Chapter Summaries

Wu Heng learned that the Second Prince of the Yeke Kingdom had proposed marrying Wen Mansha to secure Luntam City’s support, so he paused the ceasefire while seeking more information about the Association Investigation Team. As Wu Heng prepared to return to Luntam City, an envoy there received orders to proceed with the next plan after Wen Mansha ignored the proposal.

• Wen Mansha told Wu Heng that the Second Prince had offered to make her Queen, and Wu Heng decided to maintain the ceasefire until he learned more about the Investigation Team.
• Wu Heng instructed Wen Mansha to promote his reputation in occupied cities and continue building the railway to Luntam City.
• Xiaoxiao gave Lilith a tablet before she left, and Lilith sent Xiaoxiao a valuable Companion Yin Jade in return.
• Wu Heng discussed the Second Prince’s marriage proposal and rumored background with Granda and Beni.
• A tall, thin envoy in Luntam City learned that Wen Mansha had not responded and ordered his companion to tell the Second Prince to proceed with the next plan.

Wu Heng arranged supplies and long-distance communication for Lilith as she prepared to leave Treasure Island. After departing, Lilith discovered that the Spatial Ring he gave her contained three helmets, including one that could transform.

• Wu Heng reviewed the Zombie experiments and checked on the chained Zombie King while waiting for Li Yahong.
• Wu Heng visited the Pharmaceutical Factory, stored its stock of over ten thousand medicine bottles, and promised to replenish its raw materials.
• Wu Heng gave Lilith a radio, a Solar Panel, and a Spatial Ring before she sailed away from Treasure Island.
• Lilith tested the Solar Panel with Xiaoxiao's tablet and realized Wu Heng had anticipated her need to recharge it.
• Lilith examined the helmets in the Spatial Ring and found that one had a visor and jaw section that opened at the press of a button.

Wu Heng’s cheap Treatment Pills drew a huge crowd on Treasure Island, and he planned to use their popularity to raise his prestige and reach level 20. He later went to dinner at Deacon Shiraque’s mansion, where Shiraque and Shi Yali greeted him with serious scrutiny.

• Wu Heng’s Treatment Pills went on sale for ten Silver Coins per bottle, attracting ordinary citizens, mercenaries, and merchant associations across Treasure Island.
• An Alchemist told Merchant Association Representatives that they could likely reproduce the pills, but could not compete with Treasure Island’s low price.
• Wu Heng instructed Yousef to design a luxurious entertainment venue with a Water Park, and told Andeviel to coordinate its construction before the next auction.
• Granda suggested that Wu Heng attach information about himself to the pills to spread his name, and he decided to test the idea with an instruction sheet in each bottle.
• Shiraque invited Wu Heng to dinner and assured him that he was watching the others; Wu Heng teleported to the Deacon’s Mansion and gave flowers to Shiraque and Shi Yali.

Wu Heng reconciled with Shi Yali and discussed pausing pill sales with Shiraque before contacting Shanala about his plan to build his reputation. Shanala warned that tying the pills to his name could attract dangerous attention while he was only level 15.

• Wu Heng brought flowers and cakes to Shiraque and Shi Yali, apologized, and promised to treat them both well as Shi Yali questioned whether he could reach level 18.
• After dinner, Shi Yali forgave Wu Heng, and they kissed while Shiraque briefly went to answer the gate.
• Wu Heng told Shiraque he wanted to suspend pill sales briefly to repackage the medicine and protect its reputation, and Shiraque agreed to assign extra patrols that night.
• Shiraque reminded Wu Heng that he had to reach level 18, then she and Shi Yali discussed how to explain their relationship to their mother.
• Wu Heng returned to the Island Master's Manor and contacted Shanala, who warned him that suspending sales and attaching the pills to his name could draw dangerous attention because he was only level 15.

Wu Heng organized a controlled sales network for his pills and planned promotional leaflets to build his reputation. In the Yeke Kingdom, Long rescued Serpent Emblem Conglomerate workers from Seydou, while Wu Heng later received the completed Magic Projectiles.

• Wu Heng met with merchant association representatives and said Treasure Island would choose trustworthy partners to sell the pills under set rules.
• Wu Heng asked Granda to write promotional material for the pill leaflets.
• Long entered the church, demanded the release of his people, and took the identified Serpent Emblem Conglomerate workers with him.
• Seydou used an angel's chant to erase the room's memory of Long's visit, then ordered the captured people killed.
• A dwarf brought Wu Heng the completed Magic Projectiles at the Town Hall.

Wu Heng tested magically inscribed shells in the Electromagnetic Cannon and confirmed they could unleash powerful flames on impact. Meanwhile, Vice Guild Master Stede warned merchant representatives that alchemy associations planned to boycott Treasure Island’s pills, just as a fiery blast erupted nearby.

