Chapter Summaries

Tang En realized that the Tian Yuan Alliance planned to use Qinggang City's rebuilding effort to expand production and trade, while Edmund argued that Qinggang should seek cooperation rather than risk further expeditions. Meanwhile, Tian Yuan prepared a grand welcome for the returning fleet, which reached its waters as Su Mo discussed securing the river.

• Tang En learned that the East Suburbs administrators were likely to join the Tian Yuan Alliance's rebuilding plan and concluded that its real aim was to recruit laborers, produce goods, and sell them beyond the city.
• Tang En called for Qinggang Shelter to restart its Expedition Teams, but Edmund opposed the idea and proposed cooperating with Tian Yuan instead.
• Tian Yuan residents prepared decorations, performances, meals, and a military knowledge competition to celebrate the fleet's victory at Black Stone City.
• Su Mo discussed establishing a military base and controlling river traffic with Captain Cui Lu and Su Deben as the fleet entered Tian Yuan's waters.
• The returning fleet spotted the decorated temporary dock, and cheers erupted from the leading ships.

After returning from the Dwarf War, Su Mo was surprised by a celebration in the shelter, then reviewed the territory’s postwar shortages and met with seven administrators from the East Suburbs. He negotiated terms for their factories to join the reconstruction effort, leaving them with a path to earn profits through increased output and innovation.

• Su Mo avoided the welcome ceremony, but residents surprised him with a celebration when he returned to the shelter.
• After the celebration, Su Mo reviewed urgent documents detailing depleted war supplies, exhausted copper reserves, and the expenses facing the territory.
• Su Mo met Christia Tono and six other East Suburbs administrators, who sought to cooperate with the Tian Yuan Alliance.
• Su Mo offered materials and engineers to repair their factories in exchange for controlled production, restricted sales, and a permanent cooperation agreement.
• Su Mo explained that the alliance would pay fair prices and reward higher output and technological improvements, and Tono recognized the opportunity for the administrators to profit.

Su Mo arranged for East Suburbs managers to cooperate with Tian Yuan’s factory plans, while the Sirius Fleet reached Dream Moon Territory ahead of schedule. The fleet’s arrival filled the starving survivors with hope and left Chu Chaofei stunned by Tian Yuan’s advanced ships and equipment.

• Su Mo told the East Suburbs managers that specialists would negotiate factory partnerships, then left them to enjoy the lively streets of Tian Yuan.
• Doomsday Madman and Spicy Iron Hammer discussed their plans to sell weapons and find new sources of minerals as the Sirius Fleet traveled south.
• Yao Dingshan announced the fleet was nearing Dream Moon Territory, and the ships entered its waters by noon.
• Dream Moon Territory’s survivors recognized the fleet as Tian Yuan’s promised aid, and Chu Chaofei messaged Xi Ruyue to report its arrival.
• The fleet anchored offshore and extended temporary gangways to the pier, leaving Chu Chaofei amazed by Tian Yuan’s strength.

Tian Yuan’s fleet arrived at Dream Moon Territory and began distributing medicine to its desperate survivors. After learning of mineral-rich islands controlled by Mine Island Alliance, Spicy Iron Hammer and Doomsday Madman set out with a small escort to investigate, while unrest over the limited rescue places threatened to worsen behind them.

• The fleet received an enthusiastic welcome in Dream Moon Territory, where Xi Ruyue described the severe shortages, a spreading contagious illness, and the survivors’ desperate need for medicine.
• Yao Dingshan ordered medicine distributed and allowed Spicy Iron Hammer and Doomsday Madman to explore the area with guards.
• Spicy Iron Hammer and Doomsday Madman learned that Chinese survivors had cultivated most of Dream Moon Territory’s farmland and heard that Mine Island Alliance controlled islands with accessible mineral deposits.
• Spicy Iron Hammer and Doomsday Madman decided to visit Mine Island Alliance, hoping to trade Tian Yuan’s surplus supplies for ore.
• Yao Dingshan assigned two frigates and a small team to the expedition, and the ships headed north.
• As the expedition departed, Dream Moon Territory remained tense after a riot by Nile People and thefts of recently distributed supplies, while Yao Dingshan waited for a chance to change the situation.

