Chapter Summaries

Han Xiao formally joined the Dynasty’s high-level network, completed Evolution Cube modifications on its home planet, and chose a suppression mission against Sorokin to earn Ultimate Knowledge. He prepared to depart with Beoni and Ames while the Black Star Army established a branch in a player-populated area.

• Han Xiao met the Dynasty’s Beyond Grade A allies, including Beoni and Ravenlaude, and refused to lend the Evolution Cube without receiving something in return.
• Urranrell discussed Han Xiao’s potential with Clottey and decided to limit the Black Star Army’s expansion in the Central Galaxy so Han Xiao would remain focused on the Shattered Star Ring and Shattered World.
• The Dynasty announced Han Xiao’s formal reception, and he completed Evolution Cube modifications for the troops stationed on its home planet.
• Han Xiao selected a Beyond Grade A suppression mission against the Fallen Ark and Sorokin to qualify for Ultimate Knowledge.
• Han Xiao invited his new allies to join the operation, but only Beoni accepted; Ames volunteered as well, and the three prepared to leave the next day.

Han Xiao joined the Crimson Dynasty’s campaign against the Fallen Ark, suspecting Sorokin had arranged for his fleet to be discovered so they could meet. As Han Xiao’s fleet headed to the border, the Dynasty’s ruler watched him closely, wary that he might be pursuing a secret deal with Sorokin.

• Han Xiao departed the Dynasty’s home planet with Beoni, Ames, Hila, and the others to join the campaign against the Fallen Ark.
• Beoni explained that he and many other Beyond Grade As had fought Sorokin before, while Han Xiao suspected this operation would bring him face-to-face with Sorokin’s main body.
• Han Xiao reviewed the campaign’s rewards and decided to pursue its difficult objectives against Sorokin to earn Dynasty contribution and draw a clear line between them.
• Han Xiao asked Beoni about his relationship with Manison and privately resolved to settle his old score with the Mechanic Emperor someday.
• Sorokin revealed that he had deliberately exposed his fleet to create an opportunity to meet Han Xiao and hoped Han Xiao understood his signal.
• Clottey reported Han Xiao’s departure to Urranrell, who ordered him watched because she feared Han Xiao might secretly deal with Sorokin.

Han Xiao, Ames, and Beoni joined the Crimson Dynasty’s Thirty-Sixth Legion to confront the Fallen Ark, while Commander Mu Lieriqi kept them out of tactical planning and ordered them into battle. After they destroyed Sorokin’s avatar, Sorokin’s true body appeared and confronted Han Xiao over his rejected offer.

• The Thirty-Sixth Legion’s adjutant escorted Han Xiao, Ames, and Beoni to their quarters instead of bringing them to Commander Mu Lieriqi, who refused to consult them on tactics.
• Han Xiao decided that Sorokin’s offer involving the Evolution Cube was too dangerous and resolved to become his enemy rather than risk being manipulated or framed.
• Sorokin ordered his Fallen Ark branch fleet to turn and engage the pursuing Thirty-Sixth Legion, and both forces began a fierce battle.
• Mu Lieriqi ordered all three Beyond Grade As to attack Sorokin’s position; Beoni and Ames joined the fighting, with Han Xiao following them.
• Sorokin’s avatar approached Han Xiao to ask about a deal, but Han Xiao, Ames, and Beoni attacked together and destroyed it.
• Sorokin’s true body emerged where his avatar had died, told Han Xiao he was disappointed, and warned him that he should not have come so close after refusing the offer.

Han Xiao, Ames, and Beoni fought Sorokin, whose overwhelming esper abilities forced them onto the defensive and let him devastate Mu Lieriqi’s flagship. Han Xiao saved Mu Lieriqi and kept him commanding the fleet, but Sorokin ultimately stole the Evolution Cube from Han Xiao.

• Mu Lieriqi ordered his fleet to attack while Han Xiao, Ames, and Beoni confronted Sorokin and Han Xiao declared that he would not let Sorokin use the Evolution Cube.
• Sorokin attacked the three Beyond Grade As with a range of powerful abilities, badly injuring Beoni and damaging Han Xiao’s mechanical army.
• Sorokin teleported into the imperial fleet, destroyed Mu Lieriqi’s flagship, and left Mu Lieriqi expecting to die.
• Han Xiao rescued Mu Lieriqi from the flagship’s explosion and urged him to keep commanding the fleet, while Han Xiao, Ames, and Beoni continued to occupy Sorokin.
• Sorokin asked Han Xiao how he had learned to use the Evolution Cube, then revealed that he had taken it from Han Xiao’s neck.