• Wu Heng fired an inscribed shell from the Electromagnetic Cannon at Cocktail Island and watched it ignite the island several seconds after impact.
• Xiaoxiao and Beni saw the flames form a spiraling firestorm, and Wu Heng concluded the cannon had not disrupted the shell’s magical patterns.
• Merchant Association representatives discussed Treasure Island’s trade partnerships aboard a fleet sailing through the Emerald Sea.
• Stede, Vice Guild Master of the Fumoli Alchemy Association, announced that alchemy associations would boycott merchants who sold Treasure Island’s pills and threatened chaos in the Emerald Sea.
• A tremendous explosion startled the fleet, and the representatives saw a vast tornado of flames and sand rise over the distant island.

Wu Heng tested new weapon shells, advanced pill production and oversight plans, and learned that the investigation skeletons could fight back. The chapter ended with a skeleton striking a worker at the Military Factory, alarming everyone nearby.

• Wu Heng tested Fire, Poison Gas, and lightning shells on Cocktail Island, then returned to Treasure Island and told Andeviel to order more Magic Engraving shells.
• Wu Heng approved Granda's pill instruction leaflet and later watched the Zombie King grow larger after it swallowed a Corpse Core.
• Li Yahong brought pill ingredients to Wu Heng, and they agreed to form an Investigation Team and deploy skeletons to record misconduct and collect complaints.
• Wu Heng warned Wen Mansha that the envoy in the city might resort to underhanded methods while awaiting the Second Prince's orders.
• At the Military Factory, a worker mocked an investigation skeleton and grabbed its notebook, then the skeleton punched him and sent the office into an uproar.

Li Yahong exposed a lie about a Skeleton Investigator and sent Gao Rong and the offender to Xinfu City, while Wu Heng learned that the cult was connected to the First Prince and discussed the Fifth Princess’s prospects with Lilith. The next morning, Beni and Xiaoxiao told Wu Heng that the Zombie King had reached level 20.

• Li Yahong used the Clay Doll to reveal that Li Xiang had snatched a notebook from a Skeleton Investigator before being knocked unconscious, then ordered Gao Rong to prepare for a trip to Xinfu City.
• Gao Rong announced that Li Xiang would lose his post and warned that anyone failing to perform their duties could also be removed.
• Wu Heng learned from Lilith that the cult was connected to the First Prince, and Lilith said the Fifth Princess might have a chance to inherit the throne.
• Wu Heng let Xiaoxiao possess him to speak with Lilith, then asked about strengthening a level 18 skeleton and learned that jade could help stabilize the transformation.
• Wu Heng possessed a skeleton at the Deacon's Mansion and overheard Shi Yali and Shiraque discuss keeping a secret from him until he reached level 18.
• The next morning, Beni and Xiaoxiao told Wu Heng that the Zombie King had reached level 20.

Wu Heng killed the level 20 Zombie King and used Xiaoxiao’s Companion Yin Jade to convert it into a level 20 Spirit Skeleton. Meanwhile, Wen Mansha survived an assassination attempt in Luntam City and continued toward a meeting with the orc chieftains.

• Wu Heng learned that the Zombie King was waiting for the Skeleton Alchemist and ordered the assembled Skeleton Army to open its cell and fire.
• The Skeleton Army killed the Zombie King, and Wu Heng retrieved Xiaoxiao’s Companion Yin Jade to preserve the corpse’s level during conversion.
• Grayson attacked Wen Mansha in the Alliance Hall, but she exposed the decoy plot, killed him, and found the woman meant to replace her dead under a Slave Contract.
• Wen Mansha left for the meeting after confirming that the orc chieftains had arrived.
• Wu Heng converted the Zombie King into a level 20 Spirit Skeleton with the jade and examined its powerful attributes and Dual Form trait.
• Xiaoxiao named the new flying skeleton Sparkle.

Wu Heng brought home the level 20 skeleton he named Sparkle, ordered research on the level 20 Corpse Core, and concealed the skeleton’s identity from his maids. He considered building an army of level 20 skeletons, but Xiaoxiao found his smile frightening.

• Wu Heng recovered the level 20 Corpse Core, and Granda suggested using it for mutation experiments instead of waiting for potion research to catch up.
• Wu Heng ordered the Skeleton Alchemist and Skeleton Investigator to study the Corpse Cores, taking special care with the sole level 20 core.
• Wu Heng returned home with the beetle-like skeleton, had the Skeleton Tailor make it a concealing trench coat, and told Minnie and Robbie to keep its level 20 status secret.
• Wu Heng imagined cultivating many level 20 skeletons and becoming a hero by distributing pills, while Xiaoxiao told him his smile was scary.

