Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing, a candidate, starts his shift at a barbecue restaurant in a dungeon-like setting.
• A man with a horrifyingly disfigured face arrives, revealing he was attacked by a pig-headed cook and a cold woman (likely Qu Xuanqing).
• The restaurant opens, and customers with animal heads but human bodies start arriving.
• Yu Xing meets a group of eight deducers and candidates, including another version of himself.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Shows calmness and adaptability in the face of the bizarre situation, trying to gather information and avoid recognition from his other self.
• The Disfigured Man: Reveals his traumatic experience and fear, showing vulnerability despite his horrifying appearance.
• The Deducers and Candidates: Display varying levels of caution and assertiveness, with the young man (Yu Xing's other self) showing timidity and the Little Heavenly Master taking charge.

Significant Themes

• Mental Pollution: The dissonance between the customers' animal heads and human bodies causes severe mental discomfort.
• Identity Crisis: Yu Xing struggles with the presence of his other self, highlighting the theme of identity and self-discovery.
• Survival Instinct: Characters adapt and try to understand their environment to increase their chances of survival.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing interacts with the Disfigured Man, learning about his experience and the presence of Qu Xuanqing in the kitchen.
• Yu Xing avoids interaction with the group of deducers and candidates, particularly his other self, to prevent recognition.
• The Deducers and Candidates interact with each other, showing varying dynamics and relationships.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing, a participant in a mysterious game, observes a cashier woman and a woman at a dining table (both resembling each other) making eye contact, realizing they are "clones."
• A sheep-faced leader, one of the game's mechanics, notices the anomaly and kills the cashier woman by biting her head off, causing the dining table woman to faint.
• The Little Heavenly Master, another participant, helps the fainted woman, averting the attention of animal-faced guests.
• Yu Xing's clone, Yu Er, goes to the restroom to look for clues, while Yu Xing decides to approach the cashier to take initiative.
• The sheep-faced leader orders Yu Xing to take the cashier's corpse to the kitchen, implying further danger.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Shows caution and strategic thinking, deciding to take action and avoid Yu Er.
• Yu Er: Demonstrates vigilance and caution, avoiding contact with Yu Xing.
• The Little Heavenly Master: Shows strength and assertiveness, helping the fainted woman and standing up to Gao Lou.
• The Sheep-faced Leader: Reveals his dangerous nature, killing the cashier woman without hesitation.

Significant Themes

• Paradox and doppelgangers: The presence of clones creates confusion and tension.
• Danger and survival: The game's mechanics pose immediate threats, forcing participants to act cautiously.
• Power dynamics: The Little Heavenly Master's strength and assertiveness contrast with Gao Lou's arrogance and Yu Xing's caution.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Yu Er: Both avoid each other, showing mutual vigilance and caution.
• The Little Heavenly Master and Gao Lou: The Little Heavenly Master stands up to Gao Lou's arrogance, showing assertiveness.
• The Sheep-faced Leader and the cashier woman: The leader shows no mercy, killing the cashier woman without hesitation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing carries a corpse from the checkout counter to the back kitchen, attracting attention from deducers and employees.
• He encounters Yu Er in the corridor, and they tacitly ignore each other.
• In the back kitchen, Yu Xing discovers a cold storage filled with corpses of deducers, all wearing employee uniforms and faceless.
• He finds his own corpse among the pile, and the corpses begin to move, attacking him.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing (Yu Er) realizes he is an employee replica of the real Yu Xing, not a deducer, and accepts his fate calmly.

Significant Themes

• Identity and reality: Yu Xing (Yu Er) grapples with his true identity and the nature of his reality.
• Death and acceptance: Yu Xing (Yu Er) faces death calmly, accepting his fate.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing (Yu Er) and Yu Er briefly interact in the corridor, acknowledging each other's presence but not speaking.
• Yu Xing (Yu Er) interacts with the corpses in the cold storage, ultimately accepting their attack.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing, a new deducer, arrives at a barbecue restaurant instance and meets two other deducers disguised as restaurant staff.
• The restaurant's foreman, a sheep-faced ghostly creature named Zhang Xiaowei, arrives and instructs the deducers to serve the guests.
• Yu Xing switches roles with another waiter to become the usher, greeting guests at the entrance.
• A group of eight human-faced guests arrives, including Yu Xing's doppelganger and other familiar faces from his past instances.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Shows adaptability and quick thinking, switching roles to observe the situation from a different perspective. He also demonstrates sensitivity to temporal anomalies.
• The Foreman (Zhang Xiaowei): Revealed to have a name, suggesting a personal story and potential for investigation.
• The Two Deducers (Cashier and Waiter): Seem experienced but are frightened by the foreman, hinting at their formal deducer status.

