Xi Yujin had been worrying about Gano's past and future. Yet the moment he saw that bouquet of flowers, all his worries vanished like smoke.

His heart began pounding with an almost overwhelming presence. His mind heated up, spinning so fast that it could barely keep up. He found himself speaking to Gano almost on instinct. He could sense his own voice saying something, probably about the Mother Box.

Gano listened while watching him, those emerald-green eyes reflecting his figure. A strange thought surfaced in Xi Yujin's mind. How strange. Someone as vividly and undeniably alive as Gano, how could anyone say that he is incapable of thinking?

Gano might be a deserter of the Zerg, but he was also the most important passenger aboard Tidal Peace.

By the time Xi Yujin came back to himself, he was already holding the flowers. He had the urge to bury his face in them, to hide the inexplicable shyness rising within him.

But he remembered how Gano had been when they first met, and realized just how deeply the Zerg's rules had damaged him. Thinking of that, a sentence slipped out before he could stop it:

"Gano, transfer your household registration to me!"

Xi Yujin stood there righteously, practically radiating an aura of justice.

"I'll give you a Blue Planet green card!"

Gano had no idea how Xi Yujin's thinking had jumped to this point. A question mark practically materialized above his head, but he nodded obediently all the same.

Seeing the confusion in Gano's eyes, Xi Yujin corrected himself: "What I mean is... if you want, you can become a Blue Planet citizen. Be with me. Become part of Earth's lingering warmth."

He shook the oversized bouquet, and tender red petals drifted onto his hair. Something in Gano's heart felt like it was brushed by a feather. The words Xi Yujin spoke seemed almost spellbinding, making him want to follow them without question.

A smile appeared in Xi Yujin's eyes. He was genuinely happy to receive the flowers, though he couldn't quite explain where the happiness came from. Nevertheless, it warmed him from the inside out. Under the sunlight, his eyelashes cast faint shadows across his face, and he said softly:

"Gano... this kind of expression. I'd like more of it."

Gano was already a little dazed, and could only repeat: "For Yujinno... more... a little more."

That alluring state passed quickly. Xi Yujin returned to his usual bright demeanor, like a diamond spirit, good all the way through, radiating a pure, sparkling brilliance.

He suggested they walk around a bit more because he didn't want to return to the ship so soon. He wanted to linger in this moment a little longer, stretch it out just a bit more.

But fate rarely cooperates. Just as Xi Yujin was immersed in strolling across the dunes with Gano, he forgot something rather important:

He had scheduled Born Again with the Spring Wind to auto-publish.

So while the two of them were wrapped in tender, budding affection, readers across the universe felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over their heads and stared blankly at their optical computers.

The readers were originally thrilled.

Some were dissatisfied that Liu Bang had emerged victorious in the Chu-Han Contention, finding him something of a rogue, but the rare achievement of unification stirred their hearts all the same. The Han dynasty, and the Han script that became Blue Planet's common tongue, wasn't that enough to show how important this era was?

After the Han dynasty was established, the protagonist became a musician. By chance, he gained fame and was transferred to the palace as a court musician. Having endured years of hardship, he only wanted a quiet life of self-cultivation, and the role suited him, so he accepted.

Through his position, he witnessed countless intrigues within the palace. The open and hidden conflicts left readers devouring every detail.

"Empress Lü is ruthless... but also incredibly formidable."

"It wasn't this obvious before, but this chapter really makes me feel the political intrigue. If I were in there, I'd be riddled with holes in seconds."

"Same here. Better to just follow Pu Wei and watch from behind!"

The protagonist witnessed the reigns of Emperors Wen and Jing, a time of recovery where people lived in peace and stability. Readers watching from outside found their eyes welling up. They knew all too well how chaotic and bitter life had been before. As thrilling as history could be, who wouldn't want peace?

Soon after, the protagonist changed identities again, becoming a low-ranking soldier and encountering the famed generals of the era.

They crushed the Xiongnu, rode north to seal their victory at Mount Langju, and built the outer Great Wall, after which no royal court remained south of the desert!

They annexed Nanyue and Dian, campaigned west to Dayuan, subdued the Western Regions, and opened the Silk Road!

