Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• News of the Holy City's chaos spreads across kingdoms.
• Kolmo Kingdom's King worries about the Church's swift response.
• King orders Smog to find and bring back the former Emperor, His Majesty.
• Smog assembles a team, including Mekas and Holmes, to go to the City of Sin.
• Other powerful kingdoms also send Demigod-level powerhouses to the City of Sin.
• Chen Cheng, unaware of the pursuit, works on designing an insulated suit for Aunt Mei.

Character Developments

• Kolmo Kingdom's King: Ambitions to become the world's true ruler, worries about the Church's strength.
• Smog: Loyal, efficient, and unemotional, follows orders without questioning.
• Mekas: Focused on seizing the Sword of Kings to open the door to her world.
• Chen Cheng: Keeps his promise to Aunt Mei, unaware of the danger closing in.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics among kingdoms and the Church.
• The pursuit of the former Emperor and the Sword of Kings.
• The consequences of past actions (e.g., the Church's chaos, the King's ambition).

Character Interactions

• Kolmo Kingdom's King and Smog: The King gives orders, Smog follows them without question.
• Smog, Mekas, and Holmes: Smog leads the team, Mekas has personal motives, Holmes seems loyal to His Majesty.
• Chen Cheng (off-screen): Interacts with Aunt Mei, showing care and responsibility.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng creates an insulation suit for Aunt Mei using mithril to absorb her lightning energy.
• Little Fatty Akasto visits Chen Cheng, seeking him out at his cabin.
• Chen Cheng and Little Fatty go to Little Fatty's experimental grounds to check on a project Chen Cheng had him work on.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng shows resourcefulness and ingenuity in creating the insulation suit.
• Little Fatty demonstrates his shrewdness and curiosity, gossiping about Chen Cheng's project.
• Fini shows off her new magic staff and is eager to play with Chen Cheng.

Significant Themes

• Friendship and collaboration between Chen Cheng and Little Fatty.
• Chen Cheng's careful consideration for Aunt Mei's safety and comfort.
• Fini's immaturity and impulsiveness, contrasting with Chen Cheng's restraint.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Little Fatty's playful banter and mutual respect.
• Chen Cheng's gentle refusal of Fini's invitations, causing her to become upset.
• Chen Cheng's protectiveness towards Aunt Mei, warning Little Fatty not to spread rumors about the insulation suit.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng visits Little Fatty's factory to inspect the products he ordered.
• Little Fatty boasts about the factory's isolation and secrecy.
• Chen Cheng tests the black powder (gunpowder) he ordered, causing an explosion and covering them both in soot.
• Chen Cheng introduces soap to Little Fatty, demonstrating its cleaning power.
• Chen Cheng hints at the value of the waste residue from soap production.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Shows his cunning and mischievous side by tricking Little Fatty into testing the gunpowder. He also demonstrates his knowledge of soap and its production process.
• Little Fatty: Initially proud and boastful, he becomes angry and aggressive when tricked by Chen Cheng. However, he quickly regains his composure and shows his business acumen by recognizing the potential of soap.

Significant Themes

• Trust and Deception: Chen Cheng tricks Little Fatty, testing his trustworthiness and patience.
• Innovation and Value Creation: Chen Cheng introduces soap and hints at the value of soap waste, showing Little Fatty the potential of new products and by-products.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Little Fatty: Their interaction is characterized by a mix of tension, trickery, and mutual respect. Chen Cheng tests Little Fatty's patience and business sense, while Little Fatty shows his quick thinking and adaptability.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Little Fatty shows Chen Cheng the explosives he's produced based on Chen Cheng's formulas and blueprints.
• Chen Cheng tests an explosive, causing a powerful explosion that destroys a stone shed.
• Chen Cheng expresses that while this is powerful, it's not the most potent explosive he knows (CL-20).

Character Developments

• Little Fatty: Initially boastful, he becomes genuinely scared and upset after witnessing the explosion's power, leading him to understand the risks involved in their venture.
• Chen Cheng: Shows excitement at the successful test and remains calm under Little Fatty's anger, indicating his composure and understanding of the situation.

Significant Themes

• Risk and Reward: Little Fatty's initial boasting about his investment and Chen Cheng's emphasis on safety highlight the high risk and potential high reward of their venture.
• Power and Control: The explosives' power demonstrates the potential control and influence they could have, both in business and, potentially, in conflicts.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Little Fatty: Their interaction shows the dynamic between a cautious, knowledgeable mentor (Chen Cheng) and an enthusiastic, risk-taking protégé (Little Fatty). Despite Little Fatty's initial anger, their bond remains strong, with Chen Cheng still considering him a 'brother'.

Chapter Summary: “Allies”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Little Fatty realizes that Chen Cheng’s gelled explosives are extraordinarily powerful. A single warehouse of them could unleash destructive force comparable to an Epic Rank powerhouse, despite costing only several thousand Gold Coins to produce.
• Chen Cheng explains that explosions could be used not only for destruction but also as propulsion, hinting at the development of firearms and other thermal weapons.
• Little Fatty is horrified by the implications, remarking that it is fortunate Chen Cheng was “caught,” though Chen Cheng privately knows he was never actually captured.
• Chen Cheng reveals that he wants to build a reliable group of allies. He recognizes that political struggles are unavoidable and that his hidden identity may eventually be exposed.
• He trusts Little Fatty more than older, politically experienced figures such as Wisdom Shield, believing that someone young and idealistic is less likely to betray him.
• Chen Cheng jokingly asks Little Fatty not to forget him once he becomes the First Army’s arms merchant. The two silently form a mutual alliance, although each imagines a different future benefit:
  • Chen Cheng sees Little Fatty as a future source of weapons and manufacturing support.
  • Little Fatty sees Chen Cheng as a political ally once Wisdom Shield takes the throne.
• They agree to delay mass production until Little Fatty prepares a detailed report on the factory’s production process, including worker experiences and safety problems. Chen Cheng intends to use this information to establish efficient procedures for large-scale manufacturing.
• Little Fatty personally detonates another explosive under Chen Cheng’s supervision. The blast destroys a huge boulder and gives him the same exhilaration Chen Cheng had felt earlier.
• The explosions are loud enough to be heard in Hui Dun City. Earl Huidun initially assumes powerful experts are fighting, but soon realizes the sounds are coming from outside the city.
• After the second explosion, Xiaodun leads troops toward Little Fatty’s factory to investigate.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng: Reveals his strategic and pragmatic side. He understands the enormous military value of explosives and recognizes that technological power will inevitably draw political conflict. Rather than relying on older figures, he deliberately seeks younger allies he believes may remain loyal.
• Little Fatty: Moves from shock and fear to fascination and excitement. He begins to understand the commercial and military potential of Chen Cheng’s inventions and accepts a future role as an arms merchant and political actor.
• Earl Huidun: Becomes suspicious after hearing the explosions, interpreting them first as the clash of powerful combatants.
• Xiaodun: Acts quickly on the disturbance, organizing an investigation and heading toward the factory with subordinates.

