Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “A Rare Gourd (Confused)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After purchasing a new phone, Feng Jun is thanked by the waitress, Ye Qingyi, who offers to add him on ChatChat and help appraise his jade. Flattered by what he interprets as romantic interest, Feng Jun accepts and sends her a small red packet.
• Feng Jun visits a neighboring antique shop but cannot find the mysterious sensation or “feeling” he expects from Black Dragon Jade. The shopkeeper, after learning Ye Qingyi referred him, sells him a cheap, imperfect jade gourd pendant for one hundred yuan.
• Returning to his factory residence, Feng Jun finds the power still shut off. The elderly gatekeeper has deliberately left the main breaker off, claiming it is broken and too expensive to repair.
• Feng Jun goes out for dinner, drinks an entire bottle of baijiu, and returns slightly drunk. At the factory gate, he finds several people arguing with the gatekeeper over the lack of streetlights and electricity.
• The gatekeeper refuses to restore power, falsely insisting that the breaker requires more than two thousand yuan to repair and that government funding may take months. When Feng Jun privately reveals that he knows the gatekeeper is lying, the old man admits he is intentionally punishing the neighbors and promises the power may return the next day.
• As compensation, the gatekeeper offers Feng Jun electricity from a 48-volt battery-powered lamp. Feng Jun points out that this cannot replace the 220-volt alternating current needed to charge his devices or operate normal equipment.
• Feng Jun decides to spend the night at a bathhouse, but just as he prepares to leave, several vehicles approach the factory, their headlights shining through the gate.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun remains practical but increasingly frustrated by his poverty, the unreliable living conditions, and his inability to discover the jade object he is seeking. He also shows a hopeful, slightly naïve interest in romance after connecting with Ye Qingyi.
• His willingness to buy the inexpensive jade gourd reflects both his limited finances and his desire to maintain a connection with Ye Qingyi.
• Despite being mildly drunk, Feng Jun demonstrates technical knowledge and clear judgment when he exposes the gatekeeper’s misleading claims about the electrical system.
• Ye Qingyi appears friendly and potentially interested in Feng Jun, though her exact intentions remain uncertain. She is considerate enough to offer assistance with the jade appraisal.
• The antique shopkeeper is opportunistic but personable. He uses Ye Qingyi’s recommendation to build trust and make a sale.
• The elderly gatekeeper is stubborn, manipulative, and authoritarian. He uses the power outage to assert control over the tenants and neighboring residents, though he also shows a small degree of embarrassment and concern about Feng Jun spending money elsewhere.

Significant Themes

• Deception and hidden motives: The gatekeeper disguises a deliberate power shutoff as an equipment failure, while the neighbors claim public concern but mainly want access to free electricity.
• Poverty and everyday hardship: Feng Jun must worry about electricity, bathing, phone charging, food costs, and finding a place to sleep.
• Technology versus ignorance: Feng Jun understands the difference between direct and alternating current, while the gatekeeper relies on superficial evidence to justify his claims.
• Chance connections and social opportunity: Feng Jun’s interaction with Ye Qingyi gives him both a possible romantic opportunity and access to a more favorable purchase.
• Expectation versus reality: Feng Jun expects novels and rumors to guide him toward a special jade object, but his search produces only an ordinary-looking gourd pendant.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Ye Qingyi exchange contact information in a mildly flirtatious encounter, with Feng Jun attempting to appear generous by sending her a red packet.
• Ye Qingyi’s recommendation changes the antique shopkeeper’s attitude toward Feng Jun and leads to the discounted sale of the jade gourd.
• Feng Jun clashes with the gatekeeper over the missing electricity but ultimately negotiates a private understanding: Feng Jun will not expose the old man’s lie, and the power should return the next day.
• Their argument over the battery-powered lamp highlights the contrast between Feng Jun’s technical knowledge and the gatekeeper’s shameless stubbornness.
• The arrival of several vehicles at the chapter’s end introduces a new, unresolved development.

