The Datheon Envoy Appears Star Map Draftsman II: Fate of the Galaxy

When Jonathan realized that the Sane ship was trying to drag away Lord Winifred’s vessel and escape, he was in the midst of ordering all his ships to flee before further provoking the other civilizations in the Great Migration. Hamilton had long prepared for this contingency—he had replicated a smaller version of the super Star Bridge. Before Lord Winifred could detonate the ship packed with White Crystal, Jonathan’s forces escaped first to a nearby sector. Hidden behind a lightless pile of asteroids, they activated the super Star Bridge. By the time the DeFi Passage closed, they had already returned to the Galaxy. The rest of the plan was far simpler. They knew in their hearts that the massive explosion of the DeFi Passage had surely wiped out all the first- and second-tier civilizations queued up in the Great Migration. Even if a few surviving civilizations had the power to rival Jonathan, there wouldn’t be many. They could now conquer this universe bubble in peace.

But what they hadn’t anticipated was that Dawn Lucius had set his sights on Lord Winifred’s ship.

“Dawn, they’re catching up.” As Jonathan’s ships closed in around the Sane ship, Sandra reminded him with some nervousness.

Dawn Lucius had no strength to reply. He merely gave Sandra a faint smile. With the Sane ship as its center, dark matter rapidly unfurled toward Lord Winifred’s vessel. It enveloped the ship, then began to coil and seal, gradually forming a massive dragnet. Dawn Lucius started towing the ship away into the distance.

Sandra noticed that the blood vessels beneath Dawn Lucius’s skin were turning a brilliant purple, as if they were about to burst through. She grew worried but was powerless to help. She could only pray that Lord Winifred’s ship would soon be pushed clear. Contrary to her wishes, Lord Winifred activated his engines and flew toward the DeFi Passage. While Dawn Lucius and Lord Winifred tugged against each other, Jonathan had already caught up with his fleet.

“What are you doing?” When Sandra accepted Jonathan’s incoming communication, he demanded sharply.

“And what are you doing?” Sandra shot back.

“Put the Star Map Draftsman on.”

“He’s got no time for you,” Sandra replied, turning to glance at Dawn Lucius.

“Fine. Then let him stay silent forever.” After Jonathan ended the call, Sandra distinctly felt the Sane ship shudder.

Through the viewport, another surge of murky purple energy surged toward the Sane ship. It resembled a greedy soul, spreading wildly across Lord Winifred’s vessel, searching for a breach in Dawn Lucius’s dark energy net. While Jonathan manipulated the dark energy, his subordinate ships also pressed in on the Sane ship, trying to ram Dawn Lucius farther away.

Sandra saw that Dawn Lucius appeared to be in great pain. Unable to bear watching him suffer, she broadcast a plea for help across the communication channel to everyone. But after a long wait, no one responded. Sandra could only sit close to Dawn Lucius, gazing at her lover’s face with heartache. Dark matter burned across his body; she didn’t dare touch him. Her hand hovered above his cheek, terrified that he might vanish into the cold void along with the dark matter. Worry consumed her so completely that she didn’t even notice when her hand drew slightly closer—how the dark matter gently licked at her skin.

Finally, Dawn Lucius managed to drag Lord Winifred’s ship a little farther away. Unsatisfied with mere ramming, Jonathan’s ships began firing every weapon at the Sane ship. But it wasn’t long before Stacean Lucius and Duncan’s forces opened fire on Jonathan from behind. The group drifted away from the Great Migration fleet while exchanging fire—a fireworks display in the silent, frozen depths of space.

Only when the DeFi Passage appeared as a disk in Dawn Lucius’s view did he withdraw the dark matter, allowing his nearly burned-out body a moment’s rest. Sandra lifted him and let him lean back in the chair to recover.

At that moment, Sandra noticed a much larger ship approaching them. Trailing behind it was the immortal army led by SuSili. She warned Duncan and Stacean Lucius over the channel; the two redirected their cannons toward the new ship. Yet the newcomer’s target was also Lord Winifred’s vessel.

Once the large ship came to a stop, Sandra received a communication request. When she accepted, the one leading the call was none other than Madam Winifred.

“Now everyone is here,” Madam Winifred’s towering hologram declared sternly.

“Madam, what game are you playing this time?” Prince Burt sneered, but Madam Winifred seemed to have no intention of acknowledging him.

“Jonathan Moreth Steader.” Madam Winifred’s image pointed at the screen. “We share a common goal. You want to destroy the DeFi Passage and rule this universe bubble—I approve.”

