Chapter Summaries

Linsey welcomed the Insectoid Tribe but delayed formalizing their alliance until he could arrange an appropriate announcement, while considering how to obtain Mercury for his research. After noticing an elderly Awakened refugee watching him for hours, Linsey invited him to his residence to discuss his purpose.

• Linsey agreed to accept the Insectoid Tribe but postponed the arrangement until he could notify the territory and nearby powers.
• Linsey realized that converting the Insect Territory required Second Base research and considered searching for cinnabar or asking about poisons to find Mercury.
• Hammer reported that the popular Public Bathhouse could not meet demand, and Linsey ordered plans to expand it and later add farmland and livestock pens.
• Linsey checked the town's stability and crime ratings, then noticed an elderly Awakened refugee and two young companions following him.
• Linsey approached the travelers and invited the old man to his residence to discuss his visit.

Linsey welcomed Ryan and his companions to the Banyan Forest and learned how the Invaders had devastated the Moon Weeping Mountain Range. Ryan pointed him toward the surviving Messenger Hall for records, then recalled a cinnabar mine in the west.

• Linsey received Ryan and two young companions at the Plant Shop and offered shelter to their group in the Banyan Forest.
• Ryan explained that the Invaders had exploited the Righteous Walkers' infighting and unleashed an epidemic before it mysteriously ended.
• Linsey asked Ryan about the Abyss, but Ryan had never heard of it.
• Ryan told Linsey that the world's Messenger Hall still stood east of the Teleportation Courtyard and might contain useful records.
• When Linsey asked about cinnabar, Ryan remembered a mine in the west that had once supplied material for seals.

Linsey led an expedition west to secure the Cinnabar Mine and discussed the Banyan Forest’s future with Vivian, whom he viewed as his successor. After surviving repeated attacks on the journey, he reached the mine and confronted its defenders, offering them a choice as he hurled their arrow back at them.

• Linsey and Vivian discussed the long, risky route to the Cinnabar Mine and the chance to expand the Banyan Forest’s reputation through trade.
• Linsey showed Vivian the occupied Teleportation Courtyard and promised she would someday see other worlds.
• Linsey’s group endured seven attacks over two months, while his trained guards defeated the attackers without his intervention.
• Linsey’s expedition arrived at the Cinnabar Mine, where a hidden defender shot a cinnabar-coated stone arrow at them.
• Linsey caught the arrow, told the defenders that their choice was up to them, and threw it back toward its source.

Linsey took control of the Cinnabar Mine and secured 40 units of mercury, enough to upgrade the Town Hall once he returned to Banyan Forest. He arranged for the mine’s residents to keep their home and work safely, then asked Vivian to establish a trade route and improve ore transport.

• Linsey disarmed Na Rui and explained that he wanted the mine’s Poisonous Cinnabar, not the residents’ food or water.
• Linsey promised the residents stable lives and work rather than driving them from their home.
• Linsey and his team took control of the mine, where Na Rui was the only Awakened among twelve young people, four elders, and four children.
• Linsey processed the stockpiled ore into 40 units of mercury, enough for a Town Hall upgrade.
• Linsey appointed an administrator, assigned soldiers and work schedules, and told Vivian to lead a team in establishing a trade route and improving mineral transportation.

In Green Island City, two officials debated the silence of their eastern informants and decided to wait before investigating. Linsey and Vivian reached a ruined city and opened its sealed Messenger Hall with a badge, leaving them poised to enter.

• The eagle-robed man worried that eastern informants had missed their report, but the scorpion-robed man urged him to follow the rules and wait another six months.
• Linsey and Vivian hurried east, reached the Teleportation Courtyard as a landmark, then turned toward their destination.
• Linsey and Vivian arrived at the dangerous ruins of a city and found the Messenger Hall among its intact buildings.
• Linsey used his Scouting Skill to learn that the Messenger Hall admitted only those qualified to enter.
• Linsey presented a messenger's iron badge, and the sealed Messenger Hall opened its doors.

Linsey and Vivian searched the Messenger Hall for records about the desolate world and powerful sources of Life Force. A document pointed to Invaders and an abnormal Life Force eruption in the south, and Linsey decided to take the hall’s papers back to his territory for review.