Significant Themes

• The danger of technological power: Cheap, mass-produced explosives can imitate the destructive ability of elite magical warriors, potentially changing warfare and society.
• Political survival and trust: Chen Cheng understands that power struggles cannot be avoided forever and that survival depends on choosing dependable allies.
• Pragmatism versus idealism: Chen Cheng’s decision to cultivate Little Fatty is partly self-interested, while Little Fatty’s loyalty is more personal and straightforward.
• Industrialization and efficiency: Division of labor, detailed production reports, worker feedback, and safety procedures become essential to transforming an invention into mass production.
• The unintended consequences of progress: Chen Cheng and Little Fatty’s experiment ends their private moment of triumph by attracting the attention of powerful outsiders.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Little Fatty openly discuss the implications of the explosives and develop a deeper understanding of each other.
• Their exchange about being “big brothers” serves as an unspoken agreement of loyalty, despite their different motives.
• Chen Cheng mentors Little Fatty by supervising his first personal detonation and emphasizing careful production and safety.
• Their shared excitement over the destroyed boulder strengthens their bond, but the resulting noise immediately brings external attention and threatens to expose their activities.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A city-wide panic ensues after an explosion, with residents fleeing towards the city walls.
• Xiaodun and his men investigate the explosion and discover Chen Cheng and Little Fatty's involvement in producing explosives.
• Chen Cheng and Little Fatty are taken to see the Prince, leaving behind strict safety instructions for the explosives warehouse.
• Xiaodun reassures the city residents that no disaster has occurred, preventing a larger panic.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates his scientific knowledge and its potential danger, gaining respect and fear from Xiaodun and his men.
• Little Fatty shows cunning and quick thinking, throwing Chen Cheng under the bus to avoid blame.
• Xiaodun exhibits responsible leadership, ensuring the safety of the city and its residents.

Significant Themes

• The power of knowledge and its potential consequences.
• The responsibility of those who possess dangerous knowledge or power.
• The importance of clear communication and reassurance in preventing panic.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Little Fatty's partnership is strained as they blame each other for the situation.
• Xiaodun's respect for Chen Cheng's knowledge grows, but he also becomes wary of its potential danger.
• The city residents' trust in Little Fatty and Xiaodun is tested, but ultimately maintained.

Chapter Summary: “The Use of Soap”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the disturbance outside the city, Xiaodun, Chen Cheng, and Little Fatty return to the Earl’s Mansion.
• Wisdom Shield initially reprimands Chen Cheng and Little Fatty for creating a major commotion while the territory is still recovering from a disaster.
• Little Fatty acts innocent and claims he only followed Brown’s instructions, while he and Chen Cheng deliberately calm Wisdom Shield before Xiaodun can report the full truth.
• Xiaodun then explains that the pair secretly produced a large quantity of extremely dangerous magical material in a warehouse outside the city.
• Furious, Wisdom Shield grabs both of them by the ears, especially suspecting that Chen Cheng devised the plan.
• Chen Cheng claims they were making soap rather than explosives and demonstrates its cleaning power by washing magical ink from his hand.
• The soap successfully removes the ink, convincing Wisdom Shield that it has practical value for cleaning hands, bodies, and clothing and could help reduce illnesses caused by poor hygiene.
• Wisdom Shield remains suspicious about the explosion. Chen Cheng admits that explosive material was created from the residue of soap production, though he dishonestly minimizes the quantity by calling it “a little bit.”
• The chapter reveals that they produced more than ten tons of explosives, intended primarily as propellant and charges for future firearms such as cannons and rifles.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng/Brown: Demonstrates ingenuity, persuasive skill, and shameless deception. He uses the soap demonstration to redirect Wisdom Shield’s anger while concealing the true scale and purpose of the explosives. His larger goal of developing firearms becomes clearer.
• Little Fatty: Shows loyalty to Chen Cheng and skill in producing dangerous magical materials, despite being portrayed as somewhat simple-minded. He helps maintain their cover story and uses his cute, tearful behavior to soften Wisdom Shield’s response.
• Wisdom Shield: Appears strict and responsible, especially regarding the safety of the territory and its people. Although initially angry, he is capable of recognizing the social and economic value of soap. His suspicion also shows that he is not easily manipulated.
• Xiaodun: Acts as the truthful and responsible party. He waits for an opportunity to report everything and refuses to take responsibility for Chen Cheng and Little Fatty’s reckless actions.
• Tru: Briefly appears as the butler who directs the group to Wisdom Shield’s study.

Significant Themes

• Innovation and unintended consequences: A useful invention such as soap produces dangerous chemical byproducts that can be repurposed as explosives.
• Public safety versus technological progress: Chen Cheng’s experiments may benefit the territory, but their dangerous scale threatens people still recovering from disaster.
• Cleverness and deception: Chen Cheng and Little Fatty manipulate the timing and presentation of information to avoid harsher punishment.
• Hygiene and public health: Soap is presented as a transformative invention that can improve cleanliness and reduce disease.
• Weapons development: The explosives foreshadow Chen Cheng’s broader plans to introduce firearms and advanced military technology.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Little Fatty cooperate closely, silently agreeing to distract Wisdom Shield before Xiaodun can reveal the truth.
• Xiaodun and the pair are at odds: he reports their actions honestly rather than shielding them.
• Wisdom Shield alternates between parental discipline and practical evaluation, punishing the two inventors before testing and appreciating their soap.
• Chen Cheng uses a hands-on demonstration and appeals to Wisdom Shield’s responsibilities as an earl to gain approval for soap production while partially concealing the explosives project.

Chapter Summary: Writing a Combat Doctrine Manual for Firearms

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wisdom Shield reacts cautiously to Chen Cheng’s proposal for mass-producing firearms, especially because producing explosives such as nitroglycerin is extremely dangerous.
• Little Fatty argues that his factory has already produced over ten tons of explosives without incident, but Chen Cheng warns that mass production will create greater risks and cannot depend on one person’s constant supervision.
• Chen Cheng proposes several safety measures:
  • Akasto must prepare a detailed production report.
  • Chen Cheng will study and improve the manufacturing process.
  • Mages can be recruited through the Adventurer’s Guild to transport dangerous raw materials.
  • Dedicated supervisors will monitor production and halt work immediately if problems arise.
• Convinced that the benefits outweigh the risks, Wisdom Shield approves the plan:
  • Akasto’s factory will continue producing explosives.
  • The steelworks will manufacture firearms, adapting its existing stamping machinery.
  • Chen Cheng will provide blueprints and instruct workers in modifying the machines.
  • Xiaodun and his soldiers will be responsible for guarding the factories.
• Xiaodun asks that the Imperial Knights receive the new weapons first. Wisdom Shield agrees, since his broader army has not yet been organized.
• Chen Cheng proposes that Xiaodun’s unit become the testing force for the firearms. They will learn to operate the weapons, identify weaknesses, and develop combat doctrines suited to a magical world.
• These combat plans will eventually become training manuals for the Earl’s new army.

