Chapter Summaries

Zhang Heng and the others planned to manipulate Adele into persuading Leah to visit the Ski Resort, then Zhang Heng entered a solo, year-long transition instance for The Leaker. He found a masked young woman vandalizing surveillance cameras and escaped with her after two officers were attacked, recognizing her as a grown-up version of the little boy.

• Zhang Heng assigned Waldo and the others to influence Adele while he and a group prepared the Ski Resort.
• Zhang Heng entered a solo transition instance for The Leaker, with no mission objective and a duration of 360 days.
• Zhang Heng found himself in a city alley marked with anti-Black Nest graffiti and discovered that his wallet and passport were missing.
• Zhang Heng saw a masked woman smashing surveillance cameras and watched two undercover officers arrest her.
• Someone knocked out both officers, and Zhang Heng carried the masked woman toward a safe house after she urged him to hurry.

Zhang Heng rescued the little boy from police and followed her through a camera-free escape route. At her apartment, she grew suspicious when he asked about Edward.

• Zhang Heng carried the little boy over a wall and escaped the police by following her directions around surveillance cameras.
• The little boy suspected Zhang Heng worked for Black Nest, but he offered to help free her handcuffs in exchange for answers.
• Zhang Heng freed the little boy’s cuffs with a folded euro note, and she invited him to her apartment.
• The little boy checked that Zhang Heng had no smart devices, then asked what he wanted to know.
• Zhang Heng asked where Edward was, and the little boy grew wary because he knew the name.

Zhang Heng tried to explain his knowledge of 01 with a story about parallel universes, then questioned the little boy about Edward and the resistance. He learned that Black Nest had killed Edward and expanded CTOS across Europe, leaving 01 as the last underground resistance led by Leah.

• Zhang Heng told the little boy about his encounter with 01 and his plan to rescue Leah, but the boy doubted his story while suspecting he was not a Black Nest agent.
• The little boy revealed that Black Nest had killed Edward twelve years earlier after a reporter betrayed him and stole his documents.
• The little boy explained how Black Nest used CTOS to monitor citizens, manipulate public opinion, and eliminate political opponents while presenting the system as a public benefit.
• The little boy recounted how Black Nest crushed the hackers opposing it, killing Magician, driving Philip into exile, turning Waldo into a traitor, and leading to Z's arrest.
• The little boy said that only he and Semi-prime remained from the old group and revealed that Leah, Edward's younger sister, led 01 and was being hunted by Black Nest.

Zhang Heng learned that the boy was part of the resistance against CTOS and could not locate Leah. With no identity or money, Zhang Heng accepted the boy’s offer of a job and a place to stay, leaving them to begin working together the next day.

• The boy told Zhang Heng that Leah led the resistance, that their war against CTOS seemed unwinnable, and that he did not know where she was.
• Zhang Heng explained that he had no identity records, and the boy warned that he could be detained if he dealt with the police.
• The boy offered Zhang Heng a job and a place to sleep in exchange for following instructions, learning how to survive under CTOS, and feeding Little Crocodile.
• Zhang Heng negotiated to learn the boy’s communications technology and agreed to stay.
• The boy set household rules, and Zhang Heng asked whether the boy’s boyfriend might object to him staying; the boy said he did not date and told him to sleep.

The little boy left Zhang Heng at home while he worked, then rushed back early after worrying about what Zhang Heng might do. They agreed to shop for Zhang Heng’s necessities and discuss work through a middleman, with Zhang Heng asking to add four Lego sets.

• Zhang Heng made breakfast for the little boy, who told him to stay home with Little Crocodile while he went to work.
• At the pizza shop, the little boy grew distracted and worried that leaving Zhang Heng alone had been a mistake.
• The little boy hurried home after his shift and found Zhang Heng safe in the bathroom, changing a burnt-out light bulb.
• The little boy forgot to bring pizza, and Zhang Heng learned that he worked at a pizza place to avoid Black Nest monitoring him at a technology company.
• The little boy agreed to buy Zhang Heng daily necessities, work clothes, and four Lego sets before they met a middleman to learn about available jobs.