Significant Themes

• Identity: Yu Xing's doppelganger raises questions about identity and reality, with Yu Xing himself being both a waiter and a guest.
• Time: The temporal anomaly suggests that time may be a crucial factor in this instance.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing interacts with the foreman, successfully switching roles to become the usher.
• Yu Xing sees his doppelganger and other familiar faces among the guests, raising questions about their roles and the nature of reality in this instance.
• The two deducers (Cashier and Waiter) vent their fears to each other, revealing their inexperience despite their formal deducer status.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing's doppelganger is revealed to be enthusiastic and cheerful, opposite to Yu Xing's timid and silent nature.
• The deducers enter the barbecue restaurant, unsure of the doppelgangers' abilities and treating them as antagonists.
• Yu Xing and his doppelganger switch identities; Yu Xing becomes an usher to explore the restaurant, while his doppelganger, Yu Seventeen, acts as a guest.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Maintains composure and dominance, understanding his doppelganger's situation and enlisting his help.
• Yu Seventeen: Realizes his identity as a copy and decides to help Yu Xing, desiring to vanish after the instance is cleared.

Significant Themes

• Identity and self-discovery: Yu Seventeen grapples with his identity as a copy and his connection to Yu Xing.
• Cooperation vs. conflict: Yu Xing and Yu Seventeen choose to cooperate despite their initial opposing interests.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Yu Seventeen: They communicate openly, understanding each other's situations and deciding to work together.
• Qu Xuanqing and Yu Xing: Qu Xuanqing seems aware of Yu Xing's doppelganger but keeps it to herself.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The deducers enter a barbecue restaurant where everyone, except the deducers, has an animal face.
• A pig-faced waiter serves them a plate of strange, fresh meat that emits a strong, alluring aroma.
• The deducers resist eating the meat, knowing it's dangerous. The pig-faced waiter insists on grilling more meat for them.
• The cashier, a clone of one of the candidates, disappears from her post.
• The Little Heavenly Master and Qu Xuanqing go to check on the candidate woman and the middle-aged woman, fearing the cashier's clone might harm them.

Character Developments

• Yu Shiqi (posing as Yu Xing) remains calm and observant, refusing to be used as a pawn by Gao Lou.
• Gao Lou's true colors are revealed; he's ambitious, manipulative, and willing to put others in danger for his own gain.
• Qu Xuanqing shows her sharp intellect and analytical skills, providing clear insights into the deduction's clues and strategies.
• The Little Heavenly Master demonstrates leadership and concern for his teammates, especially the candidates.

Significant Themes

• The struggle between desire (hunger) and reason (resistance to danger).
• The manipulation of appearances and identities, as seen in the animal-faced humans and the candidates' clones.
• The tension between self-preservation and teamwork, exemplified by Gao Lou's and the Little Heavenly Master's differing views on who should face the danger.

Character Interactions

• Yu Shiqi clashes with Gao Lou, exposing his selfish intentions and refusing to be used as a pawn.
• Qu Xuanqing and the Little Heavenly Master form a temporary alliance, working together to analyze the clues and protect the candidates.
• The candidates, particularly the young woman and the middle-aged woman, show fear and vulnerability in the face of the unknown and dangerous situation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group is now four members short, making the dining table feel sparse.
• The candidate man is nervous, looking for his doppelganger but unable to find him.
• Gao Lou orders Yu Shiqi to find his clone, but Yu Shiqi refuses, leading to a tense standoff.
• Gao Lou threatens Yu Shiqi with a Tetanus Blade, but Yu Shiqi remains unfazed.
• Yu Shiqi provokes Gao Lou, then stabs his hand with a fork, causing a scene.
• The Sheep-faced leader notices the usher's absence and leaves to investigate.
• The killer expresses approval of Yu Shiqi's actions and engages more actively.