The passionate battle scenes left readers equally exhilarated.

One reader named Sisi even punched a fist into the air. They were a mixed-blood long-lived species, longer-lived than average but not as enduring as lab-created beings, and had always lived casually. They never understood what was so appealing about longevity that other races envied it so much. To them, life was no different from that of short-lived species: travel, work, read, travel again. Why would anyone want more of that?

But after reading Born Again with the Spring Wind, their perception of time changed completely.

From a broader perspective, the flow of time was astonishingly vivid. There were moving farewells of life and death, and the terrifying, god-defying final stand of the Hegemon-King. Even ancient close-range warfare left readers breathless with emotion.

Sisi felt as if they could finally grasp the weight of each passing moment. Humans had achieved near-miraculous feats within their brief, finite lives. How could they waste more time?

"Sealing victory at Mount Langju! So incredible!"

"'Those who offend the mighty Han shall be punished, no matter how far!' Good! Good!"

"Watching the Han empire expand step by step is so satisfying that I feel like I'm swelling with pride. I want to follow Blue Planet and achieve great things too! Please take me with you!"

Sisi excitedly typed in their chatter, not caring that their exclamations would be heard by the fellow travelers on the ship. They were simply too happy, and they believed their companions felt the same.

Then, suddenly, Longevity Literature posted a new thread on the forum.

Like Mihuan Literature and Interactive Literature, which had previously competed with Blue Planet, they candidly acknowledged their own shortcomings. The dramatic author showdowns readers had anticipated never materialized. Blue Planet literature was like a massive ship. Others, seeing it, instinctively learned to yield with the tide.

Longevity Literature's post read with remarkable sincerity:

 

"Sometimes we wonder what the point of such a long life is. It often feels like we only witness the cruelty of existence through repeated partings... Yet Born Again with the Spring Wind offers another perspective. If our lives can become witnesses to the rise and fall of history, then they are not wasted.

We are unfortunate not to have been born on that isolated yet brilliant planet, but we are fortunate that countless civilizations await our exploration, and the most dazzling among them is the Blue Planet civilization we communicate with today..."

 

Longevity Literature had always enjoyed a strong reputation on the forum, and many readers were deeply moved.

Authors from Mihuan Literature and Interactive Literature came forward as well, saying they had gained much new knowledge through exchanges with Blue Planet. Interactive Literature was even connected with Blue Planet's platforms, helping develop and manage many online tabletop games, gradually building its own reputation.

Meanwhile, Sisi noticed something else:

"Blue Planet recently accepted three Literary Exchange Day invitations... and won every single one. They've already set multiple records: the longest winning streak on Exchange Days, the record for creating a new genre, and the legendary record for the fastest securing of an Intelligent Machines Q&A opportunity. Truly terrifying achievements. Can any other novelist surpass them?"

More readers chimed in:

"Anything from Blue Planet is guaranteed quality!"

"From now on, I know: if I see 'Blue Planet,' I'm clicking without thinking."

"Who else even dares to host exchanges? We love this!"

"Blue Planet really accepts everyone? Then I'll immediately create my own literary brand and invite Blue Planet novelists to exchange ideas with me 108 times!"

"Let's crowdfund a literary brand together!"

The forum atmosphere surged to a new peak following Longevity Literature's statement. But the excitement didn't stop there. A novelist who introduced themselves as a member of the Green Clan posted about their private literary exchanges with Blue Planet, brimming with pride. Sisi and other readers saw the words "Blue Planet literature" and clicked immediately.

What they found was yet another surprise.

While out on their walk with Gano, Xi Yujin had been pestered by the Green Clan again, so he sent them the translation of Dream of the Red Chamber along with some related materials.

The Green Clan was as delighted as a mouse that had fallen into a grain barrel.

With permission obtained, they decided to release Dream of the Red Chamber on the AI Forum.

"We can also share our research materials. We're definitely the longest-reading readers outside of Blue Planet itself. This will massively boost the Green Clan's influence!"

Their reasoning felt perfectly natural to them. They even began dreaming of widespread acclaim.

The moment the translation of Dream of the Red Chamber was released, it caused a sensation.

