Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Meihuan tells her son about their past, revealing happier times with Gu Feng.
• Luo Qiu, the club owner, appears and observes the boy, pondering his level of consciousness.
• An unknown figure follows Shen Meihuan and her son.
• Lizi, undercover in a tutoring class, overhears students discussing a mysterious teacher and a possible connection to the recent suicides.
• Blackwater learns that Shen Meihuan and her son have checked out of the inn and reflects on her attachment to the little yokai.

Character Developments

• Shen Meihuan: Struggles with her feelings for Gu Feng and her son's condition.
• Luo Qiu: Shows empathy and understanding towards the boy's state.
• Lizi: Demonstrates curiosity and initiative in her investigation.
• Blackwater: Reflects on her bond with the little yokai and her determination to protect them.

Significant Themes

• The passage of time and change (Shen Meihuan's memories, Lizi's thoughts on time).
• The consequences of one's actions (Lizi's eavesdropping on the students' conversation).
• The power of attachment and love (Shen Meihuan's love for her son, Blackwater's love for the little yokai).

Character Interactions

• Shen Meihuan and her son: Share a moment of connection as she tells him about their past.
• Luo Qiu and the boy: The club owner observes the boy, trying to understand his consciousness.
• Lizi and the students: Lizi eavesdrops on the students' conversation, learning about their possible involvement with the mysterious teacher.
• Blackwater and the little yokai: Blackwater reflects on her bond with the little yokai and her determination to protect them.

Chapter Summary: “The Right Way to Work for Black Soul”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ding Dongsheng, a high-achieving student, mourns the death of Qiao Rongrong, a former classmate and someone he had been close to. Although authorities ruled her death a suicide, Ding refuses to believe it and suspects Xu Zhao, the older man who had become involved with Rongrong.
• While hiding from class and grieving alone, Ding is approached by a mysterious voice—Black Soul Eighteen—who asks whether he wants revenge on Xu Zhao.
• Meanwhile, journalist Ren Ziling and Lizi investigate Xu Zhao’s connections to several girls who later died by suicide. Lizi reports that two women implied they had participated in some larger, secretive activity, suggesting that more victims or accomplices may exist.
• Ren decides to pass the matter to the police rather than investigate recklessly. Her attitude reflects her changed priorities and concern for Luo Qiu and her family.
• Ren and Lizi unexpectedly see Xu Zhao leaving a drink shop with another woman. Ding, disguised with a mask and hat, attacks him with a utility knife and accuses him of causing Qiao Rongrong’s death.
• Xu Zhao denies killing Rongrong and claims her death was voluntary. He then overpowers Ding and cruelly insults Rongrong, describing her as promiscuous, greedy, and degraded. His words intensify Ding’s anger and emotional collapse.
• Ren throws a cup at Xu Zhao, allowing Ding to escape. Ren and Lizi fail to catch him as he flees in a taxi.
• After discarding his disguise, Ding obsesses over Xu Zhao’s accusations and convinces himself that Xu Zhao manipulated Rongrong and drove her to suicide.
• Black Soul Eighteen appears again through Ding’s reflection, emphasizing his helplessness and offering him access to a place that can help him—provided he pays a “small price.”

Character Developments

• Ding Dongsheng: His grief turns into fixation and a desire for revenge. Though initially portrayed as a thoughtful top student who shared academic and personal goals with Rongrong, he becomes increasingly unstable, impulsive, and vulnerable to Black Soul’s influence. His inability to accept either Rongrong’s death or Xu Zhao’s accusations pushes him toward a supernatural bargain.
• Qiao Rongrong: Although absent, she remains central to the chapter. Memories portray her as Ding’s close companion and former academic partner, while Xu Zhao’s insults create uncertainty about her past and the circumstances of her death.
• Xu Zhao: Revealed as manipulative, sexually exploitative, arrogant, and cowardly under threat. He denies responsibility for Rongrong’s death but deliberately provokes Ding by degrading her.
• Ren Ziling: Shows greater caution and maturity than in the past. She still investigates and intervenes when necessary, but now avoids recklessness because she values her family and does not want to endanger them.
• Lizi: Helps uncover information about Xu Zhao and observes Ren’s changed attitude. Her thoughts about family reveal her own emotional distance and lack of personal belonging.
• Black Soul Eighteen: Acts as a tempting, psychologically manipulative presence. It exploits Ding’s grief, anger, and insecurity by presenting revenge as possible if Ding accepts its help.

Significant Themes

• Grief and unresolved guilt: Ding cannot move on because he believes Rongrong’s death was not truly suicide and blames himself for failing to protect her.
• Revenge versus justice: Ding seeks personal vengeance, while Ren argues that dangerous investigations should be left to the police. The chapter contrasts emotional retaliation with responsible action.
• Manipulation and vulnerability: Xu Zhao may have manipulated Rongrong, while Black Soul manipulates Ding by amplifying his feelings of helplessness and offering power at a cost.
• The danger of appearances and rumor: Rongrong is remembered differently by Ding, Xu Zhao, and the surrounding community. Her true circumstances remain unclear, and people quickly reduce her death to gossip.
• Family and personal responsibility: Ren’s concern for Luo Qiu and her family marks a shift in her priorities, while Lizi’s lack of family experience highlights the emotional importance of belonging.
• Moral corruption: Xu Zhao’s behavior and Black Soul’s offer suggest that the pursuit of revenge may draw Ding into the same darkness surrounding the people he hates.

