Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe uses the Soul-Summoning Doll, Xia Rong, to kill the investigation team and open the iron door to the interrogation room within a minute.
• Ning Zhe transforms into a sparrow and flies away, planning to stop Prumelia from undoing her move.
• Prumelia, suspecting something amiss, undoes her move, rewinding time five minutes.
• Meilin collapses unconscious after hearing something through her earpiece.
• Prumelia undoes another move, rewinding time another ten minutes, bringing Meilin back to consciousness.
• Meilin collapses again immediately after Prumelia speaks to her.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe demonstrates his cunning and strategic thinking by using Xia Rong to carry out his plan and attempting to stop Prumelia from undoing her move.
• Prumelia shows her quick thinking and decisiveness in undoing her moves to protect herself and Meilin.
• Meilin's loyalty and dedication to her duty are highlighted as she remains in real-time contact with the investigation team despite the danger.

Significant Themes

• Time manipulation: Prumelia's ability to undo moves and rewind time, and Ning Zhe's plan to stop her from doing so.
• Control and manipulation: Ning Zhe's control over Xia Rong and Prumelia's control over the chess game's events.
• Trust and deception: The investigation team's trust in Meilin's instructions and the potential deception by the Necromancer and the intruder.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe interacts with Xia Rong, giving it instructions and showing affection toward it.
• Prumelia interacts with Meilin, showing concern for her well-being and attempting to protect her.
• Meilin interacts with the investigation team through her earpiece, trying to maintain contact despite the danger.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Meilin collapses after hearing a sound from the headphones, prompting Prumelia to undo moves to reverse time.
• Prumelia discovers that undoing moves doesn't affect the sound, leading them to realize the game's boundaries have been redrawn by an Ink Line.
• They deduce that an intruder, likely a traitor within their family, used the Ink Line to trap them.

Character Developments

• Prumelia, initially panicked, regains her composure and uses her intelligence to analyze the situation.
• Meilin remains loyal and protective, ready to defend Prumelia.

Significant Themes

• The power and limitations of the game's rules.
• The concept of being trapped or imprisoned within a situation.
• The theme of betrayal and trust within the family.

Character Interactions

• Prumelia and Meilin work together to understand and navigate their predicament, with Prumelia providing analysis and Meilin offering protection.
• The chapter ends with Ning Zhe, the intruder, entering the interrogation room, unaware of the changes in the game's boundaries.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Baizhi wakes up after being unconscious for four days due to a nightmare.
• She recounts her dream to her mother, Feng Yushu, which involved meeting Ning Zhe in a dream and being trapped in a castle with wandering ghosts and peculiar lamps.
• Baizhi reveals that Ning Zhe found the castle in reality, resolved the weird event there, and ended her nightmare.

Character Developments

• Baizhi: She becomes more open with her mother about her nightmares and expresses a newfound interest in them, possibly due to the connection with Ning Zhe.
• Feng Yushu: She learns about the true nature of Baizhi's nightmares and becomes more accepting of the weird and supernatural, showing concern and support for her daughter.

Significant Themes

• The connection between dreams and reality, and the blurring of the line between the two.
• The power dynamics and relationships between Ascendants and Weird Entities, such as Taiyi and Ning Zhe.
• The mother-daughter bond and the lengths a mother will go to protect her child.

Character Interactions

• Feng Yushu and Baizhi: Their relationship deepens as Feng Yushu becomes more understanding and supportive of Baizhi's experiences, and Baizhi becomes more open with her mother.
• Baizhi and Ning Zhe: Though not physically present, their connection through dreams and the castle event strengthens their bond, with Baizhi looking forward to potentially meeting him in her next nightmare.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe returns to Vivian Port earlier than expected.
• Fusuolesi Millicato hints that a desired item will be auctioned after the swimsuit show.
• Ning Zhe and Xia Yubing discuss her strange physical changes.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe: Shows his ability to keep secrets and maintain a facade. He also demonstrates knowledge about Xia Yubing's condition.
• Xia Yubing: Becomes more curious and assertive about her strange physical changes.

