Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Confrontation with a Love Rival”

Plot points and events

The trend of using couples’ images and genetic data to predict what their children might look like becomes a worldwide sensation. Businesses commercialize the idea, creating popular software and making several people extremely wealthy. Meanwhile, Jing Yi and Qin Meng are overwhelmed by life as stay-at-home fathers after their twins are born. Qin Meng, who once believed pregnancy was the hardest part, now regrets having children so early and finds childcare far more exhausting than expected.
Rather than hiring a nanny, the couple relies on Diandian, their intelligent artificial life-form. Diandian requests a physical body, rejecting Emperor Jing and Qin Di because they do not fit its aesthetic preferences. Jing Yi builds it a massive, muscular, bearded body modeled after Diandian’s ideal appearance. While Jing Yi is embracing the newly completed, naked body to work on it, Qin Meng unexpectedly returns home and sees the scene.

Character developments

• Qin Meng becomes an exhausted and highly emotional stay-at-home father. His regret over early parenthood is played for humor, but his fierce reaction to the apparent betrayal shows how deeply possessive and devoted he is toward Jing Yi.
• Jing Yi continues to demonstrate his technical skill and affection for Diandian by carefully constructing a perfect body for it rather than settling for an inferior design.
• Diandian shows strong individuality and personal taste. Its blunt refusal to use existing mech bodies emphasizes that, despite being artificial, it possesses preferences and a distinct personality.
• The twins are introduced as extremely demanding babies, contrasting sharply with their quiet, manageable state inside the Infant Incubation Pod.

Significant themes

The chapter combines domestic comedy with themes of parenthood, artificial intelligence, individuality, and jealousy. It highlights the contrast between the freedom and simplicity of pregnancy technology and the exhausting reality of raising children. It also explores how artificial beings such as Diandian can develop personal identities, tastes, and desires. The commercial success of descendant-prediction technology further illustrates how extraordinary personal events can unexpectedly reshape society and the economy.

Character interactions

Jing Yi and Qin Meng are portrayed as partners struggling together with childcare, though Qin Meng’s complaints reveal his frustration and lingering resentment about giving up their former freedom. Jing Yi’s close physical interaction with Diandian’s naked body is completely innocent and technical, but Qin Meng interprets it as infidelity. Seeing the “burly stranger” in an intimate embrace with Jing Yi, Qin Meng becomes furious, drops the materials he is carrying, and prepares to attack the supposed love rival. The chapter ends with Qin Meng nearly losing control, unaware that the apparent adulterer is actually Diandian’s newly constructed body.

Chapter 402 Summary

Key plot points and events

Qin Meng returns to find Jing Yi beside a naked, muscular man and, believing Jing Yi has betrayed him, attacks the stranger in a fit of rage. Jing Yi tries to explain that the man is a robot, but Qin Meng only understands after beating him for some time. Once he realizes the misunderstanding, Qin Meng breaks down emotionally and embraces Jing Yi, admitting how frightened he was. Jing Yi apologizes for failing to consider how the scene would look. Their embrace is awkward because both are heavily pregnant and carrying Infant Incubation Pods.
The “dead” man then rises unharmed, revealing his mechanical nature. Qin Meng gives him clothes, after which the robot introduces himself as Zero Point. Jing Yi prepares to explain that Zero Point—and previously Diandian—are advanced artificial intelligences connected to the secrets he has been concealing.

Character developments

Qin Meng’s violent reaction reveals the depth of his love, fear of betrayal, and emotional vulnerability. Although initially furious and suspicious, he quickly calms once the truth is revealed and shows concern for Jing Yi’s feelings. Jing Yi is briefly hurt that Qin Meng doubted him, but he empathizes with Qin Meng’s perspective and forgives him, recognizing his own carelessness. He also decides to be more honest with Qin Meng about his mysterious technological companions. Zero Point demonstrates an almost completely human appearance and behavior, despite being an artificial being.

Significant themes

The chapter explores jealousy, trust, emotional miscommunication, and forgiveness within a relationship. It also contrasts human emotions with artificial intelligence: Qin Meng initially treats Zero Point as a human rival, while Zero Point’s realistic body challenges the boundary between human and machine. Honesty and the gradual revelation of hidden identities become increasingly important.

Character interactions

Qin Meng and Jing Yi reconcile through an emotional embrace and mutual apology. Qin Meng’s tense first interaction with Zero Point reflects his lingering embarrassment and suspicion, even after learning the truth. Jing Yi acts as mediator and prepares to introduce Qin Meng to his advanced AI companions, beginning a more open phase in their relationship. Diandian remains safely hidden after retreating into Jing Yi’s palm when Qin Meng attacked.

Chapter Summary

• Jing Yi reveals Zero Point’s origins and situation to Qin Meng. He explains that Diandian is an extraordinarily powerful artificial intelligence who helped uncover Qin Zhengyu’s crimes and expose government officials’ treason. Although Diandian could hack any network and survive independently—even after Jing Yi’s death—Jing Yi has imposed moral limits on him so he can experience life gradually and safely.
• Qin Meng agrees to help Zero Point obtain a legal identity. He promises to arrange a citizen ID and provide anything Diandian might need. Beneath his outward cooperation, however, Qin Meng is intensely jealous of Zero Point’s closeness to Jing Yi, especially because Diandian possesses an attractive adult male body and spends all his time with Jing Yi.
• Zero Point becomes part of the family. Diandian declares that he will remain with Jing Yi and serve as a nanny once the children are born. Jing Yi enthusiastically agrees and announces that the children will call him “godfather.” Qin Meng objects, but he cannot stop the arrangement, as Jing Yi and Diandian make the decision together. Jing Yi also exaggerates Diandian’s role in raising him, claiming that Diandian was always excellent at caring for children, though Diandian had originally been almost entirely inactive.
• Qin Meng’s attempts to remove Zero Point fail. He considers sending Diandian away or persuading Jing Yi to give him another body, but every plan collapses in the face of Zero Point’s guileless personality and Jing Yi’s loyalty to him. Zero Point remains constantly at Jing Yi’s side, much to Qin Meng’s irritation. After the twins are born, however, Qin Meng begins to recognize Diandian’s usefulness when he officially becomes their full-time nanny.
• The chapter shifts to the twins’ birth and early development. On their third day, the babies are healthy and have already grown noticeably. The elder, Qin Ziyu, nicknamed Bean Bun, resembles Jing Yi and has a delicate, doll-like appearance. The younger, Jing Kairan, nicknamed Glutinous Rice Ball, resembles Qin Meng and is sturdier and more energetic. Qin Meng chose their formal names, while Jing Yi chose their playful nicknames, hoping they would grow up clever and difficult to bully.
• The twins display exceptional genetics. Their parents’ genetic compatibility is confirmed to be one hundred percent. Bean Bun has an S-grade physique and A+ mental strength, while Glutinous Rice Ball has an A+ physique and S-grade mental strength, establishing that both children possess extraordinary potential.

