Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Scramble”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun’s announcement about Life Potion distribution causes controversy, but he leaves the negotiations to Zhang Caixin and Yang Yuxin.
• Zhang Caixin delegates the task to Gu Jiahui, but because Gu has not yet reached the Dust-Free Realm, Yu Qingzhu is chosen to conduct the negotiations.
• Yu Qingzhu allocates the available 800,000 Life Potions among the major powers:
  • The Three Sects and Four Platforms receive 50,000 doses each.
  • The Ten Directions Platform receives 100,000 because of its trading role.
  • Pine-Cypress Peak and Swordforge Peak receive 150,000 each.
  • Viewing Springs Valley receives 200,000 because it represents many independent cultivators.
  • Libo Shoal retains 50,000 for emergencies and small-scale purchases.
• Several powers initially complain about the distribution, but Yu Qingzhu explains the practical reasoning behind the quotas, and most accept that the arrangement is fair.
• Huangfu Wuxia asks why the Heavenlink Trade Alliance received no allocation. Yu Qingzhu rejects the request, warning the Huangfu Clan not to expand greedily into every market and insisting that Heavenlink Headquarters negotiate directly with Libo Shoal.
• Yu Qingzhu also orders distributors to prevent cross-territory resale and smuggling, revealing that Feng Jun sells Life Potions cheaply in the Mortal World—one dose for roughly ten tons of pig iron.
• Other cultivators criticize Feng Jun for “wasting” such valuable medicine on mortals, but Yu Qingzhu defends his actions as possibly part of his Red-Dust Tempering of the Heart and emphasizes that outsiders should not interfere with his chosen path.
• The news attracts major family powers. True Lords Xuanyuan Buqi and Qian Zhong request one million doses each for their families, recognizing that even powerful clans need ways to extend the lives of non-cultivating relatives.
• Numerous other prominent and lesser families submit orders, creating a total demand exceeding twenty million doses.
• Feng Jun refuses to allow families to purchase excessive quantities for resale. He permits them to buy only for their own people and threatens to cut off supply to anyone who sells the potions onward.
• The families reduce their orders and promise not to resell. Most sects do not seek large purchases because they have weaker ties to mortal relatives, though some individual Gold Core and Nascent Soul cultivators buy small quantities for their families.
• Yu Qingzhu uses the reserved emergency stock to fulfill these smaller orders and insists that even powerful cultivators pay the required fees.
• Libo Shoal accepts orders for another twenty million doses, forcing Feng Jun to return to Zhige Mountain to organize production.
• At the chapter’s end, Lang Zhen warns Feng Jun that some raw materials are running short, creating a new logistical problem.

Character Developments

• Yu Qingzhu demonstrates strong administrative, diplomatic, and negotiation skills. Although she is not deeply interested in the authority itself, she handles the distribution fairly and firmly, proving that her abilities extend beyond cultivation.
• Feng Jun is portrayed as principled and unusually compassionate toward mortals. He prioritizes genuine need over profit and refuses to let powerful families exploit the Life Potion market.
• Zhang Caixin continues to delegate responsibilities rather than personally handling minor matters, reflecting her heavy workload and confidence in her subordinates.
• Huangfu Wuxia becomes increasingly frustrated by Libo Shoal’s refusal to grant the Heavenlink Trade Alliance a share, but she is acting under pressure from Heavenlink Headquarters rather than solely out of personal greed.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and Qian Zhong set aside their pride as True Lords and become attentive to the welfare of their mortal family members.
• Lang Zhen serves as the practical overseer of production at Zhige Mountain and brings attention to the shortage of raw materials.

Significant Themes

• Fair distribution versus personal greed: Yu Qingzhu bases allocations on actual needs and organizational functions rather than status or pressure.
• Compassion toward mortals: Feng Jun’s willingness to sacrifice profit for ordinary people contrasts with the detached attitude common among cultivators.
• Family bonds and social responsibility: The powerful families realize that caring for non-cultivating relatives can strengthen family unity and preserve loyalty.
• Different values of families and sects: Families retain stronger emotional ties to mortal members, while sect cultivators often sever such relationships as they advance.
• Moral limits on commerce: Feng Jun rejects monopolization and resale, treating the Life Potions as a humanitarian resource rather than a commodity for speculation.
• Cultivation as a personal path: Yu Qingzhu defends Feng Jun’s actions as his own method of cultivation and warns others against damaging or judging a path they do not understand.
• Power and diplomacy: Libo Shoal’s growing influence allows Yu Qingzhu to rebuff the Huangfu Clan and even demand that major forces respect its rules.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhang Caixin assigns Yu Qingzhu to manage the negotiations after deciding Gu Jiahui lacks sufficient cultivation status.
• Yu Qingzhu consults Feng Jun before distributing the quotas, showing that she respects his authority despite having considerable autonomy.
• Yu Qingzhu confronts Huangfu Wuxia and rejects Heavenlink’s attempt to obtain a share through the Huangfu Clan.
• Yu Qingzhu defends Feng Jun when other cultivators criticize his treatment of mortals.
• Xuanyuan Buqi and Qian Zhong approach Feng Jun directly to request large family allocations, acknowledging the value of his policy.
• Feng Jun sets strict conditions for the families, while Yu Qingzhu enforces the payment and distribution rules.
• Lang Zhen’s final warning shifts the chapter from a political and commercial scramble to an impending production and supply crisis.

Chapter Summary: “Bottleneck”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lang Damei marries Mu Fengtang, a direct descendant of the Mu Family. Their relationship develops gradually after Mu Fengtang initially looks down on her as a rustic village girl but comes to respect her sincerity and connection to Feng Jun’s Zhige Mountain.
• Lang Damei reaches the High-Rank Martial Master and Half-Step Innate stages, while Mu Fengtang advances to the Innate level with the help of medicinal pills.
• Mu Fengtang discovers that the planned production of twenty million doses of Life Potion faces two major supply problems:
  • A catalyst that loses effectiveness after repeated use.
  • A highly precise filtering medium required by the production equipment, which neither Kunhao Plane nor Blue Star can manufacture.
• Feng Jun attempts to solve the catalyst problem through Deduction. He finds a substitute, but it performs poorly and would increase raw-material consumption by 20–40%. The filtering medium, however, is a much more serious obstacle because it depends on advanced high-tech manufacturing.
• Feng Jun compares the filtering medium to photoresist and lithography technology—industries that can become strategic bottlenecks if controlled by others.
• Before returning to the Insectoid World to collect overdue Gate Chips from the Lin Family, Feng Jun consults Beauty Lin about Blue Star’s progress in mastering the advanced materials and manufacturing knowledge he previously provided.
• Beauty Lin explains that the technology is extremely advanced and may take ten years to master fully and thirty years to apply comprehensively. However, Xia Nation has concentrated resources on particularly valuable areas and has already achieved a small-scale breakthrough in photoresist production.
• Feng Jun is surprised that photoresist, despite being outdated by Federation standards, is still being researched. Beauty Lin explains that developing older generations is necessary to build the foundation for newer technologies, maintain independence, and prevent foreign powers from exploiting manufacturing weaknesses.
• The chapter ends with Feng Jun asking Beauty Lin to investigate the mysterious filtering medium.

Character Developments

• Lang Damei grows from a simple village girl into a powerful cultivator and respected member of the Mu Family. Her honesty and lack of pretension become qualities that attract Mu Fengtang.
• Mu Fengtang becomes more perceptive and pragmatic. He abandons his initial prejudice against Lang Damei and recognizes both her personal virtues and the importance of Feng Jun’s faction.
• Feng Jun confronts the limits of his abilities. Although he can modify formulas and use Deduction, he realizes that cultivation does not automatically solve every technological problem, especially those involving sophisticated industrial manufacturing.
• Beauty Lin is shown as responsible, capable, and proud of Xia Nation’s scientific progress. She balances official caution with a willingness to support Feng Jun’s increasingly important needs.
• Feng Jun also reveals a growing awareness that large-scale development requires expertise, industrial foundations, and long-term planning—not merely access to advanced knowledge.

Significant Themes

• Technological bottlenecks and strategic dependence: The inability to produce a catalyst or filtering medium shows how a single specialized component can halt an entire industrial project.
• Limits of individual power: Feng Jun’s cultivation and Deduction are powerful but cannot replace an advanced industrial base.
• Long-term technological development: Beauty Lin emphasizes that progress requires mastering successive generations of technology rather than attempting to leap directly to the most advanced stage.
• Competition versus self-reliance: Xia Nation’s research is driven by the need to avoid being “choked off” by rival powers and to compete from a position of strength.
• Sincerity versus social status: Lang Damei’s straightforward character overcomes Mu Fengtang’s initial class prejudice, suggesting that genuine character matters more than family background.
• Cooperation between cultivation and technology: The chapter continues to show Feng Jun connecting resources from different worlds while discovering that neither realm is independently capable of solving every problem.

Character Interactions

• Lang Damei and Mu Fengtang: Their relationship develops through mutual recognition. Mu Fengtang comes to admire Lang Damei’s sincerity, while she rises in cultivation and status.
• Feng Jun and Lang Zhen/Mu Fengtang: Feng Jun questions the report about dwindling materials. Lang Zhen struggles to explain, so Mu Fengtang provides the accurate technical account.
• Feng Jun and Beauty Lin: Their conversation shifts from frustration over slow technological progress to a serious discussion of strategic materials. Feng Jun seeks practical assistance, while Beauty Lin explains Xia Nation’s research priorities and achievements.
• Feng Jun and the wider Xia Nation system: Feng Jun feels impatient with bureaucratic caution and slow absorption of knowledge, but he ultimately recognizes that industrial development cannot be rushed without skilled personnel and infrastructure.

Chapter Summary: “How Strong Have I Become?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun proposes research into “collision-stack-induced multi-outlet sealed single-channel filter media,” a highly specialized material category that Xia Nation has barely studied.
• Beauty Lin initially considers it extremely niche, but Feng Jun argues that the technology has broad practical importance for high-end industries, comparing it to photoresist in strategic significance.
• Beauty Lin promises to prioritize the research and secure funding, insisting that anything Feng Jun identifies as a future technological trend will receive national support.
• Feng Jun realizes that his recommendations now carry influence far beyond ordinary funding decisions. Because of his access to the Federation’s future technology, foreign countries are also watching his choices.
• The discussion expands to the possibility of Feng Jun giving lectures on future technological development. He firmly refuses, preferring to remain private and avoid the responsibilities and attention that come with being a public authority.
• Feng Jun then gives Beauty Lin details of two catalyst compounds:
  • One is more effective but extremely difficult to develop.
  • The other is easier to make in the laboratory but presents challenges for mass production.
• The chapter ends with Beauty Lin asking what production scale is required for the more practical substitute catalyst.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes increasingly aware of his growing influence. He is amused and proud that a liberal arts student can shape national and even global technological priorities, but he also feels the weight of potentially making the wrong decision.
• Despite his power and access to advanced knowledge, Feng Jun remains cautious and humble. He refuses to present himself as a scientist or lecturer because he fears overestimating himself.
• Beauty Lin demonstrates strong confidence in Feng Jun’s judgment. Her earlier uncertainty disappears, largely because she trusts the Federation’s proven future technology as a reliable guide.
• Beauty Lin also reveals her willingness to use her authority to ensure Feng Jun’s preferred research fields receive support, regardless of how obscure they initially appear.

