Recaps

After apparently dying in the Corpse Mansion, Zhang Guangmu awakened in a life-support pool and returned as a second version of himself, now playing the being who controlled Earth’s resources. With Director Meng leaving the plot in his hands, Zhang Guangmu snapped his fingers and stopped the rain.

• Jiang Ling tried to rush toward Zhang Guangmu, but Ma Wu held her back and demanded to know who the newcomer was.
• Zhang Guangmu explained that he was still Zhang Guangmu, though he had awakened in a life-support pool with false memories and a new role after his apparent death.
• Meng Lingrui told the Control Group not to interfere unless the survivors’ plot spiraled into a total group wipeout.
• Meng Lingrui revealed that the world’s rules awarded the best-performing Subconscious Actor a second role before the film ended, leaving the next events to Zhang Guangmu.
• Zhang Guangmu faced Jiang Ling, Wang Shangqing, Ma Wu, and the others in the rain, snapped his fingers, and cleared the clouds and rain.

Zhang Guangmu revealed that he was not the strategist but an immortal technological being who controlled Earth’s resources. After demonstrating his power to reshape the weather and landscape, he explained how civilization’s scientific advances had granted him immortality.

• Ma Wu, Wang Shangqing, and Jiang Ling sensed that the Zhang Guangmu before them differed from the strategist they knew.
• Zhang Guangmu stopped the rain, summoned snow, and explained that the strategist had wanted an audience for his farewell.
• Zhang Guangmu claimed that a Weather Control Device and Geography Modifier let him alter the weather and reshape the city.
• Zhang Guangmu told Jiang Ling and the survivors that he was Earth Civilization’s Final Product, the Lord of Earth, and had lived for 275 years.
• Zhang Guangmu explained that after rejecting supernatural paths, he advanced science and technology until he gained immortality.

Zhang Guangmu explained how his pursuit of longevity led to the creation of the Dark Corpse virus and the apocalypse. He revealed that the Cosmic Alliance offered him a path toward true immortality, then a Gold Armored Being urged him to harvest Earth for his final transformation.

• Zhang Guangmu told Ma Wu that his body remained young while his mind and will deteriorated, and that his Longevity Potion had turned scientists into Dark Corpses.
• Zhang Guangmu explained that the virus mutated to spread through the air, bringing about the apocalypse.
• Zhang Guangmu said the Anti-Longevity Potion was developed after Earth's population fell to around three billion, when he received an Invitation Letter from the Cosmic Alliance.
• Zhang Guangmu described how acting out the memories and traits of exceptional people through Will Metabolism could stabilize his mind and bring him closer to immortality.
• A Gold Armored Being appeared beside Zhang Guangmu and instructed him to carry out the final harvest of Earth in order to become a true immortal.

Zhang Guangmu rejected immortality and destroyed the Corpse Buildings rather than sacrifice Earth, then gave the survivors the tools and resources to help humanity recover. As he vanished, he told them that Zhang Guangmu had died happy, and the world of "Corpse Buildings" froze.

• Zhang Guangmu explained that becoming an Eternal Lifer required destroying one's mother civilization, and admitted that he had once caused more than half of Earth's population to evaporate.
• Zhang Guangmu pointed his umbrella at Wang Shangqing, then relented and praised his courage instead of killing him.
• The Gold Armored Being warned Zhang Guangmu that refusing the final destruction ritual would cost him his life, but Zhang Guangmu declared that he had chosen righteousness over immortality.
• Zhang Guangmu discarded his umbrella, causing the Corpse Buildings across the planet to collapse, and submitted documents renouncing the Cosmic Alliance's final harvest.
• Zhang Guangmu gave the survivors the Dark Corpse virus antibody serum and production data, along with a treasure map to one million embryonic pods.
• Zhang Guangmu told the survivors that Zhang Guangmu had died happy, then scattered into sand as the world of "Corpse Buildings" froze.