• Linsey used a token to deactivate the Messenger Hall’s defenses and entered with Vivian.
• Linsey and Vivian began searching the hall’s records for the cause of the world’s desolation and information about objects with immense Life Force.
• Linsey found that the records covered the City of Law’s collapse but predated his childhood memories of Alvitte and Bargett.
• Vivian showed Linsey a report that Gao Mingshi had found an abnormal Life Force eruption and unknown Awakened called Invaders in the south before the evacuation.
• Linsey connected the clues to the Green Swamp and decided to take all the papers back with him.

Linsey delegated Vivian to lead an expedition, put Hilude to work processing the recovered supplies, and tackled the territory’s administrative backlog. He discovered a high-yield Golden Oat mutation, successfully propagated its seeds, and saw the residents enjoying a peaceful day in the Banyan Forest.

• Linsey escorted Vivian and her group to the Banyan Forest, then told Hilude he hoped the people would eventually move forward through their own strength.
• Linsey gave Hilude the Messenger Hall’s recovered materials to process, leaving her to work through the night.
• Linsey stayed up handling territorial affairs and noticed a mutated Golden Oat growing in the backyard.
• Linsey used Bone Meal and resource catalysis to propagate the Golden Oat, confirmed its seeds had not degraded, and prepared enough for planting.
• Linsey saw children playing in the Banyan Forest as their mothers called them to eat, and felt his efforts had been worthwhile.

Linsey announced that Golden Oat would become the territory’s main crop and assigned Hammer to expand housing, food production, and livestock as the population grew. After hearing Hilude’s report on powerful figures in the City of Law, Linsey proposed a Sports Meet and decided to compete in it himself.

• Hammer reported that the territory’s population was growing faster than expected and that food, livestock, housing, and the Garbage Station needed urgent expansion.
• Linsey showed Hammer the Golden Oat, declared it the territory’s new main crop, and sent him to move the seeds into the Farmland.
• Linsey treated Hilude to dinner and asked about her document research; Hilude described three influential Eighth Stage figures in the City of Law: Heart’s Edge, Walker, and Steel Hand.
• Linsey saw children playing in the Banyan Forest and proposed a Sports Meet with separate events for ordinary people and Awakened.
• Linsey told Hammer to include his own participation in the Sports Meet promotion.

Linsey hosted Banyan Forest's Sports Meet, winning the most championships and raising his Sports Racing Level to 3. He tested his new skills, planned further construction, and learned the Insectoid Tribe would deliver more gold ore the next day.

• Linsey won the Awakened long-distance race and announced the end of the three-day Sports Meet.
• After the event, Linsey saw that Sports Racing had reached Level 3 and unlocked Adrenaline and Concentrated State.
• Linsey tested the skills, finding that Concentrated State slowed his perception of time but rapidly consumed stamina.
• Linsey returned home and began revising Banyan Forest's construction plans, including considering underground warehouses.
• Hammer praised the Sports Meet, and Linsey said future events should be held every six months rather than monthly.
• Hammer told Linsey the Insectoid Tribe would deliver another batch of gold ore the next day, bringing him close to his required number of gold coins.

Linsey began upgrading the Town Hall, and a miracle plant transformed the upgrade into the special Forest City, draining most of his source essence. After a day of changes across the city, he found a university technology that would help him establish a branch base.

• Linsey started upgrading the Town Hall, triggering an offer to convert it into Forest City because of the banyan trees, and he confirmed the transformation.
• The upgrade drained four-fifths of Linsey's source essence, so he reassured Hammer that the changes were harmless and would settle within a day.
• Hilude reported finding fragments about the ancient Invaders, and Linsey told her that they and the Extinction Crown were Awakened of the Abyss, whose leader had perished with the ruler of the City of Law.
• Linsey told Hilude that the Revivalists were also likely connected to the Abyss, prompting her to return to the library to investigate further.
• After the city's buildings and roads had become integrated with the banyan forest, Linsey found the Second Base technology at the university, which increased the maximum number of initial bases by two.

