Recaps

Hao Ren broadcast images and information about the wrecked spaceship across the universe, and two civilization circles emerged as likely sources. After Hilda’s scan finished, Hao Ren returned upstairs and remembered he had something to ask Vivian.

• Hao Ren uploaded spaceship images and schematics to a cosmic channel, prompting civilization circles to circulate search orders.
• The Data Terminal warned that identifying the ship could take days, then reported that the Dan-Twin and Campbell Civilization Circles had bought large numbers of similar vessels.
• Hao Ren also shared images of the sea-urchin Combat Machine, which appeared to be a privately manufactured security robot rather than military equipment.
• Hilda awoke after nearly three hours in the sleep pod, and Hao Ren told her that her return request was being processed.
• Hao Ren found Lily and Vivian arguing over Vivian’s names for Lily’s claw blades, then said he needed to ask Vivian something.

Hao Ren asked Vivian to reconnect with Earth’s nonhumans and monitor their movements for clues about the Day of Return, while Becky and Hilda settled into his house. As Vivian sent enchanted bats to contact old acquaintances, Hao Ren suggested using delivery services to reach them more quickly.

• Hao Ren asked Vivian to reestablish contact with nonhumans and quietly learn about their recent movements, and she agreed.
• Lily asked for a mission, but Hao Ren put her to work opening a soda bottle, prompting her protests.
• Becky and Hilda moved into Hao Ren’s house, and Becky eagerly anticipated exploring Earth and shopping with the others.
• Hao Ren invited Izax and Vivian to go shopping, but found Vivian enchanting bats to carry greetings to her old contacts.
• Hao Ren suggested using delivery services to reach Vivian’s distant acquaintances, and Vivian praised his broad-minded idea.

Hao Ren and Vivian prepared to send Vivian’s summoned bats across Eurasia in express packages disguised as specimens, then joined the others to go shopping. The group left Hilda and Dodo at home, and Hao Ren asked the Data Terminal to apply for a self-driving vehicle because nobody in the group could drive safely.

• Hao Ren and Vivian packed Vivian’s bats into jars and disguised them as specimens so they could travel through the express delivery network without drawing attention.
• Vivian concealed the jars from Demon Hunters with Aura Concealment and Energy Transfer, and Hao Ren decided to label the packages as handicrafts.
• Hao Ren invited Vivian to join the group on a shopping trip, while Hilda stayed home and Dodo remained unable to go outside.
• Hao Ren and the others carried the boxes toward the express delivery company as they discussed how none of them could drive a modern car.
• Hao Ren asked the Data Terminal to apply to the organization for a self-driving vehicle, using his mission to monitor Earth’s nonhumans as justification.

Hao Ren took Becky and the others to the city center, where Becky reacted with alarm and curiosity to Earth’s vehicles, advertisements, and crowded streets. At the shopping mall, she remained unimpressed by its size, leaving Hao Ren to realize that she found Earth strange rather than impressive.

• Hao Ren shipped two cases of bottles and jars by claiming they were handmade crafts from an art studio.
• Becky mistook the bus’s engine for a bomb and asked questions about Earth’s power lines, roads, and movie advertisements.
• Hao Ren stopped Becky from attacking cosplayers at an anime convention and redirected the group toward the shopping mall.
• Becky judged the mall to be crowded rather than impressive, and Hao Ren reconsidered how otherworlders viewed Earth.

Hao Ren took the supernatural beings shopping, but struggled to find clothes that fit Izax before splitting up with the others to buy Vivian new clothes and a phone. As Hao Ren and Vivian entered a shop, a scarred woman watched them from behind a counter.

• Becky pointed out places in the mall where she imagined setting traps and casting spells, alarming Hao Ren.
• Hao Ren tried to buy Izax a jacket, but the store's largest clothes were far too small, so he decided to have outfits custom-made.
• Hao Ren sent Lily and Becky upstairs with Izax to keep an eye on them, while Vivian stayed with him.
• Hao Ren offered to buy Vivian an outfit and a phone, and Vivian accepted after explaining that her old phone had become unusable.
• A scarred woman behind a counter watched Hao Ren and Vivian until they disappeared into a shop.

