Chapter Summaries

Qiu Tu defeated Shu Xia, forced him to leave Man Huang behind, and invoked her wager to demand intimacy before stopping partway through. Shu Xia left East City to seek reinforcements, only to encounter Zhao Ji.

• Shu Xia mistook Qiu Tu for a clone and tried to take Man Huang away, but Qiu Tu revealed himself as the true body and overpowered him.
• Qiu Tu sealed Shu Xia’s Calamity Power, killed the Siyuan Pavilion reinforcements, and beat Shu Xia until Man Huang surrendered two conditions to save him.
• Qiu Tu let Shu Xia leave, then invoked Man Huang’s promise and carried her into the bedroom, where he stopped after fulfilling only half of what he claimed she owed.
• Shu Xia left East City intending to seek reinforcements and encountered Zhao Ji on the outskirts.

Ilena confronted Qiu Tu about being a Chaos Faction mole, but he spun a story that convinced her he had infiltrated them for the Order Path’s benefit and revenge against Star Founder God King. The chapter ended with Qiu Tu proposing to deepen the deception and pointing out that Mo Li, his maid, seemed suspicious.

• Ilena tested Qiu Tu at a banquet, and he openly admitted that he was a mole for the Chaos Faction.
• Qiu Tu claimed Ilena had suspected him all along and framed his confession as part of an understanding between them, leaving her uncertain.
• When Ilena asked whose side he was on, Qiu Tu said he had volunteered to infiltrate the Chaos Faction to help the Order Path win the war and advance within the Temple.
• Qiu Tu explained that he had used the seven god kingdoms as leverage to gain the Chaos Faction’s trust, then planned to end the war and earn merit while avenging Star Founder God King’s invasion of his world.
• Ilena accepted Qiu Tu’s explanation, agreed to continue with his plan, and promised to keep his actions private until the outcome was clear.
• Qiu Tu proposed pretending to remain turned so he could gather intelligence from the Chaos Faction, then asked Ilena whether she had noticed something suspicious about Mo Li.

Qiu Tu and Qin Shuman uncovered evidence connecting the Qin Family to Shunyun Trading and suspected a broader conspiracy around Yin Caimei’s case. After taking Su Xiaowan home, Qiu Tu weighed a more troubling theory, then returned home and found Shen Ling Shuang trying on underwear.

• Qiu Tu and Qin Shuman noticed that Shunyun Trading’s Qian Dafu had attended Vice President Tian’s banquet and ordered an investigation into his ties to the Qin Family.
• Qin Shuman learned that Old Master Qin had founded Shunyun Trading through Qian Dafu’s father, and she suspected the company had hidden the Qin Family’s illegal dealings.
• Qin Shuman theorized that the Qin Family had framed Vice President Tian and silenced Yin Caimei, then left to investigate while Qiu Tu took Su Xiaowan home.
• Qiu Tu considered whether the case was a staged conspiracy involving Yin Caimei, the transport companies, Vice President Tian, the Qin Family, and Jia Shu.
• Qiu Tu returned to his apartment and found Shen Ling Shuang trying on underwear and stuffing things into it.

Qiu Tu and Qin Shuman struck a deal to protect each other and cover up the night’s events, while Qiu Tu’s plan cleared him of suspicion. After overseeing an interrogation and leaving with Liu Fuping, Qiu Tu remained unaware that someone in the Information Section was reporting to Jia Shu.

• Qin Shuman agreed to take responsibility for the Security Department’s official account, protect Fourth Master Qin and his family, recommend two of Qiu Tu’s friends for Military Department posts, and give Qiu Tu information about Cataclysmic Treasures and Calamity Abilities.
• Qiu Tu reasoned that the Security Department’s intervention made his earlier claims appear true and left Yan Chen and Jia Shu without evidence to challenge him.
• Qiu Tu deactivated Reshape Order, felt unexpectedly drained, and returned to the Interrogation Room.
• Liu Fuping, Song Qing, and Wang Xi interrogated the female spy, who confessed how she contacted the Alliance, installed listening devices, and reported to her superior.
• Liu Fuping invited Qiu Tu to sleep at her nearby home, and he flirted back as the investigators watched.
• A shadowy figure in the Investigation Division’s Information Section answered Jia Shu’s call asking whether anything unusual had happened.