“Oh? Does Madam also plan to rule this universe bubble?” Jonathan narrowed his eyes and glanced at Hamilton beside him.

“I think you’ve misunderstood, Moreth Steader.” Madam Winifred shook her head slightly, as if watching a child lie, then continued, “You intend to use Lord Winifred’s ship as a living bomb—that is what concerns me. I have no interest in ruling this universe bubble. All you need is someone to detonate that ship, correct? It doesn’t have to be Lord Winifred.”

“That’s none of your business. Lord Winifred will decide.”

“Moreth Steader.” Madam Winifred raised her voice. “He is my son. You’re sending him to his death. Tell me—who decides?”

“Madam, this universe bubble is about to go dark. Why…” Sandra interrupted.

“I suggest you listen to me first. Otherwise, your brother and your people will vanish the moment I raise my hand. Understand?” Madam Winifred stared hard at the screen. Sandra did not dare speak.

Sandra knew Madam Winifred was fully capable of it—she had come prepared.

“Very well, Madam. I, Jonathan, am not unreasonable. This requires you to speak with Lord Winifred personally.” Jonathan smiled coldly.

“You needn’t worry about that. I will handle the communication.” Madam Winifred glanced behind her, and three ships immediately flew toward Lord Winifred’s vessel.

Sandra felt helpless. She clutched Dawn Lucius’s hand tightly, hoping he would wake soon.

“I’m curious, Madam. How exactly do you plan to ‘communicate’?” Burt mocked.

“If I were you, I’d be more concerned with hurrying through the DeFi Passage,” Madam Winifred replied coldly.

Sandra noticed Carlson tugging at Burt’s sleeve from behind. Burt turned to look at his elder brother, then down at the floor. With a slightly regretful expression, he addressed the screen: “Diplomat”—Sandra knew he was speaking to her—“I’m sorry we couldn’t help you and the Star Map Draftsman. We will take our people and pass quickly through the DeFi Passage. If the Star Map Draftsman is listening, please tell him that the Strath people will take good care of the Solar System’s children. This is our final contact.” Feeling it sounded wrong, Burt quickly added, “I mean our final contact in this universe bubble. I look forward to meeting again within the DeFi Passage.” With that, Burt left the channel.

When Sandra looked out the viewport, the Strath Federation ships—along with most of the Solar System fleet—were heading toward the DeFi Passage. It wouldn’t be long before they settled in a new home. The thought brought Sandra a small measure of comfort.

“Mind your own business. I’m not your son.” It was Lord Winifred, dressed in a pristine white uniform, scepter in hand, seemingly playing the part of a true monarch.

“You are my son.” To everyone’s surprise, Madam Winifred’s tone softened. In all her years in the Orion Arm, no one had ever seen Madam Winifred so gentle. She took a deep breath and continued, “Come home with me. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you. After all, you’ve grown up.”

“You’ll give me anything I want?” Lord Winifred laughed coldly at first, then descended into near-mad laughter until he was spent. He stared hard at the screen: “What I want is so simple. I want to be a real king—the king of the Ashton Federation. Did you agree? Tell me! All these years, nebulae on the edge of the Orion Arm have birthed countless star systems. Countless civilizations have risen from insects to interstellar travelers. I took White Crystal again and again. I worked hard managing the Ashton Federation’s affairs—harder than Jonathan’s Chief Financial Officer. Without me, would the Ashton Federation have such influence? Without me, no one would fear you, fear Madam Winifred. My influence even surpasses Jonathan Moreth Steader’s. In the Ashton Federation, no one dares look down on me. No one dares doubt me. Everyone is willing to follow me. I could lead them to create an even more glorious Ashton Federation. I… I…” Lord Winifred poured out years of grievance, crying as he spoke. After stuttering, he calmed, wiped away his tears, and said coldly, “I was just waiting for your nod, your approval. And yet…”

“I agree!” Madam Winifred interrupted gently before he could finish.

Seeing her attitude, Lord Winifred suddenly looked lost. He fidgeted in his seat, breathing rapidly, throat dry. He nearly broke into tears again, but after a brief adjustment, he gripped his scepter tightly once more. Looking up with a cold smile, he said, “Too late, Mother. Too late. You destroyed me.”

“It’s not too late. You’re my son—nothing is ever too late. Come home.”

“I don’t want to return to your cage, Mother. You’re too terrifying. I want to achieve something great with Jonathan Moreth Steader. He’s the only one who understands me.”

“He doesn’t, son. He doesn’t. He’s only sending you to your death.” Madam Winifred’s tone grew strange, like a wicked old witch softly coaxing a child to eat her enchanted candy.

