Chapter Summaries

Murphy learned that Triss had once been a powerful Gold-tier vampire, then sent the players to rescue Cadman City’s survivors and gather supplies before the city was pulled into the astral realm. As the players split up to search the outskirts, a wounded young lady and her butler crashed near the student group, who recognized them and set out to take them to Murphy.

• Triss refused to leave the safe zone, collected blood from survivors to recover, and helped Murphy assess Cadman City’s danger.
• Murphy discovered Triss’s former strength and divided the players’ rescue work into three zones, warning them to stay away from the rift.
• The players accepted a 72-hour quest to rescue at least 600 survivors and collect supplies, then split into groups to search the city outskirts.
• Meow Brother’s group headed for a wealthy house, while the student group wandered toward the forbidden astral rift and spotted strange figures across it.
• A wounded young lady and her butler fell from the haze near the students, and Niu Niu recognized them as the missing young lady and her injured butler.

Murphy and Triss uncovered evidence that traitors working with Wolfsbane had caused the astral disaster in Cadman City, while the little players rescued the young lady and Lady Adele. After Murphy left to search the Blood Eagle Clan’s vault, Triss woke the two women and questioned the young lady about the destruction of the clan and the truth she had sought in the Blood Eagle Corridor.

• Mirian led the rescued civilians to a safer area while Murphy, Maxim, and Triss fought the despair-born creatures and Triss explained that the astral calamity had been deliberately caused by a traitor.
• Triss concluded that the Tower of Rings had opened the rift with help from Wolfsbane spies, and Murphy told her about defeating Jopan and summoning the little players from another world.
• Triss warned Murphy to conceal the little players’ nature, promised to help disguise them with mithril and alchemy, and cautioned him to keep his distance from Femis.
• Niu Niu returned with the unconscious young lady and Lady Adele, and Murphy learned that other players were rescuing people from basements as the black snow and monsters worsened.
• Triss stayed behind to awaken and question the two women while Murphy and Maxim went to search the Blood Eagle Clan’s third warehouse for sword techniques and mithril.
• The young lady told Triss that a dimensional meteorite had destroyed Blood Eagle Castle, contaminated the Sacred Pool, and corrupted the clan’s elite, and Triss asked whether she was ready to face the truth inside her.

Murphy and Maxim explored a Blood Eagle Clan warehouse in Cadman City’s astral-shadowed ruins, finding valuable weapons and advanced skill manuals. Murphy recruited new players and arranged for Maxim to test their strength in combat, leaving the warehouse with a new challenge for the warriors.

• Murphy and Maxim reached the hidden underground warehouse after Murphy opened its blood-locked entrance.
• Murphy found recruit weapons, armor, and class manuals, then learned Graveguard Swordsmanship from the Graveguard Manual.
• Maxim discovered a hidden cache of rare psionic weapons, including Mick’s Ambition and Dreams battle sword, and Murphy gave the weapons to him.
• Murphy told Maxim to recruit promising warriors by challenging them to regular spars and rewarding those who proved themselves.
• Murphy gave Maxim a copy of the Shadow Elf Family Secret Sword Art and instructed him to teach it to any warrior who beat him three times in a row.

Murphy announced new quests and testing activities as Cadman City faced destruction, then arranged for Triss to recruit players as assistants. Triss sent Lumina and four other players into the city to find aged liquor for her alchemy.

• Alpha posted an update announcing exploration and item-search tests, NPC side quests, party zones, a combat challenge with Maxim, and new questlines for Triss and Mirian.
• Players discussed the new content and wished the event would last longer, while Murphy knew Cadman City might be swallowed by the Astral Realm in less than a week.
• Murphy watched Triss treat mithril and asked her to reward the adventurers rather than send them to their deaths.
• Five players arrived at Murphy’s resurrection point, and he gave them computing orbs before leaving Triss to direct them.
• Triss told Lumina and the other players to find her bottles of liquor aged at least ten years as ingredients for protective trinkets.

