Chapter Summaries

Meng Lingrui and the other directors debated Zhang Guangmu’s decision to join Corpse Tower, with Meng confirming he would be part of its protagonist group as a test. Zhang Guangmu entered the Film World and woke up after a twin-tailed girl told him they had been kidnapped.

• Sun Yanwu, Zhou Mo, and Xu Qianqiu expressed concern about Zhang Guangmu’s choices and his effort to try a new kind of role.
• Meng Lingrui said Zhang Guangmu had a place in Corpse Tower’s protagonist group and would not be special in that world.
• Zhang Guangmu read the cryptic synopsis and script for Corpse Tower and grew curious about the film.
• Zhang Guangmu traveled to the production building, greeted Meng Lingrui and the actors, and entered the Infiltration Pod.
• Zhang Guangmu successfully infiltrated the Film World and woke as a twin-tailed girl shook his shoulder and said they had been kidnapped.

Zhang Guangmu and Jiang Ling woke up shackled in an abandoned classroom with several other captives, and Zhang Guangmu assessed the room and the apparent corpse on the floor. As he rejected a stranger’s offer to team up, a bloodied claw burst through the youth’s back and tore out his heart.

• Zhang Guangmu realized his body was an ordinary young man’s, then recognized Jiang Ling and told her to stay close to him.
• Zhang Guangmu and Jiang Ling found themselves among handcuffed and shackled captives in a locked, abandoned classroom.
• Zhang Guangmu inspected the room and concluded that the motionless person on the floor was likely dead.
• A blond, blue-eyed youth named Geng proposed teaming up, claiming his Sixth Sense and observation skills made him trustworthy.
• Zhang Guangmu urged Geng to focus on finding a way out, but a bloodied claw pierced Geng’s back and tore out his heart.

Zhang Guangmu and Jiang Ling escaped the locked classroom as living corpses slaughtered the students, but the chained main entrance blocked their way out. A boy called to them from the Security Room, offering a possible refuge.

• A living corpse tore out the boy surnamed Geng's heart, then killed a girl and attacked other students after their screams drew its attention.
• Zhang Guangmu grabbed Jiang Ling and led the students in ramming the locked classroom door while refusing to fight the far stronger living corpse.
• The living corpse killed three people as the group finally broke the lock and fled into the corridor.
• Zhang Guangmu saw bloody debris, more living corpses, and the chained main entrance, then searched desperately for a way to survive.
• A slicked-back-haired boy called Zhang Guangmu and the others toward the Security Room, saying it was free of monsters.

Zhang Guangmu and Jiang Ling escaped the zombies by reaching the Security Room with Ma Wu’s help, then introduced themselves and assessed their chances of survival. Above the movie, Director Meng Lingrui explained to Director Zhou Mo that Zhang Guangmu had to accept his ordinary human limits, declaring that he was not special in this world.

• Zhang Guangmu grabbed Jiang Ling and ran with her toward the Security Room, where Ma Wu held the door open until they made it inside.
• Ma Wu introduced himself as a former college student and occasional fitness instructor, while Zhang Guangmu presented himself as a writer and Jiang Ling as his younger sister with medical knowledge.
• Jiang Ling checked Zhang Guangmu’s back and found that a zombie’s nails had nearly pierced his skin, but his muscle control had kept him from being injured.
• Director Zhou Mo questioned the danger of the opening, and Director Meng Lingrui said Zhang Guangmu had to recognize that he was an ordinary human who could be hurt or killed.

Zhang Guangmu told the survivors that their situation was a staged experiment and used evidence from the locked, reinforced windows to support his claim. He revealed that he had found keys to unlock their Shackles, giving the group a better chance against the living corpses.

• Zhou Mo and Meng Lingrui discussed the survivors’ prospects and learned the two teams’ routes would determine whether and when they met.
• Zhang Guangmu concluded that he and Jiang Ling could not reach the second floor alone and told the survivors the building was part of a Reality Show or live experiment.
• A skeptical student tested the Security Room window, but Zhang Guangmu explained that its reinforced glass could not be broken.
• Zhang Guangmu dropped his unlocked Shackles and showed the survivors the keys he had found, explaining that freeing their legs improved their odds against the living corpses.
• The argumentative student unlocked his Shackles, passed the keys along, and apologized to Zhang Guangmu.

Zhang Guangmu began organizing the survivors and assessing their abilities, while Liu Jingang apologized and Ma Wu helped ease tensions. The group started preparing to work together to survive, with Zhang Guangmu aiming to become indispensable rather than relying on money or status.

