Recaps

Kang De persuaded China to let the American Empire deal with the Titan, then called A Chuan to provoke him into committing the United States to capturing it. The American defense secretary forced A Chuan to prioritize the Titan, while A Chuan remained suspicious that Kang De had orchestrated the crisis.

• Kang De explained to Parrot that China had given up the Titan because its leaders feared the American Empire would start a war to prevent China from gaining its technology.
• Kang De proposed that China pressure the American Empire into using its full military strength to destroy the Titan, giving China a chance to assess its capabilities.
• Kang De called A Chuan, baited him with threats and insults, and increased his suspicion that Kang De had created the Titan crisis for profit.
• The defense secretary stopped A Chuan from focusing on China and insisted that the American Empire capture the Titan before China could intervene.
• A Chuan reluctantly agreed to prepare a military operation but privately resolved to uncover what Kang De stood to gain.

Kang De fought the Titan but was driven back, leaving the American Empire determined to attack it and China preparing for a similar threat. He returned to China and proposed live-fire exercises at his transcendent training base, while privately deciding to demand more from A Zhong.

• The American Empire mobilized its military and planned to use fire, poison, explosives, and laser weapons against the Titan.
• Kang De fought the Titan at the Bruce Nuclear Power Plant, but a lightning spear blasted him away and he escaped through a spatial gate.
• A Chuan threatened Trudeau and attempted to pressure China into keeping Kang De away from the Titan, then learned that Kang De had been beaten back.
• Kang De returned to the Diaoyutai conference hall and warned Senior Colonel Tian that the Titan’s mysterious power could hinder his speed and ranged attacks.
• Kang De asked China to prepare battle plans, equipment, and live-fire exercises at his test center, including trials that combined Spiritual Runes with modern weapons.
• Kang De privately realized he had been too conservative and decided that he wanted A Zhong’s homework too.

Aokexindun persuaded Kaliusi to approve Distant Harbor’s request for Arcane Council military equipment, warning that Kang De was building a society capable of mobilizing its people for war. After transferring the equipment and preparing new weapons on Earth, Kang De suggested adding airships to the next stage of the plan.

• Aokexindun asked Kaliusi to approve the transfer of Council weapons, alchemical puppets, prototypes, and training support to Distant Harbor, and Kaliusi objected that this would expose the Council’s military secrets.
• Aokexindun described how Kang De’s training camps organized displaced people into workers and soldiers, and warned that Distant Harbor was preparing for an unknown enemy; Kaliusi signed the request after revealing that Kang De had also proposed an alliance with him.
• Aokexindun contacted Kang De’s side, received instructions to place a beacon for pickup, and left with his guards while considering how to expand phone use in the Senate.
• Kang De received the Council’s equipment in the White Mist World and ordered trained, implanted soldiers to learn to operate it, especially the alchemical puppets.
• On Earth, Kang De reviewed a proposal for drone swarms and supporting weapons, then suggested adding airships.

Kang De learned that China was pressuring the United States to accept a joint operation to destroy the Titan, then bought the land beneath the American forward base in Can*da. He arrived there carrying protest signs to assert his property rights and confront the US military.

• Senior Colonel Tian briefed Kang De that the United States was preparing a ground offensive against the Titan, while scholars speculated about the magic array's purpose.
• Kang De explained that damage to the array had not ended the Deceleration Field, and he hid his knowledge that its runes were Parrot's obscene insults.
• Senior Colonel Tian told Kang De that China was negotiating a joint operation and using the threat of destroying the Titan to pressure the United States into concessions.
• Kang De called Trudeau and asked him to sell the land under the American forward base, then acquired the property with Can*da's cooperation.
• Kang De appeared at the base with signs opposing American imperialism and military seizure, and walked toward the US troops to defend his property rights.

The American military built Tripwire Base in Canada to hunt the Titan, but Kang De attacked the base after its soldiers confronted him on land he owned. He forced A Chuan to negotiate over the Titan operation and his demands, while the American government decided to report the dead soldier as missing.