“If I may, Madam Winifred,” Jonathan cut in with a cold laugh. “I truly don’t understand you. What we young people want is obvious. Lord Winifred and I want to conquer this universe—not to be caged pets. Do you understand?”

“Jonathan Moreth Steader, I advise you to stay out of my family affairs.”

Jonathan did not reply. He turned to glance at Hamilton, as if confirming something. Sandra noticed Hamilton remained silent. She could guess Jonathan was about to act, which made her even more anxious. She squeezed Dawn Lucius’s hand harder, wishing he would wake quickly.

“Madam Winifred, I too hope you can reunite with your son. But have you considered—this isn’t something you can force unilaterally. It requires Lord Winifred’s agreement.” Jonathan switched to a smiling facade.

“Remember this: Do! Not! Interfere!” Madam Winifred enunciated each word.

“Understood, understood. I’ll step out of the channel. You discuss it. I’ll do whatever the Madam says.” Jonathan smiled and cut the communication.

“Now it’s just us,” Madam Winifred said, narrowing her eyes at Sandra and Lord Winifred.

“Madam, your mother-son discussion has nothing to do with me,” Sandra probed.

“Of course it doesn’t concern you. But it concerns the Star Map Draftsman. Where is he?”

“He’s handling other matters. You can tell me.”

“What’s the use of telling you?” Madam Winifred waved impatiently.

“I’ll pass your message to the Star Map Draftsman.” Sandra swallowed hard.

“No need. Tell him to stop meddling with Lord Winifred’s ship. Heard that? Otherwise—” Madam Winifred glanced sideways, as if checking someone’s message, then stared at Sandra and continued—“none of your family, none of the Solar System people, will leave this universe bubble.”

“Madam, we have no desire to oppose you. That was never our intention—”

“Enough.” Madam Winifred kicked Sandra out of the call before she could finish.

Sandra anxiously stroked Dawn Lucius’s face, softly calling his name. She felt the Sane ship tremble slightly—Jonathan’s doing. He was pushing the Sane ship away from Lord Winifred’s vessel, while his own forces also withdrew. Lord Winifred’s ship seemed to struggle alone, but it was held fast by Jonathan’s dark matter—like a mosquito caught in a spider’s web. SuSili’s ship, however, acted like the spider’s ally, flying alongside Lord Winifred’s vessel before docking with it, as if it were a long-lost component—or a custom-made new part.

What Sandra didn’t know was that while Jonathan restrained Lord Winifred’s ship, Madam Winifred used high-level privileges to dock SuSili’s vessel. They boarded, subdued Lord Winifred, and delivered him to Madam Winifred. The one who would detonate the DeFi Passage in Lord Winifred’s place was SuSili.

“Sister, how’s the situation on your end?” Duncan asked anxiously over the channel.

“Temporarily safe. You?” She wearily checked her weapons, then added, “Where’s Stacean Lucius?”

“He’s near me, with the fleet on the left.”

“How? Wasn’t he supposed to migrate with the Strath people?”

“No. He stayed behind to wait for his father.”

“Brother, call him in.”

“Aunt Sandra,” Stacean Lucius said on the channel.

“You should have gone through the DeFi Passage with your people.”

“Katherine is leading them. I stayed to fight with you.”

“No, you don’t understand. What your father wants most is for you to be safe. He doesn’t need—”

“Aunt Sandra,” Stacean Lucius interrupted. “I need it. I need to be with my father.”

Hearing this, Sandra didn’t argue. She understood his choice. In the end, she could only instruct him to stay close to Duncan and to pass through the DeFi Passage with them at the last moment. Stacean Lucius agreed.

Soon after, SuSili piloted Lord Winifred’s ship toward the DeFi Passage. Jonathan’s fleet began withdrawing. Sandra couldn’t pilot the Sane ship; she helplessly shook Dawn Lucius’s arm. Sensing what was about to happen, Dawn Lucius forced his eyes open and sat upright. The Sane ship flew toward the vessel loaded with transformed White Crystal explosives.

As they neared, Dawn Lucius summoned dark matter once more. In a faint voice, he told Sandra he had decided to detonate the ship here, hoping to minimize the damage from the blast. Over the channel, he urged Stacean Lucius and Duncan to fall back. Sandra, of course, chose to stay with him—no matter the outcome, they would face it together.

Dawn Lucius poured all his strength into letting dark matter infiltrate every corner of the ship, then prepared to detonate it. At the same time, he planned to form an outer barrier to contain the post-explosion heat and protect the migrating ships.

