Chapter Summaries

Su Mo discovered that the Demon Soul Race had sent a strange mist to investigate the depression and rallied his people to collect samples. After deciding the mist had to be traced to its source, he drove Earth Tiger into the night with Oreo, determined to confront the enemy himself.

• Su Mo noticed an unnatural mist covering the depression and hurried back to the Underground Shelter, where Oreo sensed malicious intent but no immediate attack.
• Using the shelter's observation system, Su Mo traced the mist to a column extending from outside the territory and suspected the Demon Soul Race was investigating them.
• Su Mo warned Chen Shen, Li Hu, Shen Ke, Su Deben, and Lü Kuan, then sent people to collect mist samples while he followed the column toward its source.
• Su Mo returned to the shelter, armed himself with an Automatic Rifle and Explosive Packs, and drove Earth Tiger out with Oreo after ordering Lü Kuan to keep the others safe.
• Oreo judged their odds to be fifty-fifty, and Su Mo pressed on, vowing to retaliate against whoever threatened the depression.

Su Mo discovered that the Demon Soul Race could imitate other races and reproduce some of their abilities, and he realized their technology could enable infiltration and intelligence gathering. He returned to the camp with a television and battery, intending to use them to reveal what the disguised visitors really were.

• Su Mo observed the camp and saw a disguised figure resembling Li Hu help maintain the smoke pillar, leading him to deduce that the Demon Soul Race used collected information to simulate other creatures.
• Su Mo used his avatar's freedom to move beyond the territory and tested the camp's defenses, evading a disguised Treefolk who attacked with a wooden spike.
• Su Mo concluded that the simulations could reproduce abilities as well as appearances, then met Pei Shao and Chen Kai, who brought him a television and relay battery.
• Su Mo sent Pei Shao and Chen Kai back, ordered Oreo to block the enemy's retreat, and returned to the camp with the equipment.
• Su Mo dug a crater, connected the television to the battery, and switched it on to investigate the disguised enemies.

Su Mo discovered that the marks on the disguised Demon Soul Race members were tied to their abilities and used the malfunctioning collector to lure the camp’s guards away. He captured Haer, learned the group’s purpose and the debt driving them, then killed him and took his blue mark, giving Su Mo a chance to infiltrate the Demon Soul Race.

• Su Mo inspected the camp’s flesh-based smoke collector and noticed different-colored marks on its operators and disguised visitors.
• Su Mo watched Haer and Tena struggle with their battery as the collector’s malfunction accelerated beyond their control.
• Haer sent the other eighteen members away to stabilize the smoke column, leaving him alone with Tena at the camp.
• Su Mo seized Haer and threatened him until he confessed that the group had come to collect valuable templates while burdened by a large loan.
• Su Mo snapped Haer’s neck, removed the blue mark from his body, and recognized it as an opportunity to infiltrate the Demon Soul Race.

Su Mo upgraded Haer's Disguiser's Mark and transformed into Haer, then stopped the information collection and convinced Tena that their incomplete data could still make them rich. He left Tena anticipating a scheme involving Su Mo, the King of Humans, and the large loan Haer had taken out.

• Su Mo used 21,900 Survival Points to replace the Disguiser's Mark's permissions, bind it to himself, and inherit Haer's identity without risking detection by the Demon Soul Race.
• Su Mo transformed into Haer's dwarf form and stopped the collector at 82% information gathering, causing the smoke pillar to disperse.
• Su Mo assured Tena that the incomplete information could still fetch an astronomical price and promised they might repay their loan and reclaim the Thorn Treant template.
• Tena confirmed that the collector and mercenaries could earn Contribution Points, and Su Mo proposed joining forces with Su Mo, the King of Humans, for a scheme.
• Su Mo laughed off Tena's concern about the loan, saying Haer had taken it out and declaring that they would let it fly for a while.

Su Mo traveled with Tena and the mercenaries to the Demon Soul Race’s main city, learning more about their marks and confirming that Haer’s family still owned a mortgaged property there. He entered the city intending to reclaim the house and explore the civilization within, leaving the group just past the city gates.

• Su Mo learned through Haer’s mark that it controlled the mercenaries absolutely and revealed information about the Demon Soul Race and its mobile main city.
• Su Mo rejected Tena’s suggestion to sell Haer’s Dwarf Artisan template and decided to reclaim the family property, which had been seized despite still belonging to Haer.
• Su Mo traveled through the night with Tena and the mercenaries, then continued toward the city after waking on April 5 of the Doomsday Calendar.
• Su Mo observed that the Demon Soul Race’s territory enhanced his clarity and stamina, and had the mercenaries sprint to cover the final stretch of the journey.
• Su Mo and the group reached the massive walled city, and he directed them to go straight to Haer’s property rather than the Trading Market.
• Su Mo passed the city’s identity check and entered the Demon Soul Race’s main city.

