Chapter Summaries

Chen Xi defeated Wei Dadong’s unit, Kou Kou, and Wang Banxian in an offense-and-defense drill, then corrected the soldiers’ tactics for working with Espers. Kou Kou reflected on the Wallfacers’ growing strength and surrendered, while Wang Banxian faced her after the drill; Chen Xi left Wei Dadong’s unit with doubled training and a copying assignment.

• Li Yao brought Lin Xiaoxi to the training area, where Chen Xi and Wei Dadong’s unit were conducting a drill.
• Chen Xi dodged the unit’s gunfire, broke through its formation, and knocked its soldiers down with a branch.
• Kou Kou and Wang Banxian attacked Chen Xi from above and below, but Chen Xi deflected their attacks and immobilized the supporting soldiers.
• Kou Kou surrendered and thought about the Wallfacers’ expanding capabilities, while Wang Banxian accused her of letting Chen Xi wrap him with the whip on purpose.
• Chen Xi instructed Wei Dadong’s unit to support Espers rather than attack immediately, then doubled their training and ordered them to copy her combat guide one hundred times.

Li Yao met Chen Xi and Lin Xiaoxi at the Phoenix Legion camp’s recreation building, where they caught up before Kou Kou arrived to discuss the Inspection Delegation. The gathering ended with Lin Xiaoxi trying to flirt with Kou Kou, who insisted she only liked men.

• Chen Xi finished her task and left to clean up while Li Yao drove to the camp’s recreation building, leaving Lin Xiaoxi to run there on her own.
• Lin Xiaoxi joined Li Yao in the lounge, ordered drinks, and reunited with Chen Xi, who explained that special missions had kept her away.
• Kou Kou arrived and told Li Yao that she would represent Kassel when the Inspection Delegation arrived the day after tomorrow.
• Chen Xi called Kou Kou over, and Kou Kou sat beside Lin Xiaoxi after feeling uneasy under Chen Xi’s gaze.
• Lin Xiaoxi flirted with Kou Kou and argued that she might like women, but Kou Kou said she only liked men.

The Wallfacers welcomed the International Esper Unified Administration’s Inspection Delegation, while Li Yao learned that his project had received approval and would be monitored by specialists. The delegation gathered the next day for an exchange meeting, where its representatives began discussing their views and demands before the Wallfacers arrived.

• Lu Xingshen and other Eastern China leaders received the Inspection Delegation with a formal ceremony, talks, and a banquet.
• After the delegation settled in, Lu Xingshen dropped his formal demeanor and told Chen Xi and Li Yao that the higher-ups had approved Li Yao’s proposal, with revenue split evenly and specialists assigned to monitor the mission.
• Lu Xingshen asked Chen Xi to keep an eye on Li Yao, then sent them off to handle their business.
• The next day, delegation representatives gathered in the main conference hall and exchanged views and demands while waiting for the Wallfacers.

Li Yao welcomed an international inspection delegation and tried to set an informal tone, but Katerina of the American Federation countered with a calculated offer to share advanced technology. The chapter left Li Yao recognizing that the American Federation had become a more subtle and dangerous opponent.

• Oslia, Kou Kou, Madam Wangka, Mr. Duke, Katerina, and other representatives gathered in China for an inspection intended to assess cooperation among the major powers.
• Li Yao entered in casual clothes with a thermos and used jokes and informality to shape the Chinese delegation’s image.
• Katerina responded warmly to Li Yao’s approach and delivered the prepared official remarks for the American Federation.
• Katerina announced that the American Federation would disclose several advanced technologies during the exchanges to demonstrate its sincerity and gain influence.
• Li Yao realized the American Federation was using its technological advantage to build dependence and strengthen its position.

Li Yao watched the American Federation and other factions use a technology exchange to pressure the Wallfacers, while the Wallfacers tried to conceal their limited strength and prepare an answer to Filth Light. The delegation’s supposed contributions turned out to be dangerous research materials and anomalies their owners could not handle.

