Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• A dangerous person (implied to be a mole) is suspected to be within one of the teams.
• Bian Qiulan's team enters Bo Shuo's Safe House, and Bo Shuo gains 1780 points, making his team rank first.
• Jiang Xiuyi reveals that the Ghost Tide was caused by an Examinee using a talent skill, targeting one of the teams.
• It's implied that a curse master, Akita Kohei, is behind the Ghost Tide, suggesting a mole within one of the teams.
• Bian Qiulan offers Bo Shuo the captain position and half of her team's points if he joins their team.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo: Shows hesitation and caution when deciding to let Bian Qiulan's team into his Safe House, demonstrating his strategic thinking.
• Bian Qiulan: Displays leadership and strategic thinking by trying to recruit Bo Shuo to her team, showing her determination to win the Game.
• Jiang Xiuyi: Exhibits calm and assertiveness when revealing the cause of the Ghost Tide, indicating his reliability and maturity.
• Yang Xuan: Shows wariness and suspicion towards Jiang Xiuyi's revelation, highlighting his protective nature towards his team.

Significant Themes

• Trust and suspicion: The revelation of a potential mole within one of the teams raises questions about trust and loyalty among the Examinees.
• Strategic thinking: Characters like Bo Shuo and Bian Qiulan demonstrate their ability to make strategic decisions to increase their chances of winning the Game.
• Power dynamics: The offer to join another team and the potential gain of points highlight the power dynamics at play among the Examinees.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and Bian Qiulan: Their interaction shows a potential power struggle, with Bian Qiulan trying to recruit Bo Shuo to her team, while Bo Shuo remains cautious and non-committal.
• Jiang Xiuyi and Yang Xuan: Their interaction highlights the tension and suspicion within their team, with Yang Xuan questioning Jiang Xiuyi's revelation about the Ghost Tide.
• Shi Ling and Jiang Xiuyi: Their interaction reveals that Shi Ling has experience with Newcomers, providing context for the rules of the Game.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The game begins, and Bo Shuo names their team 'Q'.
• Two teams, 'Pick A Name' and 'Fight the Landlord', cooperate to eliminate 'Harmony Brings Wealth' and gain points.
• Bo Shuo's team becomes the next target.
• The 'Victory' team, led by Akita Kohei, captures Zhao Li and Zhang Jiamu, using them as substitutes and intending to use them as sacrifices.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo demonstrates strategic thinking and quick analysis by identifying the cooperation between 'Pick A Name' and 'Fight the Landlord'.
• Akita Kohei shows his ruthless and cunning nature, using others as pawns and not hesitating to sacrifice them.

Significant Themes

• Cooperation and competition among teams.
• The ruthless and survival-of-the-fittest nature of the game.
• The use of others as pawns or sacrifices for personal gain.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and Jiang Xiuyi work together to analyze the situation and prepare for the incoming threat.
• Akita Kohei and his team discuss their next move, with Tanabe An showing some hesitation but ultimately following Akita Kohei's orders.
• Akita Kohei interacts with Zhao Li and Zhang Jiamu, showing no regard for their well-being or lives.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo accidentally bluffs the Broadcast Room audience, gaining a significant number of Emotion Points.
• Bo Shuo and his team observe a three-way conflict: 'Dou Di Zhu' and 'Name Randomly' teams encircling and attacking a dwindling team led by Bian Qiulan.
• Yang Xuan, a member of Bian Qiulan's team, uses an agility talent and talismans to create an escape route but is eventually killed.
• Bian Qiulan manages to escape but is now the sole survivor of her team.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo: Shows strategic thinking and calmness under pressure.
• Bian Qiulan: Demonstrates leadership, strategic planning, and resilience in the face of adversity.
• Yang Xuan: Shows bravery and selflessness in attempting to create an escape route for his team.

Significant Themes

• Competition and survival: The game's fundamental nature is competition, with no room for mercy.
• Strategic thinking: Characters use strategies and tactics to gain an advantage.
• Teamwork and sacrifice: Yang Xuan's actions highlight the importance of teamwork and self-sacrifice for the greater good.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and 007: Bo Shuo relies on 007's knowledge and guidance for strategic decisions.
• Bian Qiulan and her team: They work together to create an escape plan, with Yang Xuan ultimately sacrificing himself for the team.
• 'Dou Di Zhu' and 'Name Randomly' teams: They cooperate to encircle and annihilate Bian Qiulan's team but have underlying tensions and ulterior motives.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Curse Master, Akita Kohei, uses a mind control curse, causing teammates to attack each other, leading to heavy casualties.
• Akita Kohei attempts to control Bian Qiulan, the last surviving captain of a squad, to gain control over her entire squad.
• Bo Shuo, the current leader in points, decides to intervene and confront Akita Kohei openly.

