Chapter Summaries

Zong Shen examined a rare elemental trident and learned the origin and unusual power of his Cruel Blood-Burning Arrow. He opened two treasure chests, gained several items and blueprints, and chose the Blood-Drinking Saber for Colby.

• Zong Shen inspected the Wind-Fire-Thunder Trident and added the heavy weapon, which dealt wind, fire, and thunder damage, to his reserves.
• Zong Shen asked the Strategy System about the Cruel Blood-Burning Arrow and learned that Katja had fired it after imbuing it with power-amplifying Cruel Fire.
• Zong Shen opened a Black Iron Treasure Chest and a Bronze Treasure Chest, obtaining construction blueprints, recruitment scrolls, books, seeds, denars, and equipment.
• Zong Shen used a Primary Life Manual and gained 20 maximum health.
• Zong Shen inspected the Blood-Drinking Saber and decided to give it to Colby for its health-restoring effect.

Zong Shen awakened a Primary Thunder Magic Talent, recruited two Wolf Cavalry, and learned that slave trader Bamogo had arrived at the territory. He prepared to negotiate a sale and possibly buy slaves.

• Zong Shen inspected the treasure chest rewards and delegated decisions about the new blueprints to Maryl.
• Zong Shen used a Primary Magic Talent Book and gained a Primary Thunder Magic Talent and the Thunderbolt Arrow spell.
• Zong Shen recruited two Wolf Cavalry warriors to bring the third squad closer to full strength.
• Maryl reported that slave traders had arrived with chained captives, and Zong Shen invited them to the Lord's Courtyard.
• Bamogo introduced himself as a slave trader operating across Bosbang's jurisdiction, and Zong Shen offered to discuss a deal.

Zong Shen sold three captured Third Order warriors to Bamogo and then inspected the slaves Bamogo had brought, searching for people who could help develop his territory. He found several promising slaves, but the chapter ended before he chose or bought anyone.

• Zong Shen had Maryl and Luna bring down the two Gold Diggers and the Blade Armor Assassin for Bamogo to inspect.
• Bamogo offered 1,500 Continental Denars for each warrior, and Zong Shen negotiated the price up to 2,000 each.
• Bamogo paid Zong Shen 6,000 Continental Denars, and Zong Shen's subordinates loaded the three captives into a prison cart.
• Zong Shen asked Bamogo to show him the slaves he had brought and examined the people in five prison carts.
• Zong Shen identified several slaves with hidden strengths that could help his territory grow.

Zong Shen recognized three valuable talents among Bamogo’s slaves and bought Howie, Alana, and Quite for a total of 2,070 Continental Denars. Howie and Alana were taken away to bathe, while Quite joined Zong Shen’s new recruits with a quest tied to Mona Village and future exploration of the East Sea.

• Zong Shen learned that Howie was an Excellent Grade Hero who had been framed and sold into slavery, then bought him from Bamogo for 370 Continental Denars.
• Zong Shen gave Howie bread and sent Wolf Cavalry Squad 3 to take him for a bath and provide him with clothes.
• Zong Shen identified Alana as a talented intermediate tailor with magic energy and rune technology skills, then bought her for 1,000 Continental Denars.
• Luna and several Huntresses took Alana to the Lord’s Courtyard to bathe and dress her.
• Zong Shen chose Quite, whose return to Mona Village could earn the friendship of its chief and villagers, and bought him along with the other two slaves for 2,070 Continental Denars.

Zong Shen completed a slave trade with Bamogo, gaining three talented slaves and a profit, then sold Bamogo false information about High Elves for 30,000 Denars. Bamogo rode west toward Lentatus Great City to pursue the lead, while Zong Shen kept the true situation to himself.

• Zong Shen traded two Gold Diggers and a Blade Armor Assassin for Howie, Quite, and Alana, earning 3,930 Denars and leaving Howie and Quite chained while freeing Alana.
• Zong Shen sent the three slaves to bathe and discussed Alana's mysterious background and the Strategy Guide's hints about her hidden secret.
• Bamogo asked Zong Shen where he had obtained his Night Huntress warriors, and Zong Shen offered him a lead about High Elves.
• Zong Shen used the phrase "Eye of the Elf" to convince Bamogo that the information was genuine and charged him 30,000 Denars.
• Zong Shen told Bamogo that High Elves would meet at the Black Rose Tavern in Lentatus Great City in ten days.
• Bamogo paid Zong Shen, ordered his subordinates to follow by carriage, and rode west toward Lentatus Great City.

After welcoming new recruits and tending to his territory, Zong Shen received the second temporary opening of the Dungeon Challenge Points Exchange. He spent points on Rare Grade staves for Ashia and Doris, then considered how the new equipment would strengthen his forces.

