Chapter Summaries

At a banquet on Planet of Dusk, Han Xiao warned King Jiale that a hidden virus might be spreading and learned that reduced mining output could signal excessive sleepiness among infected people. He returned to Juberly Hub as the international tournament approached, while the Huaxia contestants prepared for the finals.

• King Jiale hosted Han Xiao and the other upper-realm warriors, and an Ascendant used an interstellar communicator to transfer their payments.
• Han Xiao watched Aroshia try a sour fruit, then warned King Jiale about a possible Mutation Virus on Planet of Dusk.
• King Jiale found that mineral output had fallen sixteen percent, which Han Xiao considered a possible sign of the virus's sleepiness symptom.
• Han Xiao left Planet of Dusk with Melos and Rezar, then returned to Juberly Hub and had Rezar confined at the base.
• The international tournament's regular season and finals approached, and Huaxia's qualified teams and individual contestants trained with support from their clubs.
• Meat Bun paused his Black Star series to produce a special featuring pre-match interviews with the Huaxia contestants in the mercenary group.

The international tournament began as Huaxia’s players and foreign powerhouses gathered for the opening ceremony and learned the competition format. Key of Solomon declared his ambition to win the championship, while the contestants awaited the group draw.

• Meat Bun interviewed Kings and Generals, Hao Tian, Li Ge, and Frenzied Sword, while foreign teams named Huaxia as a major threat.
• Key of Solomon told his teammates on Planet Frostwinter that Dynasty was one of the few teams capable of standing in their way and promised to lead them to the championship.
• On the tournament’s opening day, Li Ge proposed that Huaxia’s teams cooperate if they landed in the same group, but Hao Tian and Kings and Generals rejected his suggestions.
• The contestants used gathering crystals to enter the international tournament arena, where players from thirteen regions assembled.
• The host explained the team and solo events and announced that the contestants would be split into three round-robin groups before opening the draw.

Dynasty made a dominant international debut by defeating Wings without taking damage, showcasing the powerful equipment and tactics Han Xiao had helped provide. After the first round, Dynasty had impressed the field, Long Sky had earned a costly win, and Temple had advanced with its usual cautious style.

• The draw placed Dynasty in Group A, while Temple and Long Sky joined the many strong teams in Group C.
• Dynasty began its match against Wings by hunting through a dark ruin, and Tai Erzi ambushed an isolated Battle Mage for a solo kill.
• Dynasty routed Wings in the team match and won the arena matches, while Kings and Generals and Tai Erzi stood out in their respective performances.
• The first round ended after four days, with Long Sky winning a costly match in Group C and Temple securing a cautious, lengthy victory.

As the tournament progressed, Huaxia teams drew attention with Black Star’s armor, though opponents began countering them and Long Sky and Temple struggled to qualify. Meanwhile, Han Xiao continued extracting Ability Potions from Rezar and discovered that he could extract one from himself, leaving him eager to test it on a customer.

• Han Xiao watched the tournament rankings shift as Dynasty defeated Devil to take first place, while Long Sky and Temple hovered near the qualification cutoff.
• Opponents fielded more psychics and other counters against Huaxia’s mechanical armor, making the teams’ matches harder and more evenly contested.
• Han Xiao visited Rezar’s cell, replaced his nutrient solution, extracted another Ability Potion, and rejected Rezar’s plea to be freed.
• Han Xiao used the extractor on himself and obtained an Ability Potion, but suffered a twelve-hour Weakness buff that reduced all his attributes by 30%.
• Han Xiao wondered what his potion would do and decided that testing it on one of his nearby customers would be better than drinking it himself.

Frenzied Saber bought a temporary Character Summon Card from Han Xiao and gained an enormous mechanical-affinity boost before facing Key of Solomon in the individual tournament. As the match began at Black Phantom's Third Sanctuary, Key of Solomon remained confident he would win without revealing his trump card.

• Frenzied Saber worried about his tournament standing and visited Han Xiao to repair his equipment and consider new weapons.
• Han Xiao added Ability Potions to his shop, and Frenzied Saber bought the only Black Star potion, gaining a temporary 247% mechanical-affinity increase.
• Key of Solomon dismissed Frenzied Saber as an easy opponent and planned to save his Gate of Howling trump card for the finals.
• Fans discussed Frenzied Saber's slim chance of qualifying as he entered his match against seventh-ranked Key of Solomon.
• Frenzied Saber and Key of Solomon began their match on the wall surrounding Black Phantom's Third Sanctuary.

