(The contents of this chapter were entirely reasonable extensions and descriptions of the novel's plot. None of its statements represented any objectionable views or promoted any ideology. They were exaggerated, humorous expressions. Any sensitive content referred exclusively to game content and terminology and had no connection to reality.)
With its belly full, the Dragon secured a position as the Empire's guardian dragon, then settled down in the Delta Segment for a long sleep. The Empire's military power instantly rose by several dozen K.
According to the event chain for the Here Be Dragons origin, the Dragon would later give the Empire a mission to raise its young. If they agreed, the Dragon would leave them a few hatchlings and join the Imperial Navy to await orders.
Plucking a few dragon scales from it would let them research Artificial Dragon Scales Armor, the highest-tier armor in the entire Stellaris armor technology tree.
Spending vast resources to keep the Dragon around was definitely the right call. They also had the Plant People to thank for this: those delicious creatures supplied them with tremendous food output.
Through simple gene editing and crossbreeding techniques, the difference between the current Plant People and their former selves had become much like the difference between domestic pigs and wild boars.
The Plant People's limbs had noticeably atrophied, while their bodies rapidly grew larger and produced and stored ever more organic matter. By now, they could barely even move.
It made sense, really. The Plant People had originally evolved from immobile plants, something like baobab trees. Human farming had now turned them from sapient beings back into immobile, nonsapient plants.
With future breakthroughs in genetic technology, human scientists might even fully unlock the Plant People's genes, streamline every unnecessary process, and turn light and water directly into organic