Character Developments

• Akita Kohei demonstrates his strategic and manipulative abilities as a Curse Master.
• Bo Shuo shows confidence and decisiveness in his actions.
• Bian Qiulan remains defiant despite her situation.

Significant Themes

• The horror and unpredictability of curses.
• The importance of understanding one's opponents and their abilities.
• The strategic value of controlling key individuals.

Character Interactions

• Akita Kohei and Bian Qiulan: Akita Kohei attempts to control Bian Qiulan, while she remains defiant.
• Bo Shuo and Akita Kohei: Bo Shuo decides to confront Akita Kohei, showing no fear or hesitation.
• Bo Shuo and his team: Bo Shuo decides to leave the safe zone, putting his team at risk to prevent Akita Kohei from gaining too many points.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo, a mysterious examinee, appears and freezes the exam venue, intimidating everyone present, including Akita Kohei.
• Akita Kohei, realizing Bo Shuo's power, decides to probe rather than attack directly.
• Bo Shuo assesses Akita Kohei's strength and decides to confront him directly, leading to a fight.
• Akita Kohei reveals his Dual Talent Awakener status, using both curse magic and melee combat skills.
• The fight ends with Bo Shuo seemingly unharmed, while Akita Kohei's blade breaks, and he's forced to retreat.

Character Developments

• Akita Kohei: Realizes the danger Bo Shuo poses and becomes cautious, later revealing his Dual Talent Awakener status.
• Bo Shuo: Shows immense power and composure, filtering out control abilities and facing Akita Kohei's attack without fear.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and intimidation: Bo Shuo's appearance freezes the exam venue, demonstrating his power and causing others to tread carefully.
• Dual Talent Awakeners: Akita Kohei's revelation of his dual talents highlights the rarity and power of such examinees.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo vs. Akita Kohei: Their interaction leads to a tense standoff, culminating in a fight that ends with Akita Kohei's retreat.
• Examinees' reactions: Other examinees watch the fight with a mix of astonishment, fear, and doubt about Bo Shuo's capabilities.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo, an examinee, defeats Akita Kohei, a nearly unrivaled B-rank examinee, causing shock among other examinees.
• Bo Shuo's team wins the game, earning the priority choice of timeline. They choose a timeline five days ago to complete their assessment task.
• Upon arriving at the new timeline, they find the Broadcast Hall already occupied by four examinees from the same exam venue. The opposing team surrenders without a fight, fearing Bo Shuo's team.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo's reputation grows after defeating Akita Kohei, instilling fear in other examinees.
• Bo Shuo demonstrates strategic thinking and calmness under pressure.

Significant Themes

• Fear and its impact on decision-making and behavior.
• The importance of reputation and perception in the exam venue.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo's team interacts with the opposing team, who surrender due to fear of Bo Shuo's team.
• Bo Shuo interacts with his team, discussing their next steps and resting together.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo's suspicions about Shi Ling are confirmed when she's revealed to be Xi Guici, his former enemy.
• Xi Guici admits to targeting Bo Shuo, not for revenge, but to 'get closer' to him.
• The Big Man reveals that Shi Ling (Xi Guici) killed everyone in their previous game except for his team.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo: Maintains composure upon learning Xi Guici's true identity. He's analytical and calm, extracting key information from the Big Man's account.
• Xi Guici: Reveals his true self, dropping the Shi Ling facade. He's honest about his intentions towards Bo Shuo, displaying a mix of vulnerability and threat.
• The Big Man: Shows fear and dread when recalling Shi Ling's actions, highlighting her terrifying nature.

