Recaps

The Firmament put Lin Ye’s The Great Wall Watch Instance under review for a day, delaying its return to Azure Star. Meanwhile, Great Xia’s assault devastated the Goryeo Settlement, where survivors begged Park Seong-man to surrender it to Lin Ye.

• The Firmament restricted The Great Wall Watch for a day while it reviewed the Instance, and Lin Ye considered using the cooldown to draw out hostile Settlements.
• Bai Tianhao told Lin Ye that Dean Ding had awakened and that Great Xia had destroyed over 130 South Korean Instances, killing 500,000 people; Commander Long Yuan had also conquered Park Seong-man’s Instance.
• Lin Ye declined to follow the news about Goryeo, believing the Settlement’s destruction was inevitable.
• In the Universe Settlement, survivors mourned the 2.4 million dead and blamed Park Seong-man, while others urged him to surrender the Settlement to Lin Ye to save those still alive.

Park Seong-man watched the South Korea Settlement collapse after Lin Ye’s victories triggered mass deaths and departures, while his own Instance was cleared and cost him millions of points. With the other Settlements abandoning them, Choi Tae-won proposed ending the Settlement so its people could survive.

• South Korean residents demanded that Park Seong-man step down and hand the Settlement over to Lin Ye.
• Park Seong-man received notice that Long Yuan’s team had cleared his Incheon War Instance, costing him 2.5 million points and pushing him down the Hero Ranking.
• Park Jeong-yong and Choi Tae-won reported that 130 Instances had been cleared, 2.1 million people had died, 20 million had migrated, and fewer than 10 million remained in the Settlement.
• Park Seong-man ordered the Settlement to seek help, but Choi Tae-won said the other seven Settlements had expelled them from their alliance.
• Choi Tae-won told Park Seong-man that ending the South Korea Settlement was the only way for them to survive.

Choi Tae-won replaced Park Seong-man as Commander of the Universe Settlement and agreed to transfer it to Lin Ye. Lin Ye accepted ownership, ordered all residents expelled, and renamed the settlement Lin Ye Settlement, which the Firmament would reset after 24 hours.

• Choi Tae-won told Park Seong-man to return the settlement to Lin Ye, and Park Seong-man protested that doing so would erase the Goryeo people.
• Choi Tae-won revealed that the Goryeo people had elected him as their new Commander and said he would transfer the settlement to Lin Ye; Park Seong-man collapsed unconscious.
• Lin Ye accepted Choi Tae-won's transfer request, making the Universe Settlement his personal property.
• Lin Ye ordered all residents expelled, giving them 24 hours to find a settlement willing to accept them.
• Lin Ye renamed the settlement Lin Ye Settlement and ordered the Firmament to reset it after 24 hours.

Lin Ye affiliated the reset South Korea Settlement with the Great Xia Settlement while keeping it separate. Meanwhile, Brahma sent Prince Singh to rally the other settlements against Lin Ye, and Singh persuaded Daiwa’s leaders to consider fighting The Great Wall Watch Instance.

• Lin Ye chose to affiliate the reset settlement with Great Xia, and Long Yuan approved the request.
• Brahma told Prince Singh to persuade the remaining settlements to support whoever challenged Lin Ye’s Instance, promising India’s points for weapons.
• Singh offered Minamoto no Yorimitsu one million points and promised India would cover Daiwa’s weapon purchases if Daiwa attacked Lin Ye’s Instance.
• Xiaochuan urged Minamoto no Yorimitsu to seize the chance to defeat Lin Ye, and Yorimitsu agreed to fight in person if Daiwa was selected.

Prince Singh failed to secure an alliance with Fulangche, though Gaul would continue opposing Great Xia. Lin Ye completed the Xuannü aerospace fighter and learned that The Great Wall Watch had been adjusted and could run again.

• Prince Singh visited Fulangche at Versailles Palace, but Fulangche refused to form an alliance and ordered him to leave while affirming Gaul would oppose Great Xia.
• Singh left satisfied that Gaul would remain an enemy of Great Xia, intending for India to seize technology after other settlements fought Lin Ye.
• Lin Ye completed the Xuannü aerospace fighter and submitted the Baidi design program before leaving the Creation Space.
• The Firmament announced that The Great Wall Watch would allow four million Challengers from two designated settlements, with two million from each, and removed its Dragon Country history animation.
• The Firmament approved the instance’s map, weapons, and mission flow, ended routine major reviews, and announced the changes on Above the Dome.

Lin Ye gathered Great Xia’s leaders to decide its strategic deployment and learn how the settlement had fared after The Great Wall Watch. He discovered that the other major settlements had united against him, while civilian broadcasts vilified him and Great Xia.

