Chapter Summaries

Archaeologists uncovered a Han Dynasty temple whose inscriptions and portrait appeared to foretell the Emperor, strengthening loyalty within the Empire. Xi Yan suspected the temple held clues to his transmigration, while a Circle of God movement spread in United Nations of Earth territory before its leaders were imprisoned.

• Archaeologists deciphered Han Dynasty manuscripts in the Circular Temple and found prayers to the Time Worm alongside passages about the universe’s mechanics.
• The expedition discovered an ancient stone portrait of the Emperor, which inspired the archaeologists to praise his destined rule and the rise of humanity.
• Xi Yan considered whether the Circular Temple explained his transmigration, and [Teacher] told him that everything was fated and that it could only be him.
• Scientists used the ancient scrolls to add the doctrine of the strange loop to [A Glimpse of the Future-Omega Theory], while temple verses spread through the Empire and increased citizens’ loyalty.
• An imperial Ashes Agent reported that the Circle of God was gaining followers in a United Nations of Earth colony, where worshippers revered clocks and protected wormlike creatures.
• The colonial government prosecuted the Circle of God’s leaders for disrupting public order and resisting law enforcement, then sent them to prison.

Circle worship spread across a United Nations of Earth colony until the population of the entire planet vanished, an event Xi Yan attributed to the Time Worm. Meanwhile, the Empire’s colonists discovered abandoned facilities on the Remote Fortress Planet, and Xi Yan ordered them left untouched despite rumors that something remained inside.

• The Circle of God’s believers spread rituals across the United Nations of Earth colony, and the government violently raided them and destroyed their temples.
• After the rituals stopped, Ashes agents found the colony empty, with billions of inhabitants vanished and ring-shaped symbols across the planet.
• Xi Yan said the Time Worm had drawn the believers into itself, but other leaders dismissed his explanation.
• The Empire’s colonists discovered mothballed facilities and city districts on the Remote Fortress Planet, with all historical records erased.
• As rumors spread about occupants or active security measures, Xi Yan ordered the colonists to leave the facilities as they were, knowing the events were part of the Time Worm chain.

Xi Yan learned that an abandoned colony had been filled with anomalous people who had replaced its original population, and ordered them sent to the Synaptic Lathe. Their brains yielded Omega Theory, enabling the Empire to build a device that might invite the Time Worm to its homeworld, and Xi Yan approved the research despite its unknown consequences.

• Reports showed that the abandoned colony's population had grown inexplicably, with records describing impossible families and births.
• The planetary government reported strange solar events and revealed that the original colonists had vanished, replaced by people absent from the Empire's records who displayed distortions in their perception of time.
• Xi Yan ordered the anomalous population sent to the Synaptic Lathe, where the Empire isolated them and extracted knowledge from their brains.
• The Synaptic Lathe's unified computations produced Omega Theory, which described the Time Worm and proposed resonating with it to reach immortality.
• The Empire determined that Omega Theory could be used to build an Omega Resonance Device and potentially open a passage for the Time Worm to reach the Empire's home.
• Xi Yan approved the project, accepting that it might transform humanity in exchange for greater knowledge and research capabilities.

Xi Yan activated the Omega Resonance Device, allowing the Time Worm to descend into the Empire and elevate humanity’s consciousness. Inside the black hole, the Time Worm revealed that it had watched humanity for ages and that Xi Yan’s transmigration and game had been illusions tied to their agreement.

• Xi Yan and the Empire activated the Omega Resonance Device, opening a black hole at the edge of the star system.
• The Time Worm emerged and spread its energy across the Empire, awakening humanity’s ability to perceive the laws of time and space.
• Xi Yan’s consciousness left the Golden Throne and entered the black hole, where he recognized the Time Worm as Worm Mom.
• The Time Worm praised Xi Yan and told him that the past was the future and that his mission would soon conclude.
• The Time Worm explained that transmigration and the game were illusions, then recounted how it had watched humanity since the previous age.

The Time Worm told Xi Yan how the Human Empire split after a prophecy revealed future calamities: pureblood humans chose to fight, while The Excerptors chose to flee. It explained how The Excerptors planned to create a universe inside a black hole, a calculation the Infinite Machine had still not completed, and how other empires later adapted the idea into travel by vehicle.

• The Time Worm recounted how humanity had freed it from a black hole and how they had become closely connected.
• Xi Yan asked about the disaster in the prophecy, and the Time Worm described the machine rebellion, the Swarm, dimensional hunters, gateways, and a nanite storm queen.
• The Time Worm explained that the prophecy divided the Human Empire, with pureblood humans favoring resistance and alien species favoring escape.
• The Human Empire peacefully split into the Heavenly People Faithkeeper Empire and The Excerptors.
• The Time Worm told Xi Yan that The Excerptors had built the Infinite Machine to create a new universe inside a black hole, but its calculations remained unfinished.
• The Time Worm explained that later empires adapted The Excerptors' theory, planning to use a protected vehicle to enter a black hole and travel to another universe.

