (300/1000)

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“There’s something like this?”

“We got the neutral status directly.”

The players were overjoyed, and they hurriedly studied the faction interface. They wanted to find out what benefits they could get out of earning contribution points.

Once they entered the faction reward page, an assortment of items was displayed in front of them. Most of these items were originally in Han Xiao’s personal NPC shop, and he simply moved them over to the faction page. Moreover, he also threw in some good stuff that was not available from his shop. There were the Ranger 2.5 robots, each costing 1,500 contribution points to exchange; mini mobile turrets, each costing 1,200 points; and the original Python mechanical suit, which cost 6,000 points.

The equipment and items instantly caused a reaction from the players.

“Good stuff!”

“God-tier gear!”

The players were moved. These items had previously been unavailable to purchase no matter how much money they had.

“The mercenary group is newly established, and the credibility rating is still quite low,” Han Xiao said. “Only by raising our credibility rating can we take on higher level missions. We’re all comrades-in-arms now. Let’s work hard together for the future of the mercenary group.”

Immediately after, he made the faction size information visible to all the players in the interface. He wanted to use this as a reminder for them that they could take on jobs with better pay once they raised their rating. Moreover, he wanted the players to feel like they could directly contribute to the faction’s growth with their own actions.

The players were taking a while to process all this information.

Then, Han Xiao turned his attention to finding missions or job notices given by the Sunil tribe for his subclass. He quickly found several available missions; however, their faction’s credibility rating needed to be at least 120.

120 points? Han Xiao thought as he touched his chin. If he did things normally, he would be able to acquire 120 points after taking several outbound combat missions. However, he decided to take those menial labor missions that awarded at least one credibility point per mission. These daily missions were safe and easy, and they could be completed within the hub. Although it would take more missions, was this not what the players were for?”

He immediately used the newly gained interface to issue a faction mission.

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Faction Mission [Credibility Standard]

Mission Introduction: Black Star Mercenary Group has decided to take on an outbound assignment. However, the minimum credibility rating must first be met. (Note: This is the prerequisite of the first outbound assignment taken on by the faction.)

Mission requirement: Complete the daily missions and jobs at the Hub Center until the Black Star Mercenary Group has acquired 120 credibility points.

Reward: 45,000 experience and 300 faction contribution points

Remark: The three top contributors to meeting the credibility rating minimum will receive additional benefits.

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“There isn’t much experience awarded, but the contribution points rewarded are not bad.”

“Did you not see? This is only the first part. We will be able to take on the combat assignment later on. That’s where we’ll be able to get the experience.”

“This is a team mission, right? It’s asking for everyone to contribute to the 120 points total.”

“Hoho. You even get benefits for being the top three.”

Frenzied Sword, Hao Tian, and the others got excited and could not sit still after seeing the reward. They knew better than anyone that Han Xiao’s ‘benefits’ would definitely not be ordinary.

The mission only required taking on the daily missions in the hub. These missions usually only had to do with cleaning and some other utility-related work. The good thing was that they did not have to go through the trouble of leaving the hub. If the fifty players worked together, they would be able to meet the credibility rating requirement very fast. Han Xiao was not worried at all. Moreover, the players had only been getting benefits ever since they joined the faction. So, they naturally had no reason to refuse the faction invitation.

After receiving Han Xiao’s orders, the players spread out and left to take on the daily missions. With this group of helpers, Han Xiao was able to clear out a lot of time for himself to deal with some other business. After he returned to the resting room, he decided to make some preparations as well as think through his future plans.

A few hours later, Li Ge and the others returned to the resting room. They had been walking around outside for quite a while. Li Ge had left for space because he wanted to trigger all those new missions. With so many new NPCs at the Hub Center, he could not wait to explore around and see what missions he could accept. However, he found out that most people there were travelers, and they all laughed Li Ge and the others away when they tried to offer help. The NPCs asked them why they did not just go to the Mercenary Alliance if they wanted to take on jobs.

Although they could not receive any missions, they were able to get a new piece of information. After heading to the Mercenary Alliance and busying themselves for half the day, they finally registered themselves as mercenaries. Seeing the countless listings of jobs and missions convinced them that they had made the right choice in coming to space.

Furthermore, Li Ge believed that acting by themselves was the right action to take, as they had gained a lead on the other players.

The group of people chatted as they walked to the room’s entrance.

“We have gained an advantage this time. Do you think we should tell others about this mercenary thing?”

Li Ge shook his head. “This is an opportunity that we found. We’re all competing against each other here. There’s no need to tell them straight away.”

“But should we tell them if they were to ask?”

Li Ge thought about this, and he appeared to be troubled. Hiding away information like this after being asked would cause trouble easily. Just as he was trying to decide what to do, the group opened the door to the room. However, they realized that not a single player was in the room.

“Hmm.” A Temple of God player was confused and asked, “Where did the others go?”

“No idea.” Li Ge was glad and secretly let out a deep breath. He no longer had to be afraid of being questioned by the other players.