• After the Firmament approved The Great Wall Watch and allowed two settlements to be selected, Lin Ye called Bai Tianhao to arrange a strategy meeting.
• Lin Ye arrived at the Instance Research Center, where the directors welcomed him; Li Yunlong said Long Yuan had entrusted Lin Ye with command of Great Xia’s future deployment.
• Lin Ye asked the leaders to explain the state of Great Xia and the major settlements after The Great Wall Watch.
• Bai Tianhao showed broadcasts in which the Gaul, Triumph, United States, Dahe, Italy, and India settlements threatened to boycott or challenge Lin Ye and Great Xia.
• Bai Tianhao switched to civilian broadcasts that blamed Lin Ye for millions of deaths and called for a campaign against Great Xia, and Lin Ye reacted with amusement.

Lin Ye identified the campaign against Great Xia as a deliberate effort to manipulate public opinion and proposed closing vulnerable Instances for three days while he dealt with the seven major settlements. He then reviewed the settlements’ strengths with Bai Tianhao to choose targets for Great Xia’s next attacks.

• Lin Ye explained that the seven major settlements had stirred up public opinion to weaken Great Xia and encourage attacks.
• Li Yunlong reported that 500,000 people in Great Xia had been wiped out the previous day, mostly young designers whose Instances were easy targets.
• Lin Ye proposed temporarily closing Instances below difficult rank, along with selected difficult-rank Instances, and promised to disperse the seven major settlements within three days.
• Lin Ye persuaded the meeting to follow his plan, and the officials agreed to close young designers’ Instances and appeal for everyone to avoid battle.
• Lin Ye asked Bai Tianhao to explain the major settlements, and Bai described Triumph and United States, Italy, Gaul, and India Settlements.

Lin Ye selected the India and Gaul Settlements for the next opening of The Great Wall Watch, intending to exploit India’s wealth and test himself against Gaul’s top-ranked fighter. Brahma received notice that India had been chosen, and his reaction showed the challenge had shaken him.

• After learning that the A San people used their vast points to influence other settlements, Lin Ye ordered Great Xia to focus on India and clear its Instances.
• Lin Ye registered the India and Gaul Settlements for the next round of The Great Wall Watch, which would open in 20 hours.
• Lin Ye chose India to profit from its spending and Gaul to face its Commander, the Hero Ranking’s top fighter.
• Brahma received the Firmament’s notice that India had been designated for the Endless-level Instance and began to tremble.

After Lin Ye selected the India Settlement for his new Instance, Brahma chose Prince Singh to lead its people against him and promised access to the Settlement’s treasury and Gaul as an ally. Singh accepted the challenge, convinced Gaul’s support and advanced equipment would secure victory.

• Brahma learned that Lin Ye’s Instance would require two million Challengers from the India Settlement and that Gaul would be its ally.
• Brahma summoned Prince Singh, who was shocked that Lin Ye had chosen their Settlement.
• Brahma refused to enter the Instance and ordered Singh to lead their people against Lin Ye.
• Brahma authorized Singh to use the India Settlement’s treasury points to buy Lin Ye’s weapons and technology.
• Singh became confident after learning that Gaul would be their ally and accepted Brahma’s charge.

India and Gaul prepared their Challengers for the second Great Wall Watch Instance, with Fulangche determined to face Lin Ye himself. The Instance opened and began deploying its participants to the virtual battlefield.

• Singh selected high-level, high-point Challengers from the India Settlement and distributed collective reserves to fund their preparations.
• Fulangche assembled the Bonaparte Family’s warriors at Versailles Palace, where Joseph and Katerina confirmed they were ready.
• Fulangche declared that the Bonaparte Family would show Lin Ye its might, then chose to enter the Instance despite having Exemption Authority.
• After the voluntary registration period ended, the Firmament randomly selected Gaul’s Challengers and announced that the Instance requirements had been met.
• The Firmament opened the Endless-level Instance, Earth Online—The Five Permanent Members: The Great Wall Watch (beta version), and began deploying participants as Fulangche anticipated facing Lin Ye.

Fulangche and Singh entered The Great Wall Watch Instance as Azure Star viewers and Dungeon Designers rallied behind the seven great Settlements. When Dragon Country offered Challengers a chance to surrender, 500,000 Gauls left, leaving Singh shocked and Fulangche dismissive; the Firmament then began presenting the spawn points.