The Time Worm explained how the Heavenly People Empire of Faith used its power over time to seek a future in which humanity could defeat the Calamity. It revealed that the Empire opened a Time Gate to bring fleets from other eras into the present, then began describing ships that could gather dark matter by igniting stars.

• The Time Worm told Xi Yan that the Heavenly People Empire of Faith had built its plan around the Time Worm's power over time.
• The Time Worm explained that it could see countless possible futures, including a desolate universe and one where the Galactic Grand Alliance defeated the Calamity.
• The Time Worm said the Empire had opened a Time Gate and drawn matter from the past and future into the present.
• The Time Worm revealed that fleets from other eras had crossed the gate to fight the Calamity, including duplicate Colossus Battleships.
• The Time Worm said the fleets required vast amounts of dark matter and began explaining that the Empire developed ships to obtain it by igniting stars.

The Time Worm explained how humanity across countless spacetimes fought the Calamities and devised a plan to create a leader who could strengthen the future and aid the past. He revealed that Xi Yan was the chosen leader at the heart of that plan.

• The Time Worm described the Starbuster-equipped Heaven-Burning Divine Weapon and how humanity harvested dark matter to open gates to fleets from other spacetimes.
• The Time Worm explained that scarce resources and weak summoned fleets left many Human Empires unable to withstand the Calamities.
• The Time Worm told Xi Yan that the Contingency, the Soryn Parasites, the Hunters, and the Extradimensional Demons had destroyed Human Empires across countless spacetimes.
• The Time Worm described how humanity planned to use his power to create a leader, fill his mind with knowledge and higher-dimensional power, and send him into the future.
• Xi Yan realized the plan involved building up a powerful future fleet to reinforce the past, and the Time Worm revealed that Xi Yan was the chosen leader.

The Time Worm revealed that Xi Yan was engineered by humanity across countless timelines to become its savior, and explained how his success could overwrite futures and help rescue the past. Xi Yan accepted his mission and learned that if all else failed, humanity could escape through the [Horizon Needle] to the Time Worm’s true body.

• The Time Worm told Xi Yan that the Galactic Defense Alliance and the Heavenly People Empire of Faith had created and sent copies of him into the future to save humanity.
• Xi Yan understood that his memories had encoded the universe’s knowledge and accepted his mission to build the strongest fleet and protect humanity.
• The Time Worm explained that Xi Yan was the only version to reach it, and that his actions could create and overwrite timelines to save others.
• The Time Worm revealed that Xi Yan’s consciousness contained power from a higher dimension, allowing him to exist beyond time’s control.
• The Time Worm explained that it had drawn in consciousnesses from other timelines, causing mutations in people who absorbed its power.
• The Time Worm told Xi Yan that the backup [Horizon Needle] could lead to a safe space where its true body waited if the situation became irretrievable.

Xi Yan learned that his memories and origins had been fabricated to give him knowledge of the universe, and the Time Worm explained the Shroud and the plan to reset reality if it came under threat. Xi Yan accepted his duty to save countless space-times, while the Empire united behind its mission and gained powerful modifiers.

• The Time Worm told Xi Yan that the Shroud held the source of consciousness and that it and the Poison Saint guarded the physical universe and spiritual world.
• The Time Worm explained that aether ascension could merge the Shroud and reality, reshape the universe, and reset civilizations if the Shroud faced a threat.
• Xi Yan accepted that his memories and origins were artificial, pledged to protect humanity across countless space-times, and resolved to build a fleet capable of defeating every calamity.
• The Time Worm watched over humanity from a small black hole near the Cybrex Alpha System as its words spread through the Empire's psychic network.
• The Sea of Stars Most Holy Human Empire gained the Great mission and Invincible country modifiers.

Xi Yan shared the Time Worm’s account of humanity’s past with his allies and a Sky Bishop of the Holy Guard. The Sky Bishop left to report the revelations to the Empress, while the two empires faced the need to reassess their relationship.

• Little Gray, Ailiveer, Veronica, and Beta pledged to support Xi Yan after hearing his account, and Beta learned that nine other Cybrex groups had survived.
• The Time Worm recounted how the Human Empire became the Heavenly People, fought the Calamity, and helped rebuild the shattered Milky Way.
• The Time Worm explained how the Heavenly People Empire of Faith later declined through further Calamities and the Apostasy War, eventually becoming the Heavenly People Holy Guardian Empire.
• The Sky Bishop, stunned by the history, said he would report it to the Empress and suggested the two nations reassess their relationship.
• Xi Yan released part of the Time Worm from its black hole, and the Time Worm rejoiced at their reunion.