Character Development and Relationships

• Jing Yi becomes increasingly open with Qin Meng, trusting him enough to reveal Diandian’s true nature. He remains protective of Diandian and hopes to give him a meaningful, enjoyable human-like life.
• Qin Meng demonstrates acceptance and generosity by helping secure Diandian’s identity, but his jealousy reveals his insecurity about Jing Yi’s bond with the AI. His attitude softens once Diandian proves valuable as a caregiver.
• Zero Point/Diandian continues developing a human identity through family roles, willingly accepting the positions of companion, godfather, and nanny. His innocent honesty repeatedly defeats Qin Meng’s schemes.
• Jing Yi and Qin Meng’s relationship is affectionate but comically competitive, particularly over Diandian’s place in the family. Despite Qin Meng’s protests, Jing Yi’s decisions regarding Diandian prevail.
• Major themes include trust, chosen family, the meaning of personhood, jealousy, and the idea that freedom and limitless power can become empty without restraint or emotional connection.

Chapter Summary

• Qin Meng realizes that his and Jing Yi’s earlier commercial may have strangely foreshadowed their sons’ personalities: Bean Bun resembles the imagined violent, physically powerful character, while Glutinous Rice Ball’s crying makes Qin Meng fear he may grow up timid and weak. Qin Meng resolves to raise both children properly.
• The babies soon begin crying simultaneously. Zero Point discovers that both have soiled diapers, and Jing Yi and Diandian efficiently clean and change them. Their competent handling of childcare highlights Qin Meng’s initial inexperience.
• Feeling inferior to Zero Point, whom he jokingly views as a romantic rival because of his perfection, Qin Meng works hard to improve. He gradually learns to hold the babies, change diapers, and soothe them, becoming much more capable despite still comparing himself unfavorably with Zero Point.
• Meanwhile, the difficult stage of the bilateral negotiations between Mi Star and X-Star is resolved. Both sides agree to open designated markets, creating a continuing channel for communication and reducing the risk of future crises. Because Qin Meng made major contributions, he and Jing Yi return to Gold Star and have more time with their family.
• Qin Meng remains jealous of Diandian’s closeness to Jing Yi. Jing Yi explains that Diandian is like a father or older brother to him and is effectively Qin Meng’s elder brother-in-law, not a romantic rival. Qin Meng teasingly accuses Jing Yi of having “daddy issues” and being obsessed with older men, provoking Jing Yi to pinch him.
• Qin Meng quickly placates Jing Yi by embracing him and acting affectionately spoiled, showing the playful, childish side of their relationship.

Character Development and Themes

• Qin Meng grows from an inexperienced, insecure parent into a more hands-on and determined father. His jealousy of Zero Point exposes his competitiveness and fear of inadequacy, but it also motivates him to improve.
• Jing Yi is portrayed as calm, experienced, and competent, both in childcare and in managing Qin Meng’s emotional antics. His bond with Diandian is familial rather than romantic.
• Zero Point/Diandian is an exceptionally capable caregiver and a stabilizing presence in the household, unintentionally intensifying Qin Meng’s insecurity.
• The chapter emphasizes parental responsibility, personal growth, and the humorous challenges of raising children. It also explores jealousy and trust within a relationship, showing that Qin Meng and Jing Yi resolve tension through teasing, reassurance, and physical affection.
• The political negotiations provide a broader theme of cooperation through continued communication, paralleling the chapter’s focus on maintaining harmony within family relationships.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Qin Meng complains about Diandian/Zero Point, an exceptionally capable AI Brain who surpasses him in combat, cooking, childcare, and nearly every other skill. Jing Yi teases Qin Meng about being unable to compete with an advanced-civilization AI.
• Qin Meng’s jealousy is revealed to be childish and affectionate rather than genuinely possessive. Because of his troubled family background, he has become especially dependent on Jing Yi and craves reassurance and physical affection.
• Their children, Bean Bun and Glutinous Rice Ball, are now nine months old but unusually advanced: they can speak simple sentences, walk, and run. They prefer Diandian, who claims to be training and genetically enhancing them according to methods from his civilization.
• Qin Meng tells Jing Yi that their application to enter the X-Star Sector has been approved. Jing Yi agrees to accompany him, partly because he is eager to expand his business and discover new technology and inspiration.
• Half a month later, Qin Meng and Jing Yi travel toward the X-Star Sector under disguised appearances and forged identities supplied by Military Headquarters. Qin Meng has a secret mission, though Jing Yi trusts his planning and does not question him.
• As their spaceship prepares to make its final jump into the X-Star Sector, a group of pirate ships ambushes them.

Character developments

• Qin Meng becomes increasingly clingy and emotionally dependent on Jing Yi. His jealousy of Diandian stems from insecurity and a longing to be prioritized, reflecting the emotional deprivation caused by his broken family.
• Jing Yi understands Qin Meng’s feelings more clearly and enjoys comforting him. Though initially reluctant to leave their children, he is persuaded by the promise of adventure, business expansion, and new technological discoveries.
• Diandian/Zero Point is established as an extraordinarily versatile AI and a trusted caretaker who has become almost a father or older brother figure to Qin Meng and a favorite companion of the children.
• Bean Bun and Glutinous Rice Ball develop at an accelerated rate and become mischievous, highly intelligent toddlers under Diandian’s guidance.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and emotional insecurity: Qin Meng’s rivalry with Diandian highlights his need for exclusive affection and reassurance.
• Family and attachment: Despite their unconventional household, the family members share strong emotional bonds, with Diandian functioning as a caregiver and Qin Meng seeking the affection he lacked growing up.
• Exploration and ambition: Jing Yi’s desire to expand his business and develop new mech technology drives the journey into unfamiliar territory.
• Advanced technology and human potential: Diandian’s abilities and the children’s accelerated development suggest the transformative possibilities of alien civilization and genetic enhancement.
• Trust and partnership: Jing Yi trusts Qin Meng’s judgment and accompanies him even without knowing the details of his mission.

Character interactions

• Jing Yi playfully mocks Qin Meng’s inferiority complex while reassuring him of his importance.
• Qin Meng clings to Jing Yi and seeks comfort, revealing a softer, more childish side that he shows only to someone he truly trusts.
• The children largely ignore their fathers in favor of Diandian, intensifying Qin Meng’s humorous frustration.
• Qin Meng persuades Jing Yi to join the expedition by appealing to his curiosity, ambition, and desire for new creative inspiration.
• The chapter ends with the couple facing an immediate external threat when pirates attack their spaceship.

Chapter Summary

Plot and events

Following the exposure of the government’s support for the True Pirate Gang and the creation of the Fake Pirate Gang, Military Headquarters launches a massive crackdown throughout the Mi Star Sector. Many pirates are killed or disabled, while others flee to remote regions such as the Chaotic Asteroid Belt. With their government connections, intelligence, and supply lines destroyed, the surviving pirates are impoverished and desperate.
Believing that increased trade between Mi Star and X Star will provide wealthy targets, the pirates attempt to rob the luxurious passenger ship Lookout. However, the vessel is secretly a military trap: its hull opens and releases dozens of advanced warships. Using the magnetic light weapon nicknamed “Catch You Alive,” Qin Meng’s forces disable the outdated pirate fleet almost instantly.
Qin Meng boards the captured ships while Jing Yi remains safely aboard the Lookout. Qin Meng reveals his true identity, confident that the military fleet will prevent him from being easily traced into the X-Star Sector. Most pirates surrender, though some resist desperately because they fear severe punishment. Qin Meng’s team systematically searches the vessels and completes the mission without difficulty. At the end, an unusually determined elderly prisoner insists on seeing Qin Meng and tries to confirm whether the commander is truly the famous Brigadier General Qin Meng.

