Arc 8The Prophet Gene

Su Hao killed Fierce Child Lu, advanced his research, and began shaping the Inhuman world through Temple Forest Society and plans for controlled breeding grounds. After completing his studies of compatible organisms, he gave himself the Prophet Gene to accelerate his learning, then woke and found himself puzzled.

  • Su Hao evolved into a Life Child, captured Bright Child, and later took part in the Autumn Harvest Festival battle where he gathered flesh from Xiu, Chang Xi, and Yue Yi before killing Ji with a Rune Cannon.
  • Su Hao studied Life Child abilities and learned that Fierce Child Lu had killed Inhumans with Gene Toxin 1, then followed Lu and destroyed him with a trap of thirty bombs.
  • Su Hao analyzed Lu’s genes and spent months developing Rune Genes in Round Mice, while Ashan described the Temple Forest Society’s leadership and the statue of Su Hao erected in Huiyang City.
  • After two years of research, Su Hao gave Ashan a Rotation Rune and ordered him to father a child to test whether the modification could be inherited.
  • Su Hao tested different species as Gene carriers, while Ashan began a family with Nana and later reported that three of his wives were pregnant.
  • Su Hao planned to reform Zhu Huo society, designed Gene Toxin 2 to confine Exotic Beasts, and instructed Ashan to breed Barrier Trees around a large uninhabited area.
  • Su Hao cataloged organisms compatible with the eight Sequences, returned to scientific study, and decided to evolve into a Prophet to learn faster.
  • Su Hao tested the Prophet Gene on two Zhu Huo People, injected himself with Gene Modification Fluid, and woke with the Prophet Gene before meditating and opening his eyes in puzzlement.
Chapters 177–201 Vol. 2 Read

Ch. 177Let Nature Take Its Course

After killing the Earth Monarch and Mist Monarch, Su Hao returned to his Laboratory, rested, and warned Ashan that a powerful Fierce Child might threaten Temple Forest City. He then began preparing to evolve Ashan into an Earth Monarch using the two monarchs’ corpses.

  • The Inhumans who witnessed Su Hao’s battle identified him as Temple Forest City Wei, and many began migrating toward Temple Forest City for protection.
  • Su Hao returned to his Laboratory with the Earth Monarch and Mist Monarch’s corpses, preserved them, and slept until morning.
  • Su Hao summoned Ashan for breakfast and warned him that Huiyang City’s Fierce Child Lu might force the Temple Forest Society to evacuate.
  • Su Hao took Ashan to the Laboratory and told him he would help him evolve into an Earth Monarch.
  • Ashan lay on the experimental bed and extended his arm so Su Hao could take blood samples.

Ch. 178Level 7, Nothing More

After Ashan successfully evolved into a Level 6 Earth Monarch, Su Hao studied his new abilities and evolved into an Earth Monarch himself. Confident in his defenses but wary of further risks, Su Hao decided to travel to Huiyang City to obtain a Life Child’s flesh and blood.

  • Ashan evolved into a Level 6 Earth Monarch, gaining Black Crystal, Blood Qi Resistance, and Flesh Transfer, and Su Hao inscribed him with Level 2 Runes and gave him a month of training instructions.
  • Su Hao evolved into an Earth Monarch and formed Black Crystal armor, then designed and inscribed decorative Runes before removing the glow that would draw attention.
  • Over the next month, Su Hao analyzed Blood Qi Resistance and learned that he could reproduce its protective structure by controlling Blood Qi himself.
  • Su Hao assessed his combat advantages, including his Runes, defenses, Radar Perception, and ranged attacks, and concluded that enemies would struggle to reach or kill him.
  • Su Hao chose to set aside Rune Gene experiments and head to Huiyang City to obtain a Life Child’s flesh and blood.

Ch. 179Level 7 Bright Child

Su Hao arrived at Huiyang City and challenged Bright Child, a Level 7 Night Walker, in the sky. Their fight continued as Bright Child unleashed a field of claws around Su Hao.

  • Su Hao searched for Huiyang City and found it after dawn, then sensed a powerful Inhuman flying toward him.
  • Bright Child confronted Su Hao and demanded that he leave the sky, but Su Hao advanced to fight him.
  • Su Hao and Bright Child exchanged blows, with Su Hao cutting off Bright Child's claws and Bright Child scratching his chest.
  • Bright Child attacked Su Hao from behind, but Su Hao struck him with lightning and pierced him with Black Crystal Spikes, which slid harmlessly off his fur.
  • Su Hao pursued Bright Child through the air, and Bright Child filled the surrounding space with Void Claws aimed at him.