Han Xiao revealed that he had hidden the real Evolution Cube aboard a stealth ship, frustrating Sorokin’s attempt to seize it. Sorokin withdrew from the battle after hinting that a wormhole encounter had given him new hopes of reaching a higher level, leaving Han Xiao wary of their next clash and eager to learn what lay beyond that passage.

• Han Xiao revealed that the silver cube Sorokin had crushed was a decoy and explained that the real Evolution Cube was hidden aboard a stealth spaceship guarded by a distant mechanical army.
• Han Xiao, Ames, and their ally kept Sorokin occupied while Mu Lieriqi led the Dynasty fleet to overwhelm the Fallen Ark branch fleet.
• Han Xiao accused Sorokin of using the proposed trade as a trap, but Sorokin said he had been sincere and no longer considered the Evolution Cube indispensable.
• Sorokin revealed that Han Xiao had shown him new hope after sending his clone through a wormhole, and admitted he had obtained the passage data from Harofal.
• Han Xiao connected Sorokin’s revelation to the killing of Harofal, but Sorokin left through a portal before explaining what he had found beyond the wormhole.
• Han Xiao watched Sorokin retreat and concluded that he needed to grow stronger before their next confrontation.

Han Xiao completed the Fallen Ark campaign, tested Sorokin’s strength, and earned a powerful Character Summon Card while planning his next moves. Sorokin secretly sought the Arcane Church’s help to locate and seize the Evolution Cube, while Han Xiao traveled toward the Constellation Corridor as the Black Star Army’s main force arrived there first.

• After Sorokin vanished, Han Xiao criticized Mu Lieriqi for abandoning command to apologize, then explained that he had stood up for Ames.
• Han Xiao received an Incredible mission evaluation, over 8,000 Crimson Dynasty contribution points, and Sorokin’s Superpower Silence Character Summon Card, which he saved as a trump card.
• Beoni told Clottey about Sorokin’s encounter with Black Star and defended Han Xiao’s refusal to cooperate, while admitting that Urranrell had asked him to watch Han Xiao.
• Sorokin ordered Harkison to negotiate with the Arcane Church, offering information about the Evolutionary Civilization in exchange for help using Sisko to find the Evolution Cube.
• Han Xiao retrieved the Evolution Cube and his mechanical forces, then traveled with Ames and the others toward the Constellation Corridor while the Black Star Army’s main force arrived there and excited the players.

The Black Star Army established a branch on Planet Gilman, drawing excited players from across the Constellation Corridor to gather and apply for membership. As Han Xiao’s group toured a scenic planet, he privately celebrated the chance to recruit players from a new star field.

• The Black Star Army arrived above Planet Gilman and secured permission to establish a branch there.
• Players across the Constellation Corridor flocked to Planet Gilman after the Army announced its recruitment drive.
• Shattered Star Ring players celebrated the Army’s expansion on the forums and welcomed their international peers.
• Strong Vodka and his guild members visited the branch and began the Army’s combat test for applicants.
• Han Xiao’s group toured a beautiful planet, and Han Xiao revealed to himself that he was pleased to recruit players from a new star field.

Players who joined the Black Star Army learned they could travel from the Constellation Corridor to the Shattered Star Ring with its troops, prompting debate and guild preparations across both star fields. As Han Xiao arrived on Planet Gilman, Russian and Australian guilds planned to send players to establish branches, while Huaxia guilds prepared to defend their home-field advantage.

• Strong Vodka joined the Black Star Army and learned from Phillip that new recruits could apply to travel to the Shattered Star Ring with returning transport troops in a month or two.
• Players debated on the forums whether to leave the Constellation Corridor, weighing their established progress against the chance to join the Shattered World storyline.
• Russian and Australian club guilds decided to send representatives and players to the Shattered Star Ring to scout and establish branches, with Strong Vodka chosen to manage the Russian branch.
• Huaxia guild leaders discussed the incoming foreign guilds and agreed they could not prevent their arrival, but would resist any attempts to compete for local resources.
• Han Xiao and his group arrived on Planet Gilman, where he appeared before players from another star field for the first time.

