Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• After taking half a dose of the antidote, Bu Ersun’s condition improves, giving him three days to act.
• He questions why Rat Head does not capture Lu Chengwen personally and instead wants Bu Ersun to lure him somewhere, suspecting Lu may be more formidable than expected.
• Feeling competitive and insecure, Bu Ersun asks Caiyun and Zhuiyue to compare him with Lu Chengwen in intelligence, talent, strength, and future potential.
• The women initially flatter Bu Ersun, praising his martial-arts lineage, powerful techniques, balanced true energy, and likely future status in the martial world.
• When pressed about Lu Chengwen, they gradually reveal numerous strengths: his wealth, charisma, courage, loyalty, social ability, kindness, generosity, and talent for comforting others.
• Their discussion turns into playful teasing when they admit Lu’s charm affects them personally, leaving Bu Ersun confused and depressed.

Character developments

• Bu Ersun: His confidence is undermined by jealousy and insecurity. Though objectively gifted and destined for martial-world prominence, he becomes increasingly frustrated when Lu’s everyday qualities—warmth, charm, generosity, and leadership—receive more enthusiasm than his formal achievements.
• Caiyun and Zhuiyue: They begin as loyal subordinates who automatically praise Bu Ersun, but their genuine admiration for Lu emerges as they describe his behavior. Their embarrassment and teasing suggest they may both be attracted to him.
• Lu Chengwen: Although absent, he is characterized through others’ memories as socially intelligent, emotionally considerate, fearless in negotiations, loyal to friends and family, generous yet occasionally frugal, and naturally charismatic.
• Rat Head: His off-page actions create uncertainty about Lu’s real capabilities and motivate Bu Ersun’s comparisons.

Significant themes

• True strength versus formal status: Bu Ersun possesses elite martial potential and prestigious connections, while Lu’s influence comes from wealth, personality, emotional intelligence, and relationships.
• Jealousy and insecurity: Bu Ersun’s need to prove superiority reveals that he feels threatened by Lu despite his own advantages.
• Charisma and human warmth: The chapter suggests that kindness, humor, loyalty, and the ability to make people feel valued can be as powerful as martial skill or social rank.
• Reputation versus reality: Bu Ersun expects Lu to be judged by accomplishments, but the women’s personal experiences reveal a more complex and appealing character.
• Comedic contrast: The serious comparison between two powerful men becomes humorous as Caiyun and Zhuiyue focus on Lu’s appearance, manners, comforting abilities, and romantic appeal.

Character interactions

• Bu Ersun interrogates Caiyun and Zhuiyue, seeking reassurance that he is superior to Lu.
• Caiyun and Zhuiyue initially cooperate by praising Bu Ersun, but their honest recollections increasingly favor Lu.
• They recount Lu’s kindness toward them, including comforting them when Bu Ersun was captured, and praise his treatment of his family and companions.
• The women then tease each other about secretly liking Lu, while Bu Ersun watches in bewilderment, unable to understand why their admiration for Lu has become so intense.

Chapter Summary: CEO Lu’s Art of Balance

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Bu Ersun becomes irritated after two girls make confusing, nonsensical remarks and leaves his room to clear his head.
• In the garden, Long Aotian and Zhao Ritian are fighting yet again. Their argument began when Long tried to flirt with Lisa under the pretense of tutoring her in Chinese.
• Zhao repeatedly interrupted Long’s attempts at seduction, mocking his Chinese ability, drinking capacity, romantic prospects, and especially his temporary inability to perform sexually.
• Lu Chengwen arrives and tries to stop the fight. After hearing both sides, he confirms that Zhao is being deliberately provocative, but also criticizes Long for allowing himself to be baited.
• Lu separates the two by bribing Zhao with the promise of roasted rabbit, new sneakers, and a peaceful evening. He then calms Long by offering him a cash card, promising him the first Dragon-Vigor Pill he obtains, and jokingly suggesting he can pursue foreign women afterward.
• Long quickly abandons his anger in anticipation of the money and medicine. He insists that he is morally upright, though he also eagerly accepts the possibility of meeting multiple foreign women.
• The chapter ends with Lu humorously praising Long as a “great hero” for supposedly respecting and supporting women in difficult professions, while Long admits that such support would require the Dragon-Vigor Pill to be effective.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Chengwen demonstrates his role as the practical mediator of the group. Rather than relying on force, he manages each man according to his weaknesses: food and gifts for Zhao, money, medicine, and romantic fantasies for Long.
• Long Aotian is shown as highly insecure about his temporary impotence. He reacts angrily whenever Zhao exposes it, yet is easily distracted by promises of wealth, medicine, and sexual opportunities.
• Zhao Ritian remains irreverent, childish, and relentlessly provocative. He enjoys humiliating Long and turns every conversation into an opportunity for mockery, even when doing so triggers a fight.
• Bu Ersun is briefly characterized as frustrated and confused by the women’s remarks, though his storyline does not develop further in the chapter.
• The surrounding servants and companions—Fulin, Lulin, Shoulin, Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity—serve as amused observers who view Long and Zhao as foolish troublemakers.

3. Significant Themes

• Conflict management through manipulation: Lu maintains peace by identifying what motivates each person and using tailored incentives rather than moral arguments.
• Masculinity and insecurity: Long’s anger stems largely from embarrassment over his sexual dysfunction and fear that others will not respect him.
• Mockery and friendship: Zhao’s insults are cruel but presented as part of the dysfunctional relationship between the two rivals. Their constant hostility coexists with familiarity and dependence.
• Hypocrisy and self-image: Long insists on being honorable and morally clean while simultaneously entertaining Lu’s promises of multiple women. His declarations of compassion are exaggerated into comic hypocrisy.
• Power through rewards: Food, money, special medicine, and gifts are used as effective tools for controlling behavior and restoring order.