Ch. 180Thunder Domain

Su Hao defeated and captured Bright Child with his Thunder Domain, then questioned him about the other Level 7 Inhumans. Bright Child refused to answer and launched a final attack, so Su Hao killed him.

  • Bright Child's claw shadows damaged Su Hao's armor, but Su Hao burned off Bright Child's fur with a Fire Dragon and revealed his unusual form.
  • Su Hao formed the Thunder Domain from Rune Array Disks and overwhelmed Bright Child with lightning before binding him with Hook Spike.
  • Su Hao took the captured Bright Child away from Huiyang City, where onlookers realized that Bright Child had lost.
  • Su Hao asked Bright Child to identify the other three Level 7 Inhumans, but Bright Child refused to answer.
  • Bright Child launched a final claw attack, and Su Hao beheaded him.

Ch. 181Su Hao's Good Looks

After defeating Bright Child, Su Hao entered Huiyang City to locate Life Child and take a sample of his flesh without endangering the city. He identified Life Child’s location at Dongling Pavilion, but learned the guarded building barred outsiders, leaving him unsure how to approach.

  • Su Hao decided against fighting Life Child openly in Huiyang City and planned to sneak close, use Level 2—Lightning to numb him, cut off flesh, and escape.
  • Su Hao questioned Xiao Bu about the battle with Bright Child, and she led him to a poolside bench to talk.
  • Su Hao asked Xiao Bu where Life Child was, and she told him Life Child stayed at Dongling Pavilion and agreed to lead him there.
  • As they walked east, Su Hao detected the only Level 7 Blood Qi signature in that direction and recognized it as Life Child.
  • Xiao Bu explained that Dongling Pavilion forbade outsiders and had strict security, then said meeting Life Child would be easy.

Ch. 182Feelings Tainted by Money

Su Hao learned that Life Child Xiu would preside over Huiyang City's Autumn Harvest Festival and discovered that powerful Inhumans had gathered, anticipating Xiu's death. On the night before the festival, Xiu presented his flesh to his son, Earth Monarch Ji, who concealed his excitement.

  • Xiao Bu told Su Hao about Life Child and the Autumn Harvest Festival, then grew attached to him as they walked through Dongling Pavilion.
  • Su Hao left Xiao Bu, returned to give her money for her help, and disappeared into the crowd.
  • Su Hao questioned people around Huiyang City and confirmed the festival was three days away, while noticing more Level 6 Inhumans arriving in the city.
  • Su Hao reasoned that many powerful Inhumans hoped Xiu would die so they could seize a chance to evolve.
  • The night before the festival, Life Child Xiu pushed a tray of his flesh toward his son, Earth Monarch Ji, who hid his excitement and asked what it was.

Ch. 183Opportunity Has Arrived

Su Hao watched the Autumn Harvest Festival while planning to take a piece of Life Child Xiu's flesh, unaware that Constant Child and Still Child planned to kill Xiu during the ceremony. When their attack began and the crowd fled, Su Hao saw his chance to act.

  • Su Hao sensed that a Level 6 Inhuman beside Life Child was evolving and guessed that Life Child had chosen a new heir.
  • Constant Child Chang Xi and Still Child Yue Yi agreed to attack Life Child Xiu before he could pass on his inheritance, and Chang Xi gave Yue Yi a Diamond Chain.
  • Life Child Ji was born the previous night, though only Su Hao and the two Life Children knew about it.
  • Su Hao blended into the Autumn Harvest Festival crowd and waited for a chance to approach Life Child Xiu.
  • Constant Child's threads seized Xiu as he knelt in worship, but Xiu's Diamond Armor resisted them, sending civilians and low-level Inhumans fleeing.
  • Su Hao recognized the attack as the opportunity he had been waiting for.

Ch. 184This Armor Is So Cool

Su Hao entered the battle to take something from Xiu, the Life Child, and used his Thunder Domain to disable the fighters surrounding him. After Xiu revealed a dangerous ability that drained life force, Su Hao kept his distance and cut off Xiu’s armored arm, only to find it contained no flesh.

