Chapter Summaries

Lin Kexin’s fleet found Emil cocooned in the abandoned Triangle Empire capital, where its energy suggested it was evolving into an Emperor Bug. The Federation’s think tank advised supporting Emil’s gaming addiction to keep it under control, but its energy surged to Alba’s level, prompting Lin Kexin to request a Zero-Point Particle Missile.

• Lin Kexin led the Second Division Fleet to the former Capital Sphere and located Emil inside a massive energy cocoon.
• Lin Fan wondered whether Emil had naturally evolved into an Emperor Bug and suspected that gaming might have triggered the change.
• The think tank advised Lin Fan to give Emil greater access to human networks and games, and Lin Zhen considered creating a department to manage its gaming and use the approach with Aliya.
• Lin Kexin’s adjutant reported that Emil’s energy was rising exponentially and had reached Alba’s recorded level.
• Lin Kexin requested authorization to use one Zero-Point Particle Missile against Emil.

Emil completed its natural evolution into a Bug Emperor, drawing Aliya’s excited attention and leaving Lin Kexin’s fleet on guard. After emerging in a humanoid form, Emil realized its communication device had broken and waited for the humans to replace it.

• Aliya sensed Emil’s evolution from the Kate Galaxy and became excited, judging it more promising than Alba for breaking the Zerg evolutionary limit.
• Lin Kexin’s crew reported that Emil’s energy was stabilizing, and half a day later its energy cocoon dispersed.
• Emil emerged as a humanoid Bug Emperor and was bewildered and distressed by its appearance.
• Lin Kexin ordered an engineering ship to replace Emil’s damaged communication device and kept the surrounding warships’ weapons trained on it.
• Emil noticed the billion warships, failed to contact Lin Kexin, and obediently waited for the engineering ship.

After evolving into an Imperial Bug, Emil learned that his month-long disappearance had disrupted the Federation’s plans, and Lin Kexin persuaded him to help the Federation during negotiations with Aliya. When Aliya contacted him the next day, she abandoned her plans for war and asked him to return with her to the Willster Super Galaxy Cluster, leaving Emil searching for an excuse to stay with humanity.

• Lin Kexin contacted Emil through his newly installed brainwave conversion device and scolded him for disrupting the Federation’s plans.
• Lin Kexin told Emil that his evolution had taken more than a month and dangled the promise of games and a higher allowance if he helped the Federation.
• Emil agreed to support the Federation and persuade Aliya to grant it more benefits during negotiations.
• A day later, Aliya contacted Emil through the Zerg Mental Network, confirmed his successful evolution, and said she no longer needed to rescue Alba or wage war on humanity.
• Aliya told Emil to return and accompany her to the Willster Super Galaxy Cluster, but Emil claimed humanity had taken him prisoner because he wanted to stay and play games.

Lin Zhen’s think tank analyzed Aliya’s changing attitude toward Alba and Emil, concluding that Alba was likely a flawed, artificially evolved Emperor Bug while Emil was a complete one. They advised keeping Emil in the Federation, and Lin Zhen’s meeting received Emil’s request to connect.

• Lin Zhen asked the think tank why Aliya had lost interest in Alba after learning that Emil had evolved.
• Zhang Kai reported that Farn had likely used biotechnology to make Alba a half-evolved Emperor Bug, and that Aliya now saw Emil as a better option.
• Zhang Kai said Emil wanted to stay in the Federation and advised against returning him to Aliya, suggesting Alba could be offered instead if necessary.
• Lin Fan supported the think tank’s assessment, arguing that returning Emil could let Aliya break through the Insect Race’s racial talent limit.
• Lin Zhen learned that Emil was requesting a connection and ordered his secretary to bring him into the Virtual Meeting Room.

Emil sought the Federation’s help to avoid returning to Empress Aliya, who wanted him back in the Willster Super Galaxy Cluster. Lin Zhen persuaded him to sign a three-hundred-year employment agreement, leaving Emil bound to the Federation under a contract packed with harsh terms.

• Emil told President Lin that Aliya insisted he return with her and begged the Federation to protect him.
• Lin Zhen claimed the Federation had planned to return Emil to avoid war, and Emil offered Alba as a substitute.
• Lin Zhen proposed a three-hundred-year Employment Agreement, and Emil eagerly agreed after learning he could use his salary to play games.
• Lin Zhen ordered Zhang Kai to draft the agreement, and Zhang Kai included clauses permitting invasive scientific procedures, including slicing.
• Emil signed using biological feature recording, becoming an employee of the Federation.

