Chapter Summaries

Han Xiao returned to Black Star Army headquarters, where he discovered Nero had gained Intermediate Mechanical Sense while Reynold’s punishing lessons continued. He then discussed the hunt for Sagman’s group with Tarrokov and the threat of a renewed Beyond Grade A conflict, concluding that Sisko could not escape the Dynasty’s reach in the Shattered Star Ring.

• Han Xiao arrived at headquarters with Milizaus, Beoni, and Maxiler and was greeted by a formal display arranged by Sylvia and the officers.
• Han Xiao learned the army was prospering, then checked on Nero and discovered that Nero had acquired Intermediate Mechanical Sense.
• Han Xiao told Reynold to use Milizaus’s blood to make a potion that would help Nero endure his studies, leaving Nero devastated that his lessons would continue.
• Han Xiao replenished Reynold’s Perfect Mechanical Sense with a Blank Character Card and later discussed the search for Sagman and the Arcane Church’s spy network with Tarrokov.
• Tarrokov and the others recalled the Tragedy of the Pinnacle and feared that further Beyond Grade A deaths could trigger another assassination campaign.
• Han Xiao and Tarrokov identified Sisko as a target who could not flee the Shattered Star Ring, and Han Xiao thought Sisko should move house.

Han Xiao strengthened the Black Star Army while the Crimson Dynasty and Arcane Church negotiated over the captured Beyond Grade As. Sagman and Taylor continued hiding in the Shattered Star Ring, but Black Star Army members noticed suspicious red names near their port.

• The Crimson Dynasty’s search for Sagman and the others failed, while the Arcane Church privately sought negotiations to ransom Dilun and Motes.
• Han Xiao replenished his mechanical army, assigned Apostle Weapons to Silver Flash, Giant King Kong, and Heavenly Wild Hunt, and sold dungeon crystals based on the Battle of Lighthouse Star.
• Lagi suggested that Han Xiao stop searching for the hidden Beyond Grade As and leave the hunt to the Crimson Dynasty, but Han Xiao dismissed him.
• Sagman and Taylor reached a neutral spaceport in disguises and prepared to leave using a newly purchased spaceship.
• Black Star Army members noticed Sagman and Taylor as apparent red names and decided to follow them.

Sagman and Taylor killed the Black Star Army players who followed them and escaped Hearth Neutral Port, but the players’ report gave Han Xiao a lead on the Arcane Church Beyond Grade As. Han Xiao launched a player search mission and began hacking the port’s records to track the fugitives.

• Sagman and Taylor realized Black Star Army players were following them and silently killed them before leaving the neutral port in a small spacecraft.
• The players saw that their attackers had inflicted over 80,000 damage and suspected they had encountered the Beyond Grade A targets in the Army’s manhunt.
• Han Xiao completed the Mammoth, a custom mechanical body designed to carry [Dominator's Descent].
• After receiving the players’ report, Han Xiao concluded that Sagman and Taylor were likely among the Arcane Church fugitives and shared the intelligence with Tarrokov.
• Han Xiao posted a prize-pool mission asking Army players to search the area for clues about the disguised targets.
• Han Xiao ordered Phillip to hack Hearth Neutral Port’s database so he could trace the fugitives through their identities and spaceship records.

Han Xiao traced Sagman and Taylor through their cover identities and secret account, helping the Crimson Dynasty narrow its hunt for the Arcane Church spies. The dynasty's forces cornered Sagman and Taylor in the Shattered Star Ring, and the two charged into battle rather than surrender.

• Han Xiao hacked the neutral port's databases and traced Sagman and Taylor's spaceship purchase to a secret account, uncovering leads to Arcane Church spies.
• Millions of Black Star Army players accepted the regional manhunt, while the Crimson Dynasty interrogated captured spies and identified likely contacts for Sagman and Taylor.
• Sagman and Taylor abandoned their ship and changed identities, but the dynasty quietly tracked them and prepared an ambush.
• Sorokin led the Fallen Ark fleet into the Shattered Star Ring's unstable wormholes despite Harkison's warnings.
• Han Xiao, Milizaus, and the dynasty's other Beyond Grade As trapped Sagman and Taylor's ship, but the two refused to surrender and charged into the surrounding forces.

