Stellaris: With a Ringworld and an Ancient Machine Intelligence Officer

After transmigrating into the Stellaris universe, Xi Yan starts at the very top: supreme commander of the interstellar human military government, owner of a damaged ringworld megastructure, and master of Beta, an ancient machine intelligence adjutant. But the moment he opens his eyes, he discovers that five regent generals have carved up all the power, leaving him a puppet ruler. Starting with a megastructure is great, but starting amid infighting is a mess.

When Secretary of State Ailiweier, a legally adult twenty-two-year-old loli, presents him with her pledge of allegiance, Xi Yan is poring over the Empire's one-click system, trying to figure out how to seize power. He has three million soldiers in the army, a fleet of three frigates, and a science department still researching basic hyperdrive engines. The neighboring Fallen Empire could come demanding protection money at any moment, while five generals are eyeing the chair beneath him. Beta delivers a cold-blooded follow-up: "I advise you to deal with the internal threat first. Otherwise, you won't need to wait for aliens to attack before a coup drives you from office."

Xi Yan pulls on his dragon-print T-shirt and reaches into the drawer for a pistol. "Then I'll take back control of the military first. Tell me, which general will be easiest to handle?"

Beta falls silent for half a second. "The one to your left. He's asleep at his desk."

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.