Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qi decides to analyze a new Extraordinary Item in the Doomsday World to advance his abilities.
• He chooses a Tier Four crystal core with an "Adaptation" ability and successfully integrates it, gaining the ability "Adaptive Evolution."
• Lin Qi experiments with his new ability, finding it versatile and powerful for immediate and long-term defense.
• He also receives an unknown Fourth Rank Extraordinary Item from the General Headquarters, but decides not to analyze it yet.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi advances his abilities, becoming stronger and more versatile in combat.
• He demonstrates self-control and restraint in not immediately using his new ability "Adaptive Evolution" when injured, instead choosing to experiment with it first.
• Lin Qi shows caution and careful consideration when deciding whether to analyze the unknown Extraordinary Item.

Significant Themes

• The power of adaptation and evolution, both in Lin Qi's new ability and in his approach to facing unknown situations.
• The theme of self-control and restraint in the face of temptation or immediate gratification.
• The exploration of the unknown and the risks and rewards that come with it.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi interacts with Lin Qingqing, requesting materials to help him decide which ability to choose.
• He considers Ding Yang's arrival and the results of the Spacecraft launch, deciding to meet with him in person.
• Lin Qi does not interact with any other characters in this chapter, as he is alone in the Doomsday World.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qi attends a meeting with Ding Yang, who brings news of a successful Spacecraft launch but fails to explain the latest Spiritual Energy Particle tide in the Doomsday World.
• Lin Qi returns to meditating in the Doomsday World, but his meditation is cut short due to the time limit.
• Back in the Cyber World, Lin Qi checks messages and sends an email to Liu Xuan regarding United Pharmaceutical's development.
• Lin Changshou arrives, revealing that several key figures of the Highest Level Mercenary Group are already in Spring City, including Martial Artist (Master Ma), Knight (Arthur), and a Priest (possible Capitalist).

Character Developments

• Lin Qi's meditation efficiency improves significantly in the Doomsday World, but he's disappointed by the time limit.
• Lin Qi discovers a new ability, likely the result of "Adaptive Evolution," that allows him to sense Mental Power-based abilities like "Psychic Vision" or Lin Changshou's "All-Seeing Vision."

Significant Themes

• The struggle between Lin Qi's desire for growth and the limitations imposed by the Doomsday World's environment.
• The importance of intelligence and information in battles between extraordinary beings.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and Lin Changshou discuss the upcoming trip to Spring City and the identities of the Highest Level Mercenary Group members already there.
• Lin Qi communicates with Liu Xuan about United Pharmaceutical's development, sending her an email with crucial information.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Qi and Lin Changshou travel by airship from Nanyun City to Spring City, a prosperous cyber-industrial center controlled by the Eastern Intercontinental Equipment Group.
• Lin Qi spots Beauty Qing waiting at the airship port and initially suspects she is Lin Changshou’s former lover. Changshou clarifies that he means Qing Xinxin, an older woman waiting with Beauty Qing.
• Changshou recounts Master Ma’s recent public confrontation with Beauty Qing. After years of humiliation, Ma slapped her, then defeated several fourth-rank bodyguards who intervened.
• Though the Qing Clan could have retaliated, Ma was spared and given a chance to earn a place at the Heavenly Palace Conference. A strong showing could win him release from his marriage to Beauty Qing.
• Lin Qi learns Qing Xinxin helped secure that opportunity. She controls part of the Qing Clan’s shares and sympathized with Ma’s situation—partly because she and Changshou had once been lovers.
• At the port, Qing Xinxin tearfully reunites with Changshou after fifty years. She says she is now a widow and can finally pursue him; Changshou appears delighted.

Character developments

• Lin Qi learns more about the political forces behind Master Ma’s potential escape and sees an unexpectedly sincere, emotionally vulnerable side of his grandfather.
• Lin Changshou reveals that his past relationships involved genuine attachment, not merely flirtation. His old romance with Qing Xinxin still carries strong feelings.
• Master Ma, though absent, is shown to have finally resisted Beauty Qing’s abuse and gained a possible route to freedom through his own strength and outside support.
• Qing Xinxin emerges as a powerful, compassionate figure whose enduring affection for Changshou has influenced events.

Significant themes

• Power and political maneuvering: Ma’s fate depends on the balance of influence within the Qing Clan and the larger corporate order.
• Agency and escape: Ma’s defiance creates a chance to break free from a damaging marriage, though his freedom remains conditional.
• Love across time: Changshou and Xinxin’s reunion suggests that sincere feelings can endure for decades.
• Appearances versus reality: Lin Qi’s comic assumptions about Changshou give way to evidence of genuine emotional depth.

Character interactions

• Changshou teases Lin Qi about misidentifying his former lover and explains Beauty Qing’s abusive behavior toward Ma.
• Lin Qi probes who is protecting Ma, initially guessing other corporate powers before learning that Qing Xinxin intervened.
• Changshou and Xinxin reunite tearfully, exchange memories of their past, and hint at a possible renewed relationship.

Plot points and events

• Lin Changshou sends Lin Qi and Beauty Qing to register for the Heavenly Palace Conference selection while he meets with other senior figures.
• In Beauty Qing’s vehicle, she probes Lin Qi about his role in the battle at World City, where he dealt the Round Table a major blow.
• Lin Qi deliberately downplays his strength, claiming to be a first-stage Fourth Rank professional focused on survival. He wants outsiders to underestimate him and keeps his real abilities concealed.
• Beauty Qing offers him a Fourth Rank Extraordinary Item as a deposit, with another promised if he succeeds at her request.
• She asks Lin Qi to seriously injure Ma Buwen during the selection so he will be excluded from the conference. Ma is likely to make the roster, and Beauty Qing is determined to keep him close despite her family’s wishes.
• Lin Qi accepts the item but has no intention of attacking Ma. He plans to pass it to him discreetly, hoping the gift will strengthen Ma and earn Lin Qi a favor.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Qi shows greater confidence and political savvy than before: he recognizes Beauty Qing’s probing, insists she state her terms, and carefully disguises his true strength. Though he accepts her deal, his loyalty to his mercenary teammates outweighs the proposed task.
• Beauty Qing reveals her possessive determination toward Ma Buwen. She is willing to spend a valuable item and use underhanded means to prevent him from joining the conference.
• Lin Changshou remains confident in Lin Qi’s abilities and treats him as capable of handling the selection independently.
• Lin Qi and Beauty Qing maintain polite but guarded relations. She tries to assess and recruit him; he lets her believe he may cooperate while concealing his real intentions.