• Li Yao considered how the American Federation’s advanced technology could force the Wallfacers to reveal valuable foundational technologies and concluded that they needed to keep their strength hidden.
• Li Yao invited the other factions to present their offerings after the American Federation finished speaking.
• Japan, South Korea, and European factions presented their prized technologies, while some neutral forces offered materials or subordinate subspaces.
• Miskatonic University, Kassel College, the Foundation, Brook Wicca, and Order Union offered research materials, containment items, or a living angel skeleton for study.
• Li Yao realized that many factions had brought dangerous anomalies they could not deal with themselves, hoping the delegation would find a way to destroy or manage them.

Li Yao presented filth light as a joint research project and used it to propose a subspace anomalous creature cleanup service. The delegation showed interest, and Oslia asked what it would cost.

• Li Yao introduced filth light to the inspection delegation, and Paramount of Miskatonic University proposed researching it as a way to destroy Containment Item 682.
• The delegation discouraged Paramount from testing filth light on a 682 sample, then Li Yao answered questions about its properties.
• Kou Kou asked what the Wallfacer Organization intended to do with filth light, and Li Yao proposed promoting a subspace anomalous creature cleanup service.
• Madam Wangka and Oslia showed interest in the proposal, and Oslia asked Li Yao what the price was.

Li Yao offered countries and organizations a paid cleanup service for dangerous subspace anomalies, priced at three billion USD per operation. Morocco agreed to host a discounted test run, and the meeting ended with seven organizations placing orders.

• Li Yao clarified that his team would bring the technology and personnel to eliminate subspace threats rather than sell or lease the technology itself.
• Chalda of Morocco's Green Day Radiance asked about the fee, and Li Yao quoted a flat price of three billion USD.
• Chalda agreed to let Morocco serve as the first test region, and Li Yao accepted while allowing Moroccan observers to accompany the cleanup.
• Li Yao drafted an employment contract, and seven metahuman organizations submitted orders with deposits totaling two billion one hundred million USD.
• The Foundation, MIT, and Brookweika Abbey showed interest in joining the cleanup missions, and Li Yao concluded the meeting while Katerina remained stifled.

Katerina reconsidered her approach after the Wallfacers’ spatial anomaly-clearing service drew eager interest from visiting representatives. She tried to charm Li Yao into improving relations, but he rebuffed her, and her repeated failures won her subordinates’ sympathy and anger at him.

• Representatives left the conference room to discuss cooperation with the Wallfacers, while Katerina recognized that their service offered countries a way to avoid costly research and focus on economic development.
• Katerina caught up with Li Yao and tried to discuss relations between their sides, but he complained that her perfume was choking him.
• Katerina claimed the rumors about the American Federation’s ill intentions were false, and Li Yao told her they were not rumors.
• Over the following days, Katerina made several more attempts to win Li Yao over, while her junior representatives grew fond of her and angry at his treatment of her.

Li Yao and the Inspection Delegation tested Filth Light on a sample of Containment Item S-0682, but its head adapted to the contamination and survived the Death Ray Array. Li Yao offered to contain dangerous items for a fee, then sent a photo of the transformed head to his best friend, leaving 682 unnerved.

• Paramount began the fourth Filth Light contamination test on S-0682’s severed head while Oslia and the other representatives watched.
• Filth Light spread across 682’s head, but the contamination eventually fused with it and the Death Ray Array failed to harm it.
• Oslia and Paramount considered buying Li Yao’s crystal-pillar prison, but Li Yao refused and offered paid annual containment services instead.
• Li Yao learned that 682 could regenerate from either its head or body and survive by consuming almost anything.
• Li Yao photographed the glowing green 682 head and sent it to his best friend with the message, “Beep beep beep! Let me show you something fun!”

Li Yao sent samples of 682 to Lin Xiaowei, who recognized their potential as research materials despite his bizarre plans for them. Their discussion of stalled industrial research ended with Lin Xiaowei asking him to get her a batch of Mushroom Bombs.

• Li Yao proposed hypnotizing 682 and using its regenerative body for shields and spell materials, and Lin Xiaowei agreed to study samples.
• Li Yao teleported 682's head to Lin Xiaowei, and 682 regenerated it in the acid pool before angrily refusing to answer the professor's questions.
• Li Yao sent Lin Xiaowei normal and infected 682 samples from Oslia.
• Lin Xiaowei explained that the Main World's limited industrial base and mages' focus on improving spells had slowed Particle Accelerator research.
• Lin Xiaowei asked Li Yao to get her a batch of Mushroom Bombs so they could strike the Upper Realm's divine kingdom and Abyssal Purgatory.

