Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qi deepens his observation of Extraordinary Items using Psychic Vision and confirms his Puzzle Interlocking Theory: the Spiritual Energy Particles within Extraordinary Items are more complete, contain more “phases,” and interlock into complex structures.
• He realizes this explains why Extraordinary Items act as catalysts for S-level Potions—they guide scattered Spiritual Energy Particles into the correct configurations.
• Lin Qi identifies the next challenge in his research: developing instruments capable of analyzing and visually displaying the phases of Spiritual Energy Particles in Extraordinary Materials.
• After [Gate] finishes cooling, Lin Qi travels to the Doomsday World, intending to use its time advantage to plan his research and become stronger.
• While observing the Doomsday World’s Spiritual Energy Particles, he discovers that they are almost identical to those in the Cyber World, but their phases are active and constantly changing, unlike the apparently “dead” particles of the Cyber World.
• Pushing Psychic Vision too far causes Lin Qi to sense countless terrifying gazes directed at him, many filled with the desire to devour him. He immediately withdraws his observation.
• He suspects the gazes belong to the Blood Moon and another equally powerful existence associated with the enormous Spiritual Energy pillar and possibly the Dragon Nation General Command Headquarters.
• Lin Qi examines a Fourth Rank Extraordinary Item brought from the Cyber World and discovers that, in the Doomsday World, its particles begin interacting with the active local particles, making the item increasingly active as well.
• He theorizes that the Cyber World’s Blood Moon may have already died, explaining why its Spiritual Energy Particles are static and why the Cyber World lacks the terrifying reaction found in the Doomsday World.
• This leads him to suspect that the Cyber World’s corporations or ancient predecessors may have killed their Blood Moon, suggesting that the Blood Moon is not invincible.
• Lin Qi revises his strategy. Rather than merely exploiting the Doomsday World before its Blood Moon awakens, he considers eventually defeating the Blood Moon and the other great entities there, potentially obtaining Extraordinary Items beyond the Fifth Rank.
• He concludes that he must rapidly increase United Pharmaceutical’s influence, potentially transforming it into an Intercontinental Giant Enterprise, because individual strength alone will not be enough to influence the Cyber World’s highest-level conflicts.
• The chapter ends with Lin Qi returning to meditation and continuing to consider how to scientifically present the Puzzle Interlocking Theory and detect Spiritual Energy Particles.

Character Development

• Lin Qi becomes more ambitious and strategically aware. His research reveals deeper truths about both worlds, but the danger of over-observation teaches him greater caution.
• He recognizes that relying on external powers such as the Eastern Alliance, the Lin Clan, or the Liu Group is insufficient; he must cultivate personal strength while also building a powerful organization.
• Lin Qi’s view of the Doomsday World changes from a temporary resource to a potential battleground where the Blood Moon and other supreme beings might be challenged.
• He becomes increasingly conscious of larger conspiracies involving the Blood Moon, Ninghang Technology, European witch hunts, and the hidden history of the Cyber World.
• Guangleng is introduced as a possible ideological or strategic counterpart to Lin Qi, since both appear to be building powerful forces for unknown but possibly related goals.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge and danger: Deeper understanding brings greater power but can also attract the attention of terrifying entities.
• The abyss gazing back: Observation is not passive; attempting to perceive ultimate truths may expose the observer to equally powerful beings.
• Life versus death: The active Spiritual Energy Particles of the Doomsday World contrast with the static particles of the Cyber World, raising the possibility that the Cyber World’s Blood Moon is dead.
• Power and influence: Individual strength is important for survival, but lasting change requires institutions, alliances, and organizational power.
• Scientific discovery: Lin Qi seeks to transform an intuitive supernatural theory into measurable science, potentially revolutionizing potion research.
• Hidden history and conspiracy: The condition of the Cyber World’s Blood Moon may be connected to corporations, ancient events, Ninghang Technology, and political conflicts.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and the Extraordinary Items: His Psychic Vision reveals how their Spiritual Energy Particles interlock and function as potion catalysts.
• Lin Qi and the Blood Moon/unknown entities: His attempted deep observation causes him to sense their hostile attention, demonstrating the vast power gap between them.
• Lin Qi and the Dragon Nation General Command Headquarters: He suspects the headquarters and its military merit system may be connected to the second supreme entity in the Doomsday World.
• Lin Qi and his potential allies: Liu Xuan, Lin Xin, Arthur, Master Ma, Capitalist, King Kong, and Xu Qinghe are considered possible sources of cooperation or support as he builds influence.
• Lin Qi and Guangleng: Although they do not directly interact in the chapter, Lin Qi recognizes Guangleng as someone pursuing a similar strategy of building a powerful force, making him a potential rival or counterpart.

Chapter Summary: “Lin Qi’s World-Shaking Theory, Baili Xueyuan Gets Blown Out”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After spending the night thinking in the Doomsday World, Lin Qi returns to the Cyber World at dawn and continues developing his ideas.
• Using Psychic Vision, he observes Liu Xuan and discovers that the Eastern Alliance has assigned two S-Class Implant Users to protect her. Lin Qi also has a Fourth-Order Extraordinary Professional guarding him, though he believes the security arrangements may be insufficient.
• Lin Qi remains suspicious of the World Peace Conference because the area around Liu Xuan is unnaturally quiet. He personally monitors her journey to the S-level Pharmacology Association.
• At the association, Liu Xuan is greeted by Xu Qinghe and an overly enthusiastic “idiot,” while Lin Qi and Liu Xuan exchange polite but subtly intimate remarks.
• Xu Qinghe interrupts their interaction and informs Lin Qi that the dozens of S-level and hundreds of A-level pharmacology researchers from Nanyun Pharmaceuticals are waiting for him. Lin Qi teases Xu Qinghe by reminding her to call him “Uncle Lin,” prompting her to use the title in an exaggerated, sarcastic tone.
• Lin Qi presents a major research proposal concerning Phase-State Theory, which seeks to explain the hidden “phase states” of Extraordinary Materials and create a systematic framework for potion preparation.
• He explains to Liu Xuan that the ultimate goal could be a device capable of analyzing materials and automatically matching them to produce extremely powerful potions. However, Liu Xuan points out that current technology could probably only reach the level of a [140 Base Potion], not a [150 Base Potion] or a true S-level Potion.
• Lin Qi secretly reveals that, in theory, the project could eventually lead to the automated creation of genuine S-level Potions. Liu Xuan immediately understands the political and military consequences: mass-producing S-level Potions would mean mass-producing S-level Extraordinary Professionals and could provoke corporate wars or a global attack on the Asian Political Zone.
• To prevent panic and preserve political stability, Lin Qi presents the project publicly as an effort to refine Phase-State Theory and produce an S-level Pharmacology Materials White Paper, rather than openly announcing the possibility of industrialized S-level Potion production.
• Xu Qinghe unexpectedly validates Lin Qi’s theory. She compares potion-making to assembling a puzzle and suggests that potion preparation may involve restoring an Extraordinary Item through the correct combination of materials. Her insight causes the veteran researchers to take Lin Qi’s theory seriously.
• The researchers realize that Phase-State Theory could become the first unified theoretical framework in pharmacology. It could transform potion-making from an empirical art into a structured scientific discipline and potentially help weaker researchers advance dramatically.
• The senior researchers begin contacting their families, organizations, and the Eastern Alliance before committing to the project, recognizing its enormous strategic importance.
• While waiting, Lin Qi privately tells Liu Xuan that he possesses an even more comprehensive theory, possibly involving Spiritual Energy Particles, which could help her solve the difficult engineering problem of designing the required detection device.
• Liu Xuan immediately begins connecting Lin Qi’s theory to a machine she designed in the past, showing that his ideas are already stimulating new breakthroughs in her own field.
• At the end of the chapter, Lin Qi’s Psychic Vision detects the arrival of Baili Xueyuan, who appears disheveled and exhausted, suggesting that she has come in a hurry.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi demonstrates exceptional strategic awareness. He does not merely invent a revolutionary theory; he also carefully controls how much of its potential is revealed, understanding that complete disclosure could destabilize the world.
• He shows increasing confidence in managing powerful organizations and researchers, while also relying on his own abilities rather than trusting external security.
• Liu Xuan proves herself to be an extraordinarily quick learner and a highly perceptive strategist. She immediately recognizes both the scientific value and geopolitical danger of Lin Qi’s proposal.
• Liu Xuan also displays strong independent creativity, rapidly finding connections between Lin Qi’s Spiritual Energy Particle theory and one of her previous machines.
• Xu Qinghe shifts from playful teasing to intellectual validation. Her personal experience with potion-making allows her to recognize the “puzzle” sensation behind Lin Qi’s theory, providing crucial confirmation.
• The veteran S-level pharmacology researchers move from excitement and admiration to cautious seriousness. They realize that Lin Qi’s proposal may affect the future of their entire profession and the balance of global power.
• Baili Xueyuan’s sudden appearance creates a cliffhanger. Her hurried and disheveled state implies that she has encountered trouble or is bringing urgent information.

Significant Themes

• Scientific revolution: The chapter presents Phase-State Theory as a foundational breakthrough capable of turning pharmacology from intuition-based experimentation into a coherent science.
• Knowledge and power: The theory’s value is not limited to research. Its implications for producing S-level Potions could reshape military strength, political authority, and global hierarchy.
• Controlled revelation: Lin Qi understands that revolutionary knowledge must be introduced gradually. He conceals the most dangerous implications to prevent immediate conflict.
• Talent versus methodology: The theory may allow ordinary or less gifted researchers to reach levels previously accessible only to geniuses, reducing the importance of intuition while preserving the value of inspiration.
• Collaboration across disciplines: Lin Qi’s theories stimulate discoveries in pharmacology, engineering, and the study of Spiritual Energy, showing how breakthroughs emerge through interaction between fields.
• Trust and self-reliance: Lin Qi remains wary of official protection and prefers to depend on his own abilities, while still forming a close intellectual partnership with Liu Xuan.

