Chapter Summaries

Han Xiao joined the universe’s leading Mechanics to study the Virtual Mutiny Virus and considered using Bold Explorer to uncover its origin. As the researchers began work, civilizations, religious fanatics, and players in the quarantined Ancient Star Desert secretly pursued their own plans for the virus.

• Han Xiao and Manison attended a gathering of prominent Mechanics, where Sidrun explained the virus’s stealth, replication, and outbreak triggers and warned that it had to be contained within the Ancient Star Desert.
• Han Xiao suspected the virus core controlled its outbreak conditions and thought Bold Explorer might reveal the virus’s origin.
• Han Xiao and Manison discussed the virus’s unknown source and the possibility of weaponizing it, while agreeing that Mechanics and the Universal Civilizations all wanted the virus core.
• Han Xiao began analyzing three virus packets with Phillip and used Bold Explorer on one of them.
• Star Arc Civilization’s leaders considered secretly preserving infected nodes and transmitting the virus beyond the quarantine, while fanatics in a Mechanic Faith temple argued that the virus should be spread.
• Melancholy Prince accepted an anonymous black-market job to smuggle an infected node out of the Ancient Star Desert, despite the risk of becoming a wanted criminal.

Han Xiao used [Bold Explorer] to witness an advanced mechanical civilization being destroyed by a suspected weapon, then arranged to investigate the virus container and hunt those seeking to exploit the Virtual Mutiny Virus. He secured Harrison and his teammates as temporary assistants and discovered that Harrison possessed [High-Level Lucky Halo].

• Han Xiao sacrificed 60% of his luck attribute to activate [Bold Explorer] and saw a mechanical civilization's planet destroyed by a directed gamma-ray burst.
• Han Xiao suspected the virus came from either the mechanical civilization or its enemy and decided to investigate the triangular device that had contained it.
• Han Xiao persuaded the Empire's Overseer Minister to let Harrison and his teammates work with him and place three Imperial fleets under his command for field operations.
• The Empire's Overseer Minister explained that outside forces and Super Star Cluster civilizations were seeking the virus, while the three universal civilizations were trying to avoid provoking them.
• Han Xiao visited Harrison in prison and told him that he and his teammates would temporarily stay with him.
• Han Xiao saw [High-Level Lucky Halo] in Harrison's attributes and recognized him as his third golden leek.

Han Xiao took command of three Empire fleets to investigate attempts to smuggle the virtual mutiny virus out of the Ancient Star Desert, while recruiting mechanical troops and bringing Harrison and his companions along. After spotting a player mercenary mission on the forums, he set out to catch the players involved and investigate their employer, the Keppel Financial Group.

• Han Xiao asked the Beyond Grade A Mechanics to lend him troops, and they supplied a little over eight million mechanical soldiers.
• Han Xiao took command of three Empire fleets, collected Harrison and his companions from prison, and departed to patrol the Ancient Star Desert.
• Han Xiao read player forum discussions about the Intelligence Plague and found Melancholy Prince's mission to smuggle out the virus for five million Enas.
• Han Xiao decided to track Melancholy Prince, investigate the anonymous employer, and pressure the black market managers to stop virus-smuggling missions.
• Keppel V learned that his organization had recruited Immortal mercenaries to smuggle out the virtual mutiny virus so the Keppel Financial Group could acquire and replicate it.

Melancholy Prince and the Rapier Guild tried to smuggle the Virtual Mutiny Virus for an anonymous commission, but Han Xiao captured and sealed them in Space-Time Amber. Han Xiao planned to use the supposed entrapment to deter other players and headed for the black-market broker behind the commission, while Melancholy Prince exposed the alleged scheme on the forum.

• Melancholy Prince briefed the Rapier Guild on plans to smuggle the virus through the three Universal Civilizations' defenses, including a fallback infiltration tactic.
• Imperial warships trapped the guild's spaceship, and Han Xiao appeared aboard, subdued the players, and found infected communicators.
• Han Xiao falsely claimed the three Universal Civilizations had hired the guild to draw out smugglers, then sealed the Rapier Guild members in Space-Time Amber.
• Han Xiao had Phillip trace the anonymous commission to a black-market broker organization and ordered the fleet toward its headquarters in the Ancient Star Desert.
• Melancholy Prince logged into the forum and posted an angry account of the supposed entrapment operation.