Hao Ren took Vivian shopping for new clothes and a phone, giving her a rare chance to enjoy herself. At the phone store, they unexpectedly encountered the female warrior Hao Ren had faced during his first confrontation with the Demon Hunter.

• Hao Ren reassured Vivian that no one was watching them, then encouraged her to choose whatever clothes she wanted.
• Vivian tried on a black Gothic outfit decorated with crosses, and Hao Ren praised how well it suited her.
• Vivian bought the outfit and saved a long trench coat for a holiday before she and Hao Ren headed to the phone section.
• Hao Ren approached a clerk at a phone store and recognized her as the female warrior from his first confrontation with the Demon Hunter.
• Vivian stepped back beside Hao Ren, confirming that he had recognized the woman correctly.

Hao Ren and Vivian unexpectedly reunited with Zhao Xi, a Demon Hunter working at a phone store, and learned she and her leader had returned to ordinary life after Raven 12345 released them. The Demon Hunter Leader, who introduced himself as Ryūsei, brought them aside and revealed he managed the local electronics and appliance markets.

• Hao Ren and Vivian recognized Zhao Xi in a mobile-phone store, and Vivian briefly unleashed a chill before Zhao Xi reassured them she did not intend to fight.
• Zhao Xi explained that she had worked in the mall for years and that Demon Hunters lived and worked among humans like ordinary people.
• Hao Ren asked Zhao Xi about her time in Raven 12345's custody, but the Demon Hunter Leader arrived before she could answer.
• The Demon Hunter Leader told Zhao Xi to remove her Rune of Leta, which had diverted people's attention, and called Hao Ren, Vivian, and Zhao Xi out of the store.
• The Demon Hunter Leader reprimanded Zhao Xi for loafing at work, and Zhao Xi cited her facial scar and nerve damage from Vampire venom as reasons for using the rune.
• The Demon Hunter Leader introduced himself to Hao Ren and Vivian as Ryūsei, a veteran Demon Hunter and district manager of the electronics and appliance markets.

Hao Ren met Ryūsei and Zhao Xi again and learned that a goddess had forced the Demon Hunters to experience centuries of pointless factional warfare, leaving them unwilling to continue fighting nonhumans. Ryūsei shared what he knew about the Day of Return and agreed that he and Zhao Xi would no longer be Hao Ren’s enemies; the chapter ended with the Data Terminal reporting that Hilda’s homeworld had been located.

• Hao Ren and Vivian encountered Ryūsei and Zhao Xi working ordinary jobs, and Ryūsei explained that he and the other Demon Hunters had grown tired of conflict after spending centuries in a goddess’s illusionary war.
• Ryūsei said he and Zhao Xi would still deal with evil spirits but would no longer cause trouble for Hao Ren and Vivian.
• Ryūsei revealed that Demon Hunters were investigating nonhuman activity connected to the Day of Return, including sites near the Arctic Circle, Africa, Central America, and the Pacific Ocean.
• Hao Ren asked Ryūsei to cooperate, and Ryūsei said he could not promise help but agreed they would not be enemies.
• The Data Terminal told Hao Ren that the Management Bureau had located Hilda’s homeworld.

Hao Ren gathered his companions after learning that Hilda’s hometown had been found, and he told Lily he would take her along if she hurried home. Back at the house, Hilda reported that Doudou had beaten Roll in a fight, showing off her surprising combat power.

• Hao Ren arranged to leave for Hilda’s world the next morning and bought Vivian a new phone with Ryūsei’s help.
• Hao Ren reunited with Nangong May, Becky, and Izax, then summoned Lily away from a crowd by threatening to withhold her lunch.
• Hao Ren told Lily that Hilda’s hometown had been found and promised to bring her along if she stopped delaying them.
• Hao Ren returned home with the group and found Hilda watching television.
• Hilda told Hao Ren that Doudou and Roll had fought, and that Doudou had defeated the cat in five seconds.

Hao Ren prepared to take Hilda back to her homeland and organized a group to travel by spaceship, while Becky stayed behind because of the instability between worlds. The group teleported to Kuiper Station, where Lulu greeted them and confirmed their spaceship was ready.

