Chapter Summaries

Fang Xu recovered from the Deep-Sea Pod and joined Lü Yongchang to observe the probe’s survey of Ross 2. The probe found liquid water and a promising settlement site, and Lü Yongchang chose it for Central City as a rover began analyzing the planet’s surface.

• Fang Xu left the Deep-Sea Pod coughing and later reported to the command center, where Lü Yongchang urged him to exercise before landing.
• Lü Yongchang reviewed the probe data, ruled out signs of advanced-civilization interference, and ordered the probe to land on Ross 2.
• The probe passed through Ross 2’s icy planetary ring and atmosphere, revealing an ocher surface, glaciers, and a winding river.
• Lü Yongchang selected a plain surrounded by mountains, with a lake and nearby river, as the site for Central City.
• The probe landed and deployed a rover carrying precision detection instruments to survey the surface.

Lü Yongchang and Fang Xu wagered on whether Ross 2 could support life, and rover tests found single-celled organisms in the planet’s river. Fang Xu lost and had to double his Gravity Chamber training for a month.

• After seeing Ross 2’s high carbon monoxide concentration, Fang Xu argued that life could not exist there, and Lü Yongchang challenged him to a wager.
• Lü Yongchang and Fang Xu bet that the loser would double his Gravity Chamber training for the next month, while Lü Yongchang reminded Cao Liangcai about an owed chicken drumstick rice.
• The rover reached Ross 2’s river, and Zero reported that it averaged 82 kilometers wide, suggesting it was not seasonal.
• Lü Yongchang ordered the rover to collect river water for microscopic examination, and Fang Xu refused to concede before the results came in.
• Zero reported that the water contained a small number of single-celled organisms, and Lü Yongchang told Fang Xu his training load would double.

Lü Yongchang led the first landing on Ross 2 and tested its native organisms, finding simple cyanobacteria-like life that posed little danger to humans. With the water deemed treatable and no major problems detected, the researchers could prepare to build a city.

• After reviewing the water analysis, Lü Yongchang found only primitive single-celled organisms and ordered more probes to Ross 2.
• A month later, Lü Yongchang's fleet reached Ross 2, and a month of observation revealed no abnormalities around the planet or Ross 154.
• Lü Yongchang and Fang Xu landed on Ross 2 with researchers and robots to collect samples before city construction began.
• Lü Yongchang tested the samples in the Black Lady Two's laboratory and found that the native organisms resembled cyanobacteria and posed no major problems.
• Lü Yongchang explained that the organisms absorbed nitrogen and released compounds such as amino acids and polypeptides as they grew.

After returning from Ross 2, Lü Yongchang reflected on the work needed to complete the level two civilization technology tree, then found that Su Yutong had arranged a surprise for his hundredth birthday. The chapter ended with Su Yutong hinting that she expected more than a thank-you.

• Lü Yongchang saw that the level three civilization node remained hidden until Human Civilization completed the level two technology tree’s branches.
• Zero kept the Black Lady Two’s hatch closed on Su Yutong’s second-level authorization, and Lü Yongchang chose to wait rather than override her order.
• Su Yutong greeted Lü Yongchang with a birthday cake and told him he had turned one hundred.
• Lü Yongchang asked how Su Yutong had made the cake, and she explained that she had cloned a cow and a hen and produced the other ingredients.
• Lü Yongchang thanked Su Yutong, who blushed and asked whether that was all he had to say.

Lü Yongchang reacted shyly when Su Yutong welcomed his wish to celebrate future birthdays together, then fled to his office as Zero teased him about being in love. Two years later, Central City had been completed beside the Ross River, a second city was under construction, and researchers prepared to settle on Ross 2.

• Lü Yongchang told Su Yutong he hoped she would make him cakes for his two-hundredth, three-hundredth, and four-hundredth birthdays, and she happily agreed.
• Lü Yongchang pretended he had a flash of inspiration so he could leave for his office, while Zero pointed out that his behavior toward Su Yutong resembled love.
• Two years later, Central City stood beside the Ross River on Ross 2, and robots under Zero's command rapidly built a second city across the river.
• Researchers lined up to disembark from the Black Lady Two, and Tao Yuda told He Bilin that standing on real earth beneath a real sky would feel like freedom.

A signal from Ross 154 at 1420 megahertz triggered humanity’s level-one combat readiness, threatening the peace the fleet had only just regained. Lü Yongchang ordered radio silence and mobilization as Tao Yuda led He Bilin to the command center, while Zhao Zijie prepared the fleet’s weapons.