Significant Themes

• Influence and responsibility: Feng Jun’s technological knowledge gives him the power to direct national research, but this influence comes with the risk of leading others down the wrong path.
• Future technology and strategic development: Even obscure scientific fields can become crucial foundations for advanced industries and national competitiveness.
• Humility versus authority: Feng Jun possesses extraordinary influence but continues to see himself as an ordinary liberal arts student who merely gained access to future knowledge.
• Trust in expertise and proven results: Beauty Lin’s confidence rests on the Federation’s technology having already been validated in practice.
• The importance of industrialization: Scientific breakthroughs are not enough; large-scale manufacturing and practical production remain essential.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Beauty Lin debate whether the proposed filter-media research is truly a major field. Feng Jun emphasizes its long-term value, while Beauty Lin immediately treats his judgment as decisive.
• Beauty Lin repeatedly reassures Feng Jun that funding and institutional support will not be obstacles, forcing him to confront how powerful his recommendations have become.
• Their exchange includes teasing and humor: Feng Jun jokes about becoming a scientific “weather vane,” while Beauty Lin lightly mocks his attempts to deny his wealth and influence.
• When Beauty Lin suggests that Feng Jun lecture national scholars, he rejects the idea emphatically. She accepts his decision but is visibly disappointed.
• Their final discussion returns to practical research, with Feng Jun distinguishing between a superior but difficult catalyst and a less effective substitute that is more suitable for mass production.

Chapter Summary: “Uncontrollable”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After gaining nothing tangible in the Blue Star Realm, Feng Jun feels disappointed, though learning that he possesses a status resembling a “prophet” improves his mood.
• Upon returning to the Insectoid World, Feng Jun and Qian Zhong monitor Chen Jiu, Xuan Gao, and others. He Runxian has disappeared, apparently leaving the star system.
• Feng Jun deliberately delays contacting Chen Jiu and instead visits Xuan Gao Transport Company.
• Xuan Gao explains that the deputy prime minister previously targeted his company after Chen Jiu failed to contact Feng Jun. The company was shut down for two months, forcing Xuan Gao to hide for several more months.
• The company reopened only after military intervention, partly because transport services were essential for post-disaster reconstruction. Xuan Gao retaliated indirectly against competing opportunists by ensuring they could not find workers to operate cargo facilities.
• Xuan Gao reports successfully obtaining:
  • Three patients
  • Various medicines and production lines
  • Twenty thousand Nutrient Chambers
  • Advanced space warships
• The warships were acquired with help from the old marshal, who apparently values exchanges with Feng Jun’s side. Feng Jun worries that the marshal’s actions may provoke resentment within the Federation.
• Xuan Gao reveals that He Runxian was arrested by the Federation for allegedly colluding with space pirates and illegally selling mining equipment. Feng Jun suspects that many factions are exploiting the situation for their own benefit.
• Feng Jun asks whether Xuan Gao knows that certain raw materials needed for the Life Potion production lines are restricted. Xuan Gao initially claims ignorance but admits that some regulated filter materials may have been involved.
• Feng Jun becomes suspicious that both Xuan Gao and the military may have concealed the production bottlenecks during the transaction. He pressures Xuan Gao with his aura, forcing him to investigate the matter with military contacts.
• The military claims it was genuinely unaware of the restrictions because the production lines had not been used for decades, and the transactions were conducted secretly by personnel who focused only on whether the equipment still functioned.
• Feng Jun accepts that the military may not have acted deliberately, but demands compensation: two production lines for each of the restricted raw materials.
• The military agrees to provide a catalyst production line, though its operation still requires additional regulated intermediary materials. Feng Jun is therefore forced to confront the limitations of relying on an incomplete industrial system.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun remains cautious and politically detached. He is willing to trade with the Federation but refuses to tolerate deception or incompetence. His response to the production-line issue shows that he is forceful yet capable of distinguishing deliberate betrayal from accidental negligence.
• Xuan Gao is shown to be a seasoned, pragmatic businessman. He avoids unnecessary confrontation, uses indirect methods to protect his company, and knows when to admit fault. Despite his dealings with powerful factions, he is intimidated by Feng Jun’s cultivation and pressure.
• Qian Zhong continues acting as Feng Jun’s observer and analytical support, monitoring the movements of important figures and helping assess the military’s sincerity.
• He Runxian becomes increasingly vulnerable, having been removed by the Federation amid accusations that may be politically motivated.
• The old marshal is portrayed as highly active despite supposedly being retired, personally supporting both the transport company and exchanges with Feng Jun’s side.

Significant Themes

• Political infighting and power struggles: The deputy prime minister, military, He Family, and other factions pursue competing interests, often using legal accusations or administrative pressure as weapons.
• Distrust in international dealings: Feng Jun refuses to assume either the best or worst of the Federation, emphasizing the need for verification and compensation when information is withheld.
• Industrial dependence and technological inequality: The production-line problem reveals that possessing advanced machinery is useless without access to the necessary raw materials and supporting industries.
• The consequences of incomplete systems: Feng Jun’s side lacks a fully integrated industrial base, making it vulnerable to bottlenecks and external control.
• Pragmatism over idealism: Characters rely on covert transactions, indirect retaliation, political connections, and calculated compromises rather than straightforward cooperation.
• The weak being exploited: Although Xia Nation has a strong and complete industrial system compared with Feng Jun’s side, it remains technologically weaker than the Human Federation and is still vulnerable to domination.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Xuan Gao: Their meeting combines business negotiation with distrust. Xuan Gao reports his recent acquisitions, while Feng Jun questions the Federation’s treatment of him and the hidden restrictions surrounding the Life Potion technology.
• Feng Jun and the military, through Xuan Gao: Feng Jun uses pressure to force clarification and demands new production lines as compensation. The military attempts to defend itself by explaining the secrecy and bureaucratic separation surrounding the transactions.
• Feng Jun and the old marshal: Though the marshal does not appear directly, his influence shapes the events. Feng Jun views his active intervention with suspicion, while Xuan Gao regards it as the reason the company and trade arrangements survived.
• Feng Jun and the Federation: Their relationship remains transactional and fragile. Feng Jun feels some kinship with the Federation but is prepared to find alternative trading partners if internal conflict becomes too damaging.
• Xuan Gao and the military: Their relationship is cooperative but cautious. The military previously helped reopen his company, yet Xuan Gao remains willing to criticize or pressure it when Feng Jun demands answers.

Chapter Summary: “Killing Intent Arose”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun determines that his group does not need to purchase an entire catalyst production line; buying the necessary materials and using substitute catalysts would be cheaper and safer.
• The real difficulty is obtaining a tightly controlled filtration medium used mainly to produce Life Potion. Although the medium has other applications and is manufactured alongside related products, its connection to Life Potion has led to increased surveillance and restricted availability.
• Xuan Gao reveals that the military learned of the shortage through a deliberate leak intended to establish contact with Feng Jun, apparently on behalf of Vice Premier Lin or people seeking to curry favor with him.
• Feng Jun interprets the leak as repeated provocation and becomes enraged, openly expressing a desire to kill those responsible. Xuan Gao desperately warns him that assassinating a Federation vice premier or his associates would provoke severe wartime retaliation.
• Feng Jun orders the deaths of Robert and the brother-in-law of Lin’s second son. Both men are mysteriously killed while dining, collapsing and bleeding from their orifices before advanced medical technology can save them.
• Unsatisfied, Feng Jun also demands information on the residence of Lin’s second son, intending to “chop off” Lin’s influence by targeting his family.
• Xuan Gao agrees to investigate discreetly, explaining that he lacks direct access to the vice premier’s family and fears both the military and Premier Lin’s retaliation.
• Feng Jun leaves to treat three patients in the Spindle Galaxy, giving Xuan Gao time to obtain information. Immediately afterward, the military contacts Xuan Gao and asks whether Feng Jun has appeared, strongly implying that they are aware of the recent deaths.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: His anger escalates into genuine killing intent. He feels his goodwill has been exploited and demonstrates that he can eliminate targets instantly and remotely. At the same time, he shows some awareness of political consequences and avoids directly attacking the vice premier—for now.
• Xuan Gao: Becomes increasingly frightened of Feng Jun’s temper and capabilities. Although he fears being implicated and punished by the Federation, he continues cooperating because Feng Jun’s protection and patronage are vital to his status and survival. He also proves pragmatic, suggesting targets and negotiating for time.
• Vice Premier Lin: Does not appear directly, but his perceived failure to control those acting in his interest causes Feng Jun to view him as responsible. His family becomes vulnerable because of the conflict.
• Robert and Lin’s relative: Their deaths establish the seriousness of Feng Jun’s retaliation and demonstrate the lethality of his methods.
• The Federation military: Its attitude toward Feng Jun has shifted from suspicion toward direct recognition and cautious engagement, suggesting that it is monitoring his movements closely.

Significant Themes

• Retaliation and political pride: Feng Jun believes that tolerating repeated provocations would undermine the dignity of his civilization, making retaliation a matter of honor as well as strategy.
• Power beyond the law: The chapter contrasts formal Federation law with the reality that powerful actors can kill or punish people through unofficial channels, especially during wartime.
• Protection and consequences: Feng Jun’s protection shields Xuan Gao but also places him at risk. Xuan Gao’s survival and political usefulness are tied directly to Feng Jun’s behavior.
• Pragmatism versus anger: Feng Jun understands the dangers of attacking high-ranking officials but allows his anger to push him toward increasingly aggressive actions.
• Wartime moral desensitization: Both Xuan Gao and Feng Jun treat killing as a practical tool. The Federation’s high death rate and wartime conditions have made society less emotionally sensitive to individual loss.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Xuan Gao argue over the implications of targeting Vice Premier Lin and his associates. Xuan Gao attempts to restrain Feng Jun by warning of mass retaliation, while Feng Jun dismisses the threat and insists that he cannot tolerate disrespect.
• Xuan Gao proposes Robert and Lin’s second son’s brother-in-law as targets, and Feng Jun immediately executes them, reinforcing the unequal power dynamic between them.
• When Feng Jun demands information on Lin’s second son, Xuan Gao cautiously agrees but emphasizes the need for discreet investigation. His fear makes clear that cooperation is motivated by both loyalty and self-preservation.
• Feng Jun briefly suspects that Xuan Gao may have leaked the information himself. Xuan Gao defends his position, explaining that his limited status prevents him from knowing the vice premier’s family personally.
• After Feng Jun departs, the military contacts Xuan Gao, creating a new layer of tension and suggesting that the authorities may already understand that Feng Jun was responsible for the killings.

