"The second stage tests the creative capabilities of greenhouse civilizations; if a civilization can better integrate into a powerful polity and offer greater potential to that polity, it easily establishes certain advantages."
Yang Ming laughed: "So, we have an opportunity then."
Papaloka said: "The opportunity in the first half doesn't really matter."
"Why?"
"Because of the points system," Papaloka said, "The first three stages are for earning points. During the nine-year period, whoever earns more points establishes an advantage—and also a crisis."
"What is the third stage?"
"A comprehensive test, with various large-scale natural disasters, that challenges each greenhouse civilization's resilience to the limit."
"The fourth stage?"