Significant themes

• Concealment and misdirection: Lin Qi carefully manages what others believe about his strength.
• Loyalty versus profit: Despite the valuable reward, Lin Qi won’t betray Ma, reflecting the mercenary group’s bonds beneath its talk of money.
• Love, possession, and control: Beauty Qing’s attachment to Ma drives her to defy her family and manipulate the selection.
• Power as leverage: The scarcity and strategic value of Fourth Rank Extraordinary Items make them tools for influence as much as advancement.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Beauty Qing and Lin Qi finalize their cooperation. In exchange for helping her arrange an ambush against Master Ma, Beauty Qing has promised Lin Qi a Fourth Rank Extraordinary Item and additional rewards.
• Beauty Qing sends Lin Qi a list of potential teammates for the upcoming Heavenly Palace Conference selection, all of whom are powerful Fourth Rank individuals who have made deals with her.
• Lin Qi receives an unexpected email from Guangleng through the Highest-Level Secure Mailbox. Guangleng asks Lin Qi to honor their temporary agreement and offers paid assistance as an incentive.
• Lin Qi realizes Guangleng is nervous because the Heavenly Palace Conference may bring several members of the Highest-Level Mercenary Group together in person. He agrees to maintain their temporary truce, intending to use the delay to grow stronger and escape Guangleng’s leverage over his family.
• Lin Qi examines Beauty Qing’s proposed team and discovers that the first candidate is Delilah Hathaway—Arthur’s real identity. He is amused and pleased at the prospect of working with his old teammate again.
• The second candidate is Qiao Xi, also known as “Capitalist,” a powerful Priest Practitioner and major corporate leader. Beauty Qing claims she paid heavily in S-level Potion quotas and promised a Fourth Rank Extraordinary Item to recruit her.
• The final candidate is King Kong, Qiao Xi’s heavily augmented subordinate. He is a near-X-level cybernetic implant user with extremely high compatibility and advanced implants supplied by Qiao Xi’s company.
• Lin Qi recognizes that Beauty Qing has unknowingly assembled himself, Arthur, Capitalist, and King Kong into a supposed ambush team against Master Ma. Rather than creating a deadly confrontation, the gathering will likely result in awkward social ties and mutual restraint.
• Beauty Qing celebrates their plan with sparkling alcohol, confidently believing Master Ma will soon be defeated. Lin Qi pretends to share her enthusiasm while secretly enjoying the absurdity of the situation.
• Meanwhile, the injured Master Ma suddenly sneezes and jokes that someone must be thinking about him, unaware that an enormous and highly complicated “ambush” is being prepared.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi remains manipulative but controlled. He justifies taking Beauty Qing’s Extraordinary Item as compensation for Master Ma and intends to pass it on rather than keep it himself. He also continues using diplomacy and deception to buy time against Guangleng.
• Beauty Qing is revealed to be extremely wealthy, obsessive, and willing to spend vast resources to keep Master Ma under her control. Her confidence in her ability to select talent borders on madness, as she has paid an enormous price to construct what she believes is an unbeatable team.
• Guangleng shows fear and caution by initiating contact and reaffirming his temporary agreement with Lin Qi. His willingness to offer paid assistance suggests that circumstances are weakening his position.
• Arthur/Delilah Hathaway is revealed to be a young Fourth Rank Knight Practitioner with near-limit combat strength and a prestigious corporate background. Her identity confirms that Lin Qi’s former teammate is participating in the selection.
• Qiao Xi/Capitalist is shown to be actively nurturing King Kong, likely aiming to turn him into a pseudo-X-level or genuine X-level implant user. Her participation appears motivated less by Beauty Qing’s deal than by the need to obtain more S-level Potions.
• King Kong is presented as a powerful, highly optimized cybernetic fighter directly loyal to Qiao Xi.
• Master Ma remains unaware of the danger surrounding him and provides comic contrast through his casual reaction to sneezing and his suggestion that he might want to be whipped.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation disguised as cooperation: Beauty Qing believes she is controlling the situation, but Lin Qi recognizes that everyone involved may have separate motives and hidden alliances.
• Power through information and identity: Lin Qi gains an advantage by discovering Arthur’s true identity and understanding the relationships among Qiao Xi, King Kong, and Master Ma.
• Temporary alliances and strategic delay: Lin Qi’s agreement with Guangleng is not based on trust but on buying time until he becomes strong enough to act independently.
• Irony and dramatic misunderstanding: Beauty Qing believes she has assembled a terrifying strike team, unaware that most of its members already know or owe something to one another.
• Human relationships overriding violence: Despite the massive strength gathered against Master Ma, Lin Qi predicts that familiarity, favors, and social obligations may prevent the planned fight from happening.
• Obsession and excessive expenditure: Beauty Qing’s willingness to sacrifice enormous corporate resources demonstrates how irrationally far she will go for her attachment to Master Ma.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and Beauty Qing: They maintain polite, mutually deceptive cooperation. Beauty Qing boasts about her team and plans, while Lin Qi secretly recognizes the flaws and irony in her strategy.
• Lin Qi and Guangleng: Their brief email exchange reinforces their fragile temporary truce. Lin Qi uses Guangleng’s fear to preserve his own freedom and gain time.
• Lin Qi and Arthur/Delilah: Their discovery of one another’s identities creates the possibility of reuniting as experienced teammates, with their complementary abilities likely making them highly effective.
• Qiao Xi and King Kong: Qiao Xi is investing heavily in King Kong’s development, supplying him with advanced cybernetics and potions to transform him into an elite combatant.
• Beauty Qing and Master Ma: Beauty Qing believes she is arranging Master Ma’s defeat and using him as the center of her plan, while Master Ma remains oblivious and accidentally comedic.