• The American military established Tripwire Base in Canada and sent patrols and specialists to investigate the Titan and the Deceleration Field.
• Bruce and Lü Chaoran confronted Kang De when he approached Tripwire carrying protest signs, and Lü Chaoran attacked him before Kang De killed him with a burst of power.
• Kang De battered Tripwire Base, seized military equipment, and demanded that the American troops stop firing while he spoke to A Chuan.
• Kang De told A Chuan that the base occupied land he owned and demanded compensation, a share in the Titan operation, and a paid role as extraordinary consultant.
• A Chuan learned that the base's soldiers were mostly injured and ordered Lü Chaoran reported as missing rather than killed in action.

A Chuan agreed to negotiate with China after Kang De’s disruption at Tripwire Base left the United States unable to act against Titan without his cooperation. Kang De proposed a jointly run research institute in Canada and anticipated using his influence over the U.S. military as Griffin prepared to act.

• A Chuan considered using a nuclear bomb against Titan, but Mark warned that doing so would destroy his reelection prospects and urged him to negotiate with China over joint research on the Deceleration Field.
• A Chuan approved approaching China, and the Chinese side informed Kang De that the Americans wanted his help capturing Titan and studying its technology.
• Kang De rejected the proposed terms and suggested a jointly managed institute in Canada, with its ownership and daily operations under his control, in exchange for helping with Titan.
• Kang De explained to Senior Colonel Tian that he had killed a Chinese-born U.S. military officer because he believed the man might betray China in a future war.
• Kang De told Parrot that he expected to gain influence over U.S. military operations as Griffin’s campaign began, and Parrot joked about Kang De’s baton.

Kaliusi and Aokexindun negotiated the return of the Star-Bearing Titan, and Kaliusi ordered the Council to build Kang De an imitation Titan. Griffin then rallied the continent against Kang De, threatened Goth, and prompted Distant Harbor to declare war on Griffin’s rebels.

• Aokexindun told Kaliusi that Kang De would return the Star-Bearing Titan after Griffin’s defeat if the Council built him an identical-looking replica.
• Kaliusi agreed to the proposal and issued an order to restart the Titan production line, while suspecting Kang De had hidden the real Titan somewhere beyond the continent.
• Griffin publicly accused Kang De and Kaliusi of causing the Tower of All-Seeing massacre and urged the continent’s powers to unite against Kang De, offering support from his Age of Gods Mechanism.
• Griffin announced that his army would soon attack Kang De and threatened Goth with invasion unless Grand Duke Reknos broke with him; he also urged Goth’s nobles and people to overthrow Reknos.
• Distant Harbor declared that the Shogunate and Griffin’s rebels were officially at war.

Kang De prepared for war against Griffin, sought allies, and offered Goth’s grand duke a chance to distance himself from the conflict in exchange for calling the nobles to stand up. The chapter ended with Kang De declaring his intention to kill them all.

• Kang De outlined plans to eliminate Griffin and the Star Palace’s influence, train Cathayan recruits, and drive a north-south split and arms race within the Council.
• The Dragon Emperor agreed to send Aibogeer and dragon forces to Distant Harbor while secretly pursuing defensive magic devices from both Kang De and Griffin’s side.
• Kang De’s envoys sought support from the Tower of All-Seeing and Battle God City, warning the Council not to stand aside and offering to share information about the Deceleration Field.
• Kang De told the grand duke he could distance himself from Kang De and spare Goth much of the war if he abdicated after Kang De’s victory and stayed away for ten years.
• Kang De demanded that the grand duke use his authority to rally Goth’s nobles, then declared, “I’m going to kill them all.”

Kang De gave Reknos an ultimatum to choose between protecting Goth’s nobles and supporting a revolution for the commoners, then returned to the White Mist World with Tina and promised to marry her after the crises were settled. The chapter ended with Griffin preparing for war with Star Palace support as Xiaoman woke from a dream and wondered who a mysterious woman was.