4. Character Interactions

• Long Aotian and Zhao Ritian: Their verbal sparring escalates into physical combat, with Zhao targeting Long’s sexual weakness and Long defending his dignity.
• Lu Chengwen and Zhao Ritian: Lu placates Zhao by appealing to his appetite, vanity, and desire for improved martial abilities.
• Lu Chengwen and Long Aotian: Lu flatters Long, validates his pride, and offers financial and medicinal incentives to make him abandon the fight.
• Long Aotian and Lisa: Although Lisa never appears directly, Long claims he wants to tutor and socialize with her, while Zhao deliberately undermines the interaction by revealing Long’s condition.
• Lu Chengwen and the onlookers: Lu’s attempts to restore order entertain the others, who recognize that both Long and Zhao behave foolishly.

Chapter Summary: “Comrades Who Have No Choice but to Cooperate”

Key Plot Points and Events

• From a second-floor balcony, Bu Ersun watches Lu Chengwen quickly calm Zhao Ritian and Long Aotian after they cause trouble. Caiyun and Zhuiyue admire Lu’s ability to control the two difficult men, while Bu Ersun grows irritated and suspicious of his influence.
• Bu Ersun visits the Three Brothers—Fulin, Lulin, and Shoulin—who are resting after their shift. He questions why they now cooperate so well with Lin Jiangxian’s people, especially Lu Chengwen, despite initially being enemies.
• The brothers explain that their cooperation is purely professional: everyone is protecting Miss Huo, and Lu Chengwen, Long Aotian, and Zhao Ritian have proven dependable during crises. Although they dislike their personalities, each can perform effectively when it matters.
• Bu Ersun presses Fulin for his personal opinion of Lu Chengwen, but Fulin recognizes that Bu is fishing for information. The conversation turns hostile when Fulin openly insults Bu and declares that he will prevent Bu from becoming an elder or dean.
• Bu Ersun threatens to use his family’s influence against Fulin and the Lin Jiangxian lineage. Lulin and Shoulin also insult and dismiss him, warning that they may beat him if he keeps provoking them.
• Just as Fulin prepares to attack Bu, Lu Chengwen arrives. He breaks up the confrontation, shields Bu from the brothers, and pushes him outside while pretending the conflict was merely a misunderstanding.
• Lu then offers the Three Brothers a break, promising them hot pot, drinks, and karaoke because they have been taking too many night shifts. This gesture helps defuse the tension.
• Bu Ersun remains angry and threatens to report the brothers, but Lu persuades him to leave and offers him hot pot as well. Shoulin later apologizes to Lu for Fulin’s harsh words, reinforcing that Lu has become a trusted working ally.
• When Bu asks about their relationship, Lu describes himself and the brothers as “comrades who have to cooperate.”

Character Developments

• Lu Chengwen: Demonstrates strong mediation skills, emotional intelligence, and practical leadership. He protects Bu without truly taking his side, calms the brothers through humor and generosity, and maintains cooperation among hostile factions.
• Bu Ersun: Becomes increasingly resentful of Lu’s influence and insecure about his own status. His arrogance and reliance on family power provoke the Three Brothers and expose his lack of authority among them.
• Fulin: Shows himself to be fiercely principled and openly hostile toward Bu Ersun. He values competence and the Elder Council’s interests over political privilege.
• Lulin and Shoulin: Support Fulin but are slightly more willing to defuse the conflict. Their comments show that they respect Lu and the other three men’s abilities despite disliking them personally.
• Zhao Ritian and Long Aotian: Though they do not appear directly in the main confrontation, they are shown to have developed a special responsiveness to Lu Chengwen, suggesting Lu’s growing influence over powerful and difficult allies.

Significant Themes

• Forced cooperation: Personal dislike does not prevent people from working together when they share a common objective.
• Competence over personality: The characters may insult one another, but they respect those who remain reliable during dangerous situations.
• Political power versus practical authority: Bu relies on family connections and rank, while Lu earns influence through action, diplomacy, and the ability to solve problems.
• Conflict management: Lu’s humorous, informal approach proves more effective than threats or status-based commands.
• Reluctant camaraderie: The characters are not genuine friends, but repeated cooperation gradually creates trust and mutual respect.

Important Character Interactions

• Caiyun and Zhuiyue praise Lu’s ability to control Zhao and Long, while Bu Ersun reacts jealously.
• Bu Ersun interrogates the Three Brothers about their relationship with Lu and is confronted by Fulin.
• The Three Brothers collectively reject Bu’s authority and ridicule his dependence on family influence.
• Lu Chengwen mediates between Bu and the brothers, treating both sides as troublesome but valuable allies.
• Shoulin’s apology to Lu reveals that, beneath their insults, the brothers recognize and respect their partnership.

Chapter Summary: “Bu Ersun’s Betrayal”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Chengwen meets Bu Ersun in a remote location to discuss the future of the Elder Council. Lu argues that he has no ambition to control the Council and complains that its power structure leaves him vulnerable to threats from the Dean, the elders, and other factions.
• Bu Ersun appears increasingly evasive, making Lu suspect that the meeting is a trap. His suspicions are confirmed when Rat Head of Sky Net arrives.
• Bu Ersun admits that he cooperated with Sky Net because he was poisoned and feared Lu’s influence. Lu feels betrayed, especially because he and his allies had repeatedly helped Bu Ersun.
• Rat Head orders Lu to surrender, offering to take him away without crippling or sealing his acupoints. Lu pretends to cooperate while trying to negotiate for time.
• Lu attempts to manipulate Rat Head by appealing to his complicated relationship with Drunken Elder/Old Man Wu, suggesting that both men resent their elders but still depend on and respect them.
• Rat Head sees through Lu’s flattery and refuses to be distracted. He reveals that Sky Net values Lu not for his wealth but for his unique importance and knowledge.
• Lu bargains for one to three weeks to finish dealing with the Elder Council’s enormous funds, even proposing that Sky Net profit from the money. Rat Head warns him that deceiving Sky Net would have serious consequences.