The Crimson Dynasty captured Sagman and Taylor, strengthening its position against the Arcane Church and ending the Church’s attempt to seize the Evolution Cube. After sealing the prisoners, Han Xiao received a new mission: lead a fleet with Heber to pressure the Star Pupil Protoss rather than capture Sisko.

• A Dynasty official canceled the Arcane Church’s ransom negotiations after Sagman and Taylor were captured, forcing the Church to negotiate new terms.
• The Dynasty announced it held four Arcane Church Beyond Grade As, while players celebrated their role in helping capture Sagman and his companion.
• Ninja escaped with the Scepter of All Gods, and the Arcane Church’s leaders accepted that their operation had failed and put plans to target Black Star on hold.
• Han Xiao sealed Sagman and Taylor in Space-Time Amber aboard the returning Dynasty fleet and received 4,500 Dynasty contribution points.
• Tarrokov assigned Han Xiao and Heber to lead part of the fleet to the Star Pupil Protoss’ territory and apply pressure, while the Dynasty canceled its plan to capture Sisko.

Han Xiao and Heber led an Imperial fleet to the Star Pupil Protoss homeworld to force Sisko to meet them. Han Xiao publicized their arrival, intimidated the Protoss officials, and used the Evolution Cube to challenge their claim to it while pressuring Sisko to return.

• Han Xiao summoned Ames to join the mission, but she refused after learning Heber would be there.
• The Star Pupil Protoss Council learned that the Imperial fleet had reached its border, and Sisko ordered them to receive Han Xiao and Heber before returning himself.
• Han Xiao and Heber arrived at a colonial planet, where Heber gave the Protoss three days to produce Sisko.
• Han Xiao bypassed the Protoss information blockade and spread sensational stories about Sisko and the Dynasty’s visit across their network.
• Fosters slammed envoy Jade’s head against a table after Jade threatened Han Xiao, while Han Xiao handed the Evolution Cube to guard Lalaime and challenged him to take it away.
• Han Xiao reclaimed the Evolution Cube and explained that he had come to pressure Sisko into severing his psychic link to it.

Sisko arrived to face Han Xiao, Heber, and the Crimson Dynasty envoy, who forced him to accept reparations and publicly apologize for the attack on Lighthouse Star. Han Xiao also made Sisko sever his link to the Evolution Cube and announce that he had given it to Black Star, leaving Sisko to prepare for a press conference and the backlash.

• Sisko arrived, and Han Xiao struck him into a wall before allowing the tense meeting to proceed.
• The dynasty envoy presented terms demanding reparations and a public apology, and Sisko accepted them.
• Heber urged Sisko to leave the Shattered Star Ring, but Sisko refused to abandon his home.
• Han Xiao demanded that Sisko sever his link to the Evolution Cube and publicly give it to him, and the dynasty envoy backed the demand.
• Sisko severed the link, and Han Xiao left with the Evolution Cube after warning Sisko that failure had a price.
• Sisko ordered a government press conference and told Jade that he would make the announcement himself.

Han Xiao returned toward headquarters after Sisko agreed to reparations and surrendered the Evolution Cube, while the Star Pupil Protoss erupted in anger over Sisko’s public apology. The Arcane Church regrouped around its surviving assets, but Ninja was ambushed in the Desolate Universe Belt by Mechanic Emperor.