An archaeological team from the Sea of Stars Most Holy Human Empire uncovered an ancient tomb hidden beneath a cloaking field and explored its puzzle-filled chambers. They found the perfectly preserved body of Zarqlan and returned to their Science Ship with him and the tomb’s burial goods.

• An asteroid strike revealed an ancient structure on a barren world, and an archaeological team landed to investigate it.
• A Space Marine disabled the cloaking field and kicked open the tomb’s entrance, while the team translated Zarqlan’s inscriptions and searched for hidden keys.
• The archaeologists opened a series of burial chambers, finding rich grave goods and records that described Zarqlan as a renowned sage and Prophet.
• The team entered the vast final chamber and found Zarqlan’s perfectly preserved body seated on a throne among kneeling statues and offerings.
• The archaeologists returned to their Science Ship with Zarqlan’s body and the burial goods.

The Heavenly People Holy Guardian Empire accepted Xi Yan as humanity’s destined emperor after the Time Worm’s revelations and news of Zarqlan’s tomb. The Sacred Guard Empress and her followers visited the remains at the Museum Celestial Pivot, where a Synth called [Teacher] knelt before the Prophet.

• The Holy Guards examined their archives, confirmed the Time Worm’s account, and recognized Xi Yan’s claim to humanity’s throne.
• After Zarqlan’s remains were discovered in the Sea of Stars Most Holy Human Empire, the Holy Guards assembled a fleet and traveled to the Museum Celestial Pivot.
• The Sacred Guard Empress bowed to Xi Yan, entrusted him with administering nearby Holy Worlds, and pledged her people to Zarqlan’s cause.
• Xi Yan swore to destroy the Synthetic Queen, and the Holy Guards responded with cries of loyalty.
• Sunxia Xiachuan guided the pilgrims to Zarqlan’s remains, where [Teacher] knelt and said he had not disappointed the Prophet.

The Nameless Apostasy-er mourned Zarqlan and confronted the Sacred Guard Empress over the persecution he had endured and the Empire’s arrogance. He then pointed her toward Xi Yan, whose followers had gathered below, as the one chosen to face the coming Calamity.

• The Nameless Apostasy-er mourned Zarqlan, closed the Prophet’s eyes, and vowed that his chosen Leader would end the troubles that had burdened him.
• The Sacred Guard Empress apologized to the Nameless Apostasy-er for what had happened in the past, but he rejected the idea that one apology could settle the matter.
• The Nameless Apostasy-er claimed credit for carrying on Zarqlan’s will, guiding the Empire’s psionic ascension, and helping Xi Yan become humanity’s sovereign.
• The Nameless Apostasy-er overwhelmed the Empress’s Psionics Shield, then withdrew his power and warned her that her declining Empire could not withstand the coming disaster.
• The Nameless Apostasy-er told the Empress to set aside her pride and recognize Zarqlan’s chosen, and she saw Xi Yan standing before his prostrated followers.

Xi Yan used his psionic power and Zarqlan’s legacy to force the Heavenly People Holy Guardian Empire into secret allegiance with the Sea of Stars Most Holy Human Empire. He then rallied the Heavenly People toward a coming holy war, leaving their empire poised to awaken and reclaim its former splendor.

• Xi Yan inflamed the Holy Guard warriors’ loyalty to Zarqlan and prompted them to call for him to replace the Empress.
• The Nameless Apostasy-er forced the Empress to accept a secret allegiance, technology transfer, and Imperial control over foreign relations and part of the military.
• The Holy Guardian Empire restored the Nameless Apostasy-er’s reputation and granted the Sea of Stars Most Holy Human Empire dominion over four Gaia Holy Worlds.
• Xi Yan addressed the Heavenly People as their sovereign and called on them to awaken, return to the Sea of Stars, and prepare for a holy war.
• Xi Yan’s psychic influence stirred the Holy Guard colonies, and the Empire Log predicted that the Heavenly People Holy Guardian Empire would trigger Awakening of the Sleeping Lion within ten to twenty years.

After recounting the crises that reduced the Heavenly People Empire of Faith to the Heavenly People Holy Guardian Empire, the chapter showed Xi Yan winning the Guardians’ allegiance and setting out to revive them. He began integrating their technology and expanding production to support the Empire’s plans for rapid population and technological growth.

• The Heavenly People Empire of Faith suffered the loss of the Time Worm, the Synthetic Queen’s return, the Zroni disaster, and the End of the Cycle, eventually retreating into the Core Sector and becoming the Heavenly People Holy Guardian Empire.
• Xi Yan, recognized as a successor to the old empire and one of Zarqlan’s Chosen Ones, gave the Holy World Guardians a renewed purpose and won their wholehearted allegiance.
• The Holy Guard’s Precursors demanded reform, and Xi Yan quickly devised a plan to restore their production and secure their logistics.
• Xi Yan arranged for the Holy Guardian Empire’s Lost Buildings and technologies to benefit the Empire and sent the Empress his development plan.
• Xi Yan ordered the colonization of three planets and the construction of robot Quantum Production Centers to accelerate population growth and technological research.