• Fulangche dismissed Singh’s greeting while Singh appeared beside him in the Instance, dressed extravagantly and drenched in perfume.
• Viewers and Dungeon Designers from across Azure Star praised the seven great Settlements and urged Fulangche to defeat Lin Ye, while Fulangche suspected Singh had paid for the support.
• The Firmament announced that The Great Wall Watch Instance had begun, introduced Dragon Country, and offered Challengers a way to leave by surrendering their points and sharing their technology.
• Five hundred thousand Gauls surrendered and left the Instance, prompting Singh to question Fulangche, who called the departing Gauls parasites.
• After the Firmament closed the exit, it began presenting the 30 spawn points to the remaining Challengers.

Singh and Katerina chose Big Macaque Country, while Fulangche sent his forces to India Country, splitting the Gaul and A San participants across four spawn points. After the Challengers arrived, Dragon Country gained powerful military buffs from both choices, and Singh found himself in a lavish room with Katerina.

• Singh tried to convince Fulangche to let the A San people join his forces, but Fulangche refused and argued that the forces should split up.
• Katerina chose Big Macaque Country, and Fulangche assigned half the Gaul people to her command; Singh followed her choice and ordered half the A San people to join her.
• Katerina told Singh and the A San people to follow her command, and Singh agreed while praising her naval skills.
• Fulangche chose India Country for a joint ground and air operation and ordered Joseph and the Bonaparte people to join him.
• The Firmament confirmed four spawn points in India and Big Macaque Country, appointed commanders, opened Watch 1 Channel, and deployed the Challengers.
• Singh arrived in a lavish room with Katerina, and the Firmament announced buffs for Dragon Country triggered by the choices of India and Big Macaque Country.

Katerina directed Big Macaque Country to choose the mission of occupying a Dragon Country region, targeting Tibet or Qiong Island. After Eagle Sauce offered military aid and two aircraft carriers, she examined its weapons list with a greedy smile.

• Katerina assessed Big Macaque Country's geography and identified advantages for land and naval warfare.
• Katerina ordered Singh to have all Challengers choose Mission 2, targeting sparsely defended Tibet or Qiong Island.
• The Firmament confirmed the mission choice and began a seven-day countdown in Free Mode of Total War.
• Eagle Sauce called Katerina and offered military aid, placing two Nimitz-class aircraft carriers at Cam Ranh Bay.
• Katerina hung up and went to the workbench to inspect Eagle Sauce's weapons list.

Katerina directed Prince Singh to spend the India Settlement’s pooled points on Eagle Sauce weapons, and the purchases assembled a vast naval force alongside ships the Challengers had brought into the Instance. Singh believed the force could overwhelm Dragon Country’s defenses and take Qiong Island, with Katerina set to command it.

• Katerina told Singh she would shop freely for weapons, and he promised the India Settlement would cover the cost.
• Singh gathered the pooled points and, at Katerina’s direction, spent 700 million on Eagle Sauce weapons despite noticing that prices had risen.
• The Instance’s purchases yielded carriers, destroyers, cruisers, submarines, and surveillance ships, while Singh had Challengers monitor the weapons’ drop rate.
• The India and Gaul Settlements added their own naval weapons, bringing the assembled force to roughly three million ships of varied models.
• Singh marveled at the fleet’s strength and believed it could take Qiong Island, trusting Katerina to command it.

Katerina and Singh discussed how to spend the A San people's points, and Singh transferred 300 million points to Joseph for India's air force. After Bear Country offered them the Big Ivan nuclear bomb for 200 million points, Singh ordered the A San people to gather the money for the purchase.

• Katerina told Singh that her navy was built and suggested he offer the remaining points to his uncle and cousin.
• Singh offered Fulangche 300 million points for a modern land army, but Fulangche refused Lin Ye's weapons and Joseph asked for the money to build India's air force.
• Singh transferred the 300 million points to Joseph, then Katerina answered a call from Bear Country's arms dealer Viktor.
• Viktor offered to sell them the Big Ivan nuclear bomb for 200 million points, and Katerina urged Singh to buy it.
• Singh ordered all A San people to gather 200 million points so he could complete their holy war.

Katerina arranged to use the purchased Big Ivan nuclear bomb as a delayed trump card while preparing a massive fleet for war against Lin Ye. The bomb would arrive in six days, leaving Singh behind in Big Macaque Country as Katerina gathered forces and ships at Cam Ranh Bay.

• A San believers donated their points so Singh could buy Big Ivan, but the Command Console announced that the nuclear bomb and its launch vehicle would arrive in six days.
• Katerina told Singh to stay in Big Macaque Country and guard the bomb, revealing that she considered his role fulfilled after he paid for the weapons.
• Katerina led the Challengers from Daluo City to Cam Ranh Bay, where she admired the fleet and declared her intention to test Lin Ye's strength and seize his naval technology.
• Katerina ordered her attendants to recruit Big Macaque people with maritime piloting experience and collect even the defective ships traded from Eagle Sauce Country.