Character Developments

• Lu Chengwen: Demonstrates his usual resourcefulness and survival instinct. Although outwardly calm and humorous, he is alarmed by the trap and quickly shifts to psychological manipulation and bargaining. His focus remains on protecting himself while completing his plans involving the Elder Council’s funds.
• Bu Ersun: Is exposed as gullible, frightened, and easily manipulated. His betrayal is motivated by coercion—particularly poison and fear—but he still actively lures Lu into the trap. His dependence on Rat Head shows how little control he has over his own decisions.
• Rat Head: Emerges as a more perceptive and formidable opponent than Bu Ersun. He is not fooled by Lu’s flattery and understands Lu’s strategic value beyond money. His calm confidence suggests that Sky Net has long-term plans for Lu.
• Drunken Elder/Old Man Wu: Though absent, he becomes important through Lu and Rat Head’s discussion. He is portrayed as both an ideological obstacle and a respected mentor figure.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and ingratitude: Lu is deeply angered that Bu Ersun repays past help by helping Sky Net capture him.
• Manipulation and intelligence: The chapter contrasts Bu Ersun’s gullibility with Rat Head’s insight and Lu’s ability to improvise under pressure.
• Power and coercion: Bu Ersun’s betrayal raises the question of whether actions taken under poison and fear can be considered voluntary.
• Value beyond wealth: Lu’s financial power is significant, but Rat Head emphasizes that Lu’s true value lies in his knowledge, influence, and strategic importance.
• Generational conflict: The discussion of fathers, masters, and elders highlights tension between traditional authority and younger people seeking progress and independence.

Character Interactions

• Lu and Bu Ersun: Their conversation begins as a political discussion but turns into an accusation of betrayal. Lu views Bu Ersun as weak and manipulable, while Bu Ersun remains anxious about fulfilling Sky Net’s demands.
• Lu and Rat Head: Their exchange becomes a battle of wit. Lu uses charm, flattery, emotional appeals, and financial offers, but Rat Head remains skeptical and in control.
• Lu and Old Man Wu/Drunken Elder: Through conversation with Rat Head, Lu presents a conflicted view of the elder: he resents his stubbornness and outdated ideas but respects his character and acknowledges his debt to him.
• Rat Head and Bu Ersun: Rat Head treats Bu Ersun as a useful subordinate rather than an equal, dismissing his concerns and ordering him back to the car once his part in the trap is complete.

Plot points and events

• Lu Chengwen probes Rat Head about his grand plan, jokingly asking whether he can stay rich and gain a powerful position in the new world.
• Rat Head explains the group’s vision: overthrow the existing order and use the Heavenly Dao Diagram to remake society, banishing advanced technology and returning humanity to a simpler, agrarian age governed by martial artists.
• He presents two possible futures. In the first, unchecked technology and capital reduce ordinary people to exploited livestock while the rich control society and reproduction. In the second, the old order is overthrown and people live simply, with morality, mutual aid, and social harmony restored.
• Rat Head says the Supreme Master showed him these futures through the Diagram. Though Rat Head once opposed him, the vision convinced him that drastic action is necessary.
• He warns that future technologies could create biological weapons and copies of people whose memories and values have been rewritten. Lu begins to grasp Rat Head’s concerns, though he remains uncertain.

Character developments

• Lu Chengwen begins by treating the plan as a chance to gain wealth and status, and uses jokes to test Rat Head’s beliefs. The dystopian vision unsettles him, especially when he realizes he is among the rich Rat Head condemns. By the end, he is taking the argument more seriously, but has not fully accepted it.
• Rat Head presents himself not simply as a revolutionary, but as someone driven by fear for humanity’s future. He claims his opposition to the Supreme Master changed after seeing the predicted outcomes.

Significant themes

• The dangers of unchecked technology, concentrated wealth, and the loss of human dignity.
• Whether a peaceful, simpler society can justify coercive upheaval and the suppression of progress.
• The tension between individual freedom and a supposedly benevolent order imposed from above.
• The question of whether people’s identities and moral agency can survive technological manipulation.

Character interactions

• Lu’s teasing questions repeatedly clash with Rat Head’s earnestness, exposing the gap between Lu’s self-interest and Rat Head’s ideological commitment.
• Rat Head tries to persuade Lu by describing both the nightmare future and his ideal alternative, framing the revolution as a moral necessity.
• Lu pushes back with questions about history and the Heavenly Dao, while gradually becoming more receptive to Rat Head’s warnings.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Chengwen pretends to be overwhelmed by Sky Net’s revelations while arguing that the Elder Council’s hundred-billion-plus funds should be returned to him.
• He persuades Rat Head that keeping him in the Elder Council’s good graces—and letting him manage its money—would preserve his value as a fundraiser and give Sky Net time and resources to pursue its goals.
• Rat Head remains suspicious but gives Lu one chance to return, warning that he will kill him if he discovers Lu has lied. He also assigns Bu Ersun to work with Lu and makes them both take Sky Net’s membership mark.
• On the drive back, Bu Ersun boasts that he is Lu’s superior. Lu pulls over and beats him for betraying him, threatening to expose him as a Sky Net spy if he fights back. Lu then drives off, leaving the battered Bu behind.

Character developments

• Lu Chengwen shows himself to be quick-thinking and pragmatic: he turns Sky Net’s ideology into an argument for protecting his financial usefulness and buying time. His anger at Bu Ersun’s betrayal erupts once they are alone.
• Rat Head is committed to Sky Net’s aims but cautious about trusting Lu; he ultimately accepts Lu’s reasoning provisionally.
• Bu Ersun is smug about his new authority, unaware—or unwilling to admit—how little influence he may actually have. His betrayal has made him vulnerable to Lu’s leverage.

Significant themes

• Pragmatism versus idealism: Lu argues that lofty dreams cannot motivate most people without material rewards.
• Trust and manipulation: Lu uses strategic persuasion to secure freedom, while Rat Head makes clear that cooperation rests on suspicion.
• Power and usefulness: Lu protects himself by emphasizing the value of his money-making ability; Bu’s apparent rank proves less important than his exposure as a spy.
• Betrayal and retaliation: Lu’s assault on Bu reveals the personal cost beneath the political maneuvering.

Character interactions

• Lu and Rat Head negotiate through competing appeals: Rat Head offers Sky Net’s vision, while Lu stresses money, time, and practical value.
• Lu and Bu Ersun shift from forced cooperation to open hostility. Bu claims authority, but Lu silences him by exploiting the danger his double identity poses to him.

