Chapter Summaries

Xi Yan used a drone projection and a lethal show of force to intimidate the Plant People into accepting that humans intended to claim their planet. The chapter ended with a human warship descending over the Plant People capital, leaving their leaders terrified and seemingly unable to resist.

• Xi Yan appeared as a drone projection before the Plant People leaders and declared that humans would drive them out and colonize their planet.
• When a Plant Person minister shouted defiance, Xi Yan ordered the drone to kill him with a Red Laser.
• The Plant People emperor challenged Xi Yan’s right to invade, and Xi Yan said humans were stronger and needed a colony.
• Xi Yan revealed that a warship was stationed above the planet and warned that it could destroy the Plant People civilization in less than a day.
• A huge human warship descended over the Plant People capital, and the Plant People leaders realized they could not defeat the aliens.

Xi Yan forced the Plant People to accept human control of their planet, a two-percent reservation, and the delivery of two hundred thousand of their people. He demonstrated the consequences of resistance by ordering the bombardment of part of their capital.

• The Plant People emperor asked Xi Yan whether they could negotiate, and Xi Yan said he would spare their civilization if they became a vassal state.
• Xi Yan rejected the emperor's request for time to discuss and demanded that the humans take the planet and confine the Plant People to a two-percent reservation.
• Xi Yan demanded two hundred thousand Plant People, and the emperor agreed after Xi Yan berated them.
• Xi Yan threatened any Plant People found outside the reservation, then ordered the frigate to bombard part of the capital, reducing it to ruins and setting nearby areas ablaze.

Xi Yan forced the Plant People emperor to accept humanity’s terms after devastating the capital. At a war council, Xi Yan outlined plans to confine the Plant People to a reservation and expand human settlement, while ordering further attacks on settlements outside it.

• Xi Yan told the Plant People emperor that the attacks would continue unless the emperor fulfilled his demands, and the emperor agreed to comply.
• The emperor ordered the Plant People to gather in the capital and decided to hand over two hundred thousand of them to satisfy Xi Yan’s demands.
• Xi Yan told the war council that the Plant People would receive two percent of the planet around their sacred tree as a reservation, while the rest would belong to humanity.
• Xi Yan ordered the Left Guardian to deter the Plant People near their sacred tree and the Right Protector Ship to bomb a city and destroy small settlements.
• Xi Yan directed colonists to prepare new settlements and ordered drones to destroy every Plant People settlement outside the reservation.

Xi Yan’s forces forced the Plant People to surrender 200,000 captives while rapidly establishing a human colony on Amat Eiro II. Three months later, construction continued as the Plant People built a wall separating their reservation from human territory.

• The Right Guardian destroyed a major Plant People city, prompting the emperor to order civilians evacuated to the sacred tree and designate 200,000 Plant People for surrender.
• The Left Guardian terrorized Plant People near the Tree of Life while the Right Guardian attacked settlements, driving the leaders to order an evacuation into the reservation.
• After ten days, the Plant People handed over 200,000 captives, and Ningdi Lingling began organizing the colony as governor.
• The maintenance team repaired the Hyacinth and landed it on the planet, while workers built colonial structures around it.
• Xi Yan postponed the capital’s construction and prioritized Plant People farming facilities, then allocated materials for a wall around the reservation.
• The Plant People were forced to build the wall as the colony expanded, and three months passed.

Over three months, Xi Yan oversaw the Interstellar Human Military Junta’s expanding territory and the near-completion of public ownership across the ringworld. With new planets left uncolonized for now, he turned his attention to Amat Eiro II’s rapid development as the year 2200 began.

• The second science ship and two construction ships expanded the government’s territory to six star systems and established outposts in newly explored systems.
• The second science ship discovered two uninhabited colonizable planets in Kui Su Three, but Xi Yan postponed colonizing them because the ringworld lacked sufficient population.
• Xi Yan completed the transition to public ownership across the ringworld and found that its facilities and data center were operating reliably.
• Xi Yan worried that a future crisis might affect the empire’s synthetic population, then browsed the Black-and-Yellow Website to recover his mood.
• Xi Yan observed that Amat Eiro II was flourishing as modular construction methods and engineering research accelerated development.

Xi Yan received the sociologists’ results for breeding Plant People as livestock and extracting food from them. The team presented a process ready for practical use that could double the empire’s food output once factories were built on Amat Eiro II.

• The research team leader explained that Plant People adapted and evolved rapidly, making extensive genetic engineering unnecessary.
• The team leader showed Xi Yan a Plant Person bred to grow large, store more organic matter, and reproduce before developing much intelligence.
• Xi Yan praised the team’s work and promised better compensation.
• The team leader presented the team’s completed Plant People farming and food-extraction process, ready for use at factories on Amat Eiro II.
• Xi Yan eagerly asked the team leader to explain the process.

Xi Yan visited the Academy of Sciences, where the research team leader explained the many uses of Plant Person organic matter and let him taste its sweet, jellylike substance. Xi Yan left with a container of it and shared samples with people in the government building.

