Chapter Summaries

Wu Heng learned that the Yeke Kingdom had tried to bring Luntam City under its control, but found no evidence of an army at the border. After Aiskar Shaman offered the support of five orc tribes, Wu Heng proposed forming a Luntam Alliance.

• Wen Mansha told Wu Heng that a Yeke Kingdom messenger had demanded Luntam City join the kingdom and threatened an attack.
• Granda and Beni found the messenger, Robien, at a tavern, but Wu Heng chose to have him watched rather than killed.
• Wu Heng investigated the border and found no sign of the tens of thousands of troops the messenger had claimed were stationed there.
• Aiskar Shaman told Wu Heng that five orc tribes recognized Luntam City and could gather several thousand people to support it.
• Wu Heng proposed that Luntam City and the orc tribes form a Luntam Alliance for mutual defense, trade, and cooperation.

Wu Heng strengthened Luntam City’s ties with the orc tribes, arranged protection for Wen Mansha and their daughter, and returned to Treasure Island, where free public classes had begun. A representative of the Dragon Trafficking Team then offered to sell him Flying Dragon bones.

• Wu Heng persuaded the old beastman to discuss linking the orc tribes with Luntam City, and he gave Wen Mansha three wondrous items before assigning Bone Demon Two and high-level skeletons to protect her and Wu Qin.
• Wu Heng checked the Yeke Kingdom’s border forces and visited Slyther and Yuri in Blackstone Town before returning to Treasure Island.
• Wu Heng learned that the Grand Text Society’s free public classes had become popular among Treasure Island’s residents.
• Gregor of the Dragon Trafficking Team visited Wu Heng and offered to sell him the bones of dead Flying Dragons.

Wu Heng negotiated a contract to buy Flying Dragon corpses, organized communications work in the Zombie World, and installed telephones around Treasure Island. A blood-eyed stranger investigated the island and Wu Heng, while the male technician reported that his students were ready to install and adjust equipment.

• Wu Heng bargained with a representative of the Dragon Trafficking Team and agreed to buy intact adult Flying Dragon corpses and future deliveries at set prices, with payment after delivery.
• Wu Heng asked the representative to describe a missing fleet in the Emerald Sea and had Annette record its identifying details before the man signed the contract.
• In the Zombie World, Wu Heng sent trained skeletons to help lay communication lines, checked Qi Hancai’s level, and later brought the newly trained skeletons through the Portal.
• Wu Heng’s team completed telephone lines on Treasure Island, and Shiraque and Shi Yali tested a telephone that connected them to Wu Heng, Town Hall, and the Patrol Team.
• A pale, red-eyed man ordered his subordinate to investigate Treasure Island’s professionals and Wu Heng, then entered a cargo hold where blood-red eyes watched him.
• The male technician told Wu Heng that his students had learned equipment installation and adjustment and were ready for normal work.

Wu Heng led a convoy to kill Zombies and Mutated Black Pigs, then visited Philippa’s new frigate at Treasure Island. After returning home, he considered whether beasts could be mutated in batches to supply Level 1 Corpse Cores and Enhancement Potions.

• Wu Heng learned that technicians and skeleton trainees had fitted the ships with Close-in Weapon Systems and adjusted their detection equipment.
• Qi Hancai told Wu Heng that Zhao Yanqiu had become popular as the base’s radio host, and they discussed her Bard profession and Qi Hancai’s training.
• Wu Heng led the skeletons against a Zombie Horde and a herd of Level 7 and 8 Mutated Black Pigs, using Skeleton Flying Dragons to bombard them before collecting Corpse Cores and raising more skeletons.
• Wu Heng sent a second frigate to Treasure Island and showed it to Philippa, who admired its Close-in Weapon System and the vessel’s capabilities.
• Wu Heng considered breeding beasts or poultry to produce Mutated Zombies in batches and planned to test the idea in the Zombie World.

Wu Heng and the others watched the waitresses perform a stage play based on Beni’s story, and the performance earned his approval. Later, Mackintosh reported a suspicious cargo ship at the harbor that appeared to be supplying food for nearly a hundred people.

• Wu Heng, Minnie, and other guests watched the waitresses perform Beni’s story at the Opera House, and Wu Heng praised the cast and gave them bard scrolls.
• Saban announced at the Golden Sail Tavern that the play would be staged at the Opera House and urged people to support the performers.
• Wu Heng reassured Beni that she had been brave, and she thanked him for taking her out of Blackstone Town.
• Mackintosh called Wu Heng and reported that a cargo ship at the harbor was sending up enough food each day to feed nearly a hundred people, raising suspicions.