Frenzied Saber struggled against Key of Solomon’s demon-enhanced magic until he used the Character Summon Card-Black Star Descent. Han Xiao’s power surged through Frenzied Saber and reversed the fight with a single blow.

• Frenzied Saber used ranged attacks and stealth tactics against Key of Solomon, who countered with tracking magic and a frostfire spell.
• Frenzied Saber charged into melee and damaged Key of Solomon’s shield, but Key of Solomon escaped with Object Replacement Spell and gradually gained the advantage.
• Key of Solomon released his demon talent, restoring health and increasing his attributes before overwhelming Frenzied Saber with frostfire attacks.
• Frenzied Saber summoned Han Xiao with Character Summon Card-Black Star Descent, gaining a 247% increase to Mechanical Affinity for three minutes.
• Frenzied Saber shattered Key of Solomon’s magic shield and struck him with his shield, dealing enough damage to erase his temporary health and reverse the fight.

Frenzied Saber used Han Xiao’s [Black Star Descent] card to defeat Key of Solomon and his demon summons, drawing attention to Han Xiao’s strength. After the match, players flocked to buy more Ability Potions, but Han Xiao said he had none left and sent them away.

• Han Xiao watched Frenzied Saber’s match and realized the card’s powerful Mechanical Affinity bonus had brought him fame and attention.
• Frenzied Saber used [Black Star Descent] to overwhelm Key of Solomon, who summoned five demon scouts with [Gate of Howling] in an attempt to stall him.
• Frenzied Saber defeated the demon scouts and killed Key of Solomon before the three-minute buff expired.
• The match became widely discussed, and players speculated about Han Xiao’s abilities while Key of Solomon went on to use his summoning item in later matches.
• Frenzied Saber returned to Han Xiao’s room, where players gathered to buy Ability Potions, but Han Xiao said he had no more and drove them out.

Long Sky defeated Temple in a decisive group-stage match, and the finalists were announced with Long Sky advancing in eighth place. Han Xiao then left the tournament behind and took the Black Star Mercenary Group on a Dragon Calm supply escort mission.

• Long Sky beat Temple without holding back, ending Temple's chance to advance and securing Long Sky's place in the standings.
• Li Ge directed Temple to play aggressively in its remaining matches and shape public opinion around the team's determination and solidarity.
• The group-stage rankings placed Devil first, Dynasty second, and Long Sky eighth, while Frenzied Saber and Kings and Generals qualified for the individual finals.
• Han Xiao learned that Dragon Calm needed him to escort a seller carrying supplies from a Goddora colony planet in the Garton Star System.
• Han Xiao and the others set out on the escort mission, with the contestants joining him so he could repair their armor.

Han Xiao escorted Dragon Calm’s supply convoy and discovered that Sylvia, a girl traveling with the cargo supervisor, was destined to become a famous figure. Near the end of the journey, he detected poison in his drink and seized the bartender.

• Tulip defeated KEY three to one, while the tournament semifinals were set as Tulip versus Devil and Dynasty versus Yamata.
• Han Xiao met Teril at the spaceport, checked the supplies, and set off for Dragon Calm with Daike, Sylvia, and the escort team.
• Sylvia criticized mercenaries, and Han Xiao recognized her as the future Mechanical Female Knight Sylvia, who would later become a space pirate and then a rebel hero.
• During the ten-day journey, Han Xiao followed the tournament results and worked on machinery while the convoy traveled toward Dragon Calm.
• At a meal near the end of the trip, Han Xiao noticed the liquor was poisoned and pinned the bartender against the bar, accusing him.

Han Xiao discovered that someone had poisoned his glass aboard the supply ship, and Meat Bun died after testing the toxin before respawning. The surveillance footage had been erased, and the ship’s operation log showed the captain’s account had authorized the deletion.

