Chapter Summaries

Han Xiao and his companions completed the gathering places’ missions and joined Ulis’s attack on Wosumede, but Han Xiao killed Wosumede with one blast and Fording wiped out the wraith army. Tomar then revealed to the stunned wizards that the four newcomers were gods.

• Han Xiao and his companions destroyed the remaining altars, cleared wraiths, and gathered rare materials, earning the gathering places’ trust while Ulis secretly forged the White Warlock Wand.
• Ulis assembled more than 230 wizards in the capital to attack Wosumede, who revealed that he had reached godlike power and summoned over a thousand wraiths.
• Han Xiao blasted Wosumede’s head off before Ulis could use the White Warlock Wand.
• Fording released an energy wave that destroyed the wraiths, including the King of Wraiths, and Ulis asked who Han Xiao and his companions really were.
• Tomar declared that Han Xiao, Hila, Aurora, and Fording were true gods, leaving the gathered wizards stunned.

After killing Wosumede, Han Xiao posed as a god, recruited Tomar, and convinced the king of Heruin by showing him Planet Nalen from space, earning a Legend Point. After leaving the planet with Tomar, Han Xiao found a startling message from Harofal: “It’s Sorokin!”

• The royal guards arrived, and Wosumede’s wizards surrendered after learning he had been killed.
• Han Xiao received the Mental Lock talent and declared Tomar his chosen missionary, whom he would take to the divine kingdom.
• The king of Heruin asked the four gods to display a miracle, and Han Xiao revealed a map of Planet Nalen before taking the king into space to verify it.
• The king accepted Han Xiao as a god, and Han Xiao completed the Display a Miracle mission, earning a Planet Legend Point.
• Han Xiao left Planet Nalen with Tomar, assigned Fording to educate him, and then discovered Harofal’s message identifying Sorokin.

After learning that Harofal had been murdered by Sorokin’s subordinates, Han Xiao accepted a bounty mission but decided to wait for the killers to come to him. The squad had actually kidnapped Harofal to retrieve wormhole data for Sorokin, whose larger goal was to seize the Evolution Cube from Sisko.

• Han Xiao discovered reports that Harofal had been kidnapped and killed, and identified Orosen as the likely culprit sent by Sorokin.
• Han Xiao received the Grade A bounty mission to capture or kill Orosen, but chose to let the Terra Civilization track him and focus on his own plans.
• Orosen revealed that he had drained Harofal’s blood to read his memories and obtain wormhole research data for Sorokin.
• Eklin sent the recovered data to the Fallen Ark, then led the squad toward Sisko to plan a theft of the Evolution Cube.
• Sorokin ordered his researchers to use the data to locate the other end of the wormhole and revealed that he believed the Evolution Cube could transform him.

Tomar recounted his difficult childhood, his discovery of magic, and how the Black Star Army took him off Planet Nalen and made him a pioneer for his home world. Three months later, Han Xiao brought Hila, Aurora, and Fording to Planet Maixibo in disguise to pursue a Mechanic talent mission.

• Tomar described how he left the orphanage, became a carpenter, and later encountered Sister Shanna working at a tavern before a wizard brought him into the hidden world of magic.
• Tomar joined the gathering hall, was sent to defeat Wosumede, and met the four people he called gods, who killed Wosumede and took him into space.
• Fording revealed that the gods were Black Star Army members, explained the wider universe to Tomar, and sent him to headquarters to study magic under a reluctant teacher.
• During the three months after visiting Planet Nalen, Han Xiao accumulated experience and talents while Lagi and Melos led the Black Star Army through fierce Secret War battles without any high-level deaths.
• Han Xiao brought Hila, Aurora, and Fording to Planet Maixibo, disguised the group, and ordered Phillip to land so he could pursue a shipbuilding mission that would grant him a Mechanic talent.

Han Xiao disguised himself as “Barn” and joined the Summit Keystone Group to gain access to its manufacturing resources, triggering a mission to produce 1,500 assigned products. After quickly mastering three component blueprints, he suspected the shipyard was building a star cluster-level flagship and saw a chance to obtain its technology.

• Han Xiao brought Hila, Aurora, and Fording to Planet Maixibo and visited the Summit Keystone Group shipyard to apply for work.
• Han Xiao passed a grade assessment as a Grade B+ mechanic, signed a two-year contract under the name “Barn,” and received a senior engineer position.
• Han Xiao triggered the Engineer mission, which required him to manufacture 1,500 products using the group’s resources for a talent reward.
• Han Xiao settled into the senior dormitories with his companions, while Aurora guessed he wanted to steal blueprints and Fording warned him to prepare for the possibility he could not break through to Beyond Grade A.
• Luke delivered blueprints for three components, and Han Xiao mastered them within seconds before suspecting the order involved a star cluster-level flagship.

