Chapter Summaries

Zong Shen sorted the Rare Grade treasure chest rewards and examined several weapons, deciding who would receive them. He gave Luna a Shadowveil Moon Glaive, reserved a hand axe for Rudnev and identified the Spine-Splitting Spear as a weapon for Curtis.

• Zong Shen examined the Skull-Ringing Hammer and added it to his reserve weapons.
• Zong Shen decided to give the Ice Wolf Hand Axe to Rudnev and considered recruiting more Berserker Axe Warriors to form a squad.
• Zong Shen gave Luna the Shadowveil Moon Glaive, which she accepted as a backup weapon.
• Zong Shen tested the Spine-Splitting Spear and decided it was suited to Curtis, the Dragon-kin Spear and Shield Warrior.

Zong Shen sorted the remaining Rare Grade equipment and chose recipients for the items that suited his territory's needs. He left the chapter with the aberrant mage robe awaiting Alana's examination, while the night suit remained a possible upgrade for Tie Zhu.

• Zong Shen examined the Far-traveling Merchant's Emblem, decided it suited Howie's trade role, and set it aside to give him after Winter ended.
• Zong Shen inspected Aberrant Bone Open Body, found its appearance unsettling despite its powerful defensive and combat skills, and hoped Tasia would like it.
• Zong Shen considered having Alana examine Aberrant Bone Open Body before giving it to Tasia.
• Zong Shen assessed Phantom Nightwalker Suit as practical but less useful to him than his existing infiltration abilities.
• Zong Shen kept Phantom Nightwalker Suit as a backup and considered giving it to the Second Order scout Tie Zhu.

Zong Shen inspected equipment and special items from his treasure haul, deciding to equip himself with a versatile weapon belt and considering upgrades for his troops. He ended with plans to use the level-up scroll, study The Way of Command, and advance one of the Ranger sisters.

• Zong Shen decided to keep the [Phantom Nightwalker Suit] as a spare and considered giving it to Tie Zhu to strengthen the Scout Squad captain.
• Zong Shen examined the [Modular Soft-Woven Belt], recognized its weapon-assembly and restraint abilities, and buckled it around his waist with the [Skull-Ringing Hammer] attached.
• Zong Shen inspected six special items, including a [Taming Fruit], [Level-Up Scroll], [Weary Wishing Star], [Parrot Candy], [Book: The Way of Command], and [Avalon Advancement Book].
• Zong Shen planned to use the [Taming Fruit] instead of his purple [Pet Contract] for the little black dragon and save the [Dragon Taming Reins (Gold)] for a stronger dragon.
• Zong Shen resolved to use the [Level-Up Scroll] to reach Level 40 and set aside daily time to read The Way of Command.
• Zong Shen considered using the [Avalon Advancement Book] on Madeline or Mappel to promote one into a Fourth Order Power Crossbowman.

Zong Shen recruited the Fourth Order Intermediate Spatial Mage Reese Ulysses, whose frail appearance concealed powerful spatial magic. After she demonstrated her abilities, he inspected her attributes and discovered a versatile set of teleportation, control, and destructive skills.

• Zong Shen set aside the Water Elementalist and Rhodok Sergeant recruitment scrolls, saving them with his other scrolls until Winter ended.
• Zong Shen activated the Intermediate Spatial Mage recruitment scroll, and a spatial vortex formed a gray cocoon in the Lord's Small Building.
• The cocoon broke open to reveal the elderly, hunched Reese Ulysses, who pledged her loyalty to Zong Shen.
• Reese used a short-range spatial blink to appear beside the long table and explained that her body had deteriorated from disuse.
• Zong Shen inspected Reese's attributes and learned she had powerful spatial skills, including teleportation, wormholes, dimensional collapse, and Life Gravity.

Zong Shen examined Reese Ulysses's abilities and assigned the intermediate spatial mage a room, then reviewed the Rare Grade manufacturing and building blueprints. He mastered the blueprints and discovered a powerful Tier 4 Elemental Tower, while several of the manufacturing options remained beyond his territory's current capabilities.

• Zong Shen assessed Reese Ulysses's spatial skills, noting her teleportation, control, and costly life-sacrificing attack abilities.
• Zong Shen assigned Reese Ulysses a room and told her to meet him at eight the next morning; she used spatial magic to reach it.
• Zong Shen inspected three manufacturing blueprints and mastered them, but recognized that his territory lacked the buildings, workers, and materials to use them yet.
• Zong Shen reviewed the Tier 4 Two-Story Stone House blueprint and mastered it as an upgrade for his territory's residences.
• Zong Shen examined the Rare Grade Tier 4 Elemental Tower blueprint, a mana-powered artillery building that fired elemental arrows, and mastered it.