Chapter Summary: “Running Away”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuan Gao discusses with a military liaison the mysterious force’s assassination of Robert and another individual, apparently carried out instantly and from a great distance through an unknown weapon, possibly involving brainwaves.
• The killings are revealed to be retaliation for the Federation’s pressure on He Runxian and Hesheng Corporation. By halting Hesheng’s mining-equipment production and withholding promised Gate Chips, the Federation has harmed the Humanoid Civilization’s interests.
• Xuan Gao warns that Feng Jun’s retaliation may not be over. Feng Jun had even considered attacking another major target but was persuaded not to do so.
• The military tries to learn Feng Jun’s plans and asks Xuan Gao to help bring He Runxian back, citing a personal debt to a deceased comrade from the He Family. Xuan Gao remains skeptical and carefully withholds information.
• Feng Jun spends ten days treating three patients. Two are largely cured within six days, while the third requires the full ten days. Although further recovery is needed, Feng Jun considers the critical treatment complete.
• Afterward, Feng Jun asks Xuan Gao for the location of the Lin Family’s second young master, who is believed to be responsible for schemes against the Humanoid Civilization.
• Xuan Gao identifies his usual residence in the prosperous Auxiliary Capital Star System. However, the man has already fled to Capital Star and sought protection at his father Vice Premier Lin’s heavily guarded residence.
• The chapter explains that the second young master initially tested the Humanoid Civilization cautiously, but became increasingly bold after receiving no obvious retaliation. Robert and others conducted investigations and schemes against the aliens, assuming the consequences would remain limited.
• The deaths of Robert and his associate finally make the Federation realize that targeting He Runxian might be tolerated, but interfering with Hesheng Corporation’s ability to supply the Humanoid Civilization crosses a serious boundary.
• Xuan Gao secretly investigates He Runxian’s detention and the Lin family’s movements through intermediaries, protecting himself from Federation retaliation or blacklisting.
• Feng Jun is frustrated by the Lin family member’s cowardice and views helping He Runxian as part of the obligations of a cooperative partner.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun is shown as powerful, decisive, and increasingly willing to retaliate against those who threaten his interests. At the same time, he demonstrates restraint by allowing Xuan Gao to talk him out of attacking an even more important political figure. His medical treatment also reinforces his patience and sense of responsibility.
• Xuan Gao continues acting as a cautious intermediary between Feng Jun and the Federation. Though he sympathizes with the Federation, he recognizes its mistakes and refuses to reveal more information than necessary. His use of intermediaries shows both political experience and self-preservation.
• The military liaison appears concerned about both national security and the He Family. His claim that he owes a debt to a deceased comrade suggests a personal motive, but Xuan Gao doubts whether this is the whole truth.
• The Lin Family’s second young master is revealed to be reckless when protected by political power but cowardly when faced with real danger. He repeatedly provoked the Humanoid Civilization through Robert and other agents, then fled once retaliation began.
• He Runxian remains absent and detained, but becomes central to the conflict because his treatment represents the Federation’s interference with the Humanoid Civilization’s relationship with Hesheng Corporation.
• Lin Jielin also seeks refuge at the vice premier’s residence, hoping her previous treatment by Feng Jun might persuade him to show mercy.

Significant Themes

• Consequences of political overreach: The Federation assumes it can pressure one of its own citizens without affecting foreign relations, but the chapter shows that economic and logistical interference can be viewed as an attack by another civilization.
• Misjudging boundaries between civilizations: The Federation mistakes the Humanoid Civilization’s earlier restraint for weakness or indifference. Its failure to understand the aliens’ standards leads it to cross a dangerous line.
• Power and deterrence: The mysterious assassinations demonstrate the overwhelming technological superiority of Feng Jun’s side and force the Federation to reconsider its behavior.
• Courage versus recklessness: The Lin family’s schemes are bold only while backed by political protection. Once genuine danger appears, the instigator runs for shelter.
• Pragmatism and self-preservation: Xuan Gao avoids idealistic confrontation, using secrecy and intermediaries to protect himself while still trying to resolve the crisis.
• Obligations between partners: Feng Jun’s desire to help He Runxian reflects the idea that cooperation carries responsibilities, especially when one partner has been harmed by the other’s government.

Character Interactions

• Xuan Gao and the military liaison: Their conversation is tense and guarded. The liaison seeks information about Feng Jun’s motives and future targets, while Xuan Gao criticizes the Federation’s failure to protect He Runxian and Hesheng Corporation.
• Xuan Gao and Feng Jun: Though Feng Jun is not directly present in their conversation, Xuan Gao serves as his cautious intermediary, gathering intelligence and attempting to restrain his most dangerous plans.
• The Federation and the Humanoid Civilization: Their relationship shifts from uneasy cooperation to open tension. The Federation had treated the aliens as distant but useful allies, while Feng Jun now views its actions as direct interference.
• The Lin family and political authority: The second young master and Lin Jielin rely on Vice Premier Lin’s immense security and influence for protection, revealing the family’s dependence on political power rather than personal strength.

Chapter Summary: “Social Death and Actual Death”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Five days after Feng Jun met Xuan Gao, two high-ranking Federation officials die mysteriously in different regions: one in the Dumbbell Galaxy and another in the Nine-Bend Star System. Nothing happens in the Berman Star System, where He Runxian is being held, but the deaths immediately change how his investigators treat him.
• He Runxian is moved from a sealed detention room to a detached villa and is treated more respectfully. The investigators privately claim they were only following orders, but He Runxian refuses to forgive or trust them.
• The chief investigator visits He Runxian and asks whether the Federation is justified in controlling Energy Stone mining. He Runxian gives a carefully worded answer: he supports Federation law in principle but insists that the Federation cannot control territories it does not actually govern.
• The chief investigator reveals that the Federation believes He Runxian is connected to the Humanoid Civilization. He warns that the deaths of officials may lead to Hesheng Corporation being destroyed along with He Runxian.
• He Runxian realizes that the mysterious deaths are retaliation from Feng Jun and the Humanoid Civilization after the Federation restricted their access to mining equipment and Energy Stones.
• Three days after declaring that the Federation intends to rule the entire interstellar realm, including every other civilization, the chief investigator is killed. A strange pillar of light crushes his hovercar and body, bypassing his supposedly protective anti-brainwave helmet.
• Feng Jun and the others deliberately use an attack method that cannot be traced to Federation technology. Their actual spiritual-energy attack leaves no lasting evidence, reinforcing the investigators’ belief that the Humanoid Civilization can kill them at will.
• After the chief’s death, the investigators become paralyzed by fear and confusion. They cannot safely curry favor with He Runxian, but refusing to do so may expose them to further retaliation.
• One investigator is beheaded by an unknown attack while using the restroom, despite wearing protective equipment. Another investigator nearly attacks He Runxian in desperation, but his colleagues restrain him and remind him that murdering He Runxian would only guarantee his own conviction.
• The investigation collapses because of poor interregional procedures, selfish officials, and higher authorities refusing to take responsibility. Some investigators threaten to resign, while officials eventually decide to transfer He Runxian—but no jurisdiction is willing to accept him.

Character Developments

• He Runxian remains composed, defiant, and politically cautious. He refuses to admit wrongdoing without evidence and uses technical distinctions to expose the Federation’s overreach.
• He becomes increasingly aware that his survival is linked to the Humanoid Civilization’s retaliation. Although he does not openly celebrate the deaths, he understands the logic behind them and subtly reminds the investigator that aggression has consequences.
• The chief investigator shifts from intimidation to nervous negotiation. His confidence in Federation authority remains strong, but fear emerges as he realizes that his superiors’ policies have placed ordinary officials in danger. His insistence that the Federation should control the entire interstellar realm reveals his ideological loyalty and arrogance.
• The subordinate investigators deteriorate psychologically. They are trapped between “social death”—losing their careers by associating with He Runxian—and actual death from the mysterious attacks.
• Feng Jun and the Humanoid Civilization are portrayed as powerful, calculating, and willing to retaliate selectively. They intentionally mislead the Federation about the nature of their abilities.

Significant Themes

• Power and deterrence: The mysterious killings demonstrate that the Federation’s laws and technological defenses mean little against a superior civilization.
• The limits of imperial control: He Runxian challenges the Federation’s claim that it has the right to control Energy Stone mining everywhere, especially in regions beyond its real authority.
• Fear and bureaucratic collapse: Once officials realize their leadership cannot protect them, rigid systems and procedures quickly break down.
• Social death versus actual death: The investigators fear both professional disgrace for siding with He Runxian and literal death for opposing him. The chapter shows how extreme pressure makes both choices seem dangerous.
• Responsibility and scapegoating: Officials insist they are merely following orders, while higher authorities avoid involvement. The lack of clear accountability allows the crisis to worsen.
• Civilization and violence: The Federation’s claim to be civilized is contrasted with its use of coercion and torture, while the Humanoid Civilization’s retaliation is brutal but presented as a calculated response to interference.

Character Interactions

• He Runxian and the chief investigator: Their conversation is a battle of indirect threats and ideological arguments. He Runxian maintains calm control, while the investigator grows increasingly frustrated and accidentally reveals sensitive information.
• He Runxian and the investigators: Their relationship changes from hostility to fearful politeness. The investigators want his cooperation or favor but cannot risk openly helping him.
• Investigators among themselves: After the deaths, they argue over whether to appease He Runxian, flee, resign, or attack him. Their fear causes distrust and near-violence.
• The Federation and the Humanoid Civilization: Their conflict remains mostly unseen but drives every major event. The Humanoid Civilization answers political and economic restrictions with precise, terrifying retaliation, forcing the Federation to confront the limits of its authority.