Plot points and events

• Lu Chengwen applies hand cream to Zhuiyue, teasing her and dismissing her concerns about appropriate boundaries. Caiyun walks in, objects to his behavior, and insists that he respect the two women as people and guards.
• Lu notices Caiyun is upset and coaxes her to explain. She says Elder Lin Jiangxian accused her and Zhuiyue of being distracted by men and neglecting their duty to protect their young master.
• Lu comforts Caiyun and vows to confront Lin, even if it means angering powerful figures. Caiyun tries to stop him, while Zhuiyue comically complains that her hands still need cream.
• Bu Ersun returns furious, accusing Lu of beating him and abandoning him by the highway. Lu denies the charge, and the guards initially doubt Bu’s account.
• Bu threatens Lu and orders Caiyun and Zhuiyue to cut off one of his arms. They hesitate, unable to obey. Lu escapes through a window, and both women chase after him.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Chengwen acts flirtatiously and pushes past Zhuiyue’s stated discomfort, but also shows concern for Caiyun and offers to defend her. His denial of Bu’s accusation and sudden escape keep his motives ambiguous.
• Caiyun is hurt by Lin’s criticism but is reluctant to let Lu risk trouble on her behalf. She shows both vulnerability and loyalty to her duties.
• Zhuiyue is uneasy about Lu’s familiarity, yet later appears protective of him and helps pursue him. Her repeated complaints about hand cream provide comic contrast.
• Bu Ersun returns angry and humiliated, blaming Lu and asserting authority. His order tests the guards’ loyalty, but they cannot bring themselves to attack Lu.

Significant themes

• Boundaries and respect: Lu’s playful behavior clashes with Zhuiyue’s concerns and Caiyun’s demand for professional respect.
• Loyalty versus obedience: Caiyun and Zhuiyue are caught between Bu’s command and their reluctance to harm Lu.
• Protection and power: Lu offers to stand up for Caiyun against a senior elder, while Bu invokes his status to command the guards.
• Comedy amid conflict: Teasing, exaggerated indignation, and Zhuiyue’s hand-cream complaints undercut the chapter’s escalating tension.

Plot points and events

• Lu Chengwen tells Zhao Ritian to beat up Bu Ersun. Zhao, who has long wanted an excuse to attack him, eagerly obliges.
• Bu Ersun is weakened by poison and can barely defend himself. Zhao brutally beats and taunts him, ignoring Bu’s protests that he is the Dean’s grandson.
• Elsewhere, Lu Chengwen teases Caiyun and Zhuiyue by playing hide-and-seek with them. They pursue him under different pretenses: Caiyun wants to hit him, while Zhuiyue says she must cut off his arm.
• Long Aotian tries to break through to the fourth level of the Immovable Wisdom King Art in a quiet cave. Lu and Caiyun’s flirtatious conversation nearby repeatedly distracts him.
• Just as Long Aotian tries to regain focus, Zhao’s beating of Bu continues nearby. Zhao’s insults disrupt Long Aotian’s breathing, leaving his cultivation attempt in jeopardy.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhao Ritian reveals how eager he is to fight Bu Ersun, treating Lu’s command as permission to unleash long-suppressed hostility.
• Bu Ersun is rendered helpless by the poison and appeals to his family status and to Caiyun and Zhuiyue for help, but no one intervenes.
• Lu Chengwen uses playful banter and feigned medical concern to flirt with Caiyun, while Zhuiyue remains focused on carrying out her order.
• Caiyun responds shyly and affectionately to Lu’s teasing.
• Long Aotian struggles to maintain discipline and resentment as the surrounding chaos and Lu’s antics undermine his concentration.

Significant themes

• Comic disruption: Serious cultivation and violent conflict are repeatedly undercut by slapstick, teasing, and interruptions.
• Power and status: Bu’s claim to be the Dean’s grandson does little to protect him once Zhao has decided to attack.
• Self-control versus distraction: Long Aotian’s effort to advance spiritually is tested by his irritation and the unruly events around him.
• Manipulation and flirtation: Lu disguises his romantic advances as concern, while Caiyun accepts his apparent sincerity.

Plot points and events

• Long Aotian emerges from the cave to find Zhao Ritian beating Bu Ersun. He unexpectedly kicks Zhao aside, then takes over beating Bu Ersun himself, leaving Zhao confused.
• Long Aotian confronts Lin Jiangxian, arguing that he attacked Bu Ersun because he personally disliked him—not because of anyone’s status or protection. He refuses to back down when Lin threatens him.
• Zhao joins the conflict, claiming responsibility for his own and Long Aotian’s actions, while Lu Chengwen tries to calm everyone and steer Lin into a private conversation.
• Lin accuses Lu and the others of dishonorably attacking a poisoned Elder Council member. Lu accepts responsibility, insists he and the Council are partners, and reminds Lin of his importance in the Jiang Family battle.
• Lu then makes clear that he could kill a Council member if pushed, signaling that the situation is more serious than an ordinary dispute. Lin agrees to speak privately with him.
• Bu Ersun protests that he has been beaten without consequence. Lu warns him that he has badly endangered Lu, and Bu Ersun’s bravado falters.

Character developments and interactions

• Long Aotian is volatile and blunt, acting from personal anger rather than political calculation. His sudden attack on Zhao before turning on Bu Ersun unsettles Zhao.
• Zhao Ritian is impulsive and combative, but openly admires Lu’s defiance. He also takes responsibility for the violence, despite having just been knocked down by Long.
• Lu Chengwen shifts from appeasement to forceful confrontation. He accepts blame to protect the others, asserts his political value, and presses for a private discussion.
• Lin Jiangxian begins as an indignant defender of Bu Ersun, but recognizes that Lu’s insistence on speaking privately—and the strange circumstances surrounding Bu—signals a deeper issue.
• Bu Ersun invokes his status to demand justice, yet Lu’s warning reminds him of his betrayal, and his confidence weakens.

