Chapter Summaries

He Yi, Xu Gui, and an online critic were arrested for their roles in the campaign against Lu Zhou, including espionage, market crimes, and defamation. He Yi and Xu Gui were left to face the consequences while the critic was taken into custody.

• Wang Peng and police officers arrested He Yi at Sea Breeze Capital Tower and charged him with twelve offenses, including espionage and securities market manipulation.
• He Yi demanded a lawyer and claimed American citizenship as officers dragged him away, while Wang Peng told him Xu Gui would soon join him in detention.
• Police stopped Xu Gui at Shanghai International Airport as he tried to leave, and he surrendered without resistance.
• A local police team arrested the pale-skinned online critic at his apartment over his part in the incident and possible defamation of Lu Zhou.

After the Aerospace Science Group confirmed the Moon Palace spacecraft had no design flaw, it launched successfully aboard the Auspicious as Lu Zhou asked Hou Guang about upcoming transport-system and Rosy Glow tests. The Moon Palace spacecraft was on its way to lunar orbit, while the Rosy Glow’s next test flight was scheduled for a week later.

• The Aerospace Science Group’s clarification embarrassed The New York Times, and Duke told Camille he was counting on the BFR’s landing to distract readers.
• As the end of the month approached, official media published photos of the Moon Palace spacecraft being loaded into the Auspicious.
• The Auspicious launched from the Jinling City site with the Moon Palace spacecraft, watched by crowds and media across the country.
• Lu Zhou asked Hou Guang when the Earth-Moon Transfer Orbit Transport System would be ready, and Hou Guang said it would take until next year at the earliest.
• Hou Guang told Lu Zhou that the Rosy Glow’s test flight had been postponed by a week, and Lu Zhou looked forward to seeing the Electric Propulsion System’s performance improve.

The Auspicious reached lunar orbit and deployed the Moon Palace spacecraft’s core module, marking Hua Nation’s successful placement of a space station in lunar orbit. Nie Yun and Nie Han completed the deployment and awaited the next phase of the mission.

• At NASA, Director Carson and the president watched as the Auspicious appeared on the lunar observation satellite’s screen.
• Nie Yun reported that the Auspicious had entered lunar orbit, and ground control directed the crew to the deployment area.
• Nie Yun and Nie Han guided the Auspicious into the designated elliptical deployment orbit.
• After ground control ordered them to open the cargo bay, Nie Yun released the Moon Palace spacecraft’s core module.
• Nie Yun announced that the Moon Palace spacecraft had successfully entered its designated orbit.

Lu Zhou and the ground crew celebrated as the Moon Palace spacecraft separated from the Auspicious and entered lunar orbit. After Lu Zhou revealed Starry Sky Technology was exploring a corridor between geosynchronous and lunar orbit, the mission was announced publicly, drawing worldwide attention to Hua Nation’s achievement.

• Director Li and the ground crew celebrated the successful activation of the Moon Palace spacecraft’s cargo bay as it separated from the Auspicious.
• Lu Zhou left the control tower and told a reporter that Starry Sky Technology was developing spacecraft and considering a corridor between geosynchronous orbit and the Moon.
• The Moon Palace spacecraft’s successful orbital insertion was officially announced that evening after the news embargo ended.
• Media reports described the Moon Palace’s advanced electric propulsion and control systems, which were designed to keep the station operating in lunar orbit for years.
• CCTV News aired footage of the spacecraft’s deployment and orbital insertion, and public interest in the mission surged.

Hua Nation celebrated the successful entry of the Moon Palace spacecraft into Lunar Orbit, drawing international recognition and envy as its space program pulled ahead. At the White House, Director Carson arrived with two urgent reports, and the president told him to start with the bad news.

• The Moon Palace spacecraft unfurled its solar panels and entered stable operation in Lunar Orbit, prompting excited reactions from Hua Nation's netizens.
• NASA and other space agencies confirmed the spacecraft's success, while a BBC report praised Hua Nation's lunar achievement.
• Jamie Tang argued online that the United States remained ahead because of its Mars plans and the proposed Deep Space Gate lunar station.
• Director Carson arrived at the White House with two urgent reports and found the president studying a CIA document.
• The president told Director Carson he preferred to hear the bad news first.

Lu Zhou reviewed funding and progress reports for the lunar construction project as Hua Nation’s space efforts delivered major successes. Hou Guang then reported that Space-X’s BFR had successfully landed on Mars, leaving Lu Zhou to confront the rival achievement.