Character Developments

• Wisdom Shield demonstrates responsible leadership. He is initially concerned about the dangers of explosives but is willing to approve innovation once practical safety measures are proposed.
• Chen Cheng shows himself to be both technically knowledgeable and strategically thoughtful. He not only designs weapons but also understands the need for safe production, field testing, and doctrines adapted to local conditions.
• Little Fatty is revealed as ambitious and profit-minded. He wants to control firearm production, but ultimately accepts Wisdom Shield’s more practical decision to place it in the steelworks.
• Xiaodun becomes deeply enthusiastic about the historical importance of firearms. He is honored that his Imperial Knights will pioneer their use and develop the first firearm tactics.
• Isabel is indirectly helped by Chen Cheng, who realizes that Xiaodun’s new responsibilities may keep him too busy to continue bothering her.

Significant Themes

• Innovation versus safety: The chapter emphasizes that powerful technology must be introduced carefully, since a single mistake in explosive production could have catastrophic consequences.
• Industrial organization: The new weapons require coordinated factories, specialized labor, supervision, transportation, and security rather than relying solely on individual talent.
• Military transformation: Firearms are presented as weapons capable of reshaping warfare, offering power comparable to elite magical attacks at a much lower cost.
• Adapting technology to circumstances: Chen Cheng recognizes that tactics from his former world may not directly apply in a magical society, so soldiers must test the weapons and develop practical doctrines themselves.
• Historical legacy: Xiaodun is motivated by the possibility that his unit will be remembered as the origin of future firearm tactics.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng openly challenges Little Fatty’s overly confident claims about explosive safety, creating tension between them.
• Wisdom Shield consults Xiaodun and the others before approving the production plan, showing that he values collective judgment.
• Wisdom Shield assigns responsibilities to Little Fatty, Chen Cheng, and Xiaodun, turning the weapon project into a coordinated state effort.
• Xiaodun gratefully clasps Chen Cheng’s hand after being entrusted with firearm testing and doctrine development.
• Chen Cheng does not fully understand Xiaodun’s emotional reaction, but he is pleased that the assignment may keep Xiaodun occupied and away from Isabel.

Chapter Summary: “Wisdom Shield’s Pains”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wisdom Shield asks Chen Cheng whether he should begin recruiting troops to use the newly developed weapons.
• Chen Cheng advises against acting too quickly. Manufacturing the weapons, organizing the Imperial Knights, and preparing training materials will take at least six months.
• He warns that Wisdom Shield’s growing popularity in the Royal Capital makes him politically vulnerable. Recruiting an army too soon could alarm the King, the royal princes, and the Church.
• Chen Cheng suspects the Church may be supporting the princes’ blockade of Hui Dun City and may take harsher action against Wisdom Shield. The King would likely refuse to intervene openly, since doing so would disrupt the balance among the princes.
• Wisdom Shield accepts the advice and decides to ask his mother to reduce the publicity surrounding him.
• Chen Cheng realizes that Wisdom Shield’s apparent submission was partly deliberate: he wanted Xiaodun and Little Fatty to see how much he trusted Chen Cheng, indirectly signaling this to the Princess and her allies.
• Xiaodun’s opinion of Chen Cheng changes completely. He recognizes Chen Cheng as a highly capable strategist and no longer looks down on him because he is a slave.
• Xiaodun asks whether his brothers can return. Chen Cheng tells him they must continue guarding the production facility until replacements are assigned.
• Chen Cheng proposes that Xiaodun and the others begin training with explosives, treating demolition work as the first tactical training for the new weapons.
• Little Fatty reveals that the factory lacks money for more raw materials. Wisdom Shield solves the problem by purchasing all the explosives and soap in storage, while reminding him that taxes must still be paid.

Character Developments

• Wisdom Shield: Shows greater maturity, restraint, and political awareness. Although he appears to admit that he acted impulsively, Chen Cheng recognizes that he deliberately used the conversation to protect and elevate Chen Cheng’s status.
• Chen Cheng: Demonstrates that his abilities extend beyond industrial development and weapon design to political analysis, strategy, and personnel management. He is deeply moved by Wisdom Shield’s indirect protection of him.
• Xiaodun: Develops genuine respect for Chen Cheng after witnessing his political insight and Wisdom Shield’s reliance on him.
• Little Fatty: Remains focused on business and profits, but benefits from Wisdom Shield’s financial support. His dislike of taxation highlights his greed and commercial mindset.
• The Church and royal princes: Though absent from the scene, they are established as serious political threats whose actions influence every decision.

Significant Themes

• Political timing and restraint: Even useful reforms and military preparations must be delayed until they can be introduced without provoking stronger enemies.
• Power and perception: Public reputation can be both an asset and a danger. Wisdom Shield’s popularity makes him influential but also draws unwanted attention.
• Loyalty and protection: Wisdom Shield uses political theater to demonstrate Chen Cheng’s importance and shield him from suspicion.
• Intelligence beyond social status: Chen Cheng’s brilliance causes Xiaodun to abandon his prejudice against him as a slave.
• Economic organization and taxation: The chapter emphasizes that industry, military production, and commerce require proper accounting, funding, and taxation—not merely technical skill.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Wisdom Shield engage in a serious political discussion, with Chen Cheng acting as both adviser and strategist.
• Wisdom Shield publicly follows Chen Cheng’s recommendation, reinforcing Chen Cheng’s authority before Xiaodun and Little Fatty.
• Xiaodun and Little Fatty observe the exchange and gain a new appreciation for Chen Cheng.
• Chen Cheng assigns Xiaodun and his brothers continued security duties and introduces explosives training.
• Wisdom Shield supports Chen Cheng’s military plan and purchases Little Fatty’s stored goods, helping keep the factory financially active while still enforcing taxes.