Wu Heng discovered that vampires had hidden nearly a hundred people aboard a harbor ship and planned to kill him, so he lured them out to sea. As the vampires closed in at night, an explosion struck the water beneath their ship.

• Mackintosh told Wu Heng that a suspicious ship at Berth Five received food and water for nearly a hundred hidden passengers.
• Wu Heng sent Granda to investigate and tasked Xiaoxiao and Beni with checking the Island Master's Manor; Granda identified the hidden passengers as vampires targeting Wu Heng.
• Granda reported that several level 15 vampires were aboard and that one or more level 18 leaders might be with them, so Wu Heng decided to lure them out and kill them.
• A vampire leader ordered his subordinates to follow Wu Heng and arranged for Radvan to attack Island Master's Manor that night.
• Wu Heng sailed east aboard a ship disguised by a skeleton wearing his Human Skin Mask, and he confirmed with the Emerald Sea Sandbox that the vampires were following.
• At night, the vampires' ship approached Wu Heng's vessel, and a flash of fire preceded an explosion beneath their ship.

Wu Heng’s ship destroyed the blood clan’s attack, and his forces captured the surviving leader’s ghost while Shiraque killed Radvan and arrested his men on Treasure Island. At dawn, Wu Heng returned to the Association with a ghost to interrogate, and Shiraque learned the enemy had been the blood clan.

• The blood clan attacked Wu Heng’s ship, but its weapons destroyed their ship and killed the attackers in the air and sea.
• Wu Heng’s skeletons fought the blood clan leader underwater, and Granda captured his ghost with Soul Shackles before Wu Heng sealed it in the Demon Soul Pot.
• Shiraque led Association forces to Radvan’s residence, killed him, and took his mercenaries and attendants into custody.
• Wu Heng returned to the Association at dawn and joined Shiraque on the way to the morgue to interrogate the captured ghost.
• Shiraque asked whom Wu Heng had killed, and he told her it was the blood clan.

Wu Heng interrogated a Blood Race ghost who implicated Moffat in the attempt on his life, while Shiraque prepared reports for the Association and Lilith. Elsewhere, Wen Mansha formed an alliance between Luntam City and six orc tribes, and Wu Heng traveled to Lopes City, where Lady Li presented an unexpected delivery.

• Wu Heng and Shiraque examined the Blood Race corpse, then interrogated Kerby Badley’s ghost, who admitted that Moffat had urged him to attack Wu Heng and provided information about Treasure Island.
• Shiraque ordered Kerby Badley’s testimony recorded and kept his ghost in the Demon Soul Pot so they could use him against Moffat and his allies.
• Shiraque drafted a report for the Association, while Wu Heng wrote to Leader Lilith; they then discussed heroes and the Rare Species Protection Act.
• Wen Mansha signed an alliance agreement with representatives of six orc tribes, formally joining them with Luntam City.
• Wu Heng traveled to Lopes City to check on his corpse order, and Lady Li brought in four coffins and a frail human elder.

Wu Heng agreed to turn the dying Level 17 Machinist Kostas Alvarez into a ghoul in exchange for his service, then brought him back to Treasure Island. When Wu Heng introduced a new member to his household, Robbie assumed he had hired another maid.

• Lady Li introduced Kostas Alvarez, a dying Level 17 Machinist, and he asked Wu Heng to help him stay alive in exchange for his wealth and loyalty.
• Wu Heng agreed to make Kostas a ghoul, provided he worked for him, and temporarily housed him in the Mansion Spell.
• Wu Heng bought four corpses from Lady Li, paid her, and gave her a signed copy of Great Detective: First Volume.
• Wu Heng returned to Treasure Island and asked his maids to invite Shanala to dinner.
• Wu Heng said he wanted to introduce a new member, and Robbie asked whether he had another new maid.

Wu Heng transformed the frail old machinist into a ghoul and put him in charge of the machinists and a new workshop. As the bicycle drew a curious crowd at the exhibition, the old machinist discovered Wu Heng’s unfamiliar blueprints and looked forward to mastering their technology.

• Wu Heng introduced the old machinist to his maids, then had him sign a Slave Contract before beginning the ghoul transformation.
• The old machinist collapsed during the contract signing, but Wu Heng revived him with potions and transformed him into a ghoul that night.
• Shanala told Wu Heng she planned to display a bicycle at the exhibition, and he said he would consider mass-producing it.
• Crowds gathered to see the bicycle at the exhibition while machinists sketched its design and wondered whether they could copy it.
• Wu Heng took the old machinist to a new workshop, placed the Skeleton Machinists under his command, and gave him blueprints that inspired him to pursue new technological mastery.