Melancholy Prince exposed the black-market virus-smuggling jobs as a trap, but Han Xiao had anticipated the leak and used it to deter players from accepting the jobs. Han Xiao then confronted the Black Codex on Planet Qijin and forced the organization to surrender its Ancient Star Desert channels to the Crimson Dynasty and Black Star Army.

• Melancholy Prince posted proof that the three Universal Civilizations were using anonymous black-market jobs to entrap virus smugglers, prompting many players to abandon the jobs.
• Han Xiao watched players believe the warning and avoid the jobs, pleased that his plan had worked despite Melancholy Prince thinking he had ruined it.
• The Third Codex Chief heard rumors of the trap, dismissed them, and reaffirmed the Black Codex's commitment to confidentiality and impartiality.
• When an Imperial fleet commanded by Black Star arrived at Planet Qijin, the Third Codex Chief hurried to welcome him.
• Han Xiao demanded that the Black Codex suspend its job guarantees and reveal the anonymous employers behind the virus-smuggling jobs.
• After Han Xiao rejected his appeals to neutrality and the Black Codex's protector, the Third Codex Chief surrendered all the organization's channels in the Ancient Star Desert.

Han Xiao seized control of the Black Codex’s Ancient Star Desert branch and used its records to identify organizations that had hired smugglers to spread the Intelligence Plague. After destroying the Keppel Financial Group, he asked Harrison to help locate the elusive virus core and planned to seek Iso’s divination; the chapter ended with the disaster brought under preliminary control.

• Han Xiao uploaded surveillance programs and copied the Black Codex’s records, then ordered the Crimson Dynasty fleet to publicly visit black market organizations to deter illegal hiring.
• Phillip identified employers who had hired smugglers, and Han Xiao selected the Keppel Financial Group for a public strike.
• Han Xiao used the Mechanical Deity’s Star Slaying Blade to destroy the Keppel fleet, fortress, and planet, then ordered the footage uploaded as a warning.
• Han Xiao asked Harrison to help find the virus core by choosing nodes from data intersections and planned to seek Iso’s divination.
• The three Universal Civilizations cracked down on suspected virus stockpilers and illegal border crossers, while Manison’s team developed antivirus and scanning tools; by July, the Intelligence Plague was under preliminary control.

Han Xiao and Manison discussed the controlled response to the virtual mutiny virus, then clashed over the Mechanic Faith as Manison warned him to stay away. Han Xiao used his accumulated experience to max out all his class knowledge, gaining the Mechanic Great Sage talent and converting future potential points into awakening points.

• Han Xiao learned that the three Universal Civilizations planned to secretly identify infected nodes, clear them simultaneously, and install a firewall, while the search for the virus core continued.
• Manison announced that he would leave the Research and Development Department to seek virus-core clues and visit the Mechanic Faith, then warned Han Xiao not to interfere with his control of it.
• After Manison ended their call, Han Xiao decided he was ready to challenge him again and spent experience maxing out skills to earn potential points.
• Han Xiao invested 144 potential points to max out his remaining Ultimate Knowledge fields and received the Mechanic Great Sage talent, awakening points, and the Inspiration Creation skill.
• Han Xiao examined the new uses of awakening points and wondered whether Manison, Sorokin, and others had obtained their exclusive talents the same way.

Han Xiao discovered that the Virtual Mutiny Virus was an advanced weapon with a mobile electromagnetic core, far more dangerous than the three Universal Civilizations realized. He ended the chapter as the only person who knew its true capabilities and feared their plan to contain it would fail.