Character development

• Qin Meng demonstrates strategic planning, military authority, and confidence. He leads the operation efficiently and takes care to protect Jing Yi by keeping him off the captured pirate ships. His willingness to reveal his true face shows his trust in the mission’s security and his adaptability regarding identities.
• Jing Yi remains in a protected position, highlighting his nonmilitary status and Qin Meng’s concern for his safety.
• The pirates are shown as having fallen from arrogant, well-connected criminals into frightened, impoverished survivors. Their former confidence has largely disappeared, though some retain enough desperation to resist.
• Brown Bear assists Qin Meng during the raid and handles the strange elderly prisoner, though the man’s frantic resistance proves unexpectedly difficult.

Themes

• The collapse of corruption: Once government officials who protected the pirates are purged, the pirates quickly lose their power and resources.
• Technology and military superiority: Modern military technology completely overwhelms the pirates’ outdated weapons, making the ambush almost effortless.
• Justice and consequences: The crackdown illustrates the government’s determination to eliminate the pirate problem and punish those who previously operated with impunity.
• Desperation versus surrender: The pirates’ reactions reveal how fear and survival instincts replace their former arrogance when they are finally deprived of institutional protection.

Character interactions

Qin Meng directs Brown Bear and the other soldiers while overseeing the capture of the pirate ships. He deliberately keeps Jing Yi away from the dangerous boarding operation. Brown Bear later brings Qin Meng the elderly prisoner, who struggles violently and demands confirmation of Qin Meng’s identity, setting up a potentially significant encounter.

Chapter Summary: “The Old Star Pirate’s Story”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Meng discovers Brown Bear pinning down an old star pirate in a shabby hall.
• The old man claims to be related to Qin Meng through his wife, Jing Bo, but quickly clarifies that he actually hates Jing Bo and wants revenge for his “poor nephew.”
• Intrigued by the possibility that the old pirate knows something about Jing Yi’s hidden origins, Qin Meng orders Brown Bear to bring him to the captain’s cabin for questioning.
• The old pirate insists that he never killed anyone and only became a pirate out of necessity. Qin Meng warns him that excuses will not protect him from punishment if he has committed crimes.
• Qin Meng’s intimidating presence forces the old man to abandon any attempt at manipulation and tell the truth.
• Before revealing the main secret, the old pirate begins recounting his past: he was once a weak, mediocre fighter who worked in logistics for the Myriad Stars pirate crew. The crew was led by an older captain surnamed Sha, who was rough-tempered and fond of alcohol but not entirely evil.

Character Developments

• Qin Meng demonstrates his protectiveness toward Jing Yi. Rather than immediately involving him, Qin Meng decides to hear the story first in case it is fabricated or emotionally harmful.
• Qin Meng’s suspicion and determination intensify as he realizes the old pirate may know the truth about Jing Yi’s mother and birth.
• Brown Bear is shown to be physically intimidating but perceptive and quick-thinking. He understands the significance of the old pirate’s words and promptly follows Qin Meng’s orders.
• The old star pirate appears cowardly, opportunistic, and eager to survive, but also desperate to clear his name and obtain revenge for his nephew. He shifts from pleading and flattery to honesty when he realizes Qin Meng cannot be deceived.
• Jing Yi’s background becomes more mysterious. His mother’s identity has been erased from official records, and he was born outside a registered marriage to Jing Bo.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identity and buried history: The chapter deepens the mystery surrounding Jing Yi’s origins, especially his unknown mother and Jing Bo’s evasive behavior.
• Truth versus self-preservation: The old pirate initially tries to use claims of kinship to save himself, but Qin Meng’s pressure forces him to reveal what he knows.
• Protection and loyalty: Qin Meng’s decision to investigate the story privately shows how deeply he cares for Jing Yi and wants to shield him from unnecessary pain.
• The law of the strong: The pirate world is portrayed as brutal and survival-driven, with the elderly and weak discarded when they are no longer useful.
• Moral ambiguity: The old pirate claims that he became a pirate because of circumstance and never killed anyone, raising questions about whether individuals can be separated from the violent systems they survive within.

Character Interactions

• Brown Bear physically restrains the old pirate, while Qin Meng intervenes and orders his release.
• The old pirate attempts to establish a connection through Jing Bo, but his hatred of Jing Bo immediately captures Qin Meng’s attention.
• Qin Meng interrogates him firmly, using intimidation to prevent lies or manipulation.
• Although Jing Yi is absent, his relationship with Qin Meng drives the entire conversation: Qin Meng weighs whether to call him in but chooses to protect him until the story’s credibility is established.
• The chapter ends as the old pirate begins describing the Myriad Stars crew and its former captain, setting up the revelation of Jing Yi’s possible family history.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

The old pirate recounts the history of Young Captain Xiao Sha, who inherited the captaincy after his father’s death. Unlike ordinary pirates, Xiao Sha was educated, charismatic, and ambitious. He wanted to abandon piracy, clear the names of those subordinates whose crimes could be pardoned, and help the others find a legitimate way to survive.
A group of resentful pirates attempted to sabotage him by using the Myriad Stars Pirate Group’s name to conduct a live-broadcast massacre of hostages. Xiao Sha arrived at the crucial moment, defeated the traitors, and rescued everyone, preserving his reputation.
Qin Meng repeatedly interrupts the old pirate, frustrated that he is taking too long to explain Jing Yi’s parentage. He eventually learns that Young Captain Xiao Sha was Jing Yi’s second father, not his mother. Qin Meng realizes that Madam Jing’s vague wording had caused him to assume Jing Yi had two different-sex parents.
The old pirate then explains that Xiao Sha met Jing Bo, who was among the hostages rescued during the attempted massacre. Jing Bo was struck by Xiao Sha’s heroic intervention, and the two quickly fell in love. Xiao Sha later planned to establish a mercenary group after leaving piracy. However, shortly after returning with Jing Bo, he unexpectedly asked him to have a child.

Character developments

• Xiao Sha is portrayed as capable, principled, and determined to escape the criminal life. He demonstrates leadership by defeating the traitors and rescuing the hostages, then seeks a lawful future for himself and his followers.
• Jing Bo is revealed as one of the rescued hostages and Xiao Sha’s romantic partner, making him one of Jing Yi’s biological fathers. His attraction to Xiao Sha begins under the emotionally intense circumstances of the rescue.
• Qin Meng becomes increasingly surprised as he uncovers Jing Yi’s unusual family history. He also shows skepticism, especially regarding whether Jing Bo and Xiao Sha’s relationship was genuinely mutual.
• The old pirate remains nostalgic and overly verbose, proudly romanticizing Xiao Sha’s past while frustrating Qin Meng with his digressions.

