Chapter Summaries

The Lich Old Man revived inside Ford’s corpse but found himself trapped in Richard’s Eden Garden, an enclosed space. After failing to escape, he decided to destroy the Main Laboratory and fake an accident.

• The Lich Old Man revived in Ford’s damaged corpse, discovered his Soul Energy was nearly exhausted, and left the research room.
• The Lich Old Man realized Eden Garden was an independent small space with no visible exit.
• The Lich Old Man devised a plan to wreck buildings and conceal his escape attempt from Richard.
• The Lich Old Man aimed his destructive power at the Main Laboratory and shouted, “Shatter for me!”

The Lich Old Man tried to recruit a little girl to help him cause destruction in the Main Laboratory, but she beat him repeatedly instead. He was left crawling away before the girl caught him and dragged him back.

• After his attack on the Main Laboratory failed, the Lich Old Man realized he had made an embarrassing sound and fouled the air.
• The Lich Old Man sensed a little girl approaching and assumed she had been imprisoned there too.
• The Lich Old Man gave the little girl a lever and asked her to help destroy the laboratory.
• The little girl accused the Lich Old Man of wanting to cause destruction and slammed him into the ground several times.
• The Lich Old Man crawled around a corner to escape, but the Purple-Clad Little Girl grabbed him and dragged him back.

Richard asked Bobobo Wei Qi to make cautious arrangements in Delan because he suspected the Truth Society might be watching him. At Eden Garden, Pandora kept attacking the Lich Old Man until he used Soul Energy to escape her grasp and warned her again.

• Richard told Bobobo Wei Qi he was unsure whether the Truth Society suspected him and asked him to handle arrangements in Delan.
• Bobobo Wei Qi agreed to help and said he had a new lead in an investigation he was pursuing.
• Richard left, and Bobobo Wei Qi decided to demand compensation for the damage Richard had caused, raising his claim to 1,500 gold coins after his bookshelf broke.
• Pandora repeatedly slammed the Lich Old Man into the ground because she believed he was a threat to Eden Garden.
• The Lich Old Man used Soul Energy to vanish from Pandora's grasp, reappeared at a distance, and warned her that he would use half his remaining Soul Energy to teach her a lesson.

Pandora fought the Lich Old Man and nearly killed him before Richard discovered them in a bizarre tug-of-war. The Lich Old Man asked Richard to save him, leaving both he and Pandora ready to explain themselves.

• Pandora charged the Lich Old Man, shattered his Soul Energy shield, and beat him down.
• The Lich Old Man clung to the ground with Soul Energy while Pandora tried to swing him by the leg, creating a stalemate.
• Richard returned to Eden Garden and heard the Lich Old Man pleading with Pandora to let go.
• Richard found Pandora and the Lich Old Man locked in their tug-of-war and asked them to stop.
• The Lich Old Man called out to Richard for help and promised to repay him.

Richard confronted the revived Lich Old Man, learned that his forgotten name was impossibly long, and settled on calling him Mr. Afu. He used the corpse’s unauthorized use and Mr. Afu’s attempt to destroy his private space to press for a fair trade, leaving Mr. Afu recognizing that Richard was trying to secure his cooperation.

• Richard asked the Lich Old Man for his name, and the old man struggled to remember a name more than a hundred characters long before choosing Mr. Afu as a usable form of address.
• Richard told Mr. Afu that he owed compensation for using Richard’s corpse without permission.
• Mr. Afu feared that the corpse had belonged to one of Richard’s relatives, but Richard explained that it had been a beggar’s body he had brought back to investigate.
• Richard warned that he could kill the corpse that had been revived, prompting Mr. Afu to jump up in alarm.
• Mr. Afu realized Richard was bluffing to make him cooperate, and Richard explained that he wanted to negotiate a fair trade now that he held the advantage.

Richard agreed to trade with the Lich Old Man, Mr. Afu, for the knowledge in his memories and promised to heal, support, and eventually free him. Pandora recalled waking after absorbing a wounded purple dragon’s mist, then accidentally transformed into a Purple Crystal Dragon and smashed through the Main Laboratory’s ceiling.