Spicy Iron Hammer and Doomsday Madman reached the Mine Island Alliance, where they saw its vast mineral islands and met representatives who guided them to a residential dock. As they began discussing an ore trade with Hu Xiaolin, his strict refusal of gifts revealed the Alliance’s rules and left the visitors astonished.

• Spicy Iron Hammer and Doomsday Madman followed the waterways northeast and located the Mine Island Alliance after asking survivors for directions.
• The two saw numerous islands rich in iron, copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, and silver ore, then watched as Alliance boats approached and surrounded their frigate.
• Hu Xiaolin spoke with Spicy Iron Hammer, welcomed the visitors, and directed Frigate One to a residential island while Frigate Two waited nearby.
• At the dock, Hu Xiaolin explained that his elder brother Hu Shulin was coming, and the visitors introduced themselves as Shu Yao and Zhuang Lun.
• Spicy Iron Hammer said they wanted to buy ore and offered Hu Xiaolin tobacco and bread, but Hu Xiaolin refused both under Alliance rules and insisted that the residents had dignity despite being poor.

Doomsday Madman and Spicy Iron Hammer toured the Mine Island Alliance and learned how its six Gathering Places cooperated to sell their mineral resources. After Spicy Iron Hammer asked about ores and prices, Hu Shulin went to summon the Supply Department, while a guard identified the visitors as being from Dream Moon Territory.

• Hu Xiaolin explained that the Mine Island Alliance restricted residents' use of the Game Panel to prevent careless messages from exposing the alliance and attracting unwanted attention.
• Hu Shulin welcomed the visitors and guided them around the orderly settlement, showing them its Medical Station, farmland, and workshops.
• Hu Shulin explained that the alliance's six Gathering Places remained autonomous, while keeping their location quiet helped preserve their profits from selling ores.
• Spicy Iron Hammer asked Hu Shulin about the alliance's production, smelting capabilities, and prices, prompting Hu Shulin to fetch someone from the Supply Department.
• A guard told curious survivors that the visitors were from Dream Moon Territory.

After learning that powerful newcomers had claimed to come from Dream Moon Territory, former lord Lu Guangyin investigated their iron ship and suspected they were concealing their true purpose. He decided to monitor them and seek help from Wu on Water Horse Island, while his group remained stranded and short on supplies.

• Lu Guangyin and his followers failed to approach the newcomers at the restaurant, and Lu concluded their Dream Moon Territory identity was false.
• Lu Guangyin's scouts reported that the newcomers had a nearly twenty-meter iron ship equipped with a naval gun and firing ports.
• Lu Guangyin stopped his followers from arguing about returning to Dream Moon Territory and suspected the newcomers might be targeting the Mine Island Alliance.
• Lu Guangyin ordered his people to watch the newcomers and their contacts, then proposed going to Water Horse Island to approach Wu about the ship.

Spicy Iron Hammer and Doomsday Madman negotiated with Tian Tie Island’s leaders to buy ore and offer technology and weapons. Sun Guangmin agreed to discuss a large, stable supply, while Doomsday Madman’s arsenal left the islanders eager for the deal.

• Lin Jiafeng met Spicy Iron Hammer and Doomsday Madman and described Tian Tie Island’s iron ore and production costs.
• Spicy Iron Hammer explained ways to improve ore processing and offered to buy all the ore Tian Tie Island could supply.
• Sun Guangmin arrived, heard their offer, and began negotiating a deal for Tian Tie Island’s ore surplus and possible supplies from other islands.
• Doomsday Madman offered Tian Tie Island rifles, machine guns, ammunition, rocket-propelled grenades, and mortars, astonishing Sun Guangmin and the others.

Sun Guangmin and Spicy Iron Hammer reached a trade agreement between Tian Tie Island and Dream Moon Territory, exchanging ore for weapons and other supplies. As the visitors explored Tian Tie Island, Lu Guangyin secretly visited Water Horse Island and told its leader he knew the origins of the Tie Pi Ship’s crew.

