Chapter Summaries

Dan Lei and the geniuses fought Polka Kakamond inside the Simulated Universe, but she destroyed the Scepter System and escaped after her authority was challenged. Dan Lei returned to his room and was attacked, while a new revelation confirmed Polka Kakamond had killed Zandar's true body.

• Dan Lei used a Hunt Arrow coated with an aphrodisiac against Polka Kakamond, and Stephen Lawd opened a breach in her control of the Unknowable Domain.
• Screwllum and Herta summoned figures from across the Simulated Universe to distract Polka Kakamond, while Ruan Mei gave Dan Lei data containing all its positive Curios.
• Dan Lei seized Scepter authority with Curios and helped Herta and Screwllum pressure Polka Kakamond, but she detonated the Scepters and caused the Simulated Universe to begin crashing.
• Dan Lei collected data from Polka Kakamond's collapsing body and fired more arrows before Herta rescued him from the resetting system.
• Dan Lei left Herta's office, wandered outside, then returned to his room, where a familiar fragrance and a streak of cold light met him.
• The narrator revealed that Polka Kakamond had killed Zandar's true body, but Zandar had not fought back.

Dan Lei confronted Polka-dot, then proposed binding one of her divided souls to his Immortal Trapping Sword in exchange for a contract against attacking her across time and space. They negotiated additional limits on attacking each other and agreed to a three-minute warning before Polka-dot targeted Dan Lei’s loved ones, friends, or family.

• Dan Lei survived Polka-dot’s throat-slitting attack and discovered that the visitor was a Meme Body clone.
• Dan Lei and Polka-dot threatened each other, but Polka-dot withdrew her killing intent after Dan Lei argued that The Erudition constrained her from attacking Herta and the other geniuses.
• Dan Lei proposed making Polka-dot’s divided soul the spirit of his Immortal Trapping Sword and offered a Self-Binding Contract promising not to attack her across time and space.
• Polka-dot examined the contract and questioned whether Dan Lei could control the sword spirit, while Dan Lei accepted the risk and assured her he would not mistreat the divided soul.
• Polka-dot required Dan Lei not to attack her without a conflict, and Dan Lei negotiated for advance warning before she targeted his family, lovers, or friends.
• Polka-dot accepted Dan Lei’s final offer of three minutes’ warning, and the two reached an agreement.

Dan Lei discovered that Polka-dot’s Omniscience Domain overwhelmed him, though her soul fragment still strengthened the Immortal Trapping Sword, and the others later explained why she had agreed to the deal. After learning that Herta Puppets and researchers had gone missing aboard the station, Dan Lei confronted Arlan and demanded an explanation.

• Dan Lei signed a Self-Binding Contract with Polka-dot, refined her memory-wiped fragment into a familiar, and gained the ability to draw on her Emanator-level power through the Immortal Trapping Sword.
• Herta pointed out that Dan Lei could not safely use Polka-dot’s Omniscience Domain; when he tried, its flood of information overwhelmed him, and Ruan Mei helped him recover.
• Dan Lei realized Polka-dot had agreed because he lacked the knowledge to control the domain, while Herta revealed that he could have asked her for power instead.
• Ruan Mei returned to her laboratory with Cat Cakes to work on repairing Tingyun, while Herta and Screwllum searched the damaged Simulated Universe data for clues about Iron Tomb.
• Dan Lei saw a group chat report that Herta Puppets and four researchers had disappeared, then went to Asta’s office and reprimanded Arlan over the missing-person cases.
• Arlan began explaining what he knew about the disappearances after Dan Lei told Asta to wait until he had addressed Arlan’s role.

Dan Lei recovered the Phase Fire from Dr. Ratio, who had used it to rescue the missing station staff from the Tofet Fire Demon, and left them hidden for Asta to find. After the Grand Duke of Netherfire released a video claiming responsibility for the attack on Herta and threatening further action, Dan Lei set out to confront him.