• After Bamogo left, Zong Shen spoke with Maryl in the farmland and asked her to show the recruits around with Colby, make Alana her assistant, and watch the other two slaves closely.
• Zong Shen visited Tasia meditating in the Magic Hall and left four Intermediate Skill Experience Books beside her.
• At noon, the Points Exchange opened for the second time, and Zong Shen found he had accumulated 54,729 Dungeon Points.
• Zong Shen reviewed his territory’s needs and opened the expanded Weapons and Equipment selection in the exchange.
• Using strategy hints, Zong Shen chose the Staff of Dawn's Wisdom for Ashia and the Staff of Scorching Burn for Doris.

Zong Shen spent his points on equipment, supplies, and eleven Tier 4 specialized defense towers, strengthening his territory before opening the Points Lottery. With 6,569 points remaining and three minutes of Time Stop left, he decided to spend them all on lottery draws.

• Zong Shen replaced his worn Swift Leather Boots with Steel Bone War Boots and bought 23 Sharp Grassland Sabers to re-equip his Wolf Riders.
• Zong Shen studied the available defensive structures and chose specialized towers, including Thunder, Moon Glaive, Giant Crossbow, Holy Light, and Necro Towers.
• Zong Shen redeemed eleven Tier 4 specialized arrow tower blueprints for 38,500 points, leaving him with 9,869 points.
• Zong Shen spent 2,800 points on bandages, Healing Wards, Anti-Poison Pills, and Healing Powder, then kept 6,569 points for the lottery.
• Zong Shen opened the Points Lottery and decided to use all his remaining points on draws before the Time Stop ended.

Zong Shen spent points on several draws, receiving ordinary supplies and useful rewards before winning a powerful Time Stop Orb. He learned that the orb could halt time within a large area but carried severe risks, and he resolved to heed its limits.

• Zong Shen used two 500-point draws to obtain a Wood Gift Pack and a World Horn, then opened the pack and received 2,273 wood.
• Zong Shen spent 1,000 points on a draw and won a Limb Regeneration Fluid, which eased his fears about losing a limb in battle.
• Zong Shen drew a Bath Set, then used his remaining points for a bracelet belonging to Princess Jenny Pendragon and an unopened Food Gift Pack.
• Zong Shen spent his final 1,000 points on a Time Stop Orb, his first Gold Grade reward.
• Zong Shen inspected the orb and learned it could stop time and space, but overuse could damage his body, shorten his lifespan, or cause a temporal rift.

After spending his remaining Dungeon Points, Zong Shen discussed post-challenge plans with Maryl, then discovered two concealed High Elves observing his territory and brought them down. He identified Aila and Heya as Eye of the Elf agents and began offering them information, leaving their encounter unresolved.

• Zong Shen spent his final 500 points on a Decoy Puppet and gave Maryl defense-tower blueprints, medical supplies, and Sabers.
• Zong Shen and Maryl discussed plans for the territory after the Dungeon Challenge and when to install the new Arrow Towers.
• Aila and Heya flew toward Lentatus Great City and stopped to investigate the unusually numerous settlements, including Zong Shen's territory.
• After the Detection Tower alerted him, Zong Shen used the Strategy Guide to locate the concealed High Elves and fired a Nord Siege Bed Crossbow at them.
• The bolt disrupted the Hippogriff's concealment, and the Wolf Cavalry captured Aila and Heya with a net.
• Zong Shen had the Hippogriff freed, reassured Aila and Heya, and offered them information about Bamogo and the Eye of the Elf.

Zong Shen let the disguised High Elf sisters leave after warning them that the Eye of the Elf might be targeted, then assigned Alana to help produce leather armor. After lunch, he prepared the Exploration Squad to hunt Dungeon Monsters and gave rare staffs to Ashia and Doris.

• Zong Shen forgave Heya and Aila for spying, warned them about a possible attack on the Eye of the Elf, and watched them fly away.
• Zong Shen ordered the territory to focus on hunting Dungeon Monsters after lunch and had Alana begin making 50 sets of leather armor.
• Zong Shen decided to earn Howie's willing loyalty rather than force him to serve the territory.
• Zong Shen gathered the Exploration Squad for the afternoon hunt and gave rare staffs to Ashia and Doris.
• Doris accepted the Staff of Scorching Burn, and her Loyalty to Zong Shen rose by 8 points to 78.

Zong Shen learned that weakened Crypt Heroes had appeared to organize the monsters, then examined and killed a captured Crypt Lord. The Crypt Lord left behind a Beginner Challenge Fragment, while the threat of coordinated attacks and the coming Final Challenge remained.