Zhang Guangmu returned from Corpse Mansion with an excellent final evaluation, though Dao rated him only good. After reuniting with the cast and crew, he heard Director Meng Lingrui regret revealing too much of the story, while Director Zhou Mo praised its tragic deaths.

• Zhang Guangmu received a good evaluation from Dao, excellent evaluations from Buddha and Confucianism, and an excellent final evaluation for Corpse Mansion.
• Zhang Guangmu left the Infiltration Pod and reunited with Jiang Ling, Ma Wu, and Wang Shangqing, while Xiao Jin Quan left in embarrassment and Liu Jingang remained inside.
• Zhang Guangmu learned that the long-haired girl was named Gu Zhiyan and considered her capable of continuing as a subconscious actor if she found a suitable stage.
• Meng Lingrui regretted continuing the film after the Strategist's death and said she would reflect on her mistakes.
• Zhou Mo defended Corpse Mansion and praised the deaths of the Strategist and the Lord of Earth as art and beauty.

Zhang Guangmu suggested cutting the Lord of Earth's scenes from "Corpse Mansion," and Meng Lingrui decided to leave the ending as an unseen Easter egg for future audiences. He received one and a half times his acting pay, bringing his balance to 3,025 Dragon Shields, and returned home to find Mooncake upset.

• Zhou Mo praised Zhang Guangmu's acting and said he wished the ending of "Armored Age: Cold Light" had been more tragic.
• Zhang Guangmu suggested deleting the Lord of Earth's scenes from "Corpse Mansion," and Meng Lingrui agreed to make the cut.
• Meng Lingrui told Zhang Guangmu he would receive at least one and a half times his pay for playing two roles.
• Zhang Guangmu received 732 Dragon Shields, raising his account balance from 2,293 to 3,025.
• Zhang Guangmu left the production building, went shopping, and returned home to find Mooncake complaining at a virtual screen.

Zhang Guangmu discovered that Mooncake had argued online with film critic Gambling Life with a Sword over his performance in Corpse Mansion. He stepped in to defend her, provoked the critic into losing his temper, and ended with the critic offering to negotiate.

• Zhang Guangmu read Gambling Life with a Sword's review praising his performance in Corpse Mansion but criticizing his role as Lord of Earth, and found most of its ten objections hollow.
• Mooncake revealed that she had posted under Household 002 and argued with Gambling Life with a Sword, who had mocked her and Zhang Guangmu.
• Zhang Guangmu comforted Mooncake and posted a sarcastic rebuttal accusing Gambling Life with a Sword of forcing criticism and possibly plagiarizing other reviewers.
• Gambling Life with a Sword threatened Zhang Guangmu with a lawyer's letter, but Zhang replied mockingly and continued arguing until the critic lost his temper and cursed.
• Gambling Life with a Sword withdrew his curses, then admitted Zhang Guangmu had deliberately provoked him and asked what he wanted in exchange for deleting the chat records.

Zhang Guangmu stood up for Household 002, then reflected on his acting principles and the potential of the Imperial Body Forging Technique. His Usable Ability Points arrived, revealing a new illustration of his strategist character severing his infected wrist in Corpse Building.

• Zhang Guangmu showed Gambling Life with a Sword the exchange where he had mocked Household 002, prompting Gambling Life with a Sword to delete his replies.
• Zhang Guangmu decided to save useful criticism from Gambling Life with a Sword and reflected on accepting valid feedback while continuing to improve his acting.
• Zhang Guangmu considered the Imperial Body Forging Technique a comprehensive foundation-building method whose upper limit might be far beyond what he had assumed.
• Zhang Guangmu received one Usable Ability Point and saw a new illustration of the strategist severing his infected wrist with a fire axe.
• Zhang Guangmu named the illustration the Strategist Severing Wrist Diagram and read Book Bro's commentary about harsh remedies and decisive action.