Character Interactions

• Ding overhears classmates discussing suicide casually, reinforcing his isolation and anger at how quickly Rongrong has been forgotten.
• Ren and Lizi discuss Xu Zhao’s behavior and the possibility of a broader criminal network, with Ren urging restraint and police involvement.
• Ding confronts Xu Zhao publicly, demanding an explanation for Rongrong’s death. Xu Zhao’s denial and insults provoke Ding into losing control.
• Ren intervenes indirectly by striking Xu Zhao with a cup, giving Ding the chance to escape.
• Black Soul Eighteen repeatedly speaks to Ding through his thoughts and reflection, gradually persuading him that ordinary methods cannot achieve revenge and that supernatural assistance is his only option.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A boy, Ding Dongsheng, stands outside the club in the rain, emitting the scent of Black Soul Eighteen.
• Ding Dongsheng enters the club, seeking help to punish Xu Zhao, who he blames for his girlfriend Qiao Rongrong's death.
• He offers a bronze shard as payment, which Luo Qiu accepts.
• Luo Qiu tasks Taiyinzi to expedite the police investigation against Xu Zhao.

Character Developments

• Ding Dongsheng: Driven by hatred and despair, he seeks revenge against Xu Zhao, willing to use a valuable family heirloom to achieve it.
• Luo Qiu: Shows interest in ancient artifacts and antiques, and takes note of Black Soul Eighteen's strategy in using hatred to drive clients.
• Taiyinzi: Freed from his restraints, he eagerly accepts the task to help the police investigate Xu Zhao.

Significant Themes

• Hatred and its consequences: Ding Dongsheng's hatred for Xu Zhao drives him to seek revenge, while Luo Qiu notes Black Soul Eighteen's use of hatred as a motivator for clients.
• The value of treasures: Ding Dongsheng uses a valuable family heirloom as payment, highlighting the different values people place on objects.

Character Interactions

• Luo Qiu and Ding Dongsheng: Luo Qiu listens to Ding Dongsheng's story and accepts his request, while also warning him about the consequences of his actions.
• Luo Qiu and Taiyinzi: Luo Qiu tasks Taiyinzi with helping the police investigate Xu Zhao, showing trust in the Black Soul's abilities.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A typhoon hits the city, causing flooding and waterlogging.
• Officer Ma Houde and his team work overnight to investigate Xu Zhao's background based on clues from Editor-in-Chief Ren.
• Xu Zhao surrenders to the police, confessing to bribery, organized *** activities, and sexual relations with underage girls.
• Officer Ma discovers incriminating evidence on Xu Zhao's laptop at his residence.
• Xu Zhao surrenders to the police again, expressing relief and falling asleep at the interrogation table.

Character Developments

• Officer Ma Houde shows determination and thoroughness in his investigation.
• Xu Zhao (disguised as 'Xu Zhao') confesses to his crimes, displaying a calm and cooperative demeanor.

Significant Themes

• Corruption and its consequences.
• The exploitation of underage individuals.
• The struggle between conscience and guilt.

Character Interactions

• Officer Ma Houde interacts with his team, assigning tasks and discussing the investigation.
• Xu Zhao (disguised) interacts with Officer Ma Houde, confessing his crimes and expressing relief at his impending punishment.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dai Youcai has fled, and his whereabouts are unknown.
• Xu Zhao has confessed to his crimes but claims to have no memory of doing so upon waking up.
• The police suspect Dai Youcai is a pawn for a larger organization behind the scenes.
• Xu Zhao is in detention, struggling to understand why he surrendered himself.

Character Developments

• Officer Ma Houde is overwhelmed by the complexity of the case and the involvement of powerful figures.
• Ren Ziling understands the gravity of the situation and decides not to press Ma Houde for more information.
• Xu Zhao is in a state of shock and disbelief, unable to comprehend his actions.

Significant Themes

• Corruption and organized crime: The case involves powerful figures and a larger organization, suggesting systemic corruption.
• The consequences of actions: Xu Zhao's actions have led him to a life in prison, highlighting the theme of reaping what one sows.
• The struggle between conscience and indulgence: Xu Zhao's inability to control his actions and his eventual surrender suggest a struggle between his conscience and his indulgent lifestyle.

Character Interactions

• Ren Ziling and Ma Houde discuss the case, with Ren Ziling treating Ma Houde to a meal as a token of appreciation for his hard work.
• Xu Zhao interacts with the police, expressing his disbelief at his actions and his current situation.
• Ding Dongsheng and Luo Qiu have a tense interaction, with Ding Dongsheng accusing Luo Qiu of withholding information and Luo Qiu calmly responding to Ding Dongsheng's accusations.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Alone

Key Plot Points and Events

• Taiyinzi successfully brings back bronze shards, pleasing Luo Qiu.
• Luo Qiu entertains Lizi at his home for dinner, where they discuss Lu Yiyun's upcoming arrival in the city.
• Lizi leaves after dinner, expressing a desire to stay in the city longer.

Character Developments

• Taiyinzi gains confidence and a sense of belonging after receiving praise from Luo Qiu.
• Lizi reflects on her solitary life and expresses a desire to stay in the city longer, hinting at a change in her usual transient lifestyle.

Significant Themes

• The theme of belonging and finding a place to stay is explored through Taiyinzi's and Lizi's experiences.
• The importance of family and warmth is emphasized through the dinner scene at Luo Qiu's home.

