Chapter Summaries

Chen Mo completed and tested the Steel Armor’s Ion Engines, then turned his attention to spaceplane research and activated Mo Nv’s upgraded body. Zhao Min asked him to host the Second Generation Holographic Phone launch, where he would also announce projector sales to other manufacturers.

• Chen Mo tested the Ion Engines for thrust, icing, water ingestion, and impact resistance, and the Sci-Tech Library acknowledged the completed technology.
• Chen Mo selected Spaceplane Design and Manufacturing Principles as his next research project.
• Chen Mo activated Mo Nv’s new body, equipped with stronger materials, an Energy Reactor, improved radar, and more powerful lasers, and had her old body stored away.
• Chen Mo told Mo Nv he planned to research a spaceplane to prepare for exploring beyond Earth.
• Zhao Min asked Chen Mo to host the Second Generation Holographic Phone launch and announce cooperation with manufacturers to sell them Miniature Holographic Projectors, and he agreed.

Zhao Min rejected Apple’s request to buy Army Ant Group’s Miniature Holographic Projectors, citing limited production and the effects of U.S. restrictions. At the company’s spring launch, Chen Mo unveiled the Second Generation Holographic Phone, Mirage Ant, whose advanced features and near-unchanged starting price left the audience and competitors stunned.

• Zhao Min told Mr. Cook that Army Ant Group could not supply Apple because production was limited and cooperation faced security concerns tied to U.S. restrictions.
• News reports said American phone makers were excluded from the first projector supply list, while Army Ant Group had agreements with four major manufacturers.
• Chen Mo opened Army Ant Group’s spring product launch at the Binhai Opera House and announced the Second Generation Holographic Phone, Mirage Ant.
• Chen Mo presented the phone’s upgraded projector, chips, operating system, intelligent assistant, and graphene supercapacitor battery, prompting excited reactions from viewers and alarm among rival manufacturers.
• Chen Mo revealed that the phone started at 29,000 yuan, only slightly more than the first-generation model, and the audience praised its price.

Chen Mo defended Ant Army Group’s decision to sell first-generation miniature holographic projectors while explaining that limited production and U.S. restrictions affected cooperation. After the Second Generation Holographic Phone launch drew huge orders, Wilbur faced growing pressure to ease restrictions but refused to withdraw the charges, opting instead for an investigation and a court ruling.

• Chen Mo told reporters that Ant Army Group would license first-generation projectors because it could not meet the market’s diverse needs alone, and said second-generation units would be sold once production expanded.
• Chen Mo denied deliberately suppressing foreign companies and said U.S. restrictions, rather than Ant Army Group, prevented its products from entering the American market.
• News of the Second Generation Holographic Phone launch spread worldwide, and reservations for the Phantom Ant Phone exceeded one million, bringing Ant Army Group more than thirty billion in orders in a day.
• Wilbur received repeated calls from senators urging him to lift restrictions on Ant Army Group, while Marlon asked whether they should withdraw the charges.
• Wilbur rejected withdrawing the charges and directed the bureau to investigate Ant Army Group publicly, leaving any decision about restrictions to the findings and the court.

Chen Mo completed and tested the Skywalker Armor, then tried it on and learned to fly it. He revealed the armor to Zhao Min and asked her to arrange land and funding for his next project, a spaceplane.

• Chen Mo and Mo Nv tested the completed Skywalker Armor, confirming its strength, shock absorption, and indoor flight systems worked as expected.
• Chen Mo wore the armor, punched through a thick iron plate, and practiced flying until he could hover steadily.
• Zhao Min visited the workshop, discovered Chen Mo inside the armor, and watched him demonstrate that it could fly.
• Chen Mo explained the armor's Element 1024 Crystal reactor and miniature Ion Engines, and said he would test high-speed flight that night.
• Chen Mo told Zhao Min that he would keep the armor private and asked her to buy land and cover expenses for research and construction of a spaceplane airport.

Chen Mo completed the armor’s high-speed flight test, reaching Mach 7 and earning the Sci-Tech Library’s recognition of its success. After returning home, he reflected on the Spaceplane and Old Shu’s advice, then accompanied Mo Nv to her room when she asked to sleep with him.

• Chen Mo ordered Mo Nv to test the armor at night, and the test robot flew into international waters while transmitting stable readings.
• Chen Mo raised the armor’s speed to Mach 7, confirmed its systems were functioning normally, and sent it back toward Bin Hai City without supersonic flight over his territory.
• Chen Mo noticed that the Sci-Tech Ball had grown and that the Sci-Tech Library’s experience bar showed visible progress.
• Chen Mo considered the impact of the Spaceplane and Old Shu’s warning that the universe did not pity the weak.
• Mo Nv arrived at Chen Mo’s door in a nightgown and asked to sleep with him, following Xiao Yu’s suggestion.
• Chen Mo led Mo Nv to her room, promised to upgrade her intelligence when possible, and went to sleep while Mo Nv lay beside him.