• Han Xiao reviewed the benefits of maxing out his class knowledge, resolved to advance to level 340, and received another First Sanctum skill fragment.
• Harrison reported that the Empire fleet was leaving to investigate allegations that the Tygers, White Fur Race, or Ferry People had used the Virtual Mutiny Virus against their rivals.
• Han Xiao decided to investigate the virus again with Bold Explorer and revisited the triangular device that had contained it.
• Han Xiao witnessed researchers identify the virus as the Domino Virus, a weapon made from aberrant intelligent life forms that could infect networks and transform into an electromagnetic life form.
• Han Xiao realized the virus was much more dangerous than the three Universal Civilizations knew and concluded that their plan would not work.

Han Xiao revealed the Domino Virus core’s ability to evolve and move between virtual and physical forms, then urged the three Universal Civilizations to abandon their antivirus plan and capture it. The leaders agreed to verify his claims and considered his ambush proposal, while Manison offered to deploy millions of Dominion avatars.

• Han Xiao realized the virus core could evolve, escape into the physical world, and teleport between nodes in the Ancient Star Desert’s quantum network.
• Han Xiao summoned the three Universal Civilizations’ representatives and Beyond Grade A mechanics and explained what he had learned about the virus core.
• Han Xiao claimed his knowledge came from precognition, and Manison revealed that he, too, had seen the virus core vanish from the quantum network.
• The representatives agreed to verify Han Xiao’s warning, while Kant, Francisco, and Judith discussed the danger of the virus’s next generation.
• Han Xiao proposed shutting down much of the network and ambushing the virus core at terminal nodes with Supreme Virtual mechanics and containment technology.
• Manison endorsed the plan and offered fifty million Dominion avatars to help guard the network nodes.

Han Xiao and the Universal Civilizations planned an operation to trap the Domino Virus core, while Manison revealed he had nearly forty-eight million Dominion Avatars. The leaders approved the plan but resolved to keep the virus technology from other Beyond Grade As, and an unexplained electromagnetic field appeared and vanished around a barren planet.

• Manison claimed he had nearly forty-eight million Dominion Avatars, and Han Xiao privately argued with him about the wasteful stockpile and the price of trading for some.
• Han Xiao, Manison, Kant, Sidrun, and the other Beyond Grade As refined a plan to use divination and Manison’s recorded data traces to locate and capture the virus core.
• Han Xiao considered how few avatars he had compared with Manison and weighed destroying the virus core for his mission against the danger and strategic value of its technology.
• Urranrell, Bader, and the head of the Arcane Church approved the operation and ordered that the virus core and its technology be kept under the three Universal Civilizations’ control.
• A transport fleet detected a brain-like electromagnetic field surrounding a barren planet, but the field disappeared before the crew could investigate or capture it.

The three Universal Civilizations and the Beyond Grade A Mechanics set a trap to force the Domino Virus core out of the Ancient Star Desert’s quantum network. After the virus core materialized at a node on a planet where Han Xiao had a Dominion avatar waiting, the Mechanics raced to intercept it.

• The Star Arc Civilization’s leaders ordered an investigation after learning that the three Universal Civilizations were preparing to shut down the quantum network across the Ancient Star Desert.
• At a Development Federation meeting, Hila worried about Black Star, while Tolain speculated that the three Universal Civilizations had trapped him and the other Mechanics.
• The three Universal Civilizations deployed fleets and mechanical armies at network nodes, and the Federation of Light prepared its Ultra-Range Virtual Brainwave Amplifier for the operation.
• Sidrun announced that the network shutdown was imminent, and the Beyond Grade A Mechanics prepared to track the virus core once the trap was sprung.
• The network went dark across most of the Ancient Star Desert, and the virus core fled as the Mechanics repeatedly blocked its path.
• The virus core materialized at a node on a planet where Han Xiao’s Dominion avatar was waiting, and the Mechanics sent their Dominion consciousnesses toward it.

The Beyond Grade A Mechanics pursued the Virtual Mutiny Virus core to Cloud Magnet Planet, where Manison captured it before the others could intervene. Surrounded by the other Mechanics and the three Universal Civilizations, Manison sought Han Xiao as an ally and unexpectedly agreed to hand him the core.