Significant Themes

• The passage of time and youth.
• The consequences of power and wealth.
• The mystery surrounding Xia Yubing's physical changes.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Fusuolesi: Their friendship is shown through their warm reunion and late-night conversation.
• Ning Zhe and Xia Yubing: They grow closer as they share secrets and discuss Xia Yubing's strange condition.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Yubing learns about her "unchanging" status bestowed by Taiyi, which locks her physical condition to her state when she left Zanju Town.
• Ning Zhe explains that this status isn't absolute and has limitations, such as vulnerability to Instant Death rules.
• Xia Yubing understands the implications of her new life and the price she has to pay, including offering sacrifices to the Three Corpse Deities every two months to avoid exposure and death.
• Xia Yubing initiates an intimate encounter with Ning Zhe, but he takes control, flipping their usual dynamic.

Character Developments

• Xia Yubing: Realizes the true extent of her condition and the challenges she faces. Experiences a mix of fear, worry, and desire.
• Ning Zhe: Shows understanding and reassurance towards Xia Yubing's situation. Maintains his calm and collected demeanor even in intimate situations.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of Xia Yubing's new life and the price she has to pay.
• The power dynamics and relationship between Xia Yubing and Ning Zhe.
• The limitations and vulnerabilities of Taiyi's bestowed status.

Character Interactions

• Xia Yubing and Ning Zhe: Their dynamic shifts as they discuss Xia Yubing's condition and later engage in a physical encounter. Xia Yubing initiates, but Ning Zhe takes control, reflecting their power dynamics and mutual understanding.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe and Xia Yubing spend the night together.
• Ning Zhe takes Lan Shiwen to see the imprisoned Disqualified one.
• Ning Zhe invites Lan Shiwen to a swimsuit show, hinting at the presence of Ji Bochang's relatives.

Character Developments

• Xia Yubing: Shows signs of insecurity and vulnerability after their intimate encounter.
• Ning Zhe: Reveals he has been keeping the Disqualified one for himself, hinting at his long-term plans.
• Lan Shiwen: Shows interest in attending the swimsuit show upon learning about Ji Bochang's relatives.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and control: Ning Zhe's decision to keep the Disqualified one and Lan Shiwen's interest in Ji Bochang's relatives highlight the theme of power and control.
• Insecurity and vulnerability: Xia Yubing's behavior after their encounter suggests feelings of insecurity, contrasting with her usual confident demeanor.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Xia Yubing: Their intimate encounter leads to a moment of vulnerability for Xia Yubing, while Ning Zhe remains distant and mysterious.
• Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen: They meet to discuss the Disqualified one and the swimsuit show, showcasing their mutual respect and understanding of each other's goals.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Europa United Republic's political system: Hereditary families control resources and nominate legislators, with smaller families often under major families' influence.
• Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen's conversation reveals that Liu Hongwen (Liu Family) and Ji Boying (Ji Family) have fled to Europa and aligned with the Dyck and Flimmisret Families, respectively.
• An upcoming swimsuit show is a cover for a gathering of young aristocrats from major families, including some from the Nine Provinces.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe continues to gather information and manipulate events, maintaining his cover as Van Dyke.
• Xia Yubing shows disdain for Van Dyke's appearance, preferring a more youthful and melancholic look.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and political intrigue within Europa's society.
• The struggle for survival and alliance-building among the exiled families from the Nine Provinces.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Lan Shiwen share information and plan their next moves.
• Ning Zhe briefs Xia Yubing on their targets and her role in the upcoming event.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens with a bustling market in Vivian Port, where a grand swimsuit show is about to take place.
• Xia Yubing and Ning Zhe (as Van Dyke) discuss the unusual lack of police presence despite the large crowd, leading to a conversation about how Europa handles Weird Events and uses criminals as guinea pigs.
• They drive to Bronze Sparrow Terrace, a private entertainment facility owned by Fusuolesi Millicato, where they meet with Liu Hongwen and Shen Changjiang.

Character Developments

• Xia Yubing shows concern for public safety and questions Europa's methods of handling Weird Events.
• Ning Zhe, as Van Dyke, maintains his calm and collected demeanor, providing information about Europa's practices without expressing judgment.
• Liu Hongwen is eager to greet Van Dyke, indicating a level of familiarity and respect.
• Shen Changjiang is eager to bring the Fortune God to Europa, showing his desperation and ambition.

