Chapter Summaries

Zhao Bai told Doug that an evil spirit was behind the murder, and Doug dismissed his theory as fantasy. Their investigation took a horrifying turn when an invisible attacker killed a detective and several others.

• Zhao Bai told Doug he suspected an evil spirit because no human could have committed the murder as he described it.
• Doug dismissed Zhao Bai's deduction as the fantasy of a high school student.
• Screams and chaos erupted outside, and Doug hurried out with Zhao Bai following him.
• A terrified detective cried out at something invisible and was lifted and killed by it.
• Blood sprayed into the air, and several detectives who could not dodge fell dead.

Zhao Bai and Doug found a stone tablet describing the invisible knight’s endless duels, but the detectives still had to discover how to end the battle. Bronya understood the mystery’s principle and grew excited about solving it.

• Doug inspected the dead man's eyes, but found no reflection of the killer.
• Zhao Bai led the detectives to the first victim’s scene and pointed out an overlooked stone tablet.
• Doug cleared the dust from the tablet and read that a knight’s spirit challenged enemies to duels, though the instructions for ending the duel were missing.
• Bronya questioned why Zhao Bai trusted the tablet and asked how they could solve the mystery.
• Bronya considered the clues and became excited by the challenge of discovering how to end the battle.

Zhao Bai and Bronya faced a Stigmata from over a hundred years ago after the villa became a sealed, signal-blocked crime scene. When an invisible knight killed another detective, Zhao Bai learned it could pass through objects, leaving the survivors with little more than a clue and a growing threat.

• Doug tried to leave and call the police, but the detectives discovered the villa was sealed and had no phone signal.
• Zhao Bai and Bronya eagerly embraced the deadly situation as a detective game.
• An unseen enemy terrified a detective, who told Zhao Bai that it was behind him and had passed through him.
• The invisible knight impaled the detective with its lance and shattered his heart.
• Zhao Bai recorded that the enemy could pass through objects in three-dimensional space, making hiding useless.

Zhao Bai tried to keep the detectives focused as they faced an unknown killer, but fear and the knight's appearance continued to overwhelm them. The survivors gained only a vague clue about the monster's height and were left with the words “Knight... challenge... kill.”

• Zhao Bai urged the detectives to stay calm and share information, but five of them shot themselves.
• Zhao Bai called on the remaining detectives to investigate for their own survival and that of their companions.
• A detective screamed at the sight of the knight, and Zhao Bai grabbed his shoulder and demanded a description.
• The detective's screams stopped abruptly, and his blood splashed over Zhao Bai.
• Zhao Bai inferred from the detective's upward gaze that the monster was very tall, while the group had little else to go on.

Bronya discovered a tablet that appeared to list the detectives in order of their deaths and quietly showed it to Zhao Bai. Theresa watched the ghost knight’s slaughter from outside Stigmata Space, then fell backward from her chair in fright.

• Bronya searched the laboratory-like site and found a slim tablet hidden among blank sheets.
• Bronya unlocked the tablet and saw a roster of detectives whose notations matched an apparent order-of-death list.
• Bronya called Zhao Bai over and told him the tablet seemed to be an item that could make the game easier.
• Theresa watched the Sanctuary Honkai Beast pass through barriers and kill the detectives with its lance.
• Theresa startled herself, toppled off the lab bench, and got back up rubbing her head.

Zhao Bai and Bronya realized a Quantum Attribute Sanctuary Honkai Beast was killing people in the room, leaving only them and Doug alive. As they prepared to describe the knight’s movements, Doug announced that it had appeared.

• Zhao Bai suspected the invisible knight was a Quantum Attribute Sanctuary Honkai Beast.
• Zhao Bai counted twenty dead and recognized that only he, Bronya, and Doug remained alive.
• Zhao Bai urged the others to report the knight’s appearance and movements as quickly as possible if someone became its next victim.
• Doug revealed that he had worked as a profiler and drawn criminal portraits for the police.
• Doug announced that the knight had arrived.

Doug described the Honkai Beast’s unchanging, obstacle-passing movement and discovered that it paused after giving him a knight’s salute, but his shot passed through it and he killed himself. Zhao Bai believed he had a theory and planned to test it before Bronya became the next victim.

• Doug explained that the Honkai Beast moved in a straight line at constant speed, passed through obstacles, and could not be outrun forever.
• Doug noticed the beast’s knight’s salute, accepted its challenge, and fired at it, but the bullet passed through its body.
• Doug shot himself beneath the chin and died.
• Zhao Bai told Bronya he more or less understood the situation, while keeping his uncertain theory to himself.
• Zhao Bai decided to test his theory himself before Bronya could become the next victim, making Bronya uneasy.

