Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo ventures into the corridor at night using an oil lamp for protection.
• He discovers a hidden passage leading to mirror-image rooms, including his own (201), which is empty.
• On his way back, he encounters shadows lining the corridor and the Glasses Man, who is already dead.
• The next morning, all examinees gather downstairs, having had a restless night.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo demonstrates courage and curiosity, exploring the inn at night despite the dangers.
• Ding Chengyun remains cheerful and unaffected despite the previous night's events.
• Yan Shun'an and his companions are more anxious and agitated due to the unknown Youth monster.

Significant Themes

• Safety and Protection: The oil lamp provides safety and protection, but its limited duration emphasizes the precariousness of their situation.
• Uncertainty and Discovery: Bo Shuo's exploration reveals hidden aspects of the inn, highlighting the uncertainty and mystery of their environment.
• Fear and Coping: The examinees' reactions to the night's events show their fear and the different ways they cope with it.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and Ding Chengyun greet each other warmly, showing a friendly relationship.
• The other examinees view Bo Shuo with wariness, possibly due to his nighttime exploration or their own fear.
• Yan Shun'an and his companions interact with each other, expressing their anxiety about the unknown Youth monster.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo confronts the group about the mysterious footsteps, leading to tension and suspicion.
• Bo Shuo captures a Little Octopus from the river, completing 1/2 of the Instance Core Boss containment.
• A Raincoat Monster appears, heading towards the Deep Mountain Inn.
• The Raincoat Monster books all five Third-Class Rooms, causing concern and anger among the Examinees.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo demonstrates his abilities by capturing the Little Octopus.
• The Raincoat Monster is introduced as a menacing and mysterious new character.

Significant Themes

• Fear and Suspicion: The mysterious footsteps and the Raincoat Monster's appearance create an atmosphere of fear and suspicion among the Examinees.
• Power Dynamics: Bo Shuo's actions and the Raincoat Monster's booking of all Third-Class Rooms highlight the power dynamics among the characters.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and the Youth have a tense exchange about the mysterious footsteps.
• Bo Shuo and the Little Octopus have a standoff, with Bo Shuo ultimately capturing the Octopus.
• The Raincoat Monster interacts with the Deep Mountain Inn's Boss, booking all Third-Class Rooms, and causing concern among the Examinees.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Raincoat Monster encounters the Ghoul Face Octopus (a D-class ghost), realizing it's outmatched.
• The Flower Shirt Man attempts to curry favor with the Raincoat Monster but is beheaded for his efforts.
• The Raincoat Monster, intimidated by Bo Shuo's true power, kneels and begs for forgiveness.
• The Raincoat Monster offers Bo Shuo an E-class item, a Ruby Earring, as an apology gift.

Character Developments

• The Raincoat Monster: Initially arrogant and aggressive, it becomes submissive and fearful upon realizing Bo Shuo's power.
• Bo Shuo: Revealed to be a powerful figure that even a D-class ghost fears. He remains expressionless and unreadable.
• The Flower Shirt Man: Attempts to manipulate the situation but is killed for his efforts.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and fear: Characters act based on their perception of power and fear of consequences.
• Hubris and its consequences: The Raincoat Monster's initial arrogance leads to its subservience.
• The value of items: The E-class Ruby Earring is highly coveted, highlighting the importance of powerful items in this world.

Character Interactions

• The Raincoat Monster and Bo Shuo: The Raincoat Monster fears and appeases Bo Shuo, while Bo Shuo remains expressionless and unreadable.
• The Raincoat Monster and the Flower Shirt Man: The Raincoat Monster kills the Flower Shirt Man for his attempted manipulation.
• The Raincoat Monster and the examinees: The Raincoat Monster glares fiercely at an examinee but focuses on appeasing Bo Shuo.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The hotel boss reclaims the keys after the guest's death, invalidating the booking.
• The boss announces job openings to fill vacancies due to employee deaths.
• Examinees rush to secure jobs, leading to physical altercations as positions run out.
• Bo Shuo, without joining the scramble, demands the boss's position.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo demonstrates his power and assertiveness, demanding the highest position without competition.
• The hotel boss shows caution towards Bo Shuo, later revealing fear when faced with his demand.