Wu Heng crushed a group of survivors who had blocked his base’s transport route, then led a nighttime expedition to clear Zombies. On Treasure Island, Shiraque discovered that an informant had been murdered while carrying a Whisperer Association emblem.

• Wu Heng assigned Mr. Costas to study machinery blueprints, especially the power plant, and set up a workshop beside the Island Master's Manor.
• Wu Heng converted corpses into Blood Race Skeletons, then learned that Qi Hancai had gone to confront survivors blocking the Transport Team at Stone Beam Bridge.
• Wu Heng brought the Skeleton Army to the bridge, surrounded the survivors’ buildings, and ordered Qi Hancai to bind the captives and take them back for work assignments.
• Wu Heng arranged to take skeletons out that night to clear Zombies, while Qi Hancai divided her people between the expedition and escorting the captives.
• Shiraque investigated a corpse with sword wounds and learned that the dead man had hidden a Whisperer Association Emblem in his mouth.

Shiraque used the Skeleton Prophet to uncover what happened to the murdered Whisperer, then returned to the Zombie World as Granda reached level 20 and became a Heroic Spirit. Wu Heng inspected her new traits and Steal Flesh ability, and wondered whether she could now cast spells.

• Shiraque secured the murdered Whisperer's corpse and insignia, then brought them to the Skeleton Prophet for an investigation.
• The Skeleton Prophet showed Shiraque what had happened, and she hurried away after thanking it.
• Wu Heng and Xiaoxiao watched Granda devour Residual Souls as the skeletons fought the Zombie Horde.
• Granda reached level 20, became a Heroic Spirit, and gained new traits and the Steal Flesh ability.
• Wu Heng checked Granda's attributes and considered testing whether her new Heroic Spirit trait let her cast spells.

Wu Heng and Shiraque investigated the murder of an Association Whisperer on Treasure Island and learned that a Deacon and other Association Members had been killed amid a civil war in Netarei City. Shiraque prepared to report the killings, while Granda suggested the crisis gave Wu Heng an opportunity to intervene in the Yeke Kingdom.

• After returning to Treasure Island, Wu Heng learned that an unidentified Association Whisperer had been found murdered and that Shiraque wanted to question the corpse.
• Shiraque and Wu Heng used Talk with Dead to learn that the Whisperer had brought news of a murdered Deacon, slain Association Members, and a civil war in Netarei City.
• The corpse identified itself as the Deacon's informant and said it did not know who had killed the Deacon.
• Shiraque ordered the evidence prepared for Association Headquarters and planned to report the killings, while Wu Heng agreed to write a separate report as a Flag Bearer.
• Shiraque ordered Team One's Captain to bring the Fifth Princess of the Yeke Kingdom to her.
• Granda told Wu Heng that the crisis could give him an opportunity to intervene in the Yeke Kingdom.

After a Whisperers member was murdered while delivering news from Netarei City, Wu Heng reported the crisis to the Association and prepared to join its investigation. He also arranged supplies in the Zombie World, demonstrated Granda’s ability to possess a corpse, and inspected a shipment of Flying Dragon corpses on Treasure Island.

• Wu Heng wrote a report recommending an investigation team go to Netarei City and protect Association Members, then sent it and letters to Imilo and Lilith.
• Wu Heng told Shanala that a deacon in Netarei City had been murdered and that the Yeke Kingdom was suppressing news of the city’s bloodshed.
• After confirming the Association had received his report, Wu Heng traveled to the Zombie World and told Qi Hancai to gather boats and bicycles and search for bicycle factories.
• Granda used Steal Flesh to animate a corpse, demonstrating that she could move and speak through a dead body, though she could not occupy it for long.
• A bard announced the murder and Netarei City’s crisis at the Nautilus Tavern, prompting island residents to speculate about Wu Heng and the Association’s response.
• Wu Heng boarded Captain Gregor’s ship and followed him into the hold, where mats concealed stacks of Flying Dragon skeletons.

Wu Heng converted 123 Flying Dragon skeletons into Skeleton Flying Dragons to support the Association’s coming plan for the Yeke Kingdom. He then headed for Binhai Port to inspect collected ships, while Association Headquarters debated how the Yeke Kingdom would answer for concealing an executive’s assassination.

• Wu Heng rejected the Dragon Trafficking Team’s incomplete inspection terms and had its members move all 123 Flying Dragon skeletons onto his ship, with payment postponed until conversion.
• Wu Heng sent the skeletons through a Portal to the Zombie World and converted every one into a Skeleton Flying Dragon.
• Qi Hancai told Wu Heng that survivors had collected bicycles and ships, including a large cargo ship at Busan Port, so Wu Heng arranged a vessel and set off for Binhai Port.
• Association Headquarters members condemned the Yeke Kingdom for concealing an executive’s assassination and discussed replacing its royal family.

