Chapter Summaries

Chen Shouyi tested the mysterious Finger Bone and found it resisted extreme heat, quenching, and acid. After Bai Xiaoling called him about a mission, he picked up his sword and went to meet her.

• Chen Shouyi reassured his mother over the phone and made Shell Girl stay quiet while she bathed.
• Zhang Jingyi urged Song Qiran to take their daughter Tingting to a Martial Artist matchmaking event so she would be less likely to be deceived by a boy.
• A Myriad Gods Society liaison reported the Kubo Squad’s failure, and a superior ordered the group to hide for now.
• Chen Shouyi heated the Finger Bone with a Flame Gun, quenched it in ice water, and soaked it in Dilute Nitric Acid, but it remained unchanged.
• Bai Xiaoling called Chen Shouyi with a mission, and he took his Long Sword downstairs to join her.

Chen Shouyi joined a police operation to kill a suspected barbarian on a crowded street and killed him with a single sword strike. Afterward, he left with Bai Xiaoling and considered replacing his damaged, lightweight sword.

• Bai Xiaoling drove Chen Shouyi to Southeast West Road after police reported a suspicious target, then updated him that the man had moved to Changting Road.
• Chen Shouyi and plainclothes officers located the target and confirmed he was a barbarian by the double antihelix on his ears.
• Chen Shouyi agreed to wait for other Security Advisors, then entered Memory Space and took control of the barbarian's body for a few seconds.
• As the barbarian approached the officers, Chen Shouyi drew his sword and beheaded him before the group could react.
• Chen Shouyi left with Bai Xiaoling, wiped blood from his chipped sword, and asked her to find somewhere for them to eat.

Chen Shouyi taught Song Tingting swordsmanship, then attended a cocktail party at the Sun Moon Lake Hotel, where he unexpectedly ran into her. Song Tingting had refused to go with her father, but she later appeared at the party and found Chen Shouyi there.

• Song Tingting visited Chen Shouyi with snacks, and he learned they were both in their senior year of high school.
• Chen Shouyi demonstrated sword techniques for Song Tingting, who left flushed after asking to touch him so she could understand the movement.
• Song Tingting declined Song Qiran's invitation to a party, saying she would rather practice swordsmanship.
• Chen Shouyi arrived alone at a cocktail party at the Sun Moon Lake Hotel and chatted with a Hedong TV Station 1 host while eating from the buffet.
• Song Tingting unexpectedly spotted Chen Shouyi at the party and asked what he was doing there.

At a banquet, Chen Shouyi confronted Qian Yadong after the martial artist repeatedly belittled him and offered to correct his sword form. Wei Xiang arrived and warned Qian Yadong to leave before Chen Shouyi humiliated him.

• Chen Shouyi met Song Tingting at the banquet and introduced her to Zhao Qing as his neighbor.
• Qian Yadong offered to teach Song Tingting and disparaged Chen Shouyi’s martial arts, then challenged him to demonstrate a sword form.
• Chen Shouyi angrily told Qian Yadong to get lost, leaving the nearby guests stunned.
• Song Qiran heard about the commotion and hurried over, while Qian Yadong glared at Chen Shouyi without acting.
• Wei Xiang arrived, recognized Chen Shouyi, and warned Qian Yadong to leave before he was humiliated.

At a banquet, Chen Shouyi defeated Qian Yadong after Qian attacked him, surprising the guests and Song Tingting. Chen Shouyi later left the hotel with Zhao Qing, declining her offer of a ride.

• Wei Xiang praised Chen Shouyi's strength, and Chen Shouyi dismissed Qian Yadong in front of the banquet guests.
• Qian Yadong charged Chen Shouyi from behind, but Chen turned and kicked him into a buffet table.
• Song Qiran took Song Tingting away, while Wei Xiang teased Chen Shouyi about his love life.
• Zhao Qing learned Chen Shouyi was a martial artist, then chatted with him after Wei Xiang left.
• Chen Shouyi and Zhao Qing left the hotel together, and Chen declined her offer to drive him home.