Chapter Summary: “The Little Scholar”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng walks to the academy with Fini, singing a school song from his former life, “The Little Scholar.” Fini finds it amusing and joins in.
• Fini proudly shows Adalin the intricately crafted wand Chen Cheng gave her as a New Year’s present. Since New Year gift-giving is not a local custom, the wand particularly impresses Adalin.
• Adalin asks Chen Cheng to make her a wand as well. Chen Cheng agrees in principle but signals that Fini must approve first, prompting playful bargaining between the two girls.
• Adalin’s father, Viscount Colson, escorts her to the academy and reminds her not to fight. Adalin dismisses the noble young men who bother her as “flies,” explaining her reputation for driving them away physically.
• Adalin asks Chen Cheng to design a weapon combining a mage’s wand with a warrior’s weapon. Chen Cheng refuses, admitting that he does not understand the relationship between Battle Aura and Magic Energy well enough to combine them safely.
• Fini explains why Chen Cheng has seen few Warrior’s Path students at the academy: their training is much more dangerous than magic cultivation, and many practitioners come from poor families. Their practical education therefore takes place through Adventurer’s Guilds and adventurer settlements rather than at the academy itself.
• Chen Cheng remains confused about why these warriors are still enrolled in the academy if they study elsewhere.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng displays both his affectionate, paternal side and his growing technical expertise as a wand-maker. However, he remains cautious about unfamiliar power systems, especially the dangerous Warrior’s Path.
• Fini behaves mischievously and proudly, enjoying the privilege of possessing a unique gift. Her playful rivalry with Adalin shows confidence and social ease.
• Adalin reveals her competitive nature and desire for impressive equipment. Though she initially acts jealous of Fini’s wand, she is willing to humble herself and ask for one. Her physical toughness contrasts with her occasional coquettish behavior.
• Viscount Colson appears caring and protective toward Adalin, while his subtle change in attitude toward Chen Cheng suggests that he is beginning to take interest in or evaluate him more seriously.
• Chen Cheng’s views become clearer: he considers Battle Aura crude, dangerous, and difficult to control, while regarding Magic Energy as a more refined and systematic form of power.

Significant Themes

• Cross-cultural influence: Chen Cheng introduces customs and cultural elements from his former life, including school songs, New Year gifts, and wand designs inspired by fantasy media.
• Friendship and playful rivalry: Fini and Adalin’s teasing and bargaining reveal affection beneath their competition.
• Magic versus martial cultivation: The chapter contrasts the controlled, structured nature of magic with the physically dangerous and unstable Warrior’s Path.
• Class and opportunity: Warrior cultivation is accessible with fewer resources, attracting poorer students, but the academy’s system separates them from conventional academic training.
• Innovation and responsibility: Chen Cheng’s ability to create new magical tools is balanced by his refusal to experiment recklessly with powers he does not understand.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Fini share a close, almost father-and-daughter-like bond, though Fini resists being treated like a younger sister.
• Fini and Adalin engage in playful competition over the wand, with Adalin eventually asking Fini for permission before Chen Cheng agrees to make another.
• Viscount Colson and Adalin interact as affectionate but mildly exasperated father and daughter.
• Adalin and Chen Cheng develop a cooperative relationship, with her relying on his craftsmanship and him setting limits on what he can safely create.
• Fini serves as the source of information about the Warrior’s Path, while Chen Cheng questions the logic of the academy’s arrangements.

Chapter Summary: “New School Opens”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fini explains to Chen Cheng why the Adventurer’s Guild would accept students from ordinary backgrounds. Students bearing the academy’s mark offer the Guild access to promising Warrior’s Path talents, while cooperation strengthens the Guild’s relationship with the Academy Alliance.
• The arrangement benefits all three parties: the academy gains influence, the Guild gains potential disciples, and ordinary-born students receive a rare chance to improve their status—though many may be injured or killed in the process.
• Chen Cheng recognizes the harsh practicality of the system but concludes that, despite its dangers, it is still better than denying ordinary people any opportunity at all.
• In New City, the New School Academy officially opens. Chen Cheng had encouraged Baron Kekebor to establish it as part of a broader effort to spread literacy, science, and public education.
• Unlike the specialized crash courses given to Simov and others, the New School offers a broad, basic education beginning with literacy. Students study for three years before taking examinations and choosing a specialized field.
• Flyers advertising the school attract large numbers of ordinary families, especially because enrollment does not require magical or Warrior’s Path talent.
• Several thousand children arrive to enroll, far exceeding Kekebor’s expectations and nearly filling the school’s capacity of five thousand students.
• Parents are persuaded by the practical value of literacy, particularly because Blustro’s factories favor workers who can read.
• Tuition is deliberately kept very low—fifty copper coins—and each student receives a midday meal containing meat. The policy earns Kekebor considerable gratitude from the local population.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates increasing awareness of the political and social realities behind institutions that appear benevolent. Rather than reacting emotionally to the exploitation involved in the Adventurer’s Guild’s system, he accepts that it still provides ordinary people with opportunities they otherwise would never have.
• Fini acts as Chen Cheng’s guide to the academy’s political structure and the complicated alliances connecting the academy, Adventurer’s Guild, and Academy Alliance. She is pleased when Chen Cheng responds thoughtfully rather than angrily.
• Baron Kekebor is shown to be pragmatic but genuinely considerate toward ordinary people. His background as a merchant makes him approachable, and he supports affordable education rather than using the school primarily for profit.
• Ordinary parents reveal a practical, hopeful attitude. They do not fully understand the school’s curriculum, but they recognize that literacy may improve their children’s chances of securing factory work.

Significant Themes

• Opportunity versus exploitation: Institutions provide advancement for ordinary people, but often benefit themselves first and ignore the human cost.
• Education as social and political power: The New School is intended not only to teach literacy and useful knowledge but also to shape the future workforce and strengthen political alliances.
• Pragmatism in an unequal society: Chen Cheng accepts imperfect systems because they offer real benefits within a rigid class structure.
• Modernization and industrialization: Literacy becomes valuable because of the rise of factories and assembly-line production, linking education directly to economic change.
• Public goodwill and influence: Affordable schooling, free meals, and the teacher-student relationship help Kekebor and Wisdom Shield build lasting loyalty among ordinary citizens.

Character Interactions

• Fini and Chen Cheng discuss the academy’s relationship with adventurers and the treatment of ordinary-born talents, deepening their mutual understanding.
• Parents question school officials and Baron Kekebor about the school’s purpose, showing their cautious but growing trust.
• Parents discuss the school among themselves, with fathers emphasizing future employment opportunities and mothers expressing initial concern.
• Wang Er informs other parents that the school provides meat with its midday meal, further increasing their satisfaction with Kekebor’s generosity.