Zong Shen reviewed rare building blueprints and secured a powerful, repeatable Bedrock Tower blueprint while setting aside other structures for Maryl to place. As intense supercooled ice rain began, he anticipated that the storm would leave the territory buried beneath a deeper layer of ice.

• Zong Shen examined the Warrior Hero Soul Tower blueprint, which could provide warrior Training Manuals and house fallen warriors' Hero Souls.
• Zong Shen reviewed the Rare Grade Detection Tower blueprint and planned to give it to Maryl along with the other complete buildings.
• Zong Shen added the Fourth Order City Wall blueprint to the shared Buildings list.
• Zong Shen activated and mastered the Fourth-Tier Bedrock Tower blueprint, a heavily armed fortress that could be built repeatedly but required extensive resources and specialists.
• At two in the morning, supercooled ice rain began falling harder than before, and Zong Shen expected it to leave the ground under roughly 1.2 to 1.3 meters of ice.

Zong Shen reviewed the remaining blueprints from his treasure chests while supercooled rain continued to ice over the territory and Luna cared for him. He learned plans for a powerful training ground, an advanced tavern, an airship port, and a knowledge-granting library, ending the night astonished by the library’s capabilities.

• Zong Shen watched the ice accumulate outside and accepted that he would need to jump from the terrace again to leave the building.
• Zong Shen learned the Fourth Order Ironwood Caltrop blueprint and considered it a useful addition to the territory’s defenses.
• Luna massaged Zong Shen’s neck and brought him water while he reviewed the Fourth-Order Comprehensive Training Ground and Advanced Tavern blueprints.
• Zong Shen learned the Fourth-Order Airship Port blueprint and noted its size, capacity, and rare material requirements.
• Zong Shen examined the Advanced Library blueprint, which required no construction materials and could improve reading and randomly grant a technique through Knowledge Insight.

Zong Shen planned how to expand his territory’s population, talent, and infrastructure after Winter, then assessed the challenge’s rewards and remaining treasure chests the next morning. With only hours left in the challenge, he considered how to use a single Avalon Advancement Book for Madeline and Mappel, but had not yet chosen between the sisters.

• Zong Shen planned to build a library and other structures after Winter, expand the territory’s workforce, tame the Griffons, receive refugees, and explore ruins with Baron Besos.
• Zong Shen spent the night with Luna as freezing rain coated the Lord's Small Building in ice.
• Zong Shen checked the regional treasure chest count and calculated his Winter Challenge points, experience, and stat gains.
• Zong Shen ruled out taking the Goblin Airship to distant treasure chests because the extreme cold could damage it.
• Zong Shen came downstairs and wondered whether to give the lone Avalon Advancement Book to Madeline or Mappel.

Zong Shen let Madeline and Mappel decide between themselves who would receive the Avalon Advancement Book, then learned how Reese Ulysses had become withered after a failed attempt to merge her body with space. After breakfast, he used Reese’s Blink skill to travel outside and prepared to take her to a nearby ice mountain.

• Zong Shen offered Madeline and Mappel the Avalon Advancement Book and left them to choose who would receive it, while both sisters asked him to grant it to the other.
• Zong Shen handed Maryl the building blueprints from the Winter Treasure Chests and told her to review them for construction after winter.
• Reese Ulysses arrived punctually at eight, and she explained that an experiment with merging her body into space had trapped her for decades and left her aged and frail.
• After breakfast, Zong Shen gave Reese cold-weather clothing and asked her to use Blink to take them outside.
• Reese teleported Zong Shen to the courtyard, where he gave her a Heat Ball and planned to take her to a nearby ice mountain.

Zong Shen and Reese used Primary Blink to travel to a southern small iceberg, where Zong Shen found signs of past battles and began drilling into it for its Winter Treasure Chest. He broke through the final layer of ice and faced five Icefield Wolves inside.

• Zong Shen prepared Magic Spring Water and had Reese mark the territory before they Bl blinked south toward the small iceberg.
• Reese warned Zong Shen of mana interference near Lake Heart Island, and their next Blink overshot slightly before they continued safely.
• Reese sensed that the iceberg could not be entered through space, so Zong Shen drove them there with the Magic Energy Drill.
• Zong Shen found excavation marks, bloodstains, torn coats, and weapons frozen around the iceberg, suggesting nearby Lords had fought over it and withdrawn.
• Zong Shen drilled through the iceberg’s outer ice, discovered five Icefield Wolves inside, and smashed open a hole with his Skull-Ringing Hammer.

Zong Shen collected Winter Treasure Chests with Reese Ulysses before returning to his territory through her Shadow Wormhole as the Winter Challenge neared its end. He left Dinan Village and the growing conflicts between lords unexplored for now, arriving exhausted at the Lord's Small Building.