Han Xiao welcomed new players at the Black Star Army branch on Planet Gilman, where a group of players attacked him and were swiftly killed and marked as wanted. He then obtained the Crimson Dynasty’s Ultimate Knowledge, [Mechanical Life Spark], unlocking [King's Army] and new abilities for creating mechanical life.

• Han Xiao arrived at the Planet Gilman branch and welcomed the newly joined players, while Strong Vodka and others found they could learn almost nothing about him through [Detection].
• Dozens of players ambushed Han Xiao and his group, and Hila killed the attackers instantly; Han Xiao had Phillip issue bounties against them.
• Han Xiao considered how to build the Constellation Corridor players’ connection to the Army and decided to remain at the branch while the Crimson Dynasty prepared to explore the Shattered World.
• Han Xiao spent two days expanding his mechanical forces and developing blueprints before applying to the Crimson Dynasty for Ultimate Knowledge.
• Han Xiao spent 6,000 faction contribution points to acquire [Mechanical Life Spark], then used experience to gain enough potential points to learn it.
• Learning [Mechanical Life Spark] activated [King's Army] and granted Han Xiao [Ultimate Knowledge Master], [Mechanical Life Creator], and [Life Creation].

Han Xiao learned [Mechanical Life Spark] and used [Life Creation] to awaken Dark Emperor, his first mechanical lifeform, before learning that his guards had received Veyne Cards. Troy, the lord of Sodrian, asked Han Xiao for refuge, and Han Xiao began to suspect his story.

• Han Xiao mastered [Mechanical Life Spark] and used [King's Army], [Mechanical Fusion: Bestowal], and [Life Creation] to turn the Floating Fissioner into the mechanical lifeform Dark Emperor.
• Han Xiao tested Dark Emperor's abilities and considered raising advanced mechanical troops into a loyal mechanical civilization.
• Han Xiao saw updated Veyne Cards for himself and his guards, and Aurora told him that Troy, the lord of Sodrian, wanted to meet him.
• Troy told Han Xiao that political enemies had framed him and asked to join the Black Star Army in exchange for refuge in the Shattered Star Ring.
• Han Xiao studied Troy and began to suspect that something was wrong with his account.

Han Xiao refused Troy’s plea for refuge but secretly marked him in case he joined the Fallen Ark and could help track Sorokin. After forty days of recruitment on Planet Gilman, Han Xiao led a fleet carrying seven hundred thousand players toward the Shattered Star Ring.

• Troy claimed he was innocent and asked Han Xiao to let him escape through the stargate, but Han Xiao recognized his deception and dismissed him.
• Han Xiao secretly placed a ward on Troy, hoping to use it to monitor Sorokin if Troy joined the Fallen Ark.
• During forty days on Planet Gilman, Han Xiao built mechanical lifeforms while the Black Star Army recruited just over ten million members, including more than four million players.
• Seven hundred thousand players accepted the Shattered World main storyline and boarded the fleet bound for the Shattered Star Ring.
• Han Xiao ordered the fleet to depart Planet Gilman, beginning the players’ first journey across star fields.

Han Xiao returned to the Shattered Star Ring with the Black Star Army, where Ames told him she wanted Dragon Calm to settle near Planet Aquamarine. As the fleet reached army headquarters, players from the Constellation Corridor arrived in the Shattered Star Ring for the first time, drawing a huge crowd of local players.

• Ames departed after Iso warned Han Xiao to beware of the Arcane Church and revealed that Manison and other Ancient Ones were asking about him.
• Ames proposed making Planet Aquamarine Dragon Calm's long-term home base, and Han Xiao agreed to coordinate with her while Dragon Calm stayed in space and left the planet's government alone.
• Han Xiao watched Ames and Iso leave, then checked the players' reactions to the first journey between star fields.
• After more than ten days of travel, the fleet reached army headquarters, where millions of Shattered Star Ring players had gathered to welcome and watch the arriving Constellation Corridor players.