Wu Heng addressed discipline problems at the Military Factory and ordered the capture of Mutated Zombies, then learned that Wen Mansha faced ongoing assassination attempts in Luntam City. He planned to investigate the threat and deal with the Second Prince, while considering how to protect Wen Mansha and her baby.

• Xiaoxiao told Lilith that Wu Heng had converted a skeleton named Sparkle, and she reported its level as 18.
• Wu Heng reprimanded Gao Rong for lax management at the Military Factory, arranged for new regulations, and ordered Mutated Zombies captured alive when possible.
• Wen Mansha told Wu Heng that assassins had repeatedly targeted her and Luntam City officials, and asked whether her baby could be sent to him for safety.
• Wu Heng told Wen Mansha to stay home while he prepared to visit, then arranged a meeting with ten selected merchant associations.
• Wu Heng told Granda he would check the Investigation Team's progress and deal with the Second Prince, and Granda asked whether that might give the Church an excuse.

Wu Heng asked Lilith whether the war involving Luntam City would affect the Association’s investigation, while Shiraque and Shi Yali helped the Emerald Shadow Merchant Association secure a meeting with Town Hall. Lilith confirmed Headquarters knew about the war and warned Wu Heng not to give Seydou leverage against him.

• Wu Heng decided to prepare for possible trouble from the Second Prince and asked Granda to publish the next Great Detective Story installments.
• Xiaoxiao and Beni told Wu Heng they had stopped a tavern brawl before the Vice Deacon arrived to arrest the fighters.
• Wu Heng contacted Lilith and asked about Seydou’s investigation and whether the war between Luntam City and the Rebels of the Yeke Kingdom would affect it.
• An Emerald Shadow Merchant Association representative asked Shiraque to support its bid, and Shi Yali directed him to Town Hall for a meeting.
• Lilith told Wu Heng that Headquarters had records of the war and advised him not to let Seydou find leverage against him; she then asked if he wanted her to be his shield.

Wu Heng arranged the sale of Treasure Island’s Treatment Pills through ten merchant associations, setting rules to prevent stockpiling and ensure broad access. After transporting the pills to the island, he returned to the Zombie World, where Li Yahong praised his help and wondered if he had been sent to save them.

• Wu Heng considered Lilith’s warning not to give the Church leader leverage and decided to go to Luntam City to resolve Wen Mansha’s trouble.
• Wu Heng met ten Merchant Association Representatives and set the Treatment Pills’ price, supply limits, sales restrictions, and collection schedule.
• The representatives registered their orders with Andeviel, and Wu Heng had skeletons transport the Treatment Pills from the Pharmaceutical Factory to Treasure Island.
• Wu Heng returned to the Zombie World, where Li Yahong reported that the Plant Potions were rapidly growing the courtyard plants.
• Li Yahong called Wu Heng their benefactor and wondered if Immortals had sent him to save them.

Wu Heng oversaw Treasure Island’s pill sales and left the island to protect Wen Mansha after repeated assassination attempts. In Luntam City, he learned the Second Prince’s envoy was suspected of involvement, while the envoy planned to have a level 18 professional attack Wen Mansha.

• Wu Heng arranged for Treasure Island’s pills to be sold through selected merchant associations, while Lilith and the other Association leaders agreed not to interfere with their sale.
• Wu Heng left Treasure Island and traveled by Ghost Train to Luntam City, where Wen Mansha and Slyther were caring for Wen Mansha’s child.
• Wen Mansha told Wu Heng about the repeated assassination attempts and described the Second Prince’s envoy staying at the Iron Axe Tavern.
• The Second Prince’s envoy told his burly attendant that a level 18 professional would arrive aboard the Ghost Train in a few days to deal with Wen Mansha.

Wu Heng and Wen Mansha traced the assassination attempts to the Yeke Kingdom, while evidence from two dead conspirators suggested the Mystic Association was backing the Second Prince. When Wu Heng questioned one corpse, it claimed the latest attempt had actually been carried out by the First Prince’s people.

• Wen Mansha questioned the dead assassins and learned that their orders came from people in the Yeke Kingdom, including Ronnie and Kendall.
• Wu Heng, Wen Mansha, and Slyther discussed capturing the Second Prince and reviewed conditions in Serted Fortress and Blackstone Town.
• After Granda reported that two men in a tavern were waiting for reinforcements to attack Wen Mansha, Wu Heng went to collect their bodies.
• Wu Heng found Ghost Train tickets, a Mystic Association ring, and Yeke Kingdom commander’s armor among the men’s possessions, suggesting the Mystic Association supported the Second Prince.
• Wu Heng questioned the tall, thin man with Talk with Dead, and the corpse said the latest assassination attempt had been carried out by the First Prince’s people.

Wu Heng questioned two assassins and learned that the Second Prince planned to kill Wen Mansha, while the First Prince’s agents had also intervened in Luntam City. As Wen Mansha’s people arrested the Second Prince’s spies, Wu Heng waited for the arriving level 18 professional, checked in with Minnie, and visited baby Wu Qin.

