Chapter Summaries

Qu Jianlei returned to his base, improved his Gathering Spirit Array and completed a Stealth Array while Xiao Hu upgraded and repaired their ships. After a brief flight in a repaired Attack Ship, they detected distant energy fluctuations, but Qu Jianlei chose not to investigate and postponed their trip to Azure Cloud until the Armed Merchant Ship was repaired.

• Qu Jianlei drove off a starship that harassed him for three days before returning to his base and ordering an analysis of the Armed Merchant Ship's power system.
• Qu Jianlei adjusted the Gathering Spirit Array, reducing Energy Block consumption, but discovered that the array still imposed a limit on the spiritual energy it could provide.
• Qu Jianlei learned that Xiao Hu had installed calculation and weapon systems on the battered merchant ship, and directed it to dismantle an Assault Type to repair two Assault Types before they went to Azure Cloud.
• Qu Jianlei completed a Stealth Array for the mine tunnel, which concealed the Vacuum Door from all but deliberate searches by an A-rank Awakened.
• Qu Jianlei took a repaired Attack Ship out for a test flight, then ordered Xiao Hu to return when it detected intense energy fluctuations nearby.
• Qu Jianlei rejected Xiao Hu's suggestion to install miniature detectors and decided they would not go to Azure Cloud until they repaired the large Armed Merchant Ship.

Qu Jianlei responded to a distress signal and rescued seven survivors from a lifeboat, then refused their offer to pay him to take them to Tianbing Star. The chapter ended with him preparing to negotiate how far he would transport them and what the fee would be.

• Qu Jianlei learned that a lifeboat was approaching the abandoned Mineral Star and decided to rescue its occupants before they could land.
• Qu Jianlei took an Attack Ship to the lifeboat, secured it, and brought its seven passengers aboard the Armed Merchant Ship.
• The middle-aged man offered Qu Jianlei ten million, then twelve million, to take them to Tianbing Star, but Qu Jianlei refused.
• The A-rank Ice Attribute woman raised the offer to twenty million and then two hundred million, but Qu Jianlei said he had other things to do.
• Qu Jianlei asked the survivors to keep his route confidential and began discussing how far he could take them and the fee.

Qu Jianlei agreed to tow two damaged merchant ships to safety after learning their crew had been attacked in the same battle he had encountered. He kept the rescued people confined to the Cargo Hold and began negotiating payment for medicine and Rank A Crystals.

• The Rank A woman offered Qu Jianlei five million to take her group somewhere along his route, and he settled on seven hundred thousand in cash.
• The middle-aged man explained that their merchant ship had been crippled after a fight, and Qu Jianlei agreed to tow it somewhere safe for ten million, with extra payment if a battle broke out.
• Qu Jianlei recognized the reported battle as the one he and Big Head Butterfly had encountered, then found the damaged ship and secured it beneath 8384.
• Qu Jianlei allowed the stranded crew and injured passengers aboard but required everyone to stay in the Cargo Hold.
• The Rank A woman offered to buy Rank A Crystals, and Qu Jianlei agreed to sell them for payment in Energy Blocks.

Qu Jianlei traded five Rank A Crystals to a woman for money and Energy Blocks, then arrived with her at Lan Yun Market. There, he acquired a Calculation Unit from Sihai Creation, listed an Attack Ship for sale, and refused Sihai’s offer of secondhand weapons.

• Qu Jianlei agreed to sell the woman five Rank A Crystals, and she paid seven million Silver Coins while promising to deliver three million Energy Blocks at Azure Cloud.
• Three days later, Qu Jianlei and the woman landed at Lan Yun Market, where spectators and administrators discussed their battered starships and suspected combat strength.
• Qu Jianlei listed materials and an Attack Ship on the trading platform while Sihai Creation arrived to fulfill its contract for another Calculation Unit set.
• Qu Jianlei paid the remaining balance for the Calculation Unit and refused Sihai Creation’s offer of cheap secondhand weapons because he distrusted them.