• The High Priest and Mechanic Faith followers watched as the Mechanics’ Dominion avatars descended through an electromagnetic vortex, then saw the others attack Manison.
• Manison used [Supreme Virtual] to suppress the virus core and sealed it in a specialized container before the other Mechanics attacked him.
• Manison faced the surrounding Mechanics and the three Universal Civilizations, who demanded that he surrender the virus core while he offered to study and share its technology.
• Han Xiao challenged Manison’s claim that they could work together and asked him to hand over the container as proof of his sincerity.
• After questioning whether Han Xiao might break his word, Manison surprised everyone by agreeing to give him the virus core.

Han Xiao weighed Manison’s offer to take the Domino Virus core and recognized that possessing it could trigger a catastrophic conflict with the three Universal Civilizations. He seized the core, then destroyed it, leaving Manison furious and everyone stunned.

• The leaders of the three Universal Civilizations debated whether to tolerate Manison’s plan, with Urranrell arguing against a purge and the Arcane Church leader insisting that their rule could not be threatened.
• Manison offered Han Xiao the virus core and urged him to take it, while Kant and the Imperial representative warned him against accepting it.
• Han Xiao considered the likely consequences of taking the core, including a break with the three Universal Civilizations and the collapse of the Black Star Army’s support.
• Han Xiao used Void Domain Prison to reach Manison and take the virus core, then told the gathered Beyond Grade As that he had reconsidered the risks.
• Han Xiao used Mechanical Force and a Virtual Soul attack to erase the virus core and crush its container.
• Manison erupted in anger and demanded to know whether Han Xiao understood what he had done.

After destroying the Virtual Mutiny Virus core, Han Xiao fought Manison over their irreconcilable views, escalating the clash into a battle between their Mechanical Deities. The Crimson Dynasty ordered its fleet to intervene, telling its forces to support Han Xiao.

• Han Xiao and Manison argued over the destruction of the virus core, then fought while the other Beyond Grade A observers stayed out of it.
• The observers praised Han Xiao for preventing anyone from obtaining the virus technology, and Kant noticed that the Empire's spacetime stabilization anchors had been turned off.
• Han Xiao and Manison summoned their Secondary Dimension Army Boxes and assembled enormous black and silver Mechanical Deities.
• The two Mechanical Deities struck at each other with their Universal Treasure-grade weapons as Mechanic Faith believers watched in awe.
• The Crimson Dynasty commander ordered the fleet to intervene and told the crew to help Han Xiao.

Han Xiao battled Manison’s Mechanical Deity over Cloud Magnet Planet, but Manison’s superior weapons, troops, and equipment overwhelmed him. The Crimson Dynasty intervened against Manison’s forces while Han Xiao struggled to withstand the Mechanic Emperor’s full assault.

• Han Xiao and Manison took their Mechanical Deities into space and fought with Universal Treasure-grade weapons as their armies clashed.
• Manison’s trident pierced Han Xiao’s Mechanical Deity, and Han Xiao began repairing the damage with nearby mechanical soldiers.
• The Crimson Dynasty fleet attacked Manison’s troops, while Glory and Arcane stayed out of the battle.
• Manison revealed an energy-absorbing armor, his Immortal Mechanic Emperor force, dozens of Apostle Weapons, and Finit’s virtual-realm assault.
• Manison equipped his Mechanical Deity with more Universal Treasures and battered Han Xiao with heavy strikes and planet-destroying cannon fire.

Manison overwhelmed Han Xiao in their battle until Han Xiao spent experience and activated multiple boosts to raise his combat power. Han Xiao turned the fight around and forced Manison to take him seriously.

• Mechanic Faith believers and the three Universal Civilization leaders watched as Manison gained the upper hand over Han Xiao.
• Manison's forces damaged Han Xiao's Mechanical Deity and kept his troops from reaching it to make repairs.
• Han Xiao spent experience on Awakening Points and attributes, then activated summon cards, talents, and Blood Energy Berserk to increase his power.
• Han Xiao struck Manison's Mechanical Deity with the Star Slaying Blade, breaking through its defenses and sending it flying.
• Han Xiao pressed his attack as his mechanical troops broke through Manison's blockade and repaired his Mechanical Deity.
• Manison realized Han Xiao's explosive boost had greatly narrowed the gap and prepared to fight at full strength.