Significant Themes

• Survival and competition among examinees for limited resources (jobs).
• Power dynamics, with Bo Shuo asserting dominance over the boss.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo intimidates the boss into considering his job application.
• Examinees fight over remaining positions, showing desperation and lack of cooperation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo is revealed to be the new boss of the inn.
• Ding Chengyun, recognizing an opportunity, publicly asks Bo Shuo to change his job.
• Bo Shuo agrees, appointing Ding Chengyun as the 'Steward' with a daily salary of 20 points.
• Other examinees, witnessing Ding Chengyun's success, kneel en masse to ask for better jobs, but Bo Shuo silences them with his silver thread.

Character Developments

• Ding Chengyun shows cunning and opportunism, discarding dignity to secure a better job.
• Bo Shuo demonstrates authority and control, managing the situation with ease and subtlety.

Significant Themes

• Opportunity and ambition: Characters seize opportunities to improve their status.
• Dignity vs. survival: Characters prioritize survival over self-respect.

Character Interactions

• Ding Chengyun interacts with Bo Shuo, successfully securing a better job.
• Other examinees interact with Bo Shuo, kneeling en masse but being silenced.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The examinees encounter a second Raincoat Monster at the inn.
• The monster drags a cleaver with several heads hanging from it, creating a terrifying scene.
• The monster enters the inn, demanding to see the 'Boss' and threatening the examinees.
• It realizes that one of its kind has been killed outside the inn, causing it to panic.
• The youth (later revealed to be the 'Boss') appears, casually wielding a silver-white scalpel, intimidating the monster.

Character Developments

• The examinees show fear but also some resilience, learning from the previous encounter.
• The Raincoat Monster 2 is shown to be less intelligent and more easily intimidated than the first.
• The youth, later revealed to be the 'Boss', demonstrates his fearsome presence and ability to intimidate powerful monsters.

Significant Themes

• Fear and its manifestations (monsters, death, intimidation).
• Power dynamics and the ability to instill fear in others.
• The consequences of underestimating one's opponent.

Character Interactions

• The Raincoat Monster 2 interacts with the examinees, threatening them.
• The youth (Boss) interacts with the Raincoat Monster 2, intimidating it with his presence and a silver-white scalpel.
• The examinees react to the youth's appearance, showing relief and recognition of his power.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo and Ding Chengyun reach a seemingly empty second floor, where Bo Shuo discovers a hidden passage behind a white wall using his work badge.
• They enter the passage and hear mysterious footsteps and sounds, leading them to Room 201.
• Inside Room 201, they find a mirror that shouldn't exist, reflecting a burning white candle within its surface.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo: Demonstrates caution and bravery when facing the unknown and potentially frightening situation. He uses his work badge to reveal the hidden passage, showing initiative, and maintains a safe distance from the mysterious mirror.
• Ding Chengyun: Shows competence as a 'steward' but is also affected by the eerie atmosphere, nearly stumbling when the passage is revealed.

Significant Themes

• Fear and bravery: Bo Shuo experiences fear but maintains his composure, demonstrating courage in the face of the unknown.
• The unknown and the supernatural: The chapter explores the mysterious and potentially supernatural elements within the exam venue, challenging Bo Shuo's understanding of his surroundings.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and Ding Chengyun: They work together to explore the hidden passage and Room 201, with Bo Shuo taking the lead and Ding Chengyun supporting him. Their interaction is minimal due to the tense atmosphere, but they seem to trust each other implicitly.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo is challenged to a game of Rock Paper Scissors by a Mirror Person, which he refuses to play.
• The Mirror Person becomes increasingly frantic and mimics Bo Shuo perfectly, then shatters the mirror.
• A shadow, resembling Bo Shuo, emerges from the mirror and attacks him.
• Bo Shuo defends himself and warns Ding Chengyun about the danger ahead.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo demonstrates his sharp senses and combat skills against the mirror entity.
• Ding Chengyun shows his observational skills and awareness of the danger.