• Kang De told Reknos he intended to destroy the nobles’ old order and demanded that he choose whether nobles or commoners formed Goth’s future.
• Reknos warned that new elites would emerge even without nobles, but Kang De said the people could resist them and left the decision to the Grand Duke.
• Kang De reunited with Tina in the White Mist World, and after she asked to meet his parents, he proposed they marry once Griffin was defeated and Goth’s affairs were settled.
• Tina declined to set a wedding date until they had won against the Star Palace, but asked Kang De to introduce her to his parents when possible.
• Griffin confirmed his state of war against Kang De and pressed Phaethon for Star Palace support, while Phaethon promised aid and said they were prepared to kill Kang De.
• Xiaoman woke in H City after a fading dream and wondered, “Who is she?”

Griffin turned the Council and its allies against Kang De while Aokexindun committed to supporting Distant Harbor, and Goth and the other nations issued cautious diplomatic statements. Griffin then launched his invasion of Goth and sought the God of the Star Palace’s help with supplies and technology, leaving Kang De’s forces preparing for a war whose consequences could reshape the continent.

• Griffin accused Kang De of causing the Tower of All-Seeing massacre, and Distant Harbor formally declared war on Griffin.
• Kaliusi and Aokexindun argued over how to explain Griffin’s rebellion as Aokexindun pledged his workshops and allies to help Kang De and urged a northern expedition.
• Grand Duke Reknos defended Kang De while calling for restraint, but Kang De ordered his departments to distrust Goth’s declarations and prepare to take over its government.
• The Empire and other nations called for negotiations, but Kang De rejected the proposal and said he would punish Griffin and build a new great power after the war.
• Griffin declared war, sent his army toward Goth, and urged its nobles to break from Grand Duke Reknos and Teldrassil.
• Griffin chose Nar for the first battle and asked the God of the Star Palace to provide agricultural, manufacturing, military, and magical technology to aid his campaign against Kang De.

White Joyce rejected the Empire and Griffin’s offer to betray Kang De, then joined forces with Distant Harbor to defend Nar. As Griffin’s army crossed into Goth, Horus reported an astonishing development that left Kang De stunned: Griffin’s troops were digging trenches.

• An envoy offered White Joyce riches, a noble title, and protection in exchange for Nar’s surrender, but White refused and revealed that four dragons had been protecting him.
• The envoy and eight shadow assassins attacked White, but the dragons killed the assassins and captured the envoy; White executed him and sent his head to Distant Harbor as Nar’s declaration of support for Kang De.
• White told the dragons that Kang De had prepared Nar as part of a plan to seize Goth’s southern strongholds and possibly target the Council’s northern provinces.
• White ordered Nar secured against the conspirators and called for the city to drive out the invaders.
• Griffin’s advance force crossed the border and began building defenses while Distant Harbor’s aircraft monitored its movements.
• Horus contacted Kang De with an urgent report, and Kang De learned that Griffin’s troops were digging trenches.

Griffin explained how the Arcane Council planned to counter Kang De’s weapons with dispersed troops, trenches, and layered magical defenses, then began advancing fortified positions toward Nar. Kang De assessed the threat and returned to Earth to arrange an airship proposal, leaving Horus to prepare the army.

• Griffin told foreign observers that armies must spread out, dig trenches, and develop weapons and armor to withstand Kang De’s attacks.
• Griffin revealed the Council’s fortified position and declared that its forces would advance step by step toward Nar under the protection of Deceleration Fields.
• Kang De and Horus judged the position’s defenses and discussed how Griffin’s advance threatened Goth and Kang De’s prestige.
• Kang De asked Aokexindun to pressure the Tower of All-Seeing and seek payment for access to Griffin’s golems and magic devices.
• Kang De ordered Horus to prepare the army near Nar, then returned to Earth to discuss building an airship with Senior Colonel Tian and pitch the plan to an American contact.

Kang De and China pressured the American Empire over Titan, rejecting its demands and bargaining over Kang De’s services. While Kang De and Malegith discussed exploiting the Americans’ investment in Titan, they began a new operation that made Titan summon magical-looking constructs and build what appeared to be trenches.

