Chapter Summaries

As Nightless Sky Fire Apricot’s coming-of-age ceremony approached, guests speculated about Sherlock’s absence while the Solence Family and Security Bureau moved against him. Nightless Sky Huo Le sent people to find Sherlock first, but Paris discovered that his agents seemed to have defected.

• Guests at the Nightless Sky Family banquet wondered why Sherlock had not arrived, while Saint Orchid Kui and Alter Mercury discussed how Sherlock might win Fire Apricot’s favor.
• Ba told Saint Orchid Kui that Security Bureau personnel had arrived with the Solence Family, and Saint Orchid Kui chose to wait while remaining ready to help Sherlock.
• Nightless Sky Huo Le saw the Security Bureau approaching on surveillance and asked Paris to send people to locate Sherlock before they did.
• Paris tried to contact his agents and reported to Nightless Sky Huo Le that they seemed to have defected.

Fopolo interrupted Nightless Sky Fire Apricot’s coming-of-age ceremony with a magic show, drawing every guest’s attention away from the waiting birthday girl. He made rain rise back into the sky and return as an array of dishes, leaving the nobles astonished.

• Paris told Nightless Sky Huo Le that Stiller had likely sided with Fopolo and hidden his whereabouts.
• Paris pointed out Fopolo’s orange car near the back entrance of the Nightless Sky Family residence, prompting Nightless Sky Huo Le to question what he was doing.
• Nightless Sky Huo Le welcomed the Royal Nobles and led them into the auditorium to await Nightless Sky Fire Apricot’s entrance.
• The nobles discussed their hopes of marrying Nightless Sky Fire Apricot as her coming-of-age ceremony approached.
• Fopolo stepped onto the stage, introduced himself, and announced his magic show, Food From the Sky.
• Fopolo made rain fall over the stage, rise back into the sky, and return as delicious dishes.

Sherlock’s surprise performance at Huoxing’s coming-of-age ceremony was interrupted when the Security Bureau accused him of murder and a contract killing. Nightless Sky Huo Le confronted the arrest, but Nightless Sky Huo Xian revealed his support for the bureau and his desire for Huoshu to inherit their mother’s position.

• Sherlock performed a food-producing magic show, and Truth Company’s staff shared the food with the audience.
• Nightless Sky Huo Le and Paris discussed whether Sherlock had prepared for the Solence Family’s plans.
• The Security Bureau director accused Sherlock of three murders and involvement in a contract killing, citing footprints and DNA as evidence.
• Sherlock pretended to flee, prompting a fight between Truth Company’s staff and Security Bureau experts, before Huo Le ordered them to stop.
• Huo Le challenged the arrest and Larry Solence’s authority, while Nightless Sky Huo Xian admitted he had invited the bureau and backed Huoshu as their mother’s successor.

Nightless Sky Huo Le accepted that Nightless Sky Huo Xian and the Solence Family had arranged Sherlock’s arrest, and promised to secure his release and retaliate. President Paris protected the Truth Company guards while privately fearing that Sherlock really had helped plan the assassination, as the ceremony resumed before the conflict could escalate.

• Nightless Sky Huo Le apologized to Sherlock, promised to free him, and left as the Security Bureau took him away.
• President Paris challenged Director Dyke and Larry Solence over the arrest of the Truth Company guards, and Larry ordered the Bureau to take only those involved in the case.
• Stiller told President Paris he did not know what Sherlock had been doing, while Paris privately worried that Sherlock and he had truly joined the assassination plot.
• President Paris saw a Pioneer Team member quietly leave the group and hoped that Nightless Sky Huo Ming knew the plan.
• The ceremony bells rang, and both sides let the confrontation subside rather than risk provoking the Nightless Sky Family Head.

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot’s banquet descended into chaos after corpses revealed her disappearance and a recording exposed her escape and a deadly gas trap. With Great Wilderness People raiding the exhibition hall and the alchemy array sealing everyone inside, the guests learned that Nightless Sky Fire Apricot’s mother had taken control of the array.

• A heap of corpses tumbled into the banquet hall, and Stiller reported that Nightless Sky Fire Apricot was missing while the servants had been bound.
• The servants told Lord Huo Le that Nightless Sky Fire Apricot had attacked them and escaped, and a recording of her mocked the guests and warned of a hidden gift.
• Saint Orchid Lai identified the gas seeping into the hall as Isomerial Combustion Gas and urged everyone to shut down their alchemical creations.
• Great Wilderness People broke into the exhibition hall to steal the Jade Laurel, while the alchemy array raised barriers and sealed the banquet hall and exhibition hall.
• Nightless Sky Fire Apricot revealed that she had lost control of the array and that her mother was the only person with higher authority.