Chapter Summary: “The Merciless Hand”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun, Qian Zhong, Yi Jue, and Xuanyuan Buqi travel from the chaotic Berman Star System to Xingzheng Star in the Auxiliary Capital Star System, where Second Young Master Lin’s estate is located.
• Because the planet has extensive surveillance and overlapping satellite coverage, they stop several thousand li from the estate and wait for nightfall.
• They hope rain will interfere with satellite imaging, but the estate activates weather-control weapons that disperse the storm clouds. This makes a precise attack difficult.
• Originally intending to destroy selected buildings while avoiding estate workers, the group decides that a broad attack is unavoidable. Qian Zhong and Yi Jue justify the decision by pointing to the Lin faction’s own disregard for human life.
• Xuanyuan Buqi launches a giant, invisible or faintly visible palm strike from afar. Although he stops the hand just above the ground rather than striking directly, the estate’s buildings collapse and roughly ninety percent of the people inside are killed or injured.
• The four cultivators leave immediately, but their attack causes a major political and security crisis in the Auxiliary Capital Star System.
• Authorities initially suspect an internal human conflict rather than an Insectoid attack. The estate claims that a secret military starship crashed during testing, but the military denies conducting any such test.
• The Lin Family seals off the estate, gathers the casualties, and hires private hospitals. The military and local administration argue over jurisdiction, while Vice Chancellor Lin’s faction attempts to keep the incident secret.
• The military resents the Lin Family because Second Young Master Lin’s actions have already harmed its interests, but political sensitivities prevent an immediate confrontation.
• News of the attack spreads, and the severity of the retaliation makes investigators in the Berman Star System hesitate to continue pursuing He Runxian. They conclude that the Humanoid Civilization behind Feng Jun is too dangerous to provoke.
• Feng Jun’s decision to retaliate gradually—first targeting people connected to the underlying scheme and only later attacking Second Young Master Lin—helps others accept the violence as a deliberate pattern of retribution rather than arbitrary slaughter.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates strategic patience and political awareness. He accepts the need for a large-scale strike only after the weather weapon removes the possibility of a precise attack, and his earlier sequence of retaliations strengthens his reputation as someone who must be feared.
• Qian Zhong acts decisively and shows little concern for the estate’s remaining inhabitants. She supports striking without precision, arguing that the Lin faction has forfeited moral consideration through its treatment of human lives.
• Yi Jue continues adapting to the Human Federation’s technology and security systems. Her knowledge of satellite surveillance allows the group to judge when and how to attack, and she rationalizes the casualties according to the enemy’s own behavior.
• Xuanyuan Buqi carries out the actual devastating attack. Despite his harsh words, he shows limited restraint by stopping the giant hand above the ground, though the practical result is still catastrophic.
• Second Young Master Lin never appears, having already fled, but his arrogance and previous schemes continue to generate consequences. His estate and political standing suffer a crushing blow.
• He Runxian benefits indirectly from the retaliation. The attack convinces authorities that continuing to pursue him could provoke even more dangerous consequences.
• Vice Chancellor Lin and the military become locked in a struggle over control of the incident, with both sides attempting to protect their own interests and conceal the Life Potion production-line deal.

Significant Themes

• Retribution and deterrence: The attack is designed not merely to punish Second Young Master Lin but to send a message that harming Feng Jun’s allies will bring overwhelming retaliation.
• The moral desensitization to violence: The cultivators barely react to the casualties because they have witnessed so much death. The Federation’s ordinary people and institutions are similarly accustomed to violence, making the destruction less shocking than it would be elsewhere.
• Power beyond institutions: The Federation’s surveillance, military, and political systems prove ineffective against cultivators using superior abilities. Traditional authority cannot easily protect powerful individuals from personal retaliation.
• Political secrecy and corruption: The Lin Family invokes “military secrets” to suppress public scrutiny and conceal the private sale of the Life Potion production line. The incident exposes how institutions manipulate jurisdiction and information to protect influential figures.
• Strategic reputation: Feng Jun’s carefully ordered retaliation shapes how others interpret his actions. Because he first punished connected participants and only later attacked Lin’s estate, the violence appears calculated and justified within the story’s harsh political environment.
• The limits of technological control: Weather weapons, satellites, patrols, and automated defenses cannot prevent the cultivators from striking. Advanced technology provides surveillance and response, but not true security against overwhelming supernatural power.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun relies on Yi Jue’s technical understanding of satellite coverage and accepts Qian Zhong’s judgment regarding the timing of the attack.
• Yi Jue and Xuanyuan Buqi discuss whether rain and cloud cover can conceal their movements, while Feng Jun humorously hopes the estate lacks weather weapons—only for the weapons to activate almost immediately.
• Qian Zhong and Yi Jue debate the morality of indiscriminate force, ultimately agreeing that the Lin faction’s own cruelty justifies abandoning precision.
• Xuanyuan Buqi cuts through the debate by attacking directly, transforming the group’s plan from a selective demolition into a devastating assault.
• Afterward, the military, local administration, and Vice Chancellor Lin’s faction clash over who has authority to investigate the estate. Their conflict reveals mutual distrust and competing political interests.
• The retaliation also changes how investigators view He Runxian: rather than treating him as a vulnerable suspect, they begin to see him as protected by an extremely dangerous force.

Chapter Summary: “Robbed”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After leaving the Auxiliary Capital Star System, Feng Jun and his allies return to the border. Xuan Gao’s injured companions recover, allowing him to take possession of the space fleet previously arranged for them.
• Feng Jun upgrades Zhige Mountain’s power system and replaces its low-level warships with intermediate ones, enabling the production line to function normally.
• The production line soon faces a shortage of two essential raw materials used in Life Potion production. Rather than build another production line for the specialized filtration medium, Feng Jun returns to the Federation to obtain supplies.
• Xuan Gao questions Feng Jun about whether his retaliation against the Federation will continue. Feng Jun states that there is no fixed limit: until Second Young Master Lin is punished, the Humanoid Civilization may strike at any time. He insists Lin must remain on Capital Star and be held accountable for insulting their civilization.
• Feng Jun demands large reserves of the two bottleneck materials and threatens to seize them by force if the Federation refuses to cooperate.
• The Federation military, wary of provoking the Humanoid Civilization but unwilling to surrender control of Life Potion production, agrees to sell Feng Jun some existing stock while investigating other sources.
• The military informs him of two upcoming shipments of the filtration medium. Although these shipments are heavily guarded and may be bait, each contains enough material to produce hundreds of millions of doses of Life Potion.
• Feng Jun decides to intercept one of the shipments despite the risks. True Lord Qian Zhong detects numerous signal devices and self-destruct mechanisms hidden among the cargo, confirming that the shipment is a trap designed to expose the Humanoid Civilization’s methods.
• Feng Jun orders his companions to continue with their plan while he personally distracts the escort fleet.
• He appears directly in space before the Federation’s elite Tax Police General Corps and signals that he intends to conduct a “forced transaction”—a coercive purchase of their cargo.
• The General Corps identifies him as a representative of the Humanoid Civilization and prepares for conflict. Feng Jun responds with a Federation-style warning: the fleet may decide when the war begins, but he will decide when it ends.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes increasingly uncompromising. He treats both the punishment of Lin and the acquisition of Life Potion materials as matters of civilization-wide dignity and security rather than ordinary negotiations.
• He also demonstrates strategic restraint. Although his allies possess methods capable of destroying the Federation fleet instantly, he chooses to conceal their full strength and personally hold the enemy’s attention.
• Xuan Gao remains a mediator between Feng Jun and the Federation. He recognizes the danger of the situation but continues helping Feng Jun, even persuading the military to provide materials and intelligence.
• The Federation military is shown to be cautious and pragmatic. It fears a direct war with the Humanoid Civilization, yet it refuses to relinquish control over Life Potion technology and raw materials.
• True Lord Qian Zhong displays his technical and investigative ability by immediately identifying the shipment as a trap.
• Xuanyuan Buqi remains openly confident in the cultivators’ overwhelming power and criticizes Feng Jun for being too merciful.

Significant Themes

• Civilizational pride and deterrence: Feng Jun believes a powerful civilization must retaliate against insults and aggression or risk inviting further attacks.
• Mutual distrust: Both sides assume the other may be setting a trap. The Federation embeds tracking and self-destruct devices, while Feng Jun prepares to seize the cargo despite recognizing the danger.
• Power versus restraint: The cultivators possess overwhelming abilities, but Feng Jun deliberately limits their use to avoid exposing their true capabilities.
• Resource control and technological independence: The struggle over the two materials reflects the broader importance of Life Potion production and the Federation’s determination to preserve its technological advantage.
• Political and military pragmatism: The Federation wants to maintain control and national dignity without provoking a devastating war against a civilization capable of hunting Insectoids.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Xuan Gao: Xuan Gao questions Feng Jun about his retaliation and relays the military’s offers and warnings. Feng Jun answers firmly, making clear that cooperation depends on the Federation’s behavior.
• Feng Jun and the Federation military: Their relationship is transactional and tense. The military supplies materials and intelligence while secretly monitoring and testing the Humanoid Civilization.
• Feng Jun and his cultivator allies: Qian Zhong identifies the trap, and Xuanyuan Buqi urges a more violent solution. Feng Jun instead assigns himself the role of decoy while the others carry out the larger operation.
• Feng Jun and the General Corps: Their first contact becomes an unexpected confrontation. Rather than attack immediately, Feng Jun formally announces a forced purchase, while the General Corps demands that he stop and prepare to explain himself.

Chapter Summary: “Crazy Retaliation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun refuses to surrender when the Federation’s Main Corps squads approach him. Despite recognizing that his group represents a powerful alien civilization, the squads arrogantly move within three thousand kilometers and attempt to force his submission.
• The Federation launches more than twenty Wormhole Disruptors to prevent spatial escape. Qian Zhong detects their spatial fluctuations and warns Feng Jun, but he remains unconcerned.
• Xuanyuan Buqi deliberately creates confusing Divine Sense fluctuations through the Spirit Division Realm, testing whether the Federation can detect or interpret them.
• The Federation launches fifteen unmanned capture ships, hoping to avoid possible mental attacks. Feng Jun’s side responds by detonating a massive trap: Annihilation Bombs combined with powdered Energy Blocks, producing an explosion equivalent to roughly fifty million tons of Energy Blocks.
• The blast destroys five capture ships, heavily damages the others, scatters or destroys most of the Wormhole Disruptors, and leaves the surrounding space unstable. The Federation finds no trace of Feng Jun’s group.
• The commander realizes that the explosion was likely an act of retaliation—or at least a warning—from an alien humanoid civilization. He fears the incident may create a major crisis for the Federation, while the younger squad member remains defiant and eager to continue fighting.
• After delivering their cargo, the squad members reach a Federation planet and intend to leave quickly rather than remain exposed to retaliation.
• Before they can depart, a hundred-kilometer asteroid abruptly changes course and accelerates toward Xingzheng Star, where the Federation’s Main Corps base is located. The impact is expected within a day.
• The fleet concludes that the asteroid is probably retaliation from Feng Jun’s civilization. Although territorial defense is not officially their responsibility, abandoning the planet would make them appear to be deserters, so they must stay and help.
• The Federation considers several possible defenses, including destroying the asteroid, pushing it away with engines, or using a Spatial Jump. However, the asteroid’s immense size and proximity to the planet make a spatial displacement too dangerous and impractical.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun remains calm and confident, showing that he does not feel threatened by the Federation’s intimidation or anti-spatial weapons.
• Qian Zhong acts as a vigilant supporter, detecting the Wormhole Disruptors and alerting Feng Jun, though his superior spatial perception makes her warning unnecessary.
• Xuanyuan Buqi displays ingenuity and mischief by flooding the area with misleading Divine Sense fluctuations to confuse the Federation’s sensors.
• The Federation commander shifts from confidence to apprehension. His combat experience allows him to recognize the political and military danger of provoking an alien civilization, unlike his younger subordinate.
• The young squad member embodies the Main Corps’ arrogance and aggressive spirit, insisting that the Federation should fight rather than fear its opponent.
• The squad members as a whole begin the chapter boastfully but become uneasy after realizing that their actions may have triggered a large-scale retaliatory attack.