Chapter Summary: “All Familiar Faces”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qi is brought to the selection grounds for the Heavenly Palace Conference by Beauty Qing. He learns only upon arrival that he must participate in a formal selection, realizing that Lin Changshou deliberately withheld this information because he expects Lin Qi to pass.
• Beauty Qing gives Lin Qi a bracelet-like exclusive terminal and leaves before entering the selection area, claiming that her presence would compromise the fairness of the process.
• The intelligent overseer, a panda-like system called Baby, explains the rules:
  • Candidates may not leave the selection grounds.
  • Leaving would incur an enormous fine of one hundred billion Credit Points.
  • The selection begins at nine the next morning.
  • Candidates must first make their way to the Central Supply Point.
• Lin Qi discovers that the route to the supply point is filled with traps ranging from M-level to S-minus Rank, making the journey resemble a dangerous survival game. Baby provides a one-time safe navigation route.
• After traveling through the hazardous area, Lin Qi reaches a plaza containing capsule pods and around twenty early-arriving candidates.
• He is surprised to find that nearly everyone present is an old acquaintance, including Master Ma, Arthur, Capitalist, King Kong, Aishwarya, Ishigami Jūichirō, Wu Wenxiong, Xu Qinghe, and several Permanent Directors.
• Lin Qi speaks with the Permanent Directors, who eagerly attempt to renew previous business and cooperation agreements involving United Pharmaceutical, S-level Potions, and the Wizard Alliance.
• Lin Qi avoids conducting detailed negotiations in the selection area because he believes the Eastern faction’s powerful figures are monitoring every conversation. He directs all future business discussions to United Pharmaceutical’s chairman, Liu Xuan.
• He then approaches Arthur, Capitalist, and King Kong, causing the other candidates to speculate about the possible strength of his future team.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi: Shows irritation at being manipulated by Lin Changshou but remains calm and strategic. He demonstrates confidence in his ability to pass the selection and carefully avoids revealing sensitive information or negotiating under surveillance. His status has risen significantly: he is now recognized as a Fourth Rank Limit powerhouse capable of killing Knights of the Round Table.
• Lin Changshou: Though absent, he is shown to be scheming and confident in Lin Qi’s abilities. He likely arranged the situation knowing Lin Qi would be forced into the selection and expected to succeed.
• Beauty Qing: Acts as Lin Qi’s official escort but withdraws before the selection to preserve procedural fairness. Her relationship with Lin Qi remains cooperative and possibly personally close, though the chapter hints that she and Lin Changshou may be observing the candidates together.
• Aishwarya and the Permanent Directors: Their attitude toward Lin Qi has changed from cautious respect to open deference. They now recognize both his immense combat power and United Pharmaceutical’s growing influence, leading them to actively seek cooperation.
• Xu Qinghe: Despite being only a Third Rank Extraordinary with no cybernetic implants, she is accepted by the powerful candidates as a mascot because of her extraordinary physical X-ray vision, which gives her major strategic value.
• Arthur, Capitalist, and King Kong: Continue presenting themselves as loyal members of the broader plan associated with Beauty Qing. Their gathering suggests they may form or join a powerful selection team with Lin Qi.
• Master Ma: Remains isolated, behaving independently rather than joining any group.
• Qiao Xi, Delilah Hathaway, and King Kong: Are recognized by the other candidates as exceptionally powerful figures. Qiao Xi’s rumored strength, King Kong’s advanced implants, and Delilah’s possible identity as the Highest Level Mercenary Group’s knight make their potential team extremely intimidating.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and hidden agendas: Lin Qi realizes that both Lin Changshou and the selection organizers have concealed important information. The selection itself appears designed to force candidates into a dangerous commitment with no practical way to withdraw.
• Power and reputation: Lin Qi’s past achievements have dramatically altered how political leaders and other powerhouses treat him. His strength now commands genuine respect and creates new opportunities for alliances.
• Surveillance and political strategy: The candidates are aware that their words and actions are likely being monitored. As a result, Lin Qi prioritizes discretion and postpones important negotiations.
• Competition versus cooperation: Although the candidates are competitors, many attempt to negotiate alliances and business relationships before the selection begins. Success will depend not only on individual strength but also on forming effective teams.
• The game-like nature of the selection: The traps, supply crates, navigation system, capsule pods, and enormous penalties make the selection resemble a deadly game engineered by a powerful organization.

Character Interactions

• Beauty Qing and Lin Qi exchange formal wishes for successful cooperation before she leaves him at the gateway.
• Baby explains the rules to Lin Qi and provides him with a single safe route through the trap-filled grounds.
• Lin Qi reunites with former allies and acquaintances at the plaza, where the candidates immediately recognize one another.
• The Permanent Directors enthusiastically greet Lin Qi, ask about previous offers, and seek renewed cooperation with United Pharmaceutical.
• Lin Qi jokes with Aishwarya about the conflict of interest involved in two Wizards competing for the same position. Aishwarya admits that Lin Qi is too strong for her to challenge and therefore prefers to negotiate cooperation early.
• Lin Qi reassures the Permanent Directors that prior agreements remain valid but directs them to speak with Liu Xuan about the details.
• The other candidates observe Lin Qi’s movement toward Arthur, Capitalist, and King Kong and begin speculating that he may join forces with Qiao Xi’s side, potentially creating an overwhelmingly powerful team.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qi approaches Capitalist, Arthur, and King Kong, drawing the attention of many Permanent Directors and Master Ma.
• Lin Qi reveals his true identity to his former teammates, shocking them.
• Lin Qi meets with Capitalist, Arthur, and King Kong, hinting at a shared mission given by Beauty Qing.
• Master Ma, aware of their plan, vows to never be wronged again and challenges them to kill him if they can.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi: Reveals his true identity and takes the initiative to meet his former teammates, showing strategic planning and confidence.
• Master Ma: Struggles with the revelation of Lin Qi's true identity and expresses his determination to never be wronged again.
• Capitalist, Arthur, and King Kong: Realize their shared mission and maintain their composure, adhering to their professional mercenary roles.

Significant Themes

• Identity and Disguise: Lin Qi's true identity as Wizard is revealed, challenging the perceptions of his teammates and the audience.
• Trust and Betrayal: The revelation of Lin Qi's true identity raises questions about trust and betrayal among his teammates.
• Power Dynamics: The power dynamics shift as Lin Qi and his teammates confront Master Ma, who challenges their authority.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and his teammates (Capitalist, Arthur, King Kong): They subtly communicate their intentions and maintain their composure, adhering to their mercenary roles.
• Lin Qi and Master Ma: Their interaction is tense, with Master Ma challenging Lin Qi and his teammates to kill him if they can.
• The Permanent Directors: They eavesdrop on the conversation and speculate about the true nature of the mission and the relationships between the characters.