After the Banyan Forest became a Forest City, Linsey explored its new research projects and buildings before discovering Moon Lake, which could create a lake and improve the territory’s luck. He managed to place its framework near the eastern edge and called for Hammer’s construction team.

• Linsey learned that the Second Base upgrade cost 500 gold coins, then surveyed the transformed Forest City and its fantasy-themed research projects and buildings.
• Linsey discovered that Forest City buildings could be constructed in the air and placed the Forest Altar’s framework among the trees.
• Linsey found Moon Lake in the construction list and became eager to build it so he could fish.
• Linsey failed to place Moon Lake with half of it outside the territory, but succeeded after moving the framework until four-fifths of the lake was inside the forest.
• Linsey ran into the forest and called for Hammer and the construction team to join him at the eastern side.

Linsey and the workers completed Moon Lake, then he began fishing there for ingredients and materials for the territory’s evening banquet. His catches included a Moon Stone that could be used to craft a Moon Shard, a Dry Soil Catfish, and a Despair Orb.

• Hammer led forty workers to help Linsey build Moon Lake, and they threw themselves into the work to serve him.
• Linsey joined the construction crew, and together they completed the lake beneath the Banyan Forest.
• Linsey invited the workers to a banquet that evening and promised to prepare celebratory food for the territory.
• Linsey’s first cast brought up a worthless rock, but his second yielded a Moon Stone that he stored after discovering its Moon Shard recipe.
• Linsey caught a Dry Soil Catfish for the banquet and then opened a chest containing a Despair Orb.

Linsey discovered that the Despair Orb completed the formula for the Annihilation Blade, then uncovered a hidden synthesis requiring several powerful swords. After fishing at Moon Lake and organizing his supplies, he returned to Forest City and spent its first night with the residents.

• Linsey synthesized the Annihilation Blade from Shadow Weave, the Indestructible Blade, and the Despair Orb, and endured its soul-chilling influence.
• Linsey used the furnace to unlock a hidden formula for the Seven-Colored Radiance Sword and noted which swords he still needed to find.
• Linsey fished at Moon Lake, caught a chest containing coins and a Mysterious Seed, and concluded that fishing in the forested area offered less valuable rewards.
• Linsey checked on the still-sleeping Wala Wala, sorted his inventory, and returned with his catch as night approached.
• Linsey cooked and spent the first night after Forest City's establishment with its residents.

Linsey expanded Forest City to house new refugees, dealt with infiltrating spies, and managed the territory’s affairs. After receiving enough gold from the Insectoid Tribe, he began researching the Second Base and set out for the tribe.

• Hammer found Linsey fishing at Moon Lake and told him that refugees had arrived and gold was due.
• Linsey arranged to expand the residential Treehouses, then ordered guards to arrest two hostile scouts hiding among the refugees.
• A trained envoy calmed the frightened refugees, and Linsey assigned newly grown herbs to the Medical Station and farmland.
• Linsey reviewed the day’s cases and approved punishments, including the death penalty for a spy who tried to escape and commit arson.
• The Insectoid Tribe delivered enough gold ore for Linsey to begin Second Base research, and he set off on the three-day journey to their territory.

Linsey formally gained the Insectoid Tribe’s allegiance and then used the Real-Time Strategy module to convert Lamenter’s residence into a Zerg Mother Nest. The transformation spread through the underground cave, leaving it as a dark, fleshy lair.

• Linsey arrived at Insectfolk Canyon with a delegation and joined Lamenter for an ancient allegiance ceremony.
• Linsey swore to protect humans and insectfolk, and Lamenter declared him the insectfolk’s new protector.
• Linsey urged the gathered outsiders to unite with Banyan Forest, while some remained doubtful and left after the ceremony.
• Linsey met privately with Lamenter and learned that clearing Corruption Poison from the canyon would take months or years.
• Linsey selected the Zerg Mother Nest conversion after confirming that he had gained the Insectoid Tribe’s leadership and completed Second Base Technology.
• Linsey’s source essence drained as the cave and surrounding underground terrain transformed into a dark, fleshy lair.