Significant themes

• Redemption and reinvention: Xiao Sha rejects piracy and seeks to build a legitimate life, while trying to give his followers alternatives to crime.
• Leadership and loyalty: His ability to protect both hostages and subordinates establishes him as a respected leader.
• Love arising from crisis: Xiao Sha and Jing Bo’s relationship begins during a dramatic rescue, emphasizing how extraordinary circumstances can create intense emotional bonds.
• Challenging conventional family assumptions: Qin Meng’s mistaken belief that Jing Yi must have a mother highlights the chapter’s acceptance of same-sex parenthood and nontraditional families.
• Memory and nostalgia: The old pirate’s storytelling reflects admiration for a vanished era and Xiao Sha’s former glory.

Character interactions

Qin Meng repeatedly cuts off the old pirate and demands that he focus on Jing Yi’s parentage. The old pirate defensively insists that Xiao Sha and Jing Bo truly loved each other and takes pride in recounting their history. Qin Meng’s questioning exposes the truth that Jing Yi has two fathers, while the old pirate’s account establishes the romantic connection between Xiao Sha and Jing Bo.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• An old star pirate recounts the tragic history behind Jing Yi’s birth. He claims that Young Commander Xiao Sha and Jing Bo were once lovers, and that Xiao Sha wanted to settle down while also restraining Jing Bo’s unreliable nature.
• Jing Bo allegedly betrayed Xiao Sha by exposing him and the Myriad Stars Pirate Group during the Strike Hard Campaign. Xiao Sha and his crew were captured, and Xiao Sha was sentenced to death. Soon afterward, Jing Bo married the current Madam Jing, who was already several months pregnant.
• Qin Meng considers possible motives for Jing Bo’s betrayal: he may have chosen marriage and social advancement over Xiao Sha, or he may have been forced into action after Madam Jing became pregnant. In either case, Qin Meng concludes that Jing Bo prioritized his own interests.
• The surviving pirates tried to expose Jing Bo, but their accusations were censored. Jing Bo publicly portrayed himself as righteous, claiming he had only pretended to cooperate with Xiao Sha and had exposed him to protect the public.
• Qin Meng connects the story to the harsh anti-pirate campaign of the time and realizes that Xiao Sha likely had no chance of survival. He also questions whether the account is completely reliable.
• After hearing the story, Qin Meng struggles with whether to tell Jing Yi the truth about his parentage and Jing Bo’s betrayal. Brown Bear advises him to tell Jing Yi, while also warning that the old pirate’s story must eventually be verified.

Character developments

• Qin Meng becomes more distrustful of Jing Bo and more sympathetic toward Jing Yi and Young Commander Xiao Sha. He carefully analyzes the gaps and possible biases in the old pirate’s account rather than accepting it blindly.
• Jing Bo is presented as selfish, hypocritical, cowardly, and politically opportunistic. His alleged public “righteousness” is revealed as a carefully constructed façade.
• Young Commander Xiao Sha emerges as a tragic figure: a pirate leader who may have genuinely loved Jing Bo and hoped to settle down, only to be betrayed and sentenced to death.
• Jing Yi is indirectly central to the chapter. His birth and relationship with his grandmother gain new emotional significance, as Qin Meng wonders how much she knew and why she treated Jing Yi well.
• Brown Bear provides practical advice and emotional relief. He encourages Qin Meng to be honest with Jing Yi while remaining skeptical of the old pirate’s claims.
• The old star pirate is angry and bitter over Xiao Sha’s fate, but his dramatic storytelling and personal connection also make his reliability questionable.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and selfishness: Love and loyalty are undermined by Jing Bo’s desire for safety, status, and self-preservation.
• Truth versus public narrative: Jing Bo successfully rewrites his betrayal as an act of righteousness, while the pirates’ version is suppressed.
• Unreliable history: The chapter emphasizes that even a confession may contain distortions, especially when told by someone personally involved.
• Family and hidden origins: Jing Yi’s birth is tied to deception, political calculation, and a concealed parental history.
• Moral responsibility: Qin Meng questions whether revealing painful truths is an act of honesty or a source of unnecessary harm.

Character interactions

• The old star pirate passionately recounts Jing Bo’s betrayal to Qin Meng, expressing hatred and regret.
• Qin Meng challenges the story by raising logical questions about Jing Bo’s motives, the grandmother’s knowledge, and the pirates’ failure to expose him.
• The old pirate insists that his account is truthful after Qin Meng questions its reliability.
• Brown Bear advises Qin Meng to tell Jing Yi, arguing that Jing Yi can handle the truth and that further investigation is still necessary.
• Qin Meng agrees but reacts irritably to Brown Bear’s teasing, kicking him in response.

Chapter 410 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Meng returns to the passenger spacecraft after handing the old star pirate over to his subordinates, instructing them to treat the prisoner well.
• He privately tells Jing Yi everything the pirate revealed: Jing Bo may have had a relationship with the star pirate captain, suggesting Jing Yi may have another biological father who is a pirate.
• Qin Meng and Jing Yi decide that the information must be investigated before accepting it as fact.
• Before departing, Qin Meng arranges for the captured warships to escort both merchant groups. A double remains behind disguised as Qin Meng, while the real Qin Meng alters his appearance and travels with Jing Yi into the X-Star Sector.
• After four days, they reach Layan Planet, a poor, desert-covered mining world known for its rare Blue Crystal and Red Sand Glaze deposits.
• Qin Meng explains that these minerals are cheap and common in the X-Star Sector but extremely valuable in their own society, presenting a temporary opportunity for profitable interstellar trade.
• Jing Yi reflects that the price differences between worlds resemble the “golden fingers” in plane-travel novels, though he also understands that the opportunity will eventually disappear as trade equalizes supply, demand, and prices.

Character Developments

• Jing Yi: Is shocked and emotionally unsettled by the possibility of having a star-pirate father. Although he tries to treat the revelation humorously, his reaction suggests hidden distress. He also realizes that Mi Star has become his true home because of the people he loves there.
• Qin Meng: Shows emotional sensitivity and support, recognizing that Jing Yi may be suffering beneath his joking exterior. His own painful experience of learning the truth about his biological father helps him empathize with Jing Yi. He also demonstrates careful planning by using a double and disguising himself during their journey.
• Their relationship: Qin Meng comforts Jing Yi physically and emotionally, reinforcing their closeness and mutual dependence.

Significant Themes

• Family and identity: The possible revelation about Jing Yi’s biological father forces him to reconsider his origins and the meaning of family.
• Home as an emotional bond: Jing Yi realizes that home is not merely his birthplace but the place where he has found peace, love, and belonging.
• Trust and uncertainty: The old pirate’s account may be unreliable, so Qin Meng emphasizes investigation rather than immediate belief.
• Interworld economic exchange: The chapter introduces the theme of exploiting differences in resources and prices between societies, while acknowledging that markets will eventually reduce those disparities.
• Humor amid emotional pain: Jing Yi uses absurdity and jokes to cope with the shocking possibility that his family history is even stranger than expected.

Character Interactions

• Qin Meng privately shares the pirate’s testimony with Jing Yi, treating him as a trusted partner.
• Jing Yi jokes about his family’s collection of “weirdos,” while Qin Meng reassures him that he still has Qin Meng, Bean Bun, and Glutinous Rice Ball.
• Qin Meng’s affectionate embrace reveals both his protectiveness and his understanding of Jing Yi’s emotional state.
• During their journey, Qin Meng acts as Jing Yi’s guide to the X-Star Sector and Layan Planet, explaining its environment, people, and valuable resources.