• China insisted that negotiations with the American Empire take place in China and rejected its demands for a United Nations supernatural agency and official Chinese involvement in the Titan operation.
• Kang De refused to work as an American military contractor without exorbitant fees, offering different prices for support outside and inside the Deceleration Field and demanding Iowa as payment for directly defeating Titan.
• Kang De told Malegith he could use recurring puppet attacks to make the American Empire spend resources defending a Titan research institute, while still pursuing that plan even if the Americans cooperated.
• Kang De and Malegith decided to pressure the American Empire further and ensure it gained useful technology from Titan to increase its investment.
• Titan activated an altar and summoned iron golems and other constructs, while the invisible Kang De used the Power of the Fire Thief to set up equipment that A Chuan recognized as trenches.

Kang De used bizarre magitech installations to make the Americans believe the Titan had summoned alien reinforcements, then negotiated with the U.S. military to attack the construction around it. He prepared to redirect American firepower to the other world, where the Northern Council's troops came under a night bombardment near Nar.

• Kang De repurposed discarded magitech projects and staged an eerie spectacle around the Bruce Nuclear Power Plant, convincing Earth’s observers that the Titan had summoned allies.
• A Chuan panicked and offered Kang De a fortune to destroy the Titan, but the defense secretary intercepted the call and pushed the military toward joining forces with Kang De.
• Kang De told American officers that the Titan’s followers were building a protected structure and demanded their battle plan before agreeing to support their operation.
• Kang De ordered Horus’s intelligence unit to test Griffin’s defenses and prepared Parrot to control the strange devices and create illusions.
• Kang De planned to transport American long-range firepower to the other world, where the Northern Council’s advance troops near Nar were struck by a night barrage.

Sergeant Marcus Fenn endured a devastating nighttime bombardment of the Arcane Council’s trench position and died after the blasts left him gravely wounded. At dawn, Grand Speaker Griffin Williams concealed the scale of the casualties from observers and presented the attack as proof of the Council’s defensive strength, while the observers doubted his claims.

• Marcus Fenn recalled his confidence in the Arcane Council’s cause as he and his comrades dug trenches and prepared for war against Kang De.
• Kang De’s weapons struck the position at night, overwhelming the soldiers with explosions, falling debris, and fires as they ran for shelter.
• A blast stunned Marcus, and a fireball erupted nearby; the shockwave threw him into the trench wall and buried him under falling earth.
• At dawn, survivors crawled through the wreckage while Griffin told an officer to delay death notices and assured him that reinforcements would allow the army to seek revenge.
• Griffin told Phaethon that the Council needed stronger defenses, then assured the foreign observers that the bombardment had caused few casualties and demonstrated the effectiveness of their defenses.
• The observers privately questioned Griffin’s account as he explained improvements to the trenches, while Marcus’s body remained half-buried in the ruined position.

Kang De forced the US military to build defenses around the Bruce Nuclear Power Plant while using the operation to gather intelligence and plan a supernatural training base for China. He prepared his own forces for war against the Star Palace, declaring that the coming conflict belonged to everyone.

• Kang De urged the US military to dig trenches around the Bruce Nuclear Power Plant, ridiculed its officers, and made them accept his terms as a paid consultant.
• The chairman of the Joint Chiefs rejected trench warfare but ordered a defensive line, more troops, and new weapons to contain the aliens and breach the nuclear plant.
• Kang De studied the terrain and discussed defensive tactics with Senior Colonel Tian, proposing an expanded supernatural research and military training center in China.
• Kang De reflected that Earth’s resources could help defeat the Star Palace through the White Mist World, which could relay Earth-built defenses into the other world.
• Kang De told Horus to lead a pre-battle rally as his legion prepared to march.

After the Council’s Deceleration Field blunted Kang De’s long-range attack, the emperor realized Griffin’s allies possessed technology beyond the mortal world and suspected Kang De was preparing to face a greater enemy. He sent Kang De a candid proposal to become his son-in-law and ally, while Alex secretly approached Phaethon to offer his own help against Kang De.