Important Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and Liu Xuan communicate with mutual respect and subtle intimacy, while also sharing carefully guarded secrets.
• Xu Qinghe playfully mocks their apparent closeness, and Lin Qi retaliates by forcing her to call him “Uncle Lin.”
• Lin Qi and Xu Qinghe indirectly connect through their shared understanding of potion-making, with Xu Qinghe’s insight giving credibility to his theory.
• Liu Xuan and Lin Qi form the chapter’s main intellectual partnership: he provides the conceptual breakthrough, and she begins translating it into practical engineering.
• The senior researchers’ reactions establish the broader impact of Lin Qi’s work, while their decision to contact powerful elders highlights the theory’s political significance.
• Baili Xueyuan’s arrival interrupts the research discussion and sets up the next major development.

Chapter Summary: “Lin Changshou: How Could It Be…”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Baili Xueyuan arrives at the S-level Pharmacology Association after Lin Qi’s proposed research creates a major stir across the Eastern Alliance. The four great Nanyun Pharmaceuticals families have escalated the project to the Alliance’s highest authorities because success could give them enormous influence over the pharmacology conference.
• The Alliance assigns Baili Xueyuan to oversee security. At least six Fourth-Order Extraordinary Professionals are also being dispatched. If the research fails, Nanyun Pharmaceuticals will bear the cost; if it succeeds, the Alliance will invest further resources.
• Lin Qi and Liu Xuan begin working under an extremely tight deadline: Liu Xuan is scheduled to leave in two days, leaving them approximately forty-eight hours to advance the research into Phase-State Theory, refine the paper, and construct a measuring instrument.
• Liu Xuan identifies the experiment’s requirements:
  • Samples with differing phase states.
  • A material capable of restraining Spiritual Energy Particles.
  • A bombardment channel to force particles to combine.
  • An instrument capable of detecting phase-state changes.
• Lin Qi provides a special permeable material obtained through Arthur, which can restrain Spiritual Energy Particles when properly oriented.
• Liu Xuan reveals that an Extraordinary Core she designed years earlier can detect the required data. Its capabilities are so powerful that, in pharmacology, it could potentially replace the “inspiration” talent of an S-level researcher. She therefore plans to weaken its functions to avoid making United Pharmaceutical a target.
• Lin Qi recognizes that Liu Xuan’s expertise in Extraordinary Item engineering exceeds his own. While he understands the theory and can use Psychic Vision to calibrate the machine, he lacks her technical foundation in constructing its core.
• To involve Nanyun Pharmaceuticals’ researchers, Lin Qi assigns the S-level pharmacologists numerous difficult research tasks involving complex potions, mixtures, and extracts. These problems are not all essential to proving the fundamental theory but may support its future applications.
• The researchers organize into multiple teams, each led by an S-level researcher and supported by ten A-level assistants, using a “saturation” approach so that one successful group will be enough to advance the project.
• Lin Qi and Liu Xuan focus on building the central experimental machine. The bombardment channel alone requires tens of thousands of calibrations, and Lin Qi’s Psychic Vision is essential to making the process feasible.
• While the Eastern Alliance researchers disappear from public view to work, pharmacologists from other political zones become confused by their absence and continue competing and exchanging information elsewhere.
• The chapter then shifts to the Metaverse, where the ancient and powerful Lin Changshou meets Xu Zhengming. Lin Changshou behaves extravagantly and offensively, indulging in virtual companions and complaining about Cyber Network Company’s randomization feature.
• Xu Zhengming respectfully asks Lin Changshou about an important matter. Lin Changshou reveals that he already knows about the situation through Lin Qinghong and confirms that he truly has a grandson—clearly referring to Lin Qi. The chapter ends before he explains further.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi demonstrates strong theoretical insight, organizational ability, and strategic thinking. He understands that Phase-State Theory can become a major foundation for future pharmacological development, not merely a single successful experiment.
• Lin Qi also recognizes his own limitations. Although his mechanical knowledge is high-level and his Psychic Vision is invaluable, he is not proficient in Extraordinary Item engineering and depends heavily on Liu Xuan’s expertise.
• Liu Xuan displays exceptional intelligence, confidence, and technical ability. She quickly absorbs Lin Qi’s theory, expands it into practical experimental methods, and provides the crucial instrument design. Her concern over weakening the Extraordinary Core also shows political awareness and caution.
• Baili Xueyuan is established as a powerful and efficient administrator. She understands the project’s importance, arranges protection, and leaves immediately after delivering the necessary support.
• The S-level pharmacology researchers initially react with shock at Lin Qi’s demanding requirements, but cooperate by dividing into large-scale research teams.
• Lin Changshou is revealed as a Fifth-Tier Transcendent and a bizarre, shameless, yet extremely influential elder. His crude behavior contrasts with the fear and respect he commands.
• Xu Zhengming is respectful and nervous around Lin Changshou, showing the enormous authority and danger associated with the Lin Clan elder.
• Lin Changshou’s confirmation that he has a grandson implies that Lin Qi’s origins and relationship to the Lin Clan are about to become a central issue.

Significant Themes

• Theory becoming practical technology: The chapter emphasizes the transformation of Lin Qi’s abstract Phase-State Theory into a working experiment and measuring device.
• Collaboration between disciplines: Lin Qi’s pharmacological theory, Liu Xuan’s engineering ability, and the researchers’ specialized knowledge must be combined for success.
• Power and institutional support: Scientific progress is closely tied to the influence of major families, corporations, political authorities, and powerful Extraordinary Professionals.
• The danger of revolutionary technology: Liu Xuan’s decision to weaken the Extraordinary Core reflects the fear that a breakthrough could provoke hostility or destabilize the existing balance of power.
• Time pressure and competition: The forty-eight-hour deadline creates urgency, while researchers from other regions remain unaware that the Eastern Alliance is secretly advancing its own major project.
• Hidden identity and inheritance: Lin Changshou’s final revelation points toward Lin Qi’s concealed connection to the Lin Clan and raises questions about his lineage and place within the family.
• Contrast between genius and absurdity: The chapter juxtaposes groundbreaking scientific work with Lin Changshou’s vulgar behavior in the Metaverse, presenting him as both a terrifying elder and a ridiculous eccentric.

Important Character Interactions

• Baili Xueyuan and Lin Qi: She informs him of the Alliance’s support and security arrangements, then gives him permission to begin immediately.
• Lin Qi and Liu Xuan: They cooperate closely on the experiment, combining his theoretical understanding and Psychic Vision with her engineering expertise.
• Lin Qi and the S-level researchers: He assigns them difficult but strategically useful tasks, ensuring their participation in the project while preparing the groundwork for future applications.
• Lin Changshou and Xu Zhengming: Xu approaches Lin Changshou for information, but remains visibly intimidated by the elder’s behavior and reputation.
• Lin Changshou and Lin Qinghong: Lin Qinghong has already contacted him about Lin Qi, allowing Lin Changshou to confirm the existence of his grandson before the chapter ends.

Chapter Summary: “Second-Generation Founder” Xu Tianyun

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Tianyun meets Lin Changshou in the Metaverse and learns that Lin Changshou may be on the verge of perfecting a revolutionary theory that could launch Pharmacology 3.0.
• Realizing that his own reputation as a “second-generation founder” may soon be overshadowed, Xu Tianyun decides to travel to World City and witness the experiment personally.
• He also hopes to appear beside Lin Qi in a commemorative photograph, preserving his place in future pharmacological history.
• At the S-level Pharmacology Association, the experiment has been underway for sixteen hours. Liu Xuan reports that the machine’s design is nearly complete, though it still needs to be manufactured.
• Lin Qi decides that an Eastern Alliance company should produce the machine instead of the weakened Liu Group, protecting the group from the political and economic consequences of the project.
• Lin Qi arranges for Liu Xuan to rest while he continues working. Meanwhile, Xu Qinghe’s team makes the fastest progress among the research groups and overcomes a major technical bottleneck.
• Lin Qi continues writing his massive paper on Phase-State Theory, carefully presenting the discovery as a logical development of existing pharmacological research rather than revealing the role of his Psychic Vision.
• Xu Tianyun arrives at the experimental field with Xu Zhengming. He warns Lin Qi that mercenary groups, including possibly T0-level organizations, have accepted missions connected to the experiment.
• Xu Tianyun offers his protection and assistance, revealing himself to be a powerful Fourth-Order Extraordinary Professional.
• Since all major tasks have already been assigned, Xu Zhengming directs Xu Tianyun to help Xu Qinghe’s team.

Character Developments

• Xu Tianyun is shown as proud, historically conscious, and anxious about being forgotten. Though he jokingly belittles his own achievements, he still deeply desires recognition and a place in the history of pharmacology. His arrival also establishes him as a powerful and useful ally.
• Lin Qi demonstrates strategic judgment by keeping the Liu Group away from the project’s immediate risks. He also displays extraordinary intellectual discipline by constructing a convincing academic explanation for Phase-State Theory that conceals his reliance on Psychic Vision.
• Liu Xuan proves essential to the project through her machine design and technical expertise. Her physical limitations are emphasized, prompting Lin Qi to care for her and ensure she rests.
• Xu Qinghe experiences a brief threat to her confidence when Xu Zhengming praises Lin Qi and Liu Xuan, but her team’s breakthrough restores her pride and confirms that she remains an exceptional researcher.
• Xu Zhengming acts as a mediator and organizer, supporting Lin Qi’s decisions while finding a way for Xu Tianyun to contribute.
• Lin Changshou remains off-page but is elevated as a major figure whose theory may help create an entirely new era in pharmacology.