Chapter Summary: “Paralyzed, Where’s the Car?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun and the old man are confronted at night by a motorcycle gang angered by the factory’s unlit streetlights.
• The gang uses ropes and grappling hooks attached to their motorcycles to pull down the factory’s old iron gate.
• Four gang members—three men and one woman—approach the old man, carrying nunchucks and threatening him.
• The old man, known as Sixth Master of Xiao Wu Village, confronts them with a shovel. He refuses to be intimidated, but the gang threatens future retaliation if he does not restore the power.
• The gang leader eventually frames the demand as a request for a favor: if the old man turns the lights back on, they will leave and not return.
• After arguing with the young woman, the old man reluctantly restores the electricity.
• Once the area is illuminated, the gang prepares to leave but discovers that two of their motorcycles have mysteriously disappeared.
• The gang suspects Feng Jun, who is walking away while looking at his phone. When confronted, Feng Jun responds defiantly and challenges them.
• Rather than immediately fighting, the gang leader rationally asks Feng Jun whether he has seen the missing motorcycles and offers a reward of 100,000 for information, claiming the bikes are worth 800,000 each.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun begins as a detached observer. He has no sympathy for either side and initially refuses to intervene, especially because the old man had previously inconvenienced him. However, when the gang insults and threatens him, he becomes openly defiant and refuses to back down.
• The old man/Sixth Master is shown as stubborn, courageous, and shaped by a harsher generation. He confronts the gang despite his age, but his eventual compromise reveals that he is also practical and understands the danger of prolonged retaliation.
• The flat-top gang leader appears aggressive but is more calculating than reckless. He avoids unnecessary violence, understands the legal risks of criminal behavior, and tries to resolve the missing-motorcycle problem through negotiation.
• The young woman is belligerent and verbally abusive, escalating the conflict with the old man. Her dependence on the gang leader becomes apparent when he orders her to stop arguing.
• The motorcycle gang is portrayed as reckless and intimidating but not entirely mindless. They enjoy showing off, yet they recognize the boundaries between hooliganism and serious organized crime.

Significant Themes

• Recklessness versus responsibility: The gang’s racing and destruction of the gate reflect youthful irresponsibility, while the leader’s concern about criminal consequences shows an awareness of limits.
• Power and intimidation: Both sides attempt to establish dominance—the old man with his reputation and shovel, and the gang through numbers, weapons, threats, and motorcycles.
• Pragmatism versus pride: The old man wants to defend his dignity but ultimately restores the electricity to avoid future harassment. The gang leader also abandons pure intimidation when negotiation proves more effective.
• Generational conflict: The old man sees the young gang members as spoiled, undisciplined “brats,” while they dismiss his authority and reputation.
• Mystery and supernatural-style disruption: The unexplained disappearance of two motorcycles abruptly shifts the balance of power and introduces a mysterious element, likely connected to Feng Jun.

Character Interactions

• The old man and Feng Jun initially discuss the gang, with Feng Jun refusing to play the hero.
• The gang confronts the old man, leading to a tense standoff between his shovel and their nunchucks and grappling hooks.
• The old man invokes his status as Sixth Master of Xiao Wu Village, but the gang leader counters with veiled threats.
• The old man and the young woman exchange insults, while the gang leader attempts to stop their argument.
• After the lights are restored, the gang turns its attention to Feng Jun, suspecting him of knowing something about the missing motorcycles.
• Feng Jun openly provokes them, but the gang leader chooses questioning and negotiation over immediate violence, ending the chapter with an offer of a large reward for information.

Chapter Summary: “Is There a Bounty?”

Key plot points and events

• Feng Jun reveals that he secretly stole two expensive motorcycles from the street-racing group while the riders were distracted. He had hidden them in the Wilderness Space, viewing them as valuable tools for future exploration.
• After learning that each motorcycle may be worth around 800,000 yuan, Feng Jun becomes even more satisfied with his decision. However, he refuses to sell one immediately because doing so might expose him.
• When Fei Ge offers no reward for information, Feng Jun denies seeing the motorcycles and taunts the group about their stinginess.
• The group argues violently. Fei Ge slaps the bratty girl for suggesting they call the police, since the motorcycles are illegally modified. She attempts to retaliate, but approaching police sirens cause everyone except her to flee.
• The police investigate the next day, hoping to recover the stolen motorcycles and use the case to prosecute those involved in illegal modifications. Fei Ge denies ever riding a motorcycle to the location.
• Police question Feng Jun, but he refuses to provide useful information unless there is a reward. When the officer pressures and threatens him, Feng Jun insists that the bright headlights prevented him from seeing anything clearly.
• A delivery driver arrives with a large package for Feng Jun. The officer attempts to learn what is inside, but Feng Jun angrily defends his privacy and warns him not to search the package without a warrant.