After the players discovered that trapped civilians might not survive until the next day, Murphy triggered a rescue operation and saw an opportunity to claim authority over Cadman City’s survivors. He convinced Femis to join the effort, though she required him to investigate the Blood Eagle Corridor after the astral tide receded.

• Lumina and the other four players rescued a trapped shopkeeper’s family, and Forklift Operator warned that other civilians might die if they were not found soon.
• The players told Murphy their concerns, prompting him to trigger the hidden quest “Rescue in the Besieged City” and order Maxim to help Mirian gather able-bodied survivors for the rescue.
• Murphy ordered the players to the survivors’ camp and commanded Maxim to execute anyone who resisted Mirian’s authority or refused to help.
• Murphy asked Femis and Lady Adele to join the rescue, but Femis revealed that the Blood Eagle Clan was nearly destroyed and its sacred pool and corridor had been corrupted.
• Femis accused Murphy of using the rescue to build his own power, and Murphy admitted his plan to lead the survivors; Femis agreed to help if he later accompanied her to investigate the Blood Eagle Corridor.

Murphy organized a nighttime rescue of civilians trapped in Cadman City's astral-shadowed ruins, assigning survivors and players to search by torchlight while vampires hunted astral beasts. The rescue reached a grieving turning point when Lumina saved two children but could not save their mother, leaving the shaken rescuers determined to continue.

• Murphy revised the rescue plan after learning that astral shadows and beasts, rather than widespread earthquake rubble, were keeping civilians trapped in the outer city.
• Triss proposed using torches to drive back desperate spawn while Murphy, Femis, and Lady Adele hunted dangerous astral beasts; Murphy gave Femis's enhancement scrolls to the players.
• Murphy put Mirian in charge of the survivor teams, warned the survivors to follow orders, and sent them into the ruins with his warriors and the players.
• Lumina crawled through a narrow vent and rescued a baby and a young girl, but she found their mother mortally injured and could not save her.
• Brother Black Silk and the survivors were moved by the children's rescue, and the survivors began searching the ruins with renewed determination.

Murphy fought through astral beasts while helping search the ruined city, then defeated a dangerous astral lynx and reached several class and character milestones. His new Black Iron Body trial required him to defeat a Black Iron-tier enemy alone, leaving him frustrated about where to find a suitable opponent in Cadman City.

• Murphy and the rescuers searched the outer districts, and Brother Black Silk reported that they had saved 37 people before Murphy sent the group back to rest.
• Murphy detected a high-danger astral lynx and stayed behind with his summoned astral direwolf to hunt it.
• Murphy and the direwolf fought the lynx; the direwolf was dispelled after tearing off the beast's paw, and Murphy killed it alone.
• Murphy's Blood Vulture Swordsmanship reached Master proficiency, his Blood Vulture Swordsman class reached level 10, and his character reached level 10, unlocking class-change options and a Black Iron Body trial.
• Murphy discovered that his vampire-exclusive trial required him to defeat a Black Iron-tier enemy alone and drink its blood, and he complained that Cadman City offered no obvious target.

Major Fraser learned that survivors were gathering near Cadman City and General Loren ordered Finock to lead hunters there to investigate and kill Salokdar Collinsman Lasombra if he survived. Natalie learned of the mission and resolved to join it so she could avenge Joe by catching Murphy.

• Major Fraser and Heru examined a blurry reconnaissance image and suspected Blood Eagle remnants were organizing among Cadman City's survivors.
• General Loren ordered Finock and thirty of his best hunters to reach Cadman City within three days and bring back Salokdar Collinsman Lasombra's insignia or body.
• General Loren privately explained that Fraser would accompany Finock to help secure the hunters' future and strengthen the report to King Louis.
• Heru broke down after General Loren criticized his reconnaissance spell, and Fraser tried to comfort him.
• Natalie heard from Amber that the warband might return to Cadman City, then ordered Amber to find Norman and Porter while she sought to join the mission.