• He Bilin followed Tao Yuda from the Earth’s port toward Ross 2 and wondered about the difference between simulated and real environments.
• An alarm informed Lü Yongchang in Central City that an unknown signal had arrived from Ross 154 at 1420 megahertz.
• Lü Yongchang ordered all work stopped, told Zhao Zijie to place the Human Fleet at level-one combat readiness, and ordered all forces into radio silence.
• The Earth’s port closed and its departing Black Lady Two craft halted; Tao Yuda told He Bilin that the alarm usually meant humanity had encountered another civilization.
• Zhao Zijie received Lü Yongchang’s order, initiated the awakening program, and ordered every starship’s weapon systems unlocked and aimed at Ross 154.

He Bilin saw Humanity’s Battleships prepare to fire on Ross 154, while Lü Yongchang received two peaceful messages from an unknown advanced civilization and ordered the researchers to return to their ships. The chapter ended with Lü Yongchang and the researchers beginning to assess the civilization based on its brief greeting.

• He Bilin followed Tao Yuda toward the command center and saw Battleships charge their weapons as Supply Reserve Ships, Home ships, and Engineering Ships withdrew from Ross 154.
• Zero translated a message from Ross 154 greeting Humanity as a respected technological civilization, and Lü Yongchang realized the sender had mastered Humanity’s communications code.
• After a second message assured Humanity it meant no harm, Lü Yongchang ordered Central City’s researchers to return to their ships.
• Twenty-four hours passed without further contact, and Lü Yongchang briefed the researchers aboard the [Earth] on the two messages.
• Lü Yongchang suggested the greeting implied other kinds of civilizations existed, and Tao Yuda wondered whether the word “respected” meant the sender considered Humanity formidable.

Lü Yongchang and the command center debated the unknown civilization’s strength and whether to respond to its message, then sent a greeting toward Ross 154. The civilization replied, saying it had been watching humanity for a long time.

• Tao Yuda and He Bilin disputed whether the unknown civilization was weak or powerful, and Lü Yongchang concluded it was likely a severely diminished advanced civilization.
• Fang Xu suggested the message might come from a single individual, but Lü Yongchang warned against attacking before the civilization showed hostility.
• The command center debated whether to trust the civilization or respond, and Lü Yongchang decided to establish contact to learn about the universe.
• An hour later, the Earth transmitted a one-word greeting toward Ross 154.
• After receiving a signal at 1,420 megahertz, Lü Yongchang and the command center read the reply: “Hello, little ones. I've been watching you for a long time.”

Lü Yongchang feared that the civilization from Ross 154 had monitored humanity for decades through its probe, but diagnostics found no signs of tampering. The unknown civilization claimed it meant no harm, then inferred that humanity had recently fought a war, leaving Lü Yongchang’s fleet ready to attack and flee if necessary.

• The civilization from Ross 154 revealed that it had learned about humanity through its probe 64 years earlier, and Lü Yongchang ordered the signal interfaces disconnected and the Central Computer checked.
• After Zero reported no threats and a 99.9% chance of blocking an attack, Lü Yongchang reopened communications and received the civilization’s assurance that it had not tampered with the Central Computer and meant no ill intent.
• Lü Yongchang asked who the civilization was, what level it belonged to, and what it wanted from humanity.
• The civilization recognized humanity’s knowledge of the civilization classification system and guessed that humanity had recently fought a war.
• Fang Xu suggested leaving the stellar system, but Lü Yongchang chose to wait and ordered preparations to attack and withdraw; Zhao Zijie stood ready to issue the fleet’s orders.
• The civilization said it would not stoop to attacking a Level Two Civilization.

Lü Yongchang and Zhao Zijie stood down their weapons after realizing resistance would only hasten humanity’s destruction, and the unknown civilization introduced itself as Hua, a two-dimensional level seven civilization from the Triangulum Galaxy. Hua revealed its form around Ross 154, leaving the command center staring at a seemingly thicknessless expanse of nothingness covering half the star.

• Lü Yongchang stopped Zhao Zijie from attacking and argued that humanity should keep listening because the civilization had a reason to leave them alive.
• Zhao Zijie shut down the weapons systems, and Hua acknowledged their sincerity before introducing itself as a two-dimensional level seven civilization named Hua.
• Hua offered to reveal its true form for thirty seconds, so Lü Yongchang ordered Zero to display the feeds from the three Interstellar Probes.
• The probes showed a gray-looking void surging out of Ross 154 and enveloping half the star, blocking all light and radiation.
• Zero zoomed in, and Lü Yongchang saw that the substance was perfectly smooth and had no detectable thickness.

Lü Yongchang and the human fleet watched the two-dimensional being [Painting] absorb energy from Ross 154 before it withdrew into the star. After [Painting] stopped answering questions about its injury, the humans analyzed what they had learned, and He Bilin proposed that an undiscovered intergalactic bridge could have supplied it during its journey from the Triangulum Galaxy.