Character Developments

• The candidate man remains nervous and anxious.
• Gao Lou reveals his authority and threats but is ultimately outmatched by Yu Shiqi.
• Yu Shiqi demonstrates his rebellious nature and willingness to act against authority.
• The killer shows approval and engagement after Yu Shiqi's actions.

Significant Themes

• The clash between authority and individuality, represented by Gao Lou and Yu Shiqi.
• The consequences of defying the rules and expectations in the deduction game.
• The killer's preference for direct and confrontational behavior.

Character Interactions

• Gao Lou and Yu Shiqi clash over authority and orders, leading to a tense standoff.
• Yu Shiqi provokes Gao Lou, resulting in physical altercation.
• The killer expresses approval and engagement towards Yu Shiqi's actions.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Lou leaves the table to find the clone but returns empty-handed and threatens Yu Shiqi.
• Yu Shiqi and the Killer discuss strategies; the Killer suggests forcefully clearing out the ghosts.
• Gao Lou decides to explore the back kitchen secretly while the others are still at the table.

Character Developments

• Yu Shiqi gains respect as the most reliable team member after witnessing his actions.
• The Killer reveals his combat-oriented nature and suggests aggressive tactics.
• Gao Lou shows his resourcefulness and determination by secretly exploring the back kitchen.

Significant Themes

• Trust and reliability among team members.
• The importance of understanding one's role and abilities in a team (as shown by the Killer and Gao Lou).
• The dangers of underestimating opponents or situations (implied by Gao Lou's secret exploration).

Character Interactions

• Yu Shiqi and the Killer form an alliance, with Yu Shiqi showing trust in Yu Xing's plan.
• Gao Lou's actions show his disregard for team harmony and his willingness to take risks.
• The dynamics between the team members shift, with Yu Shiqi and the Killer gaining confidence while Gao Lou acts independently.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Lou discovers a hidden, dark corridor in the barbecue restaurant.
• He encounters a clone of Qu Xuanqing, who is hostile towards him.
• Gao Lou finds an inconspicuous path leading to the restrooms and staff changing rooms.
• He hears crying from the women's restroom and is attacked by his duplicate, who frames him for attacking Xiao Duo.
• Gao Lou's duplicate is killed, and he dies soon after, with his head severed.
• The Little Heavenly Master, Xiao Duo, and the duplicate Tall Building discuss the situation and decide to regroup.

Character Developments

• Gao Lou: Initially confident and dismissive of danger, Gao Lou's overconfidence leads to his downfall. He realizes the danger of his situation too late.
• Xiao Duo: Xiao Duo's true colors are revealed as she frames Gao Lou for the attack and inadvertently kills him with a kick.
• The Little Heavenly Master: He remains calm and analytical throughout the situation, trying to make sense of the duplicates and their actions.
• Duplicate Tall Building: He displays a similar demeanor to his main body, showing disgust and fear at seeing his duplicate's corpse.

Significant Themes

• Dangers of Overconfidence: Gao Lou's overconfidence in his abilities and deductions leads to his demise.
• Appearance vs Reality: The clones' appearances mirror their originals, but their actions and intentions differ, creating confusion and danger.
• Trust and Betrayal: Xiao Duo's betrayal of Gao Lou highlights the lack of trust and camaraderie among the team members.

Character Interactions

• Gao Lou encounters Qu Xuanqing's clone, who is hostile towards him.
• Gao Lou's duplicate frames him for attacking Xiao Duo, leading to his death.
• The Little Heavenly Master, Xiao Duo, and the duplicate Tall Building discuss the situation and decide to regroup.
• Xiao Duo inadvertently kills Gao Lou with a kick, revealing her true nature.

Key Plot Points

• Yu Xing discovers the cold storage room where all the clones from previous resets are stored, used as backup ingredients for the barbecue restaurant.
• He finds that the corpses are piled high to conceal a secret behind them.
• The corpses attack Yu Xing when he tries to uncover the secret.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing shows curiosity and calmness in exploring the instance and dealing with the corpses.
• The clones, unaware of their true nature, explore the instance and die, causing resets and cognitive dissonance in the deducers.