• Zong Shen killed the Icefield Wolves, took their corpses and a Winter Treasure Chest, then blinked away with Reese Ulysses before nearby lords could reach the iceberg.
• Zong Shen and Reese Ulysses searched for more chests, obtained four in total, and avoided a battle between two groups of lords led in part by Medina.
• Zong Shen observed Dinan Village from outside and had Reese leave a Spatial Marker in a nearby grove.
• As the extreme cold weakened Reese and damaged the drilling machine, Zong Shen had her open a Shadow Wormhole to their territory and asked how many people could safely pass through it.
• Zong Shen and Reese traveled through the wormhole and emerged near the Lord's Courtyard, where Zong Shen carried the exhausted Reese toward the Lord's Small Building.

Zong Shen returned to the Lord's Small Building, confirmed Madeline's advancement to a Fourth Order Power Strike Ranger, and learned that goblin Viper's Eyes were surveilling the territory from the north. He ordered countermeasures, opened four Winter Treasure Chests, and gave Madeline a rare longbow.

• Zong Shen entered the building with Reese Ulysses and inspected Madeline after she advanced, finding that she had gained powerful indirect-fire skills and a range of up to 400 meters.
• Madeline told Zong Shen that Vereesa, Luna, and Maryl had gone to investigate an anomaly reported by Doris.
• Vereesa reported that patrol dogs had found eight concealed Viper's Eyes six to seven kilometers north of the territory, which Zong Shen identified as goblin surveillance magic.
• Zong Shen ordered Vereesa to destroy the Viper's Eyes, arrange for Maryl to build a Fourth Order Detection Tower, continue scouting, and gather people for an expedition to find Griffons.
• Zong Shen opened four Winter Treasure Chests, sorted their rewards, and gave Madeline the rare Scorpion Horn Longbow, telling her to pass her standard-issue bow to Mappel.

Zong Shen sorted through the final Winter Treasure Chest rewards, then received the Winter Challenge results and the Legion 1.1 rules update. As Time Stop ended, he considered how the new rules and future regional adjustments would shape Legion development and the growing awareness of native inhabitants.

• Madeline accepted the Scorpion Horn Warbow and gave her Standard Longbow to Mappel, who handed over her own warbow in return.
• Zong Shen examined a Charging Punch Knuckles, a Shadow Pool Construction Blueprint, and a Soul-Siphoning Bronze Bottle, then stored them and planned to preserve intact icefield beast corpses for experiments.
• At noon, Zong Shen received confirmation that the Winter Challenge had ended with 2,400 basic survival points and no territory casualties.
• The Lord System announced Legion 1.1 changes, including region-wide recruitment, territory relocation opportunities, Legion Buildings at level three, and rules for Legion mergers.
• Zong Shen considered the implications of Legion expansion and the upcoming regional adjustments, and reflected on native inhabitants beginning to notice the lords.

After the Winter Challenge ended, Zong Shen prepared his territory for incoming refugees and set out to eliminate the Goblin Tribe’s surveillance. He destroyed the remaining Viper’s Eyes, confirmed the territory’s defenses, and assembled his Warriors, leaving the story with Howie receiving a badge from him.

• Zong Shen sent Madeline and Mappel to Maryl with the Magic Flag of Bosbang so she could prepare for the refugees.
• Zong Shen met Luna, Vereesa, and Doris, learned they had destroyed the nearby Viper’s Eyes, and used the Strategy Module to locate the remaining ones.
• Zong Shen and Vereesa flew on a summoned Hippogriff and destroyed the remaining Viper’s Eyes while the Goblin King watched their projections disappear.
• Zong Shen and Vereesa checked the territory’s defenses from the air, including the new Detection Tower on the northern side.
• Zong Shen assembled his Warriors after winter ended and gave Howie the Traveling Merchant’s Badge, raising Howie’s Loyalty to 98.

Zong Shen assigned post-Winter Challenge recovery and construction work, then distributed equipment and recruited new troops to strengthen the territory. The chapter left him continuing to review the newly recruited Earth Elementalists and other forces.

• Zong Shen ordered Howie and San Pang to recover and process dead livestock, and sent Cecilia with the Immortal Lancers to the Mine while Maryl organized construction and prepared to receive refugees.
• Zong Shen gave Tasia the [Aberrant Bone Open Body], equipped Rudnev and Curtis with new weapons, and sent Tasia and Doris to have Alana make a concealing robe.
• Zong Shen recruited twenty-six Wolf Cavalry, assigned them to Colby, promoted him as their commander, and ordered the cavalry to resume regular patrols.
• Zong Shen recruited Water Elementalists, Earth Elementalists, Holy Light Priests, Berserker Axe Warriors, and Night Elf Forest Sentinels, assigning the troops to their respective leaders.