Character Interactions

• Luo Qiu praises Taiyinzi for his successful mission, boosting the old ghost's confidence.
• Ren Ziling, Luo Qiu, and Lizi share a meal, fostering a sense of camaraderie and warmth among them.
• Lizi leaves after dinner, looking up at the light in Ren Ziling's apartment with a hint of longing, suggesting a desire for connection and belonging.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ren Ziling hums "Give You The World," a song by her missing classmate Tu Jiaya.
• Luo Qiu and Ren Ziling discuss the mysterious teacher rumor at the tutoring class.
• Ren Ziling realizes that the rumor might be a smokescreen to mislead the investigation.
• She suspects the receptionist, who has access to all student information, might be involved.

Character Developments

• Ren Ziling shows her analytical skills and dedication to solving the case.
• Luo Qiu demonstrates his calm and observant nature, helping Ren Ziling connect the dots.

Significant Themes

• The power of rumors and their potential to mislead or manipulate.
• The importance of considering all angles and suspects in an investigation.

Character Interactions

• Luo Qiu and Ren Ziling work together to piece together the puzzle, with Ren Ziling growing more dependent on Luo Qiu's insights.
• Ren Ziling's excitement leads her to attempt a kiss on Luo Qiu's cheek, but he rebuffs her, leading to a moment of tension.
• Ma Houde meets Wang Yuechuan, a representative from the provincial department, who arrives to investigate the tutoring class incident.

Key Plot Points

• Wang Yuechuan arrives at the police bureau, reviewing the tutoring class case documents.
• He questions Ma Houde about the initial investigation's oversight in not suspecting the tutoring class's connection to the suicides.
• Wang Yuechuan suggests Zhao Ru, the tutoring class receptionist, as a potential culprit behind the suicides and the rumor.

Character Developments

• Wang Yuechuan demonstrates his analytical skills and direct approach to investigation.
• Ma Houde shows his loyalty to his colleague Luo Qiu and his dedication to the case, despite Wang Yuechuan's provocation.

Significant Themes

• The tension between Wang Yuechuan's direct and analytical approach and Ma Houde's more intuitive and experienced method.
• The theme of justice and protecting the deceased, emphasized by Ma Houde's determination to investigate the suicides thoroughly.

Character Interactions

• Wang Yuechuan and Ma Houde's tense exchange highlights their differing investigative styles and personalities.
• Ma Houde's defense of his colleague Luo Qiu reveals his loyalty and respect for his peers.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Ru, a meticulous and detail-oriented woman, is visited by Officer Ma at her apartment.
• Officer Ma is investigating Dai Youcai's whereabouts and asks Zhao Ru if she has any information.
• Zhao Ru appears evasive and may be planning to leave town.
• Officer Ma notices Zhao Ru's suitcase was open initially but put away when he arrived.
• Luo Qiu, the son of Officer Ma's friend, appears at a bus stop nearby, and they have a brief conversation.
• Officer Ma discovers Zhao Ru has bought a train ticket to YN, leaving that day, and decides to detain her.

Character Developments

• Zhao Ru: Shows signs of hiding something and may be planning to leave town.
• Officer Ma: Demonstrates his keen observational skills and persistence in the case.
• Luo Qiu: Shows thoughtfulness and consideration towards Officer Ma and his family.

Significant Themes

• Suspicion and deception: Zhao Ru's evasive behavior raises suspicions about her involvement in the case.
• Investigation and pursuit of truth: Officer Ma's dedication to uncovering the facts.
• Friendship and family: The brief interaction between Officer Ma and Luo Qiu highlights their bond.

Character Interactions

• Officer Ma and Zhao Ru: Their conversation reveals Zhao Ru's possible plans to leave town.
• Officer Ma and Luo Qiu: They have a casual but friendly conversation at the bus stop.
• Officer Ma and Wang Yuechuan: Though not directly interacting, Wang Yuechuan's presence is felt as he remains in the office, working on the case.

Chapter Summary: The Devil Within (2)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Ru attempts to leave by train but notices police officers watching her. She deliberately changes direction toward the restroom to test whether they are following her.
• Officer Ma Houde confronts her and asks her to return for questioning. When officers attempt to search her, Zhao Ru sprays a female officer with an irritant and tries to escape.
• Ma Houde stops her by throwing a cola can at her heel, allowing the other officers to restrain and arrest her. Zhao remains unusually calm and silent throughout the arrest.
• After Zhao is taken away, Luo Qiu and Maid Miss find a necklace pendant she dropped during the struggle. Maid Miss identifies it as the likely source of the strange mental influence that affected Ma Houde.
• The pendant’s energy resembles that of the black diamond connected to the Liu family, suggesting both objects may originate from the same mysterious source. Luo Qiu becomes interested and instructs Maid Miss to question Zhao later about its origin.
• During interrogation, Ma Houde reveals that Zhao’s laptop and phone contain photographs of students’ suicide scenes, as well as evidence of other students’ misconduct.
• Zhao admits to blackmailing several students for money but denies causing their deaths. She argues that the students killed themselves because they feared exposure and could not endure the pressure.
• She acknowledges blackmailing Chen Youli, Zhou Mingxuan, Qiao Rongrong, and Li Hao, but denies any connection to Gu Jiajie’s death.
• Police later confirm that Zhao had no information or death-scene photographs related to Gu Jiajie, and surveillance did not show her leaving home on the night he died. This raises the possibility that Gu Jiajie truly committed suicide independently.