Significant Themes

• The mirror entity's mimicry and malice towards Bo Shuo explore themes of identity, doppelgangers, and self-alienation.
• The kerosene lamp's function as a protective measure highlights the theme of light vs. darkness and the supernatural.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and the Mirror Person interact through the game and subsequent attack, revealing the entity's mimicry and hostility.
• Bo Shuo warns Ding Chengyun about the danger, showing concern for his safety despite their initial tension.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo, a Black Haired Youth, remains unharmed while facing a Mirror Person, a ghostly entity.
• The Mirror Person attempts to escape through a mirror but is stopped by Bo Shuo using an 'S' class Ghost artifact, a Scalpel.
• The Mirror Person's form distorts and it merges into the darkness, extinguishing the candle.
• Bo Shuo uses Silver Threads to capture the Mirror Person, weakening it and causing it to scream in pain.
• The Mirror Person expresses disbelief at Bo Shuo's strength and asks if he's human.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo demonstrates immense power and control over ghostly entities, revealing he's not an ordinary examinee.
• Ding Chengyun, initially brave, feels deep apprehension and fear upon realizing Bo Shuo's true nature. He decides to play dumb to secure his survival.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between examinees and ghosts in the Exam Venue.
• The theme of deception and self-preservation, as Ding Chengyun chooses to remain ignorant to survive.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and the Mirror Person: Bo Shuo displays dominance and control over the ghost, while the Mirror Person shows fear and disbelief.
• Bo Shuo and Ding Chengyun: Ding Chengyun feels fear and apprehension towards Bo Shuo, deciding to act ignorant to protect himself.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo relights the oil lamp after dealing with the Mirror Person.
• He discovers Ding Chengyun hasn't followed and notices his fear.
• Bo Shuo approaches Room 202 and senses something amiss. Upon closer inspection, he finds the door is a mass of scarlet flesh, pulsating like a chest.
• Ding Chengyun joins Bo Shuo in the corridor and notices the door's abnormality.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo: Shows concern for Ding Chengyun's safety, understanding his fear of ghosts. He also demonstrates caution and perceptiveness in approaching Room 202.
• Ding Chengyun: Reveals his fear of ghosts but maintains his composure. He shows keen observation skills, noticing the door's abnormality independently.

Significant Themes

• Fear and bravery: Both characters exhibit fear but also show determination to face their fears.
• Perception and caution: Bo Shuo's careful approach to the door highlights the importance of observation and caution in this world.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and Ding Chengyun: Bo Shuo shows a tacit understanding of Ding Chengyun's fear, while Ding Chengyun demonstrates his ability to keep up with Bo Shuo's observations. Their interaction is brief but shows potential for a working dynamic.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ding Chengyun successfully completes the room check for Room 202, gaining +1 work progress.
• A violent shaking occurs in the corridor, causing Ding Chengyun to stumble and feel unwell.
• A group of larger, more menacing Raincoat Monsters approaches, surrounding Ding Chengyun and Bo Shuo.

Character Developments

• Ding Chengyun demonstrates resilience and courage despite his injuries and fear.
• Bo Shuo shows growth in confidence and strategic thinking, realizing their strength and deciding not to flee from the Raincoat Monsters.
• 007 initially panics but regains composure after Bo Shuo reminds it of their current power level.

Significant Themes

• The theme of facing fear and adversity head-on is reinforced as Bo Shuo decides not to run from the Raincoat Monsters.
• The importance of understanding one's strengths and using them to one's advantage is highlighted when Bo Shuo realizes their power level in the Real World.

Character Interactions

• Ding Chengyun and Bo Shuo work together, with Ding Chengyun seeking Bo Shuo's approval before proceeding.
• Bo Shuo and 007 interact, with Bo Shuo calming 007's panic and reminding it of their power level.
• The Raincoat Monsters are portrayed as a collective threat, approaching and surrounding Ding Chengyun and Bo Shuo.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ding Chengyun and Bo Shuo face a swarm of Raincoat Monsters.
• The monsters, instead of attacking, kneel and beg for forgiveness, surprising both Ding and Bo Shuo.
• The Raincoat Monsters reveal they've been commanded by their superior to avoid Bo Shuo due to a past incident.

Character Developments

• Ding Chengyun: Initially terrified, he's now bewildered by the monsters' behavior.
• Bo Shuo: Expecting a fight, he's left speechless and bewildered by the monsters' apology.

Significant Themes

• Fear and its manifestations (Ding's fear, monsters' fear of Bo Shuo).
• Communication and understanding (monsters' attempt to avoid conflict by apologizing).