Significant Themes

• Arrogance and miscalculation: The Federation assumes its elite troops can intimidate or capture Feng Jun’s group, underestimating the danger of provoking a foreign civilization.
• Escalation and retaliation: A minor confrontation rapidly develops into a potential planetary disaster, illustrating how reckless military actions can produce consequences far beyond the original dispute.
• Duty versus self-preservation: The squad members want to flee after delivering the cargo, but the asteroid’s course forces them to choose between personal safety and the responsibility to defend the planet.
• Military authority and moral responsibility: The commander recognizes that the squad’s legal power and moral legitimacy within the Federation do not necessarily apply when dealing with outsiders.
• Technological power and its limits: Although the Federation possesses advanced weapons and spatial technology, the asteroid’s size and proximity leave even its sophisticated defenses inadequate.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Qian Zhong interact through Divine Sense, with Qian Zhong offering a warning and Feng Jun confidently dismissing the threat.
• Xuanyuan Buqi’s actions support Feng Jun’s strategy by confusing the Federation’s detection systems.
• Within the Federation fleet, the commander and the young squad member clash in outlook: the younger soldier advocates fearless aggression, while the commander understands the strategic consequences of confronting an alien power.
• The fleet’s members collectively move from confidence to unease as they assess the destruction caused by the explosion and realize that the asteroid may be deliberate retaliation.

Summary of “One After Another”

Key plot points and events

• The Federation detects an asteroid whose course has been altered toward Xingzheng Star, leaving too little time for a Spatial Jump or full-scale evacuation.
• Military forces attempt to destroy or divert it. Plasma Cannons and Annihilation Bombs have no effect, suggesting the asteroid is protected by an unusual shield or controlled by an external force.
• Intelligence suspects the Insectoids, though the fleet commander increasingly believes the Enforcement Squad may have provoked the attack.
• The Enforcement Squad joins the assault, but even its stronger weapons cannot damage or slow the asteroid. The asteroid’s continued acceleration confirms that someone or something is actively controlling it.
• Military commanders and Enforcement Squad officers argue over responsibility. Neither side openly admits involvement, while the military accuses the Enforcement Squad of causing the crisis.
• Towing freighters attempt to pull the asteroid off course. Their anchors fail, forcing them to use a massive hooked net and tow against the asteroid’s direction of travel to buy evacuation time.
• The Space Fortress, warships, ground weapons, and the Enforcement Squad bombard the asteroid. They manage to slow it, but not enough to prevent impact.
• The asteroid strikes the Enforcement Squad’s territory after another day and night. The Federation’s advanced technology prevents mass casualties—only dozens die—but the destruction is enormous: buildings collapse, environmental disasters erupt, and recovery will take decades and vast financial resources.
• During the chaos, the “collision-stack-induced multi-outlet sealed single-channel filtration medium” is stolen. The theft receives little immediate attention because the asteroid impact dominates public focus.
• The Federation announces relief efforts and solicits donations.
• Five days later, another asteroid targets a planet connected to the same filtration-medium company. Its defenses, including near-orbital cannons and a planet-destroying warship, successfully destroy the asteroid before impact.
• While that planet is under attack, the company producing the filtration medium suffers another theft, revealing a coordinated campaign against organizations connected to the product.
• Five days after the theft, He Runxian is returned to Border Star. His escort subtly asks him to discover what the attackers want, warning that continued escalation may eliminate any possibility of reconciliation.
• He Runxian refuses to cooperate, claiming he does not know whom to ask and has no desire to deliver messages. Other figures, including Chen Jiu and Xuan Gao, have also been approached as intermediaries.

Character developments

• The military fleet commander becomes increasingly suspicious and confrontational. He shifts from treating the asteroid as a natural disaster to recognizing it as a deliberate attack, and he openly challenges the Enforcement Squad.
• The military intelligence analyst correctly identifies the asteroid’s abnormal behavior and realizes that it is being controlled, not merely shielded.
• The Enforcement Squad captain maintains an arrogant and defensive attitude but avoids explicitly denying responsibility, fearing legal consequences if the lie is exposed.
• The towing freighter’s first mate demonstrates practical expertise by recognizing that opposing the asteroid’s momentum is the only viable way to delay its arrival.
• He Runxian remains blunt, stubborn, and unwilling to serve as a messenger, even when indirect pressure and appeals to shared local connections are used against him.
• Xuan Gao and Chen Jiu are revealed to be potential intermediaries in the growing dispute, suggesting that several influential figures are being pressured to negotiate.

Significant themes

• Escalation and retaliation: The asteroid attacks and thefts appear to be connected, showing a deliberate campaign of revenge or coercion against the Federation.
• Political distrust and accountability: The military and Enforcement Squad cooperate in the crisis while simultaneously blaming each other and concealing information.
• The limits of technological power: Even overwhelming Federation weapons cannot immediately stop an enemy-controlled asteroid, emphasizing that superior technology does not guarantee control.
• The hidden cost of conflict: Low casualties do not lessen the destruction; infrastructure loss, environmental damage, restoration expenses, and political consequences are immense.
• Chaos as a cover: The asteroid impact creates the confusion needed for the theft, demonstrating how disasters can be exploited strategically.
• Reluctance to negotiate: He Runxian and others resist becoming messengers, while the escort warns that excessive retaliation may leave no path toward compromise.

Character interactions

• The fleet commander and Enforcement Squad captain engage in a hostile exchange over whether the Enforcement Squad caused the asteroid attack.
• Military personnel and the Enforcement Squad cooperate tactically, combining weapons fire and towing operations despite their mutual suspicion.
• The towing crew works with military forces to slow the asteroid and preserve evacuation time.
• He Runxian argues with his escort, refusing to pass along the implied demand or investigate the attackers’ motives.
• The escort attempts to soften the conflict by appealing to local connections and presenting himself as only a messenger.
• Chen Jiu and Xuan Gao are separately drawn into the communication effort, indicating that multiple parties are trying to find a way to reach the people behind the attacks.

Chapter Summary: “Headshot Maniac”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun rejects the idea of simply letting the Enforcement Squad’s attempted abduction of Heavenly Zither cultivators go unpunished. Although He Runxian has been released and the remaining filtering equipment has been completed, Feng Jun views the incident as a dangerous precedent.
• He orders another 5,000 units of mining equipment, plus spare parts, intending to ensure he can eventually exhaust the Great Planet’s resources even if future supplies are cut off.
• After delivering the original 2,000 completed units to the Great Planet and spending several days at Libo Shoal on deduction and treasure refinement, Feng Jun returns to the Insectoid World.
• He assassinates the Xingzheng Star leader who proposed the Enforcement Squad operation. The leader is killed publicly during a factory inauguration, causing widespread panic.
• Senior Federation officials, including deputy ministers and headquarters personnel, retreat to Capital Star, fearing that Feng Jun or the Humanoid Civilization will target them next.
• Feng Jun also kills the Enforcement Squad captain, finding him with his wife’s younger sister. Their deaths expose an embarrassing affair that makes it difficult for the Federation to use the incident as propaganda.
• Feng Jun continues targeting other key figures involved in the operation. The Enforcement Squad demands that headquarters punish the murderer, but the authorities are unable to respond effectively because the conflict falls outside ordinary law-enforcement jurisdiction.
• Feng Jun then targets a factory producing valuable filtering media. With Xuanyuan Buqi’s help, he destroys the planet by sending small planets and meteors toward it before leaving.
• Returning to Border Star, Feng Jun learns that Chen Jiu has arrived with Gate Chips and urgently wants to meet. Feng Jun agrees to collect them, regarding them as the unpaid remainder of Lin Jielin’s previous transaction, even though he suspects the chips may have expiration limits.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes increasingly ruthless and retaliatory. He deliberately creates a “list” of those responsible and uses targeted killings to discourage others from challenging him.
• He recognizes that he has begun treating uninvolved or weaker people as expendable, much like the powerful figures he once despised. This realization troubles him, but he does not regret his actions, believing people must bear the consequences of the sides they choose.
• He Runxian remains pragmatic and cooperative, continuing to offer equipment production despite understanding that the investigators had effectively abandoned him earlier.
• Xuan Gao distances himself from the political conflict but encourages Feng Jun to collect the Gate Chips. His sarcastic relationship with Chen Jiu suggests mutual distrust mixed with a strange affinity.
• Xuanyuan Buqi enthusiastically accepts Feng Jun’s request to destroy the filtering-media factory, demonstrating his willingness to act as Feng Jun’s powerful ally.
• Chen Jiu appears desperate to negotiate, bringing Gate Chips as payment or leverage, while Feng Jun remains suspicious of the Lin Family’s intentions.

Significant Themes

• Retaliation and deterrence: Feng Jun’s violence is presented as a calculated effort to establish consequences and prevent future attacks.
• The corruption of power: Feng Jun realizes that power has caused him to view ordinary people as insignificant, mirroring the elites he once condemned.
• Responsibility and complicity: The chapter questions whether people who merely support or fail to oppose a decision are responsible for its consequences.
• Political cowardice and hypocrisy: Federation officials demand that subordinates face danger while hiding on Capital Star themselves.
• Moral ambiguity: Feng Jun acknowledges that some victims are not personally guilty, yet justifies their deaths because they belonged to the system opposing him.
• Transactional relationships: Equipment, Gate Chips, and unpaid debts continue to shape alliances and conflicts between the characters and factions.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and He Runxian discuss the equipment supply, with Feng Jun placing a large additional order despite the political danger.
• Feng Jun’s actions provoke fear among Federation officials and the Enforcement Squad, who struggle to respond without openly admitting that an alien civilization is targeting them.
• Feng Jun and Xuanyuan Buqi cooperate in destroying the filtering-media factory.
• Xuan Gao mocks and criticizes Chen Jiu while simultaneously advising Feng Jun to meet him, creating a humorous, antagonistic dynamic.
• Feng Jun views the Gate Chips as both valuable compensation and evidence of the Lin Family’s likely schemes, setting up a new negotiation.