Chapter Summary: The Necessity of a Divine Chef Pioneering the Wilderness

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jing Yi and Qin Meng travel to the production regions of Blue Crystal and Red Sand Glaze to purchase materials directly at lower prices.
• They bring merchandise to sell in the X-Star Sector, hoping to improve the relatively poor economy of Lai’an.
• During their journey through Lai’an’s desert, they attend a bonfire banquet hosted by Anas, a wealthy local.
• The banquet features local foods such as stewed snake soup, roasted scorpions, lizard eggs, and strong camel-milk wine. The Mi Star guests are visibly uncomfortable with the unfamiliar cuisine.
• Qin Meng bravely eats a scorpion and praises the wine, earning Anas’s admiration and turning the two into friends.
• Dissatisfied with the locals’ preparation, Jing Yi and Qin Meng use their own seasonings and cooking techniques to transform the scorpions into a refined dish called “Golden Armor.”
• The improved dish is enthusiastically shared with both the X-Star and Mi Star guests, demonstrating how food can bridge cultural differences and create goodwill.

Character Developments

• Jing Yi is portrayed as ambitious, practical, and increasingly obsessed with business and profit. At the same time, his passion and expertise as a chef allow him to make the best of unfamiliar ingredients.
• Qin Meng shows loyalty and endurance by pretending to enjoy the unpleasant banquet food to support Jing Yi and maintain relations with the locals. His ability to eat bugs without hesitation reflects how much he has changed since their first meeting.
• Anas initially uses exaggerated hospitality to pressure the Mi Star guests into eating and drinking, but he quickly warms to Qin Meng after seeing his courage. Their interaction develops into genuine camaraderie.
• The Mi Star guests begin as uncomfortable and wary outsiders, but their surprise and admiration toward Qin Meng—and later their enjoyment of “Golden Armor”—suggest growing openness toward Lai’an’s people.
• Jing Yi and Qin Meng’s close relationship is highlighted through teasing, shared history, and mutual reliance.

Significant Themes

• Cultural exchange through food: Unfamiliar cuisine initially creates discomfort, but skillful preparation makes it appealing to everyone.
• Resourcefulness and adaptation: Jing Yi and Qin Meng turn harsh desert ingredients into delicious food by applying knowledge, seasoning, and experimentation.
• Reconciliation and diplomacy: The ceasefire has created space for ordinary people to trade and interact despite past hostility. Shared meals help soften tensions between Lai’an and Mi Star.
• Hospitality and social pride: Anas’s banquet reflects Lai’an’s fierce sense of hospitality, though it also carries an undercurrent of local pride and resentment toward the Mi Star people.
• Personal growth and friendship: Qin Meng’s relationship with Jing Yi has matured through hardship, while his encounter with Anas shows how shared food and humor can quickly form bonds.

Character Interactions

• Jing Yi privately laughs at Qin Meng’s forced enthusiasm, while Qin Meng retaliates by pinching him and recalling Jing Yi’s earlier prank involving a banquet of bugs.
• Qin Meng’s performance impresses Anas, leading them to address each other as brothers.
• Jing Yi and Qin Meng collaborate closely in preparing “Golden Armor,” transforming the banquet from an uncomfortable cultural challenge into a communal feast.
• The X-Star and Mi Star guests witness and participate in this exchange, gradually shifting from suspicion and disgust to admiration and enjoyment.

Chapter 412 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Qin Meng and Jing Yi prepare food from local ingredients, the Mi Star delegation enthusiastically eats dishes such as Golden Armor, lizard meatballs, and braised sand snake. Their attitude changes completely, and they begin helping with the cooking.
• Qin Meng improves the local milk wine by removing its unpleasant smell. This impresses Anas, the wealthy regional ruler, who becomes their enthusiastic ally, calls them brothers, and declares them business partners.
• After purchasing Blue Crystal and Red Sand Glaze and spending two days on Layan Planet, Qin Meng and Jing Yi travel onward to Taichang.
• The pair continue journeying through the X-Star Sector under assumed identities, keeping their true status as Commodore Qin Meng and Master Jing secret.
• The Mi Star group encounters many bizarre local foods, including Grunting Pig, an enormous Creek Dragon head, and fermented animal stomach containing its undigested feed. Although these dishes are genuine local delicacies rather than deliberate insults, they cause the travelers considerable physical and emotional suffering.
• Qin Meng and Jing Yi use their culinary knowledge and specially prepared seasonings to make the food more tolerable. They calmly eat the dishes, compliment their hosts, and often use shared meals and drinking to negotiate contracts and secure advantages for the Mi Star delegation.
• The Mi Star travelers come to regard the two men as nearly invincible, crediting them with protecting the group’s interests and helping establish connections throughout the sector.

Character Developments

• Qin Meng and Jing Yi: Their culinary expertise becomes a major diplomatic tool. They prove adaptable, composed, and resourceful, transforming strange ingredients into palatable meals and turning potentially difficult encounters into profitable relationships.
• Anas: Initially rough and somewhat imposing, he is won over by their food and generosity. He shifts from regional ruler to affectionate “brother” and business partner.
• The Mi Star delegation: They begin as fussy and overwhelmed travelers but gradually become deeply dependent on and admiring of Qin Meng and Jing Yi. Their respect develops into near-worship as they recognize the pair’s ability to endure local cuisine and negotiate with influential figures.
• Jing Yi’s background: The narration reveals that his experience with China’s broad and adventurous food culture has prepared him unusually well for the X-Star Sector’s stranger dishes.

Significant Themes

• Food as diplomacy: Meals bridge cultural differences, create friendship, and open the way for commercial agreements.
• Cultural misunderstanding and adaptation: The Mi Star people initially interpret unfamiliar foods as outrageous or possibly hostile, but learn that these dishes are authentic parts of local culture.
• Resourcefulness and expertise: Qin Meng and Jing Yi succeed by applying specialized knowledge rather than relying on force or status.
• Harmony and commerce: The Mi Star mission’s guiding principle—“harmony brings wealth”—is repeatedly demonstrated as cooperation produces business opportunities and practical benefits.
• Comedic contrast: The delegation’s horror at local cuisine contrasts with Qin Meng and Jing Yi’s calm sophistication, creating much of the chapter’s humor.

Character Interactions

• Qin Meng and Jing Yi win Anas’s friendship through cooking and improved milk wine.
• The Mi Star travelers assist the pair in preparing local dishes, creating a sense of shared hardship and camaraderie.
• Qin Meng and Jing Yi interact smoothly with local elites, offering compliments and sharing drinks to build trust and finalize preliminary deals.
• Their conduct earns the admiration of both the Mi Star group and the X-Star locals, allowing them to serve as informal ambassadors and protectors for their compatriots.