• Richard and Mr. Afu agreed that Mr. Afu would share his memories and knowledge in exchange for healing, materials, money, and eventual freedom.
• Richard reassured Pandora about the damaged wall and the Lich Old Man, then asked what she remembered before falling asleep.
• Pandora recalled meeting a wounded purple dragon that became mist and entered her body before she fell into a long sleep.
• Pandora told Richard she had become stronger and could now transform at will.
• Pandora transformed into a Purple Crystal Dragon, pierced the Main Laboratory’s ceiling, and accidentally left Richard beneath her.
• Richard ordered Pandora to transform back, and she returned to human form naked.

After Pandora awoke with new transformation and combat abilities, Richard considered assigning her to guard the mine because its defenses were weak. Meanwhile, Truth Society manager Canon read a report about strange events at the mine near Shangbala Town.

• Richard gave Pandora clothes and learned that her transformation made her more deceptive and let her briefly double her strength, while her other abilities had not improved.
• When Pandora claimed she might beat Richard, he teased her by promising advanced mathematics lessons, leaving her eager to sleep instead.
• Richard considered sending Pandora and Lich Old Man A Fu to watch the mine and report any supernatural intruders.
• At a secret Truth Society branch near Great Delan Town, Canon read a report about strange events at the mine near Shangbala Town.

Canon finished reading a document when Supervisor Long Mei Er entered his office and warned that an inspector from headquarters might be coming. Canon considered the inspector’s power to scrutinize branches and the trouble frequent inspections could bring, but the inspector had not yet arrived.

• Canon finished reading a document as the Big White Rabbit leaped off the desk and hid in a corner.
• Long Mei Er entered Canon’s office without knocking, and Canon stood to greet him respectfully.
• Long Mei Er told Canon that an inspector sent from headquarters might be coming to the branch.
• Long Mei Er and Canon noted that inspectors had been visiting frequently, possibly because Supervisor Gray Mist was now on duty.
• Canon considered how inspectors reported directly to the highest authority and could uncover faults that led to criticism and reduced resources.

Qiekafu arrived at the Truth Society’s underground base near Delan to inspect branches in the Southern Free Federation and began reviewing Canon’s files. Canon watched him warily as Qiekafu selected reports about several unresolved local problems.

• Long Mei Er told Canon that the inspector would arrive within an hour and suggested headquarters’ dissatisfaction could lead to major adjustments.
• Qiekafu arrived at the underground base wearing a blue ring and introduced himself to Long Mei Er and Canon as Gray Mist’s inspector for the Southern Free Federation.
• Qiekafu said his inspection would look for regional dangers, resource needs, and problematic personnel, and Canon agreed to cooperate within the rules.
• Qiekafu declined an office and sat at Canon’s desk, asking to read the branch’s documents.
• Qiekafu selected reports on anomalies near Shangbala Town, suspected ruins in Kado Cave, and rising deaths in Besti City, leaving Canon uncertain but watchful.

Qiekafu borrowed documents from Canon and left to investigate potential dangers, while Canon reflected on the organization’s pursuit of Divine Favor. Nearly half a month later, Hua Erzi’s mines had rapidly expanded and adopted new methods, helping Richard conceal his real goal of secretly mining Uranium Ore.

• Qiekafu took documents from Canon to investigate their contents, and Long Mei Er told Canon to cooperate with him within the organization’s rules.
• Canon considered how members sought Divine Favor for greater closeness to the True God and the chance to enter Paradise.
• Over nearly half a month, Hua Erzi gained control of more than a third of the mines near Shangbala Town and employed more than half the town’s Miners.
• Hua Erzi’s mines introduced gray-powder Alchemy Items, rail tracks, and modified mine carts to increase mining efficiency.
• Richard used the mining expansion to extract Uranium Ore discreetly and planned to mislead anyone who investigated the new technologies.