Su Mo, inhabiting Haer’s body, returned to the Demon Soul Race’s prosperous main city and challenged those who had wronged the brothers. He reached Haer’s inherited shop and confronted Alec, demanding its return or a duel to the death.

• Su Mo refused Russell’s taunts and challenged him to fight at the Deathmatch Arena, but Russell backed down and left.
• Tena struggled to accept how much Haer had changed, and Su Mo urged him to stop dwelling on the past and let him take the lead.
• Su Mo observed the city’s trading system and considered how to turn the Hollow into a port-style commercial hub.
• Su Mo arrived at the brothers’ shop, which Alec had occupied, and deliberately damaged its door while declaring that he had come home.
• Su Mo confronted Alec and demanded the shop back and fifty thousand Contribution Points in rent, or a duel at the Deathmatch Arena with their property and lives at stake.

Su Mo, posing as Haer, forced Alec’s inheritance dispute into the hands of the Law Enforcement Team, which granted Haer temporary use of Tena’s inheritance and gave Alec three days to choose compensation or a deathmatch. After Alec agreed, Su Mo realized Haer’s identity might be the greatest gain of his trip.

• Su Mo challenged Alec to compensate Haer three hundred thousand Contribution Points or fight him in the Deathmatch Arena, and Alec tried to portray himself as Haer’s benevolent uncle.
• Xing Wen arrived with the Black Grade Enforcement Team and took control of the dispute after both sides stated their demands.
• Xing Wen placed Tena’s inheritance under the Law Enforcement Team’s jurisdiction and granted Haer usage rights while forbidding Alec from interfering.
• Xing Wen gave Alec three natural days to pay the compensation or accept Haer’s deathmatch challenge, and Alec agreed under the team’s pressure.
• The crowd jeered Alec as his guards led him away, while Su Mo helped the tearful Tena up and considered the value of Haer’s identity.

Su Mo established the Kindling Exchange in Freedom City and planned to build its power by opening a new market rather than competing directly with the Ten Great Exchanges. After reviewing the Depression’s daily reports, he noticed that only one sound had arrived on the wind, and its contents made him narrow his eyes.

• At the Kindling Exchange, Tena worried that they lacked goods and money, while Su Mo explained his plan to make the exchange powerful through monopoly and regulatory influence.
• Su Mo reasoned that the Demon Soul Race’s proposed trade reforms threatened the Ten Great Exchanges and could destabilize Freedom City, but the turmoil could benefit him.
• Su Mo waited for interested visitors to approach the exchange, then closed its doors and went to rest in the rear rooms.
• Su Mo reviewed the daily report and found that the Depression’s potential had risen to 14.81, with 1.4 Territory Points and 3,700 Production Points earned.
• Su Mo checked the final report on sounds carried by the wind and narrowed his eyes at the single remaining sound.

Su Mo opened the Kindling Exchange in Freedom City and used an early rush of traders to attract attention before the Ten Great Exchanges released their prices. The chapter ended as the exchange announced opening discounts, membership perks, and a lottery whose grand prize was a rare purple template.

• Su Mo detected the Demon Soul Race chief's voice and learned that the race feared the coming corpse tide and wanted Freedom City to continue its reforms.
• After a nightmare in which he imagined Zhong Qingshu was the Demon Soul Race chief, Su Mo woke and noticed that Freedom City's strange energy seemed to invigorate its residents.
• Su Mo gave Tie Yi and Tie Er Contribution Points and sent them out to create a conspicuous display while warning them not to reveal their templates.
• Traders entered the Kindling Exchange before official prices were released, and the Ten Great Exchanges' observers watched as the shop completed early sales despite lacking funds for some valuable goods.
• Crowds packed the auxiliary road as the exchange drew more traders, and a Modified Human read out its opening discounts, membership offers, and rare-template lottery prize.

Su Mo used the Kindling Exchange’s Purple Rare template lottery and membership recharges to draw a huge crowd and bring in vast funds, then surveyed Freedom City before meeting the Ten Great Exchanges’ leaders. The chapter ended as he entered their meeting hall and recognized an old acquaintance among them.

• Su Mo and Tena drew tens of thousands of people to the Kindling Exchange with a lottery offering a Purple Rare template and extra chances for membership recharges.
• Tena worried about the growing recharge funds, but Su Mo ordered him to keep accepting them, while Tena reflected on the exchange’s rapid rise and the Guard Team’s support.
• Su Mo left through the rear courtyard and surveyed Freedom City, mapping its streets and identifying roughly thirty hidden sentry posts.
• A representative of the Ten Great Exchanges invited Su Mo to meet their leaders, and he agreed to go with him.
• Su Mo arrived at the leaders’ building, smashed through its closed door with his hammer, and entered the meeting hall, where he recognized an old acquaintance.