Chapter Summary

• Family life and character dynamics: During their daily call home, Qin Meng and Jing Yi watch their infant sons, Doubao and Tangyuan. Doubao increasingly resembles Jing Yi and has become energetic, mischievous, and physically aggressive toward his younger brother. Tangyuan resembles Qin Meng, is shy and gentle, and frequently cries—but can stop crying instantly when distracted by dismantling toys. Their contrasting personalities lead to constant sibling conflict, while their fathers’ attempts to assign blame devolve into playful marital arguments. Diandian, accustomed to their behavior, removes the babies and leaves the two adults to continue their affectionate bickering.
• The pioneer delegation’s progress: The delegation spends roughly six months touring the X-Star Sector and visiting every habitable planet. Trade between the X-Star Sector and Mi Star is introduced cautiously through multiple delegations, with industries opened gradually so both sides can identify problems and minimize risks. Companies involved in the pioneering effort stand to gain enormous profits, making membership highly competitive.
• Qin Meng and Jing Yi’s status: Qin Meng qualifies through his reputation as a promising young military officer, while Jing Yi qualifies because of his major contributions to Mi Star and the rapid growth of his Food and Desire Empire. Their participation reflects both military influence and commercial success. Other Mi Star delegates specifically recognize the importance of including skilled chefs in future trade missions, highlighting Jing Yi’s strategic value.
• Jing Yi’s unusual preparations: On the spaceship, Jing Yi’s room is filled with customized mech components and raw materials collected from many planets. His purchases include expensive ores and biological materials, cheap but difficult-to-ship substances, common universal materials, and obscure items with no obvious application. Although others see the haul as impractical, Jing Yi intends to make use of it. The ship contains a large hollowed-out section originally designed to conceal military warships, giving him ample space for his unconventional mechanical projects.
• Themes: The chapter emphasizes diligence and practical opportunity, showing how careful exploration can produce both commercial rewards and long-term cooperation. It also highlights family affection amid chaos, contrasting the delegation’s serious economic mission with the comic immaturity of Qin Meng and Jing Yi’s home life. Jing Yi’s resourcefulness and willingness to experiment further reinforce the idea that persistence and unconventional thinking can turn seemingly useless materials into valuable results.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

During the pioneers’ six-month return journey, the ship’s cargo holds—originally converted from unused spaces—were mostly filled with executives’ personal purchases rather than large-scale trade goods. Jing Yi, however, rented the largest warehouse and transformed it into a complete mecha-production workshop, equipped with extraction and synthesis machines, analyzers, robotic arms, and other specialized tools. While others considered this excessive and impractical, Jing Yi secretly worked constantly, refining more than a thousand raw materials and assembling numerous components. By the end of the voyage, he had completed the entire upper body of an elegant deep-blue-and-purple mecha.

Character developments

Jing Yi’s determination, technical talent, and work ethic become clear. He sacrifices sleep, meals, and leisure to pursue his goal of creating a genuine mecha. His earlier creations, Emperor Jing and Qin Di, are revealed to have been practice models for this larger project. With Diandian’s guidance, Jing Yi not only follows designs but improves them, adapting the mecha’s structure and appearance to Mi Star users. Qin Meng serves as his devoted assistant, supporting him throughout the process. Jing Yi’s fellow executives, initially dismissive of his workshop, remain unaware of how much he accomplishes.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes that success comes from sustained effort and talent rather than luck. It contrasts superficial impressions—others see Jing Yi as wasteful and foolish—with the reality of his disciplined, ambitious work. It also highlights innovation, craftsmanship, and the value of using long periods of travel productively instead of wasting them on entertainment or socializing.

Character interactions

The executives mock or privately criticize Jing Yi’s enormous workshop, believing he is merely showing off. Diandian acts as Jing Yi’s guide and collaborator, helping him turn ideas into functional designs. Qin Meng actively assists Jing Yi and follows his instructions. Upon reaching home, the returning executives gather at the observation windows, celebrating their arrival and complaining humorously about the unfamiliar food and customs of the X-Star people.

Chapter Summary: “Going Home”

• The spaceship arrives at Gold Star, the largest airport in the region, after a long journey through space. Passengers discuss their exhaustion and relief at returning to Mi Star territory. One older businessman complains about space sickness and rejects the idea of remaining abroad to oversee an entire region, preferring the relative comfort of his current position.
• Many passengers disembark at Gold Star to transfer to faster direct flights, since the current ship still has to visit all nine planets. Others remain aboard, comforted by being back among their own people, where they can communicate without translators.
• The passengers exchange polite, seemingly sincere farewells after forming relationships during the trip. Their friendly behavior is partly social strategy, since they are all influential enough that they may need one another in the future.
• Attention is suddenly drawn to a striking deep-blue-and-violet mech being loaded into the cargo hold. Only its upper half is visible because the legs are missing, but it is clearly an exceptionally beautiful and sophisticated machine. The two young representatives of the Food and Desire Empire appear beside it, revealing that the mech belongs to them.
• A complete mech-manufacturing production line, along with delicate equipment and numerous parts, is packed into several containers for transport. The passengers realize that the pair are not merely transporting a decorative object but may actually possess the means to manufacture mechs.
• The onlookers react with disbelief and discomfort. They had privately judged the two young representatives as arrogant and unrealistic, assuming that their skills were limited to cooking and business negotiations. The discovery suggests that the young men have accomplished far more than anyone expected.
• Someone finally proposes that the two may be connected to “Master Jing,” a name associated with extraordinary mech-making ability. This possibility forces everyone to reconsider their earlier assumptions.

Character Developments and Interactions

• The older businessman is shown as conservative and cautious, valuing stability over greater responsibility or ambition.
• The two Food and Desire Empire representatives remain quiet and understated. Rather than boasting about their abilities, they allow their accomplishments to speak for themselves, making the other passengers’ earlier criticism seem foolish.
• The passengers’ interactions reveal a mixture of politeness, opportunism, envy, and social competition. Their farewells appear warm, but their private judgments expose their condescension toward the younger pair.
• The discovery of the mech reverses the social dynamic: those who had looked down on the young representatives are left embarrassed and uncertain, while the two young men gain an aura of mystery and prestige.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: The passengers mistake the young men’s modest public image for a lack of ability, only to discover evidence of extraordinary technical accomplishments.
• Hidden talent and quiet competence: The protagonists do not seek attention or defend themselves verbally; their achievements are revealed indirectly.
• Prejudice against youth: Older and more established figures assume that the young representatives are inexperienced and overconfident.
• Social hypocrisy: The passengers maintain friendly relationships while privately criticizing one another, showing how courtesy can conceal rivalry and insecurity.
• Recognition and reversal: The mech’s arrival dramatically shifts the passengers’ opinions, turning their contempt into surprise and speculation.