Character Interactions

• Ding Chengyun and Bo Shuo: Both are taken aback by the monsters' behavior, leading to a moment of shared bewilderment.
• Raincoat Monsters and Bo Shuo: The monsters, fearing Bo Shuo, apologize en masse, while Bo Shuo is left speechless and unsure of how to react.

• Ding Chengyun, under Bo Shuo's orders, completes a dangerous ward round, checking on remaining guests who are hostile Raincoat Monsters. He successfully completes the task and flees, joining Bo Shuo at the front desk.
• Upon returning, Bo Shuo finds many examinees injured and terrified after completing their tasks. The death toll is high, with 666 deaths.
• Bo Shuo enters the lounge area, silencing the examinees with his presence. He asks 007 about the examinees' baldness, to which 007 lies, blaming it on their personal preference.
• Yan Shun'an and another man are seen hiding behind a flowerbed, trying to avoid Bo Shuo's notice. They accidentally trigger the flowerbed to grow a large mouth, which they quickly stuff with rags. Yan Shun'an meets Bo Shuo's gaze after pulling off the rag from his head.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo reveals that multiple E-class exam venues have appeared in the East District, raising Yan Shun'an's suspicion.
• A thick, black mist suddenly engulfs the area, causing panic among the examinees.
• Bo Shuo and 007 recognize the mist's aura as belonging to an enemy they had previously encountered.
• Bo Shuo realizes he's in trouble due to his past actions against this enemy.

Character Developments

• Yan Shun'an shows disbelief and caution upon hearing Bo Shuo's revelation.
• Bo Shuo displays fear and anxiety when faced with the black mist, indicating he's not invincible.
• 007 shows fear and concern for Bo Shuo's safety, revealing their bond.

Significant Themes

• The unpredictable nature of the exam venues and the exam itself.
• The consequences of past actions catching up with one's present.
• The power dynamics between Bo Shuo and the mysterious enemy.

Character Interactions

• Yan Shun'an and Bo Shuo's interaction shows Yan's caution and Bo's nonchalance, which shifts to fear when faced with the mist.
• Bo Shuo and 007's interaction reveals their shared history and bond, as well as their mutual fear of the enemy.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo encounters a Silver Haired Man (Yi Rong) at the hotel, who seems to have no memory of their past interactions.
• Yi Rong asks for a first-class room and expresses a sense of familiarity with Bo Shuo.
• Bo Shuo realizes Yi Rong is a 'derivative' of a powerful being, not the main body itself, and is less formidable.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo remains calm and composed despite the situation, trying to hide his nervousness.
• Yi Rong displays strange emotions towards Bo Shuo, with his black mist trying to approach him.
• 007, Bo Shuo's companion, shows fear and surprise when encountering Yi Rong.

Significant Themes

• Memory and recognition: Yi Rong feels a sense of familiarity with Bo Shuo but can't place it.
• Power dynamics: Yi Rong is a derivative, indicating a hierarchy of power among the 'deities.'

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and Yi Rong have a tense exchange, with Bo Shuo trying to downplay their familiarity.
• Bo Shuo and 007 communicate privately, with 007 providing information about Yi Rong's nature as a derivative.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Exam Venue's space begins to fracture, revealing black rifts that kill examinees.
• Bo Shuo identifies these as 'spatial rifts' and realizes the cause is Yi Rong, an SS-rank Demigod.
• The Proctoring System, which usually maintains order, is absent.
• The Exam Venue continues to collapse, causing heavy casualties among examinees.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo demonstrates agility and quick thinking while dodging rifts but struggles to maintain his defense.
• Yi Rong remains unmoving and unaffected by the collapsing space, displaying immense power and fearlessness.