Lich Old Man A Fu asked Didak and Bo Fei to find him golden-haired companionship, leaving them to realize he meant a dog when one appeared nearby.

• Lich Old Man A Fu enjoyed his sweet tea at the camp near the former Thirteen Mine and decided he wanted companionship.
• He called Didak and Bo Fei over and described his requirements: golden hair, youth, energy, and docility.
• Bo Fei assumed A Fu wanted a woman, but Didak insisted he meant something else.
• A large golden dog emerged from the withered grass, and Didak and Bo Fei exchanged a look.

Lich Old Man A Fu received a Golden Retriever that Didak and Bo Fei had mistaken for the companion he wanted, then argued with Pandora over an ink container. The chapter ended with Pandora challenging him to fight over the teapot.

• Didak and Bo Fei brought Lich Old Man A Fu a captured Golden Retriever, believing it matched his request for a companion.
• Lich Old Man A Fu pretended to approve of the dog and sent Didak and Bo Fei away, then decided to keep it after it licked his hand.
• Pandora arrived looking for Richard and asked Lich Old Man A Fu for something to hold her ink.
• Pandora emptied the teapot and tried to take it, prompting Lich Old Man A Fu to threaten her.
• Pandora eagerly asked Lich Old Man A Fu whether he wanted to fight.

Pandora took Lich Old Man A Fu’s teapot after taunting him about being unable to beat her, and he walked the Golden Retriever around the mining area to vent his anger. As they returned, A Fu sensed a hidden presence, while Truth Society inspector Qiekafu crossed the mining area and revealed himself on a hill.

• Pandora challenged Lich Old Man A Fu’s claim that he was stronger and wiser, then carried off the teapot after asking whether he knew the Dog Bone Law.
• Lich Old Man A Fu returned to his seat, realized Pandora had taken the teapot, and took the Golden Retriever outside to walk off his anger.
• Lich Old Man A Fu ran the Golden Retriever around the mining area for over an hour, exhausting the dog before carrying it back toward the residential camp.
• Lich Old Man A Fu sensed something in the darkness and released a powerful aura, prompting the Golden Retriever to become alert and frightened.
• Qiekafu, an inspector from Truth Society headquarters, crossed the mining area and revealed himself atop a hill.

Qiekafu used the rare Soul Walk spell to infiltrate the Shangbala Town mining site and investigate its suspicious ownership. The Lich Old Man recognized the spell and planned to warn Richard, then hesitated when Richard asked about the mine’s recent activity.

• Qiekafu identified the Shangbala Town mining site as unusually large and suspected Hua Erzi was only a front for its true owner.
• Qiekafu used Soul Walk to disappear and enter the mining site unseen.
• The Lich Old Man recognized Soul Walk and suspected Qiekafu was the infiltrator Richard had mentioned.
• The Lich Old Man decided to warn Richard when he arrived the next night, then returned to camp thinking of Pandora.
• Richard arrived at the mining site, spoke with Hua Erzi, reviewed Pandora’s answers, and accepted the Lich Old Man’s scroll of spell notes.
• Richard asked the Lich Old Man whether he had discovered anything at the mining site, and the Lich Old Man responded uneasily.

Richard discussed Lich Old Man A Fu’s spells and his curiosity about the Truth Society, then pressed him about whether anything was happening at the mine. Richard left to teach Pandora, while A Fu stayed behind with a glass bead and an unexplained hint of concern.

• A Fu admitted he had not been keeping up with the mine, and Richard reminded him to honor their deal.
• Richard explained his thoughts on A Fu’s spells, including how Banshee Wail differed from its modern version and how Soul Walk seemed to have been lost.
• A Fu questioned whether the Truth Society might know Soul Walk, then urged Richard to give Pandora harder lessons so she would stop bothering him.
• After walking away, Richard turned back to confirm that nothing was happening at the mine and reminded A Fu to report intruders with extraordinary power.
• A Fu boasted about the strength of his soul while tossing a glass bead, and Richard went to Pandora’s cabin to teach her.