• Liu Jingang apologized to Zhang Guangmu and offered to be slapped, hoping to show that he was principled and trustworthy.
• Zhang Guangmu accepted Liu Jingang’s apology and said the survivors needed to stick together.
• A timid-looking girl asked Zhang Guangmu to repeat his explanation, and he had Jiang Ling explain it to her.
• Zhang Guangmu assessed the survivors’ abilities and focused on uniting their goals so they could survive the Corpse Building.
• Jiang Ling repeated Zhang Guangmu’s observations about the danger, and the survivors memorized the creature’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Ma Wu introduced himself as a clerical worker and demonstrated his strength by lifting a table loaded with documents.

Zhang Guangmu led the survivors in assessing their supplies and the animated corpses, then proposed using a flashlight and contacting other survivors. A voice outside the Security Room claimed to be human.

• Ma Wu explained that despite his strength, he had no combat training and had been terrified during the escape.
• Xiao Jin Quan introduced himself as an experienced survival-club member and tried to position himself as the group's leader.
• The survivors searched the Security Room, found limited food, water, and equipment, and divided the instant noodles.
• Zhang Guangmu noted that only six classroom doors had been forced open and suggested testing whether strong light could affect the animated corpses.
• Zhang Guangmu reasoned that other survivors might be elsewhere in the building, but a measured knock interrupted him.
• A young, hoarse voice outside the door said, "I'm human, not a monster."

Zhang Guangmu recognized the survivor outside as Wang Shangqing and used persuasion to convince the Security Room survivors to open the door. The group voted to let him in, and Wang Shangqing charged into the room.

• Zhang Guangmu recognized the voice outside as Wang Shangqing, the protagonist of Corpse Building.
• Zhang Guangmu argued that the living corpses were unlikely to speak and that the survivors would eventually need to leave the Security Room for water.
• Jiang Ling, Ma Wu, and Liu Jingang supported Zhang Guangmu, while Xiao Jin Quan opposed opening the door.
• Zhang Guangmu held a vote, and only Xiao Jin Quan raised his hand against opening the door.
• Zhang Guangmu opened the door, and Wang Shangqing rushed into the Security Room.

Wang Shangqing entered the Security Room after Zhang Guangmu let him in, and revealed that living corpses ignored him after one bit him. Impressed by Zhang Guangmu’s deductions, Wang Shangqing asked him to become his military advisor and promised he would be indispensable to the team.

• Zhang Guangmu shut the door and tossed Wang Shangqing the keys to his shackles.
• Wang Shangqing introduced himself and singled out Zhang Guangmu, Ma Wu, and Jiang Ling as the survivors he viewed favorably.
• Wang Shangqing praised Zhang Guangmu’s analysis and asked him to become his military advisor.
• Zhang Guangmu deduced that six living corpses were in the corridor, other survivors were in the Teacher's Office, and Wang Shangqing had an ability that made the monsters ignore him or sleep.
• Wang Shangqing revealed that a living corpse had bitten him but that he had not mutated, and he asked Zhang Guangmu for help leading the survivors.

Zhang Guangmu and the survivors accepted Wang Shangqing as their provisional captain and discussed how Living Corpses mutated and could be killed. Wang Shangqing searched ten classrooms and returned with supplies, a key, and the results of Zhang Guangmu’s test, announcing that they had found the Living Corpses’ weakness.

• Zhang Guangmu accepted Wang Shangqing as provisional captain, and Jiang Ling, Ma Wu, and the other survivors followed suit.
• Zhang Guangmu asked Wang Shangqing about infection, who explained that mutation times varied and that Living Corpses could still bite after decapitation.
• Wang Shangqing rejected Xiao Jin Quan’s suggestion to use his ability to clear the first floor, explaining that Living Corpses fought back when attacked.
• Zhang Guangmu advised Wang Shangqing to search ten classrooms and lure Living Corpses inside, and Wang Shangqing set out equipped with protective gear.
• About an hour later, Wang Shangqing returned with the handcuff key, a backpack of supplies, and test results, telling Zhang Guangmu they had found the Living Corpses’ weakness.

Wang Shangqing reported that salt and glutinous rice failed against the living corpses, while bright lights could slow them, and led the survivors to break through toward the second floor in search of water. The team charged into the corridor with a plan to restrain and evade the corpses, but Xiao Jin Quan's laser pointer began to flicker just as they confronted the one still able to move freely.