Aliya met with Federation representatives to demand Emil’s return, but Lin Zhen refused because Emil’s three-hundred-year employment agreement was still in effect. The talks ended with the Federation promising to honor Emil’s choice after the contract expired while warning Aliya against using force.

• A Federation warship delivered and installed the brainwave conversion device needed for Aliya to negotiate with humans.
• Aliya appeared in the Virtual Meeting Room in a humanoid form, shocking Emil, Lin Fan, Lin Zhen, and Ed.
• Lin Zhen told Aliya that the Federation would not release Emil before his employment agreement expired.
• Aliya demanded that Emil return with her to the Willster Super Galaxy Cluster and threatened the possibility of all-out war.
• Lin Zhen warned Aliya that force would fail and that a Zero-Point Armament inside Emil could kill him, while promising to respect Emil’s wishes after three hundred years.

Lin Zhen offered Aliya Alba in exchange for keeping Emil under his three-hundred-year Employment Agreement, after humanity discovered Alba’s altered cells were harmful to the insect race. Aliya accepted the deal and arranged to collect Alba in one week, leaving Lin Fan responsible for the handover and giving the Federation three centuries to grow stronger.

• Bai Zixuan informed Lin Zhen that Alba’s evolution had been artificially modified and that Alba’s cells degraded when fused with Emil’s.
• Lin Zhen proposed returning Alba to Aliya while keeping Emil until his three-hundred-year Employment Agreement expired.
• Aliya considered using Alba for experiments and asked how humanity would guarantee Emil’s release after three hundred years.
• Lin Zhen argued that refusing to release Emil later would lead to the same war Aliya could start now, and Aliya agreed to the proposal.
• Aliya required regular access to Emil through the psychic network and scheduled the Alba handover at the Vita Defense Line in one week.
• Lin Zhen assigned Lin Fan to handle the handover, and Lin Fan resolved to use the three hundred years to strengthen the Federation.

At the Vita Defense Line, Lin Tian arranged for Alba to be released from the Phase Prison as Aliya, the original Imperial Bug and bug queen, arrived. Alba regained awareness but was left bewildered by the familiar aura of the enormous bug before him.

• Lin Fan aimed to use the Federation’s three hundred-year truce to advance toward Level 8 civilization, after learning how swarms of Primary Sprayer Bugs had destroyed a Holy Victory Empire trade hub.
• Alba remained isolated in the Federation’s Phase Prison at the Vita Defense Line, unaware why he had been brought there.
• Aliya emerged from the bugs’ largest Bug Nest Channel, while Lin Tian joked about her figure and Bilodis startled him with her killing intent.
• Lin Tian ordered the bridge crew to convert Alba’s cell to a normal phase and release him.
• Lin Tian told Alba he was free, and Alba noticed Aliya’s familiar aura but could not understand why she seemed familiar.

Alba recognized Aliya and left the Federation fleet to rejoin the Zerg, while Lin Tian prepared to oversee their withdrawal from the Mels Star Cluster. Aliya opened a Bug Nest Channel and ordered the Zerg to withdraw, leaving her strained relationship with Alba unresolved.

• Alba mistook Aliya for an ugly human-like bug until Lin Tian's warning made him realize who she was.
• Alba flew back to the Zerg rather than risk being sent back to prison.
• Bilodis reminded Lin Tian that the Dauntless Fleet had to oversee the Zerg withdrawal and clear the Mels Star Cluster for Lin Fan's planned fleet headquarters.
• Lin Tian ordered the fleet to monitor the Zerg as they prepared to withdraw.
• Alba arrived before Aliya, who scolded him for failing to recognize her and opened a Bug Nest Channel.
• Aliya ordered all the Zerg, including Alba, to enter the channel and withdraw.

Lin Fan prepared to secure the Mels Star Cluster as the gateway between the Virgo and Kebiniah Superclusters, while Aliya brought her Zerg forces to the Moras System. Aliya then ordered Alba to open his mental domain for inspection and demanded he address her as Empress.