Zong Shen recruited Earth Elementalists Henret and Qiana and Night Elf Forest Sentinels Lorenzo and Kalonga, assigning them to existing formations. He then began recruiting Fourth Order troops, welcoming two Intermediate Water Elementalists before an unusually brash Intermediate Wind Elementalist arrived to pledge his loyalty.

• Zong Shen examined Henret and Qiana’s attributes, appointed Henret to lead the Earth Elementalists, and sent them to join the mage formation.
• Lorenzo and Kalonga introduced themselves as Night Elf Forest Sentinels, and Zong Shen assigned them to follow Vereesa.
• Lorenzo and Kalonga recognized Vereesa as their former general and joined the formation under her guidance.
• Zong Shen used seven recruitment scrolls to summon Fourth Order troops, and Intermediate Water Elementalists Molly and Hayes pledged their service.
• An Intermediate Wind Elementalist stepped forward, told Molly and Hayes to move aside, praised Zong Shen, and knelt to offer his loyalty.

Zong Shen assessed the newly recruited mages and discovered that Canigia, an Intermediate Wind Elementalist favored by the Wind Spirit, had Legendary aptitude and extraordinary powers. Canigia explained that he had entered the Different Dimension while near death, and that warriors sealed there had agreed to fight for the Chosen One.

• Zong Shen inspected Molly and Hayes, then assigned them to serve under the Third Order Water Mage Milani despite their higher rank.
• Zong Shen examined Canigia's attributes and found that his Legendary aptitude, Wind Spirit's Favor, and powerful spells made him an exceptional fighter.
• Zong Shen asked Canigia why he had sealed himself in the Different Dimension, and Canigia said he had been near death.
• Canigia explained that the Chosen Contract had allowed warriors to escape near-death states by sealing themselves away, in return for waiting to be recruited and fighting for the Chosen One.

Zong Shen welcomed Canigia and four Rhodok Sergeants into his territory, then spent his Winter Points on supplies, weapons, patrol dogs, spell scrolls, and capture equipment. He used his remaining points on a mystery box and chose a book about rune firearms, hoping it would help him develop firearms for his territory.

• Zong Shen welcomed Canigia, assigned him to report directly to himself, and sent him to join the formation.
• The four Rhodok Sergeants introduced themselves, and Zong Shen inspected their combat abilities before appointing Ricardo as their leader.
• Doris and Tasia returned as the ice continued to disappear, and Zong Shen opened the Point Exchange before heading north to search for a Griffon nest.
• Zong Shen spent points on magic materials, Goblin Bombs, drilling equipment, patrol dogs, spell scrolls, net launchers, and capture nets.
• Zong Shen spent 1,500 points on a mystery box and chose the box containing Introduction to Rune Firearms on the Strategy Module's recommendation.

Zong Shen chose the Thunderhorn of Leiluo from a blind box, tested its ability to absorb lightning, and obtained several other items, including a fortress advancement route for his City Lord's Mansion. He then assembled a 36-person force and set out by Goblin Airship for the Griffon Nest, where many griffons were away hunting.

• Zong Shen selected the Thunderhorn of Leiluo over a Storm City Lord's Diary Fragment and examined its lightning immunity, stored-energy spells, and combat effects.
• Zong Shen tested the Thunderhorn by absorbing Thunderbolt Arrows from mage apprentices and a Third-Order Explosive Lightning spell, confirming that it stored thunder energy.
• Zong Shen opened the remaining blind boxes and used the City Lord's Mansion Fortress Form Advancement Route to change the mansion's future development path.
• Zong Shen gathered a 36-person expedition force, boarded the Goblin Airship, and asked the Strategy Guide for the best route to the Griffon Nest.
• The Strategy Guide informed Zong Shen that about two-thirds of the griffons were away hunting, and Zong Shen flew northwest toward the nest.

Zong Shen led an expedition to a griffon nest and discovered that a Scorpion-tailed Tiger pack was attacking it. He brought his party onto the cliff and moved to scout the battle, intending to preserve the nest and claim its griffons.

• Zong Shen flew north by Goblin Airship and spotted a huge griffon nest atop a high cliff.
• Zong Shen landed on the mountainside, then used Canigia’s Group Levitation and Levitation Runes to bring his party up to the cliff.
• The Strategy Module revealed that an Overlord-grade Scorpion-tailed Tiger named Steel Thorn led eighteen Commander-grade and sixty-seven Captain-grade tigers preparing to attack the nest.
• Zong Shen inspected the nest, learned that it boosted griffon reproduction and recovery, and decided to preserve it as a future aerial cavalry camp.
• Zong Shen took Vereesa and Canigia to scout while Luna and Doris remained with the others, then saw the Scorpion-tailed Tigers bombard the nest with armored spikes.