Inspector Qiekafu secretly investigated the mine’s Fire Thunder production, while Lich Old Man A Fu followed him to learn what he was after. Qiekafu hid in Pandora’s house to watch the mine and recover his mana, unaware that the sleeping girl was no ordinary child.

• Qiekafu used Soul Walk to follow Fire Thunder from the factory and investigate the mine’s preparations.
• Lich Old Man A Fu saw Qiekafu leave the factory and secretly followed him, hoping to discover his purpose and impress the Little Devil.
• Pandora tried to solve a test question but fell asleep at her table.
• Qiekafu entered Pandora’s house, mistook her for an ordinary girl, and watched the distant blasting preparations while drinking a purple potion.
• Lich Old Man A Fu arrived near the house and recognized it, his expression turning unsettled.

Qiekafu hid in a room in the mine to observe the miners, but Pandora woke and attacked him after deciding he was a bad person. When Qiekafu’s magic blasts proved too much for her, Pandora began expanding and releasing a fierce aura, preparing to reveal her true form.

• Qiekafu drank a potion and watched a miner working outside the window.
• Pandora woke from her sleep, saw Qiekafu, and let him pinch her cheek before she grabbed his clothes and hurled him through the door.
• Pandora called Qiekafu a bad person and attacked him, shattering his Energy Shield with a punch.
• Qiekafu blasted Pandora back with black Energy Balls and demanded to know who she was.
• Pandora judged that she could not beat Qiekafu in a normal fight and began expanding as a fierce aura emerged from her body.

Lich Old Man A Fu stopped Pandora’s transformation and confronted Qiekafu, revealing himself as a lich awakened from the distant past. He overwhelmed Qiekafu with a giant scythe and prepared to behead him.

• Qiekafu attacked Pandora while she tried to transform, but Lich Old Man A Fu blocked the Energy Spears and restored her to a little girl.
• Lich Old Man told Pandora he would handle Qiekafu, while she warned that he could not win.
• Lich Old Man revealed that his strength came from Soul Energy and said he was a lich who had awakened from the distant past.
• Lich Old Man formed a giant black scythe and charged Qiekafu, shattering his golden shields with repeated strikes.
• Lich Old Man’s scythe caused Qiekafu to lose his balance, and A Fu slashed toward his neck as a voice remarked on the lich’s close-combat skill.

Qiekafu fought the Lich Old Man, who overwhelmed him with extra arms before agreeing to a close-combat duel. The two charged with daggers and Bone Blades, and the Lich Old Man slipped past Qiekafu’s defenses to stab him in the right chest.

• Qiekafu evaded the Lich Old Man’s scythe with Soul Walk, but the Lich Old Man rushed him and attacked with additional arms formed from black energy.
• The Lich Old Man shattered Qiekafu’s Energy Shields, battered him into a rock wall, and demanded to know why he was investigating the mine.
• Qiekafu revealed his Bone Blades and challenged the Lich Old Man, who transformed his scythe into two daggers and dismissed his extra arms.
• Qiekafu and the Lich Old Man clashed in close combat, and the Lich Old Man maneuvered past Qiekafu’s defenses to stab him in the right chest.

Qiekafu weakened the Lich Old Man by stealing his Soul Energy during their fight, then continued battling him as the lich unleashed a black-mist whip. After both were badly wounded, the Lich Old Man sent Pandora away and began releasing a powerful aura to prove he still had strength left.

• The Lich Old Man wounded Qiekafu repeatedly in close combat, but Qiekafu suddenly stabbed him with a Bone Blade after stealing enough Soul Energy to slow him down.
• The Lich Old Man healed his wound and summoned a black-mist whip, starting another round of combat with Qiekafu.
• The Lich Old Man broke Qiekafu's arm, but discovered a Bone Blade lodged in his own heart as Qiekafu continued draining his Soul Energy.
• The Lich Old Man told Pandora to move away, then erupted with a powerful aura as he vowed to prove he still had some use.