• The emperor learned that the Council’s Deceleration Field had greatly reduced the damage from Kang De’s bombardment and concluded that the technology could also counter his Forbidden Spell.
• After reviewing the Royal Alchemy Association’s report and the list of those killed in the Tower of All-Seeing massacre, the emperor suspected Griffin’s allies had come to oppose a threat Kang De was preparing to fight.
• The emperor wrote Kang De a lengthy letter asking about the mysterious allies and his preparations, proposing that Kang De marry one of his daughters and become his heir in exchange for an alliance against Griffin.
• The emperor ordered the Shadow Blade to deliver the letter personally, while learning that Alex was celebrating Kang De’s apparent defeat and urging the continent’s nobles to settle accounts with him.
• Alex disguised himself as an imperial soldier, revealed his identity to Griffin and Phaethon, and declared that he was the person in the Empire least willing to compromise with Kang De and most eager to kill him.

Wei Yunyuan visited the Sound of the Tide Manor to learn how she and the other Cathayan women might serve Kang De, then encountered a suspicious imperial envoy. Kang De let her join his meeting with Beimengde, and the chapter ended with Wei Yunyuan offering to translate the emperor’s letter.

• Wei Yunyuan learned from Airuina that Kang De handled his own daily routine while the manor’s staff helped Tina, and she worried over the coming war with the Council.
• Wei Yunyuan hurried to meet Kang De but encountered Beimengde, whose strange gaze caused both of them to stagger; the Valentan Guards called for a mental check.
• Kelamawei arrived, and Horus and Astolfo authorized Wei Yunyuan to enter Kang De’s study, where she stood beside him as he questioned Beimengde.
• Beimengde identified himself as the emperor’s envoy and handed over the emperor’s letter through a spatial gate; Kang De sent him out while Kelamawei kept watch.
• Kang De tried to call Hong San to translate the letter, but Wei Yunyuan revealed that she could read the foreign script and offered to translate it.

Kang De had Wei Yunyuan translate the emperor’s secret letter, which accused him of preparing for an unknown catastrophe and offered him the Holy Empire’s succession through marriage. After learning Kang De’s hidden origins and purpose, Wei Yunyuan declared her heart and life belonged to his cause.

• Kang De asked Wei Yunyuan to translate the emperor’s letter after discovering that she understood Continental Common Language.
• Wei Yunyuan read the emperor’s accusations, questions about Kang De’s preparations for war, and suspicions that Kang De came from another world.
• Wei Yunyuan revealed that the emperor proposed making Kang De his son-in-law and offering him the empire’s succession.
• After finishing the letter, Wei Yunyuan accepted that Kang De might silence her to protect its secrets and said she would gladly die for him.
• Wei Yunyuan told Kang De that she had devoted her heart, soul, and body to his goals and asked him to use her.

Kang De sent the emperor a phone and a misleading letter hidden inside a durian, then urged Wei Yunyuan to discover what she truly wanted instead of living from duty. As Kang De prepared to address his army before its march against Griffin’s forces, the emperor opened the durian under elaborate precautions and triggered its fire element.

• Kang De returned the emperor’s letter with a phone and manual, then sent Beimengde away with a durian containing a letter that warned of a possible attack.
• Wei Yunyuan urged Kang De to behave with dignity, and he allowed her to call him “husband” before teasing her about his looks.
• Kang De told Wei Yunyuan to cast off her guilt and sense of duty, discover what she truly wanted, and join him only when she understood herself.
• Kang De said the army was about to march against Griffin’s forces and that he would give a pre-battle address.
• The emperor dismissed Beimengde, surrounded the durian with magical defenses, and had battle puppets cut it open, causing its fire element to flare.

The emperor received Kang De’s durian and childish letter, then learned Kang De had arranged a spatial-beacon delivery so they could meet. The chapter ended with the emperor and Kang De facing each other through a portal and trading insults in their first conversation.