Chapter Summary: First Round—Teaming Up with Arthur

Key Plot Points and Events

• Master Ma publicly confronts Beauty Qing, revealing the conflict between them. He criticizes her attempts to retaliate against him through hired fighters.
• Baili Xueyuan appears beside Master Ma, openly taking his side and provoking Beauty Qing. As another Fourth Rank Limit expert—and reportedly the strongest in the Asian Political Zone—her presence greatly strengthens Ma Buwen’s position.
• Beauty Qing becomes furious and receives a call from her aunt, Qing Xinxin, who warns her that she has gone too far. Qing Xinxin allows the existing deal to continue but threatens to suspend Beauty Qing’s resource-allocation authority if she raises the stakes further.
• The apparent confrontation between Master Ma and the group consisting of Qiao Xi, Lin Qi, Arthur, and King Kong is revealed to be an elaborate performance. Both sides secretly know each other and pretend to be enemies so that Beauty Qing and the spectators will believe the conflict is genuine.
• Ma Buwen and Baili Xueyuan clash wills with Qiao Xi, Lin Qi, and Arthur. Their combined strength makes the confrontation appear evenly matched. Lin Qi deliberately withdraws first, and everyone else follows in order to maintain the illusion.
• Afterward, both groups disperse and rest in separate capsule pods. Arthur tries to speak privately with Lin Qi about Guangleng, but he ignores her, leaving her disappointed.
• More than two hundred powerful Fourth Rank and S-Minus Rank candidates arrive at the selection site. Many are secretly connected to elite T0-level mercenary groups, revealing that the Asian Political Zone possesses far more hidden strength than expected.
• The next morning, Lin Qi observes the gathering and uses Psychic Vision to assess the competitors. He discovers over twenty experts whose strength he cannot see through, all apparently at least in the fourth stage of the Fourth Rank.
• Qiao Xi identifies several of these hidden experts as important forces within major mercenary groups, including some who had operated abroad while concealing their Asian origins.
• The supervisory intelligence, Panda Baby, announces that the first selection battle will begin in twenty minutes. The first round will use teams of up to two people, while solo participants will suffer a score penalty of 0.81.

Character Developments

• Master Ma Buwen: Becomes more assertive and openly challenges Beauty Qing after years of appearing submissive. His newly advanced Fourth Rank strength and powerful Martial Will make him a serious force.
• Baili Xueyuan: Publicly supports Master Ma and demonstrates her confidence and high status. Her presence establishes her as a major deterrent and reinforces her reputation as the strongest Fourth Rank Limit expert in the region.
• Beauty Qing: Her anger and possessiveness intensify after Ma Buwen rejects her control. Her aunt’s warning reveals that Beauty Qing has already spent enormous resources pursuing him and risks losing political authority if she continues escalating.
• Qiao Xi: Maintains the disguise of an enemy while demonstrating strong leadership and useful intelligence about the concealed experts at the selection site.
• Lin Qi: Shows caution, strategic discipline, and sharp observational skills. Although he considers himself nearly invincible within the Fourth Rank, he continues gathering intelligence before acting. He also deliberately limits his strength to preserve the group’s deception.
• Arthur/Delilah Hathaway: Remains committed to the alliance but becomes irritated when Lin Qi refuses to speak with her privately. She wants to discuss Guangleng and their secret communications.
• King Kong: Continues acting as Qiao Xi’s silent bodyguard. His bizarre metallic teeth, which are actually miniature S-Minus Rank missiles, reinforce both his intimidating strength and his eccentricity.

Significant Themes

• Deception and performance: The apparent conflict is staged for outside observers, showing how important appearances and misinformation are in the political and military world.
• Hidden power: Many corporations and candidates conceal their true strength, making the selection far more dangerous than it initially appears.
• Control versus independence: Beauty Qing’s attempt to possess or “win back” Master Ma contrasts with Ma’s decision to resist her influence.
• Strategic caution: Lin Qi’s intelligence gathering and reluctance to underestimate opponents emphasize the importance of preparation even for powerful characters.
• Factional politics and mercenary culture: The gathering exposes how corporations, mercenary groups, and political organizations overlap, with elite fighters often serving multiple interests.
• Alliance and trust: The group’s cooperation depends on carefully maintained secrecy, while Guangleng’s questionable loyalty creates tension within the alliance.

Character Interactions

• Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan present a united front against Beauty Qing, with Baili openly holding his hand and verbally challenging her.
• Beauty Qing and Qing Xinxin clash over Beauty Qing’s pursuit of Master Ma; Qing Xinxin treats her behavior as excessive and threatens consequences.
• Qiao Xi, Lin Qi, Arthur, and King Kong cooperate in a staged confrontation with Ma Buwen and Baili Xueyuan.
• Arthur attempts to privately contact Lin Qi regarding Guangleng, but Lin Qi avoids the conversation, frustrating her.
• Lin Qi consults Qiao Xi about the powerful hidden candidates, showing that despite his distrust of Guangleng, he still values Qiao Xi’s intelligence.
• Arthur comments on the Asian habit of concealing strength, while Lin Qi silently acknowledges that her observation is accurate.

Chapter Summary: "Lin Qi: Don't move randomly, I'll move"

1. Key Plot Points

• Team Formation Rules: Panda Baby announces that all candidates must form teams, register via wristband, and forbids internal attacks. Teams completed within five minutes.
• Notable Team Pairings: Capitalist & King Kong; Master Ma & Baili Xueyuan; the "silly girl" Lin Qi was told to look after teams up with Aiyouwaya; Permanent Directors quickly ally with strong partners; Lin Qi teams with Arthur (a short blond Knight and former mercenary comrade).
• First Mission Announced: Teams receive coordinates for a starting location, shrouded in fog on the map. Score is based on arrival time (max 100, min 0). The city is filled with high-tier weapon traps.
• Lin Qi's Advantage: Using his photographic memory, he memorizes all teams' starting positions. He then uses his Psychic Vision and a fourth-tier spatial teleportation ability to instantly move himself and Arthur to their destination.
• Others Copy the Approach: Baili Xueyuan, Master Ma, Aishwarya, and Xu Qinghe also use spatial abilities to teleport, prompting complaints from onlookers about the mission's unfairness.

2. Character Developments

• Lin Qi: Demonstrates his sharp tactical mind (photographic memory, instant map analysis) and his "Wizard" abilities—including the rare fourth-tier spatial teleportation. Notably, his body is now purely natural (no cybernetics), making him physically vulnerable, as shown when Arthur's pat hurts him.
• Arthur: Reveals himself as a sly, pragmatic Knight under 1.6m tall. He recognizes Lin Qi's true identity (codenamed "Wizard") from their shared past in a Highest Level Mercenary Group, showing existing trust but also a teasing, bold manner.
• The "Silly Girl": Though not named, she is sought after by Permanent Directors but ultimately pairs with Aiyouwaya—suggesting she is politically important yet lacks strong personal allies.