Zhang Guangmu reviewed his abilities and shortcomings, then chatted with Li Xiaoxiao about the Transcendent Club and his first contact with the Transcendent. Li Xiaoxiao watched Zhang Guangmu’s recording, was stunned by its spectacular display, and called him the reincarnation of Pangu.

• Zhang Guangmu checked his Personal Ability Panel, decided to save his one Usable Ability Point, and reflected on his weaknesses in driving, chemistry, and writing.
• Zhang Guangmu considered how his first year in the profession had improved his abilities and brought him reliable companions and fans.
• While eating with Mooncake, Zhang Guangmu replied to Li Xiaoxiao’s challenge to spar and told the group about the Transcendent Club.
• Li Xiaoxiao learned that Zhang Guangmu had visited the Transcendent Club before him and searched for the video record of Zhang Guangmu’s first contact with the Transcendent.
• Li Xiaoxiao watched the recording, saw powers and projections swirling around Zhang Guangmu, and exclaimed that he seemed like Pangu reborn.

After the group watched a video of Zhang Guangmu’s spectacular awakening at the Transcendent Club, he promised to take everyone there if they performed well in next year’s competition. The conversation ended with Luo Zhuan announcing he had landed a role in an esports film and asking for company.

• Zhang Guangmu watched the recording of his awakening and exchanged teasing messages with Li Xiaoxiao.
• Jiang Ling, Tang Lanshan, and the other group members watched the video and reacted with shock, while Zhao Zhengrong remained calm.
• Zhang Guangmu told the group that next year’s “The Path of the Great Emperor” would be harder and offered to guide them to the Transcendent Club if they did well.
• The group members renewed their training efforts, though Tang Lanshan and Jiang Ling planned to focus on studying and recovering at home.
• Luo Zhuan said he had landed a role in an esports film scheduled to begin filming in about a month, but lacked confidence about going alone.

Luo Zuan invited Zhang Guangmu and the crew to join the open-world esports production "Forging the Zenith: Esports King," and Zhang Guangmu agreed. Li Xiaoxiao also volunteered, leaving the group ready to enter a three-year story covering three world seasons.

• Luo Zuan shared information about "Forging the Zenith: Esports King," a sandbox-style film about three aspiring protagonists with cheats competing to become world champion.
• Zhang Guangmu read the materials and agreed to join, declaring that they would conquer the world and defeat the cheaters.
• Li Xiaoxiao questioned Zhang Guangmu's anti-cheat stance because he had used cheats in single-player games, then decided to join the production.
• The production team arranged to compress the three-year story into preseason matches, regular-season matches, and a best-of-five world championship match for each season.

Zhang Guangmu, Li Xiaoxiao, and Luo Zhuan joined Director Yan Xiaoxian’s production of "Apex of E-sports," where their roles were made more challenging after negotiations. Zhang Guangmu gained a Usable Ability Point, strengthened his Imperial Body Forging Technique, and set out for the production’s first day of filming.

• Luo Zhuan offered to contact the Director and help Zhang Guangmu and Li Xiaoxiao join "Apex of E-sports."
• Director Yan Xiaoxian cast Zhang Guangmu, Li Xiaoxiao, and Luo Zhuan, then raised the difficulty of their roles from Easy Mode to Hard Mode after discussing the character relationships with them.
• Zhang Guangmu read Director Yan Xiaoxian’s promotional article and gained a Usable Ability Point from the image of the Lord of Earth’s final scene.
• Zhang Guangmu used one Ability Point to raise the Imperial Body Forging Technique to rating 15, improving his impact resistance, endurance, and cold resistance.
• Before dawn, Zhang Guangmu told Mooncake not to open the door for strangers and took a flying car to the filming tower for the first day of "Apex of E-sports."

Zhang Guangmu entered the Great Game World as the owner of the struggling RLG Club, where he had fired three players who were about to awaken powerful abilities. Xiang Heiyan confronted him and demanded an Apex duel, which Zhang Guangmu accepted while asking what Xiang could wager.