Qiu Tu confronted Old Master Qin about the “god” and forced him to reveal what he knew. After three gunshots, Qiu Tu left Old Master Qin dead and gave Shu Man information about the god, while telling Cao Dabiao and Chen Feng to treat the killing as the work of an intruding gunman.

• Qiu Tu recognized Lone Wolf’s corpse and used his rifle to threaten Old Master Qin into answering questions about the “god,” his abilities, and its believers.
• Old Master Qin agreed to speak if Qiu Tu sent Cao Dabiao and Chen Feng out of the room.
• Outside, Cao Dabiao told Chen Feng that Qiu Tu had killed more than ten Alliance members with single shots in just over twenty seconds, prompting them to discuss Calamity Descendants and the new world.
• Three gunshots sounded from the living room, and Qiu Tu emerged while telling Shu Man to begin surveillance based on the information and leads he had provided.
• Cao Dabiao and Chen Feng saw Old Master Qin dead with three bullet wounds and handcuffed to the stairs, while Qiu Tu claimed a gunman had shot him and ordered them to handle the scene.

Qiu Tu engineered a clash between the Political Department and Special Operations Department to make his lenient treatment of Cao Dabiao’s group look like proof that he protected his own. He assembled his Investigation Team and sought funds and equipment for The Death of Yin Caimei, but his equipment request was referred to Secretary Bai.

• Cao Dabiao and his team learned that Qiu Tu had shielded them from the severe punishment imposed on the Special Operations Department investigators, and their loyalty to him increased.
• Qiu Tu revealed that he had arranged for Fang Ming to spread word of the lenient punishment and asked Liu Fuping to provoke the Special Operations Department, building his reputation as a loyal superior.
• Liu Fuping asked how Qiu Tu planned to investigate The Death of Yin Caimei, and he said he would first apply for case funds and equipment.
• Qiu Tu’s personnel application was approved, making Liu Fuping, Song Qing, Wang Xi, Cao Dabiao, Chen Feng, and the others his subordinates.
• Section Chief Huang hesitated over Qiu Tu’s Cataclysmic Treasures request and called Secretary Bai before deciding whether to approve it.

After Qiu Tu and Zhao Ji killed Kabaneri and several Hall of Gods gods, factions across the Heavenly God Trial feared that East Divine King would retaliate. Back in Qiu Tu’s villa, Zhao Ji prepared to undergo his unusual healing method while he hoped the treatment would bring them closer.

• Tian Qi learned that Kabaneri and three other Hall of Gods Trial Takers had vanished from the rankings, and White Robe said Zhao Ji and Qiu Tu were most likely responsible.
• Doris confirmed Kabaneri’s death, grew wary of Zhao Ji and Qiu Tu, and anticipated East Divine King’s retaliation.
• Qiu Tu brought injured Zhao Ji back to the Southeast Area, where she explained that Kabaneri’s Boundless Mind Sea Areas could help her reach Eighth Order Peak and offered the remaining regions to Qiu Tu.
• Zhao Ji said refining the regions would take seven to twenty days, so Qiu Tu offered to try healing her and claimed his method required her to remove her clothes.
• At midnight in Qiu Tu’s secured villa, Zhao Ji sat on the bed while Qiu Tu turned around, and he heard her clothes rustling as she began to remove them.

Qiu Tu met Secretary Bai, deciphered his cryptic hints, and concluded that Bai Yu was behind several moves connected to La Riluo and the heretic god. After leaving, Qiu Tu explained his reasoning to Tang Feifei, who questioned why Bai Yu would take such risks.

• Secretary Bai showed Qiu Tu the flowers he and A Tai had brought him, explaining that the supposed chrysanthemums were actually rare orchids and using them to speak indirectly about appearances and hidden truths.
• Secretary Bai warned Qiu Tu that Huang Shangzong's adviser was preparing to harm him, then sent him away after tea and resumed playing the piano.
• Tang Feifei met Qiu Tu outside Secretary Bai's villa and took him to her home to discuss the meeting.
• Qiu Tu explained how Secretary Bai's answers about his secretary, Zheng Tao's promotion, and Yan Chen's daughter had revealed that Bai Yu was likely responsible for all three matters.
• Tang Feifei questioned why Bai Yu would act on behalf of a heretic god or risk his life if he was not a believer.