Han Xiao worked at the Summit Keystone Group while secretly copying data on the Eternal Light Fortress Ship, then drew Sedim’s interest through his exceptional manufacturing speed. Meanwhile, the Star Pupil Protoss received uninvited guests.

• Han Xiao began building ship components, infiltrated the shipyard database, and obtained an incomplete blueprint for the Eternal Light Fortress Ship.
• Han Xiao rapidly finished his assigned components, prompting the Summit Keystone Group to give him more blueprints and its executives to worry that he was learning too many designs.
• Sedim questioned the executives about the delayed construction, learned of Barn’s unusual efficiency, and decided to watch him before approaching him.
• The Star Pupil Protoss, led by Sisko, received a group of uninvited guests.

Sorokin’s clones destroyed a city on Planet Avitan to lure Sisko away from the Star Pupil Protoss homeworld, allowing Eklin and Orosen to prepare to steal the Evolution Cube. The first step succeeded, and the group waited for Sisko to reach Avitan before acting.

• Sorokin’s first clone crashed into Planet Avitan and annihilated a city and everyone in it, then flew toward another city.
• Sisko departed the homeworld with a fleet to support Planet Avitan after news of the attack spread.
• Eklin celebrated the successful plan to draw Sisko away from the Evolution Cube.
• Orosen and Eklin waited with Sorokin’s second clone, which concealed their group near the homeworld.
• Sorokin’s third clone waited on Planet Avitan to join the first clone in holding Sisko back.
• Sorokin’s group relied on his unique knowledge of how to carry the Evolution Cube.

Sorokin’s three avatars launched a coordinated assault that distracted Sisko while Eklin and his companions stole the Evolution Cube from the Star Pupil Protoss home planet. Though the thieves escaped in damaged ships, Sisko sensed the Cube’s location and prepared to pursue them.

• Sisko confronted Sorokin’s Number One avatar on Planet Avitan and fought it while Sorokin’s Number Three avatar attacked the support fleet.
• Sorokin’s Number Two avatar teleported Eklin, Orosen, and their companions to the Evolution Cube, where Eklin used a special device to contain it.
• Sorokin’s Number Two avatar shielded the group from Sisko’s psychic defenses, then used its remaining energy to teleport them back to their spaceship.
• The Star Pupil Protoss fleet discovered the thieves and attacked; one ship was destroyed, while Eklin and Orosen escaped aboard a badly damaged ship.
• Sisko realized the Evolution Cube had been stolen, sensed its location through his psychic connection, and ordered a fast spaceship so he could pursue the thieves.

Han Xiao completed his work at Summit Keystone Group and secretly gathered most of the Eternal Light blueprints before Sedim summoned him and offered him a position. Sedim revealed that the Mechanic Emperor stood behind him, leaving Han Xiao alarmed by the unexpected connection.

• Han Xiao completed the Engineer mission, gained the Skilled Technician talent, and used surveillance and brief contact with blueprints to collect most of the Eternal Light designs.
• Luke brought Han Xiao to meet Sedim, who identified him as a Calamity Grade Mechanic interested in the Eternal Light blueprints.
• Sedim invited Han Xiao to become his subordinate and promised him access to every blueprint he knew, but Han Xiao refused to join him.
• Sedim said a Beyond Grade A supported him, then named the Mechanic Emperor, Manison, as his backer, shocking Han Xiao.

Han Xiao refused Sedim’s offer to join the Mechanic Emperor’s faction, while Sisko arranged for Sedim to detain the crew carrying the Evolution Cube. Eklin and his companions reached Planet Maixibo aboard their damaged Light Fox, unaware that Sedim had been warned to watch for them.

• Han Xiao considered the risks of working for the Mechanic Emperor and refused Sedim’s recruitment offer.
• Sedim dismissed Han Xiao, who left intending to find another way to steal the Eternal Light.
• Sisko contacted Sedim and ordered him to watch for the Light Fox and keep its passengers on Planet Maixibo.
• Sisko traced the Evolution Cube to Planet Maixibo and planned to arrive before its thieves could leave the Shattered Star Ring.
• Eklin piloted the damaged Light Fox toward Planet Maixibo’s spaceport after escaping pursuit across nearly half a star field.

Eklin and his companions reached Planet Maixibo with the stolen Evolution Cube, unaware that Sedim was secretly tracking them. After Sedim cut off Han Xiao’s access to the Eternal Light project, Han Xiao discovered the blueprints were kept in Sedim’s floating city and advanced to Mechanic Emperor to prepare for infiltrating it.