  • Xiu struggled against the Life-Locking Diamond Chain while Yue Yi attacked his armor and five Earth Monarchs moved in to drain his Blood Qi.
  • Su Hao arrived in dazzling Black Crystal Armor, converted the battlefield within three hundred meters, and trapped everyone in his Thunder Domain.
  • Su Hao repeatedly shocked the group, knocking down the Level 6 Inhumans and dropping Xiu from the air.
  • When Su Hao approached, Xiu recognized him as the Armored Man who had abducted Bright Child and used an ability that drained life from Su Hao’s legs.
  • Su Hao severed his own legs to escape Xiu’s attack, then kept away and used enhanced Black Crystal scissors to cut off Xiu’s arm.
  • Su Hao caught the severed arm and discovered it was entirely covered in Diamond Armor, with no flesh inside.

Ch. 185Ass Clenched

Su Hao left Life Child Xiu and the other Level 7 Inhumans paralyzed after taking samples of their flesh, but Xiu used his life-draining ability to kill Constant Child Chang Xi and Still Child Yue Yi. When Xiu died, his son Life Child Ji began slaughtering the survivors and destroying the area, until Su Hao returned to stop him.

  • Su Hao took flesh from Life Child Xiu, Constant Child Chang Xi, and Still Child Yue Yi, then released his Thunder Domain from a hidden spot.
  • Life Child Xiu activated his Diamond Armor Domain and used Decay to drain his own life force and wither Chang Xi and Yue Yi.
  • Life Child Xiu died after telling the new Life Child Ji to go, and Ji killed Chang Xi and Yue Yi with Diamond Armor spikes.
  • Life Child Ji spread his Diamond Armor Domain to destroy everything around him, but Su Hao returned and kicked him into the sky.
  • Su Hao kept his distance from Ji and formed a long Black Crystal Tube aimed upward.

Ch. 186God

Su Hao killed Life Child Ji with a Rune Cannon and collected the Level 7 Inhuman corpses from Huiyang City, then studied their genes back at the Laboratory. He discovered that Level 7 genes fused the fragments from earlier levels and began considering whether combining every sequence’s Level 7 genes could create a God.

  • Su Hao fired a Rune Cannon shell into Life Child Ji, whose proliferated Diamond Armor trapped the blast and left him dead beyond recovery.
  • Su Hao collected the corpses of Life Child Xiu, Life Child Ji, Constant Child Chang Xi, Still Child Yue Yi, and Bright Child, then left Huiyang City.
  • Level 6 Inhumans searched Huiyang City's plaza for Level 7 flesh but found only five Earth Monarch corpses.
  • Su Hao returned to the Laboratory and discovered that Level 7 genes contained a new fragment formed by integrating the sequence’s earlier Transcendental Gene Fragments.
  • Su Hao considered whether combining the Level 7 Gene Fragments from every sequence could lead to the God realm and planned to evolve into a Life Child before pursuing Fierce Child Lu.

Ch. 187Evolution

Su Hao evolved into a Level 7 Life Child, tested the Decay ability, and concluded that he needed to master his new body. He offered Ashan the chance to evolve and urged the Temple Forest Society to prepare for Fierce Child Lu’s attacks and move to Huiyang City.

  • Su Hao evolved by consuming flesh and discovered that his abilities had become instinctive, while his armor transformed into stronger, transparent Diamond Armor.
  • Su Hao tested Decay on a Round Mouse and learned that the ability rapidly destroyed cells but consumed the user’s vitality and had limited range.
  • Ashan reported that Fierce Child Lu had slaughtered or driven away Inhumans around Anliang City, prompting people to flee Temple Forest City; Su Hao told Ashan to evacuate if danger approached.
  • Ashan told Su Hao that Taini had reached her training limit and wanted to become an Earth Monarch, and Su Hao agreed while warning that evolving could put her at risk from Fierce Children.
  • Su Hao offered Ashan the flesh of a Level 7 Life Child so he could evolve, then told him to move the Temple Forest Society to Huiyang City.

Ch. 188The Ultimate Skill of "Licking"

After Ashan evolved into a Life Child, he decided to move the Temple Forest Society to Huiyang City and put his new philosophy of serving others into practice. Su Hao turned back to his research and exploration plans, but first set out to get rid of Fierce Child Lu.