• Han Xiao, Heber, and the Dynasty envoy parted ways after the Star Pupil Protoss agreed to reparations, and Han Xiao headed back to Black Star Army headquarters.
• Sisko publicly apologized, accepted responsibility, agreed to reparations, and relinquished the Evolution Cube to Black Star, provoking widespread anger among the Star Pupil Protoss.
• Sisko’s aides urged him to control the backlash, but he chose to let the people vent and wait for public opinion to shift.
• Arcane Church bishops discussed ransom negotiations for Motes and Dilun and learned that Ninja had escaped with the Scepter of All Gods.
• Ninja’s ship was crushed near a stargate station in the Desolate Universe Belt, and Mechanic Emperor appeared with a force of machines and demanded the Scepter of All Gods.

The Mechanic Emperor captured Ninja and took the Scepter of All Gods for the Federation of Light, which had secretly arranged the attack. The Arcane Church suspected the Federation but lacked proof, while Bader celebrated the theft and planned to study the Scepter's seal.

• The Mechanic Emperor restrained Ninja, took the Scepter of All Gods, and imprisoned him for the Federation of Light.
• The Arcane Church learned Ninja had vanished and debated whether Black Star, the Crimson Dynasty, or another power had attacked him.
• The Arcane Church's bishops concluded the Federation of Light was the likeliest culprit and received the Church Leader's order to placate the Crimson Dynasty before dealing with the Federation.
• Bader told the Federation of Light's council elders that the Mechanic Emperor had secured the Scepter of All Gods for them.
• Bader said the Federation would use the Scepter as a limited-use weapon and have its research institute break the Space-Time Amber seal.

Han Xiao used the Evolution Cube to gather elites from civilizations across the Shattered Star Ring, strengthen the Black Star Army’s network, and oversee their evolution. As he considered the players’ approaching mid-version transformation, Heber learned that Han Xiao was competing with the Tyrant’s Gathering and grew furious over Han Xiao’s public joke at his expense.

• Elites selected by civilizations across the Shattered Star Ring arrived at Black Star Army headquarters for their Evolution Cube slots, where they mingled and made connections.
• Han Xiao returned to headquarters, addressed the gathered elites, joked that Heber was hiding among them, and used the Evolution Cube to begin their evolution.
• Han Xiao reflected on the players’ progress toward Version 3.0’s middle stage and the coming Professional League, expecting mechanics and the Black Star Army to benefit.
• Heber learned that Han Xiao was using the Evolution Cube gathering to compete with the Tyrant’s Gathering and vowed to beat him after hearing about the public joke.

After the Evolution Cube transformed the gathered elites, Han Xiao hosted a banquet to welcome them and build connections. As the celebration continued, Cecilin of the Gular Civilization privately approached Han Xiao with a request.

• Pamela and the other elites completed their evolution, and the Black Star Army invited them to a banquet.
• Han Xiao and his officers dressed for the banquet, where he welcomed the guests and exchanged contact information with them, including Pamela.
• Han Xiao and Hila reminisced about their years together and toasted their friendship.
• Cecilin of the Gular Civilization asked to speak with Han Xiao privately about a request, and Han Xiao led him toward a private room.

Cecilin asked Han Xiao to help the Pioneer Party overthrow the Ancient Emperor Party and defeat the Descent Party, arguing that it offered Gular a better future. Han Xiao declined to commit, planned to hear the other parties’ offers, and considered turning the resulting Grade S conflict into a mission for the players.

• Cecilin explained Gular’s division among the Ancient Emperor Party, the Pioneer Party, and the Descent Party, then asked Han Xiao to help the Pioneer Party take power.
• Cecilin described his disillusionment with the Ancient Emperor Party and revealed that it had sent him to seek Black Star Army support against the other parties.
• Han Xiao refused Cecilin’s request because Cecilin had no agreement or concrete payment to offer, even after Cecilin prostrated himself and pleaded for help.
• A Grade S mission appeared, requiring the Pioneer Party to rule Gular, but Han Xiao left without accepting and decided to seek the other parties’ proposals first.
• Han Xiao considered handing the civil-war mission to the players, then examined Phillip’s intelligence confirming that all three parties had serious flaws and that the Ancient Emperor Party was deeply unpopular.