The Association’s leaders assigned Wu Heng to investigate the deacon’s death and the massacre in Netarei City, while he continued developing Treasure Island’s bicycle production and fleet. He showed Shiraque and Shi Yali a massive ship lined with Skeleton Flying Dragons, which he called Carrier Dragons.

• The five Association leaders agreed that Wu Heng would investigate the deacon’s death and the civilian massacre, and arranged for elders to protect him.
• Wu Heng moved bicycle equipment from Binhai City to Treasure Island, started preparations to resume production, and sent Qi Hancai’s ships there.
• Shiraque told Wu Heng that an Elf merchant caravan wanted to order bicycles, and he promised to notify her when production began.
• Wu Heng asked Shiraque how many heroes the Association had and whether anyone had surpassed Level Twenty, but neither she nor Shi Yali knew.
• Wu Heng took Shiraque and Shi Yali to the port, where he showed them a huge ship carrying rows of Skeleton Flying Dragons and called them Carrier Dragons.

Wu Heng showed Shiraque and Shi Yali the enormous cargo ship he had converted into a carrier for Skeleton Flying Dragons, then prepared it for possible action against the Yeke Kingdom. Philippa finished arranging its crew and equipment and asked to take it on patrol, but Wu Heng refused because the Association’s decision was imminent.

• Wu Heng explained how the cargo ship would carry Skeleton Flying Dragons for aerial combat and ground bombardment, and Shiraque asked Shi Yali to arrange a larger flag.
• Wu Heng showed Shiraque the ship’s cabins, and they kissed privately before rejoining Shi Yali and returning to the Central District.
• At the Island Master's Manor, Minnie explained that the Skeleton Flying Dragons were being cleaned before leather armor was made for them.
• Wu Heng expected the Association to respond soon to the Yeke Kingdom incident and hoped to gain enough attention to reach Level Twenty.
• Philippa reported that the port was ready with a level 15 Skeleton Captain, Skeleton Crew, and equipment, then asked to take the carrier on patrol; Wu Heng refused, and Philippa swore she would return within two days.

Wu Heng learned that merchants planned to imitate Treasure Island’s bicycles while Beni began a ritual to gain Spirit Vision. Meanwhile, the Female Butler’s forces captured a manor in Luntam City and discovered that the Yeke Kingdom army planned to attack the city.

• Philippa failed to convince Wu Heng to let her go out, and Xiaoxiao explained that her complaint about the air meant Wu Heng had farted.
• Merchant associations examined a dismantled bicycle and planned to research substitute materials for its tires so they could compete with Treasure Island.
• Wu Heng brought Owl Eyeballs home and began a ritual to unlock Beni’s Spirit Vision ability.
• The Female Butler’s skeleton forces stormed a manor in Luntam City and used Talk with Dead to question a corpse.
• The corpse revealed that the manor’s people planned to open Luntam City’s gates for the attacking Yeke Kingdom army.

Beni successfully gained the ability to see people’s levels, while Wu Heng learned that the Yeke Kingdom might be preparing to attack Luntam City. He strengthened defenses there and ended the chapter worrying about threats to both Luntam City and Treasure Island, as well as the prestige he still needed to level up.

• Beni tested her new Spirit Vision ability with Xiaoxiao and confirmed she could see people’s levels.
• Wen Mansha told Wu Heng that informants in Luntam City had revealed the Yeke Kingdom might be gathering troops to attack.
• Wu Heng offered to bring Wen Mansha and their daughter to Treasure Island, but she chose to remain in Luntam City until the threat was confirmed.
• Wu Heng arranged stronger defenses at the factory, including Skeleton Flying Dragons.
• Wu Heng checked his panel and found that he still needed substantial experience and prestige to reach the next level.

Wu Heng received headquarters' appointment as Chief Inspector for the Netarei City case and was assigned a team of seven Association professionals. He decided to leave the next morning, while the possibility that Netarei City itself was responsible remained unresolved.

• Minnie told Wu Heng that Deacon Shiraque had summoned him because the Association's arrangements had arrived.
• Shiraque informed Wu Heng that headquarters had appointed him Chief Inspector to investigate the local deacon's death, a cult, and a civilian massacre.
• Shiraque assigned three level 18 professionals and four level 15 professionals to accompany Wu Heng, including investigator Sim, whose Microscopic Insight could expose questionable methods.
• Wu Heng met the team in the meeting room and agreed to depart for Netarei City the next morning.
• When Janvito asked whether they should contact Netarei City first, Wu Heng warned that the city itself might be the culprit.