More than seven hundred thousand Constellation Corridor players arrived at Black Star Army headquarters, where Huaxia guilds offered foreign guilds discounted supplies and protection in exchange for their business. Han Xiao reviewed the Army’s expansion, prepared to lead its forces into the Shattered World, and issued missions to bring veteran and newcomer players together.

• Over seven hundred thousand Constellation Corridor players arrived at headquarters, while Russian and Australian guild representatives met Huaxia powerhouse guilds about establishing branches.
• Morning Snow and Evening Frost and Azure Sky offered the foreign guilds discounted Army supplies and help with missions and security, and Strong Vodka and the others reluctantly agreed.
• Sylvia, Reynold, and Melos reported that the Army had expanded its networks and production but faced a cash shortage; Han Xiao secured funding from the Amethyst Civilization and Crimson Dynasty.
• Suy urged Han Xiao to lead the Army’s forces to the Dawn Star Cluster and rendezvous with the Crimson Dynasty to begin exploring the Shattered World.
• Han Xiao noticed the newcomer and veteran players were keeping apart, so he issued repeatable faction missions that rewarded them for teaming up.

Han Xiao’s missions brought veteran and newcomer players from different Star Fields together, while Galaxy Times speculated about future cross-Star Field travel. He then took Nero and a small group to the Terra Civilization to search for Harofal’s wormhole data, but needed permission to access the academy’s secret records.

• Han Xiao posted two repeatable missions that rewarded veterans for instructing recruits and encouraged newcomers to seek veterans, prompting players from different Star Fields to form mixed teams.
• Han Xiao saw that the missions had increased interaction between the player groups and planned to keep them active through the coming Shattered World exploration.
• Han Xiao watched Galaxy Times report that 713,000 Constellation Corridor players had traveled to the Shattered Star Ring and predict that the next version would allow widespread cross-Star Field travel.
• Han Xiao visited Nero, promised him a trip, and took him, Hila, Aurora, and Fording aboard the Blacklight Stealth to the Terra Civilization’s mechanical academy.
• Han Xiao explained that he sought positioning data from the wormhole that had banished Sorokin’s avatar, and the dean said the academy’s internal database required approval from the Terra Civilization’s upper echelons.

Han Xiao secured Harofal’s data from the Terra Civilization and accepted an honorary professorship at its mechanical academy. His public lecture drew an enormous crowd and unexpectedly granted Mechanic Class players skill experience, reinforcing his reputation as their top mentor.

• The dean searched the Terra Civilization’s database and found the file Han Xiao wanted, which Han Xiao copied and thanked him for retrieving.
• The dean asked Han Xiao to become an honorary professor at the Terra Official Mechanical Academy, and Han Xiao accepted in exchange for the academy’s course materials.
• The Terra Civilization publicized Han Xiao’s appointment, and the academy held his lecture outdoors for a vast crowd of students and staff.
• Interstellar figures and Black Star Army players watched Han Xiao’s lecture, while Mechanic Class players received large amounts of skill experience from listening.
• The players celebrated the rewards, and Han Xiao’s reputation as the Mechanic Class’s top mentor was reinforced.

After completing his lecture in the Terra Civilization, Han Xiao mobilized the Black Star Army and its allies to begin the Dynasty’s exploration of the Shattered World. The fleet entered the Dynasty’s stargate, while rival powers prepared to exploit the expedition and Ames set off for Planet Aquamarine.

• Han Xiao left the Terra Civilization after his lecture, learned that it had unexpectedly benefited Mechanic Class players, and gave Phillip the wormhole positioning data to analyze.
• The Dynasty ordered the Black Star Army, War Realm, Krent, and other allies to begin the Shattered World expedition, and Han Xiao mobilized the army’s forces.
• Ames learned that Han Xiao had departed and announced that Dragon Calm would go to Planet Aquamarine.
• Bader and the Federation of Light discussed how the Dynasty’s costly exploration could tie down its forces and how other civilizations might challenge its control of the Shattered World.
• Urranrell prepared the Dynasty to meet covert interference, while Sorokin turned the Fallen Ark toward the Arcane Church to use a temporary stargate.
• The Black Star Army fleet arrived at the Dynasty’s stargate station, entered the Shattered World, and left the explored universe behind.