Significant Themes

• The reset mechanism: clones dying at the hands of others or from dangers trigger resets, while deducers' clones dying at their hands do not.
• The horror and strangeness of the instance: the barbecue restaurant's true nature is revealed to be a place of death and horror, with the clones used as ingredients.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing interacts with the corpses, dodging their attacks and using his curse power to subdue them.
• The clones, in their delusion, interact with each other and the instance, ultimately leading to their deaths and resets.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing discovers a dismembered body in a freezer, identified as Zhang Xiaowei, an employee of the barbecue restaurant.
• The Sheep-faced leader, revealed to be the same person as Zhang Xiaowei, attacks Yu Xing in the cold storage room.
• Qu Xuanqing leads Yu Xing to the women's restroom, hinting at a discovery related to the restaurant's secrets.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing demonstrates his calm and analytical nature even when faced with gruesome discoveries and threats.
• The Sheep-faced leader/Zhang Xiaowei exhibits a split personality and enhanced strength, switching between human and monstrous forms.
• Qu Xuanqing shows initiative and resourcefulness, leading Yu Xing to potentially crucial information.

Significant Themes

• Identity and duality, explored through Zhang Xiaowei's transformation and the restaurant's single-name staff.
• The blurred line between humanity and monstrosity, represented by the Sheep-faced leader and the restaurant's inhabitants.
• The pursuit of truth and answers, driving Yu Xing and Qu Xuanqing's actions.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and the Sheep-faced leader/Zhang Xiaowei: Yu Xing's curiosity and analytical skills provoke the leader, leading to a confrontation.
• Yu Xing and Qu Xuanqing: They form a temporary alliance, with Qu Xuanqing guiding Yu Xing based on her knowledge of the restaurant's staff.
• The Sheep-faced leader and the corpses: The leader disregards the corpses, focusing solely on Yu Xing, while the corpses attempt to hinder the leader's pursuit.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing and Qu Xuanqing (in a cook's uniform) encounter the Sheep-faced leader banging its head against a tree.
• Yu Xing follows Qu Xuanqing, realizing she's a copy created by the barbecue restaurant.
• They find the kitchen empty and learn that the cook and server have been "kidnapped" by someone.
• Qu Xuanqing leads Yu Xing to the restrooms, where they find many people tied up, including duplicates and the real Little Heavenly Master.
• Qu Xuanqing explains that she tied everyone up after discovering their deceptions and that the duplicate Little Heavenly Master accused her of disrupting the deduction.

Character Developments

• Qu Xuanqing (copy) reveals she knows she's a ghostly creature and is aware of her creator's feelings for Yu Xing. She expresses envy of the real Qu Xuanqing's bond with Yu Xing.
• Yu Xing is stunned by Qu Xuanqing's (copy) revelations about the real Qu Xuanqing's feelings for him.

Significant Themes

• Identity and self-awareness (Qu Xuanqing's copy knowing she's a ghostly creature)
• Trust and deception (the duplicates' true intentions and the real Little Heavenly Master's accusation)
• The consequences of one's actions (the duplicates' fates and the cook's fear upon being unmasked)

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Qu Xuanqing (copy) have a candid conversation about her awareness of her identity and her creator's feelings.
• Yu Xing and the real Little Heavenly Master have a brief exchange, with Yu Xing asking the Little Heavenly Master to resolve the deduction.
• Qu Xuanqing (copy) and the real Qu Xuanqing show understanding and acceptance of each other's actions, with no immediate conflict.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang Xiaowei, a slow child due to a health condition, grows up with a father who runs a barbecue restaurant.
• Zhang Xiaowei's father dies after being assaulted by a customer who was having an argument with his girlfriend.
• Zhang Xiaowei inherits the restaurant, kills the woman responsible for his father's death, and begins serving human flesh under the delusion that he's serving meat.
• He becomes mentally deranged, unable to distinguish reality from fantasy, and continues running the restaurant, serving himself and others.