Significant themes

• Personal motives versus status and power: Long rejects judging actions by family ties or political backing.
• Loyalty and shared responsibility: Lu claims the blame for his subordinates, while Zhao volunteers to take responsibility too.
• Power as leverage: Lu invokes his role in the Jiang Family battle to establish that the Elder Council needs him.
• Tension beneath the confrontation: The beating appears tied to a larger secret involving Bu Ersun, which prompts Lu’s private warning to Lin.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• Lu Chengwen secretly meets Lin Jiangxian and has him seal the room with a formation before revealing that he has just joined Sky Net. Bu Ersun joined as well, after luring Lu to a trap where Rat Head forced him to choose between joining and dying.
• Lin is shocked and furious at Bu Ersun, but accepts Lu’s explanation. Lu warns that Sky Net has infiltrators across powerful groups, including the Elder Council, the Five Great Families, the Tianwu Clan, and the Iron Red Army.
• Lu explains Sky Net’s grand vision of reshaping the world and says he finds it absurd, refusing to believe humanity is destined for the dark future they describe. Lin says the Heavenly Dao Diagram’s predictions are likely an illusion created by Chou Baihen to manipulate people.
• Lu intends to act normally while keeping his forced affiliation secret. He tells Lin because he trusts him not to be a Sky Net spy—and wants a witness who can defend him if his new status is later used against him.
• Lin proposes using the situation to expose Sky Net’s hidden agents. Lu cautions that the spies probably do not know one another and forbids Lin from telling anyone else, including the Dean. Lin agrees to help.

Character development

• Lu Chengwen shows pragmatism and urgency: though forced into Sky Net, he rejects its ideology and carefully limits who knows. He recognizes that his trust in Lin is a calculated risk, not complete confidence.
• Lin Jiangxian shifts from suspicion and hostility to respect and cooperation. He realizes Lu understands his character and ultimately commits to helping him.
• Bu Ersun is portrayed as compromised and easily manipulated, likely motivated by a cure for his poison and promises of power.

Significant themes

• Trust amid suspicion: Lu’s choice to confide in a longtime adversary highlights how scarce trustworthy allies are.
• Coercion and moral choice: Lu’s apparent allegiance is forced, while Bu Ersun may have joined for personal gain.
• Manipulation through fear of the future: Sky Net uses visions and grand promises to recruit those with weak judgment or wavering resolve.
• Pragmatism and secrecy: Lu and Lin must balance the desire to uncover the conspiracy against the danger of revealing what they know.

Character interactions

• Lu and Lin’s conversation is blunt but increasingly candid: Lu anticipates Lin’s values, while Lin sees through Lu’s reason for choosing him.
• Lin’s anger is directed at Bu Ersun, whom he blames for endangering Lu.
• Despite their mutual distrust and history of dislike, Lu and Lin end the conversation aligned against Sky Net.

Plot points

• Ugly Slave arrives in the USA with his two disciples, tasked with investigating the Elder Council for Sky Net moles.
• Though the Dean trusts and protects him, Ugly Slave is widely disliked and looks suspicious enough that many would suspect him of being a traitor.
• His disciples are equally unconventional: Foxy Lady, a powerful and infamous seductress, and a timid, incompetent young man who obeys his master unquestioningly.
• In a private discussion, Ugly Slave asks them how to uncover the moles. The young man proposes killing everyone, but Ugly Slave rejects this as impractical.
• Foxy Lady questions whether Lin Jiangxian might be concealing guilt despite seeming trustworthy, and argues that Po Zhenzi may also be suspect because he appeared to hold back during a past fight.
• Ugly Slave identifies Lu Chengwen as the person he is most concerned about. The young disciple admits Lu is too strong for him to defeat, while Foxy Lady offers to seduce him for information.
• Ugly Slave hints that he has a theory and expects events in the USA to become far more complicated.

Character development and interactions

• Ugly Slave comes across as eccentric and disreputable, yet trusted by the Dean and capable of shrewd, strategic thinking. He treats both disciples informally and praises the young man’s judgment.
• Foxy Lady is flirtatious and calculating, using her notorious reputation as a possible investigative tool. She openly challenges assumptions about the senior elders.
• The Second Disciple is timid and inept but loyal, ready to obey any order. Though his first suggestion is extreme, he recognizes Lu Chengwen’s strength.
• The trio share an unusual dynamic: Ugly Slave guides the discussion, Foxy Lady contributes suspicion and schemes, and the young disciple offers blunt, obedient responses.

Themes

• Appearance versus reality: Ugly Slave looks like a traitor, while the seemingly trustworthy may be hiding something.
• Loyalty and suspicion: The investigation threatens to strain trust among the Elder Council’s members.
• Unconventional competence: The chapter suggests that odd, overlooked, or underestimated people may be more perceptive than established authorities.

Summary

• Ugly Slave prepares to investigate the Sky Net mole. He discusses Lu Chengwen with Little Transparent and Foxy Lady, who suggest outwitting or seducing him. Ugly Slave notes that Lu is unusually unpredictable and powerful in a crisis, and that his connection to Ming Disha makes confronting him risky. If Lu is the mole, exposing him may be easy—but handling the consequences will be difficult. The group plans to meet the others the next day.
• The leaders and their teams react with varying degrees of anxiety. Lin Jiangxian’s three disciples fear Ugly Slave might use the investigation as a pretext to target them, but Lin remains relaxed: none of them are moles, and Ugly Slave’s long service suggests he is not simply pursuing power. Po Zhenzi is similarly calm, though his four disciples worry. Po Zhenzi had actually supplied the original intelligence about a mole, but his source must remain secret, so he and his team will also be investigated. Old Zheng is nervous because, while not a mole, his questionable dealings could come to light.
• The Yan Zhao Sect team stands out as a complicated target. Bu Ersun, assisting Ugly Slave, considers the group’s three young disciples—Long Aotian, Lu Chengwen, and Zhao Ritian—formidable for different reasons. Long is highly regarded and influential; Lu’s business power and knack for disrupting major events make him dangerous to alienate; Zhao is a standout fighter. Their close bond means an attack on one could unite all three.
• Ugly Slave challenges Bu Ersun directly. Bu Ersun insists Lu is the mole and warns that exposing him could provoke retaliation. When Ugly Slave asks whether Bu Ersun himself is a mole, Bu Ersun angrily lists his status as the Dean’s grandson and his history of being harmed by Sky Net. Ugly Slave observes that Bu Ersun’s lengthy defense sounds rehearsed, leaving him pale and threatening to complain to his grandfather.