• Lu Zhou reviewed lunar construction proposals and received praise for the Moon Palace spacecraft’s successful orbital insertion.
• Lu Zhou read Professor Hu Yang’s report that Biosphere A had completed a month of successful closed-loop operation in the Gurbantunggut Desert.
• Hou Guang told Lu Zhou that the lunar cultivation unit had harvested its first batch of potatoes.
• Hou Guang reported that Space-X’s BFR rocket had landed successfully on Mars.

The United States celebrated SpaceX’s successful deployment of the Ares Program’s Life-Support Unit on Mars, while SpaceX’s stock and the wider aerospace industry surged. The chapter ended with the BBC describing the growing Hua Nation–United States space race as evenly matched, with Lu Zhou’s Starry Sky Technology poised to challenge SpaceX.

• The Washington Post reported that the BFR rocket had delivered the Life-Support Unit to Mars, and Americans celebrated the achievement.
• NASA announced that the Life-Support Unit had successfully landed on Mars, prompting an international sensation.
• Elon Musk hosted a SpaceX press conference and called the Life-Support Unit the first step in the Ares Program’s effort to send colonists to Mars.
• SpaceX’s stock soared after the announcement, and Blue Origin and other aerospace companies also benefited.
• The BBC compared SpaceX’s BFR rocket with Starry Sky Technology’s launch ambitions and called the first round of the space race between Hua Nation and the United States a draw.

Lu Zhou convened the Lunar Orbital Construction Committee to discuss the challenge posed by the United States' BFR and reaffirmed Hua Nation's focus on electric propulsion. He unveiled the Rosy Glow, a new spacecraft designed for travel through the atmosphere, and called for the team to test its unusual design.

• Lu Zhou explained that the BFR had reached Mars using a faster direct trajectory, prompting debate among the aerospace leaders at the meeting.
• A professor suggested Hua Nation reconsider its reliance on electric propulsion after the BFR's success, but admitted he could not match the rocket even with decades of funding.
• Lu Zhou argued that Hua Nation should preserve its advantage in electric propulsion rather than try to surpass the United States with chemical rockets.
• Lu Zhou revealed the Rosy Glow, a spacecraft designed for travel between orbit and the surface, and said the team should test whether its unconventional design worked.

As Hua Nation prepared the Rosy Glow test flight and another Moon Palace launch, NASA announced that it would send the first colonists to Mars. At a televised farewell show, the three Ares volunteers appeared before their launch, while Taiwei seemed uneasy about the mission.

• Lu Zhou’s meeting set the next Moon Palace node-module launch for a month later and discussed the Rosy Glow test flight.
• NASA announced the next phase of the Ares Program, which would send fifty colonists to Mars Village within five years.
• Host Jamie Tang interviewed the three Ares volunteers: commander Jason, former teacher Jones, and former football player Taiwei.
• Jason explained that his children inspired him to join the mission, while Taiwei appeared tired and forced a smile when Jason promised they would return safely.
• Jamie announced that the Heart of Gold launch was scheduled for the same day as Hua Nation’s Rosy Glow launch.

The Rosy Glow completed its first test flight and entered Low Earth Orbit, where Xu Zhenghong and Liu Biao spotted a Space-X spacecraft. Aboard the BFS, Jason, Taiwei, and Jones shared why they had joined the Ares Program as their spacecraft began its journey toward Mars.

• Xu Zhenghong confirmed the Rosy Glow had reached orbit and received orders to continue flying before the next test exercise.
• Liu Biao spotted the BFS spacecraft, and Xu Zhenghong told him to rest before resuming work.
• Taiwei and Jason joked about greeting the Rosy Glow, while Jones admired the view of Earth.
• Jason encouraged his teammates to share their reasons for joining the Mars mission, and Jones said a breakup had led her to seek a new life.
• Taiwei said debt had prompted him to join, though Jones suspected he was hiding more of his story.
• Jason helped ease the crew's mood as the BFS left synchronous orbit and headed toward Mars.

The Rosy Glow and Auspicious completed successful missions, while the United States advanced its Mars and lunar-orbit plans. After a breakthrough in animal cryogenic hibernation sparked worldwide debate, Lu Zhou dismissed Hengrui Pharmaceuticals’ concerns that policy might block his human cryopreservation research.