Significant Themes

• Legacy and historical recognition: Xu Tianyun’s concern over titles and commemorative photographs reflects the desire of aging pioneers to remain relevant and remembered.
• Generational change: The older generation of pharmacologists is about to be surpassed by Lin Qi and the emerging researchers of Pharmacology 3.0.
• Concealed genius and authorship: Lin Qi must disguise the supernatural origin of his insight, transforming Psychic Vision’s guidance into an apparently reproducible scientific theory.
• Cooperation amid rivalry: Families, corporations, and research teams cooperate despite competition, weakened institutions, and concerns over prestige.
• Power and vulnerability: The scientific breakthrough attracts dangerous mercenary attention, showing that advances in pharmacology carry major political and security consequences.

Character Interactions

• Xu Tianyun’s conversation with Lin Changshou motivates him to travel to World City and participate in the experiment.
• Lin Qi and Liu Xuan work closely together; Lin Qi’s concern for her creates a warmer, more personal dynamic between them.
• Xu Zhengming admires Lin Qi and Liu Xuan so much that he wishes they were his children, prompting Xu Qinghe’s comic confusion and jealousy.
• Lin Qi respectfully receives Xu Tianyun, while Xu Tianyun treats him as a future third-generation founder and offers protection.
• Xu Zhengming redirects Xu Tianyun toward Xu Qinghe’s team, allowing the elderly pharmacologist to contribute while creating another humorous exchange with Xu Qinghe, who is annoyed by her grandfather’s contradictory comments about her abilities.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Tianyun officially joins Lin Qi’s “Phase-State Theory” project, though he is assigned only a minor portion. Lin Qi welcomes his participation because Xu’s reputation strengthens the project’s credibility.
• Xu Tianyun is pleased to have his name associated with the era-defining research, while the other researchers feel honored to work alongside one of Nanyun Pharmaceuticals’ founders. Xu Qinghe, however, is frustrated because her nearly completed project may now be credited partly to her grandfather.
• Lin Qi continues exploiting the time difference between the Cyber World and the Doomsday World. During a brief restroom trip, he spends twenty-four hours meditating in the Doomsday World, bringing himself closer to the Fourth Rank without anyone detecting anything unusual.
• Guangleng finally activates a new Highest-Level Mercenary Group mission. The mission concerns two T0-level mercenary groups—the Holy Corpse Legion and the Freedom Defenders—gathering near the S-level Pharmacology Association to investigate the Eastern Alliance’s personnel deployment.
• More than ten S-level cybernetic prosthesis users and several Fourth Rank Extraordinary Profession users are involved. The Eastern Alliance has hired the mercenaries to protect Nanyun Pharmaceuticals’ researchers and the upcoming Pharmacology 3.0 breakthrough.
• The mission offers a base payment for sending combat personnel and up to five billion Credit Points for meaningful contributions if fighting breaks out.
• Most of the mercenary group members agree to participate. Master Ma expects an easy payment because of the Eastern Alliance’s overwhelming preparations, while Arthur is eager to oppose the European Political Zone’s Large Enterprise Alliance.
• Lin Qi reveals that Nanyun Pharmaceuticals and United Pharmaceutical are close to ushering in the Pharmacology 3.0 Era, but he carefully avoids directly identifying his connection to the project.
• His comments cause Capitalist to speculate that “Wizard” may be Lin Changshou, a legendary figure connected to Nanyun Pharmaceuticals. Capitalist stops testing Wizard and instead arranges for King Kong to participate in the mission.
• Master Ma is already near the S-level Pharmacology Association. Arthur remains hidden in World City’s underground pipes and asks Guangleng for detailed blueprints after learning that members of the Round Table may be present.
• Capitalist reveals that Grand Knight McLeod and several Knights of the Round Table are likely overseeing European security, suggesting that Arthur has a serious grudge against them and may be in danger.
• Lin Qi says he will decide whether to act based on circumstances and uses Psychic Vision to scan the area around him.

2. Character Developments

• Lin Qi/Wizard: Becomes increasingly influential and cautious. He uses his access to the Pharmacology 3.0 project to provide valuable intelligence while preserving his secret identity. His deliberate ambiguity strengthens the group’s belief that he is an extremely powerful elder figure, possibly Lin Changshou. He also continues secretly training to reach the Fourth Rank.
• Xu Tianyun: Achieves his wish of being attached to a historically important project and is satisfied simply to have his name recorded in history.
• Xu Qinghe: Becomes resentful and anxious that her nearly completed work will be overshadowed or claimed by her grandfather’s involvement. She begins considering how to obtain compensation or recognition from him.
• Capitalist: Demonstrates his role as the group’s primary schemer. He openly challenges Guangleng’s unilateral decision, repeatedly tests Wizard for information, and later changes tactics after becoming convinced that Wizard is an influential Nanyun Pharmaceuticals figure.
• Guangleng: Shows confidence and competence as leader. He secures a highly lucrative mission, provides intelligence and technical support, and warns Arthur about the danger posed by the Round Table.
• Arthur: Reveals a confrontational attitude toward the Round Table and continues operating from the sewers, relying on stealth and underground access rather than public status.
• Master Ma: Remains calm, flexible, and politically connected to the Eastern Alliance. He supports the mission while emphasizing its low-risk financial benefits.
• King Kong: Continues acting as Capitalist’s ally and volunteers to participate.
• Qiao Xi: Uses Wizard’s information and previous misdirection to speculate that Wizard may be Xu Tianyun, Lin Changshou, or another legendary figure.

3. Significant Themes

• Recognition and legacy: Xu Tianyun’s desire to leave his name in history contrasts with Xu Qinghe’s fear that her own achievements will be overshadowed.
• Power and political maneuvering: The Pharmacology 3.0 breakthrough attracts the attention of governments, Large Enterprise Alliances, mercenary organizations, and rival political zones.
• Secrecy and misdirection: Lin Qi carefully controls what he reveals, allowing others to construct an inaccurate but useful image of Wizard’s identity.
• The cost of scientific progress: The scientific breakthrough is not merely an academic achievement; it creates a military and geopolitical crisis requiring massive protection.
• Trust and manipulation: Mercenary members constantly evaluate one another’s motives. Capitalist tests Wizard, Guangleng manages dissent, and Lin Qi subtly manipulates the group’s perceptions.
• Hidden strength: Lin Qi’s secret twenty-four-hour training session and Arthur’s concealed position in the sewer system emphasize how much power and danger remain unseen beneath ordinary appearances.

4. Character Interactions

• Lin Qi accepts Xu Tianyun’s involvement because his reputation benefits the project, while Xu Qinghe privately resents the arrangement.
• Capitalist challenges Guangleng for accepting the mission without consulting the group; King Kong backs him, while Master Ma gives Guangleng conditional support.
• Guangleng’s mission briefing convinces the members because of the enormous payment and the threat posed by the two T0-level mercenary groups.
• Capitalist repeatedly probes Wizard’s knowledge, but Lin Qi responds with carefully limited information. This causes Capitalist to overestimate Wizard’s identity and status.
• Master Ma reassures the group that the Eastern Alliance has deployed enough forces that they may only need to collect the base payment.
• Arthur’s discussion with Guangleng highlights both her confidence and her vulnerability to the Round Table, while Capitalist supplies information about the Knights likely to confront her.
• The chapter ends with Lin Qi withholding a firm commitment to participate, preparing to assess the situation through Psychic Vision before deciding how to act.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist, let's call them Alex, needs to attend to urgent family matters.
• Alex requests a one-day leave from work.

Character Developments

• Alex demonstrates responsibility and prioritizes family over work, showing their commitment to personal relationships.
• Alex's employer shows understanding and flexibility, indicating a positive work environment.

Significant Themes

• Work-life balance: Alex balances professional obligations with personal responsibilities.
• Family: Alex's family matters take precedence, highlighting the importance of family in their life.

Character Interactions

• Alex communicates their need for time off to their employer, who grants the request without any conflict or resistance.
• There's no mention of any other characters, so no further interactions are detailed.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Outside the S-level Pharmacology Association, Knights of the Round Table commander McLeod and Eastern Alliance guardian Baili Xueyuan face off while mercenary groups and other political zones watch. McLeod’s deliberately insulting provocation recalls their violent history, but neither side attacks.
• Lin Qi judges the confrontation to be a political probe rather than an imminent battle. The wider conflict between the Eastern and European political zones remains unresolved, with the success of the Phase-State Theory experiment likely to determine what happens next.
• An armored airship from the Eastern Intercontinental Equipment Group delivers the experiment’s core equipment. Liu Xuan calibrates it, and the team begins testing Extraordinary Materials.
• The equipment successfully detects and visualizes phase-state data as interlocking polyhedral “puzzle pieces,” confirming that Phase-State Theory works. At 1 a.m. on April 15, 2089, the researchers complete the decisive stage and celebrate the arrival of the “Pharmacology 3.0” era.
• The new method sparks immediate breakthroughs: five researchers at Nanyun Pharmaceuticals qualify as S-level pharmacologists in one afternoon.
• News of the achievement reaches the observers upstairs. The African expert realizes the Eastern Alliance has made a major scientific breakthrough just before the World Peace Conference, potentially shifting the political balance.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Qi remains focused and composed despite the tense standoff. He recognizes the political stakes but prioritizes the experiment, guiding the work and carefully presenting the technology’s capabilities.
• Liu Xuan demonstrates her essential technical expertise by operating and calibrating the equipment. She also publicly describes its limitations, reinforcing the team’s plan to control how widely the technology can be used.
• Baili Xueyuan confidently holds her ground against McLeod and invokes World City’s ban on violence. Their exchange reveals deep personal hostility rooted in a past confrontation.
• McLeod uses provocation and his reputation as a rallying symbol, but avoids initiating violence. His presence keeps the Round Table’s threat visible.
• Xu Tianyun, initially content to coast on the project, becomes energetic when he realizes its historical importance and helps other teams finish their work. He organizes the celebratory group photo.
• The gathered researchers move from pressure and uncertainty to shared excitement as the data confirms the theory. Several gain insights that rapidly advance their careers.
• The foreign observers shift from watching a personal feud to recognizing that the experiment may have major strategic consequences.