Qu Jianlei secured sources for his purchases in Azure Cloud, refused a low offer for his Attack Ship, and received an apology from a Sihai Creation employee through the Haiyin Family. Rhine settled the Energy Block debt and asked whether Qu Jianlei was the captain as he continued buying weapons and ammunition.

• Qu Jianlei rejected Sihai Creation’s offer to take back the Calculation Unit sets and later refused to sell his Attack Ship for around ten million.
• A group Qu Jianlei had rescued brought the rude Sihai Creation employee to apologize, and the man slapped himself until Qu Jianlei told him to stop.
• Qu Jianlei learned that the woman was Rhine of the Haiyin Family and accepted five and a half million Energy Blocks to settle their debt.
• Rhine asked whether Qu Jianlei was still buying weapons and ammunition, then asked if he was the captain, and Qu Jianlei said he was the first officer.

Rhine decided the Haiyin Family should cultivate ties with Qu Jianlei, whom she suspected might be an Above Supreme, and offered him supplies and assistance. After agreeing to buy his Attack Ship, she was asked whether she had connections in the Maiden Star Region.

• Qu Jianlei asked Rhine for cheap, good-quality weapons and ammunition, and Rhine said the Haiyin Family considered his group worth associating with.
• Rhine asked about Qu Jianlei’s plans to modify the starship’s power system, then privately told him she wanted the friendship of an Above Supreme.
• Qu Jianlei requested materials on power-system modification and asked whether Tianbing Star was strictly checking illegal entrants, but declined Rhine’s offer of help.
• Rhine offered to escort her group to Tianbing Star another time, then returned and offered to sell Qu Jianlei’s Attack Ship by buying it for escort duty.
• Qu Jianlei agreed to sell the Attack Ship to Rhine and asked whether she had connections in the Maiden Star Region.

Qu Jianlei sold two Attack Ships but kept the Armed Merchant Ship after refusing a steep loss, then accepted a two-year contract to guard the Sail Consortium’s mine on Godley Star. He arrived with Cook’s warships and built a semi-underground hangar for the 8384, while the mine workers discussed how to coordinate with him.

• Rhine offered to introduce Qu Jianlei to an Above Supreme, and Qu Jianlei said he might visit her on Tianbing Star if the opportunity arose.
• Qu Jianlei sold two Attack Ships at Lan Yun Market but refused to sell the Armed Merchant Ship for less than two hundred million.
• After returning to the market a year later, Qu Jianlei accepted the Sail Consortium’s offer to guard its mine on Godley Star for two years.
• Qu Jianlei arrived at Godley aboard the 8384 with Cook’s warships, completed the inspection, and received one hundred and eighty million in banknotes.
• Qu Jianlei rejected the mine’s offer of lodging and meals, then used his Earth Attribute abilities to build a semi-underground Ship Hangar beside the 8384.
• The mine workers wondered how to share information with Qu Jianlei and concluded that they would need to provide him with a high-powered Handheld Transceiver.

Qu Jianlei learned why the mine needed outside guards and spent three months maintaining a distant working relationship with its staff. When three armed merchant ships demanded protection money and discounted platinum, Li Ang asked whether Qu Jianlei’s forces could hold off a Supreme, and Qu Jianlei questioned what extra compensation the contract would provide.

• Qu Jianlei met Dak, who explained that Wanmi Mining had hired guards amid chaos caused by space pirates and disputes among shareholders.
• Qu Jianlei patrolled periodically, met the manager Li Ang, and declined invitations while gradually earning the mine staff’s trust.
• Li Ang urgently alerted Qu Jianlei that three armed merchant ships were hovering over Godley and demanding protection money and ten percent of the platinum output at half price.
• Li Ang explained that the Sail Consortium had reported the threat but wanted the outsourced guards to hold off a Supreme while the mines considered joining forces.
• Qu Jianlei asked whether holding off the Supreme would let them destroy the ships, then asked what compensation he would receive for fighting beyond the terms of his agreement.