Significant Themes

• The contrast between the Nine Provinces and Europa's handling of Weird Events and their citizens.
• The theme of using people as expendable resources for personal gain, as seen in both societies.

Character Interactions

• Xia Yubing and Ning Zhe discuss Europa's practices, with Xia Yubing expressing concern and Ning Zhe providing information without judgment.
• Ning Zhe greets Liu Hongwen and Shen Changjiang politely, maintaining his composure despite the tense situation.
• Liu Hongwen and Shen Changjiang show eagerness to meet with Van Dyke, indicating their respect and eagerness to discuss business.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group (Ning Zhe, Liu Hongwen, Shen Changjiang, Xia Yubing, and 'Van Dyke') gather under a cinnamon tree to discuss their plans against Lan Shiwen.
• Ning Zhe, posing as Van Dyke, reveals that he can no longer fully assume another's identity due to Awakening Origin's rules.
• Liu Hongwen and Shen Changjiang express their reasons for wanting to kill Lan Shiwen: Liu for revenge, and Shen for extending his life using the Fortune God's power.
• Xia Yubing reveals that she also seeks Lan Shiwen's death for harming her family.
• They discuss their plans to kill Lan Shiwen, with Shen Changjiang asking for the method they'll use.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe struggles with his identity, unable to fully become Van Dyke due to Awakening Origin's rules.
• Liu Hongwen displays deep-seated hatred and grief towards Lan Shiwen for slaughtering his family.
• Shen Changjiang shows desperation to extend his life, willing to betray the Nine Provinces for it.
• Xia Yubing reveals her family's suffering at Lan Shiwen's hands, displaying a shared purpose with the others.

Significant Themes

• Revenge: All characters are driven by a desire for revenge against Lan Shiwen.
• Identity: Ning Zhe struggles with his identity, unable to fully become Van Dyke.
• Desperation: Characters are willing to make great sacrifices to achieve their goals (e.g., Shen Changjiang's betrayal, Xia Yubing's isolation).

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe subtly teases Liu Hongwen about knowing Nine Provinces customs, revealing his true identity.
• Liu Hongwen and Shen Changjiang are wary of Xia Yubing, suspecting she might cause complications in their plans.
• Xia Yubing exposes Liu Hongwen and Shen Changjiang's secrets, revealing her knowledge of their motives.
• The group shares their reasons for wanting to kill Lan Shiwen, fostering a sense of unity in their purpose.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lan Shiwen, an exceptionally skilled and hated individual, is the focus of a long-term assassination plan.
• Eighteen years ago, during the Millennium Massacre, Lan Shiwen (then four) was adopted by Tuyu and accompanied him in wiping out the Yin Family.
• Liu Hongwen and Shen Changjiang reveal a plan to kill Lan Shiwen using Ji Bochang's family, who know the core rules of Five Connections, an ability Lan Shiwen likely controls.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe: Remains calm and collected, aware of Lan Shiwen's power and the plan to kill him. He's intrigued by Ji Bochang's involvement.
• Liu Hongwen: Seeks revenge against Lan Shiwen for his family's demise. He's resourceful and well-informed about Lan Shiwen's past.
• Shen Changjiang: Works with Liu Hongwen to eliminate Lan Shiwen. He's knowledgeable about Ascendants and their rules.

Significant Themes

• Revenge: Liu Hongwen's primary motivation, driving the entire plot.
• Power Dynamics: The struggle between different factions, with Lan Shiwen's power being a central focus.
• Secrets and Information: The revelation of Lan Shiwen's past and the core rules of Five Connections are crucial to the assassination plan.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Liu Hongwen/Shen Changjiang: They discuss and plan Lan Shiwen's assassination, with Liu Hongwen and Shen Changjiang providing crucial information.
• Liu Hongwen and Xia Yubing: Liu Hongwen pours Xia Yubing a drink, showing respect or attempting to gain her favor.
• Ning Zhe and everyone: He listens to their plans, asks questions, and expresses amusement or surprise at key revelations.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe and Xia Yubing leave Bronze Sparrow Terrace after a business meeting.
• They head to the Vivian Port mall to attend an event organized by Fusuoles.
• Instead of the expected swimsuit show, they find themselves at the Saint Galia Opera House.
• They observe a girl named Constance, who was raised as an aristocrat but is now being sold as a slave.