• [Painting] contracted from a star-sized shape and withdrew into Ross 154, then asked whether humanity had seen enough.
• Lü Yongchang offered Human Civilization's help, and [Painting] mocked humanity before mentioning that it wanted vengeance.
• Lü Yongchang asked whether [Painting] could be injured and whether civilizations above level seven existed, but [Painting] stopped responding.
• Lü Yongchang ordered the fleet to stay put, halt engineering work, and keep Ross 154 under observation while the humans reviewed their findings.
• Lü Yongchang reasoned that [Painting] was a wounded two-dimensional being using Ross 154 as an energy source, then questioned how it had traveled from the Triangulum Galaxy.
• He Bilin explained that an intergalactic bridge of neutral hydrogen connected the Triangulum and Andromeda galaxies and suggested a similar bridge might connect the Triangulum Galaxy to the Milky Way.

After a month of silence, the Two-Dimensional Lifeform [Hua] resumed contact with Human Civilization and described the universe’s major factions. It revealed that the Cleaners were Level Eight Civilizations building a Universe-Wide Particle Collider to create a new universe, and Lü Yongchang asked what the Gardener Faction was.

• After waiting another month without a response, Lü Yongchang planned to send [Hua] another inquiry and leave Ross 154 if it remained silent.
• An anomalous 1,420-megahertz signal arrived from Ross 154, and Lü Yongchang summoned the personnel to the command center.
• [Hua] resumed communicating and said it had not spoken with creatures like humans for more than four billion years.
• [Hua] explained that advanced civilizations belonged to the Cleaners, the Gardener Faction, or the Neutral Faction.
• [Hua] said the Cleaners were insane Level Eight Civilizations building a Universe-Wide Particle Collider to use the universe as fuel and create a new universe.
• Lü Yongchang asked [Hua] to explain the Gardener Faction.

Hua explained that the Gardener Faction was at war with the Sweepers and revealed that the Sweepers had destroyed humanity’s home system while trying to drive Hua out. After debating whether to remain under Hua’s protection, Human Civilization voted to stay, and Hua described the Gardener Faction’s hope of restoring the universe to eleven dimensions before the signal was lost.

• Hua told Lü Yongchang that the Gardener Faction had fought the Sweepers for billions of years and mentioned a neutral faction that avoided taking sides.
• Hua said the Sweepers had destroyed the Solar System using the Star Eater, a tool for replenishing fleet energy, likely to force Hua out of the stellar system.
• Lü Yongchang recommended that Human Civilization remain in the system, while Zhao Zijie objected that Hua had concealed information and was partly responsible for humanity’s losses.
• Lü Yongchang held a secret ballot, and 61.8% voted to stay, 34.2% to leave, and 4% abstained.
• Hua said the Gardener Faction wanted to restore the universe to eleven dimensions and claimed the Sweepers’ goal made war inevitable.
• Zero announced that the signal with Hua had been lost.

Ren Feng took his grandfather, Ren Yuanming, to the Proxima Centauri Fourth Holographic Theater so he could see Earth again. They entered the room showing “Scenes of Earth,” where Ren Yuanming recalled that it was his sixty-third viewing.

• After the 1,420-megahertz signal vanished, Lü Yongchang ordered the city construction plan resumed and human activity returned to normal.
• In City Four, Ren Yuanming asked Ren Feng to take him to the Holographic Theater, and Ren Feng agreed.
• As Ren Feng pushed him through the nearly empty city, Ren Yuanming urged him to go to City One and build a life of his own, but Ren Feng said he would stay with him.
• Ren Feng and Ren Yuanming passed the theater’s identification scans and chose to watch “Scenes of Earth” again.
• Ren Feng wheeled Ren Yuanming into the theater room, where Ren Yuanming said it was his sixty-third time watching the Earth scenes.

Ren Feng watched a holographic recording of his grandfather’s hometown with him, and his grandfather died during the viewing. After the funeral, Ren Feng watched his grandfather’s farewell message, then discovered that the power had gone out and something had happened outside.

• Ren Feng accompanied his grandfather to the Holographic Theater for their sixty-fourth annual viewing of his grandfather’s hometown.
• His grandfather explained that Old Zhang and Old Qi had given up their chance to escape so their descendants would have a better chance of survival.
• His grandfather moved toward the holographic stone table beneath the village tree and died as the footage ended.
• After arranging his grandfather’s funeral, Ren Feng watched a farewell video in which his grandfather asked him to seek the Human Fleet and take his ashes to the Solar System.
• A distant bang and power failure interrupted Ren Feng’s grief, and he found the outside world dark except for emergency lights as people cried out in alarm.