Su Mo, posing as Haer, negotiated with the Ten Great Exchanges, who offered him a place among them if he stayed neutral in their dispute with the Guard Team. He left without committing and suspected the sidelined Demon Soul Race lord was part of a larger struggle, then considered an audacious plan.

• Su Mo entered the Ten Great Exchanges’ meeting, accepted their apology and learned that Haer and Tena’s debts and collateral had been cleared.
• Rayvos introduced the exchange leaders and managers, then offered Haer pricing rights and a share of a category in exchange for neutrality toward the Guard Team.
• Rayvos argued that the merchants and Guard Team needed each other and predicted a continent-wide change within three months; Su Mo then asked Shi Ren to assess the situation.
• Su Mo requested several days to discuss the offer with Tena, and the merchants let him leave after a meal.
• After leaving, Su Mo connected the Guard Team, the merchants, and the sidelined Demon Soul Race lord, then formed an audacious plan.

Su Mo celebrated the Kindling Exchange’s successful promotion and planned to convert most of its Contribution Points into supplies for the Wasteland. He then resolved to strengthen the Wasteland and eventually seize Shi Ren’s identity to take control of Freedom City, while preparing to leave Haer and Tena in charge of the exchange for several days.

• Tena reported that the Kindling Exchange had collected 220,500 Contribution Points, and Su Mo ordered him to keep 10,000 and exchange the rest for materials and some Imported Goods.
• Su Mo told Tena that someone had repaid their loan and that they would receive the fifth-tier Thorn Treant card the next day.
• Su Mo considered killing Shi Ren, deciphering his imprint, and assuming the Demon Soul Race lord’s identity so the Wasteland could establish a trade route into Freedom City.
• Su Mo decided that military strength, rather than deception, was necessary to protect his plan and strengthen the Wasteland.
• Su Mo told Tena he would leave for two or three days; Tena urged him to wait for the Thorn Treant card, but Su Mo refused and warned that Alec would die if he pursued him.

Su Mo left Freedom City disguised as Haer, but Alec ambushed him and revealed that he knew about Su Mo’s territory and his deal with the human King of Humans. Su Mo killed Alec and his companions, then raced back to the depression, where he found Thunder Bear standing guard over new defenses.

• Su Mo left Freedom City as a Rapid Road Lizard and traveled into the wilderness, observing the poor conditions of the Demon Soul Race members camped outside the city.
• Alec and three companions ambushed Su Mo, but he evaded their first attack by changing templates and confronted them as Haer.
• Alec admitted involvement in Su Mo’s parents’ disappearance and revealed that he knew about Su Mo’s deal with the human King of Humans and the location of his territory.
• Su Mo killed the three Modified Humans and Alec, then collected the flesh bearing their marks and hurried toward the depression, fearing Alec had exposed its location.
• Su Mo reached the depression after dawn and found a new watchtower and Defense Facilities, with Thunder Bear standing guard atop the tower.

After returning safely from Freedom City, Su Mo told Moore about the Demon Soul Race and discovered Moore might be able to absorb their marks. He returned to find Hope Village rapidly transformed by its new buildings, and saw the possibility of empowering every villager with templates.

• Su Mo reached the lowland exhausted, drank Psionic Water, and ordered Chen Kai and Su Yuan to keep the border sealed against all intruders.
• Su Mo and Moore set out for the Underground Shelter, and Su Mo explained his infiltration of Freedom City and the Demon Soul Race’s template abilities.
• Moore sensed that Alec’s Stone Mark contained authority-like power and said he might be able to eat it and gain similar abilities.
• Su Mo hurried home with Moore to test the Stone Mark safely, believing that villagers might eventually gain marks and templates.
• Su Mo arrived at Iron Stone Mountain and found four new prefabricated buildings, village paths, and a wall built around Hope Village.
• Su Mo watched the villagers welcome him and envisioned the lowland becoming a place where everyone was like a dragon.

Su Mo returned to the depression, inspected its new village, and set priorities for making the homes more livable and preparing farmland. He briefed four trusted administrators on the Demon Soul Race and their potential value as partners, then checked the daily Territory Points report, which began to glow green.

• Su Chan welcomed Su Mo home, and Chen Shen reported that the depression had remained quiet while the village gate, paths, and prefabricated houses were completed.
• Su Mo ordered more windows in the crowded houses and named beds, storage cabinets, and bedding as essential livelihood projects.
• Chen Shen showed Su Mo the winter wheat plot and a concealed rice-leaf field cleared atop Fruit Tree Mountain.
• Su Mo told Chen Shen, Li Hu, Pei Shao, and Shen Ke about Freedom City and the Demon Soul Race, and they discussed opportunities for combat, intelligence, and trade.
• Su Mo showed the four administrators the marks and ordered them to keep the matter secret and restrict access to trusted people.
• Su Mo reviewed the depression's rising Territory Points and opened the daily report, whose envelope glowed green.

