The Galactic Federation dispatches an alien observer to infiltrate human society and assess its threat level. To his surprise, he discovers that humanity's adaptability, creativity, and instinct for war far exceed the Federation's predictions. Though their technology lags behind, humans advance in nonlinear leaps and can even reverse-engineer alien technology in a short time. More terrifying still, an unknown secret lies hidden in human genes. Perhaps humans are not a rising species in the galaxy, but the remnants of a far more ancient civilization.
When the Galactic Federation tries to contain humanity's development, humans strike back at an astonishing speed, and the first interstellar war breaks out. The observer faces a dilemma: remain loyal to the Galactic Federation, or help humanity shatter the order of the universe? Yet the true crisis has only just emerged: a higher-level judge is about to descend, intent on eradicating every species that seeks to rule the galaxy. Is humanity's rise a miracle of the universe, or its inevitable destruction? Faced with the ultimate judgment, what choice will humanity make?