• Wu Heng questioned the first corpse, learned that the First Prince’s agents had acted before the Second Prince’s assassins, and had Wen Mansha record a list of planted agents.
• Wu Heng questioned a second corpse and learned that the Second Prince was in Nilari City, had several level 18 professionals at his side, and was likely between levels 12 and 15.
• Wu Heng concluded that the Second Prince had planned to marry Wen Mansha or assassinate her, and decided to wait for the level 18 professional to arrive.
• Wen Mansha and Slyther began arresting the spies, while Wu Heng contacted Minnie and heard that Treasure Island was running smoothly and Shiraque’s parents had arrived.
• Wu Heng visited baby Wu Qin, played with her, and promised Xiaoxiao that he would bring her mother over.

Wu Heng checked on the base, discussed the coming level 18 professional and Ghost Train tickets with Wen Mansha and Slyther, then secretly visited Slyther at night. Two days later, the level 18 assassin arrived by train and headed toward the city to kill Wu Heng for two hundred gold.

• Wu Heng returned to the base, heard Li Yahong's reports, and told her to have Qi Hancai accelerate skeleton training and bring Zhao Yanqiu back if she was free.
• Wu Heng returned to Luntam City and told Wen Mansha and Slyther to avoid major moves until the level 18 professional arrived.
• Wu Heng asked Wen Mansha about Ghost Train tickets and discussed the possibility that the Second Prince or the Mystic Association knew how to obtain them.
• Wu Heng visited Slyther in her room late at night, and the two embraced after talking about his absence and lack of letters.
• Two days later, a man in dark leather armor stepped off a train in the forest and headed toward the city, intending to kill the city lord for two hundred gold.

Wu Heng learned that the Second Prince had the Mystic Association’s support and that the Religious Leader remained in the royal capital, then prepared to deal with a level-18 assassin who had arrived in Luntam City. The assassin’s attack was interrupted by Wu Heng’s undead, leaving him wounded and facing the skeletons.

• Wu Heng and Shanala discussed the princes’ power struggle, the Mystic Association’s support for the Second Prince, and the Investigation Team’s presence in the royal capital.
• Wu Heng considered the threat posed by the Second Prince and wondered where the religious factions’ level-18 professionals had gone.
• Beni told Wu Heng that a level-18 professional had arrived at the tavern where the messenger had been killed, and Wu Heng went there with a skeleton.
• The assassin waited in a private room, then became alarmed when the tavern fell silent and tried to escape through a window.
• Wu Heng’s forces attacked the assassin; after he used poisonous mist and tried to stab an undead, he realized he was fighting the Lord’s Mansion’s skeletons.

Wu Heng captured a level 18 assassin from the Shadow Brotherhood after his skeletons defeated him at a tavern, then took him to the prison in the Zombie World for a planned virus experiment. While searching the assassin’s belongings, Wu Heng found a Ghost Train ticket.

• Wu Heng ordered the skeletons to subdue the assassin, questioned him about further attacks, and imprisoned him with the Mansion Spell.
• After Granda showed Wu Heng the assassin’s movements, he concluded the tavern staff had no connection to the attackers and left them to claim compensation from Town Hall.
• Wu Heng returned to the Lord’s Mansion and told Wen Mansha and Slyther that he had captured a level 18 Shadow Brotherhood assassin; Slyther promised to investigate the organization.
• Wu Heng transported the injured assassin to the prison in the Zombie World, shackled him in an isolated cell, and instructed the Skeleton Alchemist to begin virus experiments after two days of recovery.
• Wu Heng watched the assassin try to pick his shackles, then searched his Spatial Ring and found weapons, supplies, possible poisons, and a Ghost Train ticket.

Wu Heng reviewed the level 18 assassin’s equipment and planned to deal with the Second Prince while moving Wen Mansha to the safer Serted Fortress. He took Slyther to Blackstone Town and warned her not to report what happened there to Lilith.

• Wu Heng found a Ghost Train ticket, a Green Toad Cloak, and two Magic Items among the level 18 assassin’s belongings, then considered the First Prince’s spies and his plan to target the Second Prince.
• Wu Heng rejected Granda’s suggestion to lure in more enemies and said he would attack the Second Prince directly once he found him.
• Wu Heng arranged to take Wen Mansha and her child to Serted Fortress, while Slyther planned to return to Blackstone Town with a radio for communication.
• Wu Heng taught Slyther to use the radio and solar panel, then departed by train with Wen Mansha and Slyther stored inside his Mansion Spell.
• Wu Heng let Slyther and Money Leopard out near Blackstone Town, promised to take Slyther to Treasure Island later, and asked her not to report what happened there to Lilith.