Chen Mo chose a site at Phoenix Mountain for the Ant Army Group’s new Aerospace Company and began designing a spaceplane. Zhao Min secured support from Bin Hai City, while Li Chengzhi received notice that the company’s registration had been approved.

• Zhao Min teased Chen Mo about sleeping beside Mo Nv, then gave him five candidate sites and funding for the aerospace center.
• Chen Mo selected the Phoenix Mountain site, reviewed Mo Nv’s holographic terrain data, and handed Zhao Min the base blueprints.
• Zhao Min told Yao Yi that the Ant Army Group planned to register an Aerospace Company, and he agreed to approve the land after registration was confirmed.
• Li Chengzhi received the company’s approval notice from Secretary Jiang and told Liu Jianjun that the leadership had approved the registration.
• Li Chengzhi prepared to take the approved documents to Chen Mo in Bin Hai City.

Linna and international space agencies learned that Army Ant was building an aerospace center, prompting several nations to announce joint plans to return to space and the Moon. Zhao Min then publicized Flying Ant Aerospace’s construction, while Chen Mo began aerodynamic testing on a Spaceplane and considered a large Ion Engine.

• Serre gave Linna documents confirming Army Ant had registered Flying Ant Aerospace and begun building an aerospace center on Phoenix Mountain.
• Linna ordered the information sent to the president and NASA, and Jim Bridenstine urged the president’s office to treat a return to space as urgent.
• The United States, the European Union, India, Island Nation, and Britain announced a joint project for a second International Space Station, while the United States, the European Union, and Britain planned lunar and Mars missions.
• Zhao Min told Lan Xi to release news of the project, and Army Ant announced that the Flying Ant Aerospace Center had begun construction.
• Chen Mo asked Mo Nv to begin aerodynamic analysis of a Spaceplane using a small wind tunnel and holographic testing, then heard that Zhu He had sent a message.

Chen Mo approved the restrictions on exporting downgraded War Robots as Worker Ant Defense prepared for the Abu Dhabi International Defence Exhibition. In Abu Dhabi, Rashid learned that Worker Ant Defense would display a War Robot and ordered prime adjacent exhibition spaces for it and Soldier Ant Equipment.

• Zhu He told Chen Mo that export approval required government screening of buyers, strict secrecy penalties, restricted components and repairs, and a limit of fifty War Robots per buyer; Chen Mo agreed to all conditions.
• Zhu He reported that Worker Ant Defense had orders for 240 high-end War Robots, was profitable, and planned to showcase its military products at the Abu Dhabi exhibition in half a month.
• Chen Mo focused on designing a large Ion Engine while leaving news about the Flying Ant Aerospace Center to Zhao Min and considering the future Spaceplane.
• Li Yeku briefed Rashid on the exhibition’s participating companies and explained that Worker Ant Defense and Soldier Ant Equipment were backed by the Ant Army Group.
• After learning that Worker Ant Defense would exhibit a War Robot like those in Huaxia’s military parade, Rashid ordered prime adjacent exhibition spaces for both companies.

Franji discovered that Worker Ant Defense would exhibit War Robots at the Abu Dhabi Defense Exhibition, while Pentagon officials assessed the unknown machines as a potential threat. The exhibition was about to begin, and countries were closely watching the two Ant Army Group arms factories.

• Franji reviewed the exhibition materials and recognized Worker Ant Defense's War Robots as the robots from Huaxia's military parade.
• At the Pentagon, an analyst briefed Pari Shanahan and senior officials on Worker Ant Defense's products and the War Robots' unknown capabilities.
• The analyst said Huaxia might allow exports of the War Robots and warned that unfriendly countries could acquire them at the exhibition.
• Pari asked whether the United States could respond, and the analyst said it had no way to build the robots or learn their weaknesses.
• The chapter ended with War Robots drawing intense attention from countries ahead of the Abu Dhabi Defense Exhibition.

Zhong Lei and his colleagues arrived at the Abu Dhabi International Defence Exhibition, where Soldier Ant Equipment was exhibiting alongside Worker Ant Defense. As the event opened, Zhu He hinted that certain countries were approved to buy their equipment, while the companies prepared to debut their War Robots.