Significant Themes

• Identity: The reveal of Xi Guici's true identity challenges Bo Shuo's understanding of his past and present.
• Manipulation: Xi Guici's actions show his ability to manipulate and deceive others, using his appearance and acting skills.
• Fear: The Big Man's fear of Xi Guici illustrates the power dynamics between them and the danger Xi Guici poses.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and Xi Guici: Their interaction is tense and filled with unspoken tension. Bo Shuo is cautious and analytical, while Xi Guici is open about his intentions, yet threatening.
• The Big Man and Bo Shuo: The Big Man provides crucial information to Bo Shuo, warning him about Xi Guici's dangerous nature.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo confronts Xi Guici on the third floor, who envelops him in his shadow, causing discomfort.
• Xi Guici offers a deal, claiming he wants to help Bo Shuo advance to 'S' rank but needs to stay by his side.
• Bo Shuo learns Xi Guici is a puppet and decides to ignore him, planning to leave.
• The Proctoring System issues the final mission: help Madam Golia find her scattered treasures on the third floor within 3 hours, or face annihilation.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo: Shows bravery and determination in facing Xi Guici, displays strategic thinking in dealing with him, and maintains his resolve despite the mission's high stakes.
• Xi Guici: Reveals himself as a puppet and hints at his true form, the Dark Thunder, lurking in the shadows. He shows cunning and manipulative behavior, attempting to sway Bo Shuo to his side.

Significant Themes

• Power and Control: Xi Guici's use of his shadow and Bo Shuo's consideration of his combat strength reflect the theme of power dynamics and control.
• Fate and Destiny: Xi Guici's mention of fate and his prediction of Bo Shuo's future ties into the theme of destiny and the characters' struggle against it.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and Xi Guici: Their interaction is tense and filled with mistrust, with Xi Guici attempting to manipulate Bo Shuo, and Bo Shuo remaining wary and determined to eliminate Xi Guici as a threat.
• Bo Shuo and the other examinees: The other examinees fear Bo Shuo's confrontation with Xi Guici, viewing him as another formidable figure not to be trifled with.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group encounters a loop on the stairwell, with the sign 'Second Floor' repeatedly appearing, and the iron door to the third floor is wide open, but they hesitate to enter due to uncertainty.
• They realize they may have missed crucial clues and consider two possibilities: their method of reaching the third floor is incorrect, or 'Third Floor' is a nickname and not physically above the second floor.
• Bo Shuo suggests they investigate the Rehearsal Room, trusting that the Red-Clothed Child Doll will lead them.

Character Developments

• Zhang Jiamu becomes more cautious and responsible, reminding the group of potential dangers.
• Jiang Xiuyi remains analytical and logical, denying the possibility of the third floor not existing.
• Bo Shuo demonstrates leadership and intuition, trusting his instincts about the Rehearsal Room.
• Zhao Li shows strategic thinking, proposing a plan to investigate the first floor thoroughly before moving on.

Significant Themes

• Trust and intuition (Bo Shuo's trust in the doll, the group's trust in Bo Shuo)
• Perseverance in the face of uncertainty and danger
• The importance of thorough investigation and analysis (Zhao Li's proposal)

Character Interactions

• Zhang Jiamu and Jiang Xiuyi exchange views on the third floor's existence.
• Bo Shuo and Zhao Li collaborate on a plan to investigate the Rehearsal Room.
• The group works together, splitting up to search the first floor before Bo Shuo suggests they go directly to the Rehearsal Room.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Xiuyi recognizes the doll Bo Shuo took as the one from the 'Rehearsal Planning' desk.
• The group enters the third floor of the opera house, where they find Mrs. Golia's daughters, now vengeful spirits.
• The exam begins as a game of hide-and-seek: 'Ghosts' (vengeful spirits) must find 'Humans' (examinees) within ten minutes. Each round lasts ten minutes.
• Bo Shuo and the others scatter to hide. Bo Shuo chooses an abandoned restaurant in the east to hide.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo demonstrates his meticulous observation skills by taking the doll and later choosing a strategic hiding spot.
• The vengeful spirits are introduced, showing their playful yet menacing nature.

Significant Themes

• Unbalanced Power Dynamics: The 'Ghosts' outnumber the 'Humans', but their detection abilities are unknown, creating an imbalance.
• Maternal Love vs. Enmity: Mrs. Golia's treatment of her daughter's remains and her favorable impression of Bo Shuo, her daughter's killer, suggests a complex, potentially hostile relationship.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and the others interact minimally, focusing on scattering to hide individually.
• The vengeful spirits interact with the group, displaying excitement and eagerness to find the 'Humans'.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A young girl, later revealed to be a ghost, tries to enter a room where Bo Shuo and 007 are hiding.
• Bo Shuo narrowly escapes through the window as the ghost's head separates and looks through the window.
• Bo Shuo successfully evades the ghost and reaches the Performance Hall, encountering Jiang Xiuyi along the way.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo demonstrates quick reflexes and strategic thinking in evading the ghost.
• Jiang Xiuyi shows adaptability and intuition in changing her route due to perceived danger.