• The emperor activated his poison defenses and air purifier before reading Kang De’s letter, which accused Beimengde of plotting against him.
• Beimengde entered the study, praised the emperor, and tasted the durian at his command, finding it sweet and delicious.
• Beimengde reported that a dragon had arrived with a spatial beacon from Kang De and requested an audience for him.
• The emperor agreed to meet Kang De through the beacon, while Beimengde arranged security around the study.
• The emperor and Kang De appeared to each other through the portal in full protective armor and argued about their precautions and manners.

Kang De and the emperor discussed Kang De's homeland, his motives, and the Star Palace's threat before the emperor proposed that Kang De marry his daughter and become his heir. Kang De left without accepting, while the emperor privately revealed that he knew Kang De had killed all the nobles and eagerly awaited his answer.

• Kang De and the emperor refused to cross the Phase Gate into each other's worlds, then exchanged local goods and argued over the emperor's chair.
• The emperor explained that he had investigated Kang De and deduced that his arrival was accidental, that he could travel between worlds, and that he was keeping the mortal world’s crisis from his homeland.
• Kang De revealed that the Star Palace would destroy civilization once the mortal world reached a certain stage of development.
• The emperor offered Kang De his daughter's hand, the Empire's support, and the chance to become his heir, but Kang De hesitated and left to consider the proposal.
• After the Phase Gate closed, the emperor privately noted that he knew Kang De had killed all the nobles and looked forward to his answer.

Alex knelt before Phaethon and offered his loyalty in exchange for protection from Kang De, while warning that the Empire might side with Kang De. Alex’s description of Kang De led Phaethon to realize that Kang De came from another world, prompting him to revise the Star Palace’s plans; Griffin then learned that Kang De had begun his advance.

• Alex warned Phaethon and Griffin that the emperor might ally with Kang De, then pledged to serve Phaethon if he became emperor.
• Phaethon accepted Alex’s loyalty and asked Griffin about Alex’s role in the battle of Glittering Sand.
• When Alex described Kang De as a man of unknown origin who had suddenly appeared in the world, Phaethon realized that Kang De was from another world.
• Phaethon left the tent and told Apophis that the Star Palace’s operational plan for the mortal world had to be completely revised.
• Griffin received urgent military intelligence and learned that Kang De had begun his advance.

Kang De weighed the emperor’s proposal of marriage and succession, then accepted Hong San’s advice to cooperate with the Empire against the Star Palace while remaining wary of its nobles. Distant Harbor began mobilizing for war against the Council rebels, but a rumor stirred the city just before Kang De’s speech.

• Kang De told Hong San that the emperor had offered him a daughter’s hand, the imperial succession, and an alliance against the Star Palace.
• Hong San argued that the emperor sincerely wanted Kang De as a trusted heir and urged him to accept cooperation while pursuing his own goals.
• Kang De decided to build trust with the emperor and use the Empire’s resources against the Star Palace, though he remained determined to confront its noble class.
• Kang De and Hong San pledged to fight together as Distant Harbor began its war mobilization against the Council rebels.
• A rumor that “the event is starting again” spread through Distant Harbor shortly before Kang De’s scheduled speech and stirred commotion.

Leonard and his Goth companions tried to turn Distant Harbor against the war, but Kang De’s speech rallied the city to prepare for battle. Leonard was captured before he could finish protesting, and a cold voice welcomed him to a different life.

• Leonard and the undercover Goth agents agreed to oppose the war and planned for Leonard to challenge Kang De while Stilwell killed him in public.
• Leonard saw Distant Harbor’s residents eagerly heading to Kang De’s war speech and began doubting their assumptions about the city.
• Kang De told the crowd that war would continue unless Distant Harbor defended its prosperity, and the people roared their support.
• Kang De ordered the army to begin its campaign and urged citizens to train for future wars as the legions vanished through Phase Teleportation.
• Leonard realized Kang De intended to turn Distant Harbor and Goth into a military camp, but a purple spike struck him and he was captured as a spy.