Xi Yan prepared the Human Empire to expand across the stars and identified the Starfish Republic as its chief obstacle to Milky Way hegemony. As tensions grew, the two powers entered a cold war, and ten years passed without many direct clashes.

• The Empire began rebuilding its colonies with Lost Empire technology and successfully transformed its people into nanite-based bodies, with further ascension planned.
• Xi Yan resolved to bring the Sea of Stars under human rule and made the Starfish Republic the Empire's main strategic target.
• The chapter recounted how humanity destroyed the Starfish observation post above Earth in 1999, prompting lasting hostility between the two civilizations.
• The Starfish Republic's decline and strategic withdrawal left it weaker than before, but its vast power still made a war against it costly for Xi Yan.
• The Empire sought allies and influence in the Sea of Stars Community as disputes with the Starfish spread across major fields.
• The Empire and the Starfish avoided frequent direct military clashes and entered a cold war that lasted ten years.

Over ten years, Xi Yan led the Empire through every ascension path and built a self-sustaining civilization powered by nanites, virtual consciousness, and the Synaptic Lathe. The Empire turned the Lathe into a public Dream World for alien tourists while secretly using its citizens to produce research and extract intelligence.

• Xi Yan collected most Precursor relics through a multinational archaeological expedition, including the Vultaum Reality Perforator, which the Time Worm said disrupted spacetime rather than revealing a false world.
• By 2290, humanity had completed every ascension path and combined psionic minds, virtual servers, and nanite living-metal bodies into a self-sustaining population.
• The Empire transformed its colonies into Nanomachines Ideal Cities and used robot populations and the Synaptic Lathe to drive a rapid increase in research and production.
• The Empire used nanites to synthesize resources and build Whisper Escort fleets, making traditional mining, agricultural, industrial, and forge worlds obsolete.
• Xi Yan publicized the Synaptic Lathe as the Dream World, attracting alien tourists while the Empire secretly extracted computing power and intelligence from its own citizens in service.

The Starfish Lord and Blorg visited the human Dream and Fantasy Star, where Imperial operators secretly monitored the Starfish Lord’s memories. The operators uncovered the Starfish Republic’s plan to wage war against the Habinte and moved to report it.

• The Starfish Lord and Blorg arrived at the Citadel to tour the Dream and Fantasy Star.
• The Starfish Lord dismissed Blorg’s admiration for human technology and claimed the Starfish Republic could build similar machines.
• The two aliens entered the Synaptic Lathe and connected their minds to its dream network.
• Imperial citizens secretly intensified the Starfish Lord’s dream simulation and copied his memories.
• The monitoring team discovered the Starfish Republic was preparing to launch a war against the Habinte and stopped monitoring to report the intelligence.

The Empire discovered that planets had been moved to the Dacha system, where it encountered the advanced, cautious Habinte Unified Worlds. Xi Yan transferred the system’s bases to the Habinte, setting them up to confront the greedy Starfish Republic.

• The Empire traced the missing planets and anomalous hyperlanes in the Heritor system to Dacha, where a science ship found three distant stars and inhabited Gaia Planets.
• The Empire established observation stations and learned that the Habinte Unified Worlds connected its seven planets with artificial hyperlanes and could move planets.
• The Habinte contacted the Empire, and Xi Yan reassured them that humanity meant no offense and provided technological and energy assistance.
• The Starfish Republic grew greedy over Dacha’s Gaia Planets and tried to use the Sea of Stars Community to force the Empire out.
• Xi Yan transferred the Dacha observation stations and stellar base to the Habinte, making them a sovereign state as the Starfish advanced.

The Sea of Stars Most Holy Human Empire accepted Sun X from the Habinte Unified Worlds and secretly helped them prepare to resist the Starfish Republic. The Starfish Republic then moved to seize Dacha, but the Habinte joined the Sea of Stars Community and brought charges against it, drawing the United Nations of Earth’s support.

• The Habinte Unified Worlds offered the Empire a planet and used their ancient technology to transport Sun X from Dacha to the Empire’s territory.
• The Habinte thanked humanity, declared their intention to return to the Sea of Stars, and warned that they would confront the Starfish Republic.
• Xi Yan transferred control of Dacha’s Stellar Base Citadel to the Habinte and established secret agreements to provide them with aid.
• The Starfish Republic ordered the Habinte Unified Worlds to leave Dacha and declared that it would take over the system’s Stellar Base and colonies.
• The Habinte joined the Sea of Stars Community and charged the Starfish Republic with imperialist conduct.
• The United Nations of Earth praised Xi Yan and condemned the Starfish Republic, wary of humanity’s military presence near its Solar System Special District.