Significant themes

• Science as political power: The breakthrough may strengthen the Eastern Alliance’s influence at the peace conference and reshape international relations.
• Progress and disruption: Pharmacology 3.0 promises faster advancement, especially for talented S-level researchers, but may make much traditional theory obsolete and threaten the work of most researchers without S-level talent.
• Controlled innovation: Lin Qi and Liu Xuan deliberately limit the equipment’s precision and frame the theory’s purpose narrowly to reduce the risk of exploitation and protect those controlling the technology.
• Tension before conflict: The standoff mirrors the experiment’s stakes: the breakthrough could either spark a localized confrontation or force the Round Table to concede.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Tensions rise at the S-level Pharmacology Association as McLeod, the European Political Zone’s Grand Knight Commander, challenges the Eastern Alliance’s claim that Nanyun Pharmaceuticals is ushering in the Pharmacology 3.0 era.
• Karl of the American Political Zone and Gabari of Africa refuse to support Europe. They praise the Eastern Alliance and choose to observe rather than become involved, leaving Europe isolated politically.
• McLeod deliberately provokes Baili Xueyuan, the Eastern Alliance’s Blood-Clothes expert. Although both reveal their intentions, neither initiates a full battle because Baili’s official mission is to preserve safety and stability around the building.
• McLeod descends the building and later stops outside the sixty-sixth floor, using his Knight’s Will Emblem to intimidate the researchers inside.
• Baili Xueyuan appears beside the glass wall and counters McLeod’s deathly will with her own killing intent. Their brief clash confirms that neither can easily overwhelm the other.
• Lin Qi recognizes the danger through Psychic Vision and prepares to protect Liu Xuan, but withdraws his power once Baili blocks McLeod’s pressure.
• Xu Tianyun, a senior Nanyun Pharmaceuticals researcher, orders the younger researchers to ignore the confrontation and continue cleaning the laboratory. His confidence reassures everyone that Baili can prevent McLeod from attacking.
• In the Highest Level Mercenary Group’s chat, Master Ma unexpectedly proposes attacking McLeod. He argues that striking first would undermine Europe’s attempt to appear dominant and discourage mercenary groups from siding with the Europeans.
• Guangleng confirms that Master Ma will receive 300 million Credit Points simply for attacking, regardless of the outcome. Lin Qi realizes this may be a calculated opportunity to disrupt Europe’s political strategy.
• Master Ma announces himself as a member of the Highest Level Mercenary Group rather than acting under the Eastern Alliance’s name, thereby avoiding direct escalation between political zones.
• He attacks McLeod openly and plans to knock him into the underground pipelines, giving Arthur a chance to pursue McLeod’s Sword in the Stone.
• McLeod responds immediately. Despite not using the Sword in the Stone, he exploits the gap between Fourth Rank, third stage and Fourth Rank peak, striking Master Ma with overwhelming force and blasting him into the underground pipelines.

Character Developments

• McLeod is shown to be stronger and more aggressive than before. He deliberately uses intimidation and provocation to pressure the Eastern Alliance, but he also remains confident enough to fight without relying on his legendary weapon.
• Baili Xueyuan demonstrates restraint and formidable strength. Though she is not yet close to Fifth Rank, she successfully blocks McLeod’s willpower and is established as one of the world’s strongest Fourth Rank experts.
• Lin Qi shows growing strategic awareness. He evaluates the political and mercenary consequences of Master Ma’s proposed attack rather than viewing the confrontation as a simple duel. His concern for Liu Xuan also highlights his protective nature.
• Xu Tianyun proves himself a courageous senior figure who shields the younger researchers psychologically and politically. His confidence in Baili prevents panic inside the laboratory.
• Master Ma abandons his normally cautious image and acts recklessly—or according to a hidden plan—to seize a political and financial opportunity. He attempts to exploit Arthur’s grudge against the Round Table and interest in the Sword in the Stone.
• Arthur is startled and unwillingly drawn into Master Ma’s plan, revealing both his resentment toward the Round Table and his desire for McLeod’s weapon.
• Karl and Gabari develop as pragmatic observers. Rather than risk themselves for Europe, they exploit the disagreement to strengthen ties with the Eastern Alliance.

Significant Themes

• Political maneuvering behind personal combat: The confrontation is not merely a contest of strength; every movement affects the balance between political zones and mercenary organizations.
• Provocation versus restraint: McLeod repeatedly attempts to provoke a battle, while Baili remains constrained by her mission and the wider consequences of striking first.
• Power hierarchy: The one-sided opening exchange between McLeod and Master Ma emphasizes how decisive even a small difference in Fourth Rank advancement can be.
• Mercenaries as political forces: The chapter highlights how independent mercenary groups can influence corporate wars and determine which side appears dominant.
• Protection of the younger generation: Xu Tianyun and Baili protect the researchers from the confrontation, while Lin Qi prioritizes Liu Xuan’s safety.
• Calculated risk and hidden motives: Master Ma’s sudden attack may be reckless, but it is also intended to disrupt Europe’s strategy, earn a large reward, and create an opportunity against McLeod.

Character Interactions

• McLeod verbally challenges the Eastern Alliance and exchanges hostile willpower with Baili Xueyuan.
• Karl and Gabari align themselves with the Eastern Alliance economically and politically, isolating McLeod.
• Baili protects the researchers from McLeod’s intimidation, while Lin Qi reassures Liu Xuan that she can handle the threat.
• Xu Tianyun firmly orders the researchers to return to work, reinforcing the older generation’s authority.
• Master Ma consults the mercenary group through the chat, clashes with Arthur over his impulsive plan, and receives indirect support from Capitalist.
• Master Ma then attacks McLeod under the mercenary group’s banner, but McLeod defeats him in a single blow, ending the chapter on a dramatic cliffhanger.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Master Ma attacks McLeod, the Gray Knight, in World City.
• McLeod pursues Master Ma into underground tunnels, and they engage in a fierce battle.
• McLeod notices Master Ma's unusual ability to grow stronger as he takes damage.
• McLeod considers using the Sword in the Stone but decides against it initially.

Character Developments

• Master Ma's true strength and martial will (Self-Mortification Will) are revealed. His willpower grows stronger with each injury, approaching the Fourth Rank Limit.
• McLeod shows hesitation in using the Sword in the Stone, indicating he values its use and is aware of its cost.
• Lin Qi learns about Capitalist's strength, realizing he possesses the power of the Fourth Rank Limit.

Significant Themes

• The power of will and determination in combat (Master Ma's Self-Mortification Will).
• The cost of using powerful weapons or abilities (McLeod's hesitation in using the Sword in the Stone).
• The revelation of hidden strengths and secrets (Master Ma's true power, Capitalist's past with Master Ma).

Character Interactions

• Master Ma and McLeod engage in a deadly battle, each trying to gain the upper hand.
• Lin Qi observes the battle, learning more about the Highest Level Mercenary Group's true power.
• Arthur and Capitalist discuss Master Ma's abilities and Capitalist's past with him through the Mercenary Group's chat window.

Chapter Summary: “Highest-Level Group Gang-Beating”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Master Ma launches an all-out attack on McLeod, ignoring his own injuries. His Self-Mortification Will grows stronger as he suffers damage and transfers the sensation of pain to McLeod.
• Despite being a Fourth Rank peak Knight, McLeod is forced to retreat rather than exchange injuries with Master Ma. He realizes that Master Ma’s bizarre martial ability becomes more dangerous the more wounded he is.
• Arthur recognizes McLeod’s momentary weakness and attacks from behind, targeting the Sword in the Stone. Using her “Transcendence” will and a potion supplied by Lin Qi, she temporarily raises her combat power far beyond her newly advanced Fourth Rank.
• McLeod creates a shield to protect the Sword in the Stone, forcing himself to choose between defending against Arthur and enduring Master Ma’s attack.
• Arthur nearly reaches the Sword in the Stone but is driven back when McLeod detaches and launches his prosthetic arm, revealing it to be an S-level biochemical weapon.
• Master Ma continues attacking McLeod while Arthur retreats into the underground pipes. McLeod believes he has survived the ambush and is about to regain control of the battle.
• Lin Qi secretly intervenes twice: he uses Mental Power Siphon to disrupt McLeod’s control of his Knight’s Will Emblem, then uses Momentum Control to stop the thrown prosthetic arm and make it fall behind McLeod.
• McLeod is consequently trapped inside the poisonous steam released by his own prosthetic weapon. Although his disease-based Grey Knight constitution limits the damage, the attack leaves him confused and frustrated.
• Lin Qi admits that his hidden support has limited killing power but is useful for disrupting McLeod’s actions. Arthur then proposes continuing the coordinated attack and promises Lin Qi ten favors if he helps her obtain the Sword in the Stone.