• Doris received a Rare Grade staff from Zong Shen, while Favid continued leading the Fire Elementalists and earning recognition through hard work.
• Vereesa called Zong Shen to the Crypt front line and reported that her group had captured a Crypt Lord alive.
• Zong Shen inspected the Crypt Lord and learned that Crypt Heroes would rally wandering monsters into organized attacks ahead of the Final Challenge.
• After the Crypt Lord refused to communicate, Zong Shen ordered the troops to attack and killed it with Spherical Lightning.
• Zong Shen found a Beginner Challenge Fragment where the Crypt Lord had disappeared and learned it could be exchanged for advanced rewards after the challenge.

After killing a Dungeon Hero, Zong Shen set a goal of hunting more Dungeon Heroes and headed out to answer a Legion member’s call for aid. Zhang Zihao struggled to defend his territory from a horde of more than ten thousand monsters as Zong Shen’s force advanced toward him.

• Zong Shen gained 1,000 Dungeon Points and Extraction Value from the Crypt Lord, then set a goal of killing more than 100 Dungeon Heroes.
• Zong Shen left Vereesa and Favid to defend the Dungeon front line and led Wolf Cavalry and the Exploration Squad east to hunt monsters.
• Zong Shen received Zhang Zihao’s call for aid, accepted it, and set out toward his location with a movement-speed bonus.
• Zhang Zihao fought to defend his territory against more than ten thousand Dungeon Monsters closing in from three directions.
• Zhang Zihao urged his soldiers to hold on after learning Zong Shen had accepted his call for aid.

Zong Shen arrived just as Zhang Zihao’s territory was about to fall to a siege led by a Death Knight, and his squad began cutting through the Dungeon Monsters to rescue the defenders. After reinforcing Zhang Zihao’s soldiers and boosting his troops, Zong Shen charged the Death Knight.

• Zhang Zihao’s territory came under attack from several converging hordes, and the Death Knight’s forces killed one of his Wolf Cavalrymen and wounded him.
• Zong Shen arrived with his troops and ordered the Wolf Cavalry Squad to charge through the horde in Blade Formation.
• Zong Shen’s forces attacked the encircling monsters, while Bajie’s charge opened a path into Zhang Zihao’s territory.
• Zong Shen summoned three Alonwa Power Swordsmen to aid Zhang Zihao’s remaining soldiers and gave him a bandage and recovery potion.
• Zong Shen drank Cellared Merlot Wine, strengthened himself and his troops with buffs, and charged directly at the Death Knight.

Zong Shen activated Violent Bear Mode and defeated the Death Knight by pinning it and its Skeletal Warhorse to the ground with the Calamity War Spear. As fresh Dungeon Monster hordes converged on Zhang Zihao’s territory, Zong Shen continued fighting and turned a captured Gargoyle into a weapon.

• Zong Shen and the Exploration Squad cut through the Dungeon Monster horde while the Death Knight used Death Ring to strengthen the monsters.
• The Death Knight used Death Grip to pull Zong Shen close, but Zong Shen summoned Violent Bear Warriors and transformed into Violent Bear Mode.
• Zong Shen impaled the Death Knight and its Skeletal Warhorse with the Calamity War Spear, then hacked the Death Knight until it died and left a Beginner Challenge Fragment.
• More Dungeon Monsters and over a hundred Gargoyles arrived as multiple hordes converged on Zhang Zihao’s territory.
• Zong Shen grabbed a diving Gargoyle by the leg and swung it into the surrounding monsters.

Zong Shen fought through the Dungeon Monster horde, captured the Wailing Lich alive, and ordered his squad to defend the territory. As Violent Bear Mode neared its end, he began retreating while the monsters surged after him.

• Zong Shen used his Shadow Clone skill to evade a Crypt Hero’s bone claws and spears while searching for the attacker.
• Tasia summoned an Infernal, which struck the red-hooded Wailing Lich and sent it flying toward Zong Shen.
• Zong Shen caught and bound the Wailing Lich, then tossed it into Zhang Zihao’s territory and ordered him to guard the captive.
• Zong Shen ordered the Exploration Squad to clear a path and sent Madeline and Mappel inside the territory to target Gargoyles, Ghost Banshees, and Crypt Heroes.
• Zong Shen and the Infernal Warrior continued fighting, and Zong Shen gained Strength and Extraction Value by killing Dungeon Monsters and Ghost Banshees.
• As Violent Bear Mode neared its end, Zong Shen began retreating, and the Dungeon Monsters rushed after him in a frenzied attack.

Zong Shen survived being buried beneath Dungeon Monsters by activating Demon Intimidation, which drove the monsters away and made two Dungeon Heroes mistake him for a companion. He captured the Heroes, killed the Dungeon Lord, and returned to the rear as two merged monster hordes neared Zhang Zihao's territory.