Character Developments

• Zhao Ru: Revealed as calculating, composed, and highly resistant to interrogation. She is willing to use violence to escape but maintains remarkable emotional control afterward. Although she admits to extortion, she carefully limits her confession and exploits the lack of evidence against her.
• Ma Houde: Demonstrates persistence and practical police instincts. He uses an improvised cola-can attack to stop Zhao and aggressively pressures her during questioning, but he is forced to reconsider his assumptions when evidence fails to connect her to Gu Jiajie.
• Luo Qiu: Shows continued interest in supernatural objects and their origins. His recognition of the pendant’s connection to the Liu family’s black diamond suggests that a larger mystery is developing.
• Maid Miss: Proves observant and knowledgeable about supernatural energy, identifying the pendant’s similarity to the black diamond.
• Police investigators: Their confidence in Zhao’s guilt weakens when the evidence does not support a direct role in every student’s suicide.

Significant Themes

• Evidence versus suspicion: The police strongly believe Zhao drove the students to suicide, but they lack proof that would hold up legally.
• Moral responsibility: Zhao hides behind technical distinctions, claiming that blackmailing the students does not make her responsible for their deaths.
• Psychological manipulation and vulnerability: The students’ fear of exposure and inability to withstand pressure are central to the tragedy.
• The supernatural behind ordinary crimes: The pendant appears connected to the mental disturbance affecting Ma Houde and to the black diamond from the Liu family case, implying that supernatural forces may be influencing human behavior.
• Appearance and deception: Zhao’s calm demeanor conceals her intentions, while the police must determine whether her claims are genuine or carefully constructed lies.

Character Interactions

• Zhao and Ma Houde engage in a tense battle of composure and authority: she challenges his right to detain her, while he uses suspicion and intimidation to force cooperation.
• Zhao attempts to escape by attacking the female officer, but Ma Houde intervenes and personally restrains her.
• Luo Qiu and Maid Miss examine the discarded pendant and connect it to the earlier black-diamond case, expanding the mystery beyond the police investigation.
• During interrogation, Ma Houde accuses Zhao of causing five suicides, while Zhao admits only to blackmail and repeatedly insists that the deaths were not her responsibility.
• The investigating officers’ later discussion forces Ma Houde to question whether Gu Jiajie’s death was actually connected to Zhao or the tutoring-center incidents.

Chapter Summary: “New Discovery”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Police officers discuss Zhao Ru’s case and express frustration that she has confessed only to extortion, potentially minimizing her responsibility for the victims’ deaths.
• Ma Houde orders investigators to obtain the victims’ and Zhao Ru’s recent phone, email, text, and internet records. He also sends officers to search the victims’ homes again for hidden messages or evidence.
• Zhao Ru remains in the holding cell and becomes increasingly distressed after discovering that her necklace is missing. Her agitation suggests she has developed a strong physical and psychological dependence on it.
• You Ye mysteriously appears inside the locked cell with the necklace. She hypnotizes Zhao Ru and questions her about it. Zhao reveals that she bought it at Yingchuan Building three months earlier and has worn it continuously ever since.
• You Ye returns the necklace to Zhao and disappears, indicating that her master’s main interest is discovering how Zhao obtained it rather than reclaiming the object.
• Ma Houde and a young officer visit Gu Feng’s home with a search warrant. Gu Feng remains hostile, blaming the police for his family’s troubles and showing little concern for his missing wife or son.
• While searching Gu Jiajie’s untouched room, Ma Houde notices a slight bump beneath the carpet and finds a broken white pill.
• Gu Feng claims not to know of any health problems or medication use, and he emphasizes that Gu Jiajie is not his biological son.
• Ma Houde connects the pill to an earlier forensic observation and immediately contacts Old Qin for identification, abandoning his supposed plan to get a late-night snack.

2. Character Developments

• Ma Houde demonstrates persistence and investigative instinct. Rather than accepting Zhao Ru’s confession at face value, he seeks hidden communications and physical evidence. His discovery of the pill gives him a promising new lead.
• Zhao Ru appears outwardly calm but is revealed to be psychologically dependent on the mysterious necklace. Its absence causes panic and withdrawal-like symptoms, suggesting that it may possess unusual power or influence.
• You Ye is shown to be highly controlled, perceptive, and supernatural. She easily enters a secured cell, hypnotizes Zhao Ru, extracts information, and manipulates the necklace’s return.
• Gu Feng remains defensive, selfish, and emotionally detached. He is more irritated by the police search than concerned about his missing family members, and his statement about Gu Jiajie’s parentage raises further suspicion.
• Ma Houde’s young partner acts as a practical assistant and provides mild comic relief, especially when Ma abruptly changes plans and orders him to drive to the forensic department.

3. Significant Themes

• Hidden evidence and persistence: The chapter emphasizes that seemingly solved or incomplete cases may contain overlooked clues. Ma Houde’s renewed searches uncover both potential communication records and the concealed pill.
• Appearance versus reality: Zhao Ru’s confession may not reflect the full truth, while Gu Feng’s household and family relationships conceal deeper secrets.
• Supernatural influence and dependence: Zhao’s attachment to the necklace resembles addiction, suggesting that the object may have a psychological or supernatural hold over her.
• Family secrecy and fractured relationships: Gu Feng’s strained marriage, missing wife, and denial of biological ties to Gu Jiajie point to unresolved family conflicts connected to the investigation.
• The limits of ordinary investigation: The police rely on records, searches, and forensic analysis, while You Ye operates through hypnosis and supernatural abilities beyond their awareness.