• Emil explained how the Cosmic Current connected the Willster Super Galaxy Cluster to the Laniakea Supercluster through the Kebiniah Supercluster and the Mels Star Cluster.
• Lin Fan planned to use the Mels Star Cluster as a military stronghold and launch point for campaigns across the Virgo Supercluster.
• After the Zerg withdrew, Lin Tian sent half the fleet from the Vita Defense Line to scan the Mels Star Cluster for hidden Zerg.
• Aliya arrived in the Moras System, ordered her Tier 1 Queen Bugs to establish camp and receive reinforcements, then demanded that Alba open his mental domain.
• Alba objected, but Aliya told him he was only a Quasi-Emperor Bug and ordered him to address her as Empress.

Aliya discovered that Farn had forcibly evolved Alba and spent five years experimenting with insect cocoons to overcome the insects’ limits. Meanwhile, Wei pursued a highly advanced energy research project with Lin Fan’s support, though her first breakthrough remained uncertain.

• Aliya accessed Alba’s memories and learned that Farn had forcibly evolved him and that Alba had accepted Farn as his master.
• Aliya took Alba with her and spent five years using him in experiments to develop new combat insects, but her attempts failed.
• Aliya sensed that one cocoon in her latest batch held an unusually powerful and pure energy signature.
• Wei struggled with her research project at a laboratory in the Mels Star Cluster, then realized she might have made a simple problem too complicated.
• After the Science Department rejected Wei’s project, Lin Fan arranged for the military to establish a laboratory under her direction, despite Bai Zixuan’s objections.

Lin Fan supported Wei’s preliminary research into black cavities, then learned that she had successfully developed the Psionic Network, a technology based on the Zerg Mental Network. He agreed to arrange death row inmates for experiments so the Federation could put it into use quickly, while Wei hesitated to raise a concern.

• Lin Fan decided to support Wei’s black cavity research despite its risks and resource costs.
• Wei said she had found an entry point for studying black cavities but had not made a breakthrough from Lin Fan’s advice.
• Wei told Lin Fan that she had resumed a shelved project based on the Tier 3 Queen Bug and succeeded.
• Wei revealed that her new technology, the Psionic Network, could use the Zerg Mental Network.
• Lin Fan proposed using Federation death row inmates for experiments and promised to approve Wei’s request if it followed their principles.

Wei demonstrated the Psionic Network’s potential to Lin Fan, explaining that its frequency bands would prevent the Zerg from infiltrating it and that it could let humans wield Mental Power. Lin Fan received Wei’s technical documents and convened a Federation high-level meeting to decide how to apply the technology.

• Lin Fan raised the concern that the Zerg might infiltrate the Psionic Network, and Wei explained that its countless frequency bands would make that effectively impossible.
• Wei demonstrated Mental Power by using a patch to lift a cup and explained that people could develop many applications through personal understanding and creativity.
• Lin Fan asked Wei to compile the technology into a complete document for Federation leaders to review.
• Wei sent the technical materials to Lin Fan, who returned to Interstellar Fleet Headquarters and called a high-level Federation meeting.

Wei explained that the Zerg's Mental Power was Dark Energy and that her DEAC device let humans manipulate it, prompting Lin Zhen and the Federation's leaders to debate restricting its use to the military. She revealed that only a tiny fraction of people could master Dark Energy, and the chapter ended with Lin Zhen asking about the unexplained fourth and fifth levels.

• Wei explained that the Zerg used Dark Energy as Mental Power and that DEAC let humans manipulate it with training.
• Lin Zhen asked whether DEAC should be distributed to civilians or restricted to the military, and Ed and the other officials opposed widespread use.
• Wei said that DEAC users needed exceptional talent and that, among 100 billion citizens, only one could reach Level Three while most would remain at Level One.
• Lin Zhen asked Wei why she had mentioned only the first three of the five Dark Energy levels.

Lin Zhen decided that the Federation could promote DEAC Devices only with safeguards under its control, and Wei confirmed she could build them in. The Federation then introduced free DEAC Devices and the Superpower Administration Bureau, leaving citizens with new powers and strict rules backed by a hidden device backdoor.

• Wei explained that Level Four and Five Dark Energy Manipulators were extraordinarily unlikely to emerge, while Level Three Manipulators would remain a negligible threat to the Federation’s fleets.
• Lin Zhen asked whether the Federation could retain control of every DEAC Device, and Wei confirmed she could add safeguards, including a backdoor.
• In Federation Year 132, the Federation publicly announced the DEAC Device and established the Superpower Administration Bureau on administrative planets.
• The Federation offered citizens free devices and annual rank assessments, granting Bureau membership and benefits to those who reached B-rank or higher.
• The Federation warned that rule-breaking could cost members their benefits and devices, while its concealed backdoor let it control DEAC Devices remotely.