• The Dungeon Monsters swarmed Zong Shen as he retreated, and Luna and the Huntresses attacked to help clear a path.
• Violent Bear Mode ended, and Zong Shen disappeared beneath a mound of monsters, alarming Luna, Zhang Zihao, and the warriors.
• Demon Intimidation drove the monsters away and revealed Zong Shen, while Luna hurried to him and the two Dungeon Heroes approached.
• The Wailing Lich called Zong Shen a companion and spoke of completing a mission to obtain true life; the Strategy Module explained that his demonic aura had made the Heroes mistake him for one of their own.
• Zong Shen tested the effect, captured the Wailing Lich and Dungeon Lord, and killed the Dungeon Lord for points, Extraction Value, strength, and a Beginner Challenge Fragment.
• Zong Shen and the others returned to the rear as the other two monster hordes merged and approached Zhang Zihao's territory.

Zong Shen considered the mysteries surrounding the Dungeon Monsters and the Lord System before deciding to defend Zhang Zihao’s territory against a horde of more than ten thousand monsters. Zhang Zihao chose to fight beside him as their thirty-six defenders prepared for the coming assault.

• Zong Shen rested after capturing two Wailing Liches and defeating the nearby Crypt Heroes, then wondered whether the Dungeon Monsters were altered copies tied to another dimension and questioned the Lord System’s purpose.
• Zong Shen assessed the damage to his equipment and the approaching horde, then chose to fight rather than abandon Zhang Zihao’s territory.
• Zhang Zihao offered to give up his territory and become a Free Citizen, but Zong Shen promised to wipe out the Dungeon Monsters.
• Zhang Zihao declared that he wanted to fight beside Zong Shen, who acknowledged him and headed toward the front line.
• Zong Shen’s soldiers and Zhang Zihao’s six survivors formed a four-line defense with only thirty-six fighters as the monster vanguard attacked.

Zong Shen and his warriors fought back a massive Dungeon Monster horde, using fire and explosives to stall its advance while countering the Ghost Banshees’ curses. Zhang Zihao watched Zong Shen’s tactics turn the battle into a costly slog for the monsters and became convinced they could be defeated.

• Zong Shen led his warriors into battle and used the Strategy Module to locate hidden Ghost Banshees and Crypt Heroes.
• Zong Shen swept the front ranks with his flamethrower while the mages, archers, and Wolf Cavalry attacked the Gargoyles and advancing monsters.
• Doris joined Zong Shen with her staff’s Fire Breath, and their combined flames held the horde back as Doris’s Loyalty increased by 10 points.
• Ghost Banshees used Possession and Curse of Chaos on the front line, but Ashia dispelled the effects with Dawn’s Radiance.
• Zong Shen threw Mining Goblin Detonators into the horde and ignited them, causing blasts that damaged the monsters and Ghost Banshees.
• Zhang Zihao watched Zong Shen counter the horde’s attacks and became convinced that Zong Shen could wipe it out.

Zong Shen used Doris’s Fire Tornadoes and Demon Intimidation to disrupt and thin the Dungeon Monster horde, then led his troops in a close-combat sweep before falling back to heal and regroup. As the monsters advanced again, Earth Spikes launched Zong Shen, Tasia, and Pax into the air, and an Abyssal Maw opened beneath Zong Shen and swallowed him.

• Doris’s three Fire Tornadoes burned through hundreds of Dungeon Monsters and cleared trails through the horde.
• Zong Shen used Demon Intimidation to scatter the Gargoyles and throw the advancing Dungeon Monsters into chaos.
• Zong Shen ordered his troops to charge, and they killed several hundred disorganized monsters before retreating to the buffer zone.
• Zong Shen planted a Healing Ward to restore the Wolf Cavalry as the horde pressed forward again.
• Earth Spikes struck Zong Shen, Tasia, and Pax, then an Abyssal Maw opened beneath Zong Shen and began tearing at his armor.

Zong Shen escaped an Abyssal Worm by making it vomit with Kodo Beast Dung, then rescued a Wailing Lich and ordered his warriors to retreat from the monster horde. He dropped a Type II Goblin Bomb into the worm’s mouth as he flew away, and the chapter ended with the bomb exploding.

• An Abyssal Worm swallowed Zong Shen and sprayed corrosive venom at the warriors pursuing it, prompting Luna and the others to charge after their lord.
• Trapped inside the worm’s crushing mouth, Zong Shen used Kodo Beast Dung to make it retch and spit him out in the middle of the monster horde.
• Zong Shen grabbed a nearby Wailing Lich, then used Levitation and Hemp Rope to carry it as he rose above the battlefield.
• Zong Shen saw Luna, Zhang Zihao, and the warriors fighting toward him, told them he was safe, and ordered them to retreat.
• Zong Shen dropped a Type II Goblin Bomb into the vomiting Abyssal Worm’s open mouth and flew away before the bomb exploded.