• Wang Shangqing explained that salt and glutinous rice did not affect the living corpses, but high-intensity flashlights and a laser pointer could slow them down.
• Wang Shangqing revealed that the survivors were nearly out of water and proposed splitting into two groups to break through to the second floor.
• Wang Shangqing said he had lured three living corpses into classrooms, leaving three more in the corridor, and ordered the survivors to join the risky push.
• Wang Shangqing assigned the survivors their positions and led the charge, while Xiao Jin Quan and Liu Jingang used the laser pointer and flashlight to slow two corpses.
• Wang Shangqing charged at the remaining free-moving corpse with his fire axe, but Xiao Jin Quan's laser pointer began to flicker.

Xiao Jin Quan’s panic caused the survivors’ retreat to collapse, and Liu Jingang was eaten after trying to use Zhang Guangmu as a shield. Zhang Guangmu survived the fight against a Living Corpse, but Ma Wu noticed that his hand was injured.

• Xiao Jin Quan fled and dropped the faulty Laser Pointer, while Liu Jingang’s flashlight fell and the Living Corpses attacked the survivors.
• Wang Shangqing disabled the fastest Living Corpse with his ax as the remaining Living Corpses caught up with the fleeing group.
• Liu Jingang tried to drag Zhang Guangmu into danger, but Zhang Guangmu turned to confront a Living Corpse and Liu Jingang fell behind and was attacked.
• Ma Wu retrieved the Laser Pointer, but it failed; Jiang Ling then used the powerful flashlight to control the Living Corpse fighting Zhang Guangmu.
• Wang Shangqing decapitated the controlled Living Corpse, and Ma Wu killed the last one with the fire ax.
• Ma Wu noticed Zhang Guangmu’s hand and his smile froze.

After Zhang Guangmu was scratched by a reanimated corpse, the survivors reached the second floor while searching for an antidote. He then amputated his own left hand to keep the infection from spreading.

• Wang Shangqing killed the wounded Liu Jingang after condemning his betrayal.
• Zhang Guangmu ordered Jiang Ling to bind his injured arm and joined the survivors heading to the second floor.
• Ma Wu beat Xiao Jin Quan for his role in the failed mission, and Wang Shangqing threatened to use him as cannon fodder next time.
• Zhang Guangmu explained that he had turned back to avoid the team being picked off while fleeing.
• Zhang Guangmu disinfected the fire axe, placed his injured hand on an iron box, and chopped it off.

After chopping off his infected hand, Zhang Guangmu learned that the amputation had only delayed the infection and set out to help the others escape the building before he mutated. The antidote was believed to be on the eighteenth floor, leaving the group racing against time as Wang Shangqing vowed to find it.

• Zhang Guangmu amputated his hand to slow the Living Corpse Virus, and Jiang Ling treated the wound.
• The Little White Balls confirmed that Zhang Guangmu was still infected, though his emergency measures had bought him at least half an hour.
• Zhang Guangmu resolved to get Jiang Ling, Wang Shangqing, Ma Wu, and the others out of the building before he mutated.
• Ma Wu tried to encourage the group by insisting an antidote must be nearby, but Zhang Guangmu knew it was suspected to be on the eighteenth floor.
• Zhang Guangmu praised Jiang Ling's bandaging and reassured the survivors while recovering from the amputation.
• Wang Shangqing rallied the group to explore the second floor and promised Zhang Guangmu he would find the antidote.

Wang Shangqing led the survivor teams in searching the second floor while Zhang Guangmu rested in a safe room, injured and suspected of infection. After Jiang Ling revealed the safe’s combination through iodine vapor, Zhang Guangmu opened it and found dragon-carved pistols and golden bullets, while the living corpses remained locked in the restroom.

• Wang Shangqing guided the joined survivor teams through a search of the second floor while Zhang Guangmu stayed behind to recover.
• The survivors heard water and living corpse roars in the locked restroom but decided to open the metal safe before confronting them.
• Ma Wu explained that the safe had a four-digit combination and was too durable to break open, while Zhang Guangmu said they could make unlimited attempts.
• Jiang Ling heated iodine in a metal can, revealing four fingerprints on the safe’s combination dial.
• Zhang Guangmu entered the combination correctly on his first try and opened the safe, revealing two dragon-carved pistols and several golden bullets.