Chen Shouyi welcomed his parents and Chen Xingyue home, then discovered that his new neighbor Song Qiran suspected him of secretly meeting Song Tingting. That evening, Chen Shouyi watched the newly released fourth set of Thirty-Six Body Tempering Forms and recognized it as nearly identical to a routine in his Book of Knowledge.

• Chen Shouyi met his parents and Chen Xingyue at the station and brought them home with Bai Xiaoling's help.
• Chen Shouyi introduced his family to their neighbor Song Qiran, who realized they lived in the adjacent apartments.
• Song Qiran suspected Chen Shouyi had been secretly meeting his sixteen-year-old daughter, Song Tingting, but decided not to confront her yet.
• Chen Shouyi watched the Martial Arts General Bureau's newly released fourth set of Thirty-Six Body Tempering Forms and recognized it as more than ninety percent like a routine in his Book of Knowledge.

Chen Shouyi saw the optimized Thirty-Six Body Tempering Forms spread nationwide and told Chen Xingyue her training was progressing well. As Song Tingting’s family discussed their new martial artist neighbor, Chen Shouyi waited for her visit and considered finding a permanent Otherworld for the Shell Girl to train in.

• Chen Shouyi recognized that the optimized Thirty-Six Body Tempering Forms would greatly increase the number of martial apprentices, and he found the official publicity campaign spreading across the media.
• Chen Xingyue asked Chen Shouyi about the similarities between his training and the new forms, and he told her to keep practicing Entering Tranquility to Refine the Self.
• Song Qiran told Zhang Jingyi that the martial artist who lived next door was the young man who had injured an opponent at a banquet, while Song Tingting realized Senior lived with his family.
• Chen Shouyi set the Shell Girl on his bed, promised she could watch Beiqi after dinner, and considered finding a permanent Otherworld where she could train.
• The new Thirty-Six Body Tempering Forms campaign spread throughout Hedong City, and even Mother Chen began discussing it at dinner.

After dinner, Chen Shouyi looked up a nearby Space Channel before meeting Song Tingting and her parents at home. Chen Xingyue and Song Tingting grew close during a walk, while their conversation about Chen Shouyi left him awkwardly trailing behind them.

• Chen Shouyi researched the nearby Space Channel in Hedong’s Lower District and learned it was classified as Moderately Dangerous.
• Song Tingting’s family visited, and Zhang Jingyi and Mother Chen exchanged compliments while the adults chatted.
• Chen Xingyue introduced Song Tingting to Chen Shouyi, and the girls learned about each other’s schools and martial arts achievements.
• Chen Xingyue suggested the three of them take a walk, and she and Song Tingting quickly became friendly as Chen Shouyi followed behind.
• Song Tingting asked whether Chen Shouyi had a girlfriend and confessed that she had touched his muscles while learning swordsmanship from him; Chen Shouyi overheard them.

Chen Shouyi entered the military zone’s Space Channel and explored the Otherworld with Shell Girl. After Shell Girl spotted a strange bird watching her, Chen Shouyi shot it down and killed it.

• Chen Shouyi entered the military zone and bought a lighter and binoculars before descending through the Space Channel.
• Chen Shouyi reached the Otherworld, assembled his weapons, and walked into the forest with Shell Girl.
• Shell Girl flew a short distance, spotted a fierce bird, and hurried back to Chen Shouyi.
• Chen Shouyi found the emerald-green bird hidden in a tree and shot it down with his War Bow.
• Chen Shouyi severed the bird’s neck with another arrow and shot it again until it fell silent.

Chen Shouyi encouraged Shell Girl to defend herself against the forest’s insects, and she eventually killed a small beetle. As darkness fell, they headed back to the passage after hearing a distant, enormous beast roar, leaving Chen Shouyi resolved to stay near the entrance on future visits.

• Chen Shouyi gave Shell Girl a sharpened stick and urged her to stab the insects that frightened her, but she could not bring herself to attack a large larva.
• Chen Shouyi killed the larva, and Shell Girl claimed she would face a smaller bug next time.
• After practicing the Thirty-Six Body Tempering Forms, Chen Shouyi saw Shell Girl charge a small beetle and beat it to death with her stick.
• Chen Shouyi picked up his luggage and headed back toward the passage as the forest darkened and green eyes watched from the distance.
• A distant beast roared, frightening Shell Girl, and Chen Shouyi reached the passage stairs before deciding to avoid venturing deep into the forest again.