Since the original novel was set in a fictional dynasty, readers treated unfamiliar elements as imagined history and pressed on.

They became immersed in this work that felt both fictional and utterly real.

"This is... a literary feast from Blue Planet. I'm only a few chapters in and already crying. What is happening? It's not even for the plot. The opening chapters are quite engaging. I'm just wondering... am I really allowed to read this? A treasure like this, and they just released it openly?"

Sisi held back their excitement and gave that comment a like. Then they looked out the window, forcing themselves to pause. If they kept reading, the tears would blur their vision.

They didn't even know why they were crying.

Was it reverence for ancient history? Or nostalgia for a distant past?

Just thinking about how long this universe had existed, and how they could glimpse ages long gone through history, made them feel that their long life was not lonely after all. The figures that leapt from the pages of literature filled their soul. How wonderful it is to witness all of this.

"Physical copies! I need physical books!" Sisi joined countless other readers leaving messages on Blue Planet's official site.

Some readers familiar with marketing tactics added, "Author signatures too! Bonus art booklets! Book signings! I'll crawl through a wormhole if I have to!"

The production cost of physical books was extremely high, but many publishers had already caught the scent of opportunity. Licensing invitation emails flooded Blue Planet's inbox like snowflakes.

On the forums, readers even began imagining the experience of reading a physical copy:

"All I need is a cup of cocoa tea and a few perilla cakes, flipping through those cool pages during a journey, feeling that matte, mineral texture under my fingers: pure bliss."

"I don't just want Dream of the Red Chamber; I want Born Again with the Spring Wind, A Hundred Years Together, Anniversary, and everything else. I won't even spare their short story collections!"

"Exactly! Release a combined anthology!"

Sisi felt as happy as if they themselves had been praised. They wandered the forum, liking every comment they found agreeable, and then burned incense and bathed before devoutly reading this ancient masterpiece with utmost reverence.

Meanwhile, Xi Yujin was still walking side by side with Gano across the desert, close enough that the backs of their hands occasionally brushed against each other.

Sisi read all the way to the end of the translated Dream of the Red Chamber in one breath. With the Green Clan's analysis, the Intelligent Machines' interpretations, and commentary from various "Blue Planet civilization experts" layered on top, they finally managed to grasp the surface meaning of the story.

They let out a long breath and collapsed into their chair. Their crewmates noticed and asked what had happened.

"Too absorbed," Sisi said weakly. "Didn't drink a drop of water while reading this. I need water..."

A crewmate glanced at the screen, saw Blue Planet literature, and immediately understood. They brought over an entire barrel of water and advised, from experience: "Next time, prepare water in advance. What if I'm reading too? You can also mix in other Blue Planet novels; switching stories now and then might keep you from getting quite so immersed."

"I see..." Sisi gulped down water, and their body practically rehydrated before their eyes. They perked up. "My mental instability feels much better!"

"Of course," the crewmate said casually. "Haven't you noticed? Every Blue Planet novel is especially effective at easing that condition. There are plenty of books on the AI Forum, but there's still a gap..."

"But that's not what I care about," Sisi said, analyzing their own feelings. "My condition is quite severe, but after reading Blue Planet literature, my first thought wasn't that it could heal me. It was that I want the next chapter!"

They greedily rubbed their optical computer. "When is Dream of the Red Chamber updating chapter 81..."

At that moment, out in the desert, Xi Yujin and Gano ran into a small bit of trouble. An Intelligent Machines terminal became upset that they had picked all the flowers and tried to grab Xi Yujin in agitation, only to be scared off when Gano deployed his armor. The terminal shouted "Zerg invasion!" and fled. Xi Yujin spent some time explaining the situation. The two of them even visited a small Intelligent Machines settlement and stayed in lodgings run by other species. Perhaps because he was in such a good mood, Xi Yujin found everything pleasantly agreeable, and every being seemed particularly friendly.

Meanwhile, Sisi and other readers waited and waited for updates that never came. They flooded the Green Clan's post with demands. The Green Clan replied uneasily that Blue Planet hadn't responded.

"They never delay updates..." the Green Clan thought anxiously. "Did something happen? No, this is the deep-space prison. What could possibly go wrong? Probably just a novelist's old habit. Sigh... authors who delay updates do have a certain endearing quality..."