Paris was stabbed during the chaos at the Nightless Sky Family banquet, while Director Dyke discovered that the man he had arrested was actually Stiller in disguise. Inside the sealed exhibition hall, Lin Yu appeared by exploding the aquarium and announced his second magic act.

• Paris was stabbed by someone disguised as Stiller, who said Pankto Feng Valetti sent his regards and that the attack was for Coleman.
• A servant attacked the Mercury Family’s nobles as the banquet descended into further chaos, and Paris realized the supposed Great Wilderness People included Pankto.
• Director Dyke’s identity machine identified the arrested man as the real Stiller, who warned that Dyke’s arrests had endangered the nobles in the hall.
• Nightless Sky Huo Ming wondered how to escape the activated Alchemy Array while clutching the Jade Laurel, then heard Sherlock’s voice offering to help her out.
• Lin Yu appeared from the shattered aquarium, introduced himself as the performer of the second magic act, and named it The Grand Vanishing Act.

Lin Yu revealed himself as the cause of the celebration’s chaos and used the Alchemy Array and seawater to terrorize the nobles. After Nightless Sky Huo Le confronted him, he admitted that the massacre was a conspicuous diversion connected to his plan to kill a Royal Noble.

• Nightless Sky Huo Ming traded Lin Yu four Jade Laurel leaves for safe passage and left with the Great Wilderness People.
• Lin Yu crossed into the auditorium and drowned a duke, then killed a Truth Company executive, prompting the powerful guests to flee.
• Nightless Sky Huo Le stayed in place and accused Lin Yu of using the massacre to conceal his real target.
• Lin Yu confirmed he had used a substitute after the Security Bureau took him away and said Nightless Sky Fire Apricot had exposed a flaw in his plan to act secretly.
• Lin Yu explained that he had changed his approach and made himself conspicuous to carry out the plan to kill a Royal Noble.

Lin Yu exposed his identity as Freud after stealing Nightless Sky Huo Le’s Heavenly Scroll and used the nobles’ mistaken belief in his story to gain the peak mind-and-soul powers of First Generation Freud. With Old Zheng operating those abilities, he commanded everyone in the hall to fall asleep.

• Nightless Sky Huo Le confronted Lin Yu over the deaths and chaos, but he argued that the city’s powerful nobles were complicit in its brutal rules.
• Nightless Sky Huo Le drew the Heavenly Scroll, and Lin Yu struck through her wrist, took the book, and explained that her kindness had given him an opening.
• Lin Yu removed his hat and revealed the glowing brain, telling Nightless Sky Huo Le that he was Freud, not Sherlock, and had stolen Sherlock’s identity.
• Lin Yu used the Tooth of Prophecy and Tongue of Deception to make the nobles believe he possessed First Generation Freud’s peak powers over minds and souls.
• Old Zheng took control of Lin Yu’s newly acquired abilities and ordered everyone in the hall to fall asleep.

Lin Yu revealed that the assassination commission involving Alter Mercury concealed a fifty-year deception tied to the Mercury Family’s succession. The chapter ended with Lin Yu telling Alter Mercury that he was not the Chosen of the God of Life, but a man who had died by accident fifty years earlier.

• Lin Yu finished off surviving nobles named on the Nightless Sky Family Head’s list while the hall slept, clearing obstacles to Nightless Sky Huo Le’s plans.
• Lin Yu brought Old Zheng to Alter Mercury and used Mental Power to wake him.
• Alter Mercury guessed that he was the target of an assassination, and Lin Yu confirmed it before explaining that the commission involved a fifty-year deception.
• Lin Yu connected the deception to Arlan Mercury’s disappearance and Alter Mercury’s succession as head of the Mercury Family.
• Lin Yu told Alter Mercury that Arlan had concealed the truth to keep him alive, and revealed that Alter Mercury had died by accident fifty years ago and was not the Chosen of the God of Life.

Lin Yu discovered that Arter Mercury’s brother, Arlan, had kept Arter alive for fifty years by making everyone believe he was the Chosen of Life. After Arter survived Lin Yu’s attempt to kill him, Lin Yu planned to undo Arlan’s arrangement by convincing people that Arter was truly dead.

• Lin Yu explained that Arlan Mercury had made Arter appear to be the Chosen of Life to keep him alive after he died or nearly died.
• Arter accepted that he should have died long ago and said he would not resist, though he still wanted to live.
• Lin Yu stabbed Arter through the throat, but Arter’s body healed itself and he revived with no memory of being killed.
• Lin Yu considered killing Arter repeatedly but agreed not to use that method unless necessary.
• Lin Yu proposed destroying Arlan’s arrangement by making people believe Arter had died, then asked Nightless Sky Fire Apricot to assess her dolls.