• Zhang Guangmu learned that RLG had dismissed three Reserve Protagonists because their poor play and attitudes were hurting the team.
• Manager Xiao Chi told Zhang Guangmu that Xiang Heiyan had left the training base and that the club was preparing a talent acquisition plan.
• Xiang Heiyan arrived at Zhang Guangmu’s door, suppressed his anger, and challenged him to an Apex duel.
• Zhang Guangmu accepted the challenge, boasted about his esports talent, and asked Xiang Heiyan to provide a sufficient wager.
• Li Shisan watched from the sky and felt embarrassed as Zhang Guangmu imitated his old chuunibyou manner of speaking.

Zhang Guangmu and Xiang Heiyan agreed to settle their dispute with a one-on-one Apex duel. Xiang Heiyan picked General with a Giant Axe, while Zhang Guangmu chose the heavily weakened Young Law Saint, leaving Xiang Heiyan convinced the match would be an easy win.

• Zhang Guangmu praised Xiang Heiyan's confidence while privately recognizing that Xiang Heiyan's selfish play made him unsuitable for the RLG team.
• Xiang Heiyan considered raising the stakes, but Zhang Guangmu offered him a recommendation to return to professional play if he won and a paid-for year with RLG if he lost under certain salary conditions.
• Zhang Guangmu proposed a top-lane duel, first to fifty-one wins in a hundred rounds, and Xiang Heiyan accepted.
• Xiang Heiyan chose General with a Giant Axe, then watched Zhang Guangmu select Young Law Saint and assumed he had been given the match.

Zhang Guangmu repeatedly defeated Xiang Heiyan in fifty-two duels, showing that his skill was far beyond Xiang’s expectations. Xiang admitted defeat after winning only one match, while the Little White Balls watched and discussed the heroes.

• Xiang Heiyan lost a duel to Zhang Guangmu’s Young Law Saint and demanded a rematch, blaming his poor performance.
• Zhang Guangmu defeated Xiang Heiyan’s General with a Giant Axe using Cold Light Human King in a close level-one fight.
• Zhang Guangmu won a third duel with Second Generation of Changhe, causing Xiang Heiyan to recognize his strength.
• The Little White Balls watched the matches and talked about Zhang Guangmu’s heroes and their possible addition to Imperial Duel.
• After fifty-two matches, Xiang Heiyan had won only one and admitted defeat to Zhang Guangmu.

After losing to Zhang Guangmu, Xiang Heiyan discovered an X Simulator that let him preview matches and received a tryout offer from the TUI team. Zhang Guangmu returned to RLG Club to address the lineup vacancies, then saw former jungler Shang Zicheng publicly taunt the team.

• Xiang Heiyan lost his duel with Zhang Guangmu, left in shame, and worried that no club would take him in.
• After hitting a utility pole, Xiang Heiyan discovered an X in his vision and learned it could simulate matches in "Ultimate" to reveal winning openings.
• The TUI team manager offered Xiang Heiyan a tryout after Zhang Baimu recommended him, and Xiang Heiyan eagerly accepted.
• Zhang Guangmu arrived at RLG Club, where Zhang Baimu, Li Xiaoxiao, and Luo Zhuan remained as starters after three players were fired.
• Zhang Guangmu noticed Shang Zicheng's public post taunting RLG's management and claiming the team would never win a championship without him.

After Shang Zicheng publicly criticized RLG, Zhang Guangmu deduced that the former jungler had joined SUO and was helping his new team stir up publicity. His deduction appeared to be confirmed when SUO general manager Wang Tiangang called him.