After the Evolution Banquet, Han Xiao accepted the Pioneer Party’s offer to hire the Black Star Army in the Gular Civilization’s conflict, then issued a faction mission for the Army’s players. He withdrew to his mechanical factory to prepare for confronting Sorokin once his experience penalty ended.

• Han Xiao contacted the Ancient Emperor Party, learned its Grade S mission, then called the Pioneer Party leader and agreed to help the Pioneer Party overthrow the Ancient Emperor Party’s rule.
• Cecilin learned that the Pioneer Party had secured an employment agreement with the Black Star Army and realized his earlier warning had helped change Han Xiao’s decision.
• Han Xiao published a faction mission for the players, who eagerly signed up to fight in the Gular Civilization’s conflict.
• Han Xiao decided to remain in seclusion and build his mechanical army while preparing to kill the evolved Sorokin.

Bader arranged for the Scepter of All Gods to be studied, while Manison secretly concluded that the Space-Time Amber protecting it was a Cosmic Wonder. The Federation of Light’s research team failed to analyze or crack the amber, leaving the president’s plan in doubt.

• Manison told Bader that the Scepter of All Gods had been delivered and asked to accompany him when he approached Black Star.
• After ending the call, Bader checked with a Federation of Light Virtual Mechanic and confirmed that no unusual quantum-network activity had been detected.
• Manison studied the Space-Time Amber and decided it was a Cosmic Wonder that would be difficult for anyone but Black Star to crack.
• Researchers at a Federation of Light military base tried to analyze the Scepter of All Gods but found that their equipment could not penetrate or identify the amber.
• The research director exhausted conventional analysis methods and realized the team might not be able to meet Bader’s demand to crack the seal.

Bader learned that neither the Federation of Light nor the Arcane Church could break Space-Time Amber, leaving both unable to use their seized Universal Treasures. As tensions eased, the Black Star Army arrived to support the Pioneer Party in the Gular Civilization’s civil war, where players prepared for ground-combat missions.

• Bader reviewed a classified file on Frogo, the Space-Time Freezer, and suspected a connection between Frogo’s ability and Space-Time Amber before sending the file to the research department.
• The Arcane Church failed to break the seal on Dilun and took comfort in believing the Federation of Light was equally unable to use the Scepter of All Gods.
• The Federation of Light and the Arcane Church monitored each other’s research as their forces withdrew from the border and the interstellar situation settled.
• The Black Star Army fleet arrived in Gular space after the Pioneer Party allied with it, prompting the Ancient Emperor Party and Descent Party to attack the Pioneer Party.
• The Pioneer Party provided star maps and battlefield missions, and players eagerly selected ground-combat assignments across the enemy-held planets and bases.

The Black Star Army’s Immortals helped the Pioneer Party seize colony planets from the Ancient Emperor Party, whose leaders struggled to find a way to resist. A mysterious Beyond Grade A took control of the Ancient Emperor Party leader, offered support, and advised them to hire the Immortals, leaving the leaders unsure but willing to try.

• Frenzied Saber, Maple Moon, and their fellow players helped clear a city of Ancient Emperor Party defenders and Grade B elites.
• The Ancient Emperor Party leaders learned that the Immortals had taken twenty-one colony planets and blamed Cecilin’s defection for their desperate position.
• A mysterious person took control of the Ancient Emperor Party leader and offered military and resource support against the Black Star Army.
• The controller advised the leaders to try employing the Black Star Army’s Immortals, then released the leader and vanished.
• A stationed Calamity Grade concluded that a Beyond Grade A had instantly broken the leader’s mental defenses, and the leaders agreed to consider the employment suggestion.

The Ancient Emperor Party publicly asked the Black Star Army to switch sides, triggering a Grade S mission for army players and making Han Xiao suspect that someone was targeting them. Meanwhile, a mysterious Beyond Grade A-backed force arrived to aid the Ancient Emperor Party, and its hidden patron concluded that Han Xiao had recognized some of the patterns he was studying.