3. Significant Themes

• Unfairness of Opportunity: The first mission heavily favors individuals with spatial or observational abilities, sparking bitter complaints about the selection's balance.
• Practical Alliances Over Friendship: Power players have no true friends, so teams are formed out of necessity and mutual benefit, even among former rivals.
• Information as Power: Lin Qi's ability to instantly read and memorize the map gives him a decisive head start, highlighting tactical intelligence as a key asset.

4. Character Interactions

• Arthur approaches Lin Qi: Slyly suggests teaming up ("We can make do with each other"), and they register together.
• The "Wizard" Nickname: Arthur deliberately calls Lin Qi "Wizard" as a codename from their old mercenary days. Lin Qi neither confirms nor denies it.
• "Don't move randomly, I'll move": Arthur pats Lin Qi's back (causing genuine pain), and Lin Qi warns him to stay still. Lin Qi then places a hand on Arthur's head and teleports them both—demonstrating his power and control.
• Spectator Reactions: Bystanders recognize Lin Qi's ability and connect it to his escape from World City, while others grow resentful as multiple teleporting teams secure an instant advantage (exclamations of "Unfair!").

Summary of “Master Ma’s Challenge”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qi teleports himself and Arthur to the top of a steel tower using his Spatial Anchor. Arthur praises the speed of the ability, comparing it to Director Baili’s teleportation.
• Their wristbands announce that they completed the first mission in first place, earning 99 points. The missing point suggests that another team possessed superior absolute speed.
• The pair observes the steel city’s dangers: S-level air-defense weapons and sentry robots attack candidates moving through the city. Lin Qi’s spatial abilities allow them to avoid these threats.
• After all teams reach their assigned locations, Panda Baby announces the official rules of the next selection stage:
  • Candidates must find and destroy a distinctive white-and-red combat robot.
  • Destroying it unlocks a random point mission.
  • Supply crates may contain S-level weapons, potions, or mysterious chips.
  • The round lasts twelve hours.
• Lin Qi suspects the rules contain hidden traps, especially because of the unexplained chips and random missions.
• Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan trigger a hidden “Challenge Call” mission by opening a supply crate. For one hour, their location is revealed within three kilometers.
• Nearby teams lose 10% of their points to Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan, cannot gain points for an hour, and receive a challenge mission. If they fail to defeat Master Ma’s team within the hour, they lose half their remaining points; defeating the team grants 50 points.
• Lin Qi and Arthur are among the affected teams. They decide to investigate rather than immediately avoid the confrontation, and Lin Qi teleports them toward Master Ma’s location.
• Baili Xueyuan realizes that the approaching spatial fluctuation may belong to Lin Qi and Arthur. Master Ma recognizes Lin Qi as “Wizard” of the Highest Level Mercenary Group and becomes worried.
• Despite his confidence, Master Ma concludes that surrender may be the wisest choice if the approaching team is truly Lin Qi and Arthur.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi demonstrates both his powerful spatial mobility and his strategic caution. He recognizes that the selection’s apparent simplicity conceals additional dangers and carefully studies the battlefield rather than rushing into combat.
• Arthur remains enthusiastic about direct fighting and initially sees the rules as straightforward. However, he quickly defers to Lin Qi’s judgment and relies on him for transportation.
• Master Ma is revealed to be a powerful but somewhat unlucky contestant. His prosthetic enhancements make him formidable, but the challenge mission places him in an awkward and dangerous position. His confidence shifts into concern when he realizes Lin Qi may be approaching.
• Baili Xueyuan is observant and pragmatic. She identifies the likely danger posed by the supply crate, understands the identities of the possible spatial users, and recognizes that Lin Qi and Arthur may be too strong to fight safely.
• Panda Baby displays surprisingly sophisticated and flexible behavior, causing Lin Qi to question whether its intelligence could withstand advanced cyberattacks.

Significant Themes

• Hidden risks behind apparent rewards: The supply crates offer valuable items but can also trigger dangerous missions, emphasizing that benefits in the selection always carry corresponding costs.
• Strategy versus brute force: Arthur favors direct combat, while Lin Qi focuses on analyzing rules, hidden mechanics, and other teams’ movements.
• Information and identity: Lin Qi must conceal Arthur’s association with the Highest Level Mercenary Group, while Master Ma’s knowledge of “Wizard” significantly affects his tactical decisions.
• Forced competition: The selection system deliberately turns candidates against one another through point theft, public tracking, and penalties, making conflict unavoidable.
• Power balanced by uncertainty: Even elite fighters such as Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan hesitate when facing Lin Qi and Arthur because Lin Qi’s abilities are difficult to predict.

Character Interactions

• Arthur compliments Lin Qi’s teleportation and casually treats him as a trusted comrade, even expecting Lin Qi to teleport him by placing a hand on his head.
• Lin Qi and Arthur cooperate closely, with Arthur relying on Lin Qi’s detection and spatial abilities while Lin Qi benefits from Arthur’s formidable combat strength.
• Baili Xueyuan playfully disciplines Master Ma with a conjured whip when he complains about the supply crate, revealing a teasing but assertive relationship.
• Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan analyze the mission together, with Baili providing intelligence and Master Ma evaluating their chances against nearby teams.
• Their attitude changes sharply after identifying Lin Qi and Arthur as potential opponents: Master Ma, despite his usual optimism, considers surrendering rather than risking a battle.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qi and Arthur arrive to challenge Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan.
• Lin Qi uses his Psychic Vision to locate the teams within the challenge range.
• Ishigami Jūichirō's team decides to avoid the challenge and move toward the outskirts.
• Lin Qi and Arthur decide to fight Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan.