• Zhong Lei, Luo Xin, and two Soldier Ant Equipment staff entered the exhibition centre before the event opened and surveyed the international displays.
• Zhong Lei told Luo Xin that Soldier Ant Equipment needed to win orders and grow into a world-class arms supplier.
• Zhong Lei met Zhu He at Soldier Ant Equipment's exhibition area, which had been arranged beside Worker Ant Defense's display.
• Zhu He explained that the War Robots on display were models and that the actual export versions would appear in the debut exhibition area.
• Zhu He hinted that officials had approved several countries to purchase weapons and ammunition from them, and the defence exhibition officially began.

Worker Ant Defense presented its War Robots and soldier equipment at the defense exhibition, drawing international attention and skepticism over the robots’ claimed combat strength and price. Syria’s defense minister Franji arrived to examine the products and ended the chapter asking about the War Robots’ capabilities.

• Visitors and procurement teams crowded Worker Ant Defense’s booth to inspect its two War Robot models, and Lin Ziyun said each robot matched a well-trained special forces squad in combat strength and cost 80 million Hua Xia currency.
• Victor and other onlookers questioned the robots’ performance claims and price, while Lin Ziyun refused to reveal classified details or hold a public demonstration.
• Syria’s defense minister Franji arrived to explore weapons purchases for his country and met Zhu He, Worker Ant Defense’s general manager.
• Zhu He introduced the company’s bone-conduction headset, smart night-vision device, and smart aiming system, which Franji tested and asked about buying.
• Zhu He described a portable automatic firing system before leading Franji to the War Robots, where he asked about their capabilities.

At the defense exhibition, Zhu He introduced Worker Ant Defense’s War Robot to Syrian official Franji and UAE defense minister Rashid, claiming one robot could match a special forces squad. Rashid agreed to see a live test, and Zhu He explained the robot’s modes, defenses, and smart ammunition before the demonstration began.

• Zhu He told Franji the War Robot could rival a well-trained special forces squad and quoted a price of eighty million Hua Xia currency per unit.
• Franji left without discussing a purchase after finding the price steep.
• Rashid arrived, questioned Zhu He’s claims, and agreed to inspect the robot at the testing ground.
• Zhu He and her team brought a real War Robot to the range, where Rashid examined it and asked for a test.
• Zhu He explained the robot’s three modes, bullet-evading radar, and guided ammunition, then proposed a live-fire test.

Zhu He demonstrated the War Robot and Soldier Ant Equipment to Rashid, who was impressed by their battlefield capabilities and placed a large order. The purchase was limited by export quotas, leaving Rashid to seek approval from Huaxia’s authorities for more units.

• Zhu He demonstrated the War Robot’s Smart Bullets and controllable Smart Bombs, impressing Rashid with their accuracy and destructive power.
• Zhu He explained the robot’s armor and evasion abilities, then let Rashid test the Orion rifle and its Smart Aiming System.
• Rashid fired at the War Robot from six hundred meters, and the robot dodged all three shots.
• Zhu He described the War Robot’s combat and guardian capabilities and quoted a price of eighty million Hua Xia currency per unit.
• Rashid ordered three hundred War Robots, but Zhu He explained that export rules capped each customer’s purchase at fifty unless Huaxia’s authorities approved more.

After the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Syria ordered War Robots following tests, officials in the United States and Israel worried about the robots’ capabilities and their impact on regional security. The chapter ended with Lieberman asking the Americans to obtain intelligence on the War Robots after Worker Ant Defense refused Israel a test.

• Franji arranged tests of Worker Ant Defense and Soldier Ant Equipment products before deciding whether Syria should buy them.
• Zhu He approved War Robot tests for Pakistan and Syria as more delegations sought to purchase the robots.
• Shanahan learned that the United Arab Emirates had ordered fifty War Robots and that Pakistan and Syria had also placed orders after testing them.
• Shanahan asked the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia to help the United States observe the War Robots’ capabilities.
• Lieberman learned that Worker Ant Defense had refused Israel a test and asked the Americans to obtain intelligence on the War Robots.

Chen Mo explained that Ant Army Group entered the military sector to protect itself amid rising global tensions, while Worker Ant Defense and Soldier Ant Equipment secured 16 billion in orders at the Abu Dhabi exhibition. Syria’s President Bashar planned to use the incoming weapons to defeat domestic armed groups and seek further support.

• Chen Mo told Zhao Min that military manufacturing gave the company a legitimate way to build War Robots and prepare for a more dangerous world.
• Zhong Lei and Zhu He reported 14.3 billion in Worker Ant Defense orders and 1.5 billion in Soldier Ant Equipment orders, including War Robots bought by the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Syria.
• Rumors that Syria had bought War Robots and other advanced weapons spread as the Abu Dhabi International Defence Exhibition ended with 16 billion in combined orders.
• Franji told Bashar that Worker Ant Defense would deliver Syria’s equipment within a month and urged him to visit abroad and secure more robots.
• Bashar agreed to arrange a visit to major powers and planned to use the weapons to eliminate domestic armed groups.