Han Xiao arrived at Lighthouse Star in the Shattered World and met with Tarrokov, Heber, and Krent’s representatives to plan the first phase of exploration. The Black Star Army was assigned to explore Gaolu, and Han Xiao considered how to use his knowledge of the Shattered World’s valuable planets.

• Han Xiao brought his fleet through the stargate into the Shattered World, where Tarrokov welcomed him and directed him to Lighthouse Star.
• Han Xiao ordered engineering fleets to establish the Black Star Army’s quantum communication base stations across the Dawn Star Cluster.
• Han Xiao and his guards reached Lighthouse Star and faced Heber’s hostile Vanguard Officers before Tarrokov welcomed them into the conference room.
• Tarrokov assigned War Realm and Krent to explore Renault, the Dynasty to explore Crown Ring, and the Black Star Army to explore Gaolu.
• Tarrokov outlined the exploration tasks and said the Dynasty would send troops to assist and monitor each allied force.
• Han Xiao considered how his prior knowledge of certain famous planets could help him find valuable resources without surveying them first.

Han Xiao proposed an unconventional exploration plan that would rapidly connect star systems across the Gaolu Star Cluster, while concealing his search for valuable planets and a Universal Treasure. He and the other forces prepared to depart in two days, and Heber’s allies concluded they could only compete with him fairly.

• Tarrokov told the allied commanders that the next exploration forces would likely arrive in at least six months and asked where they planned to enter their assigned star clusters.
• Heber and Krent planned to split into twenty-three nearby units and explore the resource-rich Jerrydon Star System together.
• Han Xiao proposed sending a task force ahead to build a stargate route through more than a dozen Gaolu Star Cluster systems while dispatching troops to explore them along the way.
• Tarrokov and the other commanders questioned Han Xiao’s plan, but he refused to reconsider because he secretly intended to reach remembered resource-rich planets and an unclaimed Universal Treasure.
• Tarrokov ordered the teams to wait two days for assigned troops and equipment before setting out, and Han Xiao and Heber departed in opposite directions.
• Jorde and the Krent commander speculated about Han Xiao’s motives, but Heber rejected secretly monitoring him because they could not interfere with the empire’s exploration.

The Black Star Army began exploring the Gaolu Star Cluster with supplies and a fleet provided by the Crimson Dynasty, while Han Xiao organized missions for Army members and guilds. As the Army established its first base and stargate, concealed fleets entered the Desolate Universe Belt to sneak into the Shattered World, including personnel sent by the Arcane Church.

• The Black Star Army received exploration equipment and Seniko's Dynasty fleet, then set out for the Gaolu Star Cluster alongside the other fleets assigned to their regions.
• Han Xiao assigned exploration jobs to Army members and players, anticipating competition among guilds for valuable planets and encouraging players from different countries to socialize.
• The Army built its first planetary fortress and stargate in the southern Gaolu Star Cluster, while Hadavy led a task force eastward to establish a long-distance stargate route.
• Han Xiao led soldiers and players to survey a habitable planet he remembered as a future trade relay station and mining site.
• Concealed fleets from various civilizations entered the Desolate Universe Belt to bypass the Dynasty's restrictions and reach the Shattered World, including a group secretly sent by the Arcane Church.

Bennett welcomed Nero back to Planet Aquamarine while the Avitan Wraiths prepared to destroy the planet in revenge for Black Star taking the Evolution Cube. Ames intercepted and killed the attackers, and Dragon Calm arrived at Planet Aquamarine to help protect it.

• Nero returned to Planet Aquamarine and told Bennett about his space trip and his upcoming Mechanic studies with Reynold.
• The Avitan Wraiths prepared to launch five superheavy Psionic Energy bombs at Planet Aquamarine, blaming Black Star for taking the Evolution Cube.
• Ames arrived aboard Dragon Calm, crushed the Star Pupil Protoss attackers with her force field, and ordered Verna to search their ship for weapons.
• Iso told Ames that the attackers had planned to destroy Planet Aquamarine, though Black Star's orbital defenses would have stopped them if Dragon Calm had not intervened.
• Bennett watched Dragon Calm approach Planet Aquamarine and welcomed its arrival.