Chapter Summary: “Way Out”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The New Learning School reaches its full capacity of 5,000 students, leaving hundreds of children outside unable to enroll. Kekebor recognizes that the school lacks both space and teachers.
• Rather than simply turning the families away, Kekebor announces that the school will expand and open a second campus in the latter half of the year. Parents are encouraged to teach their children basic literacy at home so they can later take an examination to enter existing classes.
• Children who fail the literacy examination will still be admitted to new beginner classes, ensuring that the test does not permanently exclude anyone.
• The parents react with overwhelming gratitude, with some kneeling and kowtowing to Kekebor. He immediately has them helped up, uncomfortable with their worship.
• The chapter explains why New Learning is so important to ordinary people. It offers alternatives to the few traditional paths available to them: joining the Warrior’s Path, entering a noble’s army, or remaining trapped as laborers. Education can lead to factory work, advancement, or even recognition by powerful nobles.
• Over the next month, Wisdom Shield approves Kekebor’s school-expansion proposal, signaling official support. Kekebor also shares some of New Learning’s benefits by recruiting teachers from other nobles’ territories, preventing excessive political opposition.
• Meanwhile, Chen Cheng delivers the insulating suit he made for Aunt Mei, causing further gossip and excitement from Lisa.
• Chen Cheng spends the rest of the month studying advanced universal Magic Runes and creating the custom wand he promised Adalin.
• When Chen Cheng finally gives Adalin the wand, she immediately binds it to herself through a blood contract. Chen Cheng reflects that he has developed a less violent alternative: fingerprint-based magical identification, adapted from lightning-element runes.

Character Developments

• Kekebor demonstrates greater compassion and political intelligence. Instead of treating the enrollment shortage as an unavoidable failure, he creates a practical path for excluded children and shows that he genuinely wants education to succeed.
• He also becomes more politically savvy, balancing his control over New Learning with the interests of other nobles by sharing teachers and opportunities.
• Chen Cheng continues to grow as both a scholar and magical inventor. Despite a demanding academic schedule, he completes Adalin’s highly customized wand and develops an innovative security system based on fingerprints.
• Adalin remains impatient, forceful, and single-minded. Her eagerness to obtain the wand leads her to bind it immediately without waiting for Chen Cheng’s explanation.
• Wisdom Shield emerges as a powerful supporter of Kekebor’s project, discouraging rivals from copying or undermining New Learning.
• Ordinary parents and children are portrayed as increasingly hopeful, seeing education as a rare opportunity to escape poverty and social limitations.

Significant Themes

• Education as social mobility: New Learning offers common people a genuine route toward better employment, status, and independence.
• Hope and opportunity: Even those excluded from the first enrollment are promised another chance, emphasizing that temporary failure need not determine a person’s future.
• Class inequality: The chapter contrasts the limited opportunities available to commoners with the privileges and power of nobles.
• Leadership and responsibility: Kekebor’s willingness to expand the school, train teachers, and accommodate the excluded shows that institution-building requires compassion as well as organization.
• Innovation through adaptation: Chen Cheng combines magical principles with ideas from his previous life, transforming familiar concepts such as fingerprint recognition into new magical technology.
• Political cooperation: Kekebor’s decision to share New Learning’s benefits helps secure broader support and prevents conflict among nobles.

Character Interactions

• Kekebor addresses the disappointed families directly, apologizing for the full enrollment and reassuring them that their children will still have a future at the school.
• The parents respond with deep gratitude, but Kekebor rejects their submission and has them stand.
• Kekebor and Wisdom Shield work indirectly together: Wisdom Shield’s approval protects the school politically, while Kekebor expands the project in a way that benefits other nobles.
• Chen Cheng’s work on Aunt Mei’s insulating suit fuels Lisa’s gossip and creates further personal complications.
• Adalin confronts Chen Cheng about delaying her wand, then eagerly claims it and performs the binding ritual. Their exchange highlights her aggressive impatience and Chen Cheng’s tendency to boast about his inventions.
• Chen Cheng’s fingerprint-binding innovation also shows his habit of improving existing magical systems rather than simply accepting traditional methods.

Chapter Summary: “A Wager”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Adalin reveals the short wand forged for her by Chen Cheng. Because it looks like an ordinary stick rather than a traditional cane-like wand, the other students initially mock it.
• Russoff, a lecherous young noble, challenges Adalin to a wand duel, assuming the unfamiliar wand is inferior. He wagers his family’s Body Tempering Technique against a single hug from Adalin if she loses.
• Adalin accepts because the technique would greatly benefit her Warrior’s Path cultivation. She also trusts Chen Cheng’s craftsmanship, having seen his wands enhance Fini’s heirloom weapon.
• The pair ask a teacher to witness the wager. Isabel approves the duel, explaining that the academy permits such contests to settle disputes and encourage competition.
• At the duel arena, the wager is formally certified. Both contestants begin by exchanging ordinary Fireball Spells, creating a dull stalemate.
• Fini reminds Adalin that Chen Cheng’s wands are specially tailored to their users and possess unique enhancements.
• Adalin activates her wand’s hidden function, causing her Fireball Spell to produce a chained barrage of successive fireballs.
• Russoff counters with a Silver Rank Blade Break Technique built into his wand, initially destroying Adalin’s fireballs.
• However, Adalin’s repeated fireballs overwhelm the spell. The Blade Break Technique collapses, and two fireballs strike Russoff, scorching his uniform and effectively deciding the match.

Character Developments

• Adalin: Demonstrates confidence, patience, and tactical intelligence. Although disgusted by Russoff’s behavior, she endures his wager because of the value of the Body Tempering Technique. Her trust in Chen Cheng’s work proves justified when she uses the wand’s specialized ability to defeat Russoff.
• Russoff: Reveals himself to be arrogant, crude, and overconfident. He underestimates Adalin and Chen Cheng’s creation, relying on an allegedly superior built-in spell and his belief that Adalin will lose.
• Chen Cheng: Though absent from the duel itself, his skill as a wand-maker is strongly validated. His ability to tailor wands to their users gives Adalin a decisive advantage.
• Fini: Acts as an encouraging ally to Adalin and openly mocks Russoff. Her reminder helps Adalin realize how to activate the wand’s special function.
• Isabel: Serves as the responsible authority who formalizes the wager and supervises the duel. Her comments also establish the academy’s practical attitude toward student conflicts.
• Russoff’s father/family: Their influence is indirectly shown through Russoff’s access to a valuable Body Tempering Technique and his sheltered upbringing.

Significant Themes

• Innovation versus tradition: Adalin’s small, unconventional wand appears unimpressive, but its advanced design surpasses the more traditional weapons students are accustomed to.
• Underestimation and hidden strength: Russoff judges the wand by its appearance and dismisses Adalin, only to be defeated by an ability he never anticipates.
• Trust in craftsmanship and allies: Adalin’s faith in Chen Cheng’s work, reinforced by Fini’s advice, allows her to use the wand effectively.
• Competition as conflict resolution: The academy encourages formal wagered duels as a safer alternative to grudges and personal violence.
• Arrogance and consequences: Russoff’s lecherous confidence blinds him to Adalin’s actual capabilities, resulting in humiliation and the destruction of his superior-looking counterattack.

Character Interactions

• Russoff taunts Adalin over her “stick,” then proposes the wager with inappropriate intentions.
• Adalin responds with sarcasm and reluctantly accepts, motivated by the Body Tempering Technique.
• Fini privately supports Adalin and ridicules Russoff, calling attention to the wand’s special properties.
• Isabel mediates the situation by certifying the duel and placing it within the academy’s rules.
• During the duel, Russoff relies on his Silver Rank spell while Adalin uses Chen Cheng’s customized wand to overwhelm him, turning his confidence into defeat.