Li Yao and Lin Xiaowei discussed how to spread modern technology in the Main World, settling on a martial arts tournament that would arm a weak contestant with advanced gear. Lin Xiaowei went to choose a goblin candidate while Li Yao contacted Maeve about his plans for global expansion.

• Lin Xiaowei urged Li Yao to obtain Mushroom Bombs from outside Earth, prompting him to consider building a global network through Maeve Manufacturing.
• Li Yao advised Lin Xiaowei to attract low-level mages' interest with a World's First Martial Arts Tournament showcasing technology through a weak fighter equipped with modern gear.
• Lin Xiaowei agreed to choose a contestant and asked Li Yao to provide supplies from Earth, and he agreed.
• Li Yao called Maeve to discuss his plans while Lin Xiaowei headed to the Floating City's goblin camp to select a candidate.

Lin Xiaowei visited the Magic Association’s goblin breeding plane and learned about the Lifeform Intelligence Research Society’s experiments. Spider Parker told her that enhanced goblins had developed a collective consciousness and founded a village called Goblin Hope.

• Lin Xiaowei registered at the Floating City breeding camp and entered the goblin habitat through its obsidian door.
• Spider Parker welcomed Lin Xiaowei and explained that he studied how lifeforms developed intelligence and civilizations.
• Spider described the Association’s unsuccessful attempts to improve goblins’ intelligence and physical abilities.
• Spider revealed that some enhanced goblins had formed a group and established Goblin Hope on a nearby mountain.

Lin Xiaowei visited Goblin Hope to recruit a goblin warrior for a project that would change mages’ views on technology. She chose the village’s finest hunter, Bart Yuda, but his response to her offer was unexpected.

• Siberd explained that Goblin Hope’s grassland was sacred to goblins and that mages taught knowledge at the village’s Temple of Knowledge.
• Lin Xiaowei and Siberd arrived at Goblin Hope, where the Yoda Clan Elder welcomed them and said some villagers were still out hunting.
• Lin Xiaowei waited until dusk and saw the Hunting Squads return with a Spotted Brown Deer and a Bristle Pig.
• The Yoda Clan Elder introduced the impressive hunting captain as Bart Yoda, the village’s finest warrior.
• Lin Xiaowei asked Bart Yuda if he wanted to become a hero who would prove goblins were not inferior, and Bart told her she was mistaken.

Lin Xiaowei recruited Bart Yuda to demonstrate how technology could make a goblin powerful, then asked Li Yao to develop armor for him. Li Yao gathered collaborators to work on the project while preparing for an inspection tour.

• Bart Yuda accepted Lin Xiaowei’s mission despite doubting that his people’s past glory could prove anything, and left the breeding camp with her.
• Lin Xiaowei brought Bart Yuda to the Servant Quarters, gave him a communicator bearing her Secret Magic Imprint, and arranged tests and training for him.
• Lin Xiaowei sent Bart Yuda’s measurements to Li Yao and asked him to make armor, while also asking about Maeve’s Smart Potion research.
• Lin Xiaowei listed the armor’s desired protections and attack options, and Li Yao agreed to make it without magical technology.
• Li Yao warned Lin Xiaowei that communications might be restricted during his upcoming inspection tour, then formed a group chat to recruit Fu Qinghua, Guo Changshi, Yang Tong, and others for the armor project.

Lin Xiaowei trained Bart Yuda and launched the First Under Heaven Martial Arts Tournament on several forums, announcing a million-Gold-Coin prize and Gwenia’s goblin representative. The post drew widespread attention and confusion, and Master Kentji contacted Lin Xiaowei about it.

• Bart Yuda trained hard under a human veteran, an Orc Sword Saint, and a Dark Moon Elf, improving his combat techniques despite his limited physical gains.
• Lin Xiaowei was inspired by Bart Yuda’s effort and urged herself to work hard so she could return to her own world.
• Lin Xiaowei posted the tournament announcement on several popular forums under Gwenia’s name, then deleted a spam reply and warned users against off-topic posts.
• The announcement offered free food and lodging to registered warriors and a million Gold Coins to the winner, while restricting participants’ weapons and excluding mages from competing directly.
• Readers noticed that Gwenia’s representative was a goblin whose physical details were listed, and many—including Lin Xiaowei’s teacher and Senior Brother—wondered what she intended.
• Master Kentji contacted Lin Xiaowei an hour after the post went up.