Character Developments

• Master Ma: Demonstrates extraordinary combat strength and fearlessness. His Self-Mortification Will turns his injuries into increased power, allowing him to pressure a stronger opponent. He also shows tactical awareness by identifying the danger of McLeod’s prosthetic weapon and retreating at the right moment.
• McLeod: Initially confident in his superior realm and physical strength, he is repeatedly outmaneuvered by unfamiliar abilities. His arrogance returns after surviving Master Ma’s punch, but Lin Qi’s hidden interference exposes his vulnerability.
• Arthur: Proves herself to be an experienced and opportunistic mercenary. She quickly identifies McLeod’s opening, uses her Knight’s Will to exceed her normal limits, and targets the Sword in the Stone rather than simply attacking McLeod. She also learns to balance ambition with survival when she retreats from the dangerous prosthetic weapon.
• Lin Qi/Wizard: Acts as a hidden battlefield controller. Rather than confronting McLeod directly, he disrupts his mental control and manipulates momentum, turning McLeod’s own weapon against him. His support strengthens Arthur’s trust in him.
• Liu Xuan: Appears alongside Lin Qi as he moves toward another room, though she has little direct involvement in the battle.

Significant Themes

• Teamwork and coordinated combat: The battle shifts in favor of the mercenary group because Master Ma, Arthur, and Lin Qi attack from different positions and exploit each other’s openings.
• Information as power: McLeod’s unfamiliarity with Master Ma’s Martial Will and Lin Qi’s abilities repeatedly causes him to make incorrect decisions.
• Strength beyond conventional realms: Arthur’s “Transcendence” allows her to temporarily leapfrog her normal rank, while Master Ma’s unusual willpower lets him threaten someone at a higher realm.
• Using an enemy’s power against them: Lin Qi’s manipulation causes McLeod’s own prosthetic weapon to become a liability, emphasizing strategy over brute force.
• Ambition versus survival: Arthur wants the Sword in the Stone badly but ultimately chooses to retreat when the weapon becomes too dangerous, showing growing tactical maturity.
• Hidden identities and indirect intervention: Lin Qi cannot openly reveal himself because wizard practitioners are unable to appear publicly, so he contributes through subtle, nearly undetectable abilities.

Character Interactions

• Master Ma directly overwhelms and intimidates McLeod, forcing him to abandon an aggressive exchange.
• Arthur exploits the opening Master Ma creates and attacks McLeod from behind, temporarily placing him in a dilemma over whether to defend himself or the Sword in the Stone.
• McLeod uses his prosthetic arm as a weapon to drive Arthur away, but Lin Qi secretly interferes and redirects the attack back toward McLeod.
• Lin Qi and Arthur communicate through the mercenary group’s temporary chat. Arthur correctly identifies Lin Qi’s involvement, praises his support, and asks him to participate in a continued group assault.
• Arthur’s offer of ten favors in exchange for help securing the Sword in the Stone highlights both her determination and her growing reliance on Wizard.

Chapter Summary: Master Ma Was Having the Time of His Life

Key Plot Points and Events

• Arthur asks Wizard to help her obtain the Sword in the Stone, while Lin Qi agrees to interfere with the Round Table from the shadows without making firm promises.
• Underground, Master Ma, Arthur, and Lin Qi fight Grand Knight Commander McLeod, who is isolated because the surrounding Fourth Rank powerhouses—including the T0 mercenary groups and the American and African Political Zones—choose not to support him.
• McLeod realizes that the Highest Level Mercenary Group is likely connected to the attackers who previously targeted the Round Table. However, the group’s information has been concealed so effectively that even the Round Table’s intelligence department has no useful data.
• Arthur warns that they have only six minutes before other Round Table Knights arrive. Master Ma therefore abandons any attempt at conversation and launches a relentless, suicidal assault.
• Master Ma uses Self-Mortification Will, turning his worsening injuries into increased combat strength. His power rises from the Fourth Rank fourth stage toward the Fourth Rank Limit, eventually matching McLeod.
• McLeod reaches for the Sword in the Stone, but Arthur repeatedly interrupts him, refusing to let him draw or activate the Fifth Rank weapon.
• Arthur takes a devastating punch from McLeod and is forced to retreat briefly. Master Ma replaces her, deliberately allowing McLeod to injure him because every wound further strengthens his willpower.
• As Master Ma’s injuries approach a fatal level, he reaches combat strength equal to McLeod’s. The fight becomes dependent on Arthur’s ability to flank McLeod and seize the Sword in the Stone.
• Arthur launches another attack using Transcendence Will, but McLeod anticipates her plan. Just as she grabs the Sword in the Stone, he activates the S-level Point-Focused High-Energy Heat Generator, blasting her eyes and severely damaging her brain.
• At the chapter’s end, Arthur is nearly unconscious. Lin Qi finally acts, casting Rapid Growth on Arthur while simultaneously positioning an illusory knife behind McLeod.

Character Developments

• Master Ma demonstrates his bizarre but powerful combat philosophy: pain and severe injuries exhilarate him, allowing his Self-Mortification Will to grow stronger. His willingness to sacrifice his body makes him an extremely difficult opponent for McLeod.
• Arthur reveals her intense fixation on the Sword in the Stone. She is willing to risk serious injury—even possible death—to obtain it, reflecting both her ambition and her reverence for the weapon.
• McLeod shifts from confidence to desperation. Initially expecting to dominate the encounter, he becomes frustrated by the mercenaries’ underhanded tactics and his inability to draw the Sword. Nevertheless, his battlefield awareness remains sharp, allowing him to exploit Arthur’s hardware weakness.
• Lin Qi remains patient and calculating, observing the fight rather than exposing himself prematurely. He waits until Arthur is critically injured and McLeod is distracted before making his move.
• Guangleng continues supporting the group indirectly by supplying crucial intelligence, especially the warning about the approaching Round Table reinforcements.

Significant Themes

• Pain as power: Master Ma’s injuries are not merely a weakness; they directly fuel his strength, turning self-destruction into a combat advantage.
• Hardware versus willpower: McLeod’s superior cybernetic equipment gives him a decisive advantage against opponents with weaker implants, but Master Ma’s extraordinary willpower allows him to bridge that technological gap.
• Calculated teamwork and underhanded tactics: The protagonists rely on ambushes, flanking, distraction, and concealed attacks rather than honorable one-on-one combat.
• Ambition and obsession: Arthur’s desire for the Sword in the Stone drives her to repeatedly endanger herself, showing how power can override caution.
• Isolation and political neutrality: McLeod’s allies deliberately stand aside, demonstrating how political calculation can matter as much as strength in the mercenary and superhuman world.
• Limits of individual power: Even a peak Fourth Rank fighter like McLeod struggles when surrounded by multiple coordinated enemies, especially when they exploit different weaknesses.

Character Interactions

• Arthur treats Wizard as a potential ally but does not depend entirely on her promises.
• McLeod questions Master Ma about his connection to the Round Table, but Arthur interrupts him, recognizing that he is stalling.
• Arthur and Master Ma coordinate fluidly, alternating between front-line pressure and flanking attacks.
• Arthur repeatedly interferes whenever McLeod reaches for the Sword, making the weapon the central focus of their confrontation.
• McLeod exploits Arthur’s vulnerability at the exact moment she grabs the weapon, showing his superior tactical timing.
• Lin Qi’s final intervention directly supports Arthur while preparing a hidden attack against McLeod, setting up the next decisive turn in the battle.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After half a month of development, Lin Qi’s first Emotional Weapon, the Anxious Knife, has become powerful enough to kill Third Rank extraordinary beings and seriously threaten stronger opponents.
• During the battle against McLeod, Lin Qi secretly launches the Anxious Knife into McLeod’s Spiritual Sea. It creates an illusion in which McLeod believes the Intercontinental Stabilization Trauma Response Company has restored his body but removed his cybernetic implants and cured the diseases that grant him his combat abilities.
• McLeod briefly loses focus, allowing Master Ma to land a devastating punch. McLeod’s body is destroyed, but he uses his “Life from Death” ability to regenerate completely and immediately counterattacks, kicking Master Ma away.
• Master Ma is badly injured and nearing his physical limit. Before he can activate his cybernetic heart’s recovery function, Lin Qi secretly heals him, causing his body to rapidly regenerate and preserving his Fourth Rank Limit combat strength.
• Taking advantage of McLeod’s distraction and Lin Qi’s support, Arthur kicks McLeod and forcibly pulls the Sword in the Stone from the cybernetics on his back. She also regenerates her damaged eyes and celebrates their successful teamwork.
• McLeod realizes that Lin Qi, whom he identifies as a hidden Wizard-class powerhouse, has manipulated the battle through psychological attacks, cybernetic interference, and healing support. His own attempt to cripple Master Ma has failed, and he has lost the Sword in the Stone.
• With his Mental Power severely depleted, McLeod concludes that he cannot defeat Arthur, Master Ma, and Lin Qi together. He begins stalling through negotiation, claiming that the attackers only want payment and should avoid angering the Round Table or the Super Alliance.
• Lin Qi, however, is close to exhausting his Mental Power from simultaneously supporting Arthur and Master Ma. He notices Baili Xueyuan, a nearby top-tier Fourth Rank powerhouse, and uses Mental Power Siphon on her.
• Baili Xueyuan recognizes Lin Qi’s request and deliberately removes the restraints on her Mental Power, secretly agreeing to supply him with energy so he can continue supporting the battle.