• Sun Guangmin reviewed Dream Moon Territory’s list of medicines, medical equipment, seeds, and finished goods, then agreed to trade Tian Tie Island’s ore for supplies and weapons.
• Dream Moon Territory agreed to deliver supplies within a month, with arms making up at least 70% of the shipment, while Tian Tie Island agreed to prepare ore to the buyer’s standards.
• Spicy Iron Hammer and Doomsday Madman accepted Sun Guangmin’s offer to stay overnight and explored Tian Tie Island, where Doomsday Madman read the New Tian Tie Regulations.
• Hu Shulin praised Sun Guangmin’s leadership and the rules that restrained people with power.
• Lu Guangyin arrived secretly on Water Horse Island, paid to meet Wu Jiahao, and said he knew where the Tie Pi Ship’s visitors came from.

Lu Guangyin deceived Wu Jiahao into believing Tian Tie Island was about to receive weapons and supplies, hoping to provoke conflict between Water Horse Island and Tian Tie Island so he could seize the Tie Pi Ship. Meanwhile, Doomsday Madman and Spicy Iron Hammer went to meet Water Horse Island's administrator and found the dock crowded with armed men.

• A Water Horse Island guard humiliated Lu Guangyin at the gate before Wu Jiahao welcomed him and reprimanded the guard.
• Lu Guangyin falsely claimed that Tian Tie Island had secured weapons and supplies from the Tie Pi Ship's operators, then said he wanted to seize the ship with Wu Jiahao's help.
• Wu Jiahao rejected Lu Guangyin's proposal and ordered him to leave, so Lu Guangyin escaped with Old Xu and planned to let the two islands clash before taking the ship.
• Hu Shulin told Doomsday Madman and Spicy Iron Hammer that Water Horse Island's administrator wanted to see them, and the two agreed to go meet him.
• Doomsday Madman and Spicy Iron Hammer arrived at a dock surrounded by hundreds of armed men.

Spicy Iron Hammer and Doomsday Madman clashed with Wu Jiahao after he confronted them at Tian Tie Island’s dock, while Lu Guangyin watched for a chance to seize their ship. Wu Jiahao decided to launch a night attack on Tian Tie Island, and Lu Guangyin’s group heard boats approaching the dock after midnight.

• Wu Jiahao confronted Spicy Iron Hammer and Doomsday Madman, then withdrew his men after Sun Guangmin objected to his threats.
• Doomsday Madman persuaded Spicy Iron Hammer that Wu Jiahao might attack over Tian Tie Island’s planned weapons deal, and they prepared to strike first with shipborne missiles.
• Wu Jiahao resolved to attack Tian Tie Island that night, ordering his men to target Sun Guangmin’s Guard Team rather than civilians.
• Lu Guangyin and Old Xu abandoned their plan to seize the Tie Pi Ship amid a clash and kept watch, expecting Wu Jiahao to return.
• Old Xu woke Lu Guangyin after midnight when they heard the sound of oars approaching the dock.

Lu Guangyin and several rival groups fought over the Tie Pi Ship as Water Horse Island launched a surprise invasion of Tian Tie Island. With the docks engulfed in battle and the ship still silent, Old Xu revealed explosives and urged Lu Guangyin to press on, leaving their next move uncertain.

• Lu Guangyin discovered that Water Horse Island had used Bewitching Mist to knock out Tian Tie Island's night guards, then led his group toward the Tie Pi Ship as several factions converged on it.
• The factions clashed at the docks, and one group fired first, triggering a gunfight that exposed Wu Jiahao's invasion and set off Tian Tie Island's alarm.
• Wu Jiahao sent armed lackeys to seize the docks, but Lu Guangyin's group and the other factions turned their guns on them, killing many of the attackers.
• Tian Tie Island's Defense Force opened fire on Water Horse Island's advancing forces, but Wu Jiahao rallied his men with promises of resources and allowances, and hundreds charged into the island.
• As the fighting spread, Lu Guangyin saw an opening to reach the Tie Pi Ship, while Old Xu revealed explosives strapped to himself and insisted they could use the ship's weapons even if it could not sail.

Lu Guangyin and Old Xu seized an empty Tie Pi Ship, but they could not unlock its systems before Water Horse Island surrounded them. Rifles found aboard let them drive back the attackers, while news of other islands joining the fighting left the Mine Island Alliance’s balance shattered.

