Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing saves Han Xinyi from an attempted murder, which bears similarities to the Throat Cutting Case.
• The police, including Deputy Captain Gao Chang'an, question Yu Xing and consider him for a Good Samaritan Award.
• Han Xinyi develops feelings for Yu Xing, who declines to give her his contact information, saying they'll meet again if they're fated.
• Yu Xing returns to his hotel, where he's staying with Qu Xuanqing, and they discuss the case.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Shows exceptional combat skills, calmness under pressure, and a mysterious side, as he's investigating the Throat Cutting Case secretly. He's also evasive about his personal life, claiming to have a girlfriend to avoid Han Xinyi's advances.
• Han Xinyi: Develops feelings for Yu Xing after he saves her. She's an orphan raised by her uncle and works as a nurse.
• Gao Chang'an: The deputy captain of the Criminal Investigation Detachment, he's impressed by Yu Xing's skills and considers him for an award. He's also meticulous and dedicated to his work.

Significant Themes

• Fate and Destiny: Yu Xing uses this concept to evade Han Xinyi's advances, suggesting that their paths will cross again if it's meant to be.
• Trust and Deception: Yu Xing lies about having a girlfriend to distance himself from Han Xinyi and maintains a mysterious demeanor around the police, hinting at his hidden investigation.
• Justice and Protection: The police are determined to catch the killer and protect potential victims, while Yu Xing takes matters into his own hands to find the culprit.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Han Xinyi: Han Xinyi is infatuated with Yu Xing after he saves her, but he maintains a friendly yet distant demeanor, declining to give her his contact information.
• Yu Xing and Gao Chang'an: Gao Chang'an is impressed by Yu Xing's skills and considers him for an award, while Yu Xing cooperates with the police investigation without revealing his true intentions.
• Yu Xing and Qu Xuanqing: They work together to investigate the case, with Qu Xuanqing acting as Yu Xing's alibi. Their dynamic is not explicitly shown in this chapter, but it's implied that they have a close working relationship.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing and Qu Xuanqing discuss his upcoming promotion game, with Qu Xuanqing advising him to rest.
• Sheqing Ghost Yi Qing appears, observing humans' attachments.
• Yu Xing enters the 'Ghost Night Talk' promotion deduction game, where he loses his memories and can't use his persona mask or Yi Qing's abilities until he realizes he's in a deduction world.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Shows concern for Qu Xuanqing's well-being and is determined to face his inner self in the promotion game.
• Qu Xuanqing: Demonstrates care and concern for Yu Xing's well-being, showing growth in their relationship.
• Sheqing Ghost Yi Qing: Shows curiosity and detachment towards human emotions and attachments.

Significant Themes

• Memory and Identity: The promotion game revolves around Yu Xing losing his memories, challenging his sense of self and identity.
• Human Emotions and Attachments: Yi Qing observes and comments on human emotions, contrasting with his own detachment.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Qu Xuanqing: Their dynamic shows growth, with Qu Xuanqing acting more like a concerned partner than a subordinate.
• Yu Xing and Yi Qing: Their interaction is brief but shows a level of comfort and understanding between them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing, a young man with amnesia, wakes up in a simple, dusty room, injured and bandaged.
• He meets Old Zhang, a well-built man, his wife, and their daughter Mai Mai, who had taken him in.
• Yu Xing learns he has no memory of his past, including his name, appearance, or how he got injured.
• He experiences restless sleep and nightmares, waking up to find the house and village desolate.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Struggles with amnesia, feels anxious and confused about his past. Shows resilience in trying to remember and adapt to his situation.
• Old Zhang: Initially kind and helpful, later shows concern and trouble about what to do with Yu Xing.
• Mai Mai: Curious and blunt, shows kindness towards Yu Xing.

Significant Themes

• Amnesia: Yu Xing's loss of memory drives the plot and his struggle to understand his past.
• Trust and Security: Yu Xing feels secure with Old Zhang's family initially, but later feels strange and uneasy when he's alone.
• Desolation and Abandonment: The desolate village reflects Yu Xing's internal state and foreshadows his uncertain future.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Old Zhang: They interact with concern and curiosity, with Old Zhang trying to help Yu Xing remember.
• Yu Xing and Mai Mai: Mai Mai is curious about Yu Xing's past, and they share a moment of connection when she blurts out her thoughts about Yu Xing's appearance.
• Old Zhang and his wife: They discuss Yu Xing's situation privately, showing concern and uncertainty about what to do with him.