Qu Jianlei negotiated a reward with the Sail Consortium for confronting the Supreme attacking Wanmi Mining, then revealed his power when the assault began. He destroyed two attack ships and prepared to test himself against the enemy Metal Attribute Supreme.

• Qu Jianlei told Li Ang that confronting the Supreme exceeded their agreement, and the Sail Consortium offered escalating rewards for holding the attacker back, injuring him, or killing him.
• As the enemy Supreme gave Wanmi ten minutes to respond, Li Ang returned to the mine while Qu Jianlei remained near the ships.
• Wanmi's mines activated their defenses, and three armed merchant ships sent six attack ships to bombard them; the attackers continued firing even after breaching a fortress's defenses.
• Qu Jianlei released his coercive pressure, revealed himself as a Supreme, and used Meteor Descent to overwhelm the merchant ships' shields and destroy two Strike Type ships.
• The Metal Attribute Supreme charged Qu Jianlei with a massive golden slash, and Qu Jianlei formed stone shields to meet the attack head-on.

Qu Jianlei battled the Metal Attribute Supreme while both sides exchanged heavy fire, and Xiao Hu covertly sabotaged enemy ships. The fight continued as 8384 crippled two enemy vessels.

• The Metal Attribute Supreme’s Golden Ray shattered against Qu Jianlei’s stone shields, and he ordered his warships to focus fire on Qu Jianlei and the fortresses.
• Qu Jianlei evaded the artillery and used tracking stone bullets to wound the Metal Attribute Supreme, while Li Ang directed the fleet to concentrate its fire on enemy ships.
• Qu Jianlei ordered Xiao Hu to move out and target the enemy Attack Ships as a battered Armed Merchant Ship slipped out of the hangar.
• The Metal Attribute Supreme took cover behind an Armed Merchant Ship, but the tracking bullets pursued him and Li Ang ordered fire on the enemy’s No. 2 Ship.
• Xiao Hu infiltrated enemy vessels; No. 2 Ship stopped to shield the Supreme, while 8384’s Main Gun punched through No. 3 Ship and concentrated fire on another Attack Ship after its engine stalled.

Li Ang’s forces turned the battle around as Xiao Hu coordinated their ships and Qu Jianlei drove the Metal Attribute Supreme toward defeat. The enemy’s No. 1 Ship fled into space, while Qu Jianlei decided to kill the Supreme after he threatened him.

• Li Ang ordered the escapees from the destroyed attack ship killed and concentrated No. 2 Fortress’s fire on the damaged No. 3 Ship, which surrendered and accepted his terms.
• Xiao Hu continued directing the three warships, hiding its control of enemy systems and treating the fight as practice while Li Ang credited their coordination to elite skill and luck.
• The Metal Attribute Supreme could no longer rely on damaged No. 2 Ship for cover, and Qu Jianlei kept pursuing him with stone bullets as his Rock Armor repeatedly shattered.
• No. 1 Ship signaled retreat, so Li Ang sent two attack ships after it and arranged for them to replenish Energy Blocks aboard No. 8384 Ship.
• Four attack ships and No. 8384 Ship pursued No. 1 Ship while the remaining forces attacked the enemy ships, and Qu Jianlei continued attacking the Metal Attribute Supreme.
• After the Metal Attribute Supreme threatened to kill him later, Qu Jianlei decided to leave him no chance to escape and fired another string of stone bullets.

Qu Jianlei fought the Metal Attribute Supreme, who unleashed a powerful Mental Attack as his trump card. After Qu Jianlei countered with greater Mental Strength, he struck the blinded opponent with stone pellets, leaving the battle unresolved.

• The Metal Attribute Supreme panicked under Qu Jianlei's stone-pellet attacks and threatened him, then grew furious when Li Ang's mockery rang out over the loudspeaker.
• The Metal Attribute Supreme launched a full-force Mental Attack, and Li Ang ordered No. 3 Ship to support Qu Jianlei.
• Qu Jianlei revealed that he had been preparing his own Mental Attack and countered, leaving the Metal Attribute Supreme bleeding while Qu Jianlei suffered only minor injuries.
• The Metal Attribute Supreme tried to launch another desperate Mental Attack, but Qu Jianlei struck first and overwhelmed his mind again.
• Qu Jianlei controlled a string of stone pellets and smashed them into the Metal Attribute Supreme's head as the blinded man tried to dodge.