• Zhang Guangmu projected Shang Zicheng’s statement, angering RLG’s players and staff, while Luo Zhuan posted a question mark beneath it.
• Zhang Guangmu argued that Shang Zicheng’s behavior was out of character and suggested he had already signed with a new team as a substitute jungler.
• Zhang Guangmu concluded that Shang Zicheng was cooperating with SUO or TEA to generate controversy and pledge allegiance to his new employer.
• SUO general manager Wang Tiangang called Zhang Guangmu, who answered on speakerphone while Zhang Baimu recognized that his brother was putting on an act.

Zhang Guangmu negotiated with SUO Club for compensation and requested Wan Senluo, a little-known substitute top laner, for RLG. Wang Tiangang approved the transfer, unaware that Wan Senluo would later become a remarkable marksman.

• Wang Tiangang told Zhang Guangmu that Shang Zicheng had signed an extreme contract with SUO and offered compensation for his role in the public-relations campaign.
• Zhang Guangmu declined money and asked to buy players from SUO’s second team or youth academy, specifically naming Wan Senluo.
• Wang Tiangang suspected Wan Senluo might be a hidden talent and ordered SUO analysts to review his records.
• After consulting the analysts and coaches, Wang Tiangang decided Wan Senluo was an ordinary top laner and approved his transfer to RLG.
• SUO and RLG announced that Wan Senluo had officially joined RLG as a substitute top laner.

Wan Senluo joined RLG as a marksman, where Zhang Guangmu and the team welcomed him and prepared him for a preseason showdown against his former team, SUO. After four secret friendly matches fueled public anticipation, RLG faced SUO in the Season Six preseason opener, with Zhang Guangmu listed as RLG’s starting top laner.

• Wan Senluo arrived at RLG, where Luo Zhuan and Zhang Baimu welcomed him while Li Xiaoxiao remained distant.
• Zhang Guangmu told Wan Senluo he would switch from top lane to marksman and pair with Zhang Baimu, encouraging him before their matches against SUO.
• Wan Senluo learned that Zhang Guangmu would be RLG’s new starting top laner, while Li Xiaoxiao promised to secure lane priority and help him.
• RLG and SUO played four friendly matches that were publicly described as a 50–50 draw, and their recordings were destroyed.
• RLG, led by Zhang Guangmu, faced Shang Zicheng’s SUO in the Season Six preseason opening match, with Zhang Guangmu appearing in RLG’s starting lineup.

Wang Tiangang expected SUO to easily defeat RLG after seeing Zhang Guangmu in the top lane, but Zhang Guangmu surprised everyone by killing Yichuan first. The match was still underway, with Yichuan protesting that Zhang Guangmu’s damage was abnormal.

• Wang Tiangang realized Zhang Guangmu would start as RLG’s top laner and ordered SUO to focus him with aggressive picks and ganks.
• Zhang Guangmu chose the top lane because he believed the current version made top laners the main carries, while Luo Zhuan and Wan Senluo nervously entered hero selection.
• SUO treated the draft casually, and Zhang Guangmu picked Cold Light Human King for the first game.
• Yichuan mocked Zhang Guangmu’s pick and chose Bald Butcher, expecting to kill him before level six.
• Zhang Guangmu solo-killed Yichuan and claimed First Blood, leaving Yichuan insisting that Zhang Guangmu’s damage was strangely fast.

Zhang Guangmu used a fast combo with [Cold Light Human King] to repeatedly kill SUO’s top laner and jungler, while RLG took the dragon and built a lead. SUO’s Yichuan retreated to farm under his turret, hoping his team’s advantage in the bottom lane would carry them through team fights.

• Zhang Guangmu solo-killed Yichuan in the top lane before either side reached level two, prompting SUO to become more cautious.
• Zhang Guangmu read SUO’s planned top-lane gank and sent Luo Zhuan to take the dragon instead.
• Yichuan and The Blind ganked Zhang Guangmu, but he killed both of them with a combo that used [Ignite] to refresh [The Supreme].
• RLG’s players praised Zhang Guangmu as Li Xiaoxiao recognized that his talent stacks and animation-canceling explained the combo’s abnormal damage.
• After conceding three kills and losing the dragon, Yichuan’s confidence and play deteriorated, so he stayed beneath his turret and waited for team fights.