2. Character Developments

• Lin Qi demonstrates increasingly sophisticated mastery of Emotional Weapons. Rather than relying on direct attacks, he manipulates McLeod’s emotions and perception at the exact moment needed to create an opening. His abilities also reveal him as an exceptional battlefield supporter, capable of healing and restoring powerful allies.
• McLeod is shown to be highly experienced and strategically perceptive. He quickly identifies Lin Qi as the true source of his disadvantage and understands that the hidden attacker is restraining his full power because other Fourth Rank observers may intervene. However, his reliance on “Life from Death” leaves him severely weakened.
• Master Ma remains an overwhelming close-combat fighter capable of maintaining Fourth Rank Limit strength despite severe injury. His lack of information about McLeod’s regeneration, however, allows McLeod to counterattack him.
• Arthur develops from a seemingly reckless attacker into someone who successfully coordinates with Lin Qi. Her confidence comes from knowing Lin Qi can protect and heal her, allowing her to seize the Sword in the Stone despite sustaining serious injuries.
• Baili Xueyuan reveals a softer and more cooperative side. Although she calls Lin Qi her “damned husband,” she willingly assists him because she understands that he is under pressure and believes his actions were partly motivated by concern for her.

3. Significant Themes

• Invisible influence and psychological warfare: Lin Qi’s greatest advantage comes not from raw force but from manipulating emotions, perception, timing, and battlefield conditions.
• Teamwork and complementary abilities: Arthur’s aggression, Master Ma’s physical power, and Lin Qi’s hidden support combine to defeat McLeod’s otherwise superior tactical position.
• Information as a decisive weapon: McLeod’s unfamiliarity with Lin Qi’s abilities and his lack of knowledge about his allies’ powers repeatedly cause him to miscalculate.
• Strength versus support: The chapter emphasizes that healing, recovery, and control can be as decisive as direct offensive power. Lin Qi’s support prevents McLeod from defeating the group one opponent at a time.
• Hidden relationships and indirect loyalty: Baili Xueyuan’s covert assistance suggests emotional ties and mutual concern beneath the hostile or teasing manner of her relationship with Lin Qi.

4. Character Interactions

• Lin Qi’s Emotional Weapon attacks McLeod’s mind while McLeod is focused on Arthur, creating the opening for Master Ma’s punch.
• Master Ma and McLeod exchange devastating attacks: McLeod regenerates after having his head destroyed, then exploits Master Ma’s momentary weakness.
• Lin Qi secretly heals Master Ma and Arthur, allowing both to continue fighting despite catastrophic injuries.
• Arthur openly praises Lin Qi for his precise intervention and credits him with making her successful theft of the Sword in the Stone possible.
• McLeod attempts to negotiate with all three opponents, but his real goal is to delay them until reinforcements arrive.
• Lin Qi secretly draws Mental Power from Baili Xueyuan, while she knowingly permits the extraction and even encourages him to take more, turning her into the resource that may determine whether the group can maintain its advantage.

Chapter Summary: “Fight? Time to Run!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• With Baili Xueyuan supplying Mental Power, Lin Qi can use Rapid Growth at nearly full strength. He keeps Master Ma barely alive rather than fully healing him, preserving Master Ma’s extreme combat state and making him difficult to kill.
• In the underground sewage pipes, Arthur, Master Ma, and the hidden Lin Qi confront McLeod, the Round Table’s Grand Knight Commander. Arthur has taken McLeod’s crucial weapon, the Sword in the Stone, and plans to escape while Master Ma holds McLeod back.
• Arthur receives word that Round Table reinforcements are close. He activates Fearless Charge, breaks through the pipe wall, and flees with the Sword in the Stone.
• McLeod tries to pursue, but Master Ma uses his near-death condition and Self-Mortification Will to hold him off. Although McLeod has the advantage, Lin Qi repeatedly restores Master Ma whenever his injuries worsen.
• McLeod unleashes his lethal “intent of death,” releasing virus-filled blood from his eyes. Lin Qi secretly uses his low-level Blood Control ability to force the blood back into McLeod’s eyes, creating the illusion of a powerful counterattack.
• Master Ma recognizes the opening and retreats. McLeod realizes the blood trick too late and gives chase using Fearless Charge.
• Lin Qi then applies Momentum Control to McLeod’s entire body, reducing his momentum to zero. McLeod’s charge is comically interrupted, causing him to stumble and fall face-first into the sewage.
• While McLeod is confused and humiliated, Master Ma escapes. Lin Qi uses Rapid Growth once more, restoring Master Ma’s health above 30% before he leaves Psychic Vision’s range.
• Observers outside cannot clearly determine the outcome. Some believe McLeod defeated the attackers, while Karl and Gabari sense that his condition is abnormal and suspect he may have lost.
• Round Table reinforcements arrive by aerial vehicle. Meanwhile, Baili Xueyuan disappears from outside the building with a satisfied smile, suggesting that the operation succeeded and McLeod was defeated or badly embarrassed.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi demonstrates how effectively he can combine limited First Rank abilities with intelligence and timing. Though his Blood Control and Momentum Control cannot overpower a Fourth Rank elite directly, he uses them tactically to create openings and manipulate the battlefield.
• Master Ma proves highly disciplined and cooperative. He trusts Lin Qi’s support, holds McLeod back despite being near death, and retreats immediately once the opportunity appears.
• Arthur acts decisively, prioritizing the escape with the Sword in the Stone rather than prolonging the fight. His quick retreat shows strong tactical awareness.
• McLeod shifts from confidence and dominance to anger, desperation, confusion, and humiliation. His inability to understand Lin Qi’s methods leaves him vulnerable to seemingly impossible disruptions.
• Baili Xueyuan remains largely in the background but appears pleased, implying that she understands the broader success of the operation.

Significant Themes

• Strategy over raw strength: Lin Qi cannot directly defeat McLeod, but clever use of minor abilities allows him to neutralize a much stronger opponent.
• The value of retreat: The chapter emphasizes that victory does not require killing the enemy. Securing the Sword in the Stone and escaping safely are sufficient objectives.
• Deception and misdirection: Lin Qi repeatedly makes McLeod believe he is facing powerful hidden abilities, exploiting McLeod’s assumptions about the mysterious Wizard.
• Humiliation of the powerful: McLeod’s status as Grand Knight Commander contrasts sharply with his literal fall into sewage, underlining how quickly arrogance and overconfidence can become weakness.
• Information and concealment: Guangleng’s removal of network-related information and the group’s escape beyond observation range show the importance of controlling intelligence in a technologically advanced world.
• Public perception versus reality: Outside observers misread the fight because they lack complete information, while the true outcome is known only to the participants.

Character Interactions

• Arthur and Master Ma coordinate closely, with Arthur entrusting Master Ma to delay McLeod while he escapes.
• Master Ma and McLeod engage in a fierce battle, with McLeod pressing the advantage but being unable to finish his opponent because of Lin Qi’s healing support.
• Lin Qi secretly assists Master Ma from a distance, first by maintaining his near-death state, then by manipulating McLeod’s blood and momentum.
• Master Ma immediately understands Lin Qi’s deception and uses it to retreat.
• McLeod’s lack of knowledge about Lin Qi’s identity and abilities causes him to misinterpret every counterattack.
• Karl and Gabari discuss the uncertain battle outcome, foreshadowing that McLeod’s apparent victory may actually have been a defeat.

Chapter Summary: “New Mission: Protect Liu Xuan?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Karl and Gabari wait outside the underground passage for McLeod, but instead of emerging directly, McLeod secretly boards a Round Table hover vehicle through an emergency exit. His concealed withdrawal makes observers believe he was badly defeated.
• Karl and Gabari suspect McLeod may be deliberately hiding his condition to mislead the other Political Zones about the strength of the Highest Level Mercenary Group and the Eastern Alliance.
• Lin Qi escorts Liu Xuan back to her room before returning to the Circular Experimental Field. He notices the strange blue light in her eye intensify briefly, then calm when he assures her he is going back to the laboratory.
• In the mercenary group’s chat, Arthur confirms that he and Master Ma escaped safely. Master Ma is badly injured but can recover roughly sixty percent of his combat strength after treatment, while Arthur’s power has increased greatly through possession of the Sword in the Stone.
• Wizard’s covert intervention was crucial to defeating McLeod and stealing the Sword in the Stone. Qiao Xi, using the identity “Capitalist,” begins to suspect that Wizard may actually be a Fifth-Rank transcendent.
• Guangleng reports that the previous mission earned the group 500 million Credit Points and proposes a new mission from the same faction. The mission is a retaliatory operation connected to the Asian Political Zone and Eastern Alliance.
• Lin Qi is shocked when he discovers that the target is not an enemy but Liu Xuan. The Round Table has placed a bounty on her and intends to attack her while she travels from the S-level Pharmacology Association building to the Remote Conference Building within seven hours.
• Lin Qi realizes the operation is probably meant as a show of force rather than a simple assassination. Targeting Liu Xuan would retaliate for McLeod’s defeat, strike the Asian pharmacology industry, and continue the European Political Zone’s anti-Wizard campaign.
• Lin Qi also suspects he may soon become a target himself. He worries that Guangleng intentionally selected the mission because he knows Lin Qi will feel compelled to protect Liu Xuan.
• Master Ma and Arthur hesitate to accept the mission because they have just fought McLeod, Master Ma is seriously wounded, and Arthur is still adjusting to the Sword in the Stone. They fear another encounter with the Round Table.
• Before Lin Qi can reveal his personal stake, Capitalist argues that the mercenary group needs the protection of a powerful faction in World City and should accept the mission. Privately, Qiao Xi admits that her real motive is to build goodwill with Wizard and repair the damage caused by repeatedly probing his identity.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi/Wizard: Becomes increasingly committed to protecting Liu Xuan, even though doing so may expose his identity and abilities. He decides that maintaining relationships through mutual interests may be more important than concealing himself completely.
• Liu Xuan: Remains vulnerable and mysterious. Her heightened blue eye-light suggests an unusual condition or power, while her connection to Pharmacology 3.0 makes her strategically important.
• McLeod: Suffers a humiliating retreat after the battle and appears weakened, though Karl and Gabari suspect the withdrawal may be a calculated deception.
• Arthur: Gains major combat power from the Sword in the Stone but recognizes that using it carries a cost. He is now capable of matching Master Ma’s recent strength.
• Master Ma: Survives but is seriously injured and temporarily weakened. His reluctance to accept another mission reflects both his physical condition and his awareness of the Round Table’s danger.
• Qiao Xi/Capitalist: Shows strategic intelligence and self-interest. She publicly frames her support as concern for the group’s future, but privately acts to win Wizard’s favor and reduce his suspicion of her.
• Guangleng: Demonstrates influence over the group’s mission selection and may be manipulating the circumstances to draw Lin Qi into protecting Liu Xuan.