Character Developments

• Master Ma shows caution and respect for Lin Qi's abilities.
• Baili Xueyuan reassesses Lin Qi's strength based on Master Ma's reaction.
• Arthur reveals her desire to fight Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan, driven by her Knight's Will Emblem "Transcendence."
• Lin Qi decides to fight, seeing it as an opportunity to put on a show and fulfill Beauty Qing's deal.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics and rivalries among the teams.
• The importance of strength and willpower in the selection process.
• The consequences of underestimating opponents.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and Arthur discuss their strategy and decide to fight Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan.
• Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan exchange a glance and decide to fight Lin Qi and Arthur.
• Beauty Qing watches the scene, excited about the potential outcome.
• Lin Changshou confronts Panda Baby about the selection process, revealing Panda Baby's win-loss percentages against Ghost.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• A major clash erupts at the selection grounds between Lin Qi and Arthur, and Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan. Other teams realize that the selection may involve combat against rival teams rather than simple PvE missions.
• Lin Qi and Arthur initially struggle in the contest of willpower, but Lin Qi remains calm because the Gate protects him from the disadvantage.
• Arthur decides to abandon the long-range willpower contest and engage in close combat using the Sword in the Stone. The sword raises her strength and willpower to the Fourth Rank Limit.
• Lin Qi supports Arthur with his abilities, especially Momentum Control, increasing her charging momentum by roughly one and a half times. Arthur’s enhanced Fearless Charge allows her to break through an alloy wall and attack Master Ma.
• Master Ma counters with Burning Body, increasing his physical power. Arthur and Master Ma exchange blows, but Lin Qi secretly interferes with Master Ma using abilities such as momentum suppression, gravity-like disruption, Blood Manipulation, and the Anxious Knife.
• Arthur wounds Master Ma, triggering his Self-Suffering Will and temporarily raising him to the Fourth Rank Limit. However, Lin Qi’s continued interference lets Arthur overwhelm him and beat him badly.
• Master Ma orders Baili Xueyuan to deal with Lin Qi, recognizing that Lin Qi’s support abilities are too troublesome to ignore. Baili teleports to Lin Qi using one of his Spatial Anchors.
• Baili and Lin Qi exchange polite but pointed conversation about their first meeting in Red Fruit City, Lin Qi’s concealed strength, and Lin Xin becoming Baili’s successor in the Blood-Clothes faction.
• While distracting Baili with conversation, Lin Qi continues sabotaging Master Ma, helping Arthur gain the upper hand. Arthur’s satisfaction and combat excitement cause her Transcendence-related willpower to grow significantly.
• Baili finally notices Lin Qi’s interference and declares that Master Ma is hers to fight. The battle separates into two one-on-one confrontations: Arthur versus Master Ma, and Lin Qi versus Baili.
• Lin Qi studies Baili with Psychic Vision and discovers that she possesses an invisible dagger of extraordinary quality, nearly approaching a Fifth Rank item. He begins deducing that Blood-Clothes Practitioners may advance by continuously upgrading their bonded Extraordinary Items.
• Baili exploits the moment Lin Qi’s emotions fluctuate. She reshapes the surrounding space to launch herself forward at tremendous speed, preparing a devastating attack that Lin Qi barely notices with only five meters between them.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi: Demonstrates exceptional battlefield awareness, tactical support, deception, and multitasking. Rather than relying on direct power, he manipulates the battlefield and exploits openings. He also begins uncovering the true nature of the Blood-Clothes path.
• Arthur: Shows strong combat instincts and confidence. By combining the Sword in the Stone with Lin Qi’s support, she reaches the Fourth Rank Limit and successfully challenges Master Ma. Her exhilaration and satisfaction in battle significantly strengthen her willpower.
• Master Ma: Reveals his high-level martial abilities through Burning Body and Self-Suffering Will. Although physically powerful, he is frustrated and disadvantaged by Lin Qi’s indirect and disruptive techniques. He recognizes that Lin Qi must be neutralized before the fight can be won.
• Baili Xueyuan: Displays trust in Master Ma, strong tactical judgment, and formidable spatial abilities. She remains composed during Lin Qi’s psychological probing but becomes serious once she realizes he has been attacking Ma from the side. Her possessiveness toward Master Ma is openly expressed.
• Lin Xin: Does not appear directly, but her role as Baili’s Blood-Clothes successor becomes important. Baili expresses satisfaction with her and gratitude that Lin Qi did not steer her toward the Wizard profession.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and deception: Lin Qi’s greatest advantage is not overwhelming force but his ability to conceal his true capabilities and influence battles without being noticed.
• Teamwork and complementary abilities: Arthur’s direct offensive power becomes far more dangerous when combined with Lin Qi’s support and battlefield manipulation.
• Combat as a source of growth: Arthur’s enjoyment of a difficult fight directly strengthens her willpower, showing how personal convictions and emotional states affect advancement.
• The dangers of unconventional abilities: Master Ma can endure direct attacks, but Lin Qi’s strange support techniques—interfering with momentum, movement, vision, and mental stability—leave him helpless and enraged.
• The nature of extraordinary advancement: Lin Qi suspects that Blood-Clothes Practitioners progress through the evolution of their bonded Extraordinary Items, suggesting a distinctive cultivation system centered on equipment rather than only the practitioner’s body or will.
• Controlled conflict: Arthur and Master Ma initially appear to hold back, implying that both sides may be fighting seriously while still avoiding a true life-or-death confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and Arthur coordinate almost instinctively, with Arthur relying on his support and Lin Qi promising to cover her.
• Arthur and Master Ma engage in a direct, competitive battle. Their exchange carries mutual recognition, though Master Ma becomes furious when Lin Qi repeatedly interferes.
• Master Ma and Baili operate as experienced partners: he identifies Lin Qi as the main tactical threat and assigns Baili to neutralize him.
• Lin Qi and Baili converse with outward politeness but underlying suspicion. Baili questions his past deception, while Lin Qi uses the conversation to conceal further attacks on Master Ma.
• Baili’s relationship with Master Ma is revealed as possessive and intimate when she insists that only she has the right to hit him.
• Lin Qi and Baili ultimately face each other directly, setting up the chapter’s next major confrontation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qi uses his hidden power from [Gate] to counter Baili Xueyuan's spatial ability.
• Baili Xueyuan suspects Lin Qi might be a Fifth Rank powerhouse.
• Lin Qi and Arthur team up against Master Ma, who surrenders after Baili Xueyuan refuses to help.
• The challenge mission is completed, and the team's one-hour restriction on earning points is lifted.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi demonstrates his hidden power and strategic thinking, further impressing Baili Xueyuan.
• Baili Xueyuan becomes suspicious of Lin Qi's true rank and age.
• Master Ma shows reluctance to fight his teammates and surrenders when outnumbered.
• Arthur expresses regret at not being able to fight Master Ma and shows eagerness to continue the challenge.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics and politics within the Eastern Alliance and the Heavenly Palace talks.
• The use of hidden abilities and strategic deception in combat.
• The importance of teamwork and communication among teammates.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and Baili Xueyuan: They reach an understanding, with Baili Xueyuan choosing not to interfere in the fight against Master Ma.
• Lin Qi and Arthur: They team up against Master Ma, showing good coordination.
• Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan: Master Ma feels betrayed by Baili Xueyuan's refusal to help, leading to his surrender.
• Arthur and Master Ma: They express a desire to fight each other but ultimately do not engage in a direct duel.