Qu Jianlei killed the Metal Attribute Supreme who had fought against him, then recovered from the battle while Xiao Hu’s forces returned victorious. He later refused Li Ang’s request to arrange a meeting between his side’s Supreme and a visiting Supreme from the Myriad Secrets Association.

• Qu Jianlei finished off the Metal Attribute Supreme after disrupting his attempted self-destruction, and No. 2 Ship’s surrender was accepted at a price in blood.
• Qu Jianlei claimed the dead Supreme’s Item-Storing Talismans and withdrew to recover, while Xiao Hu reported that the team had won and captured the enemy forces.
• Qu Jianlei spent five days recovering, changed his appearance to that of a Water Attribute Rank A named Baiji, and began patrolling in the Assault Ship.
• Li Ang told Qu Jianlei that a Supreme from the Myriad Secrets Association might arrive and that his superiors wanted a meeting with Qu Jianlei’s Supreme.
• Qu Jianlei refused the meeting and told Li Ang to treat the Supreme as though he did not exist.

Qu Jianlei negotiated with Li Ang over compensation for killing a Supreme and asked Wanmi Mining to arrange a transit permit exempt from inspection. Li Ang said a consortium Supreme would arrive in a couple of days to discuss the arrangement, leaving the matter unresolved.

• Qu Jianlei rejected deeper cooperation and insisted that he and Li Ang settle the results and payment for the previous battle first.
• Li Ang explained that fifty million was the maximum cash reward, but Wanmi Mining could consider other conditions, including a stake in the mine.
• Qu Jianlei declined the stake because it could bind his group to responsibilities and instead asked Li Ang to arrange a transit permit for their Armed Merchant Ship.
• Qu Jianlei added that the ship needed to be exempt from inspection, and Li Ang said affiliation under Wanmi Mining could make that possible.
• Li Ang told Qu Jianlei that a Supreme from the consortium would arrive in a couple of days to discuss the arrangement.

Qu Jianlei met Gotel of the Sail Consortium, who offered him a five-year inspection-exempt travel permit and asked him to train Consortium personnel in space combat. Qu Jianlei demanded a full Qi Gathering Array in exchange, but Gotel could not provide one, leaving both the training and their future cooperation unresolved.

• Gotel told Qu Jianlei that the slain Supreme, Sigwa, belonged to the Interstellar Exploration Alliance and may also have been connected to the Divine Script Research Association and assassination work.
• Gotel granted Qu Jianlei a five-year inspection-exempt travel permit for his merchant ship, with warnings about its unusual appearance and prohibited cargo.
• Gotel explained that the Haiyin Family, especially Sixth Miss Rhine, might help Qu Jianlei obtain a full Qi Gathering Array, but Qu Jianlei refused to ask them for favors.
• Gotel asked Qu Jianlei to train Sail Consortium personnel in space combat, and Qu Jianlei requested a full Qi Gathering Array as payment.
• Gotel said the Consortium could perhaps arrange only a Simplified Qi Gathering Array, which Qu Jianlei said was useless to him, so they postponed discussing the training.

After leaving Godley, Qu Jianlei repaired his damaged Attack Ship at the Abandoned Mining Planet and discovered that strangers had visited his supposed safe haven. He left Xiao Hu’s avatar and a robot to maintain the base, then headed to Lan Yun Market, where the authorities welcomed 8384 and allowed it to land anywhere.

• Qu Jianlei finalized his arrangements with Gotel, collected the fifty million fee, and left Godley aboard 8384 after refusing Simone’s escort offer.
• Qu Jianlei warned Simone’s Heavy-Load Merchant Ship not to follow him, then reached the Abandoned Mining Planet after avoiding several groups of ships.
• Qu Jianlei found fresh trash and starship tracks near his Main Camp and realized that someone had visited the planet.
• After Big Head Butterfly repaired the Attack Ship, Qu Jianlei left a robot and a wisp of Xiao Hu’s avatar to maintain and protect the base.
• Qu Jianlei piloted 8384 to Lan Yun Market, where the ground authorities welcomed him and offered him any landing location.