Zhang Guangmu led SUO to surrender with Cold Light Human King, prompting Wang Tiangang to send Shang Zicheng into the next game against his former team, RLG. Shang Zicheng entered confident and planned to focus his early ganks on Zhang Guangmu.

• Zhang Guangmu used Cold Light Human King's ultimate and charged Q-flash to kill SUO's marksman, after which SUO surrendered.
• Wang Tiangang decided to ban Cold Light Human King and use the preseason to test substitute jungler Shang Zicheng.
• Wang Tiangang sent Shang Zicheng onto the field for SUO's next game against RLG.
• Shang Zicheng promised his teammates he would carry and said he would focus on ganking Zhang Guangmu early.
• Shang Zicheng planned to sacrifice jungle resources to gank Zhang Guangmu repeatedly and vent his anger at his former team.

Zhang Guangmu and Shang Zicheng faced off in the second match between RLG and SUO, with Shang relying on his cheat that guaranteed important dragon steals. Zhang dominated the top lane early, but Shang controlled the jungle and led SUO to start the major dragon, confident RLG could not steal it while he was alive.

• The Little White Balls explained that Shang Zicheng’s cheat combined a Global Cheat with a guaranteed dragon-steal effect, and Zhang Guangmu reasoned that killing Shang’s team first could counter it.
• SUO banned Zhang’s Cold Light Human King, and Zhang chose the Wolf Fortress Lord while Shang picked the weak early-game Weeping Pharaoh jungle.
• Zhang Guangmu killed Yichuan’s General with a Giant Axe at level one using an A-flash, leaving Yichuan determined to play safely under his tower.
• Shang dismissed Yichuan’s early death and said he would secure the first minor dragon while the top laner held back.
• Shang outplayed RLG’s jungler, secured the Fire and Earth minor dragons, and stole the Earth Dragon from Luo Zhuan.
• Shang led SUO to start the major dragon and declared that RLG could not steal it while he remained alive.

Shang Zicheng’s SUO team secured Baron after Luo Zhuan’s steal attempt failed, but Zhang Guangmu turned the ensuing fight into a pentakill. He answered Shang’s boastful chat message by claiming that he was the true Chosen One.

• Shang Zicheng led SUO to start Baron, and Luo Zhuan flashed into the pit to steal it but used Smite just too early; Shang secured Baron, and Luo and Zhang Baimu died.
• Shang typed, “I came! I saw! I conquered!” and “I'm the Chosen One! I'm the Only One!” in public chat, then canceled his recall when he saw Zhang Guangmu approaching.
• Shang attacked Zhang with his Weeping Pharaoh, but Zhang blocked the control effect and reflected it, then killed Shang with a rapid Wolf Fortress Lord combo.
• Zhang charged forward with Li Xiaoxiao and Wan Senluo, and RLG wiped out SUO as Zhang secured a pentakill.
• Zhang replied in public chat that he might be the person Shang had called the Chosen One.

Shang Zicheng’s SUO team lost to RLG after Zhang Guangmu’s split pushing and RLG’s decisive attack overwhelmed them. After the match, Zhang Guangmu received a call from Wei Yan, the final Reserve Protagonist, who proposed a business deal.

• Shang Zicheng led SUO to secure map resources but gave RLG a chance to take a Total Annihilation, allowing them to build a decisive advantage.
• Shang Zicheng ordered three teammates to help catch Zhang Guangmu while their mid laner defended, but Zhang Guangmu retreated and RLG killed the mid laner instead.
• RLG destroyed SUO’s base, and Shang Zicheng left the match in defeat before shaking hands with Zhang Guangmu.
• Zhang Guangmu treated the RLG staff to a lavish feast after their victory over SUO.
• Wei Yan called Zhang Guangmu and offered him a business proposition.