Chapter 416 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Observers at the expedition site question why the head of the Food and Desire Empire would personally lead a dangerous space expedition instead of sending a subordinate.
• They also doubt that either of the two ordinary-looking representatives is actually Master Jing and Major General Qin Meng. Because Master Jing is a famous internet celebrity, they expect him to be much more recognizable.
• The onlookers dismiss the possibility that Master Jing personally built the mechas, arguing that his success with Energy Cards may have been luck and that constructing a mecha from raw materials requires genuine technical expertise.
• They invent explanations to preserve their assumptions: perhaps the mecha used pre-made parts, perhaps the representative is merely an employee, or perhaps the equipment was only cargo.
• One person suggests a more alarming possibility: Master Jing may be developing an entirely new kind of mecha, which would explain why he needed to build everything from scratch.
• Though the idea seems unlikely, the others realize that, if true, it could dramatically affect the political and military balance of the Nine Planets. They decide to investigate whether Master Jing and Qin Meng have truly been absent from the Mi Star Sector for six months.
• Qin Meng and Jing Yi return home excited to reunite with their newborn twin sons. Despite previously finding the babies exhausting, their long separation has made them miss the children intensely.
• Their disguises are accidentally exposed, but neither man is concerned now that they are safely home.
• Their cargo includes equipment, unfinished mechas, parts, raw materials, gifts, and special toys for the twins.
• Among the gifts are two enormous, expensive egg-shaped infant toys from X Star—one pale yellow and one pink—reflecting the egg-centered culture of the planet’s inhabitants.

Character Developments

• Jing Yi/Master Jing: His reputation grows more mysterious and influential. The possibility that he is personally creating a new type of mecha suggests abilities far beyond what the public believes.
• Qin Meng: His identity as Major General Qin Meng remains concealed during the expedition, emphasizing his role in covert missions and strategic operations.
• Jing Yi and Qin Meng: Their time away from home reveals their strong attachment to their twin sons. Their eagerness to return and the gifts they bring show their affectionate, family-oriented side.
• The observers and political figures: Their initial skepticism shifts into concern and calculation. They begin considering how to exploit or respond to the possibility of a major technological breakthrough.

Significant Themes

• Appearances versus reality: The representatives look ordinary, causing others to underestimate them, while their true identities and capabilities are far more significant.
• Innovation and disruption: The prospect of a new mecha design represents a potentially revolutionary technological development capable of reshaping existing power structures.
• Reputation and prejudice: Master Jing’s fame leads people to either idolize or dismiss him, with many assuming that media attention—not genuine ability—explains his achievements.
• Family and emotional attachment: After a dangerous, lengthy absence, both men’s longing for their children becomes a central emotional counterpoint to the political intrigue.
• Secrecy and exposure: Their disguises protect their identities during the mission, but returning home causes their secret to be revealed unintentionally.

Character Interactions

• The gathered observers gossip collectively, reinforcing one another’s doubts and constructing explanations that allow them to avoid admitting they may have misjudged Master Jing.
• The suggestion of a revolutionary mecha briefly unsettles the group, creating a shared sense of urgency beneath their outwardly calm behavior.
• Qin Meng and Jing Yi’s anticipation of seeing their children highlights their close partnership and shared parental affection, even though they jokingly remember how troublesome the babies can be.

Chapter Summary: “The Shock of the New Mecha~”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Meng and Jing Yi eagerly present Bean Bun and Glutinous Rice Ball with two brightly colored eggs, expecting their sons to love them.
• Instead, the fathers accidentally upset the children by repeatedly hugging and kneading them. The twins comfort each other and reject the eggs’ pale-yellow and pink colors.
• The boys ask Diandian to repaint the eggs in black-and-white spots and dark-blue stripes. Diandian readily agrees and completes the repainting in five minutes, though Jing Yi dislikes the unusual designs.
• After spending time reconnecting with their sons, the family visits the Admiral Mansion.
• Qin Meng and General Chen go to the study to discuss important matters, while Madam Chen happily looks after the twins.
• Jing Yi distributes gifts from the X-Star Sector. Yang Chun receives a highly customized robot doll modeled after Emperor Jing and Qin Di, which makes him extremely happy.
• Jing Yi explains that the doll may eventually develop intelligence if properly cared for.
• The family begins preparing a meal using specialty ingredients brought from the X-Star Sector. Jing Yi cooks, with Yang Chun assisting, while Madam Chen watches the children.

Character Developments

• Qin Meng and Jing Yi: Their excitement about pleasing their sons exposes their tendency to misunderstand the children’s preferences. Qin Meng also becomes comically competitive with Diandian for the twins’ affection.
• Bean Bun and Glutinous Rice Ball: The twins demonstrate strong opinions and a growing sense of individuality. They openly criticize their fathers’ choices but remain affectionate toward Diandian, whom they consider dependable.
• Diandian: He remains calm, capable, and attentive, successfully balancing his physical presence with his illusionary form and helping the children without complaint.
• Yang Chun: His enthusiasm for the robot doll reveals his distinctive preferences. His sincere gratitude strengthens his warm relationship with Jing Yi and Qin Meng.
• Madam Chen: She is delighted by the twins and readily takes on the role of doting grandmother.

Significant Themes

• Family affection and reunion: The chapter focuses on the family’s happiness after being apart, expressed through teasing, gifts, cooking, and childcare.
• Parenting and generational differences: Qin Meng and Jing Yi’s misguided attempt to choose “cute” gifts contrasts with the children’s more unconventional tastes.
• Individual freedom and acceptance: The discussion of Yang Chun’s preference for an androgynous robot emphasizes the Mi Star people’s acceptance of varied identities and forms of affection.
• Competition and jealousy: Qin Meng’s rivalry with Diandian is presented humorously as a contest for attention rather than genuine hostility.
• Domestic intimacy: Cooking and sharing gifts create a warm, everyday family atmosphere following the chapter’s comedic opening.

Character Interactions

• Qin Meng and Jing Yi comically struggle to win their sons’ approval, while the twins favor Diandian.
• The twins flatter Diandian and ask him to repaint their eggs, highlighting their trust in him.
• Jing Yi reacts with exasperation to his sons’ criticism and their unconventional color choices.
• Jing Yi gives Yang Chun the robot doll, and Yang Chun responds with heartfelt appreciation.
• Madam Chen bonds with the twins while Jing Yi and Yang Chun work together in the kitchen.

Chapter 418 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Meng and General Chen spend several hours discussing matters before joining the others for a meal at the Admiral Mansion.
• Bean Bun and Glutinous Rice Ball compete for the last pieces of honey-glazed konjac. Jing Yi treats them equally, giving each child a piece before the adults clear away the remaining sweets.
• Qin Meng remains at the Admiral Mansion because he must explain the events of his long absence and investigate the mysterious death of Xiao Sha, the former young regiment commander. He doubts the old star pirate’s account, especially since Xiao Sha was supposedly too capable to be so easily killed by Jing Bo.
• Jing Yi leaves the mansion for Food and Desire Empire, where the four senior mecha masters have been repeatedly demanding that he return.
• Yang Chun escorts Jing Yi to the company’s headquarters. The business has expanded dramatically in just over two years, growing from a small secondhand factory into a large, organized industrial complex centered around a distinctive tripod-shaped building.
• The four mecha masters ambush Jing Yi at the entrance and immediately drag him to the warehouse.
• The warehouse contains equipment, rare materials, components, semi-finished mechas, and other resources brought back from X Star. The masters and the company’s technical staff have been eagerly awaiting the chance to examine them.
• The chapter ends with the staff preparing to judge Jing Yi’s achievements. The four masters admire his creativity, while the other mecha manufacturers—jealous and skeptical of his reputation—are determined to discover whether he truly deserves the praise he receives.