Chapter Summary: “Copy Magic with a Flaw”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During a mock duel, Adalin uses Chen Cheng’s newly created magic wand against Russoff. The wand releases eight or nine Fireball Spells in rapid succession, overwhelming Russoff and knocking him down.
• Isabel, acting as referee, helps Russoff up and reprimands him for his carelessness. His attempt to maintain a gentlemanly image is undermined by the comical “Brother Pig” expression still stuck on his face.
• Adalin wins the duel and reminds Russoff to honor their wager by giving her the Body Tempering Technique the following day.
• The spectators become fascinated by Adalin’s wand and question her about how it works and where they can obtain one. Adalin avoids the crowd and leaves with Chen Cheng and Fini.
• Adalin explains the wand’s function to Fini: it drains all of the user’s Magic Energy at once while repeatedly copying the spell being cast.
• Chen Cheng reveals that the wand’s “copy magic” has a flaw: once activated, it cannot be stopped until the connected Magic Energy source is completely exhausted.
• Chen Cheng realizes this flaw is ideal for Adalin, who practices both magic and martial arts. She can unleash a barrage of spells to distract an enemy, then use Battle Aura to close the distance and attack physically.
• Afterward, Little Fatty arrives looking for Chen Cheng. Fini teases him for abandoning his classes, then leaves with Adalin so Chen Cheng and Little Fatty can speak privately.
• Little Fatty reports that his factory is running successfully. The two-shift, eight-hour work system and worker incentive plan have increased efficiency and enthusiasm.
• He gives Chen Cheng the factory’s monthly production figures, along with reports from Blustro’s exchange, which Chen Cheng begins reviewing.

Character Development

• Adalin gains confidence in her new weapon and recognizes how well it complements her dual cultivation. Her victory demonstrates both her growing combat ability and her strategic thinking.
• Chen Cheng continues developing innovative magic and applying practical knowledge from his former life to industry and combat. He is pleased that his flawed spell can become a major advantage when used by the right person.
• Russoff is humbled by his defeat and finally shows fear after being reprimanded by Isabel. His attempts to preserve his dignity remain undermined by his involuntary comical expression.
• Fini remains outspoken and playful, teasing Little Fatty while also showing the emotional connection formed through their shared experience of losing their mothers.
• Little Fatty has become increasingly committed to his factory and explosives production, even at the expense of attending academy classes. His management skills and the factory’s success earn Chen Cheng’s praise.

Significant Themes

• Flaws becoming strengths: The copy magic’s inability to stop is normally a serious weakness, but it becomes an advantage when paired with Adalin’s combat style.
• Synergy between different disciplines: Magic and martial arts complement each other, allowing Adalin to overwhelm opponents from both long and close range.
• Innovation and practical application: Chen Cheng’s inventions are valuable not merely because they are powerful, but because he understands how to adapt them to specific users and situations.
• Industrial organization and efficiency: Little Fatty’s factory succeeds through structured work shifts and incentive-based management.
• Friendship and emotional bonds: The interactions among Chen Cheng, Adalin, Fini, and Little Fatty show growing trust, teasing familiarity, and shared personal histories.

Character Interactions

• Isabel acts as a responsible referee and teacher, helping Russoff while criticizing his lack of attention.
• Adalin confidently claims her victory over Russoff and later praises Chen Cheng’s wand.
• Fini questions Adalin about the wand, then joins her in teasing Little Fatty for neglecting his studies.
• Chen Cheng and Adalin share an inventor-and-user relationship: he explains the wand’s design, while she demonstrates its ideal combat application.
• Chen Cheng and Little Fatty privately discuss the factory, with Chen Cheng showing concern before praising his friend’s successful management.

Chapter Summary: “Little Fatty Comes Looking”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Blustro’s monthly revenue has increased overall, largely because of the limited-edition Kailan Flower perfume. However, sales within the Kingdom of Moss have fallen sharply due to the First Prince’s interference and attempted blockade.
• Blustro’s earlier expansion into neighboring kingdoms protects his business. Although domestic sales have declined, overseas markets now provide most of the company’s growth.
• Reports from the Hui Dun City exchange reveal that merchants who previously withdrew because of the First Prince have begun returning. Their need for reliable information, buyers, and inexpensive suppliers outweighs their fear of the blockade.
• Chen Cheng concludes that the First Prince’s pressure is no longer a serious threat and that Haosen and the others have successfully carried out their infiltration plans.
• Chen reassures Little Fatty that Blustro’s business will eventually recover.
• Since Chen Cheng owns a ten-percent share in Little Fatty’s explosives factory, Little Fatty asks for business advice. Chen suggests turning the soap byproduct of explosives production into scented soap.
• Chen advises selling the scented soap cheaply—at no more than one silver coin per bar—instead of treating it as a luxury product like perfume. Because each bar costs only about ten copper coins to make, the product can earn substantial profits through mass sales.
• Before leaving for class, Chen learns that the new Firearms Factory has completed its first experimental batch based on his blueprints. Little Fatty asks him to inspect the weapons and identify any problems.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates his strategic understanding of both politics and commerce. He recognizes that the First Prince’s blockade is weakening and that market diversification has protected Blustro.
• He also shows his ability to identify profitable opportunities, repositioning scented soap as an affordable, mass-market necessity rather than an elite luxury.
• Little Fatty continues developing from a simple merchant into a shrewd businessman. At first, he thinks in terms of luxury pricing, but Chen teaches him to value affordability and sales volume.
• Little Fatty also shows practical business awareness by worrying about the Firearms Factory’s progress. He understands that problems in firearms production could leave his explosives unsold.
• Blustro is portrayed as cautious but clever. Although he sends Little Fatty to assess the situation, his earlier investments and market expansion prove that he prepared well for political disruptions.

Significant Themes

• Adaptability in business: Success depends on adjusting prices, markets, and product positioning according to circumstances.
• Mass markets versus luxury markets: High-priced goods may offer large margins, but affordable products can generate greater profits through widespread demand.
• The importance of diversification: Blustro’s overseas markets prevent his company from collapsing when domestic trade is restricted.
• Profit overcoming political pressure: Merchants are willing to risk returning to the exchange when the economic benefits are strong enough.
• Interdependence between industries: The explosives and firearms businesses rely on each other; a failure in one could damage the other.

Character Interactions

• Chen examines Blustro’s reports and reassures Little Fatty that the domestic downturn is temporary.
• Little Fatty asks Chen for advice about his own factory, leading Chen to propose scented soap and explain its pricing strategy.
• Their discussion shows Chen acting as a mentor while Little Fatty eagerly absorbs his commercial ideas.
• Little Fatty physically delays Chen from leaving because he has one more request: inspecting the Firearms Factory’s first experimental weapons.
• Their relationship is informal and trusting, with Little Fatty treating Chen as both a business partner and a reliable adviser.

