Chapter Summaries

The DarkStar Leader ambushed Han Xiao with a small fleet, but Han Xiao overwhelmed his forces until the Leader revealed a clone of the Lord of the Fallen Ark. The clone’s arrival exposed Krent’s plan to banish Han Xiao through a wormhole, and the DarkStar Leader believed victory was assured.

• Han Xiao unleashed his mechanical army and quickly destroyed most of the DarkStar Leader’s fleet, but remained wary of a hidden trump card.
• The DarkStar Leader struck Han Xiao with curses that bound their health, weakened Han Xiao’s recovery, and briefly paralyzed him.
• Han Xiao recovered and chose to capture the DarkStar Leader by exhausting his energy, while the Leader healed himself and fought to survive.
• The DarkStar Leader crushed a black bead, summoning a powerful clone of the Lord of the Fallen Ark that teleported them away from Han Xiao’s barrage.
• The chapter revealed that Krent had backed DarkStar and planned to use the clone to banish Han Xiao through a wormhole into unexplored space.
• The DarkStar Leader accepted Krent’s promise to establish a civilization for mixed-blood Goddorans and believed the clone had secured their victory.

Han Xiao fought Sorokin’s avatar, which overwhelmed him with powerful Esper abilities before dragging him into a wormhole. Harofal’s device retrieved Han Xiao, leaving him back on the battlefield as the DarkStar leader celebrated too soon.

• Han Xiao recognized Sorokin’s black-mist figure as an avatar and used Harofal’s space-stabilizing machinery to hinder its teleportation.
• Sorokin’s avatar bypassed Han Xiao’s defenses, struck him hard, and absorbed the mechanical army’s barrage with Black Hole.
• Han Xiao fled toward the wormholes, but Sorokin’s avatar seized him and dragged him into the largest one.
• The DarkStar leader believed Han Xiao had been exiled and celebrated, then turned his attention toward capturing Harofal.
• Harofal used his mechanical device to retrieve Han Xiao from the wormhole, and Han Xiao confronted the stunned DarkStar leader.

Han Xiao escaped Sorokin's avatar by using a measured wormhole and captured the DarkStar Leader, uncovering his ties to the Fallen Ark and suspecting Krent was behind the attack. Sorokin's avatar emerged in the Unexplored Universe and discovered a strange planet whose wormhole-connected roots drained energy from its surface.

• Han Xiao used Harofal's wormhole beacon to escape the wormhole, leaving Sorokin's avatar trapped inside.
• The DarkStar Leader fled, but Han Xiao's mechanical army captured him and Han Xiao extracted his gene serum.
• Han Xiao questioned the DarkStar Leader, learned Ashes was dead, and deduced that Krent might have funded DarkStar and worked with Sorokin.
• Han Xiao took Harofal and the prisoner aboard a spacecraft and left the Wormhole Zone after learning Sorokin's avatar could emerge somewhere in the Unexplored Universe.
• Sorokin's avatar emerged in the Unexplored Universe, found a lush planet with roots linking its surface to wormholes, and Sorokin's original body took interest in the discovery.

Han Xiao handed the captured DarkStar Leader over to Goddora in a heavily publicized ceremony, then revealed the leader’s connection to Sorokin’s avatar and Amethyst accused Krent of secretly supporting DarkStar. The chapter ended with the allegations poised to become a major scandal for Krent.

• The Secret Strategy Department discussed erasing Krent’s links to DarkStar and the Fallen Ark after the operation against Black Star failed, and suspended plans to assassinate him.
• Han Xiao told Serre V that he had captured the DarkStar Leader and planned to hand him over to Goddora.
• Han Xiao arrived at Black Star’s headquarters, where Serre V and an Amethyst envoy welcomed him before reporters and onlookers.
• Serre V accepted the DarkStar Leader and declared that DarkStar had been destroyed, leaving the undercover spy Borick stunned.
• Han Xiao showed footage of the DarkStar Leader summoning Sorokin’s avatar and identified it as an avatar of the Lord of the Fallen Ark.
• The Amethyst envoy accused Krent of secretly supporting DarkStar and announced that Amethyst would join Goddora in interrogating the DarkStar Leader.