Chapter Summary: “You Know Nothing About Power”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun returns to Lower Long City after a long absence, prepared to kill anyone who interferes with him, reflecting his growing rejection of the role of the “good guy.”
• He meets Chen Jiu at a hospital pavilion to recover the Gate Chip and discuss their deteriorating relationship.
• Chen Jiu admits that the situation has become too dangerous for him to continue openly supporting Feng Jun. He explains that, unlike the powerful He Family, his business depends on social connections and cannot withstand pressure from the Federation.
• Feng Jun insists that the Federation provoked the conflict by attacking his warriors through the Enforcement Squad and attempting to force them to self-destruct. He rejects the Federation’s portrayal of itself as innocent.
• Chen Jiu returns the Gate Chip but asks Feng Jun not to punish ordinary civilians for the actions of a few Federation officials.
• Feng Jun warns that the previous attacks were largely symbolic and claims that Chen Jiu does not understand the true extent of his civilization’s power. He refuses to promise an immediate end to the attacks.
• Chen Jiu offers a major supply of raw materials needed to produce Life Potion in exchange for more selective retaliation. Feng Jun accepts the possibility of sparing ordinary people but insists that the Federation must still suffer for offending his civilization.
• Chen Jiu fulfills his promise in eight days, delivering 300,000 tons of catalyst and 500,000 tons of medium—enough to produce roughly one billion doses of Life Potion.
• He then conveys an offer from an unnamed party seeking long-term cooperation with Feng Jun’s civilization. Feng Jun is initially uninterested, preferring individual transactions, but Chen Jiu reveals that the party possesses a Life Potion production line, creating a potential new development.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes more ruthless and openly embraces retaliation. He no longer feels obligated to show mercy or act as a benevolent protector, though he remains willing to spare uninvolved civilians if meaningful concessions are made.
• His confidence has intensified into near-total certainty in his civilization’s superiority. His warning that previous attacks were merely “a small warning” demonstrates that he views controlled destruction as a diplomatic tool.
• Chen Jiu is shown as cautious, pragmatic, and morally conflicted. He admits his inability to oppose the Federation directly but still tries to preserve his relationship with Feng Jun and limit civilian casualties.
• Chen Jiu demonstrates considerable effectiveness by quickly securing the needed materials, suggesting that he remains a valuable intermediary despite his earlier retreat.
• Xuan Gao remains reluctant to become involved in Chen Jiu’s political problems. However, Feng Jun’s threat to target his planet forces him to explain that Chen Jiu was likely approached by enemies of Deputy Prime Minister Lin.
• Deputy Prime Minister Lin is indirectly characterized as someone who bullies the weak and fears the strong, making him a likely source of the Federation’s continued hostility.

Significant Themes

• Power and misunderstanding: The chapter emphasizes that the Federation greatly underestimates Feng Jun’s civilization and mistakes its restraint for weakness.
• Retaliation versus mercy: Feng Jun believes offenses must be punished, while Chen Jiu argues that ordinary people should not suffer for political decisions made by a few.
• Pragmatism over morality: Both men negotiate through threats, trade, and material incentives rather than relying on trust or ideals.
• Political hypocrisy and manipulation: The Federation appears to condemn Feng Jun’s actions while concealing its own aggression, and internal Federation factions may be using Chen Jiu to pursue their own agendas.
• Fragile diplomacy: Cooperation depends on immediate mutual benefit rather than genuine trust. The uncertain connection between the two worlds makes long-term alliances risky.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Chen Jiu’s conversation shows their relationship shifting from partnership toward guarded, transactional cooperation. Chen Jiu still seeks compromise, while Feng Jun insists on respect and consequences.
• Chen Jiu challenges Feng Jun over attacks on civilians, but Feng Jun counters by arguing that the Federation’s conduct forced the conflict and that his previous responses were restrained.
• Feng Jun intimidates Xuan Gao by threatening his planet, compelling him to reveal information about the political forces behind Chen Jiu’s actions.
• The chapter ends with Chen Jiu presenting a new possible partner who owns a Life Potion production line, offering Feng Jun a reason to reconsider his rejection of long-term cooperation.

Chapter Summary: “Rebels”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun negotiates through Chen Jiu with a mysterious businessman who can provide Life Potion Production Lines and possibly Warship Production Lines.
• Feng demands five Life Potion Production Lines, enough to satisfy Xia Nation’s domestic needs and partially reduce its dependence on foreign supplies.
• He rejects the need for a warship production line, explaining that Xia Nation needs only some finished warships for deterrence. Building an entire warship industry requires a complete industrial system, which Xia Nation should develop gradually through research and reverse engineering.
• Chen Jiu reveals that the businessman, Rui Qingfeng, is associated with Federation rebels, though he is not technically a rebel himself. Feng insists that Xia Nation will not participate in the Federation’s political conflicts or accept requests to hire bounty hunters.
• Feng warns that if Rui attempts to involve him improperly, he may kill him, forcing Chen Jiu to serve as a witness that the killing was justified.
• Two days later, Feng meets Rui Qingfeng, Chen Jiu, and Rui’s assistant, “Star,” in a small town. Before arriving, Feng discovers and kills two Federation agents who had followed them.
• Feng immediately notices that Star—whose real name appears to be Fanxing—may actually be the true decision-maker behind the negotiation, while Rui serves as the public representative.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun displays strategic restraint and long-term thinking. He prioritizes Life Potion production because it will immediately benefit civilians, while recognizing that importing a warship production line without the supporting industrial infrastructure would be ineffective.
• His attitude has become much more ruthless than before. He openly threatens to kill Rui if necessary and demonstrates this resolve by killing the two suspected Federation spies.
• Chen Jiu becomes increasingly anxious. He understands Feng’s power and temper but is also caught between Feng and the dangerous rebel-connected businessman. His fear grows when Feng suggests that Rui may not be the true negotiator.
• Rui Qingfeng appears confident, arrogant, and impatient. He expects mutual respect despite being the party seeking Feng’s cooperation and is irritated by Feng’s deliberate lateness and superior attitude.
• Fanxing/Star proves observant and composed. Unlike Rui, she reacts quickly when Feng challenges her identity and gives a careful answer that neither confirms nor denies her real authority.

Significant Themes

• Strategic self-sufficiency versus shortcuts: Feng distinguishes between useful technological imports and those that would be impractical without a broader industrial foundation.
• Humanitarian priorities: Life Potions are valued because they can save lives in the immediate future, whereas warship manufacturing is treated as a long-term national-development issue.
• Political neutrality and boundaries: Feng refuses to become involved in Federation rebel activities, especially bounty hunting, because doing so could provoke destructive conflict among powerful cultivators.
• Power and negotiation: The meeting is shaped by an unequal power relationship. Rui seeks access to Feng’s mysterious civilization, while Feng emphasizes that his time and attention are valuable.
• Trust and hidden identities: Surveillance, concealed loyalties, and Fanxing’s possible leadership role create an atmosphere of suspicion. Feng’s ability to detect “tails” reinforces his dominance and caution.

Character Interactions

• Feng and Chen Jiu debate the value of production lines, with Feng dismissing Chen’s assumption that a warship line would be desirable.
• Chen Jiu tries to separate Feng from Rui’s rebel-related ambitions, but Feng insists that he will not be manipulated or dragged into Federation affairs.
• Feng’s threats unsettle Chen Jiu, who fears that killing Rui could bring retaliation against him as well.
• Rui criticizes Feng’s lateness and arrogance, but Chen Jiu warns him that Feng’s superior civilization and bargaining position give him the right to set the terms.
• Feng’s dramatic arrival with two dead spies shifts the balance of the meeting. He then directly questions Star’s status, exposing that the apparent assistant may be the actual authority behind the negotiation.

Chapter Summary: “Battleship Production Line”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun rejects Fanxing’s attempt to use her identity as the rebel leader to pressure him. He insists on treating the matter as a straightforward transaction rather than a political alliance.
• Fanxing and Rui Qingfeng initially seek cooperation, but Feng Jun argues that unequal strength makes genuine partnership difficult. The presence of two dead bodies reinforces his intimidating position.
• When Feng Jun asks what they want in exchange for five Life Potion production lines, Fanxing reveals that they do not need Energy Stones. Instead, she proposes giving him access to a massive battleship manufacturing plant.
• The proposed arrangement is that Feng Jun will relocate and rebuild the plant in the Blue Star Realm, then manufacture battleships for the rebels. The cost of his contract-manufacturing services will offset the value of the five Life Potion production lines.
• Fanxing promises to provide stored special materials, raw-material preparation techniques, technical documents, and guidance from experienced personnel. This makes the offer extremely valuable to Feng Jun and potentially beneficial to Xia Nation’s industrial development.
• Feng Jun worries about the political implications and the difficulty of constructing a high-level battleship plant in a technologically weaker civilization. Fanxing explains that the rebels are desperate to relocate the plant because they can no longer safely maintain it.
• To protect their interests, Fanxing and Rui Qingfeng offer Feng Jun three life-extension slots in exchange for directly handing over the battleship plant.
• Feng Jun accepts the deal. He agrees to provide the three life extensions first, while Fanxing reveals that the plant and its documents have already been hidden and can be located using Feng Jun’s methods.
• Before leaving, Feng Jun emphasizes that anyone connected to those who hold grudges against him will not be eligible for life extension.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Remains cautious, pragmatic, and emotionally detached. He refuses to be drawn into rebel politics, but the battleship plant and associated material technologies genuinely tempt him. Although suspicious of the deal, he ultimately recognizes its practical value and agrees to cooperate under clear conditions.
• Fanxing: Reveals herself as the rebel leader but admits she cannot directly command all rebel forces. She shows desperation over the rebels’ situation while still maintaining her ideals about cooperation. Her willingness to hand over the plant demonstrates how urgently she needs outside assistance.
• Rui Qingfeng: Acts as the more careful and skilled negotiator. Initially wary of provoking Feng Jun, he becomes more confident once the discussion turns to business. He presents the contract-manufacturing arrangement and the three life-extension slots in ways that address Feng Jun’s concerns.
• Fanxing and Rui Qingfeng: Their differing motives become clearer. Fanxing is politically committed and has ambitions beyond business, while Rui Qingfeng presents himself as a businessman seeking personal benefits and distance from the rebellion.