Han Xiao and Manison fought to a standstill above Cloud Magnet Planet, with Manison’s strength continuing to rise as Han Xiao’s burst remained temporary. The other Beyond Grade As intervened and declared the fight a draw, forcing Manison to withdraw and leaving Han Xiao with their support.

• Han Xiao used his burst-enhanced Mechanical Deity to battle Manison’s fully equipped Mechanical Deity, and the two remained evenly matched as their armies fought around them.
• Manison revealed another Universal Treasure and kept growing stronger, while Han Xiao realized he could not defeat him in a prolonged fight without risking his resources.
• Han Xiao and Manison discussed whether to continue, but a group of Beyond Grade A mechanical avatars and armies entered the battlefield and separated their forces.
• Kant announced that the fight should end in a draw, and the other Beyond Grade As made clear they would confront Manison if he continued.
• Manison accepted the outcome, recalled his forces, and departed.
• Kant told Han Xiao that the three Universal Civilizations had ordered the intervention, while the other Mechanics had also welcomed a chance to make Manison suffer a setback.

After destroying the Virtual Mutiny Virus core, Han Xiao courted the Mechanic Faith and presented himself as a better protector than Manison. The three Universal Civilizations decided to reward him and weaken Manison, while Han Xiao received a choice of abilities after settling his battle mission.

• Han Xiao visited the Mechanic Faith settlement on Cloud Magnet Planet, offered to build a new city, and told its priests his version of the fight with Manison and the virus core.
• The priests accepted Han Xiao’s account, and he left engineering machines to build their new settlement.
• The leaders of the three Universal Civilizations agreed to reward Han Xiao, publicize his actions, and undermine Manison’s influence and resources.
• Han Xiao confirmed that destroying the virus core had completed a special mission requirement, then settled his battle mission with Manison using Harrison.
• Han Xiao received five possible abilities to extract from Manison, including the powerful Billion Mechanic Emperor talent.

Han Xiao gained Manison’s exclusive talent after defeating him, sharply improving his mechanical production, research, and combat abilities. He assessed how destroying the virus core had changed the Intelligence Plague’s outcome and concluded that his influence would grow, though Manison had suffered a major loss.

• Han Xiao chose [Billion Mechanic Emperor · Manison] from the abilities he had drawn and experienced a brief vision of Manison’s life.
• Han Xiao examined the talent’s enormous production and research bonuses, noting that it would help him build forces and research Universal Treasures faster.
• Han Xiao collected his remaining mission rewards, including experience and the [Energy Resonance] character card.
• Han Xiao concluded that destroying the Domino Virus had greatly reduced the Intelligence Plague’s casualties and earned him rewards and influence among the three Universal Civilizations and the Development Federation.
• Han Xiao considered Manison’s losses, then dismissed his guilt and blamed Manison for being too outrageous.

After destroying the Virtual Mutiny Virus core, Han Xiao received generous rewards and was appointed special security consultant to the three Universal Civilizations. He secured limited access to Ultimate Knowledge and arranged for Harrison and his companions to regain their freedom in exchange for continuing their exploration work for the Black Star Army.

• Han Xiao returned to the disaster command center and met remotely with Urranrell, Bader, and the Arcane Pope, who praised his role in stopping the Intelligence Plague.
• The three Universal Civilizations offered the Black Star Army resources, policy support, and access to some of their Universal Treasure-grade blueprints.
• Urranrell announced that Han Xiao would serve as a special security consultant to the Federation of Light, the Crimson Dynasty, and the Arcane Church, and Han Xiao accepted.
• Han Xiao asked to purchase Ultimate Knowledge for Hila and other promising people; the leaders allowed him to buy three pieces for Hila and teach one piece per class to a restricted, recorded list of people.
• After the leaders went offline, Han Xiao promised Harrison that he and his companions would be freed from their charges, but ordered them to resume exploring under Black Star Army funding and supervision.