After spending the night with Tang Feifei, Qiu Tu learned about officials’ emergency escape routes and realized Old Master Qin had likely used a hidden safeguard to buy time. He led his agents out to eliminate Qin’s last chance of escape.

• Qiu Tu and Tang Feifei spent the day and night together, and she gave him a Cataclysm Potion the next morning to ease his soreness.
• Tang Feifei explained that high-ranking officials had emergency passages, prompting Qiu Tu to infer that Old Master Qin had a safeguard of his own.
• Qiu Tu escaped the Investigation Department through Tang Feifei’s concealed passage and returned to the Investigation Team.
• Qiu Tu gathered Da Biao, Chen Feng, Zhu Huoyan, Xiao Liu, and Liu Fuping, then led them out to arrest someone.
• Qiu Tu concluded that Old Master Qin had been stalling to let his safeguard escape or move important documents and assets, and set out to destroy Qin’s final hope.

Qiu Tu met privately with Fourth Master Qin, who revealed that the Qin Family knew Qiu Tu was investigating them. After Fourth Master Qin left a booklet detailing Qin ZhengGuang’s crimes, Qiu Tu realized he had been offering a warning and testing his resolve.

• Fourth Master Qin invited Qiu Tu to talk privately, but Qiu Tu declined his offer to take a walk and waited for him to explain his intentions.
• Qiu Tu considered the Qin Family’s power structure and recognized Fourth Master Qin as a possible opening for his investigation.
• Fourth Master Qin asked about Qiu Tu’s mission and said he had heard Qiu Tu came to investigate the Qin Family.
• Qiu Tu challenged Fourth Master Qin over what sounded like a threat, and Fourth Master Qin disguised his warning as casual concern about accidents and illness.
• After Fourth Master Qin left, Qiu Tu picked up a booklet listing Qin ZhengGuang’s alleged corruption and abuses of power.
• Qiu Tu concluded that Fourth Master Qin had tipped him off, warned him to be careful, and left the booklet to test how far he would pursue the investigation.

Qiu Tu attended a meeting with Cai Peiyuan and Zhang Jian to determine his responsibilities in the Political Department. Cai assigned Qiu Tu oversight, interrogation, and intelligence work, leaving the Investigation Department stunned and his team celebrating.

• Zhang Jian entered the meeting expecting Cai Peiyuan to limit Qiu Tu to oversight work.
• Cai Peiyuan rejected Zhang Jian's proposal and assigned Qiu Tu oversight, interrogation, and intelligence responsibilities.
• Qiu Tu recognized Cai Peiyuan's strategy but accepted the authority and promised to return it whenever Cai asked.
• Zhang Jian left the meeting, while Cai Peiyuan and Qiu Tu exchanged polite assurances.
• News of the decision shocked Lai Shun, Yu Zhengyi, Shi Youxin, and the Investigation Department's agents.
• Cao Dabiao, Song Qing, Ding Xiaoliu, and Zhu Huoyan celebrated Qiu Tu's new authority with their team.

Qiu Tu deduced that Liu Fuping was an East City Investigation Department agent and began planning to use her and her faction to counter Yan Chen. He then went to the detention room to address his anxious subordinates as the Yin Caimei Case approached its conclusion.

• Liu Fuping challenged Qiu Tu to identify the faction backing her, and he correctly named the East City Investigation Department.
• Qiu Tu explained how he had ruled out other factions and identified Liu Fuping through her behavior and investigative skills.
• Liu Fuping accepted Qiu Tu’s deduction, gained greater respect for him, and left after he joked about their reward.
• Qiu Tu decided to draw Liu Fuping and the East City Investigation Department into his camp to build strength against Yan Chen.
• Qiu Tu arrived at the detention room, where Cao Dabiao, Chen Feng, Eagle, A Kun, Ding Xiaoliu, Zhu Huoyan, and the others awaited him anxiously.

Qiu Tu talked Zhao Ji out of her anger over their injury treatment, then kept the Crystal Dice she had given him and learned from Yao Qin how to hinder the Star Founder God System’s invasion. A pink meteor brought another Chaos Path God King toward the Boundless Mind Sea, alarming Zhu Wu and raising the question of who had provided the newcomer with World Coordinates.