Zhang Guangmu and the survivors opened a safe, found two pistols and twelve bullets, and divided them between Zhang and Wang Shangqing. Zhang spent a point to raise Firearms Shooting to level 2, then the dehydrated group set out for the second-floor washrooms in search of water.

• The survivors opened the safe using the code 4396 and found two Dragon Hunter Type II pistols and ammunition.
• Wang Shangqing gave one pistol to Zhang Guangmu and kept the other, splitting the twelve bullets between them.
• Zhang Guangmu used a Usable Ability Point to raise Firearms Shooting to level 2 and gained greatly improved marksmanship.
• As dehydration worsened and a girl collapsed, Wang Shangqing led the survivors toward the second-floor washrooms where water was still running.

Wang Shangqing led the survivor team to the restroom, where Xiao Jin Quan was killed by a living corpse and the others were attacked. Zhang Guangmu shot down all three corpses with three accurate shots, turning the fight in the team’s favor.

• Wang Shangqing took the survivor team to the restroom and ordered Xiao Jin Quan to open the door as a test.
• Xiao Jin Quan opened the restroom door, and three living corpses rushed out, ignoring the flashlight’s beam.
• One corpse bit through Xiao Jin Quan’s neck and killed him, while another knocked the Black Long Straight Haired Girl down and severed her arm.
• Wang Shangqing missed his shot at a charging corpse and rushed toward Zhang Guangmu with his fire axe.
• Zhang Guangmu fired three shots with the Dragon Hunter Type II and killed all three living corpses.

After the team treated the long black-haired girl's infected injury by amputating her arm, Wang Shangqing vented his anger on a hidden living corpse and gave Zhang Guangmu his remaining bullets. As the survivors prepared to head to the third floor, Zhang Guangmu stopped them to say something.

• Jiang Ling treated the long black-haired girl's wound, and Wang Shangqing forced her to agree to an amputation to prevent her from mutating into a living corpse.
• Wang Shangqing blamed himself for Zhang Guangmu's injury, then found a hidden living corpse in the men's restroom and hacked it apart with his fire ax.
• Wang Shangqing gave Zhang Guangmu his remaining five bullets, bringing Zhang Guangmu's usable total to eight.
• Zhang Guangmu explained how 84 disinfectant and toilet cleaner could be used or could produce poisonous chlorine gas when mixed.
• Wang Shangqing proposed going to the third floor, but Zhang Guangmu asked the team to wait because he had something to say.

Zhang Guangmu theorized that the living corpses on each floor represented different professions and had distinct weaknesses, while Director Meng Lingrui and Zhou Mo discussed his importance and the likely tragedy of the scenario. The survivor team followed Wang Shangqing to the third floor to find an antidote, where three white-coated living corpses attacked him despite his Golden Finger.

• Zhang Guangmu suggested that the first- and second-floor corpses represented students and white-collar workers, with different behavioral patterns and weaknesses.
• The survivors considered which professions the third-floor corpses might represent, and Zhang Guangmu pointed to doctors or barbers based on the building's setup and the items they had found.
• Director Meng Lingrui reconsidered Zhang Guangmu's role in the team, while Zhou Mo argued that failing to escape could become a memorable turning point in Zhang Guangmu's story.
• Wang Shangqing ordered the team to move quickly and search for an antidote, saying he could not relax until Zhang Guangmu was safe.
• Wang Shangqing led the survivor team to the third floor, where three white-coated living corpses charged at him as his Golden Finger appeared to fail.

Wang Shangqing led the survivors through the clinic floor, where the living corpses targeted him with infected blood while Zhang Guangmu supported the fight despite his injuries. After the team searched the floor and reached a barbershop-like fourth floor, Zhang Guangmu realized he was close to mutating into a mindless living corpse.

• The injured long black-haired girl struggled to keep up as Wang Shangqing led the survivors to the third floor, where white-coated living corpses focused their attacks on him.
• Wang Shangqing charged the living corpses with his ax while Zhang Guangmu and the other survivors fought alongside him; one survivor was bitten to death, and Wang Shangqing was injured.
• Ma Wu concluded that the white-coated corpses had tried to infect Wang Shangqing, and he organized the search of the third floor while Zhang Guangmu rested and found inspiration in the rusted medical equipment.
• The survivors gathered supplies, including more than ten bullets, while Wang Shangqing led the way onto the fourth floor, whose layout resembled a barbershop.
• Zhang Guangmu confirmed that his deduction about the building was correct but feared he was nearing the point of mutating into a mindless living corpse.