• Dan Lei learned that Little Phantylia had failed to find the real Phase Fire and sent her Wubbaboos to watch Dr. Ratio.
• Dan Lei confronted Dr. Ratio at the port, identified him as the one holding the Phase Fire, and took the Core Flame back.
• Dr. Ratio explained that he had hidden the attacked staff in a space Curio to test the station, while Dan Lei said he would let Asta continue investigating.
• Dan Lei gave the Phase Fire to Screwllum to return to Herta and warned that he would handle the Tofet Fire Demon's Netherfire.
• The Grand Duke of Netherfire's video claimed the Oblivion Gang's attack on Herta and threatened further action, so Dan Lei went to confront him.

Dan Lei tracked down the Oblivion Gang’s Eternal Fire Manor after Kafka supplied its route to Penacony, and spent the journey improving his use of the Omniscience Domain. He confronted Afrit and his four children during their war speech, challenged the meaning of their Destruction, and began livestreaming the encounter.

• Dan Lei captured the Netherfire threatening the Herta Space Station and fed it to Little Phantylia, then asked Kafka for the Grand Duke of Netherfire’s whereabouts.
• Kafka sent Dan Lei coordinates for Eternal Fire Manor and said Afrit’s ship would pass through in a month and a half; Dan Lei arranged gifts for the Stellaron Hunters and asked Kafka to set up a future talk with Acheron.
• Dan Lei told Herta and Ruan Mei he was leaving, then traveled aboard the Vimana while studying the Omniscience Domain with Little Phantylia, Ddraig, and Albion.
• Dan Lei intercepted Eternal Fire Manor as Afrit gave his thirty-third speech, and Little Phantylia asked whether she could eat the fire demons.
• Dan Lei livestreamed the confrontation and criticized Afrit’s speech and the Oblivion Gang’s Destruction as impure, provoking Afrit’s anger.

Dan Lei and his summoned dragons overwhelmed Afrit and his children, killing Dubra and Katrina while Little Phantylia weakened Afrit. Just as the remaining fire demons returned to the fight, Dan Lei sensed a familiar threat and recalled his spirits before a devouring black mass burst through the wall and struck Akash.

• Dan Lei ended the livestream and offered Afrit’s group a chance to survive by defeating Little Phantylia, Ddraig, and Albion.
• Ddraig and Albion attacked the four children, and Ddraig melted Katrina and Dubra’s weapons before burning Dubra to death.
• Katrina self-destructed to free Constance and Akash from Albion’s slowing domain, dying in the explosion.
• Little Phantylia absorbed Afrit’s flames and overpowered him while he refused to choose between his remaining children.
• Constance and Akash returned to Afrit, but Dan Lei sensed a familiar power and recalled his spirits as a devouring black mass broke through the wall and struck Akash.

Tiernan defeated Afrit and destroyed the Eternal Fire Manor, then took Kafka aboard the Vimana and learned how she had tracked the Fire Demons to their destination. The Watchmaker’s musical box was recovered, and Tiernan and Kafka exchanged contact information before continuing toward Penacony.

• Kafka arrived at the Eternal Fire Manor and asked Afrit for the Watchmaker’s musical box, but Tiernan offered to take her to Penacony without it.
• Afrit ignited his Core Flame and challenged Tiernan, who restrained him and burned him away with golden Core Flame, leaving four Relics and the musical box.
• Tiernan destroyed the Eternal Fire Manor with the Immortal Slaying Sword and took Kafka to the Vimana.
• Kafka explained that she had tried to visit Tiernan on the Xianzhou Luofu, failed to find him, and followed the Eternal Fire Manor’s destructive energy toward Penacony.
• Tiernan exchanged contact information with Kafka, who said Constance and her siblings’ Core Flames had survived and urged Afrit to leave the musical box behind and escape.

Dan Lei arrived at Penacony, prepared to resist Taiyi’s Dream and investigate the Family’s plans. When the Dreamweaver Hotel hesitated to give him rooms, he agreed to meet Sunday, but his dragons’ threatening display was interrupted by Guinaifen.