• Roll attacked Doudou, but Doudou beat her and left her terrified of the little fish.
• Hao Ren told Hilda that her homeland had been found and promised to take her back the next morning.
• Hao Ren invited anyone who wanted to join the spaceship trip, but the Data Terminal forbade Becky from leaving Earth because the Dream Plane's connection to the Outer World was unstable.
• Nangong May volunteered to stay behind with Becky, while Doudou was left at home in May's care.
• The Data Terminal warned that Hilda's homeland was a remote, poorly supported outpost, and Hao Ren's group teleported to Kuiper Station.
• Lulu greeted Hao Ren at Kuiper Station and told him their spaceship was ready.

Hao Ren brought Vivian and Lily aboard the Giant Turtle Rock Platform for its first official mission, while Vivian was shaken by the courier journey of her bat avatars. The ship prepared to depart as Hao Ren checked the route and engaged autopilot.

• Hao Ren led Lily and Vivian through Kuiper Station, where Lily excitedly admired the station and their ship, the Giant Turtle Rock Platform.
• Vivian became dizzy because she shared the sensations of her bat avatars as courier workers tossed their packages around.
• The Data Terminal explained that Vivian could not contact her bats across worlds, but it could provide a relay channel; Vivian declined and urged everyone to board.
• The Giant Turtle Rock Platform detected Hao Ren, welcomed the group aboard, and returned its Autonomous Mechanical Units to the ship.
• Hao Ren checked the route and navigation systems, then engaged autopilot and took his hands off the console.

Hao Ren and his companions left Kuiper Station aboard the patrol ship and traveled toward the World Gate, with Lily exploring the ship and drafting a magazine article along the way. They arrived at the massive inter-universe gateway, where the structure came into view.

• Hao Ren set the ship on autopilot while Vivian shared her long-held wish to see the stars, and Hilda silently reacted to their conversation.
• Lily explored the ship, found an oversized captain's uniform, and asked the Data Terminal to turn a console into a writing station.
• Lily began writing an article about dog food during the ship's superluminal cruise, while Vivian mocked her claims about being a writer.
• The ship reached the World Gate, and Hao Ren saw the enormous facility built to let fleets travel between universes.

Hao Ren and his companions reached the World Gate and learned how the Empire managed universes and routed travelers between them. Giant Turtle Rock Platform passed through the gate and emerged beneath an unfamiliar starry sky.

• Hao Ren spotted three strange planets near the World Gate, and the Data Terminal identified them as K1, K2, and K3, the Empire's universe-management devices.
• The Data Terminal explained that the World Gate let travelers escape a world's rules and described how civilizations could pursue transcendence or perish through disaster, self-destruction, or fixation on power.
• Giant Turtle Rock Platform received navigation guidance as numerous ships passed through the gate toward different universes.
• Hao Ren opened the public channel and heard merchants advertising routes and a report of a collision at the busy World Gate.
• The Data Terminal accelerated Giant Turtle Rock Platform through the gate, and the ship emerged beneath an unfamiliar starry sky.

Hilda recounted the Erem Elves’ rise from a peaceful forest civilization to a technologically advanced planetary society as the group traveled toward her home. She revealed that Erem was isolated by sixty million light-years of empty space, leaving her people’s future beyond their planet uncertain.

• The group emerged from a World Gate into a quiet, underdeveloped region of the Macro World.
• The Data Terminal explained that the region had been hastily registered after a Great Cataclysm and asked Hilda about her destination, which was an empty region of space.
• Hilda said the empty region was her homeland, and the Data Terminal began the journey there.
• Vivian asked Hilda to tell them about her old home while they traveled.
• Hilda described how the Erem Elves built a prosperous civilization while preserving nature and assimilating other intelligent species.
• Hilda explained that Erem was the sole planet in its star system, sixty million light-years from the nearest solid celestial body.

Hilda explained how the Erem Elves had exhausted their homeworld’s resources while struggling to build a way into deep space. As the group reflected on the civilization’s bad fortune and narrow margin for error, their ship arrived at Erem.

• Hilda told Hao Ren that Erem had been near collapse since her birth, relying on dangerous Corona Stations to extract energy and matter from its sun.
• Hilda explained that her husband had proposed building a portal and that her own space-time accelerator had exploded during its first activation.
• Lily bluntly said the Erem Elves were poor, while Izax argued that civilizations had to limit internal waste and criticized humanity for fighting despite its abundant resources.
• Hilda said that learning about Earth’s plentiful neighboring planets and stars had reassured her that her people might have been unlucky rather than foolish.
• The Data Terminal said that many civilizations failed to leave their homeworld through no fault of their intelligence or effort, and announced that the ship had arrived at Erem.