After rescuing 409 people, Murphy organized the Cadman People's Self-Rescue Army and sent three player groups to reclaim Blood Eagle Clan storehouses and search for survivors. He left Meow Brother and two players to hold off waves of fearspawn while he broke the storehouse seal, beginning a punishing test of their combat skills.

• Mirian told Murphy that survivors had high morale but that the shadowed districts remained dangerous, and Murphy ordered her to organize the Cadman People's Self-Rescue Army under Maxim.
• Murphy assigned Maxim to build a defensive line and support his warriors, while Lumina logged off after rescuing thirteen children and Meow Brother took over their care.
• Murphy gave eleven newly logged-in players three quests to reclaim Triss's secret storehouses, and Meow Brother's group joined Murphy's assault.
• Meow Brother and his companions fought through a heavy wave of fearspawn until they reached the storehouse, where Murphy gave them recruit armor and told them to hold the monsters back while he broke the seal.

After the first group of players returned from the vaults, Murphy sent them back to search for survivors while Maxim followed them into the danger zone. Murphy then summoned twenty-four new players, and Triss warned him that his ability to connect with another world made him a target.

• Murphy told the exhausted players that they could collect Blood Eagle Clan blood to open hidden vaults, and they resumed the timed rescue mission.
• Maxim praised the players’ fearlessness, ordered his militia to hold the line, and followed the players to search for survivors.
• Triss gave Murphy psychic dog tags that would stabilize the players’ projections and conceal signs of their lives and deaths.
• Murphy summoned twenty-four new players, and Triss warned him to hide his unique ability from powerful psychic users.
• The new players marveled at the realistic world while one of them licked the dirt, leaving Triss doubtful that they seemed reliable.

Murphy welcomed twenty-four new players to the game and sent them to help fight the Astral threat in Cadman City. After the newcomers joined their friends and explored their character traits, Murphy prepared hidden-vault rewards that he planned to pass off as random drops.

• Murphy reviewed the twenty-four applicants, including Banzai Happy Stick’s friends, martial-arts enthusiasts, and Niu Niu’s cousin Sister Pomegranate Topples the Willow.
• Triss amplified Murphy’s welcome speech with a psychic shock, and Murphy urged the new players to help rescue Cadman City before the Astral Realm consumed it.
• Banzai Happy Stick reunited with his friends and led them to buy weapons, while Meow Brother worried that Stick had assembled a powerful team.
• Sister Pomegranate beat up Niu Niu during their reunion, then discovered she had four character traits and followed him toward the city to meet Sister Lumi.
• Murphy stocked hidden vaults with equipment and prepared blood vials that would let the players open their doors, planning to present the items as random dungeon drops.

Happy Stick read A-Cha’s guide to the game’s setting, NPCs, and hidden affinity system after logging off. The guide revealed ways to build relationships with key characters and that Ge Bao had earned an alchemy notebook from Mrs. Triss.

• Meow Brother told Happy Stick that affinity with Lord Murphy might have earned him a blood vial, prompting Happy Stick to consider building a relationship with another NPC.
• Happy Stick logged off and found A-Cha’s featured forum guide, which described the game’s steam-powered technology and speculated about Lord Murphy’s plans and the future player faction.
• A-Cha explained that players could raise affinity with Maxim through combat, with Mirian through fair trades and knowledge, and with Femis through vampire relics and psionic study.
• A-Cha reported that Mrs. Triss’s random twelve-part quest established initial trust, while giving her liquor could raise affinity further.
• Ge Bao gave Mrs. Triss nearly forty bottles of liquor and received an alchemy notebook, making him the first alchemist apprentice.

Players discussed Lord Murphy's fame and the survivor camp's quests as three middle-aged players helped build the camp and recognized its growing disorder. After they sent Mirian practical management suggestions, she made them camp managers with authority to establish rules and organize development.