• Dan Lei entered the Asdana system with Huangquan and found that dense Memoria left him comfortable, though he suspected Taiyi’s Dream had already affected him.
• Dan Lei reached Penacony with Huangquan, Little Phantylia, Ddraig, and Albion, then passed through the port without inspection.
• At the Dreamweaver Hotel, the receptionist hesitated to give Dan Lei five rooms, so lobby manager Dennis invited him to meet Sunday in a VIP room.
• Dan Lei agreed to meet Sunday and asked Huangquan and Little Phantylia to wait in the lobby, but objected when Dennis asked his guards to stay behind.
• Ddraig and Albion released Dragon Might at Dan Lei’s signal, frightening the lobby until Guinaifen intervened and apologized on the hotel’s behalf.

Dan Lei met Guinaifen and warned her that an unknown power within Penacony’s Path of Harmony threatened her voice. She accompanied him to meet Sunday, who arranged luxury hotel suites for Dan Lei and his companions, while Dan Lei left the room inviting Guinaifen to continue their conversation privately.

• Dennis treated Guinaifen with deference, and she joined Dan Lei before he met Sunday.
• Guinaifen offered to accompany Dan Lei, and he sent Ddraig and Albion to join Kafka and Little Phantylia.
• Dan Lei privately warned Guinaifen that Penacony’s growing power of Order would soon take her voice, then explained that an unfamiliar Path power was mixed into its Harmony.
• Guinaifen led Dan Lei to Sunday, who asked her to secure the room and keep the guards outside.
• Dan Lei challenged Sunday about Penacony’s earlier refusal to provide him a room, and Sunday blamed the Watchmaker’s reservations and apologized.
• Sunday gave Dan Lei a lifetime VIP card, luxury suites for his group, and hotel expenses covered by the Oak Family; Dan Lei accepted and teased Sunday about Guinaifen.

Dan Lei explored Penacony’s shared dream and met Black Swan after accidentally damaging the Golden Hour while demonstrating his powers. Black Swan opened a passage and pulled him away before Penacony’s authorities could arrive.

• Mr. Sunday warned Dan Lei not to bully Guinaifen, then showed Dan Lei and his companions around the Dreamweaver Grand Hotel.
• Dan Lei warded the group’s rooms against eavesdropping and Memoria before they entered the shared dream.
• Dan Lei entered the Golden Hour, tested his abilities, and shaped Memoria into the Holy Sword Balmung.
• Black Swan approached Dan Lei and questioned him about his Memory Spirit, prompting him to threaten her with Suihuang’s Sourcefire.
• Dan Lei’s flames burned away nearby Memoria and warped the surrounding streets and buildings, so Black Swan opened a passage and pulled him through to escape.

Dan Lei traded a memory of the events at Eternal Fire Manor to Black Swan for basic Memokeeper techniques, then learned how to travel between dreams. Before leaving the Dreamweaver Bar, he agreed to tell Black Swan about his flames if she helped find Sparkle and Sampo.

• Dan Lei escaped a collapsing dream with Black Swan, who warned him that using his flames could provoke the Power of Harmony.
• Black Swan found Dan Lei in the Golden Hour and offered Memokeeper techniques in exchange for a memory.
• Dan Lei gave Black Swan a fragment about Akash's death at Eternal Fire Manor and learned dream-travel techniques from her Light Cone, [Magecraft].
• Black Swan offered information about Penacony's hidden dream crisis in exchange for the source of Dan Lei's flames, but Dan Lei said he already knew about the Memoria Black Hole.
• Dan Lei asked Black Swan to find Sparkle and Sampo in exchange for information about his flames, and she agreed.

Dan Lei attended a Penacony auction before joining Kafka and the others at the Dreamweaver Hotel, where Black Swan asked Kafka to dance. Black Swan glimpsed something terrifying in Kafka’s memories, and Little Phantylia fed on her fear as Dan Lei took Kafka’s hand for the next dance.

• Dan Lei warned Black Swan not to investigate the woman from the Eternal Fire Manor memory and went to Dusk Hour to attend an auction.
• Dan Lei bought several Memory Bubbles containing high-energy particle knowledge before returning to the real world.
• Little Phantylia showed Dan Lei the dress and professional makeup she had chosen for Kafka, and Dan Lei praised Kafka’s appearance.
• Black Swan joined the group and asked Kafka to dance while Dan Lei and his companions speculated about what she might experience.
• Black Swan followed Kafka’s movements after glimpsing her memories and finished the dance shaken and drenched in sweat.
• Little Phantylia secretly absorbed Black Swan’s fear while Dan Lei invited Kafka to dance with him.