Idlib’s armed groups, strengthened by Western support, launched a night attack on Halab, reigniting the Syrian war and drawing in outside powers. After Syria suffered casualties from the assault and subsequent airstrikes, Franji ordered a Russian-backed counterattack aimed at Idlib.

• Sim and Abdu Hiseit named their newly consolidated force the Wings of Freedom and chose Halab as their target.
• Chen Mo and Xiao Yu discussed opening a kindergarten for Wushuang, and Chen Mo agreed to the plan.
• Mo Nv told Chen Mo that the Idlib forces had attacked Halab, and he turned his attention back to researching the Spaceplane.
• The United States sent an aircraft carrier toward the Mediterranean, while Israel and Turkey intervened in Syria and fighting intensified.
• Franji received a report of sixteen dead and nineteen wounded and ordered Russia to provide air support for a counterattack on Idlib.

Suheil al-Hassan led the Tiger Forces and their newly integrated War Robots into Halab to destroy the rebels who had infiltrated the city. As the Devil Squad entered the battle for Salah al-Din, the War Robots began their first combat deployment.

• Suheil al-Hassan assessed the rebel offensive across Halab and chose to eliminate the rebels inside the city before addressing attacks outside it.
• Hassan arrived in Halab with his guards and the Silver Skull Battalion, then learned that Salah al-Din had fallen and fighting continued in Haydariya.
• Hassan ordered Akta to deploy the Devil Squad and commanded the forces to retake Salah al-Din without taking prisoners.
• Akta split the Devil Squad into two groups, activated the War Robots' war mode, and led them into the combat zone.
• The War Robots leaped into the street and aimed their guns at the opposing block as soldiers and war correspondents watched in shock.

Ten War Robots led by Devil Squad wiped out rebel forces in Halab, demonstrating their overwhelming battlefield capabilities. The battle alarmed US officials and prompted foreign governments to seek the robots, while Chinese authorities directed Worker Ant Defense to refuse export requests.

• Ten War Robots killed exposed rebel heavy-weapon crews and advanced through the battlefield, eliminating the rebels in Halab within ten minutes.
• Yang Zhen filmed the robots' return and marveled that they had killed 230 rebels while forcing more than 200 to surrender.
• Sim and Hissett reported the robots' performance, and Pentagon officials discussed their speed, rocket-dodging ability, and the lack of a way to counter them.
• The Syrian military publicly confirmed the robots' role in the victory, and news of the battle shook the world.
• Zhu He told Chen Mo that eight countries had requested War Robot purchases, and Chen Mo agreed to refuse them as directed by the higher-ups.

After the War Robots helped Syria retake Anadan and other territory, Hissett and Sim struggled to find a way to stop the Tiger Forces as their forces suffered heavy losses. Bashar announced that the army would liberate Idlib, and government troops advanced toward Bab al-Hawa, leaving Hissett convinced that their position was collapsing.

• Hissett and Sim discussed their defeats, the difficulty of capturing a War Robot, and the failure of negotiations for a ceasefire or direct foreign support.
• An intelligence chief reported that War Robots had attacked Atimay Town and that the military was requesting support.
• Hissett learned that the loss of Atimay Town had left Bab al-Hawa as their only remaining connection to the Turkish border.
• Bashar addressed Syria, urged armed groups in Idlib to surrender, and warned unauthorized foreign forces to leave the country.
• A chief reported that government forces were advancing toward Bab al-Hawa, and Hissett slumped into his chair, believing it was over.

After Hassan’s forces captured Idlib and drove Turkish troops from Syrian territory, the United States failed to secure international sanctions or a ban on War Robots. At CIA headquarters, Mellon’s Washington’s Hand planned to dismantle the Ant Army Group by targeting Chen Mo and exploiting tensions among his closest associates.

• Hassan’s Tiger Forces captured Idlib City, killed Hissett, and forced the Opposition Armed Forces to surrender or flee, ending the Syrian civil war in a government victory.
• Hassan’s forces attacked Turkish troops in Syria and drove them back to the border, then prepared to reclaim the Golan Heights as Israel halted its attacks and went on high alert.
• The United Nations rejected Turkey’s request for sanctions against Syria, while the Eastern great power vetoed the Western bloc’s proposed ban on War Robots.
• At a secret CIA meeting, Mellon argued that Chen Mo and the Ant Army Group’s united management were its greatest strengths and proposed undermining both.
• Mellon proposed using online trolls to damage Chen Mo’s reputation and fabricating rumors about Chen Mo and Zhao Min to divide Zhao Min from He Xiaoyu and destabilize the Ant Army Group.