• Players speculated that raising Lady Triss's affinity could reveal what Lord Murphy liked and help increase his fame.
• Mud Truck brought Fully Insured Semi to the survivor camp, where they joined Bulldozer Man in construction work and discussed how poorly the refugees were being managed.
• When women began fighting over food, Bulldozer Man fired a warning shot and threatened to send rule-breakers back to the city, dispersing the crowd.
• Fully Insured Semi proposed writing camp regulations for Mirian, and the three players drafted suggestions and delivered them through a young translator.
• Mirian read their practical proposals and assigned Mud Truck, Bulldozer Man, and Fully Insured Semi a quest granting them authority to help manage and develop the camp.

After a disastrous fight in Cadman City, Sister Pomegranate challenged Maxim while Mud Truck recruited Chosen Construction Worker for camp duties. Murphy prepared to burn the outer-city ruins and told Triss he would stay in Cadman City, claim the land, and confront Salokdar over her wound.

• Maxim scolded the inexperienced players after five died in the despair spawn's counterattack, and the surviving players resolved to train and gather supplies.
• Sister Pomegranate challenged Maxim to a fistfight, while Mud Truck invited Chosen Construction Worker to the survivor camp and promised him an official position with assistants.
• Murphy monitored the players through the Calculation Orb and praised Mirian for appointing players to manage the camp.
• Triss warned Murphy that burning the outer city could worsen the astral corruption, but Murphy said the survivors needed to see the darkness driven back by fire.
• Murphy admitted he planned to build a domain in Cadman City and promised to make Triss leader of the Blood Eagle Clan if he took control.
• Murphy refused Triss's suggestion that they leave, vowed to reclaim what Salokdar owed her, and declared that they would build new lives in Cadman City.

Chosen Construction Worker received authority to design the survivor camp, while his dormmates planned to form their own player group and help Niu Niu challenge Maxim. At the camp, Mirian adopted a set of management rules and added a publicity group to reinforce order and Murphy’s authority.

• Chosen Construction Worker learned he had three days to submit a camp plan and half a month to design its next stage, then decided to adapt an existing template after Bionic Snail’s advice.
• Niu Niu told A-Cha and Ge Bao that his sister Sister Pomegranate had defeated Maxim, earned a master-level swordsmanship manual and elite knuckle blades, and wanted to hire them to help her level up.
• Niu Niu planned to challenge Maxim himself, while A-Cha proposed that the dormmates form their own group and celebrate with a dinner paid for by Chosen Construction Worker.
• Mirian reviewed the players’ proposals for curfew, survivor registration, rationing, and work points, then added a publicity group to promote camp order and Murphy’s leadership.
• Mirian summoned the camp’s leaders to discuss the new management rules, hoping the survivors would accept the system without provoking a return to harsher vampire rule.

Mud Truck, Shovel, and All-Risk Semi organized the survivor camp while Construction Worker argued that the survivors should settle in Cadman City rather than build from scratch. Murphy prepared to reclaim the city, and Adele brought word that Femis had an idea to help with his plan.

• Mud Truck, Shovel, and All-Risk Semi assigned camp staff and established rationing, records, and work plans for the survivors.
• Construction Worker explained that the camp site was unsuitable for a permanent settlement and proposed repairing Cadman City's outer district instead.
• Murphy received Mirian's request for the city's blueprints as Maxim reported that Pomegranate had defeated him in combat.
• Murphy gave Maxim authority to recruit Otherworldly fighters and said he would wait two days before burning away the creatures in the city.
• Adele told Murphy that Femis believed she could help with his plan to clear the city's shadows with fire.

Femis told Murphy that traitors had disabled Cadman City’s Serenade barrier and offered its core in exchange for his help reaching the Blood Eagle Arcade after the Astral Rift was closed. Meanwhile, Old Fenock’s Witch Hunters rested at Morland Village, where they discovered a ghoul nest and sent a squad to scout Cadman City.