Dan Lei tracked down Sparkle and Sampo at the World's End Bar, where the crowd helped him capture them. He discovered that Sampo had brought a genuine Holy Grail, and the chapter ended with Dan Lei considering its possible connection to the crossover that had drawn [Xa]'s attention.

• After enjoying Adien Park, Dan Lei received Guinaifen's note inviting him to the Dream Weaver Frontier, but postponed meeting her when Black Swan told him that Sparkle and Sampo were at the World's End Bar.
• Black Swan explained that she had found Sparkle and Sampo on the Commercial Street below Clockie Plaza, and Dan Lei hurried there instead of meeting Guinaifen.
• At the World's End Bar, Madam Green Ham loudly announced Dan Lei's arrival, and Dan Lei persuaded the patrons to help keep Sparkle and Sampo from escaping.
• Madam Green Ham produced a golden cup Sampo had offered to pay his bar tab, and Sampo insisted it was the Holy Grail, which could grant wishes if charged.
• Dan Lei recognized the cup as genuine and considered whether its existence explained why [Xa] had noticed him after he emerged from the Root.

Dan Lei stole the Holy Grail and planned to use it to create a new embryo of Order, drawing Sparkle and Sampo into his scheme. After meeting Guinaifen to remove Order from her voice, Dan Lei was attacked by Sunday, who mistook his treatment of her for an assault.

• Dan Lei secretly swapped the Holy Grail at the World's End Bar, then recruited Sparkle and Sampo to help him pose as the villain in a contest for the Grail's wish.
• Dan Lei promised to aid Jarilo-VI in a future crisis, then left Sparkle and Sampo to arrange their part in his plan.
• Dan Lei met Guinaifen and Sunday at the Dream Weaver Frontier and explained that he could separate Order's power from Harmony to restore Guinaifen's voice.
• Dan Lei proposed using the Holy Grail, Penacony's dream power, and the Oak Family's faith to form a stable new embryo of Order and secretly claim it for himself.
• Dan Lei began treating Guinaifen's throat, but Sunday leaped toward them and fired a sphere of Path power at Dan Lei.

Dan Lei exposed Sunday and Gefenwood as followers of Order and offered them the Holy Grail to aid the Aeon of Order’s resurrection in exchange for a record of the process and their future help resurrecting Permanence. Sunday and Gefenwood had to consider Dan Lei’s terms under his threat to reveal their plan.

• Dan Lei finished treating Guinaifen, and Sunday apologized after learning he had mistaken the treatment for a forced kiss.
• Sunday and Guinaifen left the dream, and Dan Lei summoned a hidden night thrush and arranged to meet Sunday and Gefenwood.
• Dan Lei revealed he knew they belonged to Order and demonstrated that he possessed its power, while denying that he was a believer in Order.
• Dan Lei offered the Holy Grail in exchange for a detailed record of Order’s resurrection and a soul contract promising the Order followers would help him resurrect Permanence.
• Sunday questioned whether Dan Lei had tampered with the Holy Grail, then tried to delay their answer, but Dan Lei insisted they discuss the offer in front of him and threatened to expose their plan.

Dan Lei forced Sunday and Gefenwood to cooperate by revealing he had identified all 107,336 Order believers and could activate the Holy Grail with their prayers. After Sunday signed a Self-Binding Contract with Dan Lei, Sunday and Gefenwood planned to disguise the Holy Grail ritual as part of a public audition event and keep Guinaifen’s role hidden.

• Gefenwood agreed to have 107,336 Order believers pray to the Holy Grail after Dan Lei proved he knew their exact number.
• Dan Lei placed the Holy Grail in Sunday’s custody and explained that he had devised his plan in about four system hours.
• Dan Lei and Sunday signed a Self-Binding Contract, and Dan Lei gave Sunday the Grand Duke of Netherfire’s crown before leaving for the Golden Hour.
• Sunday told Gefenwood he distrusted Dan Lei, but Gefenwood said they had no choice but to activate the Holy Grail and adapt during the Holy Grail War.
• Sunday asked how to handle Guinaifen’s investigation, and Gefenwood proposed presenting the Holy Grail War as part of the SoulGlad Suns Out audition event.
• Sunday and Gefenwood agreed to conceal Guinaifen’s role and use the event to gather dream chasers’ wishes and divert attention from the Watchmaker.