Significant Themes

• Strategic deception: McLeod’s hidden retreat causes different observers to form competing interpretations of the battle, showing how appearances can be used as political weapons.
• Power and deterrence: Wizard’s hidden intervention and the possibility that he is Fifth Rank dramatically alter the balance among the Political Zones and major enterprises.
• Identity and exposure: Lin Qi must choose between concealing his connection to Liu Xuan and openly acting to save her. The chapter emphasizes the tension between anonymity and personal loyalty.
• Political retaliation: The Round Table’s bounty is not merely revenge; it is a calculated effort to intimidate the Asian Political Zone, damage its pharmacology industry, and reinforce the European Witch Hunt.
• Interests versus personal relationships: The mercenary group operates through contracts and mutual benefit, yet personal loyalties increasingly influence strategic decisions.
• Manipulation and hidden motives: Several characters act for reasons different from those they publicly state, particularly Qiao Xi and possibly Guangleng.

Important Character Interactions

• Karl and Gabari: Analyze McLeod’s withdrawal and conclude that it may be a deliberate political maneuver.
• Lin Qi and Liu Xuan: Lin Qi escorts her to safety; her brief warning to “be careful” reinforces their growing personal connection.
• Wizard, Arthur, and Master Ma: Discuss the battle’s outcome, with Arthur and Master Ma acknowledging Wizard’s decisive covert assistance.
• Qiao Xi and Wizard: Qiao Xi becomes increasingly interested in Wizard’s true identity and attempts to gain his trust through supporting the protection mission.
• Lin Qi and the mercenary group: Lin Qi struggles over whether to reveal his personal connection to Liu Xuan, while Master Ma and Arthur debate whether the group can afford another immediate confrontation with the Round Table.
• The Round Table and Liu Xuan: The Round Table chooses Liu Xuan as a symbolic target, linking her to the Asian pharmacology industry, the Wizard family, and the broader political conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Personally Escorting Liu Xuan—If You've Got What It Takes, Then Fight!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Highest Level Mercenary Group debates accepting a Black Market mission to protect Liu Xuan from United Pharmaceutical and the Knights of the Round Table.
• Arthur agrees to participate if McLeod is absent, partly because the mission would interfere with and frustrate the Round Table. Her confidence is boosted by obtaining the Sword in the Stone.
• Wizard confirms his participation because of his ties to United Pharmaceutical. Master Ma agrees only after Wizard commits, bringing the mission’s supporters to a sufficient majority.
• Master Ma, still injured and weakened, discusses the mission with Baili Xueyuan. He emphasizes that he needs treatment and cannot maintain his peak strength without suffering further damage.
• Baili Xueyuan teasingly attempts to provoke Master Ma into using his self-mortification ability, but he rejects her advances, prioritizing survival and recovery.
• Lin Qi returns to the Circular Experimental Field, where researchers await his seminar on Phase-State Theory. Xu Tianyun offers him the full backing of the four major Nanyun Pharmaceutical families.
• Lin Qi raises concerns about Liu Xuan’s safety while she travels to the Remote Conference Building. He proposes personally escorting her after the seminar.
• Xu Tianyun promises to accompany Lin Qi and Liu Xuan, guaranteeing her safety unless a Fifth Rank expert intervenes. Xu Qinghe arranges an early departure using a secure Xu Family Flying Vehicle convoy.
• Lin Qi uses a brief break to visit the Doomsday World, confirming that Wang Ziru and Wang Qiang are maintaining stability while he continues cultivating.
• The mercenary team prepares for the operation. Arthur and Master Ma take positions in the underground pipelines, while Guangleng distributes the route, schedule, and tactical recommendations.
• Guangleng estimates that Xu Tianyun’s presence may cause over half of the hired mercenary groups to abandon the mission, though the Round Table may still act covertly.

Character Developments

• Arthur: Shows greater confidence and willingness to take risks, motivated both by her new weapon and her hostility toward the Round Table.
• Wizard: Commits to the mission, revealing that his connection to United Pharmaceutical influences his decision.
• Master Ma: Remains willing to fight despite his injuries, but acknowledges his physical limitations and the need for treatment. His refusal to be manipulated by Baili Xueyuan highlights his practical judgment.
• Lin Qi: Expands his influence beyond pharmacology by securing Nanyun Pharmaceuticals’ political and military support. He strategically presents concern for Liu Xuan while ensuring powerful protection for their journey.
• Xu Tianyun: Shifts from cautious elder to openly supportive ally, recognizing Lin Qi’s enormous value to the future of pharmacology and the Eastern Alliance.
• Xu Qinghe: Demonstrates political awareness by encouraging her family to support Lin Qi and helping organize the convoy.
• Guangleng: Acts as a competent mission leader, gathering intelligence, evaluating enemy behavior, and preparing individualized strategies.

Significant Themes

• Power through influence: Lin Qi’s Phase-State Theory gives him political leverage, demonstrating that scientific achievements can rival combat power in shaping alliances.
• Strategic manipulation and diplomacy: Lin Qi carefully uses the threat to Liu Xuan to obtain Xu Tianyun’s protection, while the Xu family seeks to secure a relationship with him.
• Risk versus preparation: The mercenaries weigh the dangers of confronting the Round Table, while the Xu family responds with early departure, secrecy, and elite protection.
• Limits of power: Master Ma’s abilities depend on injury and cannot be used indefinitely, emphasizing the costs and constraints of extraordinary strength.
• Competing interests beneath cooperation: Although the characters cooperate, many are motivated by personal ambition, institutional influence, revenge, or political advantage.

Character Interactions

• The mercenary members negotiate their participation, with Guangleng waiting for Master Ma’s final confirmation before committing the group.
• Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan exchange flirtatious but tense remarks, with her attempting to exploit his combat mechanism and him firmly refusing.
• Lin Qi appeals to Xu Tianyun through concern for Liu Xuan, prompting Xu Qinghe and Xu Zhengming to reinforce the emotional and political importance of protecting them.
• Xu Tianyun publicly treats Lin Qi as family and promises personal protection, while both men privately benefit from the alliance.
• Guangleng coordinates Arthur and Master Ma’s deployment, giving the team detailed intelligence in preparation for a likely confrontation with the Round Table.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The author wishes readers a happy New Year and Spring Festival.
• Updates will continue, with a goal to publish two 3,000-word chapters or one 6,000-word chapter daily, starting from the second day of the Lunar New Year.
• Personalized wishes are given to active readers in the reader group.

Character Developments

• No character developments as the chapter is an author's note.

Significant Themes

• New beginnings and resolutions (New Year).
• Gratitude and appreciation for readers.
• Encouragement and support for readers' success and happiness.

Character Interactions

• The author interacts with readers by including personalized wishes for those who participated in a group chain activity.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Guangleng intercepts intelligence about the operation, and Lin Qi is unsurprised, recognizing that Guangleng’s abilities—not negligence by the Xu Family—are responsible.
• Acting as “Wizard,” Lin Qi communicates with Master Ma and Arthur before preparing to escort Liu Xuan to the Remote Conference Building.
• Liu Xuan reveals that she knows she has been targeted. She trusts Lin Qi enough to accompany him, and the two leave while holding hands, signaling their growing closeness.
• Xu Tianyun transports them in a heavily guarded convoy. The escort includes multiple vehicles and at least eight S-Class Implant Users, leading Xu Tianyun to believe the journey is nearly impossible to attack.
• Using Psychic Vision, Lin Qi surveys the battlefield:
  • Arthur and the injured Master Ma are hiding in underground pipelines near the route.
  • Six suspected mercenaries are present, including one Fourth Rank expert.
  • Two Knights of the Round Table—Biersen, the second seat, and Ludwig, the eighth seat—are also positioned nearby.
• Lin Qi concludes that the Knights of the Round Table are the greatest threat, while the mercenaries are manageable.
• Arthur proposes killing Ludwig, whom she considers a relatively weak target. She is motivated by her longstanding hatred of the Round Table and a desire to make them pay for their past actions.
• Master Ma warns that Biersen may be nearly as powerful as McLeod and that Arthur may not defeat Ludwig without assistance.
• Lin Qi offers to restrain the mercenaries, including their Fourth Rank fighter, if combat begins. Arthur decides that this support is sufficient for her plan.
• Guangleng reveals that killing Ludwig would earn the group at least 1.5 billion Credit Points. Master Ma agrees to restrain Biersen if the Round Table attacks first, but refuses to initiate the battle because of his injuries.
• Arthur accepts these conditions and positions herself to strike.
• As the convoy nears the Remote Conference Building, Lin Qi senses a powerful hostile will spreading toward them. Xu Tianyun also detects the Fourth Rank pressure, and the vehicle announces that it has been locked onto by an S-Class signal.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi: Demonstrates strong confidence in his combat abilities and tactical awareness. He distinguishes between manageable enemies and genuine threats, carefully avoiding unnecessary exposure of his powers. His willingness to protect Liu Xuan and coordinate the others reinforces his role as the operation’s central strategist.
• Liu Xuan: Shows increasing trust and emotional openness toward Lin Qi. Her willingness to take his hand and accompany him despite the danger suggests their relationship is becoming more intimate.
• Arthur: Reveals intense hostility toward the Knights of the Round Table and an eagerness for revenge. She is impulsive and battle-hungry, but also confident in her ability to exploit a brief opening against Ludwig.
• Master Ma: Remains cautious and rational despite the large reward. Because of his injuries, he refuses to take unnecessary risks and insists that the Round Table must make the first move.
• Xu Tianyun: Underestimates the emotional relationship between Lin Qi and Liu Xuan, dismissing their attachment as misguided. He remains confident in the Xu Family’s security arrangements until he senses the approaching Fourth Rank threat.