Hao Ren saw how the Erem Elves had dismantled their planet into floating islands to survive, while failing infrastructure and dwindling resources left their civilization near collapse. As Erem aircraft approached the Giant Turtle Rock Platform, Hao Ren realized that simple aid would not be enough to save them.

• Hilda explained that the Erem Elves had dismantled their planet into floating islands, using some as homes, ecological domes, and testing grounds.
• Hilda described how aging facilities, failed experiments, and depleted resources had caused islands to become uninhabitable and forced the Elves to relocate survivors and restrict supplies.
• Hao Ren reconsidered his plans to help the Erem Elves with materials or technology, recognizing the scale of their crisis.
• The Data Terminal noted that the Erem Elves had never developed faster-than-light engines, and Hilda confirmed that their final Spatial Teleportation experiment had failed.
• Erem triangular aircraft approached the Giant Turtle Rock Platform, and Hao Ren brought his spacecraft almost to a stop.

Hao Ren and his companions arrived at Erem, where Hilda reunited with her son Vim, who had been acting as regent. As they traveled from the landing platform, Vim prepared to tell Hilda what had happened to Erem after the accelerator explosion.

• Hilda answered a call from Erem and discovered that her son Vim was leading the elves in her absence.
• Hao Ren and his companions landed at the royal court’s spacecraft platform on Sunrise Floating Island.
• Vim embraced Hilda, thanked Hao Ren for saving her, and greeted the visitors.
• Hilda told Vim that the spacetime accelerator had failed and asked what had happened to Islands of Stars and Rainbow Light Island.
• Hao Ren activated the Giant Turtle Rock Platform’s lock before boarding a floating car with the others.

Hao Ren and his companions traveled with Hilda and Vym through the Erem Elves’ bleak city as Vym described the damage and despair caused by the spacetime accelerator’s failure. Hilda planned to restore public confidence, but learned that Cadilong had gone to the World of Prayer amid signs that the Elysium organization had returned, and vowed to reorganize the Elder Council.

• Vym told Hilda that the Erem Elves still had enough supplies to survive, but the accelerator’s destruction had shattered public confidence.
• Hilda ordered Vym to announce the otherworldly visitors and present the experiment as a technological success to rally the people.
• Vym reported that Rainbow Light Island had been destroyed, while Islands of Stars had survived with damage to its systems.
• Hilda asked Vym to summon Cadilong, but learned that he had gone to the World of Prayer after the Elysium organization became active again.
• Hilda condemned the fragile state of social order and ordered an immediate meeting of the Elder Council to reorganize it.

Hao Ren and his companions arrived at Hilda’s home in the Erem Royal District while Hilda hurried to convene an emergency Elder Council. As they settled into the guest wing, Hao Ren considered his duties as an inspector and discovered that the Erem Elves’ food was bland synthetic fare.

• Hilda welcomed Hao Ren and his companions to her home, then left with Vim to convene an emergency Elder Council.
• A royal servant led the guests to the VIP wing and explained how to request help and where to find food.
• Hao Ren observed the simply furnished rooms and the city beyond the dome, then asked the Data Terminal for advice on handling his inspection independently.
• Lily tried the synthetic food in the cabinet and complained that the bars tasted like salty chalk and the paste tasted like motor oil.
• The Data Terminal explained that the food supplied necessary energy but lacked flavor and texture because improving them would require wasteful production.

Hao Ren and the others sampled the Erem Elves’ synthesized food while waiting for Hilda, then saw a flash and learned that an explosion had damaged the floating island’s outer wall. They rushed toward the incident site after the Royal Guards reported the damage was only temporarily sealed.

• Hao Ren, Vivian, and Izax tried the synthesized food, while Lily shared dog food from her personal bag with Hao Ren and Vivian.
• Hao Ren watched the floating island’s artificial sunset and spotted a brief flash near the horizon.
• Hao Ren noticed a commotion in the city and pressed the Royal Guards to take him and his companions to the exit.
• An elf warrior told Hao Ren that a propulsion unit had exploded and damaged the island’s outer wall, though it had been temporarily sealed.
• Hao Ren, Vivian, Lily, and Izax rushed toward the incident site, with Vivian carrying Hao Ren into the sky.

