Xi Yan hadn't expected communications from two Fallen Empires, but that only highlighted how different the real universe was. Although its underlying logic still followed the game, it had far more autonomy.
In the game, Fallen Empires wouldn't contact you just because you had wiped out the Iron Purifier.
Xi Yan forwarded both communications to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They would negotiate a trade agreement with the Synthetic Continuity; the Empire planned to exchange Green Apples for Machine Dad's alloy resources.
As for the Phethisia Primordial Empire, it was a xenophile Fallen Empire that despised extermination. Xi Yan figured he should pursue nanotech ascension sooner rather than later and replace extermination with assimilation, so he wouldn't keep losing favor with the Old Bastard.
As long as the method of extermination was legal and aboveboard, the Old Bastard couldn't lower its opinion of him.
Through nanotech ascension and consciousness transfer, aliens could be turned into swarms of nanites, then made to accept and identify with human culture. Toss them into a crowd afterward, and who could say they weren't human?
Nanomachines would assimilate everything. Human identity would no longer be confined to a single species, but would rise to a spiritual level.
After concluding his exchanges with the Fallen Empires, Xi Yan turned his attention back to the Leviathans.
Faranis black hole, L-Gate.
The L-Dragon had returned here, hovering in orbit around the temporarily sealed L-Gate. It stared somewhat bewilderedly at the gate that had closed again with its hollow draconic eyes, then beat its wings and circled the Gateway's green glow.
At the Hyperlane, the Celestial Dragon emerged from subspace, its entire body shimmering with radiant colors. It let out an ancient roar in the Dragon Language and flew to the L-Dragon's side.
The L-Dragon turned its head and