Character development

• Feng Jun is shown to be opportunistic, calculating, and highly protective of his interests. He is willing to steal the motorcycles because they are useful and valuable, but he carefully avoids directly incriminating himself. He also refuses to be intimidated by the police, especially when the officer uses an aggressive tone.
• Fei Ge is revealed to be wealthy or socially well-connected but reckless and vulnerable because his motorcycles are illegally modified. Under pressure, he becomes angry and lashes out at the girl who encouraged the dangerous outing.
• The bratty girl displays dependence on Fei Ge but also a quick temper and willingness to fight when mistreated. After being slapped, she immediately turns against him physically.
• The police officer begins confidently, assuming Feng Jun is inexperienced and easy to intimidate. Feng Jun’s evasive answers frustrate him and expose the limits of his authority.
• The old man acts as a passive observer. Though unhappy with the gang’s behavior, he avoids intervening because he fears social repercussions.

Significant themes

• Self-interest and opportunism: Feng Jun treats the stolen motorcycles as a valuable opportunity rather than a moral dilemma.
• Power and intimidation: The officer tries to use legal authority to pressure Feng Jun, but Feng Jun resists because the officer lacks sufficient evidence.
• Law versus wrongdoing: The motorcycle gang wants police help despite their own illegal modifications, creating an ironic conflict between criminal behavior and demands for justice.
• Privacy and personal rights: Feng Jun invokes his right to privacy when the officer questions his package, asserting that police curiosity does not justify a search.
• Avoiding responsibility: Nearly every major figure tries to escape accountability—Fei Ge denies riding the bike, the gang flees, and Feng Jun carefully avoids giving testimony.

Character interactions

• Feng Jun verbally provokes Fei Ge and the girl, refusing to admit that he saw the motorcycles.
• Fei Ge and the girl shift from being allies to fighting after he blames her and slaps her.
• The police officer repeatedly challenges Feng Jun, but Feng Jun responds with sarcasm, minimal answers, and technically defensible statements.
• When the delivery driver arrives, the officer questions the package, prompting Feng Jun to become openly defensive and prepare to document any improper police action.
• The chapter ends with the officer watching suspiciously as Feng Jun prepares to sign for the large, unexplained package.

Chapter Summary: “Fierce Otherworldly Plane”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun successfully passes a patrol inspection while transporting a box labeled “tents and ropes,” concealing knives, a crossbow, and other contraband.
• After moving two motorcycles into the Wilderness Space, he spends three days charging his depleted energy points through the unreliable municipal power supply. He carefully uses a multimeter to prevent the old wiring from overloading.
• On the third night, he enters the Wilderness Space with a large stockpile of survival equipment, gasoline, food, and water.
• He selects a concealed, elevated rock formation at the foot of a mountain as a storage site, hiding the supplies beneath the rock and camouflaging the area with stones and shrubs.
• Feng Jun tests the motorcycles and discovers that they perform well even on the rough, uneven terrain.
• While scouting the area, he encounters a fast-moving snake and two unusually durable scorpion-like creatures capable of spraying corrosive venom.
• He kills the scorpions after repeated strikes, but their venom damages his camouflage uniform and dents his bulletproof vest, demonstrating the serious dangers of the Wilderness Space.
• He makes several motorcycle trips between the storage site and the ruins, eventually transporting roughly 900–1,000 jin of supplies, including gasoline obtained through Sixth Master’s connections.
• By noon, he finishes organizing the supplies but decides to continue scouting despite the intense heat and the risks involved.

Character Development

• Feng Jun becomes increasingly cautious and methodical. He plans his equipment carefully, monitors electrical current while charging, chooses a defensible storage location, and uses protective clothing and weapons.
• At the same time, his impatience and curiosity remain strong. Although he recognizes the danger and the value of resting during the hottest part of the day, he refuses to waste time waiting.
• His confidence grows as he handles the motorcycles, navigates the wilderness, and defeats the scorpion creatures. However, the encounter also reinforces that he is not invulnerable and must rely on quick reactions and preparation.
• Feng Jun demonstrates greater long-term planning by stockpiling fuel, food, water, and survival gear, suggesting that he intends to explore the otherworldly plane extensively rather than make brief visits.