Significant Themes

• Survival: Bo Shuo and Jiang Xiuyi both prioritize survival, using their abilities and intuition to avoid danger.
• Adaptability: Both characters show the ability to adapt to unexpected situations, changing their plans as needed.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and Jiang Xiuyi briefly interact, acknowledging each other's presence but not forming an alliance or sharing information. They both seem to be operating independently.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo discovers a dangerous scene on the map and decides to flee.
• Ni Zi changes direction, leading a group of 'local specialties' (ghostly little girls) towards Bo Shuo.
• Bo Shuo, Ni Zi, and Jiang Xiuyi split up and try to evade the ghosts.
• Ni Zhi manages to maintain a safe distance from the ghosts due to his luck and quick thinking.
• Bo Shuo is targeted by the ghosts and must stall for time to complete his mission.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo demonstrates quick decision-making and resourcefulness in escaping danger.
• Ni Zi shows resilience and luck in evading the ghosts, despite not having speed-based talents.
• Jiang Xiuyi exhibits good teamwork by splitting up with Bo Shuo and Ni Zi to confuse the ghosts.

Significant Themes

• Luck vs. Skill: Ni Zi's good fortune contrasts with Bo Shuo's bad luck, highlighting the role of chance in their survival.
• Teamwork vs. Individualism: The trio's initial cooperation in evading the ghosts emphasizes the importance of teamwork, while their eventual separation highlights individual survival instincts.
• Unfairness and Reasonableness: Bo Shuo's frustration at being targeted by the ghosts, despite not starting the chase, raises questions about fairness and reasonableness in their situation.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and Ni Zi's paths cross multiple times, leading to a tense and confusing chase sequence.
• Bo Shuo, Ni Zi, and Jiang Xiuyi initially work together to evade the ghosts but are eventually separated.
• Ni Zi's relief at escaping the ghosts is short-lived when he sees Bo Shuo being targeted, showing a moment of concern for his teammate.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ni Zi narrowly escapes the Wolf Fang Club's attack.
• The game progresses to the 'Ghost' and 'Human' round.
• Players return to the Waiting Area; no deaths but several injuries, notably Zhao Li's severe leg wound.
• Jiang Xiuyi drinks multiple Mid-level Recovery Potions, despite their scarcity and cost.
• Ni Zi finds a red crayon, a diary, and a half-written note in the corner of the Waiting Area.

Character Developments

• Ni Zi: Shows resilience and resourcefulness, discovers crucial clues.
• Jiang Xiuyi: Reveals extravagant use of resources, hinting at his background or strategy.
• Zhao Li: Suffers severe injury, suggesting potential vulnerability or elimination.

Significant Themes

• Survival and perseverance in the face of danger.
• Resource management and strategy in a high-stakes game.
• The importance of luck and discovery in uncovering clues.

Character Interactions

• Ni Zi and Bo Shuo: Ni Zi feels a mix of fear, apprehension, and gratitude towards Bo Shuo.
• Jiang Xiuyi and others: Offers Recovery Potions, showing generosity but also wastefulness.
• Ni Zi and others: Shares found items, drawing everyone's attention and scrutiny.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo discovers a little girl's diary and makes a rubbing of it.
• The group searches the room but finds no anomalies.
• They proceed to the next phase, where they must find and capture 'little girls' (AI-controlled players).
• Bo Shuo leaves the group without explanation, raising suspicions.
• Bo Shuo suspects Zhao Li has been replaced by an imposter due to his survival and unharmed return from the dangerous west corridor.
• Bo Shuo encounters an unknown entity in the south corridor, which he traps with a thread.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo: Shows exceptional observation skills, strategic thinking, and caution, suspecting Zhao Li's true identity and not trusting the others.
• Zhao Li: Implied to be an imposter or replaced, potentially dangerous.
• Jiang Xiuyi: Remains calm and strategic, assigning positions for the group but is also suspected by Bo Shuo.
• 007: Shows loyalty to Bo Shuo, providing support and analysis, but admits its detection functions need improvement.