4. Character Interactions

• The police officers collaborate with Ma Houde, who directs them to investigate communications and revisit the victims’ homes.
• You Ye interrogates Zhao Ru through hypnotic manipulation, then returns the necklace after confirming its origin and Zhao’s dependence on it.
• Ma Houde confronts Gu Feng during the search, challenging his evasiveness and indifference toward his family.
• Gu Feng’s admission that Gu Jiajie is not his biological son heightens Ma Houde’s suspicion.
• Ma Houde and Old Qin are positioned to investigate the broken pill, creating a new forensic lead that may connect Gu Jiajie to the broader mystery.

Chapter Summary: “Rotting”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luo Qiu and You Ye investigate the source of the black Crystal Pendant connected to Zhao Ru and the Liu family’s black diamond.
• At a jewelry shop in Yingchuan Building, You Ye hypnotizes the shopkeeper to recover her fragmented memories from three months earlier.
• The shopkeeper recalls a suspicious salesman who forced her to buy a batch of supposedly high-quality crystal jewelry. She sold only one piece—the necklace later acquired by Zhao Ru.
• Under hypnosis, she draws a surprisingly accurate portrait of the salesman: an ordinary-looking man with glasses and a mole beside his left eye.
• Luo Qiu concludes that both the Liu family’s black diamond and Zhao Ru’s necklace were deliberately distributed by someone. The objects contain an energy capable of amplifying people’s evil thoughts, though You Ye notes that this is inferior to the club’s ability to reveal one’s “Original Heart.”
• Luo Qiu chooses not to pursue the salesman directly, trusting that they will meet if fate brings them together. Before leaving, he buys You Ye a bracelet with three amber cat’s-eye stones.
• At the police station, Ma Houde learns that a pill found in Gu Jiajie’s room is Cediranib, an anticancer drug. This discovery prompts Old Qin to insist on reexamining Gu Jiajie’s body.
• Meanwhile, Shen Meihuan anxiously returns to her rented home and cares for her injured, nearly helpless son. She comforts him by promising that they will escape and begin a new life.
• While cleaning him, she discovers that clumps of his hair are falling out. Horrified, she realizes that her son’s condition is worsening in a disturbing way: he is “rotting.”

Character Developments

• Luo Qiu remains calm and observant, focusing on the larger supernatural pattern rather than pursuing immediate answers. His decision to give You Ye the bracelet also reveals a quiet, affectionate side to their relationship.
• You Ye demonstrates her investigative abilities through hypnosis, memory extraction, and portrait drawing. She is also more analytical than Luo Qiu about the mysterious jewelry, recognizing its power as a crude tool for amplifying evil thoughts.
• Ma Houde continues connecting clues in the investigation, particularly the discovery of the anticancer drug in Gu Jiajie’s room.
• Old Qin reacts decisively to the new evidence, suggesting that Gu Jiajie’s death or physical condition may be linked to the medication.
• Shen Meihuan is portrayed as frightened but determined. Her devotion to her son and desire to escape an abusive past drive her actions, while the discovery of his worsening physical decay pushes her into panic.

Significant Themes

• Hidden evil and psychological corruption: The jewelry appears designed to draw out or intensify the darker impulses within people.
• Mystery and fate: Luo Qiu refuses to force the investigation, believing the mysterious salesman will appear when circumstances align.
• Maternal devotion and helplessness: Shen Meihuan’s care for her son contrasts sharply with her inability to stop his suffering.
• Physical decay as a supernatural warning: The son’s hair loss and apparent rotting suggest that the consequences of the earlier events are spreading or becoming more serious.
• The contrast between ordinary life and the supernatural: The mundane jewelry mall and police investigation conceal deeper forces involving evil thoughts, strange objects, and bodily corruption.

Character Interactions

• You Ye questions and hypnotizes the jewelry shopkeeper while Luo Qiu observes and evaluates the evidence.
• Luo Qiu and You Ye discuss the nature of the jewelry’s power, with You Ye emphasizing its inferiority to the club’s abilities.
• Luo Qiu shows personal consideration toward You Ye by fastening a bracelet around her wrist.
• Ma Houde informs Old Qin about the anticancer drug, prompting Old Qin to undertake a renewed examination of Gu Jiajie.
• Shen Meihuan speaks tenderly to her unresponsive son, promising protection and escape, before reacting in terror to his sudden physical deterioration.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Meihuan, haunted by her son's revival and his deteriorating condition, tries to maintain a normal life, buying makeup to hide his decay.
• Officer Ma and his subordinate search for Shen Meihuan, with Officer Ma encountering a suspicious figure who turns out to be Gu Jiajie, presumed dead.
• Gu Jiajie, now alive, escapes from Officer Ma after a struggle.

Character Developments

• Shen Meihuan: Struggles with her son's condition, trying to maintain a facade of normalcy. She's nervous and anxious, avoiding potential encounters.
• Officer Ma: Persistent in his investigation, he encounters Gu Jiajie alive, leading to a state of disbelief and shock.
• Gu Jiajie: Returns as a living corpse, avoiding detection and running from Officer Ma when confronted.