• Han Xiao identified the liquor glass as poisoned and gave the nearby players a mission to test it.
• Meat Bun drank the spiked liquor, died from the toxin, and respawned, revealing its effects to Han Xiao and the crew.
• Han Xiao deduced that the culprit knew his itinerary and might be seeking revenge, then ordered the bartender restrained and asked to review surveillance footage.
• The captain discovered that the footage had been erased and found a log showing the captain’s account had cleared it 22 hours earlier.

Han Xiao uncovered Sylvia's identity as the daughter of Langley, whom his mercenary group had helped capture, and realized she was behind the attack. Sylvia and the captain trapped Han Xiao and the others in a poison-filled ship set to jump toward a star, but Han Xiao prepared to take control as a mechanic.

• Han Xiao connected Daike's daughter Sylvia to a suspicious disguise and confronted her, prompting Sylvia to reveal herself.
• Sylvia blamed Han Xiao and the Purple Gold Legion for her father Langley's imprisonment and vowed to hunt them.
• The captain released a poisonous gas grenade, set the ship to jump toward the nearest star, and locked the doors, trapping Han Xiao and the others in the control room.
• The captain escaped while Sylvia was sealed outside, and poisonous fog began pouring through the ship's ventilation system.
• Han Xiao received the emergency mission to thwart Sylvia's revenge, put on his mechanical suit, and approached the main console.

Sylvia’s plan to poison and trap the Black Star Mercenary Group failed when Han Xiao hacked the ship and his team captured her. After taking control of the vessel, Han Xiao exposed the captain as a shapeshifting assassin and confronted Sylvia about the faction backing her, leaving her facing his gun.

• Han Xiao ordered the players to break through the ship and capture Sylvia while he hacked its systems, and Aroshia went after Sylvia before the ship jumped.
• Sylvia launched most of the escape pods, but Aroshia disabled the last two and Melos’s group surrounded Sylvia and the captain as the ship entered jump mode.
• Han Xiao seized control of the ship, canceled its dangerous course, and gathered the crew with Sylvia, Daike, and the captain bound for questioning.
• Daike revealed that Sylvia had forced him to help, while Han Xiao suspected another faction had supported her plan.
• Han Xiao shot the captain, whose body changed into that of a shapeshifter, and identified him as the assassin who had replaced the real captain and poisoned the drinks.
• Sylvia refused to answer Han Xiao, and he pressed his gun against her cheek as she trembled and dared him to kill her.

Han Xiao negotiated compensation with the travel group after taking control of its ship, then decided to keep Sylvia alive and bring her to see her father. Sylvia was left stunned as Han Xiao prepared to take her away.

• Han Xiao explained the ship’s security breach to the travel group and demanded compensation, settling on thirty thousand enas.
• Han Xiao agreed to lend the ship for a few days and declined to steal it.
• Han Xiao asked Melos and the players what to do with Sylvia, and Melos suggested hearing her out.
• Han Xiao decided Sylvia might be useful for triggering a mission and ordered everyone to prepare to leave while she was locked up.
• Sylvia asked where Han Xiao was taking her, and he said they were going to see her father.

Han Xiao brought Sylvia to Agolo Prison City to confront her father, Langley, and force him to reveal the truth about his rebellion. Sylvia learned that her father had been a traitor who deceived her, and she fainted as Han Xiao carried her away.

• Han Xiao arrived at Agolo Prison City with Sylvia and received permission to visit Langley.
• Han Xiao spoke with Langley alone and falsely claimed that Sylvia was dead, then threatened to kill her unless Langley told her the truth.
• Langley agreed to reveal that he had been a spy and traitor who had lied about his motives.
• Sylvia confronted Langley and learned that the heroic image she had of him was false.
• Sylvia fainted after the conversation, and Han Xiao carried her out of the prison.

After learning that her father Langley was a traitor, Sylvia abandoned her revenge and thanked Han Xiao for helping her. Han Xiao made her agree to serve as his subordinate for ten years, leaving her future tied to his mercenary group.

• Han Xiao woke Sylvia and watched as she accepted the truth about Langley and apologized to him.
• Sylvia revealed that the intelligence organization Mital had supplied information for her assassination attempt.
• When Sylvia said she planned to travel the universe, Han Xiao told her she owed him compensation for his help and her attack.
• Han Xiao demanded ten years of service, and Sylvia agreed after he threatened to hold Langley responsible if she ran away or betrayed him.