Hao Ren and his companions hurried from the Royal Spire toward the explosion site, overcoming the Royal District’s barrier through a traffic entrance. After asking nearby elves for directions, they ran toward the dangerous area.

• Vivian carried Hao Ren toward the Royal District barrier while Lily and Izax followed, but Lily slammed into the shield when she tried to leap through it.
• Hao Ren and Vivian spotted a fixed traffic entrance in the shield and passed through it, with Lily crashing face-first onto a roof and Izax gliding through on Flame Demon wings.
• The group continued toward the city’s edge, then landed and asked an elf for directions after the warning beams failed to pinpoint the explosion site.
• An elf recognized Hao Ren’s group as foreigners brought back by the Queen, and Hao Ren hurried through the crowd toward the accident despite a warning that the way was dangerous.

Hao Ren and his companions reached the explosion site and learned that the blast had damaged the floating island’s systems, causing the protective dome to split apart. As the elves fought to contain the breach, the Data Terminal offered to power the shield through an energy-conversion plug-in.

• Hao Ren and his companions hurried toward the explosion as evacuating elves fled and the district’s artificial gravity failed.
• The Data Terminal identified an energy vortex spreading across the protective dome and led the group toward the damaged shield generators.
• Hao Ren and his companions arrived at the breach, where elf Spellcasters were holding back the escaping air while fires and structural damage threatened nearby facilities.
• An elf mage told Hao Ren that the explosion had severed a main shield-generator line and that the backup energy pool could not start, while workers had sealed the airflow leaks.
• The Data Terminal announced that it could supply power to the damaged system and asked the elves to bring it a power outlet.

Hao Ren and the Data Terminal restored the Isle of the Rising Sun’s shield, but damaged propulsion units suddenly activated and sent the island rolling out of control. The elf queen ordered the inhabitants to evacuate to the Royal District while the rescue teams tried to stop the thrusters.

• The Data Terminal converted psychokinetic energy through the elves’ equipment and restarted the shield generator.
• The shield synchronized with the other generators, clearing the dome’s interference and restoring its protection.
• The Isle of the Rising Sun began tilting and rolling when damaged propulsion units activated and diverted energy from the shield.
• The elf mage learned the island risked colliding with Shimmering Light Island and could not choose how to counteract the thrust.
• The queen ordered the other islands protected and the elves evacuated to the Royal District while rescue teams had twenty-four hours to stop the propulsion units.
• The elf mage ordered the team to destroy the propulsion system with a bomb if they could not shut it down safely.

Hao Ren and Izax ventured into the vacuum-damaged propulsion section to stop the runaway engines threatening the Isle of the Rising Sun. They reached the ruined monitoring room, but the propulsion units remained ahead.

• The runaway propulsion units destabilized the Isle of the Rising Sun, and the elves reported that missiles could not reach them.
• Izax offered to destroy the propulsion units, and the Data Terminal explained that Hao Ren could survive and move through space with his enhancements.
• Hao Ren and Izax entered the maintenance passage while Lily stayed behind to help rescue people.
• Hao Ren and Izax passed through the airlocks, adjusted to the vacuum, and communicated telepathically.
• Hao Ren and Izax reached the propulsion units' rear monitoring room, which had been torn apart by the explosion.

Hao Ren and Izax entered the damaged propulsion unit and discovered a dead Erem Elf who had tried to stop the runaway engine. They escaped into space, where Izax struck the engine with a giant fireball, leaving Hao Ren unsure whether the danger had passed.

• Hao Ren found the maintenance area's control equipment broken, and Izax smashed through a wall to reach the combustion tube.
• Hao Ren discovered a dead Erem Elf beside an emergency-stop lever and realized the worker had died trying to shut down the engine.
• Hao Ren carried the elf's body to the second airlock before he and Izax rushed out through the combustion pipe.
• Hao Ren and Izax saw the engine's enormous flame and Erem patrol craft watching from a distance.
• Izax hurled a giant fireball at the runaway engine, and Hao Ren watched the resulting smoke uncertainly.