The little boy took Zhang Heng shopping for supplies and clothes, then brought him to meet Fox, an intermediary who arranged legal and illegal work. The little boy introduced Zhang Heng as a tenant in need of money, and Fox greeted them at his underground party.

• Zhang Heng bought household supplies and a folding knife with the little boy, then acquired a black suit and accessories at a secondhand shop.
• The little boy explained Fox's role as an intermediary and discussed how CTOS had changed the city's criminal underworld.
• The little boy brought Zhang Heng to a party in an underground parking garage and told him to let the little boy handle the conversation.
• The little boy found Fox, who left two women to greet them and teased the little boy about not having a boyfriend.
• The little boy introduced Zhang Heng as a tenant who needed money, and warned Fox that people who talked too much died earlier in movies.

Zhang Heng accepted Fox's vague black-market job as a driver and bodyguard despite the little boy's warnings. The little boy insisted on going with him, and Fox secured the employer's agreement to take them both for the pay of one person.

• Fox offered Zhang Heng a black-market driving and bodyguard job paying three hundred euros for a transaction that night.
• The little boy advised Zhang Heng to refuse because the job was vague and could bring trouble, but Zhang Heng said he needed work and believed he could handle the risk.
• A man approached the little boy to flirt, and the little boy sent him away before agreeing that Zhang Heng could take the job, provided he left if things turned dangerous.
• Zhang Heng accepted Fox's offer, and the little boy demanded to accompany him or they would both refuse.
• Fox contacted the employer, who agreed to take Zhang Heng and the little boy together while paying only for one person.

Zhang Heng and the boy picked up a nervous chemistry teacher who was carrying a cardboard box to meet Albanian criminals. The teacher revealed that he was risking everything to pay for his sick daughter’s treatment and pleaded with them to help complete the deal.

• Zhang Heng drove to a bridge and picked up the chemistry teacher after confirming their code phrase.
• The boy recognized the destination as Albanian territory and warned that the criminals there preyed on women and engaged in numerous crimes.
• The chemistry teacher admitted that he had business with the Albanians and offered more money when the boy suggested ending the job.
• The teacher explained that his daughter’s rare illness had drained his savings, cost him his marriage, and left him unable to borrow more money.
• The boy realized the cardboard box was connected to the teacher’s dangerous plan and urged him to give up, but the teacher insisted the deal was his last hope and asked for their help.

Zhang Heng prepared to negotiate with the Albanians on behalf of the chemistry teacher, who needed to save his daughter. The group reached the area near their meeting place, where the teacher reaffirmed his resolve despite his fear.

• The little boy warned Zhang Heng that the Albanians were armed criminals, but Zhang Heng said he could help the chemistry teacher negotiate.
• Zhang Heng told the chemistry teacher to stay silent during the meeting and act confident, while the little boy agreed to wait in the car.
• Zhang Heng drove toward the meeting place and assembled a Beretta 92F from Infinite Blocks, secretly turning the toy into a real gun.
• The chemistry teacher panicked, but Zhang Heng cautioned him about the risks of entering a life of crime.
• The chemistry teacher said saving his daughter was the only way and agreed to proceed.

Zhang Heng confronted four Albanian thugs at a slaughterhouse meeting and beat them down to intimidate them. As he threatened the tattooed leader, an old man in a butcher’s apron emerged and asked whether they had met before.

• Zhang Heng arrived with the chemistry teacher and the little boy, then explained that the thugs had chosen the remote location to gain an advantage.
• Zhang Heng stepped out and choked the tattooed man unconscious after the man threatened him.
• Three other men attacked Zhang Heng, who wounded them and warned one to seek medical care before his injuries became permanent.
• Zhang Heng dragged the tattooed man to the table and threatened to stab out one of his eyes.
• An old man dressed as a butcher came out of the slaughterhouse, apologized for his poor memory, and asked Zhang Heng if they had met before.