Ding Chang watched Lin Ye’s Instance from his hospital bed as Bai Tianhao explained the threat posed by Katerina’s immense fleet and nuclear weapon. After hearing Lin Ye’s message, Ding Chang resolved to hold on until Lin Ye reached the pinnacle of Azure Star.

• Bai Tianhao told Ding Chang that Lin Ye’s Instance had wiped out the South Korea Settlement, and Ding Chang chose to stop chemotherapy and focus on watching the livestream.
• Bai Tianhao described Katerina’s rapid rise and formidable fleet, and Ding Chang recounted her unusual naval tactics and past victories.
• Bai Tianhao worried that Katerina’s forces and Big Ivan nuclear bomb put Lin Ye in danger, but Ding Chang urged him to trust Lin Ye’s preparations.
• Bai Tianhao told Ding Chang that Lin Ye had visited and asked him to hold on until Lin Ye reached the pinnacle of Azure Star.
• Ding Chang laughed and vowed to wait for Lin Ye’s success, recalling that Lin Ye had given him hope of fulfilling his long-cherished wish.

Fulangche and Joseph prepared their forces in India, with Joseph assembling a powerful air force and Fulangche relying on Gaul-designed ground weapons. Fulangche planned to use Nepal and the Himalayas to bypass Lin Ye’s technological advantage and attack Dragon Country.

• Joseph used Singh’s 300 million points to acquire advanced Eagle Sauce Country aircraft, while the Gauls also brought 400,000 Dewoitine D.520 fighters into the instance.
• Fulangche reviewed his varied Gaul-designed ground forces and studied the map as the Gauls patiently prepared for battle.
• Joseph asked Fulangche why he did not buy Lin Ye’s weapons, and Fulangche argued that using them could mean falling into Lin Ye’s trap.
• Fulangche explained that the Gauls would rely on terrain and surprise, then pointed to the mountains between Dragon Country and India as their battlefield.
• Fulangche planned for the Gauls to enter Nepal, declare war on Dragon Country, draw its troops toward India, and infiltrate the snow-covered Himalayas.

Fulangche explained his plan to attack Tibet through the Himalayan Sacred Mountain, arguing that Dragon Country would avoid bombing its own territory. He addressed Joseph’s remaining concerns and called Dai Le into the room as a potential general to hold Dragon Country’s forces in India.

• Joseph questioned whether Gaul’s forces could fight in the Himalayan Sacred Mountain’s extreme cold and high altitude, and Fulangche ordered challengers to prepare cold-weather clothing.
• Fulangche said the harsh conditions would narrow the gap between Gaul and Dragon Country’s weapons, and argued that Dragon Country would not bomb its own territory with missiles or nuclear weapons.
• Fulangche claimed that a bombing of the Sacred Mountain would trigger an avalanche that could destroy Tibet’s main city, allowing Gaul to seize Tibet.
• Fulangche showed Joseph a lower-altitude valley route into Dragon Country for aerial operations and ordered him to bomb Sunlight City if Gaul fought on the Sacred Mountain.
• Joseph warned that Dragon Country could attack through India while Gaul’s forces were in Tibet, and Fulangche agreed that a general was needed to hold them back.
• Fulangche called Dai Le into the room.

Fulangche appointed the young Level 2 Challenger Dai Le to command 300,000 troops against Dragon Country, while he and Joseph prepared India Country’s invasion. From Nepal, Fulangche formally declared war on Dragon Country, triggering the war of self-defense and counterattack.

• Dai Le entered Fulangche’s office and accepted command of 300,000 troops tasked with holding back Dragon Country’s forces in India.
• Joseph questioned Fulangche’s decision to entrust the mission to a Level 2 newcomer, and Fulangche praised Dai Le’s talent and potential.
• On the third day of the Instance, Fulangche led a million troops and Joseph led 500,000 Air Force personnel into Nepal and reached Mandu without resistance.
• Fulangche ordered Joseph to tell Katerina to wait for his signal before attacking Dragon Country or engaging its army.
• Fulangche declared war on Dragon Country from Nepal, and the Firmament announced that Dragon Country’s army would launch a war of self-defense and counterattack.

After India declared war, Dragon Country activated buffs that sent its forces toward the Indian battlefield and threatened to pursue every Indian military force. Fulangche ordered the Challengers to hide in Nepal and support Dai Le, while Katerina prepared to strike Dragon Country after its fleet moved away.