Significant Themes

• Preparation versus uncertainty: Feng Jun’s extensive preparations provide advantages, but the alien environment contains dangers he cannot fully anticipate.
• Human vulnerability in an unfamiliar world: Ordinary creatures, such as snakes and scorpions, are powerful and dangerous in this setting, making even routine travel hazardous.
• Resource scarcity and self-reliance: Energy, electricity, fuel, water, and time are all limited. Feng Jun must carefully balance them while remaining independent.
• Curiosity overcoming fear and discomfort: Despite heat, exhaustion, and danger, Feng Jun prioritizes exploration and opportunity over safety and convenience.
• Adaptation to a hostile environment: Protective clothing, motorcycles, weapons, camouflage, and strategic planning show Feng Jun gradually adapting to the Wilderness Space.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and the patrol officer: Their brief encounter highlights Feng Jun’s anxiety over being exposed and the importance of maintaining a convincing cover.
• Feng Jun and the old gatekeeper: The gatekeeper helps restore the damaged electrical wiring and assists in obtaining gasoline, likely benefiting financially from the arrangement.
• Feng Jun and Sixth Master: Sixth Master’s connections in Yang City make it possible for Feng Jun to acquire gasoline, illustrating the indirect support network behind his expeditions.
• Feng Jun and the Wilderness creatures: His encounters with the snake and venomous scorpions are confrontations between a prepared human explorer and wildlife adapted to the hostile plane.

Chapter Summary: “No Madness, No Life”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun abandons the idea of bringing a generator, realizing its noise could attract dangerous beasts—or hostile humans.
• He spends ten exhausting days searching the mountains around his warehouse for signs connected to the Stone Ring, relying on his wrist’s reaction rather than closely examining the ground.
• His search covers roughly a thirty-mile radius but produces no results. Along the way, he faces several dangers:
  • Falling into a shallow cave.
  • Being bitten by a hidden insect, though his steel-lined boots protect him.
  • Encountering a huge swarm of mosquito-like bloodsucking insects.
• Feng Jun uses a counterfeit tear-gas grenade to drive away the insect swarm. One can fails, but the second produces dense smoke that disperses the creatures—while also leaving Feng Jun coughing and regretting that he lacks a gas mask.
• With his water supplies dwindling and his physical and mental condition deteriorating, Feng Jun decides to move farther from the warehouse rather than return immediately.
• He travels south on a heavily loaded motorcycle, entering a series of dried river valleys. He carefully buries supplies every sixty or seventy miles in case he must walk back after a breakdown.
• After camping safely in a sheltered depression during a night of severe valley winds, Feng Jun continues exploring. He plans to turn back within a few days if he finds nothing.
• Around noon, he discovers a weathered human skeleton with an iron chain attached to it. The chain leads to a flat, irregular rock whose unusual luster immediately catches his attention, ending the chapter on a mystery.

Character Development

• Feng Jun demonstrates increasing courage and adaptability. He handles dangers that would previously have terrified him, casually kicking apart the skeleton instead of reacting with fear.
• At the same time, his confidence is balanced by practical caution. He avoids exploring the smaller branches of the river valley, prepares emergency supply caches, chooses a wind-protected campsite, and sets a firm limit on how long he can continue.
• The wilderness takes a serious physical and psychological toll: he loses weight, becomes filthy and exhausted, struggles with loneliness, and longs for the comfort and stability of an ordinary room.
• His urgency grows because his energy supply is limited and he wants to become wealthy before the Stone Ring’s powers potentially disappear. His desire for future security and comfort motivates him to continue despite nearing his limit.

Significant Themes

• Survival through preparation: Equipment, supply management, shelter selection, and route planning are essential to Feng Jun’s continued survival.
• The danger of the wilderness: Natural threats can be unpredictable, while unknown humans may be even more dangerous.
• Courage through repeated experience: Familiarity gradually transforms frightening things—such as skeletons and hostile creatures—into manageable problems.
• Isolation and the value of civilization: Feng Jun’s longing for clean rooms, warmth, entertainment, and safety highlights how precious ordinary comforts are.
• Risk versus opportunity: His exhaustion and dwindling supplies conflict with his determination to exploit the Stone Ring’s potential before it is too late.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun has no direct human interactions in the chapter, emphasizing his extreme isolation.
• His main “interactions” are with the environment and its threats: the insect swarm, harsh winds, rugged terrain, and the remains of the unknown person.
• His encounter with the skeleton and chained rock introduces a potentially important connection to whoever previously occupied or explored this wilderness, suggesting that the object may be another significant discovery.