Zhang Heng protected Jonathan during a cash-and-goods exchange with an old man’s gang, then faced the old man’s demand that he work for them for a month. The negotiations turned into a standoff, with Zhang Heng threatening the chemistry teacher to deter the gang from harming their companions.

• Zhang Heng denied knowing the old man and insisted that Jonathan would only come out after the gang showed sincerity by producing the money.
• The old man ordered his men to bring out the cash, and Zhang Heng warned an injured subordinate to seek medical care.
• Jonathan counted the money, handed over the goods, and heard the old man confirm that they met his standards.
• The old man demanded compensation for his injured men and asked Zhang Heng to work for him for a month, but Zhang Heng refused.
• The old man’s men drew guns, and Zhang Heng pointed a Beretta 92F at him.
• The old man threatened Zhang Heng and his companion in the car, so Zhang Heng aimed at the chemistry teacher and warned that killing the man who produced the goods could anger the gang’s family.

After completing a deal with the chemistry teacher, Zhang Heng shared the payment with the little boy and questioned why he kept fighting Black Nest. The little boy explained that he would oppose Black Nest because victory did not make its actions just, and 01 would keep fighting even alone.

• The chemistry teacher paid Zhang Heng for the deal and received instructions for contacting them about another one.
• Zhang Heng offered the little boy his share of the payment, and the boy accepted money for rent while warning that he would keep watching him.
• After returning home in the rain, Zhang Heng and the little boy drank red tea together and discussed their pasts and motives.
• The little boy said he knew the world was driven by self-interest but would continue fighting Black Nest because he believed it was wrong.

Zhang Heng built a reputation in the criminal underworld while working alongside the little boy, then predicted trouble for the chemistry teacher after their partnership ended. After more than three months of watching Zhang Heng, the little boy invited him to meet the other members of 01.

• Zhang Heng won a wealthy heir’s sports car in an underground race by using his driving skills on a parking-garage track.
• The little boy stopped joining Zhang Heng on jobs after deciding he could handle dangerous criminals himself, and Zhang Heng became known as a mediator between factions.
• The chemistry teacher stopped hiring Zhang Heng, and Zhang Heng predicted the Albanians would soon detain him while keeping his daughter’s medical bills paid.
• Zhang Heng explained that he had warned the chemistry teacher about relying on the Albanians, but said he could not protect him from his own choices.
• The little boy decided Zhang Heng could be trusted and invited him to attend 01’s regular gathering; Zhang Heng accepted.

Zhang Heng prepared to leave the future instance after eleven months with the little boy, while 01's fight against Black Nest continued to fade. On his final night, the little boy asked him to pass a message to her 17-year-old self.

• Zhang Heng spent eleven months living with the little boy and improved his technical abilities until they merged into a level 2 geek skill.
• Zhang Heng joined several 01 operations, but Black Nest had grown too powerful for the group to stop.
• With less than a month left in the instance, Zhang Heng told the little boy he planned to scout Grenoble and gather intelligence before returning to his parallel universe.
• Zhang Heng and the little boy discussed whether his actions in the past could change her future, and he said they would probably never meet again.
• The little boy said good night, then returned to Zhang Heng while he slept and asked him to say hello to her 17-year-old self.

Zhang Heng brought Philip and Ponytail Man to a ski resort to prepare a plan for taking Leah from Black Nest. He assigned Earring Man the role of bait, and Earring Man reluctantly agreed to proceed.

• Zhang Heng and the members of 01 had breakfast together before Zhang Heng, Philip, and Ponytail Man drove to the ski resort.
• Zhang Heng explained that the resort’s size and crowds would make Black Nest’s surveillance harder, and said his preparations would take about two days.
• Zhang Heng called Earring Man, who complained that police attention had left him stranded with little money and nowhere to stay.
• Zhang Heng sent Earring Man an encrypted plan that assigned him to act as bait while Zhang Heng confronted Black Nest directly.
• Earring Man objected to the assignment, but accepted Zhang Heng’s plan after hearing that Zhang Heng would take the greater risk.