Character developments and interactions

Ugly Slave emerges as a probing, politically cautious investigator, willing to question even the Dean’s grandson. Bu Ersun’s forceful denial reveals insecurity beneath his entitlement. Lin Jiangxian and Po Zhenzi remain composed while their subordinates fret, and the uneasy relationship between Lin Jiangxian and Ugly Slave adds tension to the coming investigation. Foxy Lady’s flirtatious interest in Lu contrasts with the serious political dangers surrounding him.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes suspicion and concealed motives, showing that even those involved in the investigation may be scrutinized. It also explores the danger of power and unintended consequences: exposing a mole may be straightforward, but the fallout could destabilize alliances and threaten influential interests. Finally, it highlights loyalty and collective strength, especially through the bond among the three Yan Zhao Sect disciples.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Jiangxian, Po Zhenzi, Old Zheng, Lu Chengwen, Martin Boots, and other Elder Council members gather at an old villa after being summoned by Elder Ugly Slave and his disciple, Bu Ersun.
• Bu Ersun announces that there is a mole within the Elder Council. Everyone must complete investigative forms and remain at the villa until the mole is found. He warns that they are authorized to use force if necessary.
• Martin Boots rejects the orders, tears up his paperwork, and tries to leave. When Little Transparent blocks him, Martin attacks with a powerful palm strike, revealing strength far beyond what Po Zhenzi had expected.
• Ugly Slave effortlessly counters Martin’s attacks and pins him down with a casual gesture. He clarifies that he will personally ensure the mole cannot escape, then orders Martin to return and cooperate. Faced with Ugly Slave’s overwhelming power and threat, Martin agrees.

Character developments

• Ugly Slave shifts from a mild, reassuring demeanor to an unmistakable display of authority. His strength and composure surprise the gathered experts.
• Martin Boots begins as dismissive and defiant, but backs down after Ugly Slave easily overpowers him.
• Bu Ersun acts as the investigation’s forceful enforcer, insisting that the Elder Council take the mole search seriously.
• Po Zhenzi and Lin Jiangxian are both impressed—and somewhat alarmed—by Ugly Slave’s power and Martin’s unexpected ability.

Significant themes

• Authority and obedience: Even powerful officials must answer to the investigation and the Dean’s orders.
• Hidden strength and appearances: Martin is stronger than others assumed, while Ugly Slave’s gentle manner conceals overwhelming power.
• Trust and suspicion: The discovery of a mole puts the Elder Council under scrutiny and forces its members to cooperate.

Character interactions

• Bu Ersun reprimands the assembled elders and lays down the rules for the investigation.
• Martin challenges Ugly Slave’s authority and clashes with Little Transparent when attempting to leave.
• Ugly Slave protects Little Transparent, defeats Martin without apparent effort, and uses a mix of reassurance and intimidation to secure his cooperation.

Key plot points and events

• Little Transparent announces strict investigation rules: residents must stay in assigned second-floor rooms, cannot leave the villa or fight without permission, and may report suspicions. Reports are rewarded if confirmed, while false accusations carry no penalty.
• A video from the Dean confirms the operation is authorized and asks everyone to cooperate. Bu Ersun uses his family connection to the Dean to reinforce the rules and intimidate the group.
• The suspects are sent to their rooms, where Lu Chengwen encounters Fourth Sister Feng, a famously seductive woman and Elder Ugly Slave’s eldest disciple.
• Lu Chengwen flirts with Fourth Sister Feng. Bu Ersun tries to send him away and claim her attention, but Lu openly insults him.
• Fourth Sister Feng unexpectedly orders Bu Ersun back to his own room, revealing that he, too, is under investigation. When he resists, she demonstrates an intimidating level of power.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Chengwen remains observant and strategic. He suspects Bu Ersun is a mole, while wondering whether exposing him would also compromise Lu’s own position. He treats Bu Ersun with contempt and uses flirtation to engage Fourth Sister Feng.
• Bu Ersun acts as if his grandfather’s authority puts him above the rules. His jealousy and insecurity surface when Lu attracts Fourth Sister Feng’s attention; his attempt to assert dominance collapses when she reveals he is also a suspect.
• Fourth Sister Feng initially presents herself as a flirtatious, overlooked woman with no formal Elder Council rank. Her sudden command over Bu Ersun—and her formidable presence—shows that her apparent frivolity conceals real authority and strength.
• Little Transparent delivers the investigation’s rules and the Dean’s message, while Ugly Slave’s earlier display of strength has already made the assembled elders cautious.

Significant themes

• Authority and appearances: Bu Ersun invokes his family status, but the investigation’s rules apply to him too; Fourth Sister Feng’s seductive image also masks unexpected power.
• Suspicion and strategy: Everyone is confined and encouraged to report one another, intensifying distrust. Lu privately weighs the risks of exposing a suspected mole.
• Power and humiliation: Bu Ersun tries to command respect but is publicly put in his place, while the others watch.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Jiangxian challenges Ugly Slave’s authority and threatens to leave, but Ugly Slave warns that walking out would invite suspicion and damage Lin’s standing. Lin reluctantly agrees to stay for questioning.
• Bu Ersun is confined and told that even his grandfather cannot protect him. Little Transparent warns him to prove he is not a Sky Net plant, then slams the door on him.
• The six suspects are questioned individually. Lin gives only evasive answers; Po Zhenzi cooperates calmly; Martin Boots becomes ingratiating; Old Zheng is nervous and repeatedly insists on his loyalty.
• Each person must name a possible Sky Net plant. Lin refuses to accuse anyone. Po Zhenzi names Lu Chengwen because he is influential but outside the Elder Council.
• Bu Ersun also accuses Lu, depicting him as an opportunist connected to powerful groups. To protect himself, Bu further points suspicion at Old Zheng.
• Old Zheng denies being a traitor but repeatedly slips between claiming loyalty to Sky Net and loyalty to the Elder Council. He retaliates by accusing Bu, citing Bu’s huge losses and the money he paid to buy himself back from Sky Net.