Significant Themes

• Trust and suspicion among team members.
• The potential danger of AI-controlled players and the 'little girls.'
• The importance of observation and strategic thinking in survival situations.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and 007: Bo Shuo shares his suspicions with 007, who supports him and provides analysis.
• Bo Shuo and the group: Bo Shuo leaves the group without explanation, causing them to question his motives and decisions.
• Bo Shuo and the unknown entity: Bo Shuo encounters and traps an unknown entity in the south corridor, showing his quick reflexes and combat skills.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo uses his new silk thread ability to quickly capture most of the little girls in the exam venue, causing the environment to change and triggering a side quest.
• The side quest, "Xiao Mu's Wish," involves helping a girl named Xiao Mu fulfill her wish, pausing the main exam quest, "Hide and Seek."
• Bo Shuo is transported to a medieval setting, where he must impersonate a priest from the Shadowless Church to enter an ancient castle.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo demonstrates his new ability and strategic thinking in the exam, showing his adaptability and resourcefulness.
• Bo Shuo's character is updated to a swindler priest, requiring him to maintain a cold-blooded, ruthless, and profit-driven persona.

Significant Themes

• The theme of adaptability is reinforced as Bo Shuo navigates a new environment and quest.
• The theme of duality is introduced with Bo Shuo's new identity as a swindler priest, suggesting a struggle between deception and genuine help.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo interacts with 007, his AI companion, who provides information and support throughout the chapter.
• Bo Shuo is affected by the intangible presence in the exam venue, showing a rare moment of vulnerability.
• Bo Shuo's interaction with the environment and the side quest's objectives is emphasized, as he must now navigate a new setting and quest.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A new priest, Bo Shuo, arrives at Uller Castle.
• Bo Shuo's appearance—black hair and purple eyes—unsettles the butler due to their ominous symbolism.
• Madam Golia welcomes Bo Shuo, recognizing him as the priest from the Shadowless Church.
• Golia leads Bo Shuo to her secret collection room, revealing imprisoned individuals dressed as priests.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo: Maintains an arrogant demeanor, struggles to appear amiable, and is aware of his intimidating presence.
• Madam Golia: Shows excitement upon meeting Bo Shuo, reveals her obsession with him, and displays a cruel side by imprisoning imposter priests.

Significant Themes

• Appearance vs. Reality: Bo Shuo's appearance is intimidating, but he is a priest; Golia's elegance hides her cruelty.
• Obsession: Golia's fixation on Bo Shuo and her collection of imposter priests.
• Power Dynamics: Bo Shuo's presence instills fear, while Golia's actions show her authority and cruelty.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and the Butler: The butler is afraid of Bo Shuo due to his appearance, while Bo Shuo is confused by the butler's fear.
• Bo Shuo and Madam Golia: Golia is excited to meet Bo Shuo, while Bo Shuo is taken aback by her behavior and the revelation of her secret room.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The examinees realize the 'priest' is not an examinee but a real 'priest'.
• Madame Golia and the Black Robe Priest (Bo Shuo) interact, revealing her true nature and his indifference.
• Bo Shuo is led through a horrifying prison corridor by Madame Golia.
• Bo Shuo discovers Xiao Mu, Madame Golia's daughter, imprisoned and mistreated.

Character Developments

• Madame Golia: Reveals her cruelty and lack of maternal affection towards Xiao Mu.
• Bo Shuo: Demonstrates his ability to maintain composure in horrifying situations and his concern for Xiao Mu's welfare.

Significant Themes

• The cruelty and inhumanity of Madame Golia and her prison.
• The contrast between Bo Shuo's calm demeanor and his internal distress.
• The exploration of the 'priest' archetype and its misinterpretation by Madame Golia.

Character Interactions

• Madame Golia and Bo Shuo: Their interaction reveals Madame Golia's true nature and Bo Shuo's ability to maintain a facade.
• Bo Shuo and Xiao Mu: Though they don't interact directly, Bo Shuo's concern for Xiao Mu's well-being is evident.
• Bo Shuo and 007: Bo Shuo tries to protect 007 from the horrors of the prison, showing his caring side.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Madam Golia, enraged by Xiao Mu's behavior, attacks her physically, nearly strangling her.
• Bo Shuo, using the pretext of taking Xiao Mu for the Lord's teachings, brings her to his room.
• Xiao Mu, terrified of Bo Shuo, enters his room cautiously, holding her 'Bible'.

Character Developments

• Madam Golia: Reveals her violent nature and obsession with the 'Lord'.
• Xiao Mu: Shows fear and apprehension towards Bo Shuo, despite being sent to him for 'teachings'.
• Bo Shuo: Demonstrates patience and a gentle approach with Xiao Mu, trying to gain her trust.