• Lu Guangyin led his remaining men to the Tie Pi Ship, where they discovered its hull was expertly crafted and the ship was empty.
• Lu Guangyin’s group broke into the bridge and found that the ship required identity verification to start, while Water Horse Island troops closed in.
• Old Xu’s men searched the lower compartments and found Gentleman Type-1 Rifles and ammunition, which Lu Guangyin’s men used to repel Water Horse Island’s attack.
• Wu Jiahao learned that Yin Sha Island and Qian Shan Island had taken their home, and that Jin Yan Island and Huo Shi Island were also moving to attack.

Lu Guangyin discovered a vast stockpile of modern weapons aboard the Mayfly and considered using them to seize power in the Mine Island Alliance as the battle for Tian Tie Island began. Meanwhile, Cao Su reached Doomsday Madman and Spicy Iron Hammer, and the chapter ended when Doomsday Madman’s communicator reported that his weapon had activated by itself.

• Lu Guangyin failed to unlock the Mayfly, then found crates of ammunition, grenades, firearms, and RPGs in its lower deck.
• Lu Guangyin and Old Xu considered using the weapons to establish themselves, while Hua Qingyun and Enkeba Te led their forces toward the docks.
• Hu Shulin distributed guns and rallied Tian Tie Island’s defenders as fighting broke out between the attackers and Wu Jiahao’s people.
• Cao Su reached Doomsday Madman and Spicy Iron Hammer at the rear base after bringing the guards to check on them.
• Doomsday Madman asked why Cao Su had not activated his weapon, then received a communicator alert that it had activated by itself.

Hua Qingyun’s Huo Shi Island force attacked the Tie Pi Ship and was devastated by its RPGs, while Wu Jiahao’s surviving Water Horse Island fighters later boarded the ship and confronted Lu Guangyin over its weapons. Lu Guangyin proposed that they join forces to destroy the Mine Island Alliance, leaving Wu Jiahao to consider the offer.

• Hua Qingyun ordered Zhang Hai to seize the Tie Pi Ship, and Zhang Hai led more than a hundred sampans toward the pier despite warnings to stay back.
• Lu Guangyin’s crew fired RPGs at the advancing fleet, wrecking the sampan formation and sending Huo Shi Island’s fighters fleeing.
• Wu Jiahao’s Water Horse Island survivors paused their fight with Jin Yan Island, and Wu Jiahao led more than twenty men toward the Tie Pi Ship to claim its weapons.
• Old Xu spotted Wu Jiahao’s men boarding the ship, and Lu Guangyin and Wu Jiahao faced off in a standoff over the ammunition and firearms.
• Lu Guangyin offered Wu Jiahao two-thirds of the weapons and proposed they join forces to eliminate Huo Shi Island and Jin Yan Island and seize Tian Tie Island.

Lu Guangyin and Wu Jiahua forged an uneasy alliance after Lu handed over rifles from the Tie Pi Ship, and Wu used the weapons to destroy Qian Shan Island and Silver Sand Island. As fighting spread to Jin Yan Island and Huo Shi Island, Tian Tie Island remained largely untouched while the outsiders discovered the ship’s weapons might be dangerously unreliable.

• Lu Guangyin offered Wu Jiahua rifles from the Tie Pi Ship, and they agreed to cooperate and leave Tian Tie Island alone.
• Wu Jiahua returned to Water Horse Island with the weapons and used overwhelming firepower to defeat Qian Shan Island and Silver Sand Island, killing both managers with rockets.
• Wu Jiahua promised Lu Guangyin an island if they helped him take Huo Shi Island and Jin Yan Island, and Lu agreed.
• Doomsday Madman and Cao Su reviewed the ship’s surveillance footage, and Cao Su unlocked the warship after figuring out its code.
• Doomsday Madman mentioned that weapons remained aboard, prompting the others to flee the ship in fear that it might explode.
• Sun Guangmin learned Tian Tie Island had suffered almost no casualties and that Qian Shan Island and Silver Sand Island had fallen, while Spicy Iron Hammer warned everyone away from the dock.

Wu Jiahao’s forces overran Golden Rock Island, while Lu Guangyin helped intercept its supplies and tricked Enkeba Te into heading for Tian Tie Island. Enkeba Te and Hua Qingyun then sailed there to seek forgiveness—or seize the outsiders as hostages—only to be cornered by Wu Jiahao’s fleet as Doomsday Madman held back from firing.