Just as he was about to trigger it, Jonathan returned. While countering Dawn Lucius with dark matter, his forces pursued the Strath Federation fleet. Sandra noticed Madam Winifred’s immortal army engaging Duncan in battle, which tightened her heart further.

Dawn Lucius fought Jonathan with everything he had. Though he couldn’t detonate the ship, he managed to hold the bomb vessel in place—it couldn’t advance another centimeter toward the DeFi Passage. After all, Jonathan was no Star Map Draftsman. The equipment Hamilton built was indeed the pinnacle of Orion Arm ingenuity, but prolonged use eroded the user’s willpower and slowed dark matter refinement.

While exerting himself in fits and starts, Jonathan ordered his army to attack the Strath Federation. With the aid of Madam Winifred’s immortal forces, he defeated the Strath once more. Carlson urged Burt not to prolong the fight; amid the mocking laughter of the Centaly people, they leapt into the DeFi Passage without looking back.

As for the Solar System people, the vast majority entered the DeFi Passage under the protection of Dawn Lucius and Katherine. The Duncan family forces were scattered; before they could regroup, Jonathan captured them all. He used Stacean Lucius to threaten Dawn Lucius and Sandra. The pair were bound and brought before Jonathan.

In his words, since Dawn Lucius loved going to another universe bubble so much, he’d now made it simple: he would detain everyone Dawn Lucius cared about in this bubble and see if Dawn still tried to stop him from destroying the DeFi Passage.

Jonathan showed them footage of SuSili detonating it. The once-bright wall dimmed in the massive explosion. Nearby ships shattered into fragments; smaller ones were hurled far away. Ships at the rear of the queue panicked and turned back. In an instant, what had been the path to rebirth became the end for countless civilizations.

“There. Is it still worth fighting me to the death?” Jonathan asked, back turned to Dawn Lucius and the others as the DeFi Passage gradually faded.

“What do you think?” Dawn Lucius answered through gritted teeth.

“I’m tired of arguing with you. I’m off to rule this universe bubble. You—do whatever you want.” Jonathan gave a cold laugh.

“Do you really think you’ll get the chance? Dark matter has fallen below the zero threshold. This universe bubble could go dark at any moment. What exactly will you rule?”

Hearing this, Jonathan froze for a moment. He clasped his hands behind his back, walked over to Dawn Lucius, looked at him, then shook his head and walked toward the viewport.

“You’ll never achieve great things—and there’s a reason. Since you already know dark matter is below the threshold, why not consider increasing it? The answer is right in front of you. Just solve it. Is that so hard?”

“What nonsense. You never consider the bigger picture. Your inhuman ambition drives you to start wars and slaughter indiscriminately. Even if you succeed, who would respect you?” Dawn Lucius glared at him.

“Hahaha—respect?” Jonathan strode quickly to Dawn Lucius and stared straight into his eyes. “I don’t need your respect. I need power. I need you to fear me from the depths of your hearts. I want my name to echo through this universe bubble. When people hear my name, it should feel as if I’ve descended upon them. That—that is the respect I want.”

“You’re so impressive. How exactly do you plan to replenish this universe bubble’s dark matter?” Sandra asked.

“I’ll tell you straight. The Orion Arm still has plenty of unconsumed White Crystal. Professor Hamilton will reverse-engineer it back into raw dark matter, and we’ll release it here. Even a backward place like the Orion Arm has White Crystal—other civilizations surely have equivalents. We can make them reverse theirs too. Soon, dark matter will stabilize at the zero threshold. The rest is just a matter of time.”

“Are you so certain they’ll obey you?” Sandra pressed.

“Moreth Steader, enough chatter with them. Let’s depart,” King Theobald said politely as he approached Jonathan.

“True enough.” With that, Jonathan and his group headed out. Before stepping through the hatch, he turned to say something to King Theobald. The king glanced at Dawn Lucius, then left with him.

“Dad, they’ll probably kill us,” Stacean Lucius whispered, leaning closer.

“Yes. We need to get out fast.” Dawn Lucius rubbed his head against his son’s, just like when he was little.

“We have to find a way to untie these ropes.” Sandra struggled.

“I think…” Just as Katherine began to speak, the door opened.

The leader scanned the room, then stepped back behind a line of soldiers. Charged weapons trained on them in unison. Before anyone could react, they fired. Dawn Lucius summoned dark matter to form a barrier, breaking his bonds while expanding the shield, pinning the soldiers against the wall until they stopped moving. Only then did he release the dark matter.

“Is anyone hurt?” Dawn Lucius turned quickly to check.