• The Rosy Glow completed a successful test flight, and the Auspicious returned from lunar orbit as the Moon Palace spacecraft’s core module continued operating without problems.
• SpaceX sent three astronauts toward Mars, and NASA announced that construction of the Deep Space Gate would begin ahead of schedule.
• Johnson & Johnson and Blue Origin reported that they had revived a monkey after sixty-seven days of cryogenic hibernation, prompting scientific and political debate.
• Lu Zhou read Professor Glanster’s paper and learned from Yang Xu that Hengrui Pharmaceuticals feared policy could stop their proposed research into human cryogenic hibernation.
• Lu Zhou told Yang Xu to assure Hengrui Pharmaceuticals that no one could stop him from researching anything.

Lu Zhou publicly supported human cryopreservation and arranged a research collaboration with Hengrui Pharmaceuticals. When Zhang Jiafu named Liu Zuobing as a leading cryobiology researcher, Lu Zhou decided to recruit him despite the controversy surrounding the field.

• Lu Zhou wrote and submitted an article arguing that human cryopreservation would be necessary for future interstellar travel.
• Yang Xu contacted Hengrui Pharmaceuticals about collaborating on the research.
• Professor Zhang Jiafu questioned Lu Zhou's involvement, but Lu Zhou explained that the technology could be crucial and proposed a partnership.
• Zhang Jiafu agreed that Hengrui could provide clinical biology researchers and asked about finding cryobiology expertise.
• Zhang Jiafu suggested Liu Zuobing, a cryomedicine laboratory director who was being considered for academy membership.
• Lu Zhou decided to recruit Liu Zuobing as the best researcher for the project.

As the academician election stirred factional maneuvering, Song Siyuan and Zhuo Ruicai discussed how Professor Lu had built an influence beyond Jin University and formed a faction of his own. Director Liu Zuobing then announced that he would join Professor Lu’s human cryogenic hibernation research team in Jinling, apparently abandoning his own academician bid.

• Song Siyuan told Zhuo Ruicai that Professor Lu no longer belonged to Jin University’s faction and had become a faction of his own.
• Song Siyuan and Zhuo Ruicai wondered whether their supervisor, Liu Zuobing, could ever rise as high as Professor Lu.
• Liu Zuobing arrived at the laboratory and ordered his students to prepare an observation report and pack for Jinling.
• Liu Zuobing revealed that Professor Lu had invited him to join the Human Hibernation Cryopreservation Technology research team.
• Song Siyuan and Zhuo Ruicai suspected Liu Zuobing was giving up his academician bid and marveled at Professor Lu’s influence.

The Jinling Institute for Advanced Study formed a team to research Human Cryopreservation Technology under Professor Liu Zuobing, intensifying the international controversy. At Princeton, Angus Deaton decided to visit Lu Zhou and try to stop him, while Edward Witten reflected on aging and death.

• Public opposition to Human Cryopreservation Technology grew as critics warned it could deepen class divisions and burden ordinary people.
• The Jinling Institute for Advanced Study established a Human Cryopreservation Technology research team and invited Professor Liu Zuobing to lead it, alarming the technology’s opponents.
• At Princeton, Angus Deaton angrily criticized Lu Zhou’s decision, while Edward Witten argued that Lu Zhou could not be forced and might have his own reasons.
• Angus decided to go see Lu Zhou in person, and Witten asked him to pass along his regards.
• After Angus left, Witten reflected on how each passing second brought him closer to death and watched a turtledove outside.

Lu Zhou visited Professor Liu Zuobing’s laboratory and learned that ancient nematode cells had revived and that their 18S-rDNA might enable cryogenic dormancy. He favored testing a protein-based approach, but the discussion was interrupted by an urgent visitor from Princeton.

• Professor Liu Zuobing showed Lu Zhou ancient nematode samples collected from permafrost and explained that cells had revived in two of 173 culture dishes.
• Song Siyuan confirmed that he had collected the samples, and Professor Zhang Jiafu examined the revived nematodes under a microscope.
• Professor Liu Zuobing said the nematodes’ 18S-rDNA might contain factors that let them enter dormancy in extreme cold.
• Professor Liu Zuobing proposed either modifying genes or using a protein-based formulation to induce dormancy, and Lu Zhou said the latter approach was worth trying.
• Lu Zhou’s assistant told him that Professor Angus Deaton from Princeton had arrived in a hurry, and Lu Zhou asked her to have him wait in the reception room.