Character Developments

• Xia Yubing: Shows curiosity and concern for Constance's situation. Her privileged upbringing is challenged, leading her to consider her own identity and values.
• Ning Zhe: Remains calm and detached, providing information about Constance's situation. He reveals his knowledge of the dark underbelly of high society.

Significant Themes

• Identity and Reality: The chapter explores the theme of identity and the truth behind appearances, with Constance's life serving as a stark example of how reality can be manipulated.
• Power and Control: The dynamics of power and control are evident in the relationship between the slave traders and Constance, as well as the buyers bidding on her.
• Perversion of Taste: The perverse tastes of the wealthy buyers are highlighted, challenging societal norms and expectations.

Character Interactions

• Xia Yubing and Ning Zhe: They interact briefly, with Xia Yubing seeking information and expressing concern, while Ning Zhe provides explanations and maintains a detached demeanor.
• Xia Yubing and Constance: Though they don't interact directly, Xia Yubing's empathy and concern for Constance are evident, contrasting with the callous treatment of the girl by the slave traders and buyers.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Millicato family operates a trafficking business, selling "gift girls" to high society members.
• Fusuolesi, the family patriarch, ensures high quality and demand by investing in ancient castles and hiring royal etiquette instructors.
• Ning Zhe, Xia Yubing, and Fusuolesi attend an auction where girls are sold to the highest bidder.
• Ning Zhe is revealed to be the "godfather" of the finale girl, his "goddaughter," who will be auctioned off last.

Character Developments

• Fusuolesi is shown to be meticulous and obsessive about creating perfect "gift girls" to meet high demand.
• Ning Zhe is revealed to have a personal connection with the finale girl, his "goddaughter."
• Xia Yubing is disturbed and nauseated by the auction, seeing reflections of her own past in the girls being sold.

Significant Themes

• The dehumanization and commodification of women in high society.
• The corrupting influence of power and wealth.
• The psychological impact of witnessing such depravity on Xia Yubing.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Fusuolesi discuss business and the finale girl.
• Xia Yubing struggles with her emotions and leaves the box temporarily.
• Ning Zhe reassures Xia Yubing to calm down when she clenches her fists in anger.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dalos, a gambler, finds himself in an empty Vivian Port megamall after using the restroom.
• He encounters a tall, gaunt man with a sack over its head, who kills him with a simple gesture.
• A girl, presumably a Persian princess, is sold at an auction in the Saint Lia Opera House to an unknown buyer in Box No. 1.
• Disel, a representative of the Disel Family, tries to find out who bought the girl but is told the information is confidential.

Character Developments

• Dalos: Dies early in the chapter, serving as a catalyst for the story's strange events.
• Disel: Shows interest in the Persian princess and tries to find out who bought her, displaying his determination and curiosity.

Significant Themes

• Isolation and Abandonment: The empty megamall and opera house highlight the theme of isolation and abandonment, with Dalos and Disel both seeking connections (with the mysterious figure and the Persian princess, respectively).
• Power and Control: The auction and Disel's attempts to find the buyer suggest themes of power and control, with the buyer holding power over the girl and Disel seeking control over the information.

Character Interactions

• Dalos interacts briefly with the mysterious figure before his death.
• Disel interacts with the opera house manager, trying to find out who bought the Persian princess.
• There's no direct interaction between Dalos and Disel, as their storylines are separate.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe and Xia Yubing attend an opera event hosted by Fusuoles.
• Fusuoles is called away due to an emergency involving a ghost in the theater.
• Ning Zhe reveals his plan to kill Sally Sally, the girl he bought for Van Dyke, to avoid complications.
• A wealthy guest, Mr. Disel, is found dead, suspected to be a victim of a Weird Event.
• Fusuoles uses an Ink Line to seal the theater, trapping the ghost inside.
• Ning Zhe and Fusuoles investigate Disel's death scene.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe: Shows his cold, pragmatic nature and lack of human emotion, deciding to kill Sally Sally for convenience. He also demonstrates his professionalism and commitment to his duties as a ghost hunter.
• Xia Yubing: Struggles with the realization of Ning Zhe's inhuman nature and coldness, questioning if he's truly human. She shows concern for Sally Sally's life.
• Fusuoles: Proves to be a competent and responsible host, quickly responding to the ghost incident and taking necessary precautions to contain it.

