Chapter Summaries

Zong Shen welcomed eight Wolf Cavalry and two Necromancers into his territory, then shared a quiet moment with Luna as winter’s cold intensified. In the Khergit Empire, Chen Rui reflected on the coming catastrophe and his failed attempts to contact Zong Shen, before a green-skinned woman brought him a cloak.

• Zong Shen examined the new Necromancers Edgeworth and Meli, noted their differing spells, and gave the recruits winter clothes.
• Zong Shen assigned Favid to lead the recruits to the residential area and introduce them to the territory.
• Zong Shen and Luna stood together in the cold, quietly enjoying each other’s company.
• Chen Rui recalled that the world’s future had changed and concluded that the approaching catastrophe would require lords to unite.
• Chen Rui reviewed his attempts to locate and message Zong Shen, and resolved to establish contact and cooperation with him.
• A green-skinned woman approached Chen Rui with a bearskin cloak and told him to put it on because it was cold.

Chen Rui enjoyed a quiet moment with Garona while preparing for the Winter Challenge, and Zong Ze advanced his territory and arcane powers in the mountains. As dark clouds covered the continent, Zong Shen finished relocating his Market and prepared for the challenge.

• Chen Rui held Garona close on his terrace and reflected on her recruitment, her help securing a nearby village, and his plans to sell cold-weather supplies.
• Enzo the Red-beaked Parrot delivered O'Donnell's message asking about hotpot, and Chen Rui told him to arrive before seven that evening.
• Zong Ze meditated in his mountain domain, where his Arcane Spirit legacy had raised his casting ability and Intelligence while his farmers built and warriors hunted.
• The Winter Challenge's dark clouds spread across the continent, and lords paused their usual activities while preparing for the coming conditions.
• Zong Shen wielded the [Artisan's Hammer (Green)] to finish reshaping the relocated [Market], while Luna remained with him in the Central District.

Zong Shen watched Winter Descends begin as a blizzard swept over the territory, then used the cold-weather supply shortage to list surplus coats and blankets on the Market. He left his listings to sell while keeping valuable heating equipment for his own territory.

• Zong Shen finished rebuilding the Tier 2 Market just as the Lord System announced that Winter Descends had begun.
• Snow fell heavily after the Time Stop ended, and Zong Shen told Luna to contact Maryl and Howie while arranging for Colby, Arvid, and the patrols to withdraw.
• Zong Shen checked the Market and found that cold-weather supplies had risen sharply in price since his earlier purchases.
• Zong Shen listed 973 Washed Sheepskin Coats, along with tailored coats, brand-new coats, and winter clothing, at prices below those of comparable listings.
• Zong Shen filled his final listing slot with 50 wool blankets and kept his Magic-Energy Thermal Orbs and stoves for his territory.

Zong Shen considered how to rapidly turn his territory into a Bang City through economic reform, technological research, and expansion. As winter’s first phase brought heavy snowfall, he returned to the Lord’s Small Building, where Luna greeted him.

• Zong Shen planned to urbanize his territory quickly, reform its economy, and build a city capable of supporting a large population and army.
• Zong Shen considered adapting Earth technologies and recruiting specialists in magic energy, runes, alchemy, and engineering.
• Zong Shen watched heavy snow blanket the territory and recognized that the snowfall could soon make travel impossible.
• Zong Shen returned to the Lord’s Small Building, where Luna had been dozing with Black Panther and softly greeted him.

Jiang Yi discovered a terrifying presence in a southern swamp and decided to report it to Zong Shen, while the black dragon living deep within the swamp was revealed. The chapter ended with the young dragon resting in his treasure-filled den, unaware that Jiang Yi had found traces of him.

• Zong Shen carried Luna upstairs after the two shared an intimate moment alone in the Lord's Small Building.
• Jiang Yi explored the swamp to gather black marsh flowers, found ancient ruins and a Silver Treasure Chest, then fled when a powerful mental pressure and a crowd of creatures approached.
• Jiang Yi completed the village quest, gained permission to recruit villagers, and considered telling Zong Shen about the swamp's dangers and treasures.
• Jiang Yi called Zong Shen, but he declined the Communication Crystal connection, so she planned to contact him later.
• Deep in the swamp, a young adult black dragon lay in his den among heaps of treasure and recalled why he had kept his existence secret.

A black dragon fortified its swamp and ordered its followers to kill human intruders, while a freezing female lord was taken before Prince Ayub in Golden Neverfall. Ayub recognized her strange account of the Winter Challenge as a possible sign of the Chosen Curse and ordered a search for others like her.