Character developments and interactions

• Ugly Slave shows political tact: rather than force Lin to stay, he persuades him by making the consequences of leaving clear.
• Lin Jiangxian resents being pressured but recognizes that departing would make him look guilty.
• Bu Ersun remains arrogant and self-serving. He sees Lu’s death as a way to advance his own wealth and influence, while assuming his family status will shield him from suspicion.
• Old Zheng appears increasingly compromised by his anxious denials and accidental reference to Sky Net, though he turns the accusation back on Bu.
• Little Transparent openly distrusts Bu and treats him harshly, while Bu responds with resentment.
• The questioning turns into a chain of accusations: Po Zhenzi and Bu target Lu, Bu targets Old Zheng, and Old Zheng targets Bu.

Significant themes

• Suspicion and self-preservation: Under pressure, the suspects evade, flatter, or accuse others to protect themselves.
• Power and reputation: Ugly Slave’s warning shows that appearances and political trust can matter as much as evidence.
• Ambition and betrayal: Bu’s elaborate plan reveals how he hopes to exploit both the Elder Council and Sky Net for personal gain.
• Unreliable testimony: The competing accusations and contradictory statements leave the truth uncertain.

Plot points and events

• Po Zhenzi recounts the chaotic aftermath of an operation: he was attacked immediately, the documents he seized had turned into literal, fresh, runny feces, and he insists he stole Sky Net’s twenty billion—not money belonging to their own side. He directs everyone to ask Lin Jiangxian or the Dean for answers.
• Lin Jiangxian angrily confronts Ugly Slave. He fears that Huo Wenting is in immediate danger and says his three disciples may not be enough to protect him. He suspects a larger conspiracy involving the missing forty billion, the Vice President, Bu Ersun, and possibly even the Dean.
• Lin argues that Huo Wenting’s death would silence a crucial witness. He warns Ugly Slave that he will demand answers—and hold him and the Dean responsible—if Huo dies. Ugly Slave remains calm and tells Lin to rest.
• Martin Boots tells an elder that, as an undercover outside operative, he knew little about the people involved or the struggle over the money. He is surprised to learn that Old Zheng is also one of their people and resigns himself to a long “vacation.”
• Little Transparent tries to access Lu Chengwen’s phone. Lu refuses, warning that it contains sensitive financial and Elder Council information and will erase itself if anyone tries to break its security.
• Under questioning about the forty billion, Lu claims he is working with everyone, including Sky Net, and offers videos to support his account. He mocks the accusation that he and Bu Ersun are collaborators.
• Little Transparent threatens to torture Lu and Bu Ersun the next day. Lu remains defiant, requests personal necessities and dinner, and asks to watch A Chinese Odyssey.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Jiangxian becomes increasingly suspicious and openly confrontational, shifting blame among Bu Ersun, the Vice President, and the Dean while prioritizing Huo Wenting’s safety. Ugly Slave stays controlled and gives little away.
• Lu Chengwen uses humor, wealth, and confidence to resist interrogation and unsettle Little Transparent, who loses his temper and escalates from questioning to threats.
• Po Zhenzi is frustrated and bewildered, while Martin Boots presents himself as uninformed and low-ranking.
• The chapter’s conversations are largely hostile interrogations and accusations, with characters deflecting blame and challenging one another’s authority.

Significant themes

• Conspiracy and mistrust: No one agrees on who is responsible, and even senior figures suspect one another.
• Money and institutional corruption: The disputed forty billion exposes unclear loyalties and questionable financial dealings.
• Power and defiance: Lu refuses to submit to threats, while Lin challenges those he believes have failed their responsibilities.
• Truth and silencing witnesses: Lin fears that Huo Wenting may be killed to prevent the full story from emerging.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Shihan arrives at the detention center with a huge convoy of supplies for Lu Chengwen. Little Transparent objects because the shipment exceeds the rules, but Jiang persuades him to let it in by flattering him, explaining that anticipating a superior’s needs is part of doing a good job, and bribing him with cash and a luxury watch.
• The shipment includes Chinese chefs and ingredients, Lu’s clothes and personal-care items, furniture, his favorite drinks and cigars, and even his familiar bed.
• A large crew transforms Lu’s shabby room into a luxurious apartment, while the other detainees remain cramped, uncomfortable, and resentful.
• Lu and Jiang enjoy an extravagant meal and wine. Lu invites Little Transparent to join them, drawing him into a friendly exchange.
• Bu Ersun confronts Lu for treating detention like a vacation. Lu mocks him, and Little Transparent joins in before ordering Bu Ersun back to his room.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Shihan shows how well she understands Lu’s habits and preferences, presenting her attentiveness as professional skill. She is confident, persuasive, and willing to use both flattery and gifts to get her way.
• Little Transparent shifts from rule-enforcer to willing accomplice. Though initially suspicious, he is won over by Jiang’s praise, money, and watch, then bonds with Lu over food and shared mockery of Bu Ersun.
• Lu Chengwen remains relaxed and entitled despite being detained. He welcomes Little Transparent, then deliberately insults Bu Ersun.
• Bu Ersun is angered by Lu’s behavior and becomes the target of ridicule from both Lu and Little Transparent.

Significant themes

• Wealth and privilege: Lu’s money lets him turn an unpleasant detention room into a luxurious private space.
• Flattery, bribery, and bending rules: Jiang uses charm, gifts, and appeals to workplace loyalty to overcome the guard’s objections.
• Loyalty and familiarity: Jiang emphasizes that knowing Lu’s preferences—and preserving familiar comforts—makes her especially valuable.
• Humiliation and status: The contrast between Lu’s comfort and the other detainees’ misery heightens resentment, while the banter reverses the usual power dynamic by making Bu Ersun the object of ridicule.

Plot points and events

• Bu Ersun is furious at Lu Chengwen’s apparent smugness. Martin Boots initially agrees with him, calling Lu a show-off and complaining about their difficult life abroad.
• Lu notices Martin’s envy of the feast and offers him lobster, foie gras, and wine. He also sends food to several respected elders, framing the gesture as fellowship among people stuck together.
• Martin quickly accepts the hospitality, praises Lu, and drinks enthusiastically. Though he privately tells Bu Ersun he is only humoring Lu for a free meal, he becomes increasingly eager when Old Zheng says Lu has influence with the Dean and the Elder Council.
• Lu promises to help Martin return home, then offers further inducements: a villa, a position at the Great Sage Group, and a steady salary. Martin responds with extravagant gratitude and toasts Lu repeatedly.
• Bu Ersun denounces Martin as a hypocrite and berates him for abandoning their alliance. Martin turns on Bu Ersun and insults him instead.