Linsey transformed the Insectfolk’s nest into a Zerg-style Second Base and explained its buildings to Lamenter. After the banquet, his Real-Time Strategy Module reached level three, and he used its new Strategic Map to locate the returning Sand Dune.

• Linsey inspected the Insect Nest’s buildings and explained to Lamenter that the transformed nest could support construction and change the Insectfolk’s abilities.
• Linsey used Forest City’s stored food to rapidly build the Insect Nest underground while keeping Mist Canyon’s surface undisturbed.
• Linsey resumed presiding over the celebration, then discovered that his Real-Time Strategy Module had advanced to level three and unlocked the Strategic Map.
• Linsey tested the Strategic Map and found that it permanently revealed terrain traversed by his subordinates, with a limited observation radius but no distance-based source essence cost.
• Linsey searched south on the map and saw Sand Dune returning toward the Banyan Forest, apparently safe and successful in completing the scouting mission.

Linsey considered whether to remain at Mist Canyon or return to the Banyan Forest, but a mission alerted him that an iron mine supplying his territory was under attack. Meanwhile, Vivian led an evacuation through the collapsing mine and learned that one child’s father was still trapped behind them.

• Linsey oversaw the Insectfolk’s rapid development, but found that the Zerg Mother Nest needed 200 members to reach level two, while the tribe had only 87.
• The Task Bar issued an emergency mission to aid an iron mine under attack, and Linsey searched for it on the Strategic Map.
• An earthquake struck the mine where Vivian was negotiating cooperation, and she organized the Banyan Forest soldiers to retreat toward the exit.
• Vivian ordered the soldiers to rescue locals they encountered while escaping.
• A child resisted evacuation and told Vivian that the child’s father was still behind them.

After an earthquake trapped Vivian’s group in a mine, she organized the rescued residents and soldiers to dig toward the surface. Their slow progress ended when the unstable tunnel collapsed again, leaving them farther from escape.

• Vivian ordered a soldier to knock out a boy and carry him along as the group evacuated through the shaking mine.
• When they found the route to the surface completely blocked, Vivian learned they were several hundred meters from the exit and lacked proper digging tools.
• Vivian assigned Anda to count survivors and Figgs to treat the injured, then agreed to Mill’s proposal to dig through the blockage.
• Vivian divided the soldiers into rotating digging teams, assigned others to care for residents, and sent a group to find more survivors.
• After a day of digging, a soldier dislodged rock and triggered another collapse, destroying their progress and shrinking the group’s safe space.

After the tunnel collapsed, Vivian led the trapped group through the mines to find supplies and another possible route to the surface. They found the food store ransacked beside a newly opened fissure, where something seemed to watch them from the darkness.

• Vivian ordered the soldiers to inspect the collapse and decided they could not safely keep digging through the blocked tunnel.
• Vivian asked the mine residents about other routes and learned from Red Stone that the food and clear water were stored in a side passage of Mine 4.
• Red Stone estimated that the supplies would last less than a month and said a branch in Mine 2 ran close to the surface.
• Led by Red Stone, Vivian's group reached the Mine 4 food store after detouring around collapsed tunnels.
• The group found a deep fissure where the food had been dragged into the darkness, and something appeared to be watching them from below.

Vivian led the group as monstrous figures pursued them through the mine, using a collapsing tunnel to block the creatures temporarily. With the threat still able to take other routes, she directed everyone toward the Second Mine Tunnel and the surface.

• Vivian kept the soldiers and mine residents in formation as creatures approached through the darkness and hurled corrosive liquid at them.
• Vivian ordered the group to retreat while the soldiers fired arrows and shield-bearers guarded the rear; several people were hit by the liquid and two fainted.
• Vivian recognized that a weak section of tunnel could stop the pursuit, and Red Stone confirmed the creatures had likely entered through an earthquake fissure.
• Vivian led everyone through the unstable passage and ordered the soldiers to bring it down behind them.
• Red Stone collapsed the tunnel with a source-energy kick, temporarily blocking the creatures, then warned that they could take another route.
• Vivian ordered the group toward the Second Mine Tunnel, hoping to reach the surface.