• The research team leader showed Xi Yan documents and explained that Plant Person organic matter could be used for food and other products.
• The research team leader cut open a Plant Person and ate a spoonful of its organic matter, then Xi Yan tried some and enjoyed its sweetness.
• The research team leader listed further uses for the organic matter, husks, and cores, including canned food, milk powder, green apples, biological power, and synthetic meat.
• Xi Yan listened to the research team leader's findings for nearly an hour, encouraged him, and left the Academy of Sciences carrying a container of organic matter.
• Xi Yan ate the jelly on his way back to the government building and handed out spoons so others could taste it.

Xi Yan tricked Ailiveer into eating jelly made from secretions inside Plant People, then left her with the box in the secretary of state's office. After deciding she liked it, Ailiveer sneaked another bite, only for Xi Yan to catch her.

• Xi Yan offered Ailiveer a spoonful of jelly while she worked at her desk.
• Ailiveer tasted the jelly and praised its sweetness.
• Xi Yan revealed that the jelly was organic matter secreted inside Plant People's bodies, and he stopped Ailiveer from spitting it out.
• Xi Yan left the box of jelly on Ailiveer's desk and went to his office.
• Ailiveer decided the jelly tasted good and secretly took another bite.
• Xi Yan popped his head around the doorway, startling Ailiveer into spraying jelly and shouting at him.

Ningdi Lingling reported to Xi Yan that the Amat Eiro II colony was nearly complete and the Plant People had met his demands. The chapter ended with Xi Yan learning that humanity had prepared an extermination plan for the reservation, though it had been set aside because the Plant People seemed compliant.

• The Plant People emperor surveyed the reservation after the boundary wall was completed and vowed to seek revenge against humanity someday.
• Xi Yan's projection appeared in Ningdi Lingling's office, where she saluted him despite it being midnight.
• Ningdi Lingling reported that the thirty settlements were largely complete, the farming facility's framework was finished, and the Plant People had fulfilled Xi Yan's demands.
• Ningdi Lingling explained that two frigates and ground troops were prepared to destroy the reservation if the Plant People rebelled.
• Xi Yan learned that the extermination plan had been abandoned because the Plant People had shown no signs of resistance.

Xi Yan visited the Plant People reservation and, after surveying it, ordered a full-scale assault to wipe out the Plant People. The emperor was left stunned as the humans prepared to attack.

• Xi Yan praised Ningdi Lingling's work and ordered her to prepare projection equipment and bring the two captains and an army officer to meet the Plant People.
• The Plant People emperor relaxed in the reservation, satisfied that his people had survived and that he still ruled them, though he resented the human frigates blocking the sunlight.
• Xi Yan appeared by projection before the emperor, accompanied by Ningdi Lingling, two captains, and an army officer.
• After surveying the sacred tree and the reservation, Xi Yan called the scenery and Plant People civilization beautiful.
• Xi Yan ordered Ningdi Lingling to launch a full-scale assault and wipe out the Plant People.

Xi Yan ordered the extermination of the Plant People after they gathered in a small reservation, revealing he had never intended to spare them. Human forces wiped out the civilization, and the chapter ended with the bombardment giving way to ground troops hunting down survivors.

• Xi Yan ordered the immediate extermination of the Plant People and told the emperor he had always intended to destroy them.
• The frigates fired Red Lasers and explosive shells into the reservation as the Plant People emperor attacked Xi Yan's projection in rage.
• Xi Yan mocked the emperor while the bombardment continued, and the Plant People civilization perished.
• After half an hour of bombardment, human ground troops entered the reservation and searched for survivors, killing those they found.

Xi Yan celebrated the extermination of the Plant People and the Army’s seizure of their planet. Back in his office, he got into a pillow fight with Ailiveer while Yu Shuo ignored the chaos and played a game.

• Xi Yan ordered the Army to kill the Plant People who had gathered beneath the Sacred Tree, ending their civilization.
• Scientists rushed to study the Sacred Tree, and Xi Yan declared that humanity would rule Gaia Planet.
• Xi Yan celebrated in his office by hitting Ailiveer with a pillow, and she scolded him and fought back.
• Xi Yan and Ailiveer chased each other around the wrecked office while Yu Shuo played Legends of the Three Kingdoms outside.

Several months passed as Xi Yan considered the Interstellar Human Military Junta’s future and possible ascension paths while its development continued. He established Empire Labor Day and joined citizens in working on the Ring World.

• Xi Yan worried that the newborn Interstellar Human Military Junta lacked the technology and territory to face the universe’s dangers, and he avoided contacting similar alien civilizations too early.
• Xi Yan considered whether his empire could pursue multiple ascension paths, including crisis ascension, but decided to set the question aside and focus on the present.
• Construction of the Ring World and Gaia World progressed under the marshal’s efforts, and the nation flourished.
• Xi Yan designated May 1, 2200 of the cosmic era as Empire Labor Day and required citizens, including public officials, to work in frontline factories.
• Xi Yan worked in an agricultural district on the Ring World, learned to operate a combined sowing and harvesting machine, and told reporters that everyone should work harder on Labor Day.