Chapter Summary: “Commerce”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Little Fatty asks Chen Cheng to inspect the first batch of firearms produced from Chen Cheng’s blueprints. He initially tries to persuade him by calling the weapons Chen Cheng’s “children,” but Chen Cheng rejects the comparison because the firearms are designed for mass killing.
• Little Fatty offers to pay Chen Cheng as a consultant, but Chen Cheng advises him not to involve himself in weapon production. His responsibility is only to fulfill the explosives contract with Earl Huidun; Simov and the other factory workers are responsible for manufacturing the weapons and dealing with any production problems.
• Chen Cheng emphasizes the importance of respecting business boundaries and avoiding disorder or corruption, using Blustro’s disciplined approach to cooperation as an example.
• Chen Cheng and Little Fatty visit the instructors’ office to request leave, but they encounter Isabel reprimanding Russoff. Russoff had initiated a duel, signed a wager, and then attempted to deny the agreement by pressuring Isabel not to recognize it.
• Isabel becomes angry when she sees Little Fatty preparing to prioritize commerce over his studies. She tells him to either attend school properly or withdraw and stop using his student status while pursuing mercantile affairs.
• Chen Cheng defends Little Fatty and argues that merchants are essential to the economy, tax revenue, national development, and military strength.
• Isabel is rendered speechless by Chen Cheng’s argument, though the narration notes that he exaggerates commerce’s importance based on the more commercially developed society of his previous life.

Character Development

• Chen Cheng demonstrates practical business judgment and moral awareness. He refuses to treat weapons casually, recognizing their destructive purpose, and advises Little Fatty to avoid meddling in responsibilities that belong to others. He also reveals his willingness to defend Little Fatty’s ambitions.
• Little Fatty remains eager to expand his business and save money, but Chen Cheng encourages him to think more broadly and spend where necessary. His desire to become a great merchant, inherited from his childhood ambitions, is threatened by Isabel’s contempt for commerce.
• Isabel is shown as strict but fundamentally concerned for her students’ futures. Her anger toward Russoff comes from his dishonesty, while her criticism of Little Fatty reflects a belief that his magical talent offers him a nobler path than trade.
• Russoff is portrayed as dishonest and lacking integrity because he attempts to escape a wager that he himself proposed and formally accepted.
• Blustro serves as an example of disciplined commercial conduct: he limits himself to agreed-upon ventures and does not interfere in unrelated matters.

Significant Themes

• Commerce versus social prejudice: The chapter challenges the belief that merchants are lowly or unimportant, presenting trade as essential to economic vitality, taxation, national defense, and political strength.
• Responsibility and boundaries: Chen Cheng stresses that people should handle their own obligations instead of interfering in unrelated affairs or shifting costs onto others.
• Money and proper expenditure: Little Fatty’s obsession with avoiding expenses is criticized. The chapter argues that money must sometimes be spent strategically to preserve efficiency and fairness.
• The morality of weapons: Chen Cheng is uncomfortable with the firearms because he understands that they represent large-scale death, even though they are also part of the territory’s development and defense.
• Integrity and contracts: Russoff’s attempt to deny his wager contrasts with the chapter’s emphasis on honoring agreements and accepting responsibility.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Little Fatty have a familiar, teasing relationship, but Chen Cheng also acts as a mentor by correcting Little Fatty’s financial thinking and defending his ambitions.
• Isabel and Russoff clash over honesty and the binding nature of his wager.
• Isabel and Little Fatty conflict because she sees commerce as beneath him, while he dreams of becoming a successful merchant.
• Chen Cheng confronts Isabel’s prejudice directly, defending merchants and forcing her to reconsider her assumptions.

Summary: “Chen Cheng’s Bamboozling”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Little Fatty is deeply moved when Chen Cheng defends the importance of merchants, since even Little Fatty’s father, Blustro, does not want him to inherit the family’s commercial empire. Blustro instead hopes he will excel academically, become a noble, and use the family’s wealth to enter aristocratic society.
• Little Fatty argues that merchants, despite their wealth, still serve the nobles. Chen Cheng challenges this idea by claiming that everyone is driven by forces above them, including rulers constrained by laws, traditions, and ancestral rules.
• Chen Cheng uses the collapse of the Empire and the former Emperor’s violation of a taboo to support his argument that no one possesses absolute freedom.
• After leaving Isabel unable to respond, Chen Cheng exploits the moment to request leave, claiming that Akasto needs his assistance. Isabel allows him to go.
• Melinda later explains to Isabel that Chen Cheng deliberately shifted the meaning of “freedom.” She argues that people possess relative freedom, which education and power can expand. If Akasto were sufficiently powerful, even an earl like Wisdom Shield could not control him.
• Realizing she was tricked, Isabel becomes embarrassed and vows to punish Chen Cheng.
• Chen Cheng arrives at an artillery testing range, where numerous experimental artillery pieces, rifles, and ammunition types based on weapons from his previous life are being evaluated.
• The weapons will be tested by Xiaodun and the Imperial Knights, who will eventually select and standardize the most useful calibers for this world’s warfare.
• Chen Cheng tests a rifle modeled after the Mauser 98K. His first shot misses due to his lack of training, but after adjusting his aim, he successfully hits the target with his second shot.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng demonstrates his intelligence, rhetorical skill, and willingness to manipulate situations for his own purposes. He sincerely defends merchants but also uses his philosophical argument as a diversion to secure permission to leave class.
• Little Fatty gains confidence in the value of his merchant background after hearing Chen Cheng’s defense, though he remains realistic about the social power of nobles.
• Isabel is temporarily overwhelmed by Chen Cheng’s argument and is later embarrassed when Melinda exposes his sophistry. Her embarrassment turns into determination to retaliate.
• Melinda serves as the perceptive voice who identifies Chen Cheng’s logical trick and restores Isabel’s understanding of the argument.
• Blustro is portrayed as a merchant who views commerce primarily as a means of purchasing aristocratic status and political influence for his son.
• Chen Cheng’s military collaborators, including Simov, Xiaodun, and the Imperial Knights, are involved in developing and testing modern weaponry.