• Qiu Tu soothed Zhao Ji’s suspicions about treating her injuries, and she let the matter go while warning him about any future treatment.
• Zhao Ji told Qiu Tu to keep the Crystal Dice as a memento of her previous life, then left to cultivate.
• Yao Qin explained that the Star Founder God System’s available forces were limited and proposed provoking rivals within the Temple or drawing Chaos Path gods’ attention to it.
• Yao Qin said the Crystal Dice might help them if they encountered Chaos Path gods, though she could not identify its origin.
• A pink meteor descended toward the east, and Zhu Wu cursed the West Divine King for apparently sending another Chaos Path God King with World Coordinates.

Qiu Tu rejected the Shelter leaders’ plan for the four state Speakers and answered with his own appointments and a request for greater authority, backed by a military exercise featuring powerful Cataclysm Creatures. Old Lei and Hu Jie recognized the move as open intimidation, while Rao Shou explained to Tang Wanfeng that Qiu Tu needed to demonstrate force to earn a place among the Shelter’s leaders.

• Old Lei and Hu Jie proposed appointing Shao Jie as East Industry State Speaker and arranged Speaker candidates to benefit the Shelter’s factions while weakening Qiu Tu.
• Rao Shou convened the leaders, and their proposal passed despite Tang Wanfeng’s opposition and Wang Guochuan’s abstention.
• Qiu Tu met Ye Mingfeng privately, marked the proposal with an X, stripped Ye Mingfeng of military command, and sent him back to the Shelter.
• Qiu Tu proposed Tang Feifei, Rain Butterfly, Liu Xiongyuan, and Dai Yukang as the four state Speakers, alarming Old Lei and Hu Jie.
• Qiu Tu submitted a request to command all four states and become Eighth Shelter Supreme Council Vice President, and announced a military exercise featuring Zhao Ji and other powerful Cataclysm Creatures.
• Rao Shou told Tang Wanfeng that Qiu Tu needed to show he was willing to use force if he wanted to become a Shelter leader.

Qiu Tu secured the Five Elders’ support for a sweeping Investigation Department promotion list and accepted Fang Tangtang as a political concubine, then assessed the candidates’ loyalty before preparing a departmental reshuffle. The chapter ended as he reached Tang Feifei’s office and found Su Xiaowan confronting Secretary Tan, who was pleading for Director Zheng.

• Qiu Tu agreed to review the Five Elders’ list of promotion candidates and told them the candidates would need to follow his orders.
• Elder Fang gave Fang Tangtang to Qiu Tu, who agreed to take her as a concubine rather than marry her.
• Qiu Tu and Fang Tangtang spent the night together, and the next morning Fang Tangtang’s mother saw the bloodstain and celebrated the family’s prospects.
• Qiu Tu met all seventy-four candidates, checked their loyalty levels, and drafted a promotion list to discuss with Tang Feifei.
• Qiu Tu went to the 12th Floor and found Su Xiaowan questioning Secretary Tan as Tan pleaded for Director Zheng to be seen.

Qiu Tu admitted to Old Tang that he cared for Tang Feifei, and Old Tang invited him into the Tang family’s circle while advising him on his rise in the Shelter. Old Tang privately suspected Qiu Tu was the mysterious person behind the Yellow Phantom Image revelations, then publicly praised him before departing.

• Qiu Tu told Old Tang that he liked Tang Feifei, and Old Tang invited him to spend New Year’s Eve with the Tang family and meet Fengtian Faction figures.
• Old Tang confirmed that Qiu Tu was a Fourth-Order Calamity Descendant and the second Area Master, identified his territory as Lang Yue Area, and offered to transfer him to Lang Yue City.
• Old Tang advised Qiu Tu to build experience and merit, manage his relationship with Huang Shangzong, and rely more on overt methods as he rose in rank.
• Qiu Tu accepted Old Tang’s invitation and guidance, then left the sky garden to return to Tang Feifei’s Interrogation Room.
• Old Tang privately concluded that Qiu Tu was probably the mysterious person who uncovered the truth about Yellow Phantom Image, and he praised Qiu Tu before leaving the Investigation Department.

Qiu Tu teased Shen Ling Shuang after catching her padding her bra, then reviewed the Loyalty Game and uncovered a memory revealing Wang Xi and the masked man’s plan to make potions. The memory left Qiu Tu wondering what the potions would do, and he turned his attention to Shen Ling Shuang.