Zhao Bai challenged the Quantum Attribute Honkai Beast, then used surrender and a command to make it disperse. The knight collapsed into sand, and Bronya caught Zhao Bai as he fell.

• Zhao Bai shielded Bronya and challenged the knight while holding a razor to his throat.
• Zhao Bai surrendered and told the knight to rest and disperse as he stepped toward its lance.
• Bronya saw the knight emerge from its Quantum Attribute state and stagger backward.
• The Honkai Beast collapsed into sand, and Zhao Bai fell into Bronya's arms.
• Bronya praised Zhao Bai's deduction and tried to wipe the blood from his neck.

Zhao Bai and Bronya woke from Stigmata Space after winning the game, and Zhao Bai confirmed that his arsenal was intact. He then invited Bronya and Theresa to eat roast veal while Fu Hua encouraged him to continue training in Taixu Sword Qi.

• Zhao Bai and Bronya returned from Stigmata Space with splitting headaches after their victory.
• Zhao Bai checked that his arsenal was still intact, then thanked Theresa for watching his deduction, though Theresa had turned off the television.
• Zhao Bai invited Bronya and Theresa to eat roast veal, and Bronya said she had enjoyed the detective game.
• Zhao Bai found Fu Hua spending time with Xuanyuan Sword, and Fu Hua advised him to keep training in Taixu Sword Qi.
• Zhao Bai prepared veal by slow-roasting it over low heat.

Zhao Bai served grilled veal to Fu Hua, Theresa, and Bronya, whose delighted reactions confirmed how tender it was. While enjoying the meal, Zhao Bai put Fu Hua’s portion on her tab but did not charge Theresa.

• Zhao Bai grilled veal over Jiemie’s low flame and served it to the diners.
• Fu Hua cautiously tasted the beef and was impressed by its delicate texture.
• Theresa praised the veal’s tenderness as she ate, while Bronya also enjoyed it.
• Zhao Bai cut a small piece for the Xuanyuan Sword and recorded Fu Hua’s meal on her tab, leaving Theresa uncharged.

After dinner, Zhao Bai confronted Theresa, who weighed her pride against the prospect of losing future meals before deciding to hear him out. She regained her principal’s composure and asked what he wanted.

• Zhao Bai added Theresa’s latest debt to his notebook, and Bronya called the ledger petty.
• Theresa searched for chicken intestines, prompting Zhao Bai to record another of her misdeeds.
• Zhao Bai admitted that he kept the debt ledger not to collect payment but because it made him feel real.
• After the meal, Zhao Bai caught Theresa as she tried to slip away, and she chose to stay rather than risk losing food.
• Theresa noticed Fu Hua had left and questioned why she was becoming accustomed to losing face in front of Zhao Bai and Bronya.
• Theresa regained her principal’s bearing and asked Zhao Bai what he wanted from her.

Zhao Bai and Bronya discussed where they would work after graduation, and Theresa objected to Zhao Bai leaving the Far East Branch. Zhao Bai showed Theresa his chat history with Bishop Otto, persuading her to stop Headquarters from issuing him missions behind her back.

• Zhao Bai wondered where he and Bronya would work after graduation.
• Bronya said she planned to follow Zhao Bai, and Zhao Bai replied that he planned to follow her.
• Theresa overheard them and forbade Zhao Bai from changing jobs without her permission.
• Zhao Bai claimed Headquarters and Bishop Otto had been harassing him, then showed Theresa their chat history.
• Theresa promised to stop Headquarters from bypassing her to issue Zhao Bai missions, and Zhao Bai signaled Bronya that their plan had worked.

Theresa confronted Otto and asked him to stop assigning Zhao Bai odd jobs, angering Otto in front of Zhao Bai. Otto privately took the confrontation as a sign of Theresa’s devotion to Zhao Bai and reflected on how much had changed in two years.

• Theresa told Otto to stay away from Zhao Bai and stop making him do odd jobs.
• Otto’s wineglass shattered as he reacted furiously to Theresa’s request.
• Zhao Bai noticed Otto had deleted him from his communicator’s friend list and expected Otto to seek revenge later.
• Amber watched Otto laugh and wondered if he had been possessed.
• Otto recalled that someone had confronted him for Zhao Bai and quietly devoted themselves to him, then told Amber that the world was wonderful.

Theresa worried that her actions would earn her grandfather’s punishment, but Zhao Bai reassured her that Otto would blame whoever had deceived her instead. Theresa left feeling relieved, while Bronya and Zhao Bai continued playing Overcooked! and reflected on their role in fooling her.

• Otto lounged in a wheeled recliner as Amber urged him to finish his bishop’s duties.
• Theresa received Zhao Bai’s praise after leaving a room, then worried aloud about how her grandfather would punish her.
• Zhao Bai assured Theresa that Otto would blame the person who fooled her rather than punish her directly.
• Theresa accepted Zhao Bai’s reassurance, took her bitter melon juice, and returned to her room.
• Bronya questioned Zhao Bai about fooling Theresa, but admitted that she had joined in and continued playing Overcooked! with him.