Chapter Summary: “Another Mission? Taking on Capitalist?”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After leaving Master Ma, Lin Qi and Arthur continue clearing missions throughout the steel city. They efficiently complete a wide variety of objectives, including retrieval, escort, occupation, flag capture, and codebreaking.
• Their versatility allows them to finish nearly every mission within an hour, raising their score to 995 points and placing them comfortably in first place.
• With more than an hour remaining, Lin Qi suggests opening supply crates to trigger higher-value special missions rather than continuing ordinary assignments.
• Lin Qi teleports himself and Arthur to a nearby crate. Arthur opens it, but instead of supplies, they find a mission chip.
• The chip activates the special mission “Fated Duel.” They must fight the team whose score is closest to theirs in a 2v2 arena battle. The winner takes 50% of the loser’s points, while failing to arrive within fifteen minutes results in a severe point penalty.
• Since Lin Qi and Arthur are ranked first, their likely opponents are the second-place team. Arthur worries that the fight could exhaust them before the next selection round, but Lin Qi argues that weakening other strong competitors may still benefit them.
• The opposing team is revealed to be Qiao Xi and King Kong, who have 880 points. Qiao Xi correctly infers that the leading team must possess exceptional mobility and suspects they may be Lin Qi and Arthur or another powerful teammate pair.
• Qiao Xi hopes to avoid fighting members of the Highest Level Mercenary Group, especially Lin Qi, whom she considers highly deceptive and dangerous. Nevertheless, she and King Kong head for the arena.
• Lin Qi and Arthur arrive first. When the opposing team teleports in, Lin Qi is shocked to recognize Capitalist and King Kong, realizing that “Capitalist” also possesses spatial abilities and that he is once again facing former teammates.

2. Character Developments

• Lin Qi: Demonstrates broad adaptability, combining combat, intelligence, research knowledge, and spatial teleportation to dominate the missions. He remains calm under pressure and quickly accepts the danger of the special mission. His suspicion and strategic awareness increase when he realizes his former teammates are the opponents.
• Arthur: Proves to be a highly capable partner and effective fighter. She is initially confident and even jokes about her good luck, but becomes frustrated when the crate triggers a difficult battle. Her determination to secure a place in the Heavenly Palace Conference remains clear.
• Qiao Xi: Shows strong analytical ability, quickly deducing how Lin Qi and Arthur achieved their score. She is cautious and strategically minded, especially about revealing her hidden abilities and trump cards. Her reluctance to fight her own teammates reveals her concern for future consequences.
• King Kong: Remains loyal and obedient to Qiao Xi, trusting her decisions completely. He is surprised by the existence of a higher-scoring team and uses his analytical ability to identify likely opponents.
• Capitalist: Is revealed to possess spatial abilities, adding an unexpected layer to his capabilities and making Lin Qi’s encounter with him more surprising.
• Panda Baby: Continues acting as the mission administrator, theatrically presenting the special mission and appearing particularly eager to see the contestants fight.

3. Significant Themes

• Adaptability and versatility: The missions reward contestants who can combine combat power, intelligence, mobility, and utility skills. Lin Qi’s success reflects the value of having a flexible and wide-ranging skill set.
• Competition versus cooperation: The “Fated Duel” forces allies and former teammates to fight for points, creating tension within the larger group.
• Strategic resource management: The characters must consider not only victory but also stamina, injuries, hidden abilities, and their readiness for the next round.
• Uncertainty and manipulation: The mission appears designed to disrupt rankings and engineer conflict. Lin Qi’s smooth progress and the mysterious selection structure suggest that unseen forces may be influencing events.
• Hidden strength and identity: Characters such as Qiao Xi, Lin Qi, and Capitalist possess concealed abilities and strategies. Their opponents cannot rely solely on outward appearances or known professions.
• Fate and coincidence: The mission is called “Fated Duel,” yet the repeated pairing of Lin Qi with former teammates makes the supposed fate feel suspiciously deliberate.

4. Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and Arthur work as a highly coordinated team, with Lin Qi providing teleportation and analysis while Arthur contributes combat strength and confidence.
• Arthur questions whether Lin Qi’s unusually smooth performance is due to his abilities, and Lin Qi explains that his Wizard profession and research background make him naturally suited to varied missions.
• Lin Qi comforts Arthur when she worries about facing a powerful second-place team, arguing that eliminating or weakening strong competitors could benefit them.
• Qiao Xi and King Kong discuss the leading team’s identity. King Kong speculates that the opponents may be Lin Qi’s or Master Ma’s team, while Qiao Xi analyzes their mobility and expresses a preference for fighting Aishwarya’s team instead.
• Qiao Xi’s thoughts reveal her deep distrust and respect for Lin Qi, whom she considers especially difficult to predict.
• The chapter ends with Lin Qi and Arthur facing the arrival of Qiao Xi and King Kong—whom Lin Qi identifies as “Capitalist” and King Kong—setting up a battle between former teammates.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qiao Xi (Capitalist) and Lin Qi (Wizard) face off in an arena due to the "Fated Duel" special mission.
• Qiao Xi proposes surrendering to minimize losses, and Lin Qi agrees.
• Qiao Xi uses a crystal ball to teleport away, leaving behind a debt of half a favor for Lin Qi and Arthur.
• The first round of selections ends, and candidates are notified to return to the central supply point for the point rankings announcement.

Character Developments

• Qiao Xi demonstrates her strategic thinking and willingness to concede when the cost of battle outweighs the potential gains.
• Lin Qi shows his intelligence and ability to calculate costs and benefits but is tricked by Qiao Xi into owing her a favor.
• Arthur displays her straightforward nature and lack of scheming, leading to her being manipulated by Lin Qi.

Significant Themes

• Calculated decisions based on costs and benefits.
• The value of favors and debts in the Cyber World.
• The importance of intelligence and adaptability in strategic situations.

Character Interactions

• Qiao Xi and Lin Qi engage in a tense standoff before Qiao Xi proposes surrendering.
• Lin Qi and Arthur discuss their next move, with Arthur unaware of Lin Qi's growing resentment.
• Lin Qi takes out his frustration on Arthur by pulling out some of her hair during teleportation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qi and Arthur return to the Central Supply Point, where they meet other teams who have also returned.
• Panda Baby reveals the rankings and introduces the 'Selection Coefficient' as a new criterion.
• Panda Baby allows one hour of online communication time daily for candidates to handle company affairs.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi demonstrates his strategic thinking and intelligence by analyzing the Selection Coefficient and advising the team.
• Arthur shows understanding and cooperation by supporting Lin Qi's decisions.
• Qiao Xi exhibits her analytical skills and business acumen by interpreting the Selection Coefficient and suggesting a strategy.
• King Kong remains loyal and focused on his duty as a bodyguard.
• Beauty Qing, though not physically present, reveals her desperation and impatience to complete the transaction.