Qu Jianlei replenished supplies at Lan Yun Market and accepted a four-million-Energy-Block escort job to Blue Elf, where he planned to move around and buy more things. After arriving safely, he left the starport and went to the upscale Elf Home Foot Massage Parlor.

• Qu Jianlei bought supplies through Lan Yun Market and declined to purchase a likely counterfeit Wood Attribute Exclusive Poison.
• Lan Yun Market asked Qu Jianlei to escort two Cargo Starships to Blue Elf, and they agreed on a four-million-Energy-Block payment.
• Qu Jianlei's 8384 joined the two Cargo Starships, and the fleet reached Blue Elf Star safely after seven days.
• Qu Jianlei used his temporary pass to leave the starport, rented a vehicle with a fake identity, and drove to a nearby settlement.
• Qu Jianlei asked Xiao Hu about high-end entertainment and drove to Elf Home, where a waiter recognized his powerful aura and treated him respectfully.

Qu Jianlei learned about Blue Elf Star’s land market, bought a secluded valley, and built an underground cavern to hide his ships and supplies. After sensing an unexplained presence beneath the cavern, he left, while a heavily armed merchant ship arrived at the spaceport.

• Qu Jianlei learned from an Elf Home attendant that land bought before the sales ban could still be transferred, though its prices had collapsed and official listings concealed much lower cash values.
• Qu Jianlei and Xiao Hu found a seller, negotiated a price of 210,000, inspected a secluded valley, and completed the land transfer.
• Qu Jianlei dug a deep stone cavern beside the frozen sea, stored supplies and ships there, and used his Gathering Spirit Array to recover his qi.
• Qu Jianlei sensed something strange beneath the cavern but could not locate it; far below, a mass of black soil stirred and recognized his aura.
• Qu Jianlei left the valley after restoring most of his qi, and an armed merchant ship landed at the spaceport as its leaders disembarked.

A wealthy young man learned that the wrecked starship he had been searching for might be the vessel that humiliated him before, and he ordered his crew to keep it from leaving. Qu Jianlei reached the spaceport and boarded 8384, but repeated departure requests were blocked as the young man rushed to intercept him.

• A fawning older man reported that wrecked starship 8384 might be the ship that had previously wasted Young Master's time, and Captain Rayl assessed the match as seventy percent likely.
• Young Master decided to pursue the wrecked ship, gave his crew five days to find it, and ordered them to watch for its departure.
• Captain Rayl informed Young Master that Qu Jianlei had reached the spaceport and planned to leave, so they were trying to delay him.
• Qu Jianlei boarded 8384 after paying the docking fees, and Xiao Hu confirmed that no outsiders had entered the ship.
• The spaceport repeatedly refused Qu Jianlei's departure requests, while Young Master hurried to gather his people and intercept him.

Qu Jianlei left Blue Elf aboard the 8384, but a merchant ship pursued him into the Asteroid Belt and attacked. After Xiao Hu used an Electromagnetic Interference Bomb and took control of the enemy ship’s systems, Rayl surrendered.

• Qu Jianlei departed Blue Elf after a seven-hour delay, and Young Master ordered his crew to pursue him and bring him back alive if possible.
• Xiao Hu detected a suspicious merchant ship following the 8384, and Qu Jianlei waited until they were outside Blue Elf’s surveillance range before testing the pursuer.
• The merchant ship accelerated after the 8384, and Qu Jianlei ordered a warning shot as it approached.
• Young Master and Rayl prepared the Heavy Armed Merchant Ship for battle, but Qu Jianlei’s Electromagnetic Interference Bomb disabled its control systems and Attack Ships.
• Qu Jianlei took over the merchant ship’s systems, and Rayl declared surrender and requested prisoner treatment.