Chapter Summary: “Protagonist Halo”

• Feng Jun discovers valuable jade: While traveling through a river valley, Feng Jun examines a pale stone and compares it with a cheap jade pendant he owns. Its moist, crystalline texture and superior quality convince him that it is genuine jade, potentially worth tens or hundreds of thousands of yuan. He speculates that its former owner may have been robbed and drowned while trying to protect it.
• He finds a jade box: Near dusk, Feng Jun discovers a large jade box broken into two pieces. Its artificial craftsmanship confirms that it is genuine jade, with quality similar to the first stone but slightly greenish. Though curious about what the box once contained, Feng Jun deliberately avoids investigating further, believing that pursuing unknown treasures could bring unnecessary trouble.
• His plans change: The jade discoveries make Feng Jun reconsider returning to his warehouse for supplies. Since the jade could solve his immediate financial problems, he decides to remain in the mysterious space longer and focus on future business opportunities. His practical, decisive personality is emphasized: he readily changes plans when circumstances improve.
• A period of bad luck: For the next three days, Feng Jun finds nothing valuable. Because he is still short of cash, he collects several unusual-looking stones despite doubting their worth. As his food and water supplies diminish, he plans to explore for only two more days before leaving the space.
• He reaches the edge of the river valley: Feng Jun eventually exits the valley and spots a distant plain. He congratulates himself on his careful planning, particularly his decision not to establish a supply station near the valley’s exit, which helps protect the secrecy of his activities. After washing up with his remaining bottled water, he begins his final day of exploration.
• He encounters a supernatural battle: Feng Jun suddenly hears explosions and sees a huge cloud of dust. Hiding his motorcycle, he observes the scene through military-grade binoculars. He is astonished to witness a battle between a gigantic gorilla and an enormous hedgehog-like creature. The gorilla attacks with a tree trunk, while the hedgehog rolls, fires its spikes, and launches itself at its opponent. Both creatures suffer injuries and gradually weaken.
• Feng Jun hopes to benefit: Fascinated by the fight, Feng Jun begins hoping that the two monsters will seriously injure or kill each other, allowing him to take advantage of the aftermath. His thoughts reflect both his familiarity with web-novel conventions and his growing belief that he may possess a “protagonist’s halo.”

Character Development and Interactions

• Feng Jun becomes increasingly confident, pragmatic, and opportunistic. He evaluates the jade carefully, controls his curiosity, changes his plans efficiently, and remains alert to opportunities despite limited resources.
• His main “interactions” are indirect: he compares the stone with his jade pendant, reasons about the dead owner of the first stone, and observes the gorilla–hedgehog battle from hiding rather than intervening.
• The gorilla and hedgehog are presented as evenly matched enemies whose prolonged struggle creates the possibility of Feng Jun profiting from their mutual exhaustion.

Significant Themes

• Opportunity and survival: Feng Jun constantly seeks ways to turn discoveries into financial security.
• Practical restraint: He chooses not to pursue the mystery of the jade box’s contents, recognizing that greed can create danger.
• Secrecy and preparation: His careful travel plans and supply strategy show the importance he places on protecting his access to the mysterious space.
• The “protagonist halo”: The ending humorously invokes the common adventure-fiction trope in which the protagonist arrives just in time to benefit after two powerful enemies weaken each other.

Chapter Summary: Almost Enchanted by You

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun observes a prolonged battle between an intelligent giant ape and a powerful hedgehog-like creature. Their fight is tactical rather than reckless: they repeatedly rest, test each other, and prevent the other from escaping.
• When enormous raptor-like birds circle overhead, apparently waiting to scavenge, the ape and hedgehog briefly cooperate to attack them. The ape throws a rock while the hedgehog fires its quills, killing one bird.
• The two beasts immediately resume fighting over the carcass, eventually dividing it between them before eating while continuing to watch each other warily.
• Concerned that remaining nearby could get him killed, Feng Jun abandons his motorcycle and supplies in the wilderness space and returns to the real world with only his jade, stones, and spare clothing.
• He leaves his rental residence at night, telling the suspicious gatekeeper that he is going to comfort a friend after a breakup.
• To conceal the physical changes caused by his wilderness experience, Feng Jun visits a luxurious bathhouse. He washes repeatedly, uses the sauna, has his clothes cleaned, gets a haircut, and confirms that he has grown from 1.73 meters and roughly 75 kilograms to 1.78 meters and 68 kilograms.
• He throws away his ruined wilderness clothing, stays at a budget hotel, and sleeps until hunger wakes him the next morning.
• After admiring his improved appearance, Feng Jun begins considering how to sell the jade and unusual stones he brought back. He rejects using people who know him well, fearing they would notice his transformation or question the stones’ origins.
• He enters a fast-food restaurant and eats several meals to satisfy his intense hunger. After leaving one strange stone unattended on the table, the young man sitting across from him picks it up and offers to buy it, creating a potential opportunity for Feng Jun.