“I’m fine…”

“Me neither…”

“Dad,” Katherine said weakly, leaning against the wall. Stacean Lucius hurriedly held her. Anxiety knotted his brow like old rope as he looked at the wound on her abdomen, then at Dawn Lucius.

“Don’t worry. We’re getting out now.” Dawn Lucius crouched beside Katherine and patted her arm.

“It’s too late. I’m a doctor—I know.” Katherine forced a faint smile. She gripped Stacean Lucius’s hand tightly and continued, “Don’t be sad. Take care of yourself.”

“I’m not sad. You hold on. Once we’re through the DeFi Passage, if you’re not there, I won’t be able to take care of myself. Dad’s a careless oaf—you said so yourself.” Stacean Lucius tried to smile, taking a deep breath.

Dawn Lucius gathered dark matter and tore at the walls of their metal prison, but to little effect. The dark matter struck the walls like a weak candle trying to melt train tracks. This cell had surely been crafted by Jonathan and Hamilton specifically for him. If the walls wouldn’t break, only the entrance remained. Sandra tried to hack the door lock. She told Dawn Lucius the door could only be opened from outside and suggested he manipulate external dark matter to destroy the mechanism. But no matter how hard he tried, nothing worked. He hurled all his anxiety and rage at the door.

“Katherine… Katherine?” Stacean Lucius pressed his nose to her forehead, calling softly. Seeing no response, tears streaming down his face, he said to Dawn Lucius, “Dad, save my daughter. I can’t live without her.”

Dawn Lucius knew little about the Star Source or dark matter’s deeper properties. He certainly had no knowledge that dark matter could heal wounds. To him, it was merely energy—a weapon. In frustration, he rushed to Stacean Lucius’s side and grasped his and Katherine’s hands tightly.

“Don’t worry. Once we’re out, we’ll take her to the old lady. She can save her.”

“Jonathan’s mother?” Stacean Lucius asked.

“Yes.”

“But Dad, Jonathan hurt Katherine—he hurt our Katherine.”

“Hey, Jonathan is Jonathan, and the old lady is the old lady. She can save our Katherine, just like she saved me back then.”

“Okay.”

As Dawn Lucius stood and walked toward the door, it opened on its own. He quickly summoned dark matter, enveloping everyone behind him while forming an attack sphere, ready to strike the moment someone entered.

Instead, an energy being appeared. It passed effortlessly through Dawn Lucius’s protective shield, circled the group once, then stopped beside Katherine. Everyone tensed, but Dawn Lucius was overjoyed.

“What is this?” Stacean Lucius tried to lift Katherine fully and move her away from the energy.

“The old lady…” Dawn Lucius ran toward it, hope in his eyes.

“I… need…” The energy gradually took the old lady’s form, her speech halting at first. Once stabilized, she finished, “I need a little time to fully return to human shape.”

“She is…” Sandra pointed in astonishment but couldn’t continue.

“I am the Datheon envoy—of the previous generation.” The old lady examined Katherine’s wound, felt her neck, then stood and pointed outside. “Take her to my ship. There’s still time. Hurry!”

Dawn Lucius stepped forward to lift Katherine’s hand, intending to go with Stacean Lucius.

“You two—” the old lady pointed at Sandra and Dawn Lucius—“stay. I have things to tell you.”

“It’s all right.” Stacean Lucius glanced at Dawn Lucius, then carried Katherine out quickly.

The old lady wasted no words. She told them this universe bubble would soon go dark—dark matter had already fallen below the zero threshold. They couldn’t feel the change yet because the bubble was so vast; any shift took time to manifest. Just as the Shepherds had long ago begun siphoning dark matter to the new bubble, only now, at the very end, did this bubble realize the loss.

As for Jonathan’s method—releasing more dark matter—it would have no effect. The universe bubble’s process was irreversible.

Dawn Lucius could not bear for those he loved to meet their end in this darkness. He asked the old lady if there was another way. She nodded.

There had originally been two options. The best was the neutrino beasts raised by Datheon—only a few of the largest galaxies’ Datheon had the ability to rear them. The Galaxy’s Datheon did not. Neutrino beasts were an insurance policy, meant to support or open a DeFi Passage.

But no Datheon had appeared, proving the Great Migration was nearing its conclusion. The original Datheon were already busy in the new universe bubble and had no attention to spare for this one.

Only one method remained—but it came at a cost. A cost Dawn Lucius could bear, but not Sandra. Half a lifetime’s effort, only to never watch sunrises and moonsets together with the one she loved. She leaned on Dawn Lucius’s shoulder and cried unwillingly.