Lin Yu uncovered Nightless Sky Fire Apricot hiding among the corpses and learned how Arlan Mercury used a Faith Ritual to keep Alter Mercury alive. Lin Yu planned to expose Alter Mercury as not being the Chosen of Life and use his belief-based ability to overwrite the ritual, leaving the conflict between his power and the gods’ ritual unresolved.

• Lin Yu deduced that Nightless Sky Fire Apricot was hiding inside one of the corpses, and she emerged and praised his perceptiveness.
• Nightless Sky Fire Apricot greeted Alter Mercury and admitted that she had joined the assassination contract against him.
• Nightless Sky Fire Apricot explained that Arlan Mercury used a Faith Ritual to link a created concept of life to Alter Mercury through the City That Never Sleeps’ belief in him.
• Nightless Sky Fire Apricot estimated that dismantling the ritual had a fifty-percent chance of success, and Lin Yu accepted the odds.
• Lin Yu privately planned to expose Alter Mercury as not the Chosen of Life, then use his belief-based ability to create the fact of his death.

Lin Yu tried to make Arter Mercury appear to die peacefully so he could deceive the Nightless Sky Family and protect Greedo Mercury. As Arter’s body began to glow with powerful Life Energy, Arlan Mercury burst into the hall, threatening Lin Yu’s plan.

• Lin Yu used his abilities to make Arter Mercury believe he would die in his sleep, and Arter wrote a last letter for Greedo Mercury.
• Nightless Sky Fire Apricot swallowed Arter’s letter for safekeeping, and Arter settled down and fell into a deep sleep.
• Lin Yu adjusted Arter’s body to resemble a corpse and explained that they needed to convince people he was dead before thorough examinations exposed the truth.
• The hall’s Alchemy Array trembled as brilliant azure light and Life Energy surged around Arter Mercury’s body.
• Arlan Mercury tore through the hall’s barrier and demanded to know who was trying to kill his elder brother.

Lin Yu faced Arlan Mercury after Arlan discovered his elder brother Arter near death, while Nightless Sky Fire Apricot escaped through a tunnel. Lin Yu and Old Zheng used the fallen nobles’ corpses to hold back Arlan’s Life Giant, beginning a clash between life and death.

• Lin Yu realized Nightless Sky Fire Apricot had fled through a tunnel beneath the auditorium.
• Arlan found Arter in a weakened state and demanded to know why Lin Yu had harmed his elder brother.
• Lin Yu admitted he had acted at someone else’s request, and Arlan attacked him with a giant formed from pure Life Energy.
• Lin Yu asked Old Zheng to control the corpses, and Old Zheng raised them into a formation that blocked the Life Giant.

Lin Yu provoked Arlan Mercury into questioning whether keeping his elder brother alive against his wishes was truly right, then ordered Old Zheng to release the corpses. As the Life Giant attacked, Arter Mercury spoke, and the giant stopped before Lin Yu.

• Lin Yu taunted Arlan about spending his life force to preserve his elder brother and asked whether Arlan had ever considered what his brother wanted.
• Arlan rejected Lin Yu’s accusations, defended his choice, and poured more life force into the Life Giant.
• Lin Yu challenged Arlan to face his elder brother and ordered Old Zheng to withdraw control of the corpses.
• The corpses scattered, and the Life Giant charged at Lin Yu despite Old Zheng’s warning.
• Arter Mercury told Arlan to stop, and the Life Giant froze before Lin Yu.

Alter stopped Arlan from attacking Lin Yu and explained that he had been content with his life, but still chose to die. Arlan accepted his brother’s decision, and the two said goodbye.

• Alter stepped between the Life Giant and Lin Yu, then rebuked Arlan for keeping his survival secret and deciding his fate without asking him.
• Lin Yu told Arlan that Alter had seemed happy and content during the past fifty years.
• Alter described the peaceful life he had enjoyed and thanked Arlan for keeping him alive, but insisted that he was ready to die.
• Arlan recalled the efforts he had made to save Alter and admitted he had feared losing his brother after their parents died.
• Alter comforted Arlan and said he had nothing to regret; the brothers laughed together, then said goodbye.

Lin Yu completed the plan to let Alter Mercury rest and explained how Old Zheng’s help had kept the confrontation under control. He identified Nightless Sky Yong Lian as the C-77 employer and demanded his reward, holding the sleeping Nightless Sky Huo Le at knifepoint.