  • Su Hao completed Ashan's evolution into a Life Child, and Ashan realized that serving Boss Wei had brought him to the pinnacle of the Inhumans.
  • Ashan concluded that making people feel cared for could help manage the Temple Forest Society, enforce the Inhuman Code of Conduct, and change the world.
  • Ashan told Su Hao he would move the Temple Forest Society to Huiyang City and return periodically to cook for him, while Su Hao refused Ashan's proposal to erect a God of Wei statue.
  • Su Hao reviewed his condition and unfinished goals in Marble Space, deciding to study the Origin World and eventually travel it in search of unknown creatures.
  • Su Hao left the Laboratory, declaring that he would first get rid of Fierce Child Lu before returning to peaceful research.

Ch. 189Fierce Child Lu's Trail

Su Hao set out for Anliang City to find and eliminate Fierce Child Lu before Lu could threaten him. Meanwhile, Big Wu and Xiaodan fled toward Abyss City to escape Lu, who arrived there first and continued his mission to cleanse the world of Inhumans.

  • Su Hao transformed into Life Child and flew toward Anliang City, determined to strike Fierce Child Lu before Lu could attack him.
  • Big Wu and Xiaodan hurried along a mountain path, believing Lu was nearby because Inhumans had died in every city they visited.
  • Big Wu persuaded Xiaodan that Abyss City would be safe because Lu would not expect them to go there, and they continued toward it.
  • Fierce Child Lu arrived in Abyss City as its people rebuilt, wandered through its ruins, and reflected on his hatred of Inhumans.

Ch. 190Disaster and Change

Fierce Child Lu concluded that Inhumans were obstructing the Zhu Huo People’s progress and decided to purge them, then killed every Inhuman in Abyss City while they slept. Su Hao arrived the next morning, detected the massacre, and recognized Fierce Child Lu leaving the city.

  • Fierce Child Lu resolved to reform the world by killing every Inhuman after seeing an Inhuman battle destroy a promising loom.
  • In Abyss City, Inhuman residents went about their lives, including a father rebuilding his home, an elderly couple awaiting their youngest son, and children discussing how Xiao Ba became an Inhuman.
  • Fierce Child Lu left Abyss City at dawn after every Inhuman in the city had died painlessly in their sleep.
  • Su Hao reached the city, found no Inhuman Blood Qi within it, and spotted a Level 7 Inhuman leaving; he recognized him as Fierce Child Lu.

Ch. 191Gene Toxin 1

Su Hao investigated the deaths of Abyss City's Inhumans and discovered that Fierce Child Lu had killed them with a toxin that destroyed their genes. He began planning a one-hit kill against Lu while Lu continued toward Temple Forest City, eager to meet the creator of a loom.

  • Su Hao avoided entering Abyss City and used Diamond Armor and reflected light to find and retrieve five Inhuman corpses.
  • Su Hao dissected the corpses in Marble Space and found that their DNA had collapsed and their cells had lost all vitality.
  • Su Hao named the suspected Inhuman-targeting substance Gene Toxin 1 and reasoned that Fierce Child Lu might also be a Prophet.
  • Su Hao buried the corpses and headed after Fierce Child Lu, considering how to kill him in one strike.
  • Fierce Child Lu walked toward Temple Forest City, anticipating a meeting with the person who created the loom in Anliang City.

Ch. 192A Single Strike, No Room for Mercy

Su Hao tracked Fierce Child Lu toward Temple Forest City and realized Lu was likely hunting him, so he prepared a buried bomb trap instead of risking a direct fight. As Fierce Child Lu arrived at the trap, Su Hao waited at a distance.

  • Su Hao followed Fierce Child Lu from a safe distance and confirmed that he was heading for Temple Forest City.
  • Big Wu brought Xiaodan into a city full of grieving residents, then decided they should flee to Temple Forest City to escape Fierce Child Lu.
  • Su Hao ruled out close combat and sniping because of Lu's Gene Toxin 1 and unknown Perception, and chose to bury bombs instead.
  • Su Hao built a Level 2-One Thousand Blast, then spent five hours preparing a trap of thirty such bombs along Lu's route.
  • Su Hao retreated and waited as Fierce Child Lu arrived at the trap two hours later.