Xi Yan promoted workers’ rights, approved a five-day national holiday, and designated June 15 as an exam holiday. In July, Yu Shuo reported that his personal guard had created an intelligence agency loyal to Xi Yan, who was asked to name it.

• Xi Yan praised workers in a televised interview and spoke about improving their working conditions and benefits.
• After Ailiveer suggested a few days off, Xi Yan approved a five-day holiday for the whole nation.
• Xi Yan declared June 15 International Sword-Begging Day, which was also a designated exam day and a day off.
• Yu Shuo told Xi Yan that the personal guard had formed an intelligence and covert operations agency from the former marshal’s trusted troops.
• Xi Yan objected to Yu Shuo describing the agency’s role as monitoring the empire, and Yu Shuo asked him to name it.

Xi Yan established a secret intelligence and covert operations organization called Ashes, placing Yu Shuo in charge. He then prepared to respond to an urgent matter concerning Research Ship One.

• Xi Yan rejected several proposed names and named the covert organization Ashes.
• Yu Shuo told Xi Yan that Ashes’s underground headquarters was already under construction.
• Xi Yan ordered Yu Shuo to train loyal agents for surveillance, espionage, assassination, and sabotage.
• Yu Shuo accepted command of Ashes and left to carry out Xi Yan’s orders.
• Xi Yan went to the projection area to address an alert about Research Ship One exploring the universe.

Research Vessel One’s scientists discovered living red crystals near Issam, but the hostile entities destroyed their probe and attacked the ship. The vessel tried to flee as the crystals closed in.

• The pilot raced Research Vessel One through Issam V’s rings and nearly drove it into an asteroid belt before the scientists replaced him.
• The scientists spotted unusual objects near the red giant Issam and sent a probe to investigate them.
• The objects revealed themselves as living red crystals and destroyed the probe with launched fragments.
• Research Vessel One turned and accelerated to escape while the science officer connected to the robot, but several crystals moved in and fired at the ship.

After a Crystalline Entity attack crippled Science Ship One, Xi Yan and Mardun found the ship crash-landed on an asteroid with most of its crew dead. They reached the three survivors, who looked to Xi Yan for help, leaving their fate unresolved.

• Science Ship One failed to escape the Crystalline Entity and crash-landed on an asteroid in the Issam system.
• Xi Yan and Mardun found that the attack had torn a hole in the ship, killing three scientists immediately and sucking others into space.
• Mardun told Xi Yan that three scientists had survived by sealing themselves inside the reactor compartment.
• Xi Yan followed Mardun through the wreck and found the three survivors in the crew quarters.
• The survivors asked Mardun what to do, and Xi Yan stood before them as Mardun admitted he did not know.

After the damaged ship’s scientists learned they had little time left, Xi Yan urged them to use their remaining days to help the empire and study the Crystalline Entities. They set to work, while Xi Yan reaffirmed that the empire would continue exploring the universe despite its losses.

• Xi Yan saluted the three scientists and promised that the empire would care for their families and remember their sacrifice.
• Xi Yan ordered the scientists to accept one final assignment, and they agreed to make their remaining time useful.
• One scientist went to compile the bridge’s observation records, another began studying the Crystalline Entities’ attacks, and the third started writing farewell letters.
• Xi Yan asked Marton to assist the scientists and continue serving aboard the Science Ship Three when it was ready.
• Xi Yan vowed to keep exploring the universe despite the sacrifices.

After Science Ship One was lost, Xi Yan ordered a replacement, arranged memorial propaganda, and sent the Academy of Sciences intelligence about space threats. When Science Ship Two reported an encounter with alien creatures, he prepared to visit and arrived in the projection area, where Svetlana Salazar was waiting.

• Xi Yan contacted the military to prepare a new science ship, asked the Ministry of Culture to publicize Science Ship One's sacrifice, and assigned the construction department to build a monument.
• Xi Yan compiled a document about alien dangers and Leviathans and sent it to the Academy of Sciences, where Mardun welcomed the intelligence.
• Mardun told Xi Yan that Science Ship Two had reported encountering alien creatures, and Xi Yan ordered the crew for Science Ship Three prepared before deciding to investigate himself.
• Svetlana Salazar waited in the projection area, and Xi Yan's figure appeared there through the drone.

Xi Yan identified the asteroid-shaped vessel as a research ship belonging to a civilization of Rock Creatures and initiated first contact. The exchange began peacefully, but Xi Yan remained uneasy.

• Svetlana told Xi Yan that an alien vessel disguised as an asteroid had been discovered and the two ships were at a standoff.
• Xi Yan examined the vessel and recognized that it resembled a research ship, then ordered preparations for first contact with the Rock Creatures.
• Xi Yan cautioned the scientists to communicate peacefully, and the xenolinguist established a communications link.
• A Rock Creature appeared on video and exchanged gestures with the xenolinguist.
• The Rock Creature displayed abstract writing, and the linguist recorded it and presented a standard greeting while Xi Yan felt ominous.