• Dragon Country's Firmament alerts activated Though Far Away, They Shall Be Hunted Down and Self-Defense Counterattack, then announced deployments by its Western and Southern Theater Commands.
• Fulangche ordered the Challengers in Nepal to conceal themselves in mountain forests and told Dai Le to hold his ground in India.
• Fulangche adjusted the plan to keep the Challengers out of Dragon Country's territory and take advantage of its promise not to use nuclear weapons first.
• Katerina watched the Nanming Fleet from her carrier, the Queen, and prepared her Surface, Submarine, and Decoy Fleets for battle.
• Katerina followed her uncle's order to wait until Dragon Country and India were officially engaged, then planned to attack Qiong Island while Fulangche attacked Tibet.

Katerina realized her fleet was being used as bait to draw Dragon Country’s forces toward Big Macaque Country, so she cut contact with India Country and prepared to fight alone. She watched Dragon Country’s fleet approach and discovered that its unfamiliar transport ships were carrying a large land force toward India.

• Katerina concluded that her fleet’s role was to keep watch and draw Dragon Country’s forces toward Big Macaque Country.
• Katerina left Watchtower No. 1’s high-level communications channel, cut contact with India Country, and encrypted her fleet’s commands.
• Katerina detected Dragon Country’s Nanming Fleet approaching, including five Type 815A Electronic Reconnaissance Ships and three carrier groups.
• Katerina recognized the threat posed by the Type 055-Class Destroyers and hoped India Country would draw them away from her fleet.
• Katerina saw three enormous ships carrying tanks, armored vehicles, and rocket launchers, and realized Dragon Country intended to transport land forces directly to India.

Katerina watched Dragon Country move amphibious assault ships and stealth aircraft toward India, realizing its forces could coordinate across sea, land, and air far more effectively than she had expected. She withheld a warning to her uncle and ordered her fleet to the high seas outside Big Macaque Country to wait for a chance to attack Dragon Country.

• Katerina recognized the three ships as Dragon Country's Wudu, Qiangui, and Sanjiangyuan, and considered but rejected attacking them because their escorts could destroy her fleet.
• She watched the amphibious assault ships sail through waters around Big Macaque Country and realized Dragon Country was transporting its Army overseas.
• A formation of undetected Dragon Country stealth fighters flew overhead, convincing Katerina that the Air Force had also deployed.
• Katerina decided not to warn Fulangche because Dragon Country's reconnaissance ship could detect her transmission and ruin her plan to attack Qiong Island.
• Katerina told the Challengers in her fleet to head for the high seas outside Big Macaque Country, wait, and prepare to attack Dragon Country when an opportunity arose.

Dai Le deployed India Country’s 300,000 troops across five mountainous formations to prepare for Dragon Country’s invasion, while Lin Ye watched and judged the strategy’s weakness. As Dragon Country’s Nanming Fleet approached, Lin Ye noted that six Combined Arms Brigades were being sent to attack India and sympathized with Dai Le.

• Dai Le split his 300,000 troops into five formations across India Country’s mountainous terrain and equipped them with Gaul’s artillery vehicles.
• Dai Le received encouragement from spectators but remained nervous about commanding his first Instance battle against Lin Ye.
• The Firmament announced that Dragon Country’s Nanming Fleet would arrive in ten minutes, and Dai Le ordered the Challengers to prepare defenses and locate its landing point.
• Lin Ye watched the livestream and considered Fulangche’s deployment clever but flawed because Dragon Country’s Army was far more powerful than the Challengers realized.
• Lin Ye reflected that six Dragon Country Combined Arms Brigades were attacking India Country and felt sorry for Dai Le, who had only recently begun challenging Instances.

Lin Ye explained the overwhelming capabilities of Dragon Country’s Combined Arms Brigades, then Dragon Country began its invasion of India Country with air strikes ahead of amphibious landings. Dai Le’s forces suffered casualties, and Delhi came under bombardment.

• Lin Ye described Dragon Country’s eighty-two elite Combined Arms Brigades and said the twelve deployed against India Country could overwhelm Fulangche’s forces.
• Dragon Country’s fleet entered India Country’s territorial waters and prepared to land at Calcutta and Mumbai.
• Dragon Country split its air fleet and bombed areas from Calcutta to New Delhi and across the Eastern and Western Ghats.
• The air strikes hit four of Dai Le’s five formations, killing around 2,000 Challengers and prompting calls for help over his communications channel.
• Dai Le saw Dragon Country’s aircraft pass over Delhi, ordered everyone to take cover, and sheltered as explosions shook the city.