• Alter Mercury fell into a sleep from which he would not awaken, and Lin Yu said the growing belief would help him attain eternal peace.
• Lin Yu explained that Old Zheng’s corpse manipulation had freed his Mental Power in case he needed to control Alter Mercury.
• Lin Yu told Old Zheng that the Rank Advancement Trial would remain incomplete until he received the reward for the C-77 commission.
• Lin Yu called out Nightless Sky Fire Apricot, who emerged from a hole beneath the auditorium floor and joked about being the employer.
• Lin Yu said he knew the true employer was Nightless Sky Yong Lian, then pressed a Bone Blade against the sleeping Nightless Sky Huo Le and demanded payment.

Lin Yu confronted Nightless Sky Yong Lian after discovering she had issued the C-77 commission, and Yong Lian swore not to harm anyone involved. He explained that her actions during the ritual revealed she had wanted Alter Mercury dead and had secretly prepared to save him when Arlan attacked.

• Nightless Sky Fire Apricot learned that her mother had commissioned the job, and Nightless Sky Yong Lian appeared and confirmed it.
• Lin Yu accused Yong Lian of possibly silencing the commission participants, so she swore to the God of Truth that she would never harm anyone involved in the C-77 commission.
• Lin Yu released Nightless Sky Huo Le, put away his Bone Blade, and asked Yong Lian why she had issued the commission.
• Lin Yu explained that Yong Lian's conduct during the ritual and her decision to admit Arlan Mercury revealed that she had wanted Alter Mercury killed.
• Lin Yu said he had sensed Yong Lian's ritual power inside his Right Hand and realized she had prepared to save him when Arlan attacked.

Lin Yu learned that the Nightless Sky Family Head issued Commission C-77 to study the ritual Arlan Mercury used, which drew on the power of a fallen Outer God. After they agreed to destroy the ritual, the Family Head left to punish Nightless Sky Fire Apricot, while Lin Yu prepared to handle the aftermath.

• The Nightless Sky Family Head admitted she issued Commission C-77 to observe and understand the ritual Arlan Mercury used, rather than to serve her family's interests.
• She explained that Arlan's ritual borrowed power from an Outer God who had already fallen, though she did not know which deity it was.
• The Family Head revealed that the Heavenly Scroll had predicted an Otherworlder could break the deadlock, and said Lin Yu's arrival was the optimal moment to act.
• Lin Yu and the Family Head agreed that he would proceed with the commission and destroy the ritual, after which she would give him the reward and her observations.
• The Family Head carried Nightless Sky Fire Apricot away to discipline her for bringing corpses into the sacred hall, and Lin Yu stayed behind to prepare for cleanup.

Lin Yu completed the C-77 assassination commission, earned a legitimate identity from the Nightless Sky Family, and cleared his Tier 2 Rank Advancement Trial. In the Settlement Space, he prepared to choose a Tier 2 Professional Item but first summoned the God of Truth, Falsehood, and Change to ask an urgent question.

• The nobles awoke to find Arter Mercury and the other powerful nobles dead, and Lin Yu's Fraudster ability made Arter's death become true in their minds.
• The Nightless Sky Family's old butler gave Lin Yu a B-1 Truth Company supervisor ID, a second-class resident card, and a complete identity for John H. Arthur, along with the Family Head's message about the symbol of threads.
• Lin Yu thanked the Family Head, left the Nightless Sky Family, and returned to the Settlement Space, where he received confirmation that he had cleared the C-77 commission and his Rank Advancement Trial.
• The Death game recognized Lin Yu as a Tier 2 Player and presented four Tier 2 Professional Items for his Fraudster profession.
• Before inspecting the items, Lin Yu used the Crow mark on his wrist to call on the God of Truth, Falsehood, and Change, who answered.

Lin Yu used the God of Change’s belief and the Repaired Mist Pocket Watch to exploit his deception ability during his Tier 2 advancement. He left the Rank Advancement Space with all four Professional Items instead of just one.

• Lin Yu learned that the God of Change and other gods had altered his earlier Instance, while the Fragment of Fate had influenced his encounter with Jue.
• Lin Yu used the Repaired Mist Pocket Watch to restore the spent Tongue of Deception and repeat his lie about having the Game Administrator ability.
• Lin Yu made the God of Change believe his ambiguous claim and used the god’s belief to activate Make True.
• Lin Yu focused his Mental Power on all four Professional Items and obtained Narrative Trick, Tower Scam, Gossip Can Melt Gold, and Sweet Words and Flattering Looks.