A large-scale Honkai Beast herd triggered an alarm at St. Freya, and Zhao Bai, Theresa, and Bronya hurried to respond. As they prepared, Theresa relied on Oath of Judas to dress her, and the chapter ended with the group getting ready to face the threat.

• An unseen herd of Honkai Beasts crossed the land, alarming the Geological Monitoring Bureau.
• The Far East Branch identified the disturbance as large-scale Honkai Beast activity and warned the Valkyries at St. Freya.
• Zhao Bai woke to the alarm and rushed to get dressed as Theresa prepared with help from Oath of Judas.
• Bronya joined Zhao Bai and teased Theresa about relying on Judas for everything.
• Oath of Judas tapped Theresa after she compared it to a Swiss Army knife, and Theresa promised not to do so again.

Theresa realized St. Freya needed to mobilize its forces against an urgent threat, but with Himeko away, she struggled to find someone to lead the response. Zhao Bai called in Rosaliya and Durandal, then the group prepared to head for the scene, leaving Fu Hua waiting at the plaza.

• Theresa dropped her joking attitude and said St. Freya had to mobilize its available forces while Himeko stood watch aboard the Hyperion.
• Zhao Bai contacted Rosaliya and learned that Liliya would be asleep until seven in the morning, leaving only Rosaliya available.
• Zhao Bai called Durandal and invited her to spar, prompting her to change into her armor and promise to come.
• Zhao Bai said Durandal could find him wherever he was, so the team should head to the scene instead of waiting at St. Freya Academy.
• Fu Hua waited at the plaza after receiving the real emergency alert and wondered whether Theresa had tricked her.

Durandal arrived at the plaza looking for Zhao Bai, then learned that he and Bronya had already gone ahead on an urgent mission. After leaving a compensation note for the damaged floor, she raced to their destination, while Fu Hua questioned whether she and Theresa still needed to follow.

• Durandal descended into the plaza, damaged its marble floor, and asked Fu Hua where Zhao Bai was.
• Fu Hua directed Durandal to Theresa and explained how to avoid Himeko’s anger over the damage.
• Durandal left a compensation note and learned that Zhao Bai and Bronya had already gone to the mission’s destination.
• After getting the destination and mission details from Theresa, Durandal sped off toward them.
• Fu Hua caught Durandal’s note before it blew away, then asked Theresa whether they still needed to go.

Theresa and Fu Hua headed to the helipad while Zhao Bai, Bronya, and Durandal reached a Honkai Beast horde approaching a city. Durandal prepared to fight the beasts and told Zhao Bai to stay back.

• Theresa insisted that she and Fu Hua would not run away from the battle, and they hurried to the helipad.
• The pilot realized that Theresa and Fu Hua were only the cheerleaders, while the more formidable people had already left.
• Durandal caught up with Zhao Bai and Bronya, startled Zhao Bai with a pat, and apologized when he warned her about his fragile bones.
• Zhao Bai, Bronya, and Durandal landed before the Honkai Beast horde, and Bronya stepped aside to watch.
• Durandal told Zhao Bai that conventional weapons were useless against the beasts and asked him to stand back while she dealt with them.

Zhao Bai and Durandal fought the Honkai Beasts in the mountains, each showing off their weapon skills. After watching Zhao Bai's scythe technique, which reminded her of harvesting chives, Durandal took it as a provocation and challenged him to decide the victor on the battlefield.

• Zhao Bai drew the Other Shore Gate instead of matching Durandal's weapon, and Durandal criticized its ornate design.
• Durandal ignored Zhao Bai's complaint and charged into the fleeing echoes, piercing seven Honkai Beasts with her lance.
• Durandal watched Zhao Bai wield his scythe, cutting down the Honkai Beasts with sweeping, crescent-shaped strikes.
• Durandal compared Zhao Bai's movements to harvesting chives and declared that they would decide the victor on the battlefield.

Zhao Bai and Durandal fought through a migrating army of Honkai Beasts while misunderstanding each other’s intentions. After killing the entire horde, Durandal urged Zhao Bai to work harder at mastering his scythe.

• Bronya soothed Heavy Cannon Rabbit after it flung her away, calming its anger with her touch.
• Zhao Bai and Durandal fought the Honkai Beasts with awkward, clumsy movements, each misreading the other’s approach to the battle.
• Durandal questioned why Zhao Bai did not practice using his scythe, and he admitted he was lazy.
• Zhao Bai and Durandal charged through the formation seven times and killed all the Honkai Beasts in less than twenty minutes.