Summary of "The Witch Doctor's Burn" Chapter

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing wakes up in a desolate, abandoned village with no memory of how he got there.
• He explores the village, finding all houses dilapidated and empty, except for one where he finds Old Zhang, the man who had helped him earlier, hanging along with many other corpses in the Witch Doctor's house.
• He encounters the Witch Doctor, who appears with a burned face initially but later shows a normal, beautiful face.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Despite his amnesia and confusion, Yu Xing demonstrates resilience and determination to find out what happened in the village. He also shows fear and caution when encountering the Witch Doctor.
• The Witch Doctor: She is initially presented as an ugly, burned woman but later reveals a normal, beautiful face, suggesting she might have some sort of illusion or transformation ability.

Significant Themes

• Mystery and Suspense: The abandoned village, the hanging corpses, and the Witch Doctor's dual appearance create a sense of mystery and foreboding.
• Appearance vs. Reality: The Witch Doctor's dual appearance raises questions about the nature of reality and perception.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing's interaction with the Witch Doctor is brief but intense, with Yu Xing showing clear fear and caution, while the Witch Doctor seems surprised and confused by Yu Xing's reaction.
• Yu Xing's internal struggle between fear and determination is evident throughout the chapter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing tastes his own blood, feeling calm despite its strange familiarity.
• He resists entering the shamaness's house due to his earlier hallucinations of hanged corpses.
• Upon entering, he finds the house empty and simply furnished, with no signs of the corpses he saw earlier.
• He temporarily stays in the house, accepting the shamaness's help to treat his wounds.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Realizes his injuries might be causing hallucinations, decides to stay in the house to rest and gather strength before deciding his next move.
• The Shamaness: Shows no concern or surprise at Yu Xing's condition, offers to treat his wounds and invites him to stay in the village.

Significant Themes

• Reality vs. Perception: Yu Xing struggles to discern what's real and what's a hallucination due to his injuries.
• Trust and Suspicion: Yu Xing is wary of the shamaness and the villagers, but his need for rest and food leads him to temporarily trust her.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and the Shamaness: The shamaness tends to Yu Xing's wounds, inviting him to stay in the village. Yu Xing agrees, though he remains cautious and suspicious.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing's wounds heal miraculously under the shaman's care.
• The shaman gives Yu Xing clothes and takes him to a house in the village center.
• Yu Xing meets Granny Li, who is over 100 years old and believes the shaman helps them live forever.
• Yu Xing learns about the village's belief in a divine official protecting them from death.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Shows curiosity and caution in his interactions with the shaman and the villagers.
• The Shaman: Displayed a satisfied smile when Yu Xing's wounds healed, suggesting she has special abilities or knowledge.
• Granny Li: Reveals her age (100) and her belief in the shaman's power to help them live forever.

Significant Themes

• Longevity and Immortality: The villagers' desire to live forever is a central theme, driven by fear of death and loss.
• Faith and Belief: The shaman's role as a spiritual leader is explored, with villagers showing unwavering faith in her abilities.
• Mystery and Suspicion: Yu Xing's uncertainty about the shaman's true intentions and the village's strange customs creates intrigue.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and the Shaman: Their dynamic is respectful yet guarded, with Yu Xing trying to understand the shaman's motives and the shaman treating Yu Xing with a mix of kindness and superiority.
• Yu Xing and Granny Li: Yu Xing shows concern for Granny Li's well-being, while Granny Li treats Yu Xing with respect and awe, likely due to the shaman's influence.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing, an amnesiac, arrives at Granny Li's house, where he learns about the villagers' belief in an immortal who protects them.
• He discovers that the villagers cannot speak the immortal's name, fearing that other immortals might hear and cause trouble.
• Granny Li leads Yu Xing to his room, and he spends the night contemplating his situation and the strange world he's in.
• Later that night, Granny Li has a terrified hallucination, believing she's being pursued by the Lords of Soul Reaping. She seeks protection from the immortal statue.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing accepts his amnesia and begins to question his past and the nature of his reality.
• Granny Li is revealed to be deeply superstitious and fearful of death, clinging to her belief in the immortal's protection.

Significant Themes

• Reality vs. Illusion: Yu Xing struggles to discern what's real and what's a hallucination or memory.
• Fear of the Unknown: Both Yu Xing and Granny Li grapple with their fears—Yu Xing about his past, and Granny Li about death and the supernatural.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Granny Li have minimal interaction in this chapter, but Yu Xing observes Granny Li's actions and deduces her fears and beliefs.
• Yu Xing's internal monologue reveals his thoughts and growing acceptance of his situation.