After capturing DarkStar’s Leader, Han Xiao secured Goddoran cooperation and proposed using Lothaire’s abilities to weaken the civilization’s bloodline conflict. Serre V left to consider the risky plan, while Han Xiao hurried to his workshop to finish the machines needed for his class advancement.

• Han Xiao handed DarkStar’s Leader over to Goddoran personnel, gained Serre V’s favor, and upgraded his [DarkStar Destroyer] Legend.
• Borick briefly imagined carrying on DarkStar’s mission, but Melos gave him a training-camp assignment and Borick resigned himself to working honestly for the Black Star Army.
• Han Xiao asked Serre V to cooperate with Amethyst during the trial and warned that DarkStar’s defeat would not end the pureblood and mixed-blood conflict.
• Han Xiao proposed using Lothaire to influence the Goddorans’ beliefs, then suggested offering citizens a choice backed by policies and public pressure.
• Serre V left to consider Han Xiao’s proposal, and Han Xiao went to the machinery modification room to build machines for his class advancement.

Han Xiao completed the Glacial Frozen Star Cannon, a planet-destroying weapon, then advanced to Apostle Mechanic and gained abilities that let him draw on machinery’s power through Mechanical Apostolization. After testing the cannon’s energy in his own body, he realized Apostolization greatly expanded his combat options.

• Han Xiao used Reynold’s character card to activate Perfect Mechanical Sense and finished constructing the Glacial Frozen Star Cannon.
• Han Xiao inspected the cannon’s orange legacy equipment abilities, including Frozen Star, which could trigger a planetary ice age.
• Han Xiao completed his class advancement and became an Apostle Mechanic, gaining Apostle-Level Mechanical Affinity, Mechanical Apostolization, and Apostle Body.
• Han Xiao used Mechanical Apostolization on the Glacial Frozen Star Cannon, gaining attributes and the ability to release frost attacks using its Psionic Energy.
• Han Xiao tested his new power by firing a frost-energy blast that destroyed an alloy wall, then considered ways to use Apostolization in battle.

Han Xiao reached level 200, found he needed a Mission Settlement Card to bypass an unavailable advancement dungeon, and planned to stockpile cards before Version 3.0. He recruited Lothaire as a cultural instructor and ordered Reynold to expand Dragon Calm’s field operations force with a much larger investment.

• Han Xiao maxed out his new skills, raised his level to 200, and received an advancement mission he could not complete without a Mission Settlement Card.
• Han Xiao planned to save Mission Settlement Cards and use a future random reward from the Grade S Bloodline mission to help advance.
• Han Xiao asked Lothaire to join the Black Star Army, and she accepted a cultural instructor position after he offered to help clear her criminal record.
• Han Xiao asked Reynold about the new Dragon Calm Field Operations Force and learned that some recruits preferred to join the Black Star Army instead.
• Han Xiao ordered Reynold to spend the initial seventy million Enas within three months and promised another 150 million Enas for the force.

Han Xiao’s exposure of Krent’s collusion with DarkStar and the Fallen Ark forced the Crimson Dynasty to negotiate concessions from Krent, while the Secret War continued. He then agreed to help Serre V address Goddora’s bloodline conflict using Lothaire’s ability, and arrived on Goddora’s home planet to discuss the plan.

• Han Xiao learned that Krent had denied the allegations of colluding with DarkStar and the Fallen Ark, while Amethyst amplified the scandal and other civilizations seized the chance to weaken Krent.
• Laifer told Han Xiao that the Crimson Dynasty had negotiated on Krent’s behalf, securing concessions for Amethyst and other civilizations; the Secret War continued after their brief alliance ended.
• Laifer revealed that Tyrant Heber had become dissatisfied with Krent, and Han Xiao expected the conflict to grow more deadlocked.
• Serre V asked Han Xiao to let Amethyst act as guarantor for a plan to use Lothaire’s ability to resolve Goddora’s bloodline conflict, and Han Xiao agreed to keep his role private in exchange for greater payment.
• Han Xiao brought Lothaire to Goddora’s home planet, where Serre V presented several possible plans for them to review.