Significant Themes

• Self-Deception: The title reflects Ning Zhe's self-deception about his human nature and his attempt to convince Xia Yubing (and himself) that he's no different from others.
• Duty vs. Emotion: Ning Zhe prioritizes his duty as a ghost hunter over his emotions and the lives of others, demonstrating his cold, pragmatic nature.
• Appearance vs. Reality: Xia Yubing's realization of Ning Zhe's true nature highlights the discrepancy between his warm, human-like appearance and his inhuman coldness.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Xia Yubing: Their conversation reveals Ning Zhe's cold, unemotional nature and Xia Yubing's struggle to accept it. Their dynamic shifts as she questions his humanity.
• Ning Zhe and Fusuoles: They work together as ghost hunters, showing professional respect and trust in each other's abilities. Fusuoles seeks Ning Zhe's help in dealing with the ghost incident.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group arrives at Box 6 and meets Disel, the deceased's driver.
• They find Bruno Disel's corpse in the box, with no apparent cause of death.
• Disel is the latest victim of a ghost that has been killing people along an S-shaped path in Vivian Port.
• Ning Zhe discovers playing cards scattered around the box, with each card representing a different person.
• Disel's driver goes missing.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe demonstrates his analytical skills and calm demeanor when faced with the mysterious death.
• Fusuoles shows his knowledge of the opera house's layout and security measures.
• Xia Yubing is seen to be shocked and frightened by the events.

Significant Themes

• The theme of death and the unknown is prevalent, as the group investigates the mysterious deaths.
• The theme of power and influence is shown through Fusuoles' connection to the Milicato family and the opera house.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Fusuoles work together to investigate the death, with Fusuoles providing information and Ning Zhe analyzing the scene.
• Xia Yubing is seen interacting with the male attendants, who seem to be under her care or supervision.
• Disel's driver interacts with Fusuoles and seems to be anxious and excited to see him.

Chapter Summary: “Invoking the Gods”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe, Xia Yubing, Fusuoles, and two theater attendants witness driver Bayer mysteriously vanish while attempting to smoke outside Stand No. 6.
• Moments later, Bayer’s corpse suddenly appears, revealing that the Ghost remains inside the theater. His terrified expression suggests he encountered something incomprehensible before dying.
• Ning Zhe determines that the Ghost’s killing process involves a person first disappearing and then reappearing dead. He concludes that the phenomenon follows a fixed supernatural rule rather than being an act of conscious intimidation.
• To prevent further victims from vanishing unnoticed, Ning Zhe orders everyone gathered together where they can constantly see one another. He also sends an attendant to retrieve surveillance footage.
• Ning Zhe and Xia Yubing secretly move Bayer’s body into a neighboring room. Ning disguises himself with another face and summons the Fortune God using a Copper Coin.
• The Fortune God appears as a grotesque, corpse-like old scholar. Ning Zhe purchases Bayer’s life, causing the dead driver to revive.
• Bayer wakes in terror, but Ning restrains and interrogates him while Xia Yubing holds him at gunpoint. Ning forces Bayer to explain what he experienced.
• The Fortune God demands payment from Xia Yubing as well. She gives it Copper Coins, allowing the entity to disappear under the rules of the Five Connections.
• The chapter ends with Ning realizing that the Fortune God’s rules function as expected and wondering whether Lan Shiwen is also somewhere inside the theater.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe remains calm and analytical despite the Ghost’s terrifying behavior. He quickly identifies that the disappearance and reappearance are part of a supernatural mechanism rather than random violence.
• He demonstrates his willingness to exploit dangerous supernatural rules by reviving Bayer through the Fortune God and immediately interrogating him.
• Ning also reveals his caution and secrecy by changing his appearance before invoking the Fortune God, suggesting he is preparing for hidden enemies or observers.
• Xia Yubing becomes visibly frightened by Bayer’s disappearance, death, and the Fortune God’s appearance. Nevertheless, she follows Ning’s instructions, helps move the body, accepts the payment coins, and threatens Bayer with a revolver.
• Her growing dependence on Ning is evident when she instinctively looks to him for guidance during the Fortune God’s approach.
• Bayer changes from a driver who inexplicably disappears into a terrified witness brought back to life. His fear implies that he possesses crucial information about the Ghost’s killing process.
• Fusuoles and the attendants react with increasing unease but continue following Ning’s orders, helping organize the theater and investigate the surveillance footage.