• Eklin landed the Light Fox on Planet Maixibo and arranged repairs while his companions believed they were safe with the Evolution Cube.
• Sedim spotted the Light Fox, increased surveillance around Eklin and his companions, and ordered the shipyard to delay and tamper with the repairs.
• The Summit Keystone Group removed Han Xiao from the Eternal Light project and took back the blueprints he had already learned.
• Han Xiao realized Sedim kept the Eternal Light blueprints in his floating city and decided to hack its central control system.
• Han Xiao spent his stored experience, used a Mission Settlement Card to complete his advancement, and became a level-one Mechanic Emperor.

Han Xiao advanced to [Mechanic Emperor], strengthening his mechanical force and virtual technology, then infiltrated Sedim's floating city to copy its blueprint database. While searching Sedim's command logs, he discovered Orosen's group on Planet Maixibo and decided to ambush them before they could escape or summon Sorokin's doppelganger.

• Han Xiao advanced to [Mechanic Emperor], gaining new machine-enhancement abilities and a major boost to his virtual technology.
• Han Xiao reached level 238, then connected to the quantum network and quietly infiltrated Sedim's floating city with Phillip.
• Han Xiao found the Eternal Light blueprint in Sedim's database and ordered Phillip to copy the entire blueprint collection.
• Han Xiao found a surveillance order targeting Eklin's group and recognized Orosen, the fugitive who had killed Harofal.
• Han Xiao decided to strike Orosen's group first, fearing they might have a Sorokin doppelganger with them.

Han Xiao led Hila and Fording in a surprise attack that killed Eklin and Orosen, then discovered the Evolution Cube on Eklin’s corpse. Sedim arrived after the attackers had vanished and reported the unexplained deaths to Sisko.

• Han Xiao summoned Hila and Fording, revealed that he had reached the threshold of Beyond Grade A, and explained his plan to kill Orosen and the others.
• Han Xiao, Hila, and Fording launched a surprise attack on the Star Bridge Hotel, where Eklin and Orosen were staying.
• Han Xiao’s mechanical army and the group’s psychic attacks killed Eklin, Orosen, and their subordinates before they could fight back.
• Han Xiao completed [Harofal's Revenge] and found the Evolution Cube hanging around Eklin’s neck.
• Sedim arrived at the destroyed hotel, found no trace of the attackers, and reported the incident to Sisko.

Han Xiao realized that the Evolution Cube he had taken from Sorokin's men could draw Sedim, Sisko, Sorokin, and powerful factions into a struggle, and he weighed whether to keep it or hand it over. He chose to keep the cube for now and stay away from the spaceship, while Sedim held Planet Maixibo sealed until Sisko arrived to find it.

• Han Xiao deduced that Sorokin's men had stolen the Evolution Cube from Sisko and suspected Sedim had sealed Planet Maixibo to keep the cube from leaving.
• Han Xiao considered the risks and benefits of keeping the Evolution Cube or giving it to Sorokin, the Mechanic Emperor, a universal civilization, the Arcane Church, or Sisko.
• Han Xiao told Hila to take Aurora back to the spaceship while he stayed away from the port and decided to keep the Evolution Cube for now.
• Sedim told Sisko that he had sealed Planet Maixibo's ports, and Sisko ordered him to stop anyone from leaving until he arrived to locate the cube.

Han Xiao opened the Evolution Cube and used it to greatly increase his attributes, while Hila, Fording, and Aurora underwent genetic optimization as well. He decided to leave Planet Maixibo alone with the Cube and risk confronting Sisko rather than give it back.

• Han Xiao opened the Evolution Cube’s portable container by tracing its forty-two activation symbols and received sixteen layers of genetic optimization, along with a special species-ascension opportunity.
• Han Xiao explained that the Cube’s side effects were minor, and Hila used it first, followed by Fording and Aurora.
• Han Xiao realized that he alone knew how to activate the Cube in portable form, giving him a possible basis for negotiating with Sisko.
• Han Xiao told Hila, Fording, and Aurora to remain hidden while he left Planet Maixibo alone using Void Dimension Jump.
• Han Xiao decided to take the Evolution Cube into the Desolate Universe Belt and confront Sisko rather than surrender it immediately.

Sedim discovered that the Evolution Cube thief had escaped Planet Maixibo and pursued Han Xiao, while Hila, Aurora, and Fording stayed behind. Han Xiao realized Sisko and Sedim could track the Cube and fled through the desolate cosmic belt, seeking time to strengthen his forces before their confrontation.