Master Kentji failed to reach Lin Xiaowei and received an admission ticket she had left for him, then recruited Hanzote into one of his study groups. Lin Xiaowei returned to Chang'an and summoned Jiang Zhiying, leaving the work she had in mind undisclosed.

• Master Kentji tried to contact Lin Xiaowei, but she hung up and her plane had locked its teleportation routes.
• Hanzote gave Master Kentji the admission ticket Lin Xiaowei had left for him, and Master Kentji added it to his collection.
• Master Kentji wrote Hanzote a recommendation letter to join any of the study groups under his command.
• Lin Xiaowei teleported to the Han Plane and admired Chang'an, its Eight Trigrams layout, and Weiyang Palace.
• Lin Xiaowei went to the Pepper Chamber Palace and called for Jiang Zhiying, then told him not to call her Empress but Your Majesty.

Lin Xiaowei asked Jiang Zhiying to organize a World’s First Martial Arts Tournament, and the two planned its venue and commercial goals. Later, Li Yao sent Lin Xiaowei images and specifications for several specialized armor suits he had prepared.

• Lin Xiaowei showed Jiang Zhiying her blueprints and asked her to arrange a World’s First Martial Arts Tournament.
• Lin Xiaowei described plans for an arena at Kentji Square, and Jiang Zhiying agreed to help organize the event and promote First Military Factory products.
• Lin Xiaowei tickled Jiang Zhiying until she begged for mercy, then the two discussed when they might return home.
• Jiang Zhiying and Lin Xiaowei finalized most of the tournament details, and Jiang Zhiying took the plans to the Ministry of Works.
• Li Yao sent Lin Xiaowei images and explanations of armor suits, including Slamming Armor, Hunting Armor, and Demon Hunter Armor.

Lin Xiaowei received Li Yao’s armor shipment and brought it to the Hunting Garden to have Bart Yuda test the equipment. She unpacked the gear while the Training Masters watched, and the chapter left them puzzling over her strange instruction manual.

• Lin Xiaowei and Li Yao bickered before he sent her the armor through the Summoning Altar.
• Lin Xiaowei stored the alloy crate and went to the Hunting Garden, where the Training Masters reported Bart Yuda’s progress.
• Bart Yuda said he would keep working hard, and the Training Masters described his improved combat skills and talent for stealth.
• Lin Xiaowei opened the crate, revealing black equipment in display cases mounted on a branching alloy frame.
• The Training Masters mistook the instruction manual’s writing for unfamiliar magic runes, and the orc swordsman roared in surprise.

Lin Xiaowei tested the advanced black combat armor she had equipped Bart Yuda with by arranging a spar against a human veteran. The veteran charged at full speed, and Bart Yuda braced himself while quickly forming a bold idea.

• Lin Xiaowei dressed Bart Yuda in a close-fitting black suit of armor and asked how it felt.
• Bart Yuda said the armor fit well and did not restrict his movements.
• Lin Xiaowei asked the human veteran to spar with Bart Yuda, while the veteran worried about being a mage's test subject.
• The veteran drew his rune-engraved longsword and charged at Bart Yuda at full strength.
• Bart Yuda realized the veteran had been holding back during their previous training and came up with a bold idea.

Bart Yuda tested Li Yao’s armor by defeating a human veteran and an orc swordsman in succession. Lin Xiaowei admired the armor’s design, while Li Yao’s colleagues remained unaware that he had adapted it from existing power-armor templates.

• Bart Yuda blocked the human veteran’s enchanted sword with his bracer, then defeated him with a punch and a shoulder throw.
• The orc swordsman challenged Bart Yuda, who put on the Heavy Strike Armor and caught the orc’s greatsword before slamming him to the ground.
• The orc swordsman admitted defeat and urged the Dark Moon Elf to fight, but she refused and called him stupid.
• Lin Xiaowei praised Li Yao’s armor design, unaware that he had adapted existing power-armor templates and told Guo Changshi and the others the armor was for testing non-human units.