Su Mo used Territory Points to upgrade Iron Stone Mountain, dramatically improving its iron ore reserves and quality, then invested his remaining points in other key resources. The upgrades left the Wasteland better equipped for development, but Su Mo still needed time to make use of them.

• Su Mo read the green daily report, learned that the Wasteland's potential and Territory Point income had risen, and saw a tip directing him to a rare plant at specific coordinates.
• Su Mo decided to invest Territory Points in specific resources rather than raise the territory's overall potential, and spent one point on Iron Stone Mountain.
• Iron Stone Mountain shook, grew taller and wider, and became a Level Two mineral vein with ten million tons of reserves and three special abilities.
• Su Mo discovered that upgrading Iron Stone Mountain again would cost fifty Territory Points, so he spent his remaining points on Copper Mine, Fruit Tree Mountain, the carp shoal, and Freshwater Lake.
• As the resource upgrades began, Su Mo concluded that the Wasteland now had what it needed for development, except for time.

Su Mo reviewed the upgraded resource points, then met with Lü Kuan and the scientists to discuss scarce materials and how to decipher the Demon Soul Race’s transformation mark. The team planned experiments, and Su Deben urged Su Mo to consider using the mark to give the boxed brains human bodies.

• Su Mo examined the upgraded Copper Mine, Carp, Freshwater Lake, and Fruit Tree Mountain and concluded that their new abilities varied unpredictably.
• Lü Kuan told Su Mo that his team had built five low-output solar panels but lacked the materials for wider production.
• Su Mo rejected the idea of sending a Treasure Hunting Team beyond the wasteland and explained that he had found clues to a safer bridge to the outside world.
• Zhuo Junfan and the other scientists theorized that the mark used genetic authentication and proposed testing transformation signals, while Su Mo offered to provide the data.
• Su Deben asked Su Mo to consider using the mark to let the brains in the Brain Box leave their boxes and live in human bodies.

Su Mo promised the Brain Box researchers Marks, strengthening their commitment to the Depression, then woke to plan a Wonder required for civilization advancement. He decided to build a twenty-meter stone statue before the Heavy Snowfall as the Depression's neighbors grew wary of its tremors.

• Su Mo promised to secure Marks for the researchers, and Su Deben emotionally withdrew from the robot body and returned to the Brain Box.
• The Depression's resource upgrades sent powerful tremors through the Ancient Treants' territory and the Demon Soul Race, prompting both to mobilize guards and reconsider their relations with Su Mo.
• Su Mo woke, reviewed the Depression's tasks, and decided to build a twenty-meter stone statue before the Heavy Snowfall to fulfill the final requirement for advancing civilization.
• Su Mo watched the villagers gather for dinner and imagined the Depression growing into a thriving city, nurturing a new ambition.

During the Basin’s lucky-bag distribution, Su Mo opened a Seven-Colored Lucky Bag and gained the shared territory attribute Small Blessed Land, which improved the Basin’s environment and increased residents’ energy recovery. He then announced plans for a wonder, and the managers agreed to build it within ten days.

• The villagers and managers gathered for a feast, then returned to their prefabricated houses to open their lucky bags.
• Chen Shen drew White Rabbit Creamy Candy, Li Hu received a dagger, Shen Ke got personal-care products, and Pei Shao obtained two signal amplifiers.
• Su Mo opened a Seven-Colored Lucky Bag, triggering a game announcement that awarded the Basin the shared territory attribute Small Blessed Land.
• Su Mo inspected the attribute and learned that it would improve the territory’s environment each day and increase energy recovery by 15% for players inside it.
• Su Mo explained the requirements for building a wonder, and the managers agreed to complete it within ten days.

Su Mo’s team tested Moore’s body and found clues about how he could control divine power, leading Zhuo Junfan to propose that humans might also possess hidden controllers. Su Mo volunteered to become the next test subject, hoping to locate the hidden element and glimpse the true world beyond the frosted glass.

• Chen Shen warned the villagers to stay away from the isolation perimeter around the Underground Shelter while Su Mo prepared an experiment.
• Yan Xiaqing examined Moore and found extraordinary physical strength, rapid healing, and three abnormal points linked to energy factors.
• Zhuo Junfan explained that Moore might control divine power through his physical qualities and a hidden genetic variable, and suggested Su Mo could possess a human controller as well.
• Su Mo asked whether the instruments could analyze the controller, and Zhuo Junfan said Su Mo might need to sense it himself.
• Su Mo agreed to replace Moore as the test subject, confident that the experiment could be stopped and hoping to reveal the hidden structure within the human body.