Significant Themes

• Intelligence and Strategy: Lin Qi, Qiao Xi, and Arthur use their intelligence and strategic thinking to analyze the Selection Coefficient and plan their next moves.
• Cooperation and Teamwork: The four candidates work together, sharing information and coordinating their actions to improve their chances of advancing to the Heavenly Palace Conference.
• Ambition and Desperation: Beauty Qing's desperation to complete the transaction contrasts with the candidates' calculated and strategic approach.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi, Arthur, Qiao Xi, and King Kong discuss the Selection Coefficient and plan their strategy for the next round.
• Lin Qi communicates with Beauty Qing, reassuring her of their intent to complete the transaction while emphasizing the importance of their own advancement.
• The candidates exchange glances and non-verbal cues, demonstrating their understanding and cooperation.
• Beauty Qing monitors Master Ma and Baili Xueyuan, revealing her personal interest in their relationship.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qi and his team decide to team up with Ma Buwen and Baili Xueyuan, forming a six-person team for the second round of selections.
• The rules for the second round are announced: teams of up to six people, with points carrying over from the first round, and incomplete teams facing a settlement coefficient decrease.
• Other candidates struggle to form teams, realizing they can't compete with Lin Qi's team.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi and Qiao Xi show their willingness to give Beauty Qing a surprise by accepting Ma Buwen and Baili Xueyuan into their team.
• Ma Buwen and Baili Xueyuan join Lin Qi's team, with Baili Xueyuan's thoughts remaining unclear.
• Other candidates acknowledge the strength of Lin Qi's team and struggle to form competitive teams.

Significant Themes

• The importance of teamwork and coordination in high-level combat.
• The value of individuals and teams in the context of corporate interests and power dynamics.
• The complexity of family dynamics and personal relationships within powerful organizations.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and Qiao Xi exchange a glance and smile, indicating their agreement to form a team with Ma Buwen and Baili Xueyuan.
• Ma Buwen and Baili Xueyuan join Lin Qi's team, with Baili Xueyuan's thoughts and motivations remaining unclear.
• Other candidates discuss and form teams, acknowledging the strength of Lin Qi's team and the need to avoid direct competition with them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The team decides to split up to earn more points.
• Lin Qi, Arthur, Qiao Xi, King Kong, Baili Xueyuan, and Master Ma each form separate groups to complete missions.
• Panda Baby suggests skipping the third round and proceeding directly to the final round of war games.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi acknowledges his spatial ability's limitations without the [Gate]'s power.
• Qiao Xi and Baili Xueyuan suspect Lin Qi is hiding something but don't press the issue.
• Panda Baby reveals its desire to participate in the Heavenly Palace conference to bully Ghost and prevent being bullied itself.

Significant Themes

• The team's strength and adaptability in different situations.
• The potential consequences of artificial intelligence in warfare.
• The fear of being bullied and the desire for self-defense and empowerment.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi, Qiao Xi, and Baili Xueyuan discuss and agree on splitting up to maximize points.
• Lin Qi and Arthur work together to complete missions, with Arthur expressing his competitive nature.
• Lin Changshou and the Fifth-Tier Transcendents discuss the selection's developments and Panda Baby's involvement.
• Panda Baby shares its personal motivations with Lin Changshou, revealing its fear and desire for empowerment.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Qi's team sweeps through the selection grounds, earning a high number of points without engaging in combat with other teams.
• The team's selection coefficients drop, indicating a focus on combat performance.
• Beauty Qing calls Baili Xueyuan, accusing her of buying off Lin Qi's team. Baili Xueyuan ends the call, and the organizers cut off the communication.
• Lin Qi and Qiao Xi decide to continue working together in the next stage of the selection.
• The Fifth-Tier big shots, including Lin Changshou, decide to start the final stage of the selection.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi becomes more talkative after revealing his true identity.
• Arthur and King Kong follow Lin Qi's lead in rejecting Beauty Qing's calls.
• Baili Xueyuan remains composed and confident, even when threatened by Beauty Qing.
• Qing Xinxin stops Beauty Qing's call, choosing to protect her family's interests.
• Lin Changshou shows concern for Qing Xinxin's feelings but prioritizes the final stage of the selection.

Significant Themes

• The importance of combat performance in the selection process.
• The influence of major powers and their representatives on the selection.
• The tension between personal relationships and family/ organizational interests.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and Qiao Xi discuss the selection process and decide to continue working together.
• Arthur and King Kong follow Lin Qi's lead in handling Beauty Qing's calls.
• Baili Xueyuan and Master Ma share a romantic moment before retiring to their capsule cabin.
• Lin Changshou and Qing Xinxin have a brief, tense conversation about her actions.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Eastern Alliance gathers powerful individuals around the Central Supply Point, including suspected fifth-tier Transcendents.
• Lin Qi and his team prepare for an impending battle, expecting an ambush.
• Lin Changshou contacts Lin Qi mentally, offering a deal: ensure zero deaths among Asian Transcendents in the battle, and he will request a fifth-tier Extraordinary Item as a reward.

Character Developments

• Lin Qi: Shows strategic thinking and calmness under pressure, communicates with Lin Changshou mentally.
• Arthur: Demonstrates loyalty and trust in Lin Qi's intelligence, prepares for battle.
• Qiao Xi: Uses her priestess abilities to create one-time Extraordinary Items for the team, shows confidence in their combat abilities.
• Master Ma: Initially frustrated by the interruption, he regains composure and prepares for battle.
• Lin Changshou: Reveals his strategic mind and willingness to make deals, shows interest in Lin Qi's group.

Significant Themes

• Trust and teamwork among the Highest Level Mercenary Group members.
• The power dynamics and politics within the Eastern Alliance and among different Political Zones.
• The importance of Extraordinary Items for Transcendents and the rewards system.

Character Interactions

• Lin Qi and Arthur: They communicate efficiently and trust each other's judgments.
• Qiao Xi and the others: They work together to prepare for the battle, displaying confidence in their abilities.
• Lin Qi and Lin Changshou: They communicate mentally, with Lin Changshou offering a deal to Lin Qi.