Ch. 193Activation

Su Hao detonated thirty Level 2-One Thousand Blast bombs as Fierce Child Lu entered his trap, creating a huge crater and devastating shockwaves. After searching the blast site and finding no trace of Fierce Child Lu, Su Hao waited to make sure he was dead.

  • Su Hao waited for Fierce Child Lu to reach the trap, then remotely detonated all thirty bombs.
  • The explosion sent shockwaves as far as Su Hao, who transformed into the Life Child and protected himself with Diamond Armor.
  • Big Wu and Xiaodan were caught in the blast, injured and buried before digging themselves out alive.
  • The residents of Abyss City fled their homes as the ground shook, then emerged after the tremors subsided.
  • Su Hao surveyed the crater from the air but could not detect Fierce Child Lu's Blood Qi, so he decided to wait longer.

Ch. 194Transcendent Race

Su Hao killed Fierce Child Lu and returned to his Laboratory, where he studied the creature’s gene compendium and continued developing Rune Genes. After months of experiments, he created the first Transcendent Round Mouse, and the chapter ended with Ashan returning from Huiyang City to cook for him.

  • Su Hao found a fragment of Fierce Child Lu’s remains, recorded his genes, and returned to his Laboratory to rest.
  • Su Hao told Ashan that he had killed Fierce Child Lu, then replenished his Blood Qi and discovered the creature’s Gene Sequence contained genes from many Inhuman Sequences.
  • Su Hao spent months experimenting with Rune Genes and created the first Transcendent Round Mouse, which he named the 'Strong Light' Round Mouse.
  • Su Hao realized his supply of Round Mice was running low and remembered that Ashan had moved to Huiyang City with Temple Forest Society members.
  • Ashan flew back to Temple Forest City to prepare two new dishes for Su Hao, who waited in the courtyard.

Ch. 195God Name: God of Genesis

Su Hao reflected on his isolation and the need to understand Marble Space, then advised Ashan on leading the Temple Forest Society and keeping its members in line. Ashan revealed that Huiyang City had built a temple and named Su Hao the God of Genesis.

  • Su Hao considered the loneliness of pursuing knowledge and resolved to explore Marble Space more deeply once he had secured enough strength.
  • Ashan told Su Hao that Taini, Abnormal King Nuolin, and Heaven Monarch Meng Chuan managed the Temple Forest Society, while he preferred working alongside Su Hao.
  • Ashan planned to help Taini advance to Life Child and return to Temple Forest City to assist Su Hao, and Su Hao told him to choose his own path.
  • Ashan said Gaili's Four Kings Gang had joined the Temple Forest Society as its Security Squad, and Su Hao warned that Gaili might leave or take over if he found a better course.
  • Su Hao urged Ashan to rely on strength and press ahead with his goals, and Ashan pledged to keep the Temple Forest Society on course.
  • Ashan revealed that the Temple Forest Society had built a temple in Huiyang City's central Plaza, placed a statue of Su Hao there, and named him the God of Genesis.

Ch. 196A Man Standing Tall Between Heaven and Earth

After completing his human Rune Gene research, Su Hao prepared to advance Ashan to the Grandmaster Realm by constructing a Rune Array Disk inside his body. Ashan chose the Rotation Rune, and Su Hao told him to wait five days for the transformation.

  • Su Hao returned to the Laboratory, organized his research goals, and continued refining Rune Gene expression in Round Mice.
  • Two years later, Su Hao had completed the human genetic coordinate system and Rune Gene expression, and he called Ashan to the Laboratory.
  • Su Hao told Ashan he could advance from an Elite Realm Martial Artist to a Grandmaster Realm Martial Artist through a new Blood Qi circulation.
  • Ashan asked to have the Lightning Rune inscribed, but Su Hao warned that it could injure him and promised to optimize it later.
  • Ashan chose the Rotation Rune, and Su Hao mapped its inscription position inside Ashan's body before telling him to wait five days.

Ch. 197Springtime, Which One to Choose

Su Hao gave Ashan a new Rotation Rune and tasked him with having another child to test whether the ability could be inherited. After a month of recovery, Ashan returned to Huiyang City and summoned Shadow King Nana, preparing to choose her as the child’s mother.