Chen Shouyi saw Qian Yadong near his home and threatened him after suspecting he had come to target his family. He left Qian Yadong with a hidden neck wound, while the looming threat of war and Chen Shouyi’s daily trips to the other world remained in the background.

• Chen Shouyi read reports about nuclear power construction, military recruitment, and Great Xia Nation’s nuclear arsenal as the threat of war grew.
• Chen Shouyi left home to travel to the other world, but spotted Qian Yadong and got out of Bai Xiaoling’s car to confront him.
• Chen Shouyi restrained Qian Yadong and threatened to kill him if he came near his home again.
• Chen Shouyi left after warning Qian Yadong, who discovered that a piece of flesh had been sliced from his neck.

Chen Shouyi hunted and roasted a deer-like creature in the Otherworld, then spotted a gigantic silver-winged beast carrying off prey. Shaken by the encounter, he stopped practicing in the open and searched the hills for a safer place, preferably a cave.

• Chen Shouyi crept up on a deer-like creature, shot it with his Bow and Arrow, and killed it.
• Chen Shouyi skinned and butchered the creature, buried its organs and hide, and roasted its meat at his campsite.
• A massive silver creature flew over Chen Shouyi, descended into the forest, and soon took off with prey in its feet.
• Chen Shouyi climbed a tree to watch the silver creature leave, then admitted to Shell Girl that he did not know what it was.
• Chen Shouyi decided his campsite was too exposed and began searching the hills for a cave, following Shell Girl's warnings about dangerous beasts.

Chen Shouyi ignored Shell Girl’s warnings until he encountered and killed a giant lizard. He resumed his journey with Shell Girl, who explained how she detected beasts, and promised her a large gem as a reward.

• Chen Shouyi ignored Shell Girl’s repeated warnings and pressed onward through the wilderness, killing smaller beasts in his path.
• Chen Shouyi rounded a tree and came face to face with a giant lizard, while Shell Girl hid in a hollow tree.
• Chen Shouyi dodged the lizard’s lunge, rushed beneath its belly, and cut open its throat with his sword.
• Chen Shouyi retrieved his War Bow and suitcase, then asked Shell Girl to warn him only about especially large creatures.
• Shell Girl explained that she detected beasts by listening to their breathing, and Chen Shouyi promised her a big gem as a reward.

Chen Shouyi discovered a cave inhabited by Gray Dwarves and killed them all before exploring it. He found that its glowing stones were only fluorite, and Shell Girl discarded the pieces she had taken.

• Chen Shouyi followed Shell Girl's directions to a cave where at least twelve creatures lived.
• Chen Shouyi shot and killed the Gray Dwarves that emerged, then fought the rest with his sword and defeated them.
• Chen Shouyi entered the cave and found its walls and ceiling glowing with fluorite.
• Shell Girl tried to collect the stones, but Chen Shouyi told her they were not gems, so she threw them away.

Chen Shouyi completed Muscle Refinement and discovered his swordsmanship had advanced, but the second mutation soon plunged Hedong City into a widespread blackout and chaos. By evening, armed soldiers imposed martial law and the city began to stabilize.

• Chen Shouyi completed Muscle Refinement, gained a Perception point, and found that his swordsmanship had reached Proficient: 1.
• Chen Shouyi woke to find the electricity and his sister’s phone no longer worked, realizing the second mutation had arrived.
• Chen Shouyi’s family brought home large supplies of rice, vegetables, and meat as the elevator and power failed.
• Riots, looting, and murders spread across Hedong City and beyond as banks became inaccessible and panic erupted.
• Armed soldiers took to Hedong City’s streets and imposed martial law, gradually restoring order.

Chen Shouyi saw his family struggle with the upheaval as the city grew colder and more unsettled, while he discovered new abilities and heard gunfire outside. The next morning, he went looking for a War Bow for a Great Martial Artist but left the only open weapons shop without one.