• Plot Points & Events: Yu Xing discovers Granny Li's horrifying secret—she has no internal organs, only bones, and she offers pieces of her remaining flesh to an "Immortal Lord" statue. Yu Xing decides to leave the village but realizes he needs a plan.
• Character Development: Yu Xing shows caution, resourcefulness, and a growing understanding of the village's dark secrets. Granny Li reveals a grotesque and disturbing side.
• Significant Themes: The theme of evil spirits and their influence on the villagers is introduced. Yu Xing's past experiences and his resistance to accepting his quick healing are hinted at.
• Character Interactions: Yu Xing observes Granny Li's disturbing ritual, and later, Granny Li confronts Yu Xing in the main hall, questioning his presence there.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing, the protagonist, wakes up in the middle of the night and encounters Granny Li, who questions his presence. He smoothly explains his actions, expressing his desire to worship the Immortal Lord.
• Yu Xing has a vivid dream that seems to connect to his past. In the dream, he attends an opera performance of 'A Peony Pavilion Dream' and meets a skilled performer who later becomes a guest in his household. He also experiences a chase scene where he's shot multiple times, and recalls his past life and the person named Lingren.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing demonstrates adaptability and quick thinking in handling Granny Li's questioning, showing his ability to navigate complex situations.
• In his dream, Yu Xing's past self is portrayed as appreciative of traditional Chinese arts and naive about the true nature of those around him.

Significant Themes

• Memory and Identity: Yu Xing's dream serves as a trigger for him to recall his past life, suggesting that his current identity crisis is linked to his forgotten memories.
• Appearance vs Reality: The opera performer's dual nature (a man playing a female role) mirrors the deception and hidden truths in Yu Xing's life.
• Power Dynamics: The chase scene in Yu Xing's dream highlights the power imbalance between him and those pursuing him, reflecting the struggles he faces in his current situation.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Granny Li: Yu Xing's interaction with Granny Li showcases his ability to read situations and adapt his behavior accordingly, earning him her favor.
• Yu Xing and the Opera Performer (Dream): In his dream, Yu Xing interacts with the opera performer, who later becomes a significant figure in his past life. Their exchange hints at a deeper connection between them.

Yu Xing, initially a naive and art-obsessed rich young master, undergoes a profound transformation due to betrayal and experimentation by the Lingren. He becomes a monster with a dark psyche, hiding his true nature while trying to regain his kindness. In his dreams, he's invulnerable to death, and he discovers a clue to his past in the form of the name 'Shi Wei'. He learns about a river west of the village from Granny Li and decides to investigate, but the Witch Doctor insists he visit her first to change his medicine. She seems excited to hear that his wound has healed quickly.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing feels unease about the Witch Doctor's excitement, sensing she has ill intentions.
• They walk to the river, passing villagers who seem familiar from Yu Xing's hallucination.
• The Witch Doctor reveals she comes to the lake to feel close to her husband, who can't return home.
• Yu Xing steps on a skull, confirming human remains are scattered around the lake.
• The Witch Doctor suddenly cries out, claiming her calf was scratched by grass.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing maintains his disguise, subtly probing the Witch Doctor and the village's secrets.
• The Witch Doctor reveals more about her personal life, hinting at a tragic past.
• Yu Xing becomes more cautious and alert to potential dangers.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and deception: Yu Xing manipulates the Witch Doctor to gain information, while she manipulates him for her own purposes.
• Grief and loss: The Witch Doctor's longing for her husband and the villagers' worship of the Immortal Lord suggest a shared history of loss and grief.
• Appearance vs. reality: The lake's filth and the scattered bones contrast with the Witch Doctor's claim that it's a peaceful place to connect with her husband.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and the Witch Doctor: Their interactions are tense, with Yu Xing trying to uncover the truth while the Witch Doctor tries to control him.
• Yu Xing and the villagers: He observes them from a distance, noticing their familiar faces and frail appearances.
• The Witch Doctor and her husband: Though not present, the husband's memory looms large, influencing the Witch Doctor's actions and emotions.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Witch Doctor intentionally injures herself to manipulate Yu Xing.
• Yu Xing discovers the Witch Doctor's true intentions and witnesses her interaction with the 'Immortal Lord' in the lake, who is revealed to be a water ghost.
• The water ghost expresses his desire to possess Yu Xing's body and demands food.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Becomes more suspicious of the Witch Doctor and discovers her secret.
• Witch Doctor: Reveals her obsession with the water ghost, prioritizing his wishes above all else.
• Water Ghost (Shi Wei): Shows cruelty and possessiveness, demanding food and a new body.