• The black dragon told Ulysses to have Gladstone and the lizardfolk watch the marshlands and kill intruders.
• The black dragon ate fermented swamp giant catfish and planned to sleep, dismissing the nearby humans as a minor threat.
• In Golden Neverfall, a freezing female lord was surrounded by Sarranid soldiers and brought to Prince Ayub.
• Prince Ayub questioned the female lord, who tried to explain the Winter Challenge, but most of her words could not be heard.
• Prince Ayub ordered the lord and her warriors held separately in the palace dungeon and discussed the Chosen Curse with Master Abdullah.
• Prince Ayub ordered camel riders to search near the imperial city and capture anyone who seemed similarly strange.

After goblins breached the territory’s northwest defenses, Zong Shen left Luna and went to investigate. He identified the attackers as an organized goblin squad and decided to pursue them before they could report the territory’s strength to their tribe.

• Prince Ayub and the elders discussed the first Sultan’s passage, which had helped them notice a female lord’s unusual behavior.
• As heavy snow settled over the territory, its residents rested and found ways to pass the time, while San Pang and other talented farmers continued training.
• Vereesa reported that the northwest defenses had attacked intruders and left pools of dark green blood; Zong Shen suspected goblins and headed there.
• Zong Shen drove the Load-Bearer Mecha through deep snow to Vereesa and two Wolf Cavalry squads, then examined the scene.
• Zong Shen concluded that a goblin squad with a shaman had retreated after one volley and resolved to pursue and eliminate them before they could alert their tribe.

Zong Shen pursued and wiped out a twelve-goblin combat squad, capturing its Goblin Shaman for interrogation. He planned to use his heavily fortified territory as bait to draw in goblin reinforcements and defeat them in separate waves.

• Zong Shen used the Strategy Module to track the fleeing goblins and set out with Doris, Vereesa, and the Wolf Cavalry in a Load-Bearer Mecha.
• Zong Shen’s group found the goblins sheltering by a boulder, and Vereesa, Doris, and the Wolf Cavalry attacked them with arrows, Capture Nets, fire, and Sabers.
• Zong Shen ordered his Warriors to spare the Goblin Shaman and kill the rest, then learned from the Strategy Module that other goblin scouts and squads were active nearby.
• Zong Shen ordered the goblins’ weapons gathered and their corpses burned, then took the badly wounded Goblin Shaman back to his territory for interrogation.
• Zong Shen returned to the territory and considered using its defenses to lure goblin reinforcements into successive battles for experience.

Zong Shen learned that the nearby Goblin Tribe was capturing people for food and breeding, then used the Strategy Guide to assess its overwhelming strength and chose to weaken it through defensive ambushes. Jiang Yi contacted him with news of another place to explore, leaving him to decide whether to join her.

• Zong Shen interrogated the captured Goblin Shaman, learned the goblins had come to capture people, and killed it.
• Zong Shen ordered his forces to watch the territory and prepare to whittle down the Goblin Tribe through defensive attacks.
• Zong Shen opened the cold-weather compensation package and inspected its supplies.
• Zong Shen learned the Goblin Tribe had nearly four thousand members, valuable loot, and many captives, so he rejected an immediate assault and committed to a fishing tactic.
• Jiang Yi contacted Zong Shen and invited him to explore an interesting place she had found.

Jiang Yi told Zong Shen about a treasure-filled swamp south of Dinan Village and offered to help prepare an expedition. Zong Shen learned from the Strategy Module that the swamp was home to an adult black dragon called Greedy Handsome Guy, and he left the chapter considering whether he could tame it.

• Jiang Yi told Zong Shen that the poisonous swamp south of Dinan Village contained Ruins, medicinal herbs, treasure chests, and dangerous monsters.
• Zong Shen agreed to discuss an expedition after the challenge and asked Jiang Yi to gather more information about the swamp.
• Jiang Yi reported that she had collected 8,680 units of wood and 2,672 Continental Denar for the Legion, and Zong Shen let her keep 3,000 wood and 1,000 Denar.
• Zong Shen asked the Strategy Module about the swamp and learned that Greedy Handsome Guy, a 132-year-old Overlord-level black dragon, lived there with Dragonblood Kobolds and Lizardmen who commanded swamp crocodiles.
• Zong Shen learned that he could not yet conquer the dragon and its forces, but considered that taming the black dragon with his Dragon Taming Reins could bring him great renown.