When the city lost power and One stopped responding, Ren Feng set out for the City Central Control Center with his old nuclear-powered flashlight. He and his neighbor Zhang Zhengqing entered through a ventilation duct to investigate what had happened.

• Ren Feng discovered that the city was dark and the emergency call button could not reach One.
• Ren Feng decided to go to the City Central Control Center, and Zhang Zhengqing asked to join him.
• Zhang Zhengqing said One might have malfunctioned and led Ren Feng around the control center’s locked entrance.
• Zhang Zhengqing dismantled a ventilation duct leading to the lobby, and Ren Feng crawled inside after asking about his skills.

Zhang Zhengqing restored power to the Central Control Center and brought its Optical Quantum Computer online, but he and Ren Feng discovered that most cities remained offline and City One was not responding. Meanwhile, City One was still recovering from a breach, and the chapter ended with the revelation that its Air Circulation System had shut down.

• Zhang Zhengqing explained that he would restore power using the Central Control Center’s independent Temporary Power Generator, then turned it on after joking with Ren Feng.
• Zhang Zhengqing admitted he did not know how to operate the Optical Quantum Computer and used an Emergency Response Guide to learn how to start it.
• The Human Fleet’s distress signals from Proxima Centauri went unanswered while Zero halted unnecessary work after [Hua] appeared.
• A breach in City One’s hemispherical building let the planet’s atmosphere inside, but an inflated carbon-nanotube Airtight Facility plugged the hole.
• Zhang Zhengqing successfully started the Optical Quantum Computer and found that only City One and City Four were online; City One did not respond to his contact attempt.
• Zhang Zhengqing told Ren Feng that the Air Circulation System had shut down.

Ren Feng and Zhang Zhengqing learned City Four had only about a day of oxygen without activating its emergency supply, and a week with it. City One then replied, revealing that a suspected nuclear attack had damaged its systems and that neither the Human Fleet nor Zero had responded.

• Zhang Zhengqing told Ren Feng that City Four's emergency oxygen supply could keep them alive for another week, but he could not restart the sealed Fusion Reactor.
• Ren Feng and Zhang Zhengqing received a reply from City One after preparing to activate the emergency oxygen supply.
• A City One official said an apparent nuclear bomb had struck Proxima b, blasting a breach in City One and damaging important satellites.
• Zhang Zhengqing asked about Zero and the Human Fleet, and the official said they had received no reply from the Human Fleet.
• The City One official advised Ren Feng and Zhang Zhengqing to find emergency oxygen equipment, preferably at a large hospital, and wait for the Human Fleet to respond.

After the Central Computer crashed, Ren Feng and Zhang Zhengqing gathered oxygen supplies with help from City Four’s residents, while the Human Fleet failed to respond before the crisis deadline. Lü Yongchang eventually ordered a rescue, and City Four’s lights returned just as Ren Feng and Zhang Zhengqing feared their oxygen would run out.

• Ren Feng invited residents to join him and Zhang Zhengqing in searching for oxygen equipment, saying they were all human, and a young person followed them.
• Over the next day, young people gathered oxygen supplies for City Four’s hospital while elders watched from their homes.
• Seven days later, with no response from the Human Fleet, the leader in City One’s Central Control Center put on an oxygen mask as the city descended into chaos.
• In City Four, elders accepted their fate while young people used the gathered oxygen equipment to keep patients alive in sealed rooms.
• After the combat alert ended in the Ross 154 stellar system, Zero showed Lü Yongchang a message, and he ordered an immediate rescue for the human civilization on Proxima Centauri.
• Ten days after the accident, Ren Feng and Zhang Zhengqing discussed how little oxygen remained before bright lights returned and a Holographic Image appeared.

Lü Yongchang discovered that the Human Fleet’s electromagnetic cannon attack had destroyed City One’s satellites and triggered a disaster across the Proxima b city cluster. After learning that 2.131 million people had survived, he spoke with Ren Feng and Zhang Zhengqing, who asked for access to One and a complete technological framework.

• Zhang Zhengqing opened a window in City Four, confirmed the air had returned to normal, and announced that everyone was saved.
• Lü Yongchang reviewed footage of City One and learned that the satellite wreckage contained fragments from the electromagnetic cannon projectiles the fleet had fired to intercept an asteroid.
• Zero reported that the incident had disabled the city cluster’s fusion reactors and air circulation systems ten days earlier, but 2.131 million people were still alive, most of them in City Four.
• Lü Yongchang contacted Ren Feng, heard his account of City Four’s survival, and explained why the Human Fleet had not responded to their distress signals.
• Zhang Zhengqing asked Lü Yongchang to grant them access to One’s permissions and provide a complete technological framework.