Significant Themes

• Obsession: The Witch Doctor's single-minded pursuit of the water ghost's happiness and her desire to be with him.
• Manipulation: The Witch Doctor's attempts to control Yu Xing and the villagers for her own ends.
• Appearance vs Reality: The water ghost's obsession with his physical appearance and the Witch Doctor's perception of him as perfect.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing & Witch Doctor: Yu Xing becomes more guarded, while the Witch Doctor continues to manipulate him, revealing her true intentions to the water ghost.
• Witch Doctor & Water Ghost (Shi Wei): The Witch Doctor expresses her love and devotion, while the water ghost displays cruelty and mistrust, demanding food and a new body.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing returns to the village after eavesdropping on the Witch Doctor and the water ghost.
• He retrieves the medical kit from the Witch Doctor's house.
• He meets Xiao Hu, a child who tells him about Mai Mai, a girl sent from the neighboring village to the Witch Doctor.
• Yu Xing learns that Mai Mai is likely dead and that the neighboring village may have acted against Old Zhang's wishes.
• Yu Xing decides to tell Xiao Hu a ghost story.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Shows empathy towards Xiao Hu and decides to help him, indicating a softening of his initially cold demeanor.
• Xiao Hu: Demonstrates independent thinking and courage in standing up for Mai Mai, despite facing consequences from his community.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of immortality and the consequences of obsession.
• The struggle between individuality and conformity to societal norms.
• The power dynamics between children and adults, and the vulnerability of children.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Xiao Hu: Yu Xing's interaction with Xiao Hu shows his willingness to engage with others, despite his initial coldness. Xiao Hu, in turn, shows trust in Yu Xing, despite the villagers' warnings about outsiders.
• The villagers and Xiao Hu: The villagers' treatment of Xiao Hu highlights the consequences of defying societal norms and the power dynamics between adults and children.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing tells Xiao Hu a scary story about an old woman asking for directions to a village, building suspense and eventually scaring Xiao Hu, who runs away.
• Yu Xing returns to the river, suspecting the Witch Doctor will perform a ritual to switch bodies with Shi Wei.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Demonstrates his manipulative nature by provoking the Water Ghost (Shi Wei) and showing no remorse for the villagers' fate.
• Xiao Hu: Shows fear and gullibility, running away after being scared by Yu Xing's story.
• Witch Doctor: Not present in this part, but implied to be injured and planning a ritual.
• Water Ghost (Shi Wei): Revealed to be jealous, suspicious, and possessive, fearing the Witch Doctor's affection might wane.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and provocation (Yu Xing's actions towards Shi Wei).
• Fear and gullibility (Xiao Hu's reaction to the story).
• Jealousy, suspicion, and possessiveness (Shi Wei's feelings towards the Witch Doctor).

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Xiao Hu: Yu Xing tells Xiao Hu a story, then scares him, causing Xiao Hu to run away.
• Yu Xing and Water Ghost (Shi Wei): Yu Xing provokes Shi Wei by talking about the Witch Doctor's attractiveness and his willingness to help her, knowing Shi Wei can hear him.
• Witch Doctor and Water Ghost (Shi Wei): Implied to have a complex relationship, with Shi Wei being jealous and possessive, and the Witch Doctor genuinely caring for him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing returns to the village with the Witch Doctor, who is injured, and carries her back to the village.
• Yu Xing notices that the days and nights are passing unusually fast.
• Yu Xing theorizes that he might be in the domain of a ghostly creature within a realm called "absurdity."
• He decides to investigate the events between the two villages and consider killing the water ghost as two possible ways to leave this place.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: He becomes more determined to uncover the truth and regain his powers. He also starts to suspect that he might be in a realm called "absurdity."
• The Witch Doctor: She shows a more friendly and less overbearing side to Yu Xing, asking for his help as a friend rather than ordering him as the Witch Doctor.