The Federation and the insect race advanced in the decade after their ceasefire, while Aliya discovered that Alba’s cells could produce powerful Void Predators. The story then shifted to the Nilkenia Super Galaxy Cluster, where the Nirkenia Supreme Council gathered in the holy Hailavi Galaxy under the faith of the Creation God, Farn.

• The Federation expanded Dark Energy research and military forces while regulating private sects and keeping their members under Federation control.
• Aliya found that Alba could not help her break the royal insects’ evolutionary limits, but its cells could be used to mass-produce powerful Void Predators.
• Aliya repeatedly harvested Alba’s flesh and blood to cultivate Void Predators, leaving Alba in misery.
• The story introduced the Nilkenia Super Galaxy Cluster, whose civilizations shared faith in the Creation God, Farn, and avoided expansion beyond their cluster without his order.
• The Level 7 civilizations gathered for a meeting of the Nirkenia Supreme Council in the Hailavi Galaxy, and an imposing voice called for silence.

Latis announced that the Creation Crystal’s dimming meant the universe had fallen into corruption, and the council approved opening Purgatory to unleash its creatures. Three days later, Latis, Fras, and Everart opened the Gate of Purgatory, and a roar sounded from the scarlet passage within.

• Latis told the council that the Creation Crystal had dimmed and claimed the Creation God’s oracle required trials of suffering for every civilization.
• The council members agreed to open Purgatory in three days, despite some leaders not truly believing in Farn.
• Latis, Fras, and Everart brought their crystals to the Gate of Purgatory and inserted them together into the stone platform.
• The gate opened after ten minutes, revealing a spiraling scarlet spatial passage from which a massive roar rang out.

Hypnos emerged from the Gate of Purgatory and revealed himself as the last surviving leader of the Void Dragon Clan, but Crocodile God Haig immediately knocked him aside. Haig warned Hypnos that their boss was coming out next, leaving the gathered civilization leaders awaiting the next creature.

• A powerful claw reached through the Gate of Purgatory, alarming the leaders of the Advanced Civilizations.
• Hypnos emerged from the gate and celebrated his escape from Farn’s small world.
• Hypnos was knocked more than a hundred kilometers away by the creature following him.
• Crocodile God Haig emerged, radiating the power of a Level 9 Biological Civilization.
• Haig scolded Hypnos for blocking the path and told him their boss was coming out.

Galon, the Tenth-order Biological Civilization known as the Kirin Beast, emerged from the Gate of Purgatory and asked where Farn was. Latis began explaining the situation while the other civilization leaders reacted angrily to Galon’s disrespect toward their Creation God.

• Hegg’s claim that he had a boss shocked Hypnos and the Nilkenia Super Galaxy Cluster, while Latis wondered whether a Tenth-order Biological Civilization existed in Purgatory.
• The chapter recounted how Farn’s extreme experiments and destruction of civilizations led Alphart’s Supreme Council to exile him, though he escaped using a prepared route.
• A Kirin Beast emerged from the Gate of Purgatory, and the narration identified him as Galon, Farn’s only Tenth-order Biological Civilization experiment.
• Galon floated forward, recalled being imprisoned and experimented on by Farn for a hundred thousand years, and asked Aris and the others where Farn was.
• The leaders of the civilizations became enraged at Galon’s disrespect, but Latis calmly addressed him as his lord and began explaining what had happened.

Galon learned that Farn had stolen him for experiments and decided to take revenge on the Alphart Civilization by evolving further. He claimed the Nilkenia Super Galaxy Cluster as his own and ordered its civilizations to worship him, leaving Latis to enforce his rule.

• Galon learned from Latis that Farn had ruled the Nilkenia Super Galaxy Cluster and resolved to blame the Alphart Civilization for Farn's crimes.
• Galon declared that he would rule the cluster and demanded that its civilizations worship him and provide him with resources.
• Latis pledged the Zilun Empire's support, while other civilization leaders rejected Galon and vowed to fight rather than abandon their faith in the Creation God.
• Latis's soldiers killed the other civilizations' guards and seized their leaders, following Galon's order to destroy civilizations that refused to worship him.
• After Latis left to carry out Galon's orders, Galon turned to Hegg and Hypnos to discuss an important matter.