Significant Themes

• The struggle between reality and denial, as seen in Shen Meihuan's attempts to maintain normalcy despite her son's condition.
• The consequences of defying nature and death, personified by Gu Jiajie's return as a living corpse.
• The persistence of truth and its eventual revelation, as Officer Ma's investigation leads him to Gu Jiajie.

Character Interactions

• Shen Meihuan interacts with the convenience store owner and the fast-food restaurant owner, showing her nervousness and haste.
• Officer Ma interacts with his subordinate, showing his determination to find Shen Meihuan and his shock at encountering Gu Jiajie.
• Officer Ma and Gu Jiajie have a physical altercation, with Gu Jiajie escaping, leaving Officer Ma in a state of disbelief.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Meihuan returns home to find her son, Gu Jiajie, missing.
• She encounters Officer Ma, who reveals he saw a boy resembling Gu Jiajie but believes it's a twin brother from her previous marriage.
• Shen Meihuan faints after learning about a possible twin.
• Liu Jiahui, a young man, visits his grandmother in the hospital.
• A resurrected boy, presumed to be Shen Meihuan's other son, enters an amusement center.

Character Developments

• Shen Meihuan: Struggles with the disappearance of her son and the revelation of a possible twin.
• Officer Ma: Shows determination in finding Shen Meihuan and her sons, displaying empathy and understanding.
• Liu Jiahui: Demonstrates concern for his grandmother's health, hinting at a difficult past.
• Resurrected Boy: Exhibits simple, repetitive behavior, suggesting a lack of understanding or control over his actions.

Significant Themes

• Family and relationships: The search for Gu Jiajie and the revelation of a possible twin highlight the importance of family and the consequences of past actions.
• Identity and self-awareness: The resurrected boy's behavior raises questions about his identity and understanding of his situation.
• The supernatural: The boy's resurrection and the amusement center's automatic activation hint at supernatural elements in the story.

Character Interactions

• Shen Meihuan and Officer Ma: Their interaction leads to the revelation of a possible twin, causing Shen Meihuan distress.
• Liu Jiahui and the nurse: Their conversation reveals Liu Jiahui's difficult situation and his concern for his grandmother.
• The resurrected boy and Luo Qiu: The boy's interaction with Luo Qiu suggests a connection between them, possibly hinting at a deal or agreement.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Meihuan returns to her hometown after a year to find her younger son, Liu Jia Hui, but is met with hostility by her ex-husband, Liu Cheng.
• Liu Cheng reveals that Liu Jia Hui is dead, causing Shen Meihuan to faint.
• Shen Meihuan wakes up in the hospital and learns that her mother-in-law, He Xiaomei, is also in the hospital. She visits He Xiaomei, who reveals that Liu Jia Hui is alive and has been looking for Shen Meihuan.
• Shen Meihuan learns that Liu Cheng had faked Liu Jia Hui's death to prevent her from taking him away.

Character Developments

• Shen Meihuan: Struggles with the shock of learning about Liu Jia Hui's fake death and her older son, Gu Jiajie's, disappearance. She is determined to find Liu Jia Hui and reconnect with him.
• Liu Cheng: Dies of illness six years ago. His actions towards Shen Meihuan and Liu Jia Hui are revealed to be out of spite and a desire to keep Liu Jia Hui with him.
• He Xiaomei: Struggles with guilt for her role in the deception. She reveals that Liu Jia Hui has been looking for Shen Meihuan and has been supporting her financially.

Significant Themes

• Family and Parenthood: The complex relationships between family members, including the struggles of single parenthood, the impact of divorce on children, and the lengths parents will go to for their children.
• Truth and Deception: The consequences of lies and deception, and the struggle between honesty and protecting loved ones.

Character Interactions

• Shen Meihuan and Liu Cheng: Their interaction is hostile, with Liu Cheng blaming Shen Meihuan for leaving and Shen Meihuan trying to reason with him.
• Shen Meihuan and He Xiaomei: Their interaction is emotional, with Shen Meihuan expressing her pain and anger at the deception, and He Xiaomei expressing her guilt and regret.
• Shen Meihuan and Liu Jia Hui (off-page): Their relationship is strained due to the deception, but Shen Meihuan is determined to reconnect with him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gu Jiajie, a young man, sees someone who looks like him and decides to follow.
• Officer Ma tries to convince Liu Jiahui, Gu Jiajie's twin brother, to see his mother, Shen Meihuan.
• Shen Meihuan decides to leave the hospital and handle her divorce from Gu Feng.
• Blackwater, a snake demon, finds Luo Qiu and confronts him about turning a dead child into a walking corpse.

Character Developments

• Gu Jiajie is shown to be curious and persistent, as he follows the person who resembles him.
• Liu Jiahui is portrayed as emotionally unstable and unwilling to see his mother, Shen Meihuan.
• Shen Meihuan is determined to find Gu Jiajie and avoid Gu Feng.
• Luo Qiu remains calm and composed, even when confronted by Blackwater.
• Blackwater is shown to be compassionate and willing to help, despite her initial reluctance to deal with Luo Qiu.

Significant Themes

• Identity and existence: Gu Jiajie's curiosity about the person who resembles him, and Luo Qiu's interest in understanding what Gu Jiajie is thinking, highlight the theme of identity and existence.
• Family and relationships: The strained relationships between Liu Jiahui and Shen Meihuan, and between Shen Meihuan and Gu Feng, emphasize the theme of family and relationships.
• Compassion and intervention: Blackwater's initial reluctance to help, despite her compassion, and her eventual decision to confront Luo Qiu, explores the theme of compassion and intervention.