Serre V enlisted Han Xiao and Lothaire to help Goddora force through a plan to eliminate bloodline discrimination, despite widespread opposition. As the reform began in Gauting Colony Planet, the imprisoned DarkStar Leader learned of Serre V’s plan and was astonished by its resemblance to his own ambitions.

• Lothaire analyzed Goddora’s discrimination as a problem rooted in hardline beliefs, physical revulsion, and accumulated class resentment, then agreed to help Serre V address it.
• Mixed-blood Ludi endured the stares of pureblood commuters and reflected on how discrimination had limited his career and made daily life painful.
• Serre V announced that Goddora would use Amethyst’s help to reform discrimination, provoking shock and protests while Ludi felt hope for the first time in years.
• Serre V pushed the plan forward with government force and benefits, and Goddorans turned their attention to Gauting Colony Planet as the pilot region.
• A prison guard told the DarkStar Leader about Serre V’s plan to change the whole civilization’s attitudes, and the prisoner reacted with astonished admiration.

Serre V launched Goddora’s Discrimination Reform Movement, using Lothaire’s Thought Contagion to gently reduce prejudice toward mixed-bloods while overcoming resistance from hardliners. After the reform drew interstellar attention and praise, Han Xiao visited the DarkStar Leader in Rainbow Light Prison and began their first real conversation.

• Amethyst’s flagship deployed a planet-wide psionic undercurrent over Gauting, where Lothaire used her Thought Contagion ability to reshape perspectives without changing residents’ personalities.
• Gauting residents reported reduced aversion toward mixed-bloods, reassuring the public, and Serre V expanded the reform across Goddora’s colony planets.
• Pureblood hardliners smeared Serre V and tried to undermine his government, but he resisted their pressure and insisted that mixed-bloods undergo reform as well.
• Interstellar media praised Serre V, Amethyst, and Han Xiao for the reform, while some mixed-bloods expressed interest in returning to Goddora.
• Han Xiao visited Rainbow Light Prison and entered the DarkStar Leader’s cell, where the two prepared to speak after years as enemies.

Han Xiao visited the DarkStar Leader, who accepted his impending execution and asked Han Xiao to kill him instead. Han Xiao granted the request, claimed the mission rewards, and chose two abilities from the DarkStar Leader.

• The DarkStar Leader explained that he no longer hated Han Xiao and believed his death could help bring an end to Goddora’s Bloodline conflict.
• Han Xiao revealed that he had persuaded Serre V to advance anti-discrimination reforms, then heard the DarkStar Leader’s request to die by his hand.
• Han Xiao accepted the hidden mission and killed the DarkStar Leader with a blast of Psionic Energy.
• The warden reported the death, but Goddora’s authorities accepted Han Xiao’s actions because of his standing and the DarkStar Leader’s impending execution.
• Han Xiao claimed the mission rewards aboard his ship and reviewed five abilities before selecting two.

Han Xiao accepted Painful Revenge and Luck Curse, then completed the [Bloodline] mission after helping Serre V carry out Goddora’s anti-discrimination reform. The mission awarded him a Political Asset and major rewards, including experience bonuses that might also increase the experience he gained from players.

• Han Xiao chose Painful Revenge and Luck Curse as his Grade S mission rewards, then planned to stockpile rewards for Mission Settlement Cards.
• Serre V thanked Han Xiao and Lothaire for helping complete Goddora’s anti-discrimination reform and confirmed their agreed compensation.
• Ludi saw his family and working life improve after the reform and thanked Serre V, the Amethyst Civilization, and Black Star.
• Lothaire questioned whether her brainwashing could prevent future discrimination, and Han Xiao reassured her before entering the training room.
• Han Xiao reviewed the [Bloodline] mission rewards, including 1.25 billion experience, three random rewards, ten Eternal Dungeon Crystals, and a Goddora Political Asset that increased experience gain efficiency by 30%.