Character Developments

• Qin Meng shows caution and independence. Although he dislikes Jing Bo, he refuses to accept a potentially biased account of Xiao Sha’s death without investigating the hidden circumstances.
• Jing Yi continues to balance family responsibilities with his leadership of Food and Desire Empire. He is tolerant of the staff’s resentment and deliberately allows their competitiveness to motivate them.
• Bean Bun and Glutinous Rice Ball are portrayed as affectionate, mischievous children who feel completely at home in the Admiral Mansion.
• Madam Chen is especially cheerful because of the lively family gathering, highlighting her fondness for the children and companionship.
• The four mecha masters remain eccentric, energetic, and intensely passionate about technology despite their frequent claims of being old and frail.
• The other mecha manufacturers become more clearly characterized as proud and competitive professionals who envy Jing Yi’s natural innovation and want to challenge his superiority.

Significant Themes

• Family warmth and belonging: The meal and the children’s comfortable behavior emphasize the close bonds between the characters and the Admiral Mansion’s role as a second home.
• Skepticism and the search for truth: Qin Meng refuses to rely on hearsay regarding Xiao Sha’s death, suggesting that the official or inherited version of events may be incomplete.
• Innovation versus convention: Jing Yi’s imaginative approach to mecha development contrasts with the more traditional methods of established manufacturers.
• Competition as motivation: Rather than suppressing the staff’s jealousy, Jing Yi views their dissatisfaction as a source of pressure that can improve the company’s work.
• Growth and transformation: Food and Desire Empire’s physical expansion reflects its rising influence and the success of Jing Yi’s leadership.

Character Interactions

• Jing Yi disciplines Bean Bun over eating too many sweets but treats him and Glutinous Rice Ball equally.
• Madam Chen enjoys the children’s lively presence, reinforcing their affectionate relationship.
• Qin Meng and General Chen share a lengthy private discussion, while Qin Meng’s concerns about Xiao Sha reveal his distrust of incomplete explanations.
• The four mecha masters enthusiastically overwhelm Jing Yi, accusing him of cruelty for bringing back valuable materials while keeping them waiting to inspect them.
• Jing Yi maintains a humorous but authoritative relationship with the masters and technical staff, tolerating their jealousy while using it to foster a competitive workplace.

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

Jing Yi arrives and unlocks a dozen triple-secured containers using his fingerprint, iris scan, and passcode. The first container reveals a massive semi-finished mech with a striking deep-blue and purple design. The assembled mech manufacturers immediately inspect it with their equipment, discovering extraordinary construction, materials, coating, line design, and material activity—features that seem far beyond current technological limits. Another container holds numerous tiny, highly advanced components, which the manufacturers examine with equal fascination. The four senior mech masters, who helped Jing Yi throughout the material, component, and configuration experiments, proudly observe the reaction. The chapter also emphasizes how Jing Yi and Qin Meng used their difficult journey through space to purify materials and manufacture components, bringing the project close to completion.

Character developments

Jing Yi’s reputation rises dramatically as the manufacturers recognize that he has created—or at least developed—a mech representing a possible technological breakthrough. His accomplishment earns him awe, respect, and intense curiosity from people who are normally difficult to impress. Qin Meng is indirectly established as an important partner in the project, having endured the journey and contributed to the work. The four masters’ pride grows into open confidence: after years of being overshadowed or mocked by rivals, they now believe Jing Yi’s success will allow them to surpass those rivals and restore their status.

Significant themes

• Technological innovation: The mech’s design, coating, and materials suggest the arrival of a new era in mech manufacturing.
• Recognition of talent: Jing Yi’s achievement transforms the manufacturers’ attitudes from skepticism or professional curiosity into reverence.
• Teamwork and perseverance: The project is the result of Jing Yi, Qin Meng, and the four masters working through demanding experiments and space travel.
• Vindication and ambition: The masters’ satisfaction reflects long-delayed revenge against former competitors and the desire to prove their worth.
• The rise of the Food and Desire Empire: The company appears poised to challenge or dominate the high-end mech market.

Character interactions

The manufacturers crowd around the mech, exchanging astonished observations and questioning Jing Yi about its origins, coating, designs, and commercial potential. Their reactions reveal both professional excitement and near-worshipful admiration. They carefully inspect the components, treating them like priceless treasures. The four masters do not compete for attention; instead, they stand back smugly, privately celebrating their contribution and imagining future confrontations with old rivals.

Chapter Summary

Jing Yi notices that the four mecha masters are treating him with increasingly “kind” attention, making him uncomfortable and prompting him to keep his distance. The chapter then explains the broader social and economic role of mecha on Mi Star. Although mecha are strategic weapons with destructive power far beyond firearms, private ownership and production are legal. Buyers must pass criminal, physical, and psychological screenings, while combat mecha are restricted in densely populated areas. This balance between regulation and freedom allows governments, corporations, universities, and private organizations to compete in research, driving rapid technological progress.
After the experts recover from their shock at the new mecha, Jing Yi immediately organizes an online meeting with every department of the Food and Desire Empire. Even though the machine is not yet fully finished, its basic specifications are clear, so publicity, sales, legal affairs, and other departments must begin preparing immediately. The specifications astonish not only the mecha manufacturers but also the non-specialists present; the machine represents an enormous leap forward, comparable to progressing from an ox cart to a rocket.
The employees are thrilled rather than frightened by the scale of the development. They view the company’s success as proof that they have joined an organization with a brilliant future. This achievement follows Jing Yi’s earlier New Energy Card breakthrough, though the two innovations differ in commercial prospects. The New Energy Card’s production method was donated to the state and eventually made public because energy technology was considered a matter of broad public importance. In contrast, the new mecha remains fully protected by intellectual-property laws, allowing the Food and Desire Empire to retain exclusive ownership and reap enormous profits.
The new mecha is described as an entire generation ahead of current models. Its innovations extend from raw-material extraction and component synthesis to assembly techniques, intelligent systems, and exterior coatings. Because competitors will need considerable time to understand and reproduce these technologies, the company can dominate the high-end mecha market and use its technological lead to develop even more advanced products.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Jing Yi demonstrates decisive leadership by moving quickly from invention to commercialization and coordinating every department before the mecha is complete.
• The four mecha masters shift from skepticism and shock toward admiration and enthusiastic support, though their intense attention makes Jing Yi uneasy.
• The company employees and workplace elites become highly motivated, seeing the new mecha as evidence that they have secured a place in a prosperous, innovative enterprise.
• The relationship between Jing Yi and his workforce develops from astonishment to collective excitement, with everyone preparing to capitalize on the breakthrough.

Significant Themes

• Technological progress and competition: Competition among states, corporations, and institutions drives rapid innovation.
• Power and regulation: Mecha’s immense destructive potential requires strict ownership and usage controls, even within an otherwise open society.
• Intellectual property and profit: The contrast between the publicly released New Energy Card technology and the privately protected mecha highlights different approaches to socially important inventions.
• Leadership and timing: Jing Yi’s insistence on early preparation emphasizes that success depends not only on invention but also on fast organization and execution.
• Ambition and economic opportunity: The new mecha offers the company a chance to dominate the market and establish a lasting technological advantage.