Character Interactions

• Gu Jiajie follows the person who resembles him, leading to a potential interaction between them.
• Officer Ma interacts with Liu Jiahui, trying to convince him to see his mother.
• Shen Meihuan interacts with Officer Ma, deciding to leave the hospital and handle her divorce.
• Luo Qiu interacts with Blackwater, who confronts him about turning a dead child into a walking corpse.
• The interactions between these characters highlight their individual motivations and goals, as well as the complex relationships between them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Long Xiruo has recurring dreams of a collapsing city and cries for help.
• Blackwater encounters a quiet, decaying corpse in the shop and struggles to hear its spirit.
• Officer Ma discovers letters in the first victim's room, detailing Zhao Ru's harassment, but finds no mention of a 'teacher'.
• Ma Houde visits the Third Hospital and learns that a nurse saw him with Liu Jiahui and He Xiaomei.
• Shen Meihuan searches for her son and encounters Blackwater, who offers to help find him.

Character Developments

• Long Xiruo: Her dreams suggest a growing concern or connection to the door she's close to.
• Blackwater: She's unsettled by the quiet corpse and the shop owner's words.
• Officer Ma: He's determined to solve Gu Jiajie's case and finds new leads in Zhao Ru's case.
• Shen Meihuan: Her desperation grows as she searches for her son, leading her to beg Blackwater for help.

Significant Themes

• Despair and helplessness (Long Xiruo, Shen Meihuan)
• The consequences of one's actions (Zhao Ru's victims, Liu Jiahui)
• The struggle between the physical and spiritual worlds (Blackwater, the decaying corpse)

Character Interactions

• Long Xiruo interacts with no one in this chapter.
• Blackwater interacts with the decaying corpse and Shen Meihuan, offering to help find her son.
• Officer Ma interacts with his colleagues and the nurse at the Third Hospital.
• Shen Meihuan interacts with Blackwater, begging for help in finding her son.

Chapter Summary: “Resentment in His Heart”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Officer Ma visits He Xiaomei in the hospital and confronts the young man posing as Liu Jiahui. He notices that the medicine found on the floor was prescribed for Liu Jiahui, not Gu Jiajie, and realizes the apparent “Liu Jiahui” is actually his younger twin, Gu Jiajie.
• Ma reveals that the person who died after jumping from the apartment building was Liu Jiahui, while Gu Jiajie survived and assumed his brother’s identity.
• Under pressure, Gu Jiajie explains the events of the previous two months:
  • He and Liu Jiahui were identical twins separated when they were young.
  • Their mother believed Liu had drowned, while Liu was raised by their grandmother.
  • Gu Jiajie suffered physical abuse from his father, Gu Feng, and felt emotionally oppressed by both parents.
  • After reuniting, the brothers occasionally switched identities, especially when Gu Feng was expected home, allowing Liu to take the beatings instead.
  • Liu, who was terminally ill and deeply attached to their grandmother, proposed permanently taking Gu Jiajie’s place and dying as “Gu Jiajie.” This would free Gu Jiajie from his abusive home while ensuring their grandmother would still have someone to care for her.
  • Gu Jiajie agreed, though he is unsure whether he acted out of resentment, compassion for Liu, or desperation to escape.
• Liu died by jumping from the building before the arrangement was fully settled. Gu Jiajie then continued pretending to be Liu, unable to tell their mother the truth after seeing her collapse in grief.
• The brothers had planted misleading text messages about a strange teacher from a tutoring center to distract the police from the identity switch.
• Gu Jiajie nearly tells Officer Ma that he has seen his dead brother appear alive, but suppresses the revelation. He instead asks Ma not to tell their mother yet.
• Ma agrees temporarily but urges Gu Jiajie to confess eventually, warning that He Xiaomei may recognize that he is not truly Liu.
• Reflecting afterward, Ma realizes that Liu’s actions were not without emotion: despite his apparent selflessness, he carried profound resentment toward the family and the lives they had forced upon the twins.
• Meanwhile, Luo Qiu returns to the amusement arcade. The seemingly soulless attendant repeatedly plays the whack-a-turtle machine, and a new soul begins to form within his body from lingering attachment.
• Luo Qiu senses this spiritual transformation and focuses entirely on the birth of the soul. At that moment, he notices that Blackwater has arrived, accompanied by Shen Meihuan, suggesting that she may intervene in the situation.

Character Developments

• Gu Jiajie is exposed as frightened, guilty, and emotionally conflicted rather than simply deceptive. He resents his parents’ abuse, regrets accepting Liu’s plan, and feels unable to face his mother with the truth.
• Liu Jiahui is revealed as self-sacrificing but deeply wounded. His plan protected his grandmother and offered his brother freedom, yet it was also shaped by accumulated pain and resentment.
• Officer Ma Houde shifts from investigator to reluctant confidant. Though he manipulates Gu Jiajie into confessing, he recognizes the tragedy behind the deception and responds with sympathy rather than immediate punishment.
• He Xiaomei remains unaware of the identity switch and continues to believe that the person beside her is Liu Jiahui.
• Luo Qiu witnesses the creation of a soul and becomes unusually absorbed in the process, showing fascination with the spiritual consequences of attachment.
• Blackwater reenters the story with Shen Meihuan, implying that the supernatural conflict surrounding the brothers is not yet over.