Han Xiao used a Mission Settlement Card to complete his level 200 advancement, spent his stored experience reaching level 207, and resumed taking mercenary contracts. Meanwhile, Verna built Dragon Calm’s Second Field Operations Force with his funding, prompting Iso and Jenny to recognize that Han Xiao might soon leave Dragon Calm.

• Han Xiao drew six random rewards, obtained a Mission Settlement Card, and used it to complete his advancement mission.
• Han Xiao leveled from 200 to 207, raised his attributes, and reached Grade A+ with his experience reserves exhausted.
• Han Xiao returned to mercenary work, completing contracts so decisively that business at the Black Star Army’s mercenary department tripled.
• Krent assumed Han Xiao was baiting it into another assassination attempt and chose not to attack him.
• Verna reported that Dragon Calm’s Second Field Operations Force had grown to one thousand battleships and three hundred thousand warriors, financed largely by Han Xiao.
• Iso told Verna to make the force self-sustaining, while he and Jenny acknowledged Han Xiao’s talent and worried that he would not serve Dragon Calm forever.

Han Xiao returned to Floating Dragon Island, copied Ames’s ability, and took her on a tour of the Black Star Army headquarters. Ames left after questioning why he never stopped pursuing his ambitions, and the Secret War continued to intensify over the next seven years.

• Han Xiao returned to Floating Dragon Island, teased Jenny, and met Verna, Hila, and Aurora before using his Blank Character Card to copy Ames’s ability.
• Han Xiao told Hila to join him once she reached Calamity Grade, and she agreed while asking how strong he had become.
• Han Xiao found Ames in the garden and agreed to take her on a tour of the Black Star Army headquarters.
• Ames inspected Han Xiao’s officers, then told him she had learned what she wanted and arranged to return to Floating Dragon Island.
• At the dock, Ames said she might have helped him in the Secret War if he had insisted and urged him to stop pursuing ambition long enough to enjoy the journey.
• The Crimson Tide spread across the Galaxy as the Secret War between Krent and Amethyst intensified, and seven years passed while the Black Star Army grew through the conflict.

On the day Galaxy version 3.0 launched, Han Xiao prepared the Black Star Army to welcome the returning players after seven years of expansion and a transformed Secret War. The players logged in on Planet Golden Gate, discovered that ten years had passed and their old base was abandoned, then learned that the Black Star Army’s headquarters had become a massive planetary fortress above them.

• Sylvia, now a Calamity Grade powerhouse and the Black Star Army’s chief administrative officer, confirmed that Han Xiao’s preparations were complete.
• Han Xiao reviewed the Army’s growth and the altered Secret War, then watched version 3.0 go live and ordered all spaceships to be dispatched.
• More than a hundred thousand players appeared at Black Star Number One Base on Planet Golden Gate, where Frenzied Saber, Hao Tian, and other professionals checked their interfaces.
• The players learned that ten years had passed and found that their old Black Star Army base had been remodeled and its mercenary records and subprogram access were unavailable.
• Frenzied Saber and the others asked a Godorran passerby where the Army’s headquarters was, then stared up at the enormous planetary fortress floating above Planet Golden Gate.

Han Xiao guided the returning Black Star Army players to the headquarters and had them watch a history course about the faction’s growth during their ten-year absence. The course revealed that the army had expanded across most of the Colton Star Cluster and become one of the Shattered Star Ring’s foremost armed organizations, leaving the players eager to learn how it happened.