• The Pioneer Party leaders laughed at the Ancient Emperor Party's public appeal for the Black Star Army to change sides, while the announcement baffled the Descent Party and demoralized Ancient Emperor Party soldiers.
• Army players received a Grade S mission to help the Ancient Emperor Party, but none accepted it because they preferred to remain with the Black Star Army and support the Pioneer Party.
• Han Xiao noticed that the appeal had triggered the mission for players and wondered whether the Ancient Emperor Party's move had been aimed at recruiting them.
• A mysterious fleet arrived in Ancient Emperor Party territory, and its four Calamity Grade leaders said they were following orders from an unnamed Beyond Grade A.
• The mysterious man told the Ancient Emperor Party leader that his experiments with behavioral patterns did not always work and observed that Han Xiao had grasped some of those patterns.

Han Xiao identified the force aiding the Ancient Emperor Party as an affiliate of Sorokin’s Infinite Financial Group and sent the Guard Squad to eliminate its fighters. After the probe ended and the Gular Civilization’s civil war returned to the Pioneer Party’s control, Han Xiao’s sixteen-month experience penalty period ended.

• Han Xiao recognized Luther as an Infinite Financial Group operative and suspected the group was testing how his Immortal Army’s players responded to missions.
• Han Xiao ordered Hila and the Guard Squad to reinforce the front lines and kill Luther and his three companions, then sent Dark Emperor as backup.
• Hila and the Guard Squad killed Luther’s three companions and crushed Luther’s mind after he refused Hadavy’s offer to surrender.
• Sorokin ended the Infinite Financial Group’s cooperation with the Ancient Emperor Party, deciding that further probing would cost too much, while resolving not to forget Black Star’s actions.
• The Infinite Financial Group made no further moves, the Ancient Emperor Party lost its support, and the civil war returned to the Pioneer Party and the Black Star Army.
• After several months in seclusion, Han Xiao’s sixteen-month experience penalty period ended.

Han Xiao ended the Evolution Cube’s experience penalty, leveled up to 280, and gained new abilities after completing his advancement mission with the Universe-Level Legend Point he earned from the Arcane Church. As he prepared to contact the Dynasty about Sorokin, Phillip revealed that survivors of the Space-Time Freezer’s race had requested a meeting, and Han Xiao agreed.

• Han Xiao’s 40% experience penalty expired, and he used his stored experience to reach level 280.
• Han Xiao completed the Legend Sets Sail advancement mission with his Enemy of the Arcane Legend Point and gained new talents, a skill, and an energy level of 53,750.
• Han Xiao examined his upgraded attributes and decided to contact the Dynasty about its situation with the Arcane Church and his plan to deal with Sorokin.
• Phillip told Han Xiao that survivors of the Space-Time Freezer’s race had sent an encrypted message requesting a meeting.
• Han Xiao suspected the Federation of Light was behind the message and instructed Phillip to accept the meeting.

Han Xiao arranged an open meeting with the Federation of Light, then learned that the Dynasty and Arcane Church had nearly settled their negotiations and that the Dynasty planned to enlist him against Sorokin. The Federation accepted his invitation, while Manison prepared to meet Han Xiao and assess the Space-Time Amber.

• Han Xiao refused a private meeting with the Federation of Light and invited its envoys to visit the Black Star Army instead.
• Han Xiao asked Tarrokov about the negotiations; Tarrokov said the Arcane Church would ransom Dilun, Motes, and Taylor, while Sagman would remain in Dynasty custody.
• Tarrokov told Han Xiao that the Dynasty planned to ask him to release a captive and had added him to an operation to intercept Sorokin in the Central Galaxy; Han Xiao agreed to join.
• The Federation of Light accepted Han Xiao's invitation, and Mona received instructions to gauge Han Xiao's attitude and investigate the Space-Time Amber without acting rashly.
• Manison told Mona he would meet Han Xiao in a personal capacity and planned to test his abilities before deciding what to offer for the Space-Time Amber.