Significant Themes

• Supernatural rules and fixed logic: The Ghost is not acting emotionally or randomly; its actions follow an unknown but necessary logic. Understanding these rules is the key to survival.
• The danger of observation and uncertainty: Several people witness Bayer’s disappearance, yet none can explain it. Even seeing an event directly does not guarantee understanding or safety.
• Life, death, and transactional power: The Fortune God can reverse death, but only through a binding exchange. Supernatural power is governed by commerce, obligation, and price.
• Control versus fear: Ning Zhe maintains composure by analyzing and exploiting supernatural phenomena, while the others are overwhelmed by terror and uncertainty.
• Hidden identities and concealed motives: Ning’s altered face and his suspicion that Lan Shiwen may be present reinforce the atmosphere of deception and unseen agendas.

Character Interactions

• Ning questions Xia Yubing and the attendants about Bayer’s disappearance, then directs Fusuoles and the staff to control the group and investigate the theater.
• He and Xia work together to hide Bayer’s body and summon the Fortune God.
• Ning revives Bayer but immediately threatens and interrogates him, using physical force and fear to ensure cooperation.
• Xia supports Ning by drawing her revolver on Bayer and paying the Fortune God, though her frightened glance toward Ning shows that she relies on his judgment.
• The Fortune God interacts with both Ning and Xia through its rigid buying-and-selling rules, demonstrating that even supernatural entities can be compelled or negotiated with—but only at a cost.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Lou Family's Bestowal Artifact, Ink Line, severs the opera house into two worlds, preventing entry or exit.
• Fortune God (Five Connections) ignores Ink Line's rules, suggesting it might be inside the opera house already.
• Bayer, the driver, recounts his encounter with a ghostly figure, which killed him after he punched it.
• Everyone gathers in the audience, and the opera house is under constant camera surveillance. No one seems to be the Ghost's next target.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe uses his ability to extract truthful information from Bayer.
• Ning Zhe realizes that He Nianjun, the person he's been seeing as a ghostly figure, has disappeared, suggesting they might be the Ghost's next target.

Significant Themes

• The struggle between the living and the dead, with the Ghost choosing and killing its targets.
• The isolation and helplessness of the characters, trapped in the opera house with an unseen, uncontrollable threat.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Xia Yubing work together to gather information and deduce the Ghost's rules.
• Ning Zhe interacts with Bayer, extracting information about his encounter with the Ghost.
• The audience members gather in the audience, creating a tense atmosphere as they wait for the Ghost's next move.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ning Zhe finds He Nianjun missing, along with the Almanac.
• Driver Bayer is tied up and gagged by Xia Yubing.
• He Nianjun reappears without the Almanac.
• Five people disappear simultaneously from the audience.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe realizes that being "selected" by the ghost doesn't necessarily mean death, but losing something.
• He Nianjun reappears, suggesting she might not be an independent individual but a projection of Zhaoyou's rules.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of being "selected" by the ghost vary, challenging Ning Zhe's understanding of the ghost's rules.
• The interconnectedness of events and characters, with each action having potential repercussions.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Xia Yubing work together to restrain Bayer.
• Ning Zhe and Xia Yubing discuss the ghost's actions and their implications.
• The audience's reactions to the disappearances create a commotion.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Ghost chooses five people at once, defying Ning Zhe's previous assumptions.
• Panic ensues in the opera house as people realize they're trapped in a haunted place.
• A nobleman demands to leave, but Fusuoles refuses, sealing the opera house.
• The remaining guests and staff are gathered in one section of the audience seating.
• Salisali, the final "gift girl," and four others disappear, then reappear dead.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe remains calm and analytical despite the chaos, hiding his knowledge of Life-Buying Money.
• Fusuoles tries to maintain control, but his employees are terrified and obedient due to the Weird Event.
• Salisali, the "gift girl," is revealed to have been shot at close range.