Character development

• Lu Chengwen uses generosity, humor, and promises of practical help to defuse hostility and win people over. He presents himself as modest while confidently leveraging his wealth and connections.
• Martin Boots shifts from mocking Lu to flattering him once food, drink, and the prospect of a comfortable future appear. His opportunism and lack of loyalty become increasingly obvious.
• Bu Ersun grows more enraged as Martin defects, but his attempts to shame him only deepen the quarrel.
• Old Zheng quietly supports Lu, confirming his influence and helping persuade Martin to seek Lu’s favor.

Themes

• Wealth and influence: Lu’s money and connections rapidly change how others treat him.
• Opportunism and loyalty: Martin’s allegiance follows personal benefit rather than principle.
• Generosity as persuasion: Lu uses hospitality to build goodwill and command loyalty.
• Status and humiliation: Bu Ersun’s pride is repeatedly undermined as Martin chooses Lu over him.

Character interactions

• Lu and Martin establish a joking, increasingly affectionate “brotherhood” through food, wine, and promises of support.
• Old Zheng reinforces Lu’s status and nudges Martin toward asking him for help.
• Bu Ersun confronts Martin over his hypocrisy, but Martin’s enthusiastic betrayal turns their exchange into an open insult.

• Interrogation strategy: Fourth Sister Feng watches Lu Chengwen and Jiang Shihan acting affectionately and silently vows that Lu will not escape her grasp. Meanwhile, Little Transparent has been reviewing interrogation footage for leads. Ugly Slave tells him that Po Zhenzi and Lin Jiangxian are not Sky Net spies, but orders them kept comfortably in custody while the investigation continues. He then directs a surprise interrogation of Lu Chengwen and Bu Ersun.
• Separate interrogations: Little Transparent interrogates Bu Ersun with repeated lashings, demanding evidence for his claim that Lu is a Sky Net spy. Bu Ersun has none beyond a feeling that Lu seems suspicious, and insists that the investigators question Lu instead.
• Fourth Sister Feng’s approach: Fourth Sister Feng enters dressed to seduce Lu, explaining that their intelligence describes him as lecherous and that a honey trap should loosen his tongue. Lu eagerly plays along, complimenting her and flirting. Their exchange sounds so intimate that Little Transparent and Bu Ersun are left stunned.
• The comic mismatch: Bu Ersun protests that Lu is getting seduction while he is being whipped, and even claims to be a lecherous scumbag too. Little Transparent dismisses the comparison and continues punishing him. When Fourth Sister Feng admits she became distracted by Lu and forgot to ask him anything, Bu Ersun demands that she interrogate him instead. She refuses, preferring to return to Lu; Bu Ersun finally insists on switching places, and Little Transparent agrees.
  Character developments and interactions: Little Transparent follows Ugly Slave’s orders but is also blunt and aggressive, treating Bu Ersun harshly while his senior sister uses flirtation on Lu. Bu Ersun grows increasingly resentful and desperate, feeling both physically and emotionally tormented by the unequal treatment. Fourth Sister Feng shows her confidence in using seduction—and her attraction to Lu—while Lu enthusiastically encourages her performance. The contrast between their playful banter and Bu Ersun’s suffering drives the chapter’s humor.
  Themes: The scene plays with the gap between suspicion and proof: Bu Ersun accuses Lu without evidence, while the investigators’ methods are more theatrical than systematic. It also uses jealousy, unequal treatment, and the absurdity of interrogation tactics for comic effect.

Key plot points and events

• Little Transparent goes into Lu Chengwen’s interrogation room but treats him like a friend, sharing wine and roast chicken instead of questioning him. Lu encourages him to invest more money in companies he recommends, and the two bond over business.
• Bu Ersun, waiting for his own interrogation, expects a seduction tactic. Fourth Sister Feng instead threatens him with a whip and begins beating him.
• While playing chess with Lin Jiangxian, Ugly Slave reveals that Bu Ersun secretly joined Sky Net and argues that exposing the betrayal could destabilize the Elder Council.
• Ugly Slave has deliberately avoided capturing Rat Head, believing it is safer to keep a reasonable, informed contact within Sky Net than risk a more extreme replacement.
• Lin Jiangxian confronts Ugly Slave about his loyalties and asks whether Lu Chengwen has collaborated with Sky Net. Ugly Slave refuses to answer directly, while Lin refuses to trust him. The conversation ends with Lin warning that the local crisis has serious consequences back home.

Character developments and interactions

• Little Transparent and Lu Chengwen act less like interrogator and suspect than business partners and friends. Little Transparent appears receptive to Lu’s investment advice, raising questions about the purpose and integrity of the interrogation.
• Bu Ersun shifts from relief at facing Fourth Sister Feng to panic when he realizes her approach is punishment, not seduction.
• Fourth Sister Feng presents herself as cold and intimidating, contrasting her method with her junior brother’s supposedly painless treatment.
• Ugly Slave shows himself to be a calculating strategist who values managing threats over simply eliminating them. He acknowledges that he once withdrew from consideration for Dean, citing his lack of support and his appearance.
• Lin Jiangxian remains deeply suspicious of Ugly Slave and is fiercely protective of Huo Wenting. Though they discuss the Elder Council’s political fragility, they do not resolve their distrust—or Lu Chengwen’s possible ties to Sky Net.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and divided allegiance: Bu Ersun’s betrayal prompts broader uncertainty about who truly serves which side.
• Pragmatism versus justice: Ugly Slave prefers keeping a dangerous operative in play if doing so may prevent a worse threat, while Lin favors decisive action.
• Institutional instability: Another scandal could weaken the Elder Council and damage the Dean’s authority.
• Trust and appearances: Characters conceal their aims, and Ugly Slave’s past withdrawal highlights how appearance and political support can shape leadership.