They tried to reassure themselves.

But usually, reassurance only comes when something already feels wrong deep down.

Sisi turned instead to Born Again with the Spring Wind and A Hundred Years Together.

After reading about the Restoration under Emperors Zhao and Xuan, they arrived at Wang Mang's usurpation of the Han.

Readers found Wang Mang's many policies fascinating, describing him as "somewhat out of place in this timeline." They had already come to understand that policies too far ahead of their time, or too far behind, rarely ended well, and so his eventual downfall came as no surprise. All they hoped for now was some emperor to quickly restore the Han and make it the longest-lasting dynasty of all.

Then came Liu Xiu, and his almost miraculous string of events.

"Is this real history? A meteor? Seriously? Liu Xiu was besieged in a city, went out with just thirteen men to seek reinforcements, and a meteor happened to strike the enemy camp? And just as he launched his attack, a powerful wind happened to blow against the enemy?"

"Hahaha, well, it is a novel. A touch of fantasy is perfectly normal. And it's fun!"

"I'm completely baffled. Is this a fantasy? Oh, right, it is a fantasy novel... but something still feels off."

They watched the Eastern Han grow stronger, its envoys even reaching the Roman Empire. Only then did readers realize how many civilizations had flourished on that single planet, deepening their understanding of history as a whole.

They also witnessed the Eastern Han's gradual decline: corruption in the court and power falling into the hands of eunuchs.

Born Again with the Spring Wind dedicated an entire volume to this era, titled Rivalry of Heroes, which opened a grand historical panorama.

The protagonist, Pu Wei, changed roles once more, becoming a cook in a tavern. Amid the flow of guests, he learned of the world's shifting tides through their conversations. Those in the court seemed distant, until one ordinary day when the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out. Bandits took advantage of the chaos, stormed the tavern, and dragged innocent patrons out to be executed in the open.

Among the ruins, those who had laughed and talked just yesterday now lay lifeless. Covered in dust, the protagonist knelt on the ground, wishing it were all a dream, but the pain of reality cut deep. In that moment, it understood: the world was descending into chaos.

At the end of the Eastern Han, warlords rose, and heroes emerged. Yet the people suffered, displaced and starving, plagued by disasters and disease. Endless hardship awaited the living, and the road ahead was dark and without end.

Readers watched countless brilliant figures give their lives for their ideals, some bold, some compassionate. They had once felt stirred to follow these heroes into battle, only to watch them all return to dust in the end. Each reader had their favorite hero of the Three Kingdoms, but few met a good end. The passion kindled in earlier chapters was now pierced through by the cold passage of time.

Stepping back from the story, all that remained was a vast, aching desolation.

"When... will there be an ending?"

Readers tried to turn the page, eager to know how the Three Kingdoms would conclude, only to be told they had reached the end of the updates.

"Why have Qiongtian and Canghai both stopped updating at the same time?"

Confusion spread.

Ding!

"Your scheduled message has been sent. Please check it promptly!"

Inside Tidal Peace, a notification echoed through the empty cabin.

This had been part of Xi Yujin's escape plan: create a massive sensation, stir the readers into chaos, and escape amid the turmoil. But he didn't expect that the Machine Mother Box would be so reasonable, nor Gano's actions to come so suddenly, causing his entire plan to be thrown off.

By now, they should have been at the edge of the deep-space prison, ready to flee the moment the "big news" dropped.

Instead:

The Green Clan received a message:

 

"Dear friend, greetings.

By the time you read this, we must regretfully inform you that Dream of the Red Chamber will have no continuation. If you wish to read an unofficial ending, please see the attached conclusions written by others..."

 

Alien readers received a notice:

 

"Updates suspended as of today.

Words fail me.

I cannot put my pen to paper.

—Qiongtian."

 

Then, through the Green Clan, readers learned about the chaotic unofficial continuations of Dream of the Red Chamber.

The accumulation of these unexpected events ultimately caused an emotional outburst.

At that moment, Xi Yujin suddenly remembered...

Didn't he have an escape plan? And didn't he schedule a whole series of timed messages to be sent out?