Leah and Adele went skiing while Vincent’s team watched for the two men from the bar, suspecting they might try to abduct Leah. When Earring Man jammed Leah’s phone and drew the team’s attention, Vincent sent one team after him while the others stayed on Leah.

• Leah agreed to go skiing with Adele, and Vincent’s teams watched them at the resort.
• Vincent warned his deputy that the men from the bar might target Leah and told the sniper to kill them if they appeared.
• A staff member with an earring slipped Leah a note as she boarded the cable car.
• A technician reported that Leah’s phone signal had been jammed, and Vincent’s team spotted the man who had jumped off the bridge.
• Vincent sent one team to pursue Earring Man while ordering the others to keep watching Leah.
• Earring Man realized he had been exposed and tried to lead his pursuers away, but he felt uneasy.

Earring Man escaped a sniper’s shot with help from a remotely started snowmobile while Leah followed a note’s instructions to flee toward the mountain summit. Pursued by Black Nest, Leah chose the dangerous off-piste route and was scooped up by a snowmobile rider just before crashing into a boulder.

• A young sniper grazed Earring Man with a shot, but Earring Man hid behind a snow mound as Vincent’s team closed in.
• Zhang Heng used Magician’s modified snowmobile to help Earring Man escape, and Vincent ordered the fourth group to join the pursuit.
• Leah separated from Adele, then followed the note’s instructions to discard her electronics and run from the cable-car station.
• The cable car reversed and delayed Leah’s pursuers, but four members of Black Nest jumped down and continued after her.
• Leah skied beyond the marked slopes into dangerous off-piste terrain, where a snowmobile rider grabbed her just before she hit a boulder.

Zhang Heng escaped with Leah across the mountain while Black Nest’s pursuit failed, leaving Vincent to report the loss and prepare to eliminate Edward. Black Nest summoned reinforcements as Vincent confirmed that the young man would carry out the assignment.

• Zhang Heng told Leah that Black Nest was pursuing her to pressure Edward over evidence that the company had used CTOS to collect private information.
• Zhang Heng carried Leah across a ski route while Earring Man drew away the pursuers and Vincent’s mobile unit.
• Vincent ordered Team Four to intercept Leah, but he and his team reached the far side of the mountain too late and found only discarded skis.
• Vincent learned that Earring Man had escaped too, then reported Leah’s loss and agreed with headquarters to activate the elimination plan against Edward.
• Vincent said headquarters was sending reinforcements and asked the young man if he would eliminate Edward; the young man agreed, saying he had no personal qualms.

Zhang Heng and the 01 team rescued Leah and recorded proof for Edward, while Leah questioned their plans for exposing Black Nest and protecting her brother. She agreed to go along with them and learned the rescue had involved another ally working alone.

• Waldo introduced himself to Leah, and she recognized that he knew Gaspard.
• Leah revealed that only she and Edward knew the secret about Rocky, prompting her to question how Zhang Heng knew it.
• Zhang Heng explained the plan to expose Black Nest and promised to protect Edward, choosing his life over exposing the organization if forced to choose.
• Leah agreed to cooperate because she opposed CTOS monitoring citizens, and she gently rejected Waldo's romantic interest.
• Zhang Heng asked Leah to record another video for a friend who had also taken part in the rescue, revealing that the operation had been joint.

While 01 Guerrilla Team waited at Waldo’s house in France for Edward to respond, the members relaxed and trained, and Leah sang for them. Zhang Heng assured the little boy that their idle days would soon end, hinting that a new challenge was near.

• 01 Guerrilla Team settled into Waldo’s spacious house in southwestern France while they waited for Edward’s response.
• Zhang Heng studied electrical control, infiltration, and security techniques from Ponytail Man, Waldo, and Philip.
• Leah found an old guitar and sang for the team, earning enthusiastic applause.
• Zhang Heng went fishing in the rain and caught a carp, which he planned to cook for the little boy.
• The little boy worried that the team was treating their wait like a vacation, and Zhang Heng told him the real challenge would arrive soon.