Significant Themes

• Resentment beneath self-sacrifice: Liu’s plan appears loving, but Ma recognizes that it was also driven by anger toward the family and the unfairness of his life.
• Identity and substitution: The twins’ physical similarity allows them to exchange places, raising questions about whether identity is determined by appearance, memory, relationships, or personal history.
• Family abuse and emotional entrapment: Both brothers are shaped by violence, neglect, and parental pressure. Their desperate plan becomes an attempt to escape an intolerable family structure.
• Guilt and grief: Gu Jiajie’s continued deception is motivated by guilt over Liu’s death and fear of worsening his mother’s suffering.
• Attachment after death: Liu’s love for his grandmother and unresolved resentment persist beyond his death, ultimately contributing to the formation of a new soul.
• Moral ambiguity: No one involved is entirely innocent or entirely blameworthy; the brothers’ choices are simultaneously compassionate, selfish, desperate, and tragic.

Important Character Interactions

• Ma Houde and Gu Jiajie: Ma confronts Gu Jiajie, breaks through his denial, and listens to his confession. Their exchange evolves from interrogation into a painful conversation about guilt and responsibility.
• Gu Jiajie and Liu Jiahui: Through Gu Jiajie’s memories, the brothers are shown protecting one another and sharing a bond formed from mutual suffering. Liu offers to die in Gu Jiajie’s place, while Gu’s acceptance reveals both love and desperation.
• Gu Jiajie and his mother: Although they do not directly confront one another, Gu Jiajie’s inability to reveal himself reflects his fear of destroying her further after Liu’s death.
• Liu Jiahui and He Xiaomei: Liu’s devotion to his grandmother explains why he wanted Gu Jiajie to continue living as him.
• Luo Qiu and the emerging soul: Luo Qiu observes the arcade attendant’s transformation and recognizes that lingering attachment has generated a new soul.
• Luo Qiu and Blackwater: Blackwater’s arrival interrupts Luo Qiu’s observation and signals a new supernatural development.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gu Jiajie finds a letter written to him by his brother, Liu Jiahui, revealing that Jiahui was taken away instead of him.
• Shen Meihuan, Jiajie's mother, arrives at the amusement center and embraces Jiajie, but he doesn't recognize her.
• Luo Qiu, the club owner, approaches Shen Meihuan, causing Blackwater to intervene.
• Luo Qiu touches Shen Meihuan's forehead, making her see the truth about Jiajie's current state.
• Jiahui, now a decaying zombie, approaches Shen Meihuan, but she pushes him away, causing him to cry out in pain and distress.
• Blackwater realizes that Jiahui's soul is crying due to his mother's rejection, and he understands that Luo Qiu wanted to witness this moment of a soul's rebirth.

Character Developments

• Gu Jiajie: Struggles with guilt over his brother's fate and his mother's disappearance. He finally reads his brother's letter, leading to his emotional breakdown.
• Shen Meihuan: Struggles with her feelings for her two sons. She is initially overjoyed to find Jiajie but is heartbroken when he doesn't recognize her. She hesitates when faced with the reality of Jiahui's state.
• Liu Jiahui (Zombie): Jiahui's soul is reborn due to his attachment to his mother, but he is devastated when she rejects him.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of one's actions and the guilt that follows.
• The struggle between love and reality, and the pain of acceptance.
• The rebirth of a soul and the emotions that come with it.

Character Interactions

• Gu Jiajie and Shen Meihuan: Their reunion is bittersweet, as Jiajie doesn't recognize his mother, causing her immense pain.
• Luo Qiu and Blackwater: They have a tense interaction, with Blackwater protecting Shen Meihuan from Luo Qiu. Blackwater later realizes that Luo Qiu wanted to witness Jiahui's soul rebirth.
• Jiahui (Zombie) and Shen Meihuan: Jiahui approaches his mother, but she pushes him away, causing him immense pain and distress.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luo Qiu explains to Blackwater that the newborn soul in Liu Jiahui's body is not his original soul but a new one born from residual obsession and shared memories.
• Shen Meihuan finally embraces her son, and he stops hurting himself, calling her "Mom."
• Blackwater decides to make a transaction with the club to help Liu Jiahui's body.
• Luo Qiu uses a drop of Blackwater's Essence Blood to improve Liu Jiahui's condition and then gives Shen Meihuan a new life.

Character Developments

• Shen Meihuan: Realizes the truth about her son's condition and accepts him, showing maternal love and determination.
• Blackwater: Shows empathy and concern for Shen Meihuan and her son, deciding to help despite her initial disdain for humans.
• Luo Qiu: Demonstrates understanding and empathy for the newborn soul and Shen Meihuan, going beyond the typical transactions of the club.

Significant Themes

• Motherly Love: The power of a mother's love is shown to be strong enough to accept and care for a child, even in extraordinary circumstances.
• Empathy and Understanding: Luo Qiu's ability to understand and empathize with his customers leads him to go beyond the typical transactions of the club.
• The Power of Life: The creation and preservation of life are shown to be valuable and worth fighting for.

Character Interactions

• Shen Meihuan and Liu Jiahui: Their relationship evolves as Shen Meihuan accepts her son, and he responds to her love.
• Blackwater and Luo Qiu: Blackwater's initial disdain for humans is challenged as she interacts with Shen Meihuan and decides to help her son.
• Luo Qiu and Shen Meihuan: Luo Qiu shows understanding and empathy for Shen Meihuan, ultimately helping her and her son.