Han Xiao welcomed Sylvia into his team, delivered supplies to Dragon Calm, and reviewed the league results as the first season ended. With the version update approaching, he considered how the players’ disappearance would affect his plans.

• Han Xiao recruited Sylvia and asked the Volga Three Brothers to teach her the basics, while deciding to train her himself.
• Han Xiao delivered supplies to Dragon Calm, secured a larger discount from Teril, and watched the tour group reclaim the Colored Conch.
• Han Xiao reviewed the league results: Tulip won the team championship, Dynasty took second, and Frenzied Saber and Kings and Generals reached the individual top sixteen.
• Han Xiao noted that Huaxia’s results had improved since his previous life and that the players’ success would expand his influence.
• Han Xiao realized the version update would soon make the players disappear for a year of game time and began planning for the period without them.

Han Xiao planned for the players’ departure and the coming Mutation Disaster, then joined the Space-Time Research Society to obtain the [Scholar] subclass and reach level 100. He checked his advancement mission and was left wondering whether he should have chosen [Gambler] instead.

• Han Xiao planned to use the players’ absence to recruit NPCs and prepare his faction for version 2.0 and the Mutation Disaster.
• After returning to the Juberly Hub, Han Xiao sold equipment to the players before visiting the Space-Time Research Society.
• Han Xiao joined the society and acquired the [Scholar] subclass, which he raised to level five to reach total level 100.
• Han Xiao checked his level 100 advancement mission and wondered whether he should have learned [Gambler] first.

Han Xiao received a difficult advancement mission requiring him to kill a Grade A enemy and began considering how to weaken a suitable target. Back at the base, he started teaching Sylvia mechanical knowledge, while players learned that the Version 1.0 update would begin in twelve game days.

• Han Xiao received the Trial of the Strong advancement mission and realized he needed to kill a powerful Grade A enemy, so he began searching his memory for a vulnerable target and a way to weaken it.
• Han Xiao returned to an empty base, ate dinner, and assigned tasks to the returning officers before taking Sylvia aside.
• Han Xiao told Sylvia he would train her as a Mechanic, gave her ten days to study four textbooks, and promised to teach her how to awaken Mechanical Force after she passed a test.
• The game announced that the Version 1.0 update would begin in twelve game days and temporarily prevent all players from logging in.
• Players speculated about the new version and collaborated on chronicle threads documenting the stories and characters they had encountered across the newbie planets.
• Galaxy Times released an episode analyzing theories about the upcoming update.

Galaxy Times reviewed version 1.0’s planet storylines and predicted that version 2.0 would bring players into the interstellar world, highlighting Han Xiao’s frozen mission as a clue to Planet Aquamarine’s next crisis. As players massed at the Third Sanctuary, Huang Yu planned to divert them, while DarkStar monitored its Mutation Sources and discussed Ashes’ progress.

• Galaxy Times recapped the beginner planets’ storylines and presented Han Xiao’s history and role in Planet Aquamarine’s events.
• The hosts predicted that players would enter the interstellar world in version 2.0 and that Han Xiao’s frozen mission foreshadowed a catastrophe threatening Planet Aquamarine.
• Players flocked to the Third Sanctuary, where Huang Yu worried about the growing crowd and decided to divert some of them to nearby satellite cities.
• DarkStar’s leader ordered continued observation of the Mutation Sources and told Anur that Ashes was a promising candidate to reach Calamity Grade.

A nascent consciousness awakened through plants, animals, and microorganisms, eventually realizing that all life was part of it. As Aurora sensed the strange presence spreading everywhere, the Version 1.0 update began and all Inhumans vanished, leaving Han Xiao to face the coming changes.

• A new consciousness gained perspectives through different living things, discovered it could control microorganisms, and concluded that all was itself and it was all.
• One Leaf Green sensed that some plants in her potion room were watching her and realized something was wrong.
• Aurora trembled after sensing a young but enormous presence spreading everywhere, frightening Hila.
• The mercenary-group players gathered at the Black Star stronghold and logged off as the Version 1.0 update approached.
• Tens of millions of Inhumans vanished from the beginner planets, leaving Huang Yu and the Sanctuary officers stunned.
• Han Xiao received the update notifications, found the player forums inaccessible, and anticipated difficult days ahead.