Character Developments

• Zhang Xiaowei: Starts as a slow child, grows into a normal adult, but descends into madness and cannibalism after his father's death.
• Zhang Xiaowei's Father: A dedicated father who runs a barbecue restaurant and dies protecting his customers from a violent customer.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of violence and revenge.
• Mental illness and its progression.
• The struggle between reality and delusion.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Xiaowei's relationship with his father is one of love and protection, which turns into a driving force for his descent into madness.
• The interaction between the customer and Zhang Xiaowei's father leads to the latter's death and sets off a chain of events that lead to Zhang Xiaowei's cannibalism.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The deducers are attacked by the Sheep-faced leader, who tries to break into their toilet hideout.
• Yu Xing uses his dimensional powers to trap the leader and orders the replicas to act as guests in the hall.
• The replicas, including the Little Heavenly Master, are freed and warned about their potential actions after surviving the deduction.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing demonstrates his lack of morals by not caring about the replicas' post-deduction actions.
• The Little Heavenly Master shows his disapproval of Yu Xing's lack of morals but keeps his thoughts to himself.

Significant Themes

• Morality and its absence in Yu Xing's character.
• The consequences of the replicas' survival and their potential actions after the deduction.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and the replicas: Yu Xing shows no concern for the replicas' future actions, while they are wary of him but follow his orders.
• Yu Xing and the Little Heavenly Master: The Little Heavenly Master disapproves of Yu Xing's lack of morals but keeps his thoughts private.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A terrifying sheep-faced leader, the foreman of the barbecue restaurant, appears and causes chaos.
• The leader kills a rabbit-headed guest, causing panic and an attempt to escape, which the leader prevents.
• The leader attacks the remaining guests, triggering a final mission for the deducers to survive for ten minutes.
• The killer and the Little Heavenly Master attempt to fight and kill the leader, while Yu Xing and Qu Xuanqing observe.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Remains calm and detached, revealing he's aware of the mission's rules and has no intention of killing the boss.
• The Killer: Shows eagerness to fight the leader, revealing his combat-focused nature.
• The Little Heavenly Master: Demonstrates strategic use of props and cooperation with the killer.
• The Sheep-Faced Leader: Reveals its past trauma and desperation to protect its father's restaurant, becoming more aggressive and terrifying.

Significant Themes

• Survival: The guests and deducers must survive the leader's onslaught.
• Cooperation vs. Detachment: The killer and the Little Heavenly Master cooperate, while Yu Xing and Qu Xuanqing observe, highlighting different approaches to the situation.
• Trauma and Rage: The leader's past experiences and trauma fuel its rage and aggressive behavior.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Qu Xuanqing: They observe the fight together, showing a level of camaraderie and shared detachment.
• The Killer and the Little Heavenly Master: They cooperate in fighting the leader, showing a natural synergy despite not knowing each other well.
• Yu Xing and The Killer: They exchange a brief conversation, with the killer showing understanding of Yu Xing's lack of interest in fighting.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The barbecue restaurant is in ruins, with tables, chairs, and bodies scattered.
• The Little Heavenly Master and the killer are severely injured while trying to defeat the berserk leader.
• Yu Xing and Qu Xuanqing observe the scene, with Qu Xuanqing expressing relief at being an audience rather than an actor.
• Yu Xing deduces that Zhang Xiaowei's illness might be related to consuming human flesh, suggesting a curse or karma from his mother's corpse disposal.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing demonstrates his analytical skills and lack of mercy, even when facing a vulnerable opponent.
• Qu Xuanqing shows her ability to adapt and find comfort in unusual situations.
• Zhang Xiaowei's mental state deteriorates as Yu Xing's deductions hit too close to home.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of one's actions (karma, curse)
• The struggle between human nature and societal norms (eating human flesh)
• The power dynamics between individuals (Yu Xing's dominance, Zhang Xiaowei's vulnerability)

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Qu Xuanqing display a comfortable, almost intimate, relationship, with Qu Xuanqing seeking physical closeness.
• Yu Xing's interaction with Zhang Xiaowei is cold and calculating, using his deductions to manipulate and provoke him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing exits an instance and overhears Zhu Yan, who's excited about a game.
• He witnesses Wang Shufen, a mother with a critically ill son, at a mall. She had previously entered a deadly instance, hoping to cure her son if she survived.
• Wang Shufen's copycat, who inherited her memories and love for her son, is revealed to be the murderer.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Realizes the Absurd Deduction Game's system is disrupting fate.
• Zhu Yan: Shows enthusiasm for a game, suggesting she's enjoying her life.
• Wang Shufen: Desperate to save her son, enters a deadly instance with a false promise of a cure.
• Wang Shufen's Copycat: Inherits Wang Shufen's memories and love for her son, but is also the murderer.