Significant Themes

• Fear and Trust: Xiao Mu's fear of Bo Shuo and her struggle to trust him.
• Obsession: Madam Golia's obsession with the 'Lord' and her influence on Xiao Mu.
• Power Dynamics: The power imbalance between Madam Golia and Xiao Mu, and Bo Shuo's attempt to shift this dynamic.

Character Interactions

• Madam Golia and Xiao Mu: Their interaction reveals Madam Golia's abuse and control over Xiao Mu.
• Bo Shuo and Xiao Mu: Bo Shuo tries to gain Xiao Mu's trust, but she remains fearful and guarded.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Xiuyi finds herself in a room with a diary, which reveals that the 'Little Girl' they've been chasing is not a physical entity but an ethereal soul.
• The diary entries suggest that a 'Priest' (later revealed to be Bo Shuo) is terrorizing the Little Girl and her mother.
• The final entry contains a drawing of Bo Shuo, confirming his involvement with the Little Girl's instance.

Character Developments

• Jiang Xiuyi: Realizes the true nature of the Little Girl and discovers a crucial clue about Bo Shuo's past.
• Bo Shuo: Implicated as the 'Demon Priest' terrorizing the Little Girl, challenging his previously known persona.

Significant Themes

• The duality of characters: Bo Shuo's true nature is revealed to be sinister, challenging his initial portrayal as a helpful figure.
• The power of the past: The diary entries highlight the lasting impact of past events on the present.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Xiuyi interacts with the diary, which provides her with crucial information about Bo Shuo's past.
• Bo Shuo's presence is felt through the diary entries, although he is not physically present in the scene.

Key Plot Points/Events

• Jiang Xiuyi searches a room for a vanished little girl. After finding nothing, she uses her Talent Skill, causing her to cough up blood. She sees the location's bloody past: people have been hanged, skinned, and drowned there. She discovers a dungeon beneath the floor and urgently calls Zhao Li and others to break it open.
• In another timeline, Bo Shuo has been on a side mission and is now free from Broadcast Room surveillance (the two Exam Venues repel each other), so he no longer needs to maintain a persona in private.
• Bo Shuo "seriously raises" the child Xiao Mu to extract clues from her. Over half a month, he pampers her with warm drinks, fireplace time, and bedtime stories, gradually earning her trust.
• Xiao Mu, once skeletal and pale, becomes healthier and rosy-cheeked, still timid but no longer trembling around Bo Shuo.
• Bo Shuo sees Xiao Mu as reminiscent of his little sister, Bo Chunzhang, and recalls his past: orphanhood, raising his younger sister, then being diagnosed with cancer.
• 007's true backstory is revealed: it had lied about binding to Bo Shuo due to low energy. In truth, after a failed mission, it became a stray, ugly tortoiseshell cat—black markings around one eye and a black patch on its head—and was despised and chased away, even in rain. It sent a distress signal and survived in that shell. The passage cuts off with "Even worse was that."

Character Developments

• Jiang Xiuyi: Driven and willing to endure physical backlash for the task; her Talent Skill reveals brutal hidden history, advancing the investigation.
• Bo Shuo: Shows genuine warmth and grief beneath his cold Black Robe Priest exterior; his calculated care for Xiao Mu blurs into sincere tenderness as he connects her with memories of his sister.
• Xiao Mu: Transforms from a frightened, abused child into a more trusting and physically healthier one, though still cautious.
• 007: Gains depth — a failed, lonely system trapped in an ugly cat body, with a sympathetic past.

Significant Themes

• The contrast between external personas and inner humanity.
• Violence hidden beneath the ordinary (the dungeon, past murders).
• Trauma, neglect, and the healing effect of consistent care.
• Mortality, family bonds, and the fear of leaving loved ones behind.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Xiuyi & Ni Zi: Ni Zi rushes in to help a bleeding Jiang Xiuyi; she leans on him and immediately acts on her vision.
• Bo Shuo & Xiao Mu: A caretaker-dependent dynamic that slowly softens; Bo Shuo's kindness starts breaking through her fear.
• Bo Shuo & 007: Their relationship is complicated by 007's lie and pity; 007 silently observes Bo Shuo's memories of his sister.
• Bo Shuo & Bo Chunzhang (memory): His sister's memory drives his emotional response to Xiao Mu, tying his past trauma to his current caregiving.