• Qiu Tu caught Shen Ling Shuang stuffing toilet paper into her bra, teased her, and cuddled her after she retreated to bed.
• The next morning, Shen Ling Shuang joked that Qiu Tu’s surgery had made him a girl, and he pulled her close.
• Qiu Tu checked the Loyalty Game results and found that Eagle had defeated Wang Xi, earning Wang Xi’s loyalty and a small Memory Fragment.
• Qiu Tu’s Memory Fragment showed Wang Xi receiving potion formulas from the masked man, who planned to use the potions to make “God” feel pleasure and gain power.
• Shen Ling Shuang noticed Qiu Tu freeze while viewing the memory, and he reassured her before considering what the potions were for.

Qiu Tu offered Shen Yuzhou control over the 7th Shelter and the Sixth Shelter in exchange for Zhu Wu, arguing the deal would help the Third Shelter expand and strengthen itself. Shen Yuzhou was shaken by the offer but remained suspicious as the negotiation continued.

• Qiu Tu told Shen Yuzhou that he was offering a deal to save him from returning to the Third Shelter empty-handed.
• Qiu Tu agreed to Shen Yuzhou’s four original conditions and expanded them, granting the Third Shelter sweeping political, military, and intelligence authority in the 7th Shelter.
• Qiu Tu explained that the Third Shelter needed to resolve the conflict caused by Zhu Wu being under his control, then said that he wanted Zhu Wu herself.
• Shen Yuzhou angrily rejected the demand until Qiu Tu offered the Sixth Shelter under the same terms as the 7th Shelter.
• Qiu Tu argued that controlling both Shelters would help the Third Shelter overcome its developmental bottleneck, while he needed to exchange territory for protection before heading to the Boundless Mind Sea - Core Area.
• Shen Yuzhou acknowledged the scale of the offer but continued to suspect that Qiu Tu was hiding a scheme.

Qiu Tu rejected Tan Huimin’s attempt to trade herself for Zheng Tao’s safety, then met Liu Xiongyuan to discuss using Moonlight Lake to disrupt Yan Chen’s advancement. Liu pointed out that Qiu Tu needed to exploit the broader political situation, and Qiu Tu proposed making Yan Chen miss or mishandle the Moonlight Lake project.

• Qiu Tu realized Tang Feifei could use Wu Zhi’s death investigation to pressure New Realm City’s officials while shielding them from Huang Shangzong’s influence.
• Tan Huimin explained how Zheng Tao had tried to frame Qiu Tu and offered herself in exchange for her husband’s rescue, but Qiu Tu tested her claim about being on her period and then refused to save Zheng Tao.
• Qiu Tu left Tan Huimin, resolved to investigate La Riluo’s influence and punish Zheng Tao for framing him, and planned to question La Riluo that night.
• Qiu Tu met Liu Xiongyuan at Good Fortune Teahouse, where Liu praised his plan against Yan Chen and urged him to take advantage of the wider political tide.
• Qiu Tu identified Moonlight Lake as a key opportunity and suggested that causing Yan Chen to miss or mishandle its development could prevent him from gaining merit and could bring him blame.

Disguised as Dusk Night, Qiu Tu pieced together that Old Pang, or Pang Hai Chen, was the Mist Veil Society traitor "Emperor" and warned Old Tang. Old Pang suspected Qiu Tu might have guessed his identity and planned to have Lord Yasha kill Qiu Tu and Zhao Ji when she arrived.

• Qiu Tu questioned the bishop about how the Mist Veil Society had learned of Dusk Night's situation and heard how its followers had searched for the heavenly treasure and awaited word from their hidden leader.
• Qiu Tu realized that Old Pang had the access and intelligence to be the hidden leader, identifying him as "Emperor" and suspecting Consort Xi and King Kang were not "Mask."
• Qiu Tu took Dusk Night's treasures from a secret chamber, then used the Unscrupulous Dummy to contact Old Tang.
• Old Pang asked his shadow whether Dusk Night had returned and whether Qiu Tu might have identified him as "Emperor."
• Qiu Tu told Old Tang that Pang Hai Chen was a Mist Veil Society traitor, and Old Tang warned him to avoid acting rashly while he consulted the Speaker.