• Mother Chen filled the family's containers with water and fretted over the money she could not withdraw from the bank, while Chen Shouyi helped and reassured her.
• Chen Shouyi discovered that Beginner Self-Healing had been replaced by Natural Healing and Control Atmosphere (Beginner), and he watched Shell Girl practice hovering.
• Gunshots sounded outside at night, and Chen Shouyi looked out before encouraging Shell Girl to keep practicing.
• Zhang Jingyi brought Song Tingting to stay with the Chen family while she reported for duty, and Song Tingting eagerly asked Chen Xingyue where Chen Shouyi was.
• Chen Shouyi visited a looted bank and then asked weapons-shop owner Zhao Linfeng about a War Bow for a Great Martial Artist, but the shop had none.

With gunpowder weapons weakened by the second mutation, Chen Shouyi saw the danger to Hedong City grow as anti-aircraft guns failed to stop a Giant Bird. At home, he reassured his family and refined his swordsmanship, which had improved after he completed Muscle Refinement.

• Chen Shouyi decided he needed a stronger weapon and remembered that Cao Zhenhua and Fang Shengjie might have left weapons among their belongings.
• Chen Shouyi returned home, gave Mother Chen roasted meat from the Otherworld, and learned that Officer Bai had visited.
• Chen Shouyi and Song Tingting watched a Giant Bird approach as anti-aircraft shells burst below it without reaching its altitude.
• Chen Shouyi's family discussed whether to stock up on rice while eating the tough Otherworld meat he had brought back.
• Chen Shouyi practiced with his Long Sword and sliced a floating tissue into evenly sized pieces before sweeping the scraps into the trash.

Chen Shouyi tracked down Cao Zhenhua’s widow, Miao Huilan, to buy the weapons Cao had left behind. He paid her with gold and discovered a powerful bow and two swords, including an unusually heavy, exceptionally hard Long Sword.

• Chen Shouyi used his Security Advisor identification to learn that Cao Zhenhua’s family had moved to Qingyi Alley.
• Chen Shouyi found Miao Huilan and persuaded her that he had come to buy Cao’s weapons, not investigate her family.
• Chen Shouyi offered Miao Huilan a three-kilogram gold sphere, then demonstrated its authenticity by flattening it with his hands.
• Miao Huilan retrieved Cao’s 800-pound War Bow and two swords from a concealed compartment.
• Chen Shouyi inspected the weapons, approved the bow and a nanohardened-film sword, and sensed that the heavy Long Sword was made of extraordinary material.
• Miao Huilan tried to negotiate for more, but Chen Shouyi insisted that the gold and weapons were already fairly valued.

Chen Shouyi returned home through worsening snow and hardship, tested the extraordinary sharpness of his new Alloy Sword, and watched signs of civilization’s decline spread through Hedong. The chapter left him observing another antiaircraft barrage as the invasion by Otherworld Creatures intensified.

• Chen Shouyi cycled through heavy snow past crowded relief stations and Steam Trucks before reaching home after dark.
• Chen Shouyi tested the Alloy Sword and found it sharp enough to slice his finger and cut through a desk with ease.
• Shell Girl counted glass beads in her own peculiar way and argued with Chen Shouyi about the numbers.
• Chen Shouyi saw a neighborhood recruitment notice for a machinery plant and noticed new factory chimneys nearby.
• A man preached worship of the Barbarian God, but the police arrested him; Mother Chen wondered whether worship might offer protection, and Chen Dawei warned her to keep quiet.
• Chen Shouyi watched antiaircraft guns fire at circling specks as Mother Chen called him in for dinner.

Chen Shouyi and his family stocked up on food as Hedong City grew more dangerous and isolated. After hearing that a ghost near the haunted house had killed people and defeated investigators, he learned the threat was still unresolved.

• Chen Shouyi accompanied Father Chen and Mother Chen to the market, where they bought expensive food under military guard.
• On the way home, the family saw police loading the bodies of three people onto a tricycle, and Chen Xingyue told them someone had died on the ninth floor of their building.
• After lunch, Chen Shouyi went out and sensed a sinister chill coming from the haunted house, where snow covered the alley.
• A soldier stopped Chen Shouyi from entering and told him a ghost had killed many people, nearby residents had been relocated, and the Third Category Affairs Investigation Bureau had failed to resolve the threat.