Zong Shen considered the young black dragon and reflected on the Winter Challenge’s quiet first stage before checking in with his family and chatting in the regional channel. The chapter ended when Vereesa reported that an apparently familiar caravan had arrived, and Zong Shen went to investigate.

• Zong Shen decided that he could fight the young black dragon and considered taming it, though he resolved to kill or castrate it if it was male and uncontrollable.
• Zong Shen reviewed the Winter Challenge stages, noting that the first was safe and calm while the later stages would bring severe cold and dangerous monsters.
• Zong Shen messaged Zong Ze, saw that his parents’ arrival was still months away, and wondered what would happen to people unable to care for themselves.
• Zong Shen greeted the Regional Channel, drawing a flood of messages and praise from the lords there.
• Vereesa told Zong Shen that an apparently familiar caravan had approached from the east and passed through the defensive matrix, so he set out to see it.

Zong Shen met Lord Mars and his convoy, then showed him where to build a large pasture in the territory. Lord Mars planned the ranch and considered moving more of his livestock and business there.

• Zong Shen watched Vereesa return to the terrace, then left the Lord's Small Building in the Load-Bearer Mecha.
• Zong Shen met Lord Mars and his convoy, and told him he had brought back the wealth left by Mars's forefathers.
• Lord Mars brought pregnant Grassland Cows and traveling merchant friends, fulfilling their agreement to build a pasture and introduce new trade routes.
• Zong Shen drove Lord Mars and the convoy to the agricultural and pastoral district and offered land beside the planned road.
• Lord Mars marked out a one-kilometer-square pasture and planned its fences, hay storerooms, and nearby slaughterhouse.
• Lord Mars considered moving all of Xitano Village's pasture to Zong Shen's territory and bringing in dairy cows if the first herd did well.

Zong Shen and Lord Mars agreed on land for a livestock farm and prepared to discuss the investment and the inheritance left by Mars’s father. After Zong Shen brought out more than six hundred thousand Denar, Mars wondered how he could safely transport the two barrels back.

• Lord Mars chose land near the territory’s edge for his livestock farm, and Zong Shen agreed to reserve room for future expansion.
• Zong Shen drove Mars and three traveling merchants to the Lord’s Small Building, where they shared wine and introduced themselves.
• The three merchants promised to make Zong Shen’s territory a stop on their routes between Bosbang and Xitano Village.
• Zong Shen and Mars met privately to discuss the inheritance and the livestock farm, and Mars chose to divide the money first.
• Zong Shen filled two wooden barrels with more than six hundred thousand Denar, leaving Mars to worry about transporting the exposed fortune safely.

Zong Shen secured Lord Mars’s 500,000-Denar deposit and formed a partnership to build and operate a cattle pasture, then asked Mars to recruit skilled workers and refugees. The agreements were signed, and Mars agreed to help source people for Zong Shen’s growing territory.

• Zong Shen offered Lord Mars 0.5% monthly interest on a deposit and guaranteed the principal and interest regardless of investment results.
• Lord Mars agreed to deposit 500,000 Denars, withdraw interest monthly, and leave the remaining 99,663 Denars with Maryl to deliver to Xitano Village.
• Zong Shen proposed funding and securing a pasture while Lord Mars supplied workers and managed breeding, sales, and processing for an equal share of profits.
• Lord Mars estimated the startup costs, and Zong Shen agreed to provide 85,000 Denars; Maryl drafted contracts that Zong Shen and Mars signed.
• Zong Shen gave Lord Mars Communication Crystal No. 12, then asked him to find skilled workers and bring refugees whom Xitano Village could not accommodate.

Zong Shen arranged to recruit workers and refugees through Lord Mars, then learned that impoverished Seaka Bang City could be a major source of population. Lord Mars departed after leaving twenty pregnant cows at Zong Shen's territory, and he planned to begin building the large pasture in three days.

• Zong Shen offered Lord Mars rewards for recruiting skilled workers and refugees, and Mars explained that Xitano Village often received refugees from Seaka Bang City.
• Zong Shen asked the Strategy Guide about Seaka Bang City and learned that it had only thirteen villages and was governed by the reckless Baron Eddie Nickles.
• Zong Shen considered visiting Seaka Bang City, then invited Lord Mars to stay the night, but Mars declined so he could prepare for the pasture construction.
• Lord Mars bid a tearful farewell to Maryl and left with Zong Shen for the livestock area.
• Zong Shen and Lord Mars unloaded twenty pregnant cows beside Zong Shen's pasture, and Mars told his companions to return to Xitano Village and prepare for construction.