Significant Themes

• The search for truth and power: Yu Xing's primary motivation is to understand his situation and regain his abilities.
• The passage of time: The fast-paced days and nights hint at the supernatural nature of this place and the urgency of Yu Xing's mission.
• The realm of "absurdity": This mysterious place is suggested to be the origin of the Lingren's powers and might hold the key to Yu Xing's escape.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and the Witch Doctor: Their interaction shows a shift in their relationship, with the Witch Doctor treating Yu Xing more as an equal and a friend.
• Yu Xing and Mai Mai: Mai Mai's appearance indicates that Yu Xing has returned to the past, possibly providing an opportunity for him to investigate the events between the two villages.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing wakes up in Old Zhang's house, having time-jumped back to a point before the events that led to his amnesia.
• A group of villagers, led by Li Fugui, demand meat from Old Zhang's family, escalating to insults and threats when refused.
• Yu Xing intervenes, intimidating the villagers into leaving, and decides not to go hunting with Old Zhang to observe the villagers' actions.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Shows increased hostility due to his recent memories, but maintains control, acting to protect Old Zhang's family. He begins to piece together the events that led to his amnesia.
• Old Zhang: A kind-hearted hunter who has suffered losses due to his good nature. He respects Yu Xing greatly.
• Mai Mai: Shows affection towards Yu Xing and is protective of him. She is distressed by the villagers' insults.
• Li Fugui: A greedy and manipulative villager who takes advantage of Old Zhang's kindness. He is cowardly in the face of Yu Xing's intimidation.

Significant Themes

• Greed and jealousy, as shown by the villagers' behavior and their envy of the Witch Doctor's village.
• Trust and betrayal, as Yu Xing considers the possibility that the villagers might have kidnapped Mai Mai to gain favor with the Witch Doctor.
• The consequences of inaction, as Yu Xing reflects on his past choices and their outcomes.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Mai Mai: Mai Mai shows concern for Yu Xing's feelings and defends him against the villagers' insults. Yu Xing, in turn, protects Mai Mai and her family.
• Old Zhang and Yu Xing: Old Zhang apologizes to Yu Xing for the villagers' behavior and invites him to go hunting, showing his respect and trust in Yu Xing.
• Li Fugui and the villagers: Li Fugui manipulates the other villagers into demanding meat from Old Zhang's family, then tries to intimidate Yu Xing when called out. The villagers, however, show no loyalty to Li Fugui when Yu Xing confronts them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing observes Mai Mai being kidnapped by the villagers, including Li Fugui and his group, who plan to send her to the Witch Doctor's village.
• Old Zhang's wife returns and chases after the group, leading to a confrontation where she is beaten to death.
• Yu Xing's memory of the past is triggered, revealing that he had exacted revenge on the villagers after finding Mai Mai's corpse.
• Yu Xing's location changes, and he finds himself in the forest between the Witch Doctor's village and the lake.
• The Witch Doctor approaches Yu Xing with a bowl of blood, asking him to drink it and become her follower.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Experiences a range of emotions, from anger and bitterness to rage, as he witnesses Mai Mai's kidnapping and Old Zhang's wife's death. He also experiences a shift in his memory, recalling his past actions. He appears conflicted and unhappy when faced with the Witch Doctor's request.
• Mai Mai: Displayed bravery and resourcefulness in the face of her kidnapping but ultimately succumbed to the villagers' superior numbers and violence.
• Old Zhang's wife: Showed determination and desperation in trying to save her daughter but was ultimately overwhelmed and killed.
• Li Fugui and the villagers: Revealed their greed and betrayal, prioritizing their own interests over the well-being of Mai Mai and Old Zhang's family.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and Greed: The villagers' actions highlight the destructive power of greed and betrayal, as they prioritize their own interests over the well-being of their neighbors.
• Loss of Innocence: Mai Mai's kidnapping and the subsequent events mark the loss of her childhood innocence and the harsh reality of the world she lives in.
• The Price of Revenge: Yu Xing's memory of his past actions raises questions about the true cost of revenge and the emotional toll it takes on him.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Mai Mai: Although Yu Xing doesn't intervene in Mai Mai's kidnapping, her plea for help and trust in him weigh heavily on his mind.
• Yu Xing and Old Zhang's wife: Yu Xing's memory of Old Zhang's wife's death evokes strong emotions in him, highlighting the bond they shared.
• Yu Xing and the Witch Doctor: The Witch Doctor's request for Yu Xing to drink the blood and become her follower creates tension and conflict between them, as Yu Xing appears unhappy with her demand.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing realizes that the Witch Doctor's "forever together" plan involves him drinking a bowl of blood to allow the Water Ghost Shi Wei to possess him.
• He leads the Witch Doctor to the lakeside, pours the blood into the lake, and provokes Shi Wei by claiming the Witch Doctor has chosen him over Shi Wei.
• Shi Wei emerges from the lake, drags the Witch Doctor into the water, and drowns her, believing she has betrayed him.
• Shi Wei then attacks Yu Xing, intending to kill him for deceiving the Witch Doctor.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: He remains calm and composed throughout the chapter, revealing his intelligence and manipulative skills. He provokes Shi Wei to eliminate the Witch Doctor and focuses on his ultimate goal of revenge.
• Witch Doctor: Her love for Shi Wei is confirmed, but her manipulation of Yu Xing backfires. She dies at Shi Wei's hands, unable to fulfill her plan.
• Shi Wei: His possessiveness and insecurity are exploited by Yu Xing, leading him to kill the Witch Doctor. He is driven by his need for security and his fear of losing her.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and Deception: Both the Witch Doctor and Yu Xing manipulate each other for their own purposes. The Witch Doctor's manipulation of Yu Xing ultimately leads to her downfall.
• Love and Possession: Shi Wei's love for the Witch Doctor is twisted by his possessiveness and insecurity, leading him to kill her rather than risk losing her to someone else.
• Revenge: Yu Xing's ultimate goal remains revenge, and he uses the Witch Doctor and Shi Wei to further this end.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and the Witch Doctor: Their dynamic shifts as Yu Xing manipulates the Witch Doctor, leading to her death.
• Yu Xing and Shi Wei: Their interaction is confrontational, with Yu Xing provoking Shi Wei to eliminate the Witch Doctor and Shi Wei attacking Yu Xing in response.
• The Witch Doctor and Shi Wei: Their relationship is complex, with Shi Wei's possessiveness and insecurity ultimately leading to her death.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing, carrying Old Zhang's axe and covered in blood, walks to the larger village to find Mai Mai, after discovering Old Zhang's family was killed.
• He encounters the Witch Doctor, whom he senses is involved in Mai Mai's death, and kills her.
• Yu Xing follows Mai Mai's scent to the lake, where he encounters Shi Wei, the Water Ghost, and devours him, gaining his memories.
• The Witch Doctor's backstory is revealed, explaining her origin and her connection to Shi Wei.
• Yu Xing, driven by rage and grief, floods both villages, killing all the villagers.
• After the water recedes, Yu Xing leaves the village, vowing never to return.
• In the present, Yu Xing recalls his past and his entry into the Absurd Deduction game. Yi Qing appears, having witnessed Yu Xing's past through his persona mask.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing: Initially calm and emotionless, Yu Xing's grief and rage are triggered by Mai Mai's death, leading him to commit mass murder. After the incident, he regains some control and leaves the village, vowing to never return. He later regains all his memories and enters the Absurd Deduction game.
• Shi Wei (Water Ghost): Shi Wei is revealed to have a twisted, obsessive love for the Witch Doctor (Ah Yan). He tries to protect her but ultimately fails and is devoured by Yu Xing.
• Ah Yan (Witch Doctor): Ah Yan's backstory reveals her tragic past, which led her to become the Witch Doctor. Her obsession with Shi Wei drives her to return to the village and attempt to resurrect him.