Significant Themes

• Trust and intimacy: Liu Xuan’s trust in Lin Qi is emphasized through their brief but meaningful interaction and physical contact.
• Strategy versus recklessness: Lin Qi and Master Ma carefully assess the enemy, while Arthur is driven by revenge and eager to force a confrontation.
• Hidden strength and deception: Several factions conceal their true identities and abilities, including mercenaries disguised as independent operators and the Round Table’s involvement in the mission.
• Risk and reward: The enormous financial reward tempts Master Ma, but his physical condition forces him to balance profit against survival.
• Power and vulnerability: Despite the Xu Family’s overwhelming security, the presence of powerful Fourth Rank Knights shows that even elite defenses may be insufficient.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and Liu Xuan share a quiet moment of trust when he takes her hand and leads her from the room.
• Xu Tianyun observes them and internally criticizes what he believes is their misguided attachment.
• Arthur and Master Ma debate whether to attack the Round Table. Arthur advocates killing Ludwig, while Master Ma warns that Biersen may be too dangerous.
• Lin Qi joins the discussion as “Wizard,” offering to neutralize the mercenaries so Arthur and Master Ma can focus on the Knights.
• Guangleng confirms the potential reward, helping persuade Master Ma to participate under limited conditions.
• The chapter ends with Lin Qi warning Xu Tianyun of danger just as the convoy is targeted, signaling that the anticipated confrontation is about to begin.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The author announces an unexpected delay in updates due to a back injury.
• The original release site domain is mentioned: twkan.com.

Character Developments

• No character development is discussed in this chapter as it's a meta update.

Significant Themes

• The theme of unexpected events and changes in plans is highlighted.

Character Interactions

• No character interactions are present in this chapter as it's a meta update.

Chapter Summary: The Round Table Knights Again, Lin Qi’s Terrifying Instant Kill

Key Plot Points and Events

• Nanyun Pharmaceuticals’ armed flying vehicles activate their defensive systems, deploying S-level weapons and a powerful force-field shield in preparation for an attack.
• Xu Tianyun detects the two Knights of the Round Table, Biersen and Ludwig, and clashes with them through Will power.
• The Highest Level Mercenary Group launches a coordinated ambush:
  • Arthur infiltrates the building through underground pipelines.
  • Master Ma attacks the two Knights from above, catching them off guard while their Will powers are engaged with Xu Tianyun.
• Master Ma and Xu Tianyun severely injure both Knights, damaging their Knight’s Will Emblems. Master Ma focuses on close combat because his prosthetics were badly damaged in the previous battle and he cannot afford to let the Knights use ranged weapons.
• Arthur then reveals that she can activate the Round Table’s Sword in the Stone. Its crimson flames provide peak Fourth-Rank combat power, despite Arthur herself only being at the first stage of the Fourth Rank.
• Arthur targets Ludwig, combining the Sword in the Stone’s power with her own Will and the Will power Master Ma deliberately contributes. Ludwig realizes he may be killed.
• Biersen advises Ludwig to stall Arthur, knowing that the Sword in the Stone harms Arthur and can only be used briefly. They hope reinforcements or other political-zone powerhouses will intervene because the battle violates Super Alliance law.
• Meanwhile, Lin Qi and Liu Xuan’s flying vehicle survives an initial weapons assault. Xu Tianyun chooses not to join the battle directly because he lacks legal proof that the Knights attacked them and does not want to violate the law.
• The Holy Corpse Legion debates whether to continue its assassination mission. Their commander, Shanbei Yan, initially suspects the Eastern Alliance has multiple hidden plans.
• When the mission reward is raised to three billion Credit Points, Shanbei Yan becomes greedy and orders the legion to attack.
• Before anyone can respond, Lin Qi silently disables or kills the legion’s members. Five S-level Cybernetic Prosthesis users collapse, while another S-Class Implant User dies instantly. Shanbei Yan realizes that Lin Qi is the Eastern Alliance’s concealed trump card.

Character Developments

• Master Ma: Demonstrates decisive combat ability despite his previous injuries. He recognizes his weakened prosthetic capacity and adapts by prioritizing close-range attacks and destroying the Knights’ prosthetics.
• Xu Tianyun: Acts as both protector and tactical support. He restrains the Knights with Will power but refuses to attack them personally without legal justification, showing caution and political awareness.
• Arthur: Reveals a major secret and dramatic power increase by wielding the Sword in the Stone. Her ability to use the Round Table’s core artifact raises questions about her identity and connection to the organization. However, the weapon places a severe strain on her and gives her only a short window to kill Ludwig.
• Biersen and Ludwig: Shift from confident observers to desperate defenders after being ambushed. Biersen remains tactically focused, while Ludwig is overwhelmed by the Sword in the Stone’s terrifying power.
• Shanbei Yan: His caution is overcome by greed when the bounty increases. His confidence collapses after witnessing Lin Qi’s instant destruction of the Holy Corpse Legion’s elite members.
• Lin Qi: Reveals overwhelming and previously concealed power. His instantaneous attack proves that he is far more dangerous than the mercenaries anticipated and confirms the existence of a hidden Eastern Alliance contingency.

Significant Themes

• Hidden trump cards and deception: Both sides conceal additional plans and capabilities. Arthur’s use of the Sword in the Stone and Lin Qi’s instant kill demonstrate that appearances on the battlefield are misleading.
• Power versus technology: Cybernetic prosthetics and S-level weapons are formidable, but the chapter emphasizes that genuine Extraordinary power—especially high-level Will power—is more decisive and reliable.
• Risk and greed: Shanbei Yan understands the danger but chooses to act after the reward is increased. His greed leads directly to disaster.
• Law versus survival: Xu Tianyun’s inability to retaliate legally contrasts with the chaotic violence of the battlefield. Political and legal constraints shape the characters’ decisions even during combat.
• Time-limited strength: Arthur’s borrowed power is immense but temporary, creating urgency and forcing her to kill Ludwig before the Sword in the Stone overwhelms her.
• Tactical cooperation: The battle highlights how coordinated attacks, timing, and the combination of multiple Will powers can overcome individually powerful opponents.

Character Interactions

• Xu Tianyun and Master Ma: Cooperate to trap and injure Biersen and Ludwig, with Xu Tianyun restraining them while Master Ma attacks directly.
• Master Ma and Arthur: Master Ma supports Arthur by combining part of his Will power with the Sword in the Stone’s flames, helping her threaten Ludwig.
• Arthur and Ludwig: Arthur pursues Ludwig with lethal intent, while Ludwig struggles to survive until the Sword in the Stone’s effect expires.
• Biersen and Ludwig: Biersen takes the tactical leadership role, instructing Ludwig to stall Arthur rather than confront her directly.
• Xu Tianyun and Lin Qi: Xu Tianyun prioritizes getting Lin Qi and Liu Xuan safely to the Remote Conference Building, while Lin Qi secretly monitors the surrounding mercenaries.
• Shanbei Yan and the Holy Corpse Legion: Shanbei Yan’s decision to attack is not followed because Lin Qi has already incapacitated the legion’s fighters, leaving him stunned and terrified.
• Lin Qi and the Holy Corpse Legion: Their interaction is almost entirely one-sided; Lin Qi destroys their elite forces instantly, establishing a vast power gap and ending their immediate threat.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qi, using his power, kills five S-rank mercenaries, leaving Shanbei Yan, the leader, alive.
• Shanbei Yan, believing Lin Qi wants him to help take revenge against the Knights of the Round Table, joins the fight against them.
• Arthur and Master Ma, believing Shanbei Yan (disguised as the Wizard) is helping them, withdraw from the battle, leaving Shanbei Yan to face Biersen alone.
• Shanbei Yan, realizing he's been abandoned, tries to explain himself to Biersen.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi: Shows immense power, killing five S-ranks with ease, and leaves Shanbei Yan alive for unknown reasons.
• Shanbei Yan: Breaks through to the second stage of the Fourth Rank during the battle, driven by his desire for glory and fame.
• Arthur: Recovers his Knight's Will Emblem and is about to break through again, showing exceptional talent.
• Master Ma: Successfully retreats from the battle with Arthur's help, avoiding a dangerous situation.

Significant Themes

• The power of will and its influence on battle outcomes.
• The consequences of underestimating one's opponents and overestimating one's allies.
• The theme of trust and betrayal, as seen in Shanbei Yan's actions and Arthur and Master Ma's misplaced trust in him.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and Liu Xuan: Bid each other farewell, showing a close bond.
• Arthur and Master Ma: Work together to retreat from the battle, showing trust and coordination.
• Shanbei Yan and Biersen: Face off against each other, with Shanbei Yan trying to explain his actions to Biersen.