After bidding farewell to Lord Mars and the merchants, Zong Shen reflected on the Lord System’s clues and prepared his territory for future upheavals. At dinner, he told Luna, Vereesa, and Maryl about Earth and its technology, leaving them astonished by the power of his former world.

• Zong Shen watched Lord Mars and the three itinerant merchants depart, while Mars assured them that cooperating with Zong Shen would be worthwhile.
• After the snow stopped, Zong Shen considered how the Lord System’s challenges revealed clues about its plans and concluded that he needed to build ties with native factions and develop his territory.
• Zong Shen led the pregnant cows into the pasture, then returned to the Lord’s Small Building and shared tomato soup and biscuits with Luna, Vereesa, and Maryl.
• When Luna asked about his hometown, Zong Shen explained that Earth had no magic but had science and technology, including electricity, aircraft, tanks, and atomic weapons capable of destroying a Great City.
• Luna, Vereesa, and Maryl were stunned by Zong Shen’s account of Earth’s destructive power and grew curious about his former world.

After discussing Earth with Luna, Maryl, and Vereesa, Zong Shen warned his legion about goblin activity near their territories. The first winter night passed peacefully, but the next morning brought unusually strong sunshine and a rapid change in the snow, leaving Zong Shen concerned about the Winter Challenge’s weather.

• Luna, Maryl, and Vereesa asked Zong Shen about Earth, then settled in for the night as residents cleared paths through the snow.
• Zong Shen considered how the Goblin Tribe might respond to its losses and planned to draw out its forces piecemeal.
• Zong Shen checked the territory leaderboard, muted the Legion Channel, and warned members to watch for goblins and request support if attacked.
• Zong Shen and Luna slept through the peaceful first night of winter.
• The next morning, Zong Shen noticed bright sunshine, rising temperatures, and melting snow, and wondered why the weather had changed so suddenly.

Zong Shen recognized that melting and refreezing snow had created dangerous ice ahead of Winter’s second stage, so he ordered Dwarf Uncle to forge anti-slip spikes for his fighters and mounts. Dwarf Uncle began urgent production, leaving Zong Shen with preparations underway for the coming weather and snow monsters.

• Zong Shen noticed ice beneath the snow and realized clear weather had made travel more dangerous before Winter’s second stage.
• Zong Shen collected the resources earned from sales of cold-weather clothing and bedding, which had sold less than he expected.
• Zong Shen visited the Blacksmith Shop and watched Dwarf Uncle and two apprentices work, noting that the apprentices had gained experience and Strength through vocational training.
• Zong Shen asked Dwarf Uncle to forge anti-slip spikes for fighters, wolves, and horses, prioritizing the first batches before noon and the rest by the following day.
• Dwarf Uncle immediately put the apprentices to work preparing molds and iron blanks, while Zong Shen left the shop.

Zong Shen checked on the territory’s expanding workshops and collected 376 sheepskin coats from Alana’s Tailor Shop. He then asked Dwarf Uncle to design snowplow blades for the Load-Bearer Mecha, and Dwarf Uncle promised to have them ready for installation in two hours.

• Zong Shen reviewed the territory’s plans for recruiting and training cooks, brewers, bakers, and other skilled workers.
• Zong Shen visited the Tailor Shop, where Alana reported that she and two apprentices had made 376 sheepskin coats.
• Zong Shen praised Alana, collected the finished coats, and told her team to keep working while getting enough rest.
• Zong Shen returned to the Blacksmith Shop and asked Dwarf Uncle to make curved snowplow blades for the Load-Bearer Mecha.
• Dwarf Uncle measured the Mecha, planned how to attach the blades, and said they would be ready for installation in two hours.

Zong Shen devoured the Fallen Shadow Demon's remnant soul, strengthening his demon form and gaining a stealth ability. He then used demonic power to dissolve more grime from the Tainted Heart, revealing the Holy Spirit Heart, and his Evil Grime skill rose to Lv. 36.

• Zong Shen returned to the Central District, listed 376 more tailored sheepskin coats, and inspected the residential area with Howie and Doris.
• Zong Shen entered his demon state and released the Fallen Shadow Demon's remnant soul from the Spirit Sealing Jar.
• Zong Shen burned and devoured the remnant soul, extending his Demon State and gaining Fallen Shadow Stealth.
• Zong Shen channeled demonic power into the Tainted Heart, stripping away most of its Evil Grime and revealing the Holy Spirit Heart.
• Zong Shen stored the painful Holy Spirit Heart and raised his Evil Grime skill from Lv. 15 to Lv. 36.