• Femis showed Murphy an ancient map and explained that traitors had shut down Serenade’s seven underground hubs before the Astral Rift opened, leaving the hubs intact.
• Femis said Murphy could restore the barrier by finding its core beneath the Blood Eagle Arcade, and asked him to provide warriors to help her search there for things related to her parents.
• Murphy agreed to help Femis enter the Arcade after the Astral Rift was closed, in return for her support in stabilizing his new faction, and swore a solemn oath in Triss’s name.
• Femis handed Murphy the map and said she would leave once she had completed her business, leaving the land to him if he could hold it.
• At Morland Village, Old Norman reported a ghoul nest beneath the mass graves, and Old Fenock ordered it sealed while directing a squad to scout Cadman City and capture people for questioning.
• Old Fenock warned Major Fraser not to become too curious about Transia’s supernatural horrors, while Fraser insisted that bullets could handle even ghouls and vampires.

After three lumberjacks disappeared from the survivor camp, Murphy sent two inexperienced players to investigate, but Witch Hunters ambushed them and captured one. Murphy learned the Witch Hunters had returned and took control of the captive player’s computational orb to use him as a spy.

• Mirian investigated the disappearance of three lumberjacks, and Murphy sent Nigei Luda You and Kaqi Tuoni Tai to search for clues.
• A Witch Hunter scout spotted the players and signaled an ambush by three elite Witch Hunters.
• Nigei Luda You was killed while trying to escape, and the Witch Hunters captured the unconscious Kaqi Tuoni Tai.
• Nigei Luda You and Kaqi Tuoni Tai reported the encounter in the game chat, where Lumina Sunscar identified the attackers as Witch Hunters from the Old Church.
• Murphy learned the Witch Hunters had returned and took control of Kaqi Tuoni Tai’s computational orb to use him to gather intelligence.

Femis, Murphy, Triss, and Adele discussed the Witch Hunters’ arrival and decided to attempt contact rather than abandon Cadman City. Murphy sent the captured player Kaqi Tuonitai on a dangerous diplomatic quest, while Witch Hunter commander Finok decided to question him and ordered Natalie to consider a future beyond revenge.

• Adele told Femis that Murphy had detected a new threat, and Femis warned Adele to accept Murphy’s authority as her bloodline elder.
• Murphy reported that Witch Hunters had killed one of his warriors and captured another near their camp; the group identified the captive’s location as Morland Village.
• Adele proposed relocating the survivors to a hidden valley, but Murphy and Femis refused to leave Cadman City, and Triss suggested the Witch Hunters might be investigating Salokdar’s death rather than seeking a fight.
• Kaqi Tuonitai received the optional hidden quest “Envoy of Blood and Blades,” which tasked him with persuading the Witch Hunter leader to contact Murphy in exchange for rare equipment.
• Natalie confirmed to Finok that Kaqi was one of Murphy’s otherworldly summons, and Finok ordered her to bring the prisoner to him for questioning.
• Natalie objected to contacting a vampire, but Finok rejected her hatred as a guide and ordered her to learn to lead and consider her companions’ future.

Natalie brought Kaqi Tuoni Tai to Old Finoc, who used Mind Charm to question him and learned that Murphy’s followers numbered over a thousand and suspected he planned to form an independent faction. Finoc sent Kaqi back with a warning that the Witch Hunters would enter Cadman City in three days, then revealed to Major Fraser that Salokdar might still be alive and that he intended to settle his old feud with the Blood Eagles.

• Natalie freed Kaqi Tuoni Tai, subdued his attempted attack, and escorted him to Old Finoc.
• Old Finoc charmed Kaqi and learned about Murphy’s followers, their suspicions, and their plans for a possible rebellion.
• Finoc ended the charm and told Kaqi to warn Murphy that the Witch Hunters would enter Cadman City in three days and would not interfere with Murphy’s forces if they stayed out of the way.
• Kaqi asked Finoc to meet a player carrying a replica of the Avalon holy blade, and Finoc agreed to receive Murphy’s warriors.
• After Kaqi left with the three laborers, Finoc told Major Fraser that Salokdar might still be alive and that he wanted to settle his personal feud with the Blood Eagles.