Significant Themes

• Desperation and Hope: Wang Shufen's desperate attempt to save her son and her hope for a cure.
• Consequences of Interference: The system's disruption of fate and the consequences of its interference.
• Identity and Inheritance: The copycat inheriting Wang Shufen's memories and love, but not her morality.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Zhu Yan: Yu Xing overhears Zhu Yan but doesn't interact with her.
• Wang Shufen and her Son: Wang Shufen shows her love and care for her son, hoping for a better future.
• Wang Shufen and the System: Wang Shufen's interaction with the system leads to her death and the copycat's emergence.

• The Broken Mirror Squad resumes normal life after the Zhang family incident.
• Yu Xing observes potential competitors for the Yin Yang City event and invites an acquaintance to join.
• Zhao Mou locates an instance with a high success probability, requiring travel to Suan Yu County to enter.
• Yu Xing prepares for the journey and researches Guo Long Ridge.
• Zhao Yijiu wakes Yu Xing up for their departure.

Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing, Zhao Mou, and Zhao Yijiu are traveling to a remote area for an instance.
• They learn that the main family and other factions are also participating, leading to potential conflicts.
• They will meet up with the Siren, a healer they've invited for the instance.

Character Developments

• Zhao Mou is more relaxed and casual, showing a side of him not often seen in public.
• Zhao Yijiu is preparing to use his fierce ghost personality in the instance.
• Yu Xing is trying to get closer to the Siren for their team's benefit.

Significant Themes

• The strained relationship between Zhao Mou and the main family.
• The competitive nature of instances and the potential for conflict among participants.
• The importance of teamwork and alliances in instances.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Mou and Zhao Yijiu have a brotherly dynamic, with Zhao Mou protecting and looking out for his brother.
• Yu Xing and Zhao Yijiu have a playful, teasing relationship, with Yu Xing often provoking Zhao Yijiu.
• Yu Xing is trying to build a friendly rapport with the Siren for their team's advantage.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter introduces Dragon Head Town, a small, old, and somewhat backward town nestled in the mountains, serving as a gateway to Dragon Ridge.
• Yu Xing, Zhao Yijiu, and Zhao Mou arrive in Dragon Head Town and meet Old Huang, a local who offers to guide them into the mountains.
• Zhao Mou hires Old Huang, and they plan to head into the mountains in an hour after leaving their luggage at a hotel.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: He appears more at ease and less nauseous than on the plane, adapting to the local environment. He shows interest in the local culture and people.
• Zhao Yijiu: He remains vigilant and intimidating, blending in with the locals despite his refined appearance. He shows concern for Yu Xing's well-being.
• Zhao Mou: He demonstrates his experience and capability in handling local affairs, negotiating with Old Huang, and making decisions for the group. He shows a ruthless side when dealing with Old Huang.
• Old Huang: He is portrayed as shrewd, greedy, and cautious, valuing money over his life. He is experienced in guiding outsiders into the mountains.

Significant Themes

• The contrast between the old, backward town and the modern world.
• The dangers and opportunities presented by Dragon Ridge and the mountains.
• The ruthlessness and pragmatism of those involved in the gray industries in the town.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Zhao Yijiu: They maintain a friendly and comfortable rapport, with Zhao Yijiu showing concern for Yu Xing's well-being.
• Zhao Mou and Old Huang: They engage in a tense negotiation, with Zhao Mou displaying his ruthless side and Old Huang showing his greed and caution.
• Zhao Mou and Zhao Yijiu: They communicate briefly about their plans, with Zhao Yijiu showing understanding and trust in his brother's decisions.