Dan Lei learned that the Oak Family had used his name to launch a Holy Grail War, then warned the Stellar Train Crew about the Holy Grail’s limits and agreed to participate. As the crew arrived in Penacony, Dan Lei rebuffed reporters and spoke with Clover Family patriarch Aodi Ivfa before going to meet his friends.

• Little Phantylia alerted Dan Lei that the Oak Family had announced his sponsorship of the Suns Out auditions and the Omnipotent Wishing Cup, so he told her to leak some information while letting the event proceed.
• Dan Lei told the Stellar Train Crew that the Holy Grail’s power depended on its stored energy, warned that some wishes could have dangerous consequences, and said he would join the war.
• Dan Lei used Dragon Might and Replacement Magic to clear reporters from his path when they tried to interview him at the hotel.
• Aodi Ivfa asked Dan Lei about his deal with the Oak Family, but Dan Lei rebuffed his inquiries and suggested he enter the Holy Grail War to make money.
• Dan Lei spotted the arriving Stellar Train Crew, Aventurine, Boothill, and Silvermane in the lobby, then left Aodi to greet his friends.

Dan Lei helped the Express Crew check into the Dreamweaver Hotel and used his influence to shield Aventurine from the Family’s demands. The chapter left Dan Lei facing yet another request to vouch for someone when Boothill presented Loretta’s letter of introduction and asked for help entering the hotel.

• Dan Lei vouched for Star, prompting Dennis to approve her room registration and give the guests unlimited SoulGlad coupons.
• Aventurine greeted the Express Crew, gave Star one hundred thousand Credits, and discovered the hotel required him to undergo a full-body examination.
• Dan Lei vouched that Aventurine had nothing inside him, and Sunday arrived to invite Aventurine to discuss what he needed to hand over.
• Boothill and Silvermane arrived, and Boothill asked Dan Lei to use Loretta’s letter of introduction to help him get into the hotel.
• Dan Lei complained about becoming a professional guarantor and asked Silvermane how he had met Boothill.

Dan Lei helped Boothill gain entry to Penacony and spoke with Himeko and Welt about the Clockmaker’s invitation and the Express Crew’s goals. He warned Himeko that Penacony’s factions would inevitably clash, leaving the Express Crew to prepare for conflict.

• Dan Lei confirmed Loretta’s letter, accepted Boothill’s help as repayment, and Sunday welcomed Boothill into Penacony.
• Guinaifen led the Express Crew through the Dreamweaver Hotel, then left Dan Lei a note before departing.
• Himeko and Welt met Dan Lei, and Welt advised him to cherish the people close to him.
• Dan Lei gave Himeko his account of the Clockmaker’s invitation and claimed he had no interest in the Clockmaker’s Legacy, while concealing his cooperation with Sunday.
• Himeko explained that the Express Crew intended to pursue Mikhail’s plea and learn what had become of him.
• Dan Lei warned Himeko that Penacony’s competing factions would collide and urged the Express Crew to be ready for trouble.

Dan Lei explained his deal with Sunday to Guinaifen as Penacony’s factions prepared for the Harmonic Codex. The chapter ended with Aventurine being confronted at gunpoint, while Star reunited with Liuying and Sparkle discussed Kafka with Sampo.

• Dan Lei met Guinaifen in the dreamscape, explained why he gave Sunday the Holy Grail, and described the Grail’s powers and risks.
• Aventurine returned to Dr. Ratio without his suitcase and defended his trust in Dan Lei and his plans for Penacony.
• Dr. Ratio apologized after insulting Aventurine’s parents, and Aventurine invited him to seek information from the Stellar Train crew.
• A silver revolver was pressed to Aventurine’s temple as an armed stranger demanded answers.
• Star encountered Liuying working for the Iris Family, and Liuying offered her Oak Cake.
• Kafka defeated an attack by the “Stellaron Hunters,” while Sparkle told Sampo she had been frightened.