Professor Angus Deaton urged Lu Zhou to stop his research into human cryopreservation, warning that it could deepen inequality and bring society to a standstill. Lu Zhou rejected the demand, arguing that civilization must confront technology’s risks as they arise, and left resolving its social consequences to people like Angus.

• Lu Zhou dismissed Wang Peng’s warning about the CIA and asked him to leave the reception room.
• Professor Angus told Lu Zhou to halt his research and used economic projections to explain how cryopreservation could entrench social classes and immobilize society.
• Lu Zhou argued that technology itself was neutral and that he could not guarantee how people would use it.
• Lu Zhou defended continued technological progress, citing controlled nuclear fusion, and said cryopreservation could help the terminally ill and spread civilization to other star systems.
• Lu Zhou told Angus that society would have to resolve the problems created by new technology, and that those matters would be Angus’s job.

Professor Angus Deaton reflected on the future and created a Princeton course called "Future Sociology," while Lu Zhou learned that his former students were thriving. The chapter ended with Wang Peng telling Lu Zhou that Biosphere A had been attacked and, although everyone there was safe, the facility was badly damaged.

• Professor Angus told Witten that his meeting had given him a new perspective, and Witten said he hoped his students might one day answer questions about fundamental forces and string theory.
• After Witten left, Professor Angus wrote down and then crossed out "Cosmic Economics," settling on "Future Sociology" as the name for a new field.
• Two weeks later, Lu Zhou heard that Angus Deaton had opened a Princeton course called "Future Sociology" and was writing a book about the subject.
• Lu Zhou reflected on the achievements of his students, including Qin Yue, Hardy, Vera, Wei Wen, and Jericho.
• Wang Peng told Lu Zhou that an unknown armed force had attacked Biosphere A; the attackers were killed and the people there were safe, but the facility had suffered severe damage.

Lu Zhou visited the wounded Li Gaoliang in a guarded Jinling hospital and heard how armed men attacked the desert research base, leaving Li without his legs and several soldiers dead. As Lu Zhou prepared to leave, he suggested that he might be able to help Li stand again.

• Wang Peng brought Lu Zhou to visit Li Gaoliang, whose legs had been amputated.
• Li Gaoliang described how armed men disguised as a water-truck crew attacked the checkpoint during a sandstorm and set Biosphere A on fire.
• Li Gaoliang said his legs had been crushed by falling concrete while he and the soldiers tried to save the experimental equipment.
• Lu Zhou asked about casualties, but Li Gaoliang remained silent and Wang Peng warned him not to press the matter.
• As a doctor and nurse arrived to examine Li, Lu Zhou said he might be able to help Li stand again.

Lu Zhou offered Li Gaoliang the chance to join an experimental Neural Interface Device trial that might let him stand again despite his spinal nerve damage and amputated legs. Li Gaoliang accepted the risks, and Lu Zhou said he would consult Director Li of the Science and Industry Bureau before giving him an answer within three days.

• Lu Zhou told Li Gaoliang he might be able to stand again through Neural Interface Technology, despite the doctor's doubts about the untested treatment.
• Lu Zhou explained that the Neural Interface Device had not undergone clinical trials and that the experiment carried considerable risks.
• Li Gaoliang agreed to participate and said he would accept the consequences if the experiment could help him stand again.
• Lu Zhou said he would discuss the proposal with Director Li of the Science and Industry Bureau and respond within three days.
• After the doctor warned that the procedure could cost him his life, Li Gaoliang remained resolute and declared that he would accept the risk.

Lu Zhou’s experimental surgery implanted a neural interface and mechanical leg system to restore Li Gaoliang’s mobility. The operation was successful, and after Li Gaoliang woke, Lu Zhou told him he could begin getting out of bed in about a week.

• Lu Zhou’s team prepared a neural bridge and titanium alloy leg system to bypass Li Gaoliang’s damaged spinal nerves.
• Li Gaoliang agreed to the operation, and the lead surgeon performed the surgery while Wang Peng and Lu Zhou waited outside.
• After more than ten hours, the surgeon reported that the operation had basically succeeded, though its effectiveness remained uncertain until Li Gaoliang woke.
• Li Gaoliang woke the next morning, initially unable to speak or move beyond his eyes and some facial muscles.
• Lu Zhou visited Li Gaoliang, told him the surgery had succeeded, and said he could get out of bed in about a week if recovery went well.
• Li Gaoliang managed to thank Lu Zhou before Lu Zhou left the ward.