  • Su Hao implanted a gene modification in Ashan, giving him the Rotation Rune, which let Ashan shatter Su Hao’s Diamond Armor with a punch.
  • Su Hao ordered Ashan to find a woman and have a child so he could test whether the Rotation gene would pass to the next generation.
  • Ashan spent a month recovering while agonizing over which woman to choose, then flew to Huiyang City to carry out Su Hao’s task.
  • Ashan returned to the Temple Forest Society, left Taini to handle her business, and asked Nuolin to summon Shadow King Nana.
  • Shadow King Nana arrived at Ashan’s home after he asked to see her.

Ch. 198Nana, I Have a Task for You

Su Hao researched a way for the Zhu Huo People to evolve without internal slaughter by creating managed Strange Beast Zones, while testing which creatures could carry different Sequences. Ashan began his assigned task of having a child with Nana, and Su Hao’s experiments revealed that creature size affected how far a species could evolve; he then hit upon an idea for keeping Exotic Beasts within designated zones.

  • Su Hao imagined dividing the continent into zones with breeding grounds, Inhuman Academies, competitions, and controlled hunts, then began testing the Round Mice as Gene carriers.
  • Ashan pulled Nana into his room and told her that his task was to have a child with him, and Nana agreed.
  • Su Hao found that Round Mice could reach Level 4 Night Demon but died when he tried to advance them further, so he tested Earth-Armor Beasts, Explosive Bears, and Black Mountain Boars.
  • Su Hao concluded that different species had different Sequence compatibility and evolution limits, and that larger creatures could bear higher levels of energy.
  • Su Hao wondered how to stop Exotic Beasts from leaving their assigned zones, then exclaimed that he had an idea.

Ch. 199Genius's Vision

Su Hao planned to reshape Zhu Huo society through schools, beast zones, and alliances among the major cities. He then developed a plan for a Gene Toxin that would keep Exotic Beasts inside the Strange Beast Zones, and began designing a version that targeted only beasts.

  • Ashan told Su Hao that his three new wives were pregnant, though his daughter Taini was sulking about it.
  • Su Hao outlined a fifty-year plan to transform Zhu Huo society and told Ashan to strengthen Temple Forest Society before seeking alliances with the other major cities.
  • Ashan agreed to begin strengthening the society and later negotiate with the other cities, using force against leaders who refused.
  • Su Hao conceived a Gene Toxin barrier to stop Exotic Beasts from leaving the Strange Beast Zones and asked Ashan to collect distinctive tall trees.
  • Su Hao began designing Gene Toxin 2 to target an inherited DNA fragment implanted in Exotic Beasts without harming Inhumans.

Ch. 200Finally Grasping Time

Su Hao completed his research on the Barrier Trees and began preparations to establish a Strange Beast Zone, leaving Ashan to oversee its construction. After finishing his work cataloging organisms compatible with the eight Gene Sequences, Su Hao returned to studying science and Marble Space.

  • Su Hao showed Ashan how the Barrier Trees confined Round Mice and explained that the barrier selectively killed the mice that tried to escape.
  • After five days, Su Hao learned that the bold Round Mice had died outside the barrier and instructed Ashan to breed Barrier Trees and plant them around a large, uninhabited area within five years.
  • Su Hao returned to the Laboratory and gave Ashan instructions for breeding Barrier Trees before resuming his research into compatible organisms.
  • Six months later, Su Hao had cataloged all organisms compatible with the eight Sequences and decided to study science and the nature of Marble Space.
  • Su Hao transformed his Marble Space Laboratory back into a study and began reading books on quantum theory and phase transitions.

Ch. 201The True Genius

Su Hao regained his drive to study and decided to modify his brain with the Prophet Gene so he could become a genius. After the successful modification, he began adapting to his new abilities and resumed his spiritual practice, where he noticed something puzzling.

  • Su Hao rebuilt his mathematical knowledge and realized that studying all the knowledge in Marble Space would take far too long with his ordinary brain.
  • Su Hao decided to make himself a genius by evolving into a Prophet, whose abilities included acquisition, analysis, record, and simulation.
  • Su Hao tested his Gene Modification Fluid on two Zhu Huo People, confirmed that the Prophet Gene greatly improved their intelligence, then reverted them and noticed that degeneration caused memory loss.
  • Su Hao injected himself with filtered Gene Modification Fluid, woke after the modification, and confirmed that he had successfully gained the Prophet Gene.
  • Su Hao took time to rest, meditated and examined his heart, then opened his eyes in puzzlement.
Arc 8 of 41