• Wu Jiahao’s forces routed Golden Rock Island’s defenders, and Enkeba Te ordered his people to flee with their supplies.
• Lu Guangyin disguised himself as a wounded guard and persuaded Enkeba Te that Tian Tie Island’s outsiders could be taken hostage to turn the situation around.
• Wu Jiahao’s men captured Golden Rock Island’s abandoned supplies, then rushed toward Tian Tie Island after learning Enkeba Te and Hua Qingyun were heading there.
• Enkeba Te and Hua Qingyun met on the River Surface and decided to return to Tian Tie Island, where they hoped to surrender or capture the outsiders.
• Doomsday Madman prepared to fire on the approaching fleets, but Enkeba Te and Hua Qingyun’s boats asked to cooperate while Wu Jiahao’s armed fleet arrived behind them and called for their surrender.

Spicy Iron Hammer tried to end the fighting among the Mine Island Alliance leaders through negotiation, and Wu Jiahao offered enormous compensation for the stolen weapons. Just as the leaders seemed to reach an agreement, a hidden shooter and a sudden attack by Water Horse Island turned the meeting into a massacre, leaving the reason for the attack unresolved.

• Sun Guangmin invited Wu Jiahao, Hua Qingyun, and Enkeba Te to meet Spicy Iron Hammer and discuss ending the conflict.
• Lu Guangyin urged Wu Jiahao to attend while promising to rescue him if anything went wrong, and Wu Jiahao left his forces under Lu Guangyin's watch.
• Wu Jiahao apologized and offered compensation, including five thousand tons of ore, while Enkeba Te and Hua Qingyun also agreed to pay.
• Cao Su tackled Spicy Iron Hammer as a hidden shooter fired, wounding Cao Su, and Water Horse Island's fleet launched an attack on the other fleets and the warship.
• Wu Jiahao realized Lu Guangyin had betrayed him as the fleets and trusted subordinates were destroyed, while Doomsday Madman asked whether firing missiles would still earn him thanks.

Lu Guangyin escaped the battle as the Madman Weapon destroyed the Water Horse Island fleet, while Cao Su and the crew of the Mayfly struggled with the blast damage and a distress signal. Yao Dingshan and Huang Renyi sent ships to investigate, and Huang Renyi stopped after spotting survivors who seemed to mock him.

• Lu Guangyin's men secretly turned their guns on Wu Jiahao's crew and escaped with Old Xu as the battle raged.
• The Tie Pi Ship launched a missile that struck the Water Horse Island fleet, destroying it and damaging the Mayfly.
• Cao Su revealed the Mayfly was sinking and warned that its automatic distress signal could bring Yao Dingshan's fleet.
• Yao Dingshan ordered the fleet to rush toward the distress signal, while Huang Renyi sailed the Da Yang Ship toward the Mine Island Alliance.
• Huang Renyi learned the factions were fighting but could not find out what had happened to the Mayfly.
• Huang Renyi spotted four boats whose passengers grinned at the Da Yang Ship and stopped to confront them.

Huang Renyi’s Da Yang Ship pursued the people who had stolen Tian Yuan’s rifles, but a middle-aged saboteur and coordinated rocket attacks crippled the escort ship. After the Sirius Fleet requested reinforcements, Su Mo learned that two ships had been sunk in the Southern Fire Domain and decided to go there himself.

• Huang Renyi seized a boat carrying Tian Yuan rifles, and its crew blamed Lu Guangyin for stealing supplies and plotting against the fleet.
• The Da Yang Ship captured the fleeing boats, but a middle-aged man rushed underwater to the hull and detonated an explosive strapped to his body.
• The middle-aged man’s allies fired three rocket-propelled grenades at the damaged Da Yang Ship, which began sinking.
• Yao Dingshan put the fleet on highest alert, requested reinforcements, and accepted responsibility for losing the Mayfly and Da Yang.
• Feng Tianmin told Su Mo that the Sirius Fleet had suffered heavy losses in the Southern Fire Domain, and Su Mo ordered preparations to deploy and investigate.