Significant Themes

• Grief and Rage: Yu Xing's grief and rage at Mai Mai's death lead him to commit mass murder, highlighting the destructive power of these emotions.
• Obsession and Love: Both Shi Wei and Ah Yan's love for each other is obsessive and twisted, leading to their downfall.
• Consequences of Actions: The villagers' greed and malice lead to the creation of the Witch Doctor and the Water Ghost, who in turn cause more harm, illustrating the cycle of violence and its consequences.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and the Witch Doctor: Yu Xing kills the Witch Doctor upon sensing she was involved in Mai Mai's death.
• Yu Xing and Shi Wei: Yu Xing devours Shi Wei after learning he ate Mai Mai.
• Shi Wei and Ah Yan: Their twisted, obsessive love for each other drives their actions throughout the story.
• Yu Xing and Yi Qing: Yi Qing, having witnessed Yu Xing's past through his persona mask, appears before him in the present, leading to a tense interaction.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yu Xing completes the promotion deduction game and is promoted to the differentiation level.
• He gains new abilities, titles, and access to a Deduction Store and Wishlist.
• Qu Xuanqing explains the changes at the differentiation level and the difference between offerings and items.

Character Developments

• Yu Xing's mental and physical strength improve due to the promotion.
• Qu Xuanqing shows concern for Yu Xing's safety, despite her initial denial.

Significant Themes

• The increase in difficulty and danger at the differentiation level.
• The importance of guilds for protection and support.

Character Interactions

• Yu Xing and Qu Xuanqing discuss the changes at the differentiation level and Yu Xing's plans for a guild.