Significant Themes

• The First Law of Weird Events: the more people who know of the weird, the greater the probability of a Weird Event occurring.
• The sealing of the opera house by the Ink Line's rules, yet Five Connections' life-buying rule still functioning.
• The mysterious presence of the Fortune God and Lan Shiwen.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Xia Yubing leave Box No. 5 and go downstairs together.
• Fusuoles tries to calm his employees and keep them in their seats.
• Ning Zhe questions employees about the disappeared people and finds Salisali's body.
• Salisali's reappearance causes commotion among the audience.

Summary: “Saint Lia Opera House Shooting”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A shooting inside Saint Lia Opera House triggers mass panic. The crowd flees chaotically after Sally Sally is shot in the head, while Ning Zhe remains unnervingly calm, holding her blood-covered body.
• Ning Zhe summons the Fortune God by throwing four Copper Coins and uses the transaction to purchase Sally Sally’s life. The supernatural exchange restores her shattered skull and removes all traces of blood and damage.
• Sally Sally revives with no immediate memory of what has happened and instinctively calls Ning Zhe “Father,” though she quickly becomes frightened by his cold, unfamiliar demeanor.
• The Fortune God then forces Xia Yubing into another transaction under the rules of Five Connections. She must pay four Copper Coins for one life, despite having already dealt with the deity twice.
• Ning Zhe interrogates Sally Sally, physically restraining her and threatening to kill her if she refuses to explain the shooting. She reveals that she was shot by Mary, one of the makeup artists.
• Ning Zhe asks Sally to recount everything from the moment the other people disappeared from her perspective until Mary killed her.
• Sally explains that everyone in the audience suddenly vanished, leaving only herself, makeup artists Anna and Mary, two men named George and another gentleman, and later a mysterious sixth person.
• The new arrival was a tall, thin figure dressed in rags with an old burlap sack over his head, resembling a beggar. He silently approached the remaining group, prompting George to challenge him.

Character Developments

• Ning Zhe is shown to be composed, decisive, and ruthless. He immediately uses the Fortune God to revive Sally, then treats her less as a rescued girl than as a source of information, forcing her to cooperate through intimidation.
• Sally Sally awakens traumatized and confused. Her instinctive use of “Father” suggests a deep connection to Ning Zhe’s identity or memories, but his detached behavior makes her question whether he is truly the father she remembers. She begins recounting the events despite her fear.
• Xia Yubing remains observant and involved in the investigation. Her repeated dealings with the Fortune God emphasize her familiarity with supernatural danger, while her reaction to Sally echoes her own past fear and vulnerability.
• The Fortune God is established as a coercive supernatural entity. It not only grants life in exchange for payment but also forces transactions and raises its price, making encounters with it dangerous even for those who summon it voluntarily.
• Fusuoles panics upon recognizing the Fortune God and immediately flees, revealing his fear and knowledge of the deity’s power.

Significant Themes

• The cost of resurrection: Life can be restored, but only through an unequal and increasingly expensive supernatural bargain.
• Identity and memory: Sally’s revived state, her calling Ning Zhe “Father,” and her uncertainty about his true nature raise questions about reality, memory, and familial identity.
• Control versus helplessness: The crowd loses control in the stampede, Sally is physically dominated by Ning Zhe, and everyone who encounters the Fortune God is compelled to trade.
• Fear beneath appearances: The opera house initially appears civilized and orderly, but it becomes a site of supernatural violence, revealing how fragile social order is.
• Mystery and investigation: The disappearance of the crowd, the strange beggar-like figure, and Mary’s role in the shooting suggest that the incident is part of a larger supernatural scheme rather than a simple murder.

Character Interactions

• Ning Zhe and Sally Sally: Ning revives Sally but immediately interrogates and threatens her, creating a tense relationship marked by her fear and his strict control.
• Ning Zhe and Xia Yubing: They cooperate in examining the incident, with Ning giving Xia the Copper Coins needed for her forced transaction with the Fortune God.
• Xia Yubing and the Fortune God: Their third encounter demonstrates the deity’s rule that anyone who meets it must conduct business, even after previously paying for their life.
• Sally and the makeup artists: Sally identifies Mary as the shooter and distinguishes her from Anna, who was present during the disappearance and noticed the mysterious stranger.
• The remaining witnesses and the “beggar”: George confronts the silent, inexplicable figure after he appears inside the supposedly sealed and orderly opera house.