Significant Themes

• Transaction versus cooperation: Feng Jun prefers a clearly defined exchange because he distrusts vague partnerships between unequal parties. Fanxing argues that cooperation can still work despite differences in power.
• Pragmatism over ideology: Political causes, rebellion, and loyalty matter less to Feng Jun than practical benefits, security, and enforceable arrangements.
• Trust and sincerity: The characters acknowledge that formal contracts may have little value in their circumstances. The deal depends primarily on whether both sides honor their promises.
• Industrial and technological exchange: The battleship plant represents not only military power but also access to advanced manufacturing techniques and rare material-processing knowledge.
• Survival and political leverage: Fanxing claims rebels are not afraid of death, yet the life-extension slots reveal that survival still has strategic and personal value. Battleship production is likewise intended partly to display strength and improve bargaining power rather than simply wage war.
• Cross-civilization difficulties: Differences in technology, labor expertise, materials, and political circumstances make the project complicated, but they also create opportunities for unprecedented cooperation.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun repeatedly challenges Fanxing’s attempts to frame the relationship as political cooperation, forcing her and Rui Qingfeng to negotiate in practical terms.
• Rui Qingfeng successfully adapts to Feng Jun’s blunt style, explaining that the plant will be provided first and that future manufacturing fees will compensate for the Life Potion production lines.
• Fanxing directly addresses Feng Jun’s concerns about materials, technology, and construction time, promising supplies, technical processes, and expert assistance.
• Feng Jun questions why supposedly fearless rebels would want life extension. Rui Qingfeng responds that he is a businessman, while Fanxing has political ambitions, exposing the different interests within their alliance.
• The conversation ends on cordial terms, with both sides accepting the arrangement as a form of cooperation, though Feng Jun continues to stress boundaries and warn that his enemies’ associates will receive no benefits.

Evergreen Elixir — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Rui Qingfeng brings three wealthy Federation businessmen to the Border Star to seek life extension from Feng Jun.
• After verifying that none are his enemies, Feng Jun treats them in temporary tents on a wasteland. Their treatment lasts seven days.
• Feng Jun announces that their lifespans have been extended by approximately twenty-three to twenty-five years, a result better than Lin Jielin’s. He deliberately reveals this to favor Rui Qingfeng, who arranged their visits.
• Grateful and eager to establish long-term ties with Feng Jun, the three businessmen offer valuable gifts and business connections:
  • One offers Feng Jun a specialty alloy smelting company, which Feng Jun agrees to purchase with Energy Stones rather than accept for free.
  • A female tycoon offers an Evergreen Elixir Production Line, in exchange for Feng Jun extending the life of a friend. Feng Jun accepts, but insists this kind of exchange cannot become a recurring practice.
  • The third offers Feng Jun half of a fully developed planet, complete with farms, livestock facilities, a spaceport, seaport, fortifications, and a resident workforce.
• The female tycoon also gives Feng Jun a private starship capable of Spatial Jump. Feng Jun accepts it without realizing that it is an exceptionally valuable luxury and potentially useful for smuggling.
• Feng Jun accepts the half-planet after being persuaded that it can serve as private territory, a source of income, and a discreet place to stay in the Federation.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates increasing influence and negotiating skill. He refuses to take valuable assets entirely for free, preferring fair trades that preserve a business relationship and avoid hidden obligations.
• He also shows strategic awareness by recognizing the importance of an Evergreen Elixir production line and an alloy-smelting company to his civilization’s future industrial development.
• At the same time, Feng Jun remains unfamiliar with Federation customs, markets, and luxury goods. His ignorance of the private starship’s true value reveals how different his civilization’s status and resources are from those of Federation elites.
• The three tycoons appear practical, restrained, and highly cooperative during treatment. Afterward, they use their wealth and connections to secure continuing access to Feng Jun, understanding that contact with his civilization is potentially more valuable than the immediate cost of their gifts.
• The businessmen gain a more nuanced impression of Feng Jun. Although he comes from a civilization that looks down on the Federation and maintains a strict hierarchy, he is also willing to conduct fair trades and treat lower-status people with respect.

Significant Themes

• Life extension as political and economic power: Access to Feng Jun’s treatment is so valuable that the tycoons are willing to exchange companies, production lines, property, and personal connections for it.
• Reciprocity versus hidden dependence: Feng Jun avoids accepting “free” gifts because he understands that generosity can create obligations. Fair exchange allows both sides to preserve dignity and control.
• Industrial development and civilization-building: The alloy company and Evergreen Elixir production line are not merely profitable assets; they are important tools for strengthening Feng Jun’s civilization.
• Inequality and privilege: The contrast between the devastated Border Star and the Federation core is stark. While Border Star inhabitants struggle amid war and confinement, wealthy citizens can own half a planet as a vacation retreat.
• Cross-cultural misunderstanding: Feng Jun’s unfamiliarity with Federation wealth, regulations, and social conventions highlights the gap between his civilization and the Federation, even as both sides learn to cooperate.
• Expansion and moral complexity: Feng Jun reflects on the unequal distribution of land and resources but recognizes that the Federation’s frontier system—sending people to develop and defend dangerous regions—has its own practical justification.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Rui Qingfeng: Rui Qingfeng acts as the intermediary who brings influential patients to Feng Jun. Feng Jun rewards him indirectly by publicly emphasizing the exceptional results of this treatment.
• Feng Jun and the first tycoon: Their discussion establishes a businesslike relationship. Feng Jun accepts the alloy company only as a paid trade, while the tycoon uses the deal to secure an ongoing communications channel.
• Feng Jun and the female tycoon: They negotiate over the Evergreen Elixir production line. She attempts to exchange it for life extension for a friend, while Feng Jun warns that such exchanges should not become standard practice. Their final arrangement strengthens mutual trust.
• Feng Jun and the third tycoon: The tycoon offers half a planet as a sign of sincerity and as a future resource for Feng Jun. Feng Jun initially hesitates because he is an alien, but accepts after hearing that the property is private, discreet, and economically self-sustaining.
• The three tycoons: Although they know one another, they remain mostly silent during treatment, each understanding the sensitivity of the situation and avoiding unnecessary competition until negotiations begin afterward.

Chapter Summary: “Unfolding”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun agrees to accept half a planet from another tycoon, but insists on paying with Energy Stones rather than taking it for free.
• After treating a fourth wealthy client on Border Star, Feng Jun is offered a civilian mech factory by a female energy tycoon. The factory can easily be converted to military production and includes valuable technologies involving engines, motors, sensors, balance systems, materials, and management algorithms.
• Feng Jun recognizes that the factory could greatly accelerate Xia Nation’s mech research. Rather than relying on years of trial and error, its technology and production data could provide researchers with a clear direction while preserving the strength of their scientific foundations.
• He initially offers to purchase the factory with Energy Stones. However, the woman asks whether it can be exchanged for a lifespan-extension quota.
• Feng Jun refuses to trade the quota directly, explaining that lifespan-extending medicine is extremely scarce and cannot be treated as an ordinary commodity.
• The female tycoon privately reveals that she wants the treatment for a man she loved in her youth—her late husband has already died, and this man may not even appreciate her efforts. Her request is motivated by enduring, selfless affection rather than practical gain.
• Moved by the sincerity of her feelings, Feng Jun agrees to accept not only the mech factory but also an Evergreen Elixir Production Line in exchange for the lifespan-extension quota.
• He warns her not to spread the arrangement, emphasizing that his supply of the medicine is limited.
• When she questions how the medicine can extend life beyond genetic limits, Feng Jun demonstrates by physically flying into the air. The display leaves her stunned and reinforces the extraordinary nature of his civilization and abilities.
• Determined to fulfill the agreement quickly, the tycoon resolves to obtain the production line as soon as possible.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Shows himself to be practical, fair-minded, and resistant to exploiting his power. He values useful technology, especially technology that can benefit Xia Nation, but refuses to casually distribute lifespan-extension quotas. Although stern with wealthy clients who make unreasonable demands, he is vulnerable to sincere emotional appeals and recognizes the beauty of youthful, enduring love.
• The female energy tycoon: Initially appears calculating and well-prepared, arranging a mech factory specifically to appeal to Feng Jun. She is revealed to be emotionally sincere and deeply loyal, willing to spend heavily to help a former love despite having no expectation of romantic reward. Witnessing Feng Jun’s flight also causes her to reconsider the limits of his civilization and strengthens her determination to complete the deal.
• Xia Nation’s researchers: Their work is portrayed as diligent but slowed by repetitive experimentation. The mech factory could provide crucial guidance without replacing their need for genuine research.

Significant Themes

• The value of genuine emotion: Feng Jun is persuaded not by wealth but by the tycoon’s pure, selfless attachment to someone from her youth.
• Scarcity and responsibility: Lifespan extension is presented as a rare resource that Feng Jun must ration carefully, rather than something that can be exchanged freely for any valuable asset.
• Technology and scientific progress: The mech factory symbolizes the difference between blind trial and error and research guided by advanced knowledge. Imported technology can accelerate progress, but Feng Jun still wants Xia Nation to build a solid scientific foundation.
• Appearances versus reality: The tycoon’s reputation, Feng Jun’s rumored harshness, and the supposedly civilian nature of the factory all prove more complicated than they first appear.
• The limits of conventional understanding: Feng Jun’s ability to fly physically demonstrates that the Federation’s assumptions about biology, medicine, and civilization are incomplete.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun’s negotiations with the tycoons establish his insistence on fair payment and his refusal to let lifespan quotas become common currency.
• His discussion with the female tycoon shifts from business negotiation to an intimate conversation about love, regret, and the persistence of youthful feelings.
• Their exchange reveals mutual understanding: she recognizes the rarity of Feng Jun’s medicine, while he recognizes that her request comes from genuine affection rather than greed.
• The final flight demonstration silently answers her question about surpassing genetic limits and leaves her both shocked and motivated to secure the production line.

Chapter Summary: “Super Laborer”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun retrieves the Mecha Factory from the Human Federation’s Mecha Factory and then locates the enormous Warship Factory.
• The Warship Factory is hidden inside a vast, partly excavated underground cavern spanning over 10,000 square kilometers. It contains extensive equipment, raw materials, and several unfinished warships, mostly Ji-Class vessels with two E-Rank ships.
• Feng Jun realizes that transporting the factory to Heavenly Zither would be politically dangerous. Libo Shoal is large enough, but the Seven Gates and Eighteen Daos have forbidden large-scale Federation weapon transfers. Zhige Mountain is too small and too close to populated areas, especially given the hazardous materials involved.
• He decides that the Blue Star Realm—particularly Lakemarta or Thousand Province—would be the safest location, but transportation remains a major problem.
• Upon returning to Luohua, Feng Jun is contacted by the Guardians, who complain that he has not been refining enough Magic Treasures. He negotiates with them to store and transport the Warship Factory.
• The Guardians initially quote one High-Grade Spirit Stone per square kilometer, but Feng Jun bargains the price down to 1,000 High-Grade Spirit Stones. They later determine that the factory requires less than 100 square kilometers in their special storage space because dangerous materials pose no threat there.
• Over five days, Feng Jun transfers the Warship Factory into the Guardians’ space. He also stores the Mecha Factory, the Evergreen Elixir production line, and Energy Stones there, asking the Guardians to deploy them if necessary.
• This arrangement frees Luohua’s members from logistical work, allowing them to focus more on cultivation. It also reflects Luohua’s growing strength and Feng Jun’s improved standing with the Guardians.
• Feng Jun then consults Beauty Lin about bringing the factories into Xia Nation’s industrial system. He deliberately avoids discussing the Life Potion, believing Xia Nation must first strengthen its military and industrial capabilities.
• Beauty Lin focuses on pollution, water, and electricity requirements for the Alloy Smelting Factory. Feng Jun explains that the Federation has relatively advanced pollution-control methods and advises placing the factory away from farmland and scenic regions.
• She is especially excited about the Mecha Factory, since Xia Nation has already made major progress in mecha research but still lacks large-scale manufacturing capability.
• Beauty Lin tentatively suggests building the Mecha Factory in Lakemarta. Feng Jun agrees, provided it is kept away from the land he personally leased, and asks what preparations will be needed for the Warship Factory.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates increasing strategic awareness. Rather than moving the factories impulsively, he considers political restrictions, security, environmental risks, available land, and the interests of local populations.
• He also becomes more willing to negotiate. Although normally generous toward the Guardians, he bargains over the transportation fee because the original price is too costly.
• Feng Jun’s position has clearly risen. The Guardians, once beyond his ability to approach casually, now voluntarily assist him because of the Ultimate Spirit Stones and resources he has provided.
• The Guardians shift from merely protecting Blue Star to becoming valuable logistical partners for Feng Jun and Luohua. Their willingness to help shows their growing trust and dependence on his contributions.
• Beauty Lin appears highly knowledgeable and practical. Her questions about pollution, cooling water, electricity, factory placement, and industrial costs show that she is thinking seriously about integrating advanced Federation technology into Xia Nation.
• She is also increasingly astonished by the scale of Feng Jun’s discoveries, moving from surprise at the Alloy Smelting Factory to shock over the Mecha and Warship Factories.