• Han Xiao issued the Black Star Army players a mission directing them to the nearest satellite fortress, and a fleet collected them from Planet Golden Gate.
• The players arrived at the headquarters and received a second mission to update the army’s internal program and watch a history course.
• The players reactivated the Phillip subprogram, met his new holographic avatar, and watched him respond to their pokes.
• Lothaire’s course showed the Black Star Army’s growth from a small presence in the Garton Star System to control of most of the Colton Star Cluster by 705.
• Lothaire explained that the army had nearly twenty Calamity Grade powerhouses, hundreds of thousands of warships, and major alliances and contracts, leaving the players astonished.

Lothaire’s presentation recounted the Black Star Army’s rise during the Secret War and revealed that Han Xiao had become a leading Beyond Grade A candidate, exciting the returning players and strengthening their attachment to the faction. Han Xiao guided them into the Grade S Secret War storyline on Section Zero’s side, then began preparing to cultivate their loyalty further.

• Lothaire explained that the Black Star Army had fought for Amethyst in the Secret War and grown under Han Xiao’s leadership and Beyond Grade A potential.
• The players watched the Army’s history, celebrated its expansion, and discussed what had happened during their absence.
• After the players completed the second stage of the [Ten Years] mission, Han Xiao issued a third stage directing them to accept the Secret War mission through the Army’s internal system.
• The players received the Grade S faction war mission [Secret War - Section Zero] and realized they had been placed on Amethyst’s side.
• Han Xiao reflected that the first step was complete and prepared to apply some fertilizer.

The players explored the Black Star Army headquarters and discussed how they might take part in the Secret War. Han Xiao announced that volunteers could join the army’s counterattack against the War Realm in half a month, offering participants extra subsidies and a fifty percent discount on army products.

• Frenzied Saber and the other players discussed the Secret War, Black Star’s importance, and how players’ growing strength might let them influence the story more than in earlier versions.
• Phillip summoned everyone at headquarters to the plaza for an announcement, where players saw Han Xiao and the army’s senior officers.
• Han Xiao announced that the Black Star Army and Section Zero would launch a large-scale counterattack against the War Realm in half a month, and that members could volunteer to participate for subsidies.
• Han Xiao told participants they would receive a fifty percent discount on all army products and assemble at headquarters before traveling to the battlefield.

Han Xiao lured the returning players into the Secret War by offering a genuine half-price sale on the Black Star Army’s goods, then used free class knowledge to draw more of their experience into his own reserve. After the players spent their money and began learning knowledge, Han Xiao watched his experience bar rise and prepared for the next stage of his plan.

• Han Xiao approved the players’ applications for the coming counterattack and issued the Black Star Counterattack mission, which promised access to later Secret War campaign missions.
• More than a hundred thousand players rushed to the Logistics Department and spent heavily on discounted armor, equipment, and guild supplies.
• Han Xiao checked the army’s income and explained that the sale was meant to empty players’ wallets and encourage them to fight and earn more.
• Players discovered the expanded faction shop offered class knowledge for contribution points and experience, with contribution costs halved and no tuition fee.
• Players began spending experience to learn knowledge, and Han Xiao watched his experience bar fill as he prepared to continue harvesting it.

Han Xiao counted the profits from recruiting players and watched the Black Star Army’s officers relax before discovering a player’s theory that joining Krent was the true way to play the Secret War. He knew the theory was wrong and worried that players might defect based on it.

• Over half a month, more than a million players joined the Black Star Army’s battle, earning the army billions of Enas and helping Han Xiao reach level 217.
• At headquarters, Reynold beat several officers at Veyne Cards until Han Xiao cursed Melos’s luck, allowing Reynold to turn their match around.
• Han Xiao browsed the player forum and noted that the Black Star Army had become a major topic, attracting attention from players across the star fields.
• Han Xiao read Summer Night Blossoms’s post arguing that players should join Krent because it was likely to win the Secret War and offered better future opportunities.
• Han Xiao recognized Summer Night Blossoms’s reasoning as plausible but false, since he had deliberately arranged the available choices, and hoped no players would defect to Krent.