Within the Black Eye Micro-Universe.
Tong Qing sat in an ordinary little courtyard, pouring himself a cup of wine, looking utterly at ease.
There were no other lifeforms in the courtyard. He was alone.
Beyond the courtyard lay a field. Plants of every color grew lush and vibrant beneath an endless blue sky, breathtakingly beautiful. Life seemed tranquil here, without war, smoke, or death.
Suddenly, a spatial gate opened within the courtyard.
Chen Mo stepped out and glanced at Tong Qing, who was seated in a wooden chair.
"Have a seat." Tong Qing was not surprised by Chen Mo's arrival. He pointed at the chair opposite him. "Care for a drink?"
Without hesitation, Chen Mo sat down in the wooden chair, lifted the wine Tong Qing had poured for him, and drained it in one gulp.
"As expected of you. I am completely convinced." Tong Qing smiled freely and calmly, raising his own cup and emptying it in one gulp. There was none of a loser's dejection on his face. "This day came so quickly."
"Mm." Chen Mo set down his cup and replied blandly.
Tong Qing studied Chen Mo, then said contentedly, "Back on Shi Gan Star, when I first met you, I sensed that you were no ordinary lifeform. At the time, I only thought you would become a fine leader of a faction. I never imagined you would come this far."
"Neither did I."
"Army Ant, Endless Sea, Thousand Stars Empire, and now a cosmic hegemony—such an achievement is unprecedented!" Tong Qing looked up at the sky and sighed in admiration.
"I was fortunate. It was merely the credit of the inheritance."
"No. Some leaders are born that way. Every so often, certain lifeforms in the universe acquire technological inheritances from destroyed civilizations and become pioneers of