Significant Themes

• Growing power and changing status: Feng Jun and Luohua are no longer weak outsiders. Their resources are substantial enough to alter the structure of their organization and influence Blue Star’s development.
• Industrialization and technological advancement: The factories represent a major leap for Xia Nation, especially in alloys, mechas, and warships. The chapter emphasizes the difference between laboratory research and true mass production.
• Responsibility and restraint: Feng Jun carefully balances technological progress with political agreements, environmental concerns, public safety, and confidentiality.
• Cooperation and resource exchange: The Guardians’ assistance demonstrates that relationships built through mutual benefit can transform old power structures.
• Preparation before revelation: Feng Jun withholds the Life Potion for now, believing that military strength and industrial self-sufficiency should come first so Xia Nation can withstand foreign pressure later.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and the Guardians: They discuss his lack of recent Magic Treasure production, then negotiate the cost of transporting and storing the factories. Their exchange reveals both the Guardians’ impatience and their increasingly cooperative relationship with him.
• Feng Jun and Beauty Lin: Feng Jun gives her a broad overview of the industrial challenges, while she raises practical questions about pollution, resources, factory sites, and confidentiality. Their conversation shows mutual trust, but also Feng Jun’s preference to let Xia Nation handle sensitive matters independently.
• Beauty Lin and Xia Nation’s researchers: Though they do not appear directly, her comments establish that the country has already made substantial progress in mecha research and is ready to transition from experimental construction to industrial production.

Chapter Summary: “Deceiving Oneself”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Beauty Lin evaluates Feng Jun’s proposal to establish a battleship factory in Xia Nation. She explains that the project would require immense land, manpower, infrastructure, and time—far beyond the scale of a mech factory.
• She concludes that Lakemarta is likely the only suitable location, especially because Rain-Praying Formations could solve its water shortage and support a future power plant.
• Feng Jun reveals that the factory is being obtained through a contract-manufacturing arrangement for the anti-Federation opposition forces. Most of the battleships produced initially would therefore be taken out of Xia Nation.
• Beauty Lin is shocked that Feng Jun has not only contacted the opposition faction but is actively cooperating with it. Feng Jun dismisses the arrangement as a simple business transaction and claims they trust him despite considering him part of an alien civilization.
• He casually implies that he forced the opposition to recognize their mistake after they previously attempted to capture him, suggesting that human lives were involved.
• Three days later, Beauty Lin returns exhausted because Feng Jun’s proposed weapons deal has triggered intense scrutiny from Xia Nation’s authorities.
• Officials raise concerns about Luohua’s lack of a weapons-export license, the precedent such an export would establish, and the danger of allowing advanced battleships to leave Xia Nation without adequate oversight.
• Feng Jun becomes angry, believing the authorities are unfairly suspecting him of selling weapons to other Blue Star nations. Beauty Lin explains that the issue is not personal distrust but the need for risk-control mechanisms when dealing with powerful, uncontrollable individuals.
• She presents an alternative plan: Xia Nation would manufacture most of the battleships, but final assembly would occur outside Blue Star, on the Federation’s side. This would create at least some barriers and reduce the risks associated with Feng Jun’s control over the project.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun is shown to be increasingly powerful, independent, and deeply involved in interstellar politics. He views his dealings pragmatically as business transactions and resents being constrained or treated as a potential threat.
• At the same time, Feng Jun reveals an internal contradiction: he wants to see himself as principled and worthy of trust, yet he instinctively resists oversight and believes his past contributions—especially his enormous gold donation—should exempt him from suspicion.
• His anger exposes his sensitivity to being viewed as unreliable or dangerous. Although he claims that others are merely avoiding responsibility, he gradually recognizes that the argument for limiting unchecked power is valid.
• Beauty Lin acts as an intermediary between Feng Jun and Xia Nation’s authorities. She is practical, patient, and diplomatic, carefully explaining official concerns without directly provoking him.
• Beauty Lin privately understands that the core problem is not simply whether Feng Jun is trustworthy, but that he is powerful, difficult to control, quick-tempered, and capable of killing without meaningful external restraint.
• She also recognizes that Feng Jun remains willing to reason, despite his arrogance and occasional hostility, and successfully guides him toward considering a compromise.

Significant Themes

• Power and accountability: The chapter emphasizes that even a trustworthy individual may require restraints if no institution can control them.
• Trust versus controllability: Feng Jun believes personal loyalty and moral principles should be sufficient, while Xia Nation’s authorities insist that systems must account for the possibility of failure or betrayal.
• Self-deception: Feng Jun tells himself that opposition to oversight is merely bureaucratic cowardice, but he realizes that part of his resistance comes from a desire to remain unconstrained.
• Political and ethical ambiguity: His cooperation with an opposition faction is framed as commerce rather than political involvement, but the consequences make that distinction difficult to maintain.
• Risk management: The proposed off-world final assembly demonstrates that imperfect safeguards may still be worthwhile, even if they cannot completely prevent Feng Jun from bypassing them.
• Isolation of the powerful: Feng Jun’s comparison between himself and historical cultivators who withdrew from society reflects the difficulty of maintaining relationships with ordinary institutions once one’s power greatly exceeds theirs.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Beauty Lin discuss the practical requirements of the battleship factory, with Beauty Lin offering realistic logistical assessments and Feng Jun accepting Lakemarta as the likely site.
• Feng Jun shocks Beauty Lin by revealing his contract with the opposition forces. Their exchange highlights his casual confidence and her disbelief at the scale of his activities.
• When Beauty Lin explains the authorities’ concerns, Feng Jun reacts defensively and accuses them of avoiding responsibility. She counters by arguing that unchecked power must always be subject to risk controls.
• Their conversation becomes a negotiation between Feng Jun’s desire for autonomy and Xia Nation’s need for institutional safeguards. Beauty Lin ultimately offers a compromise that preserves the manufacturing project while moving final assembly away from Blue Star.

Summary of “Still Intervened”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Beauty Lin explains why Xia Nation has chosen not to pursue a warship final assembly workshop immediately. Since the factory’s early production will mainly supply the Federation, Xia Nation plans to first manufacture and study individual components before attempting full assembly. This approach allows it to build expertise gradually while using foreign demand to support domestic technological development.
• Feng Jun initially criticizes the plan as lacking ambition, but after hearing Beauty Lin’s reasoning, he recognizes it as a practical and intelligent form of self-reliance.
• The two discuss the locations of several planned facilities:
  • Warship-related production will be partly located in Lakemarta, with other components distributed elsewhere to reduce risk.
  • The mecha factory should be placed in a mountainous, inland region such as Cloud Garden, Thousand Province, or Jincheng, rather than Jiangxia, whose dense waterways could spread pollution.
  • Jiangxia may instead receive an Evergreen Elixir production line, since its universities and research environment suit a high-tech beauty-care product.
• Feng Jun reveals that he already possesses an Evergreen Elixir production line and has also obtained a Life Potion production line, though he intends to release them slowly to avoid provoking excessive jealousy or destabilizing society.
• He plans to delay the Life Potion’s release until mechas can be produced, believing the two technologies should emerge together. Beauty Lin decides to report this upward and encourage faster mecha development.
• They discuss whether Xia Nation should publicly display mechas or small warships. Beauty Lin supports a controlled demonstration of military strength, while Feng Jun pretends indifference, though he privately agrees that complete secrecy may not be wise.
• The following day, Zheng Sike returns to Luohua to meet Feng Jun. He explains that he has used the university’s fast-track system to apply for a patent for Dou Jiahui, whose invention was attributed to Feng Jun, and asks whether Feng Jun wants to file for an overseas patent.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun shifts from dismissing Xia Nation’s strategy to appreciating the logic of gradual technological independence. He remains outwardly lazy and detached, but his decisions reveal careful long-term planning and concern about political and social reactions to advanced technologies.
• Beauty Lin demonstrates strong strategic judgment and exhaustion from working under pressure. She becomes increasingly excited by the prospect of the Life Potion and takes an active role in accelerating mecha development and shaping public military messaging.
• Zheng Sike continues to act cautiously and respectfully. He follows proper channels, avoids pressuring Feng Jun, and seeks his guidance regarding intellectual-property protection.

Significant Themes

• Pragmatic self-reliance: Independence is presented not as immediate isolation, but as a gradual process of learning, production, and system integration.
• Technological restraint and pacing: Feng Jun deliberately controls the release of transformative inventions to prevent jealousy, instability, and excessive disruption.
• Strategic decentralization: Facilities are distributed geographically to reduce security and environmental risks.
• Power and public perception: The characters debate how much military technology should be revealed, balancing secrecy with the need to demonstrate strength.
• Responsibility and limited authority: Feng Jun prefers to focus on repaying those who have supported him rather than involving himself in every national or regional issue.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Beauty Lin engage in a candid, teasing discussion that combines strategic planning with humor. She challenges his indifference, while he offers blunt opinions on pollution, regional development, and technological timing.
• Their conversation reveals mutual trust: Beauty Lin accepts Feng Jun’s secretive nature, while Feng Jun relies on her ability to present his ideas to higher authorities.
• Feng Jun’s meeting with Zheng Sike is more formal and cautious. He receives him at the Mountain Gate rather than the villa because of undisclosed additions to the estate, signaling the increasing secrecy surrounding Feng Jun’s activities.