Significant Themes

• Relative versus absolute freedom: The chapter argues that no one is completely free, since individuals are influenced by social structures, laws, family, traditions, and even biological forces. However, Melinda clarifies that education and strength can increase a person’s relative freedom.
• Social class and merchant status: The discussion examines the tension between wealth and rank. Merchants may possess money and influence but remain socially subordinate to nobles unless they gain political or military power.
• Power and dependency: Even rulers are constrained by inherited rules and institutions, while ordinary people are controlled by higher social classes. The chapter also suggests that increasing one’s power is the best way to resist control.
• Cleverness and deception: Chen Cheng’s argument is rhetorically convincing but logically manipulative, showing how intelligence can be used both to debate and to escape authority.
• Modernization and military technology: The artillery testing reflects Chen Cheng’s attempt to transfer knowledge from his previous life into a new world, while recognizing that weapons must be adapted through practical testing and local military experience.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Little Fatty discuss merchants, nobles, and the limits of social power, strengthening their friendship and mutual understanding.
• Chen Cheng debates Isabel and leaves her unable to challenge his argument, then uses her confusion to obtain leave.
• Melinda later analyzes the exchange with Isabel and exposes Chen Cheng’s “concept-switching,” causing Isabel considerable embarrassment.
• At the testing range, Chen Cheng interacts with Simov and begins evaluating the new firearms and artillery intended for testing by Xiaodun and the Imperial Knights.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng tests fires a gun, initially missing the target, then demonstrates accurate shooting by accounting for wind direction and speed.
• Chen Cheng decides to test fire a 150mm heavy howitzer, selecting a distant mound as the target.
• The cannon successfully hits the target, demonstrating its long-range and powerful capabilities.
• Xiaodun, impressed by the cannon's power, envisions its strategic use in warfare.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng shows his expertise in firearms and cannons, demonstrating his ability to teach and his practical skills.
• Xiaodun exhibits his military acumen, quickly understanding the strategic value of the cannon and its potential impact on warfare.

Significant Themes

• The power and potential of modern weaponry, specifically firearms and cannons.
• The importance of understanding and adapting to new technologies in warfare.
• The role of mentors and teachers in transmitting knowledge and skills.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng interacts with his students, demonstrating his teaching methods and expertise.
• Xiaodun interacts with Chen Cheng, expressing his excitement and understanding of the cannon's military applications.
• The students, including Simov and Little Fatty, watch and learn from Chen Cheng, showing respect and admiration for their teacher.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiaodun approaches Chen Cheng with concerns about transporting large cannons due to their size and weight.
• Chen Cheng proposes transporting cannons disassembled and also introduces smaller, yet powerful cannons like the 105mm howitzer.
• Chen Cheng demonstrates various cannons and their uses to Xiaodun and others.
• Chen Cheng discards the shoulder-fired rocket launcher (RPG) due to its impracticality in this world.
• Chen Cheng attends a celebratory feast with Xiaodun and others, drinks alcohol, and returns to the academy late.
• Drunk Chen Cheng mistakes Isabel for Fini, falls onto her, and accidentally gropes Melinda, leading to Isabel slapping him.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng shows keen observation and problem-solving skills in addressing the cannon transportation issue.
• Chen Cheng's alcohol tolerance is revealed to be low, leading to his drunken state.
• Isabel shows vulnerability and emotional depth by crying due to Chen Cheng's actions, challenging her strong, capable image.

Significant Themes

• The practicality and limitations of weapons in this world.
• The consequences of Chen Cheng's actions and their impact on others.
• The emotional depth and vulnerability of Isabel.

Character Interactions

• Chen Cheng and Xiaodun discuss and solve the cannon transportation problem, showing mutual respect and admiration.
• Chen Cheng's drunken actions cause misunderstandings and anger Isabel, leading to a physical altercation.
• Isabel's anger and subsequent tears show her emotional investment in Chen Cheng's actions and their relationship.

Chapter Summary: Thermal Weapons That Overturned Traditional Warfare

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Cheng unintentionally causes Isabel to cry after behaving offensively toward her. Melinda comforts Isabel and reprimands Chen Cheng with a glare.
• Chen Cheng explains that he has developed a powerful new weapon for Wisdom Shield. Before it can be issued to the army, Earl Xiaodun must develop tactics and training methods centered on it.
• Chen Cheng presents this as good news for Isabel because Xiaodun will be occupied with military research and will have less time to harass her.
• Isabel quickly regains her composure and becomes excited by the prospect of a new battlefield weapon, asking whether it is a sword, spear, or something similar.
• Chen Cheng keeps the weapon’s true nature secret. He has ordered Simov and the others to treat the firearms as top secret.
• Chen Cheng reflects on the difference between crude homemade guns and properly manufactured firearms. He realizes that the Mauser rifles and cannons he has produced are vastly more powerful than the weapons he made in childhood.
• The chapter emphasizes the destructive potential of these thermal weapons:
  • A Mauser rifle can penetrate even a Gold Rank Warrior’s body and seriously injure an unsuspecting Platinum Rank expert.
  • Firearms produce no detectable Magic Energy fluctuations, allowing long-range surprise attacks and assassinations.
  • Artillery can annihilate massive armies in a single volley, especially because Space Bags make transporting the weapons easy.
• Melinda ends the conversation by reminding Isabel that, as a mentor, she should focus on teaching her students rather than military affairs.

Character Developments

• Chen Cheng shows increasing strategic awareness. He recognizes that modern firearms are not merely weapons but potentially nation-defending assets capable of overturning the world’s traditional military balance.
• Isabel shifts rapidly from grief to curiosity and excitement once she learns that Chen Cheng’s invention may free her from Xiaodun’s attention. She also develops a shy, grateful fondness toward Chen Cheng after realizing he created the weapon partly to help her.
• Melinda acts as Isabel’s protector and emotional mediator. She comforts Isabel, observes the growing emotional tension between Isabel and Chen Cheng, and lightly restrains Isabel’s enthusiasm.
• Xiaodun, though absent, remains influential. His willingness to abandon his harassment of Isabel in order to study the weapon demonstrates how seriously he regards its military importance.

Significant Themes

• Technological disruption: Modern thermal weapons threaten to overturn a society whose warfare is based on magic, cultivation, and detecting Magic Energy.
• The power of secrecy: Chen Cheng understands that revealing firearms prematurely could create enormous political and military consequences, so he imposes strict confidentiality.
• Limits of physical strength: Even superhuman cultivation cannot fully protect warriors from advanced projectile weapons, highlighting the vulnerability of traditional martial power.
• Innovation and strategic advantage: Range, speed, accuracy, transportability, and undetectability make firearms more valuable than conventional weapons.
• Emotional bonds beneath practical motives: Chen Cheng’s military innovation also serves a personal purpose—protecting Isabel from Xiaodun—which causes Isabel to feel touched and embarrassed.

Character Interactions

• Melinda comforts Isabel while glaring at Chen Cheng for upsetting her.
• Chen Cheng carefully redirects Isabel’s emotions by explaining that his invention concerns her as well.
• Isabel listens, becomes fascinated by the weapon, and privately feels grateful and romantically flustered by Chen Cheng’s consideration.
• Melinda notices Isabel’s reaction and takes her hand, reminding her to behave like a teacher and focus on her students.