Significant Themes

• Power disparity: Yi Rong's SS-rank power vs. other examinees' F-rank strength.
• Absence of authority: The Proctoring System's failure to intervene raises questions about its reliability.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and 007 work together to identify the cause of the chaos and try to survive.
• Yi Rong's presence terrifies other examinees, with none daring to approach or challenge It.
• Bo Shuo and Yi Rong share a tense, silent confrontation as the Exam Venue collapses around them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo struggles to evoke emotions from Yi Rong, likening him to a capybara.
• Space around them collapses due to Yi Rong's intense anger, forming a black hole.
• Bo Shuo accidentally cuts Yi Rong, and his blood, golden in color, interacts with the patterns on his wrist.
• 007 loses contact with Bo Shuo, advising him to gain more Emotion Points.
• The exam venue plunges into darkness, and Yi Rong asks Bo Shuo if he wants to kill him, producing a small amount of Emotion Points.
• The Proctoring System is absent, leaving the exam venue unprotected.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo remains calm and analytical even in chaotic situations.
• Yi Rong shows a hint of emotion and anticipation, actively seeking death, contradicting his previous emotional void.

Significant Themes

• Emotion and its manipulation are central themes, with Bo Shuo trying to evoke emotions from Yi Rong and Yi Rong anticipating his actions.
• The absence of the Proctoring System raises questions about authority and control.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo and Yi Rong's interaction is tense and mysterious, with Yi Rong's actions and motivations unclear.
• Bo Shuo's relationship with 007 is briefly shown, with 007 providing guidance before losing contact.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo, in a fit of anger, attacks Yi Rong, an F-rank derivative, but instead of dying, Yi Rong transforms into a black mist.
• The black mist, which Bo Shuo initially believes is hostile, doesn't harm him and even generates Emotion Points when he resists.
• Yi Rong's body dissipates, revealing that it was a spore, and countless golden-eyed derivatives appear in the void, focusing their gazes on Bo Shuo.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo's anger clouds his judgment, leading him to attack Yi Rong without fully understanding the situation.
• Bo Shuo's resistance to the black mist's influence shows his mental resilience and ability to maintain clarity despite overwhelming pressure.

Significant Themes

• Anger and its consequences: Bo Shuo's anger leads him to act rashly, with unforeseen and potentially dangerous results.
• The power of emotions: The black mist's reaction to Bo Shuo's actions and the appearance of the golden-eyed derivatives highlight the immense power of emotions.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo's interaction with Yi Rong (the F-rank derivative) leads to a chain of events that reveal Yi Rong's true nature and the existence of other derivatives.
• The golden-eyed derivatives' collective focus on Bo Shuo suggests a shared interest or intent, though their exact purpose remains unclear.

Key Plot Points & Events

• Bo Shuo's black mist is attacked by 'Yi Rong' (derivatives), which angers them and causes their Emotion Points to increase.
• Bo Shuo realizes the 'Yi Rong' desire him and are driven by possessiveness and hunger.
• Bo Shuo uses his scent to provoke the 'Yi Rong,' causing them to fight each other for his attention.

Character Developments

• Bo Shuo demonstrates quick thinking and understanding of the 'Yi Rong's' emotions, using them to his advantage.
• The 'Yi Rong' are shown to be driven by primal desires and instincts, acting without regard for their own lives.

Significant Themes

• The power of emotions and desires, which can both control and consume beings.
• The struggle for dominance and possession among powerful entities.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo interacts with the 'Yi Rong' by provoking them with his scent, causing them to fight over him.
• The 'Yi Rong' interact with each other violently, driven by their desire for Bo Shuo.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Shuo tries to provoke Black Mist by telling it others want to replace it, leading Black Mist to attack other Derivatives.
• Black Mist begins to tire as more Derivatives approach Bo Shuo.
• Bo Shuo's actions cause a cycle of Derivative attacks and replacements.
• An anomaly occurs, and the Void falls into an eerie calm. Bo Shuo senses something is wrong.
• Bo Shuo realizes he's being watched by powerful, twisted existences called 'Twisted'.

Character Developments

• Black Mist shows jealousy and protective behavior towards Bo Shuo.
• Bo Shuo demonstrates manipulative and seductive behavior, provoking Derivatives and controlling the situation.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and control: Bo Shuo manipulates Black Mist and other Derivatives to do his bidding.
• Jealousy and possessiveness: Black Mist and the Derivatives exhibit strong jealousy and desire to possess Bo Shuo.
• Power dynamics: The arrival of 'Twisted' entities suggests a higher level of power and threat.

Character Interactions

• Bo Shuo interacts with Black Mist and other Derivatives, manipulating them through seduction and provocation.
• Black Mist and the Derivatives interact aggressively, fighting over their desire for Bo Shuo.