• Sisko told Sedim that the fugitive had escaped with the Evolution Cube, and Sedim agreed to pursue Han Xiao after lifting Planet Maixibo's blockade.
• Sedim identified Barn and his three companions as suspects, entered their appearances into the security system, and set out after Han Xiao with elite giant soldiers.
• At the mountain base, Aurora told Hila and Fording that Sedim had left; Hila struggled with being unable to fight beside Han Xiao, and the group decided to wait before leaving the planet.
• Han Xiao emerged beyond the Shattered Star Ring, waited for his barracks boxes, and discounted faction-store knowledge to help him gain the experience needed for two levels.
• After Hila warned him that Sedim was pursuing him, Han Xiao deduced that Sisko could track the Evolution Cube and resumed jumping through space to evade them.
• Han Xiao considered his combat options against Sisko and realized Sedim might help him strengthen his mechanical troops.

Han Xiao revealed himself as Black Star and defeated Sedim in a battle between their mechanical armies, then forced Sedim to surrender control of his troops. He kept Sedim alive to question him while waiting for Sisko, who Sedim believed would rescue him.

• Sedim found Han Xiao in an asteroid belt, confronted him, and deployed millions of heavy mechanical soldiers.
• Han Xiao summoned his own army of more than ten million machines and revealed that he was Black Star.
• Han Xiao used his powers and virtual intrusions to break through Sedim's forces as the two armies fought across the asteroid belt.
• Han Xiao defeated Sedim, captured him, and forced him to transfer control of his mechanical army.
• Han Xiao restrained Sedim for questioning, while Sedim secretly hoped Sisko would arrive to save him.

Han Xiao prepared to advance to Beyond Grade A while Sisko pursued him for the Evolution Cube, and the Crimson Dynasty and Federation of Light finalized their agreement over a new star field. The chapter ended with Iso foreseeing the birth of the Shattered Star Ring’s fifth Beyond Grade A.

• Sisko pursued the Evolution Cube through the Desolate Universe Belt and resolved to reclaim it to secure the Arcane Church’s support for the Star Pupil Protoss.
• The Crimson Dynasty and the Federation of Light concluded a decade of negotiations, naming the newly explored star field the Shattered World.
• Jorde reported that the War Realm was winning the Secret War, while Heber planned to make Black Star pay for killing his subordinates.
• Austin learned that the negotiations had ended and wondered what choice Black Star had made about the approaching end of the Secret War.
• Han Xiao chose a volcanic planet to prepare for Sisko, restrained Sedim, and spent his accumulated experience to reach level 240.
• Iso foresaw that the Shattered Star Ring’s fifth Beyond Grade A had been born.

Han Xiao reached level 240, evolved into a Beyond Grade A, and created the Black Star Race with the exclusive talent [Mechanical Genius]. After completing his transformation and discovering his new strength, he learned that Sisko’s spaceship had arrived, leaving him ready to test his power against another Beyond Grade A.

• Han Xiao used a Mission Settlement Card to complete his level 240 advancement and chose to evolve into [Void Ferryman (humanoid form)].
• Han Xiao triggered Species Metamorphosis, selected racial talents from his past and future evolutionary paths, and gained [Mechanical Genius] as his exclusive talent.
• Han Xiao named his new exclusive species the Black Star Race, retained his appearance, and advanced to Grade S (Beyond Grade A).
• Han Xiao chose [Supreme Power] and [Eternal Body] as his rank specialties, and his Beyond Grade A strength destroyed the Soul Embryo and removed the Psionic Poison statuses.
• Han Xiao examined his greatly increased attributes and energy level, then learned from Phillip that a spaceship had entered the planet’s outer space.
• Han Xiao suspected Sisko had arrived and prepared to test his new strength against him.

Sisko rescued Sedim and confronted Han Xiao over the Evolution Cube, but recognized that Han Xiao was a Beyond Grade A after their clash. Their negotiations ended with Sisko demanding the Cube and its activation password, threatening to side with the Tyrant if Han Xiao refused.

• Sisko destroyed the mechanical soldiers holding Sedim and learned that Black Star had left the Evolution Cube on the planet.
• Han Xiao approached Sisko, withstood his mental attack, and unleashed his mechanical army in a massive assault on the spaceship.
• Sisko realized Han Xiao was a Beyond Grade A and agreed to negotiate after surviving the attack.
• Han Xiao proposed keeping the Evolution Cube while forming an alliance with the Star Pupil Protoss.
• Sisko countered by demanding the Evolution Cube and its password, threatening to help the Tyrant kill Han Xiao if he refused.