Character Development

• Feng Jun becomes more cautious and strategic. Watching the ape and hedgehog teaches him that even seemingly safe situations can become fatal, prompting him to abandon valuable equipment rather than risk staying.
• His wilderness ordeal has dramatically changed his body: he is taller, leaner, stronger-looking, tanned, and more composed.
• His personality and bearing have also shifted. He now appears more mature, hardened, detached, and confident, though he retains a humorous, narcissistic side when admiring his new appearance.
• Feng Jun is increasingly aware that his transformation may expose his secret. He deliberately avoids familiar acquaintances and chooses private locations to clean himself up and disguise the evidence of his time away.
• His appetite reflects the physical demands of his recent experience, as he consumes multiple meals rapidly without drawing much attention.

Significant Themes

• Survival and caution: Feng Jun recognizes that greed or curiosity could get him killed, especially after witnessing the dangerous beasts’ battle.
• Adaptation and transformation: His physical changes symbolize his transition from an ordinary city worker into someone shaped by extraordinary experiences.
• Secrecy and concealment: He must hide both his altered appearance and the mysterious origins of his jade and stones.
• Opportunity and risk: Selling the stone may provide financial gain, but attracting attention could threaten Feng Jun’s secrecy.
• Humanized violence in nature: The ape and hedgehog display intelligence, strategy, rivalry, and even temporary cooperation, making their conflict resemble a calculated human duel.

Character Interactions

• The ape and hedgehog interact as evenly matched rivals, provoking, testing, and attacking each other while competing over food.
• They briefly act in parallel against the scavenging birds, then immediately return to fighting over the fallen carcass.
• Feng Jun gives the gatekeeper a deliberately vague explanation for leaving, successfully avoiding immediate suspicion, though the old man senses that he seems different.
• Bathhouse staff assist Feng Jun with cleaning, clothing, and grooming, while one employee’s offer of additional “services” is rejected.
• At the fast-food restaurant, Feng Jun ignores the curious young couple observing his rapid eating. The young man then handles Feng Jun’s unusual stone and directly offers to buy it, ending the chapter on a new commercial—and potentially dangerous—encounter.

Chapter Summary: “Absolutely Dirt Poor”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Weimin, heir to the successful Treasure-Gathering House, takes his former class beauty on a date after their class reunion. He looks down on fast-food restaurants but agrees to sit there because she suggests the cheaper venue.
• They notice Feng Jun eating rapidly and in large quantities. The class beauty assumes he is poor, while Wang Weimin dismisses him as a low-status manual laborer.
• Wang Weimin picks up the stone Feng Jun placed on the table to reserve his seat. Because of his family’s antique and jade business, he recognizes the stone as genuine and unusual, featuring ink-wash-like mountains, clouds, a temple, and reddish-brown “sunset” coloration.
• Although Feng Jun clearly indicates that the stone is not for sale, Wang insists on buying it. He first offers 500 yuan after claiming Feng Jun’s gesture implied a price of 1,000 yuan.
• Feng Jun refuses to engage while eating, but Wang places the money on the table, takes the stone, and attempts to leave. He treats Feng Jun’s silence as consent.
• Furious, Feng Jun tries to call the police and reports that Wang is robbing him. The class beauty grabs the phone and ends the call before it connects, hoping to prevent a public scandal.
• Other customers begin watching and recording the confrontation. Wang becomes concerned that a video could damage his reputation and connections.
• Wang argues that Feng Jun’s gesture meant he was selling the stone and claims Feng’s silence indicated agreement. Feng counters that he was signaling Wang to put the stone down and mocks Wang’s assumption that one finger meant 1,000 rather than 10,000.
• The chapter ends with Wang accusing Feng Jun of being absurdly greedy and poor for wanting 10,000 yuan for the stone, while Feng remains angry at Wang’s shameless forced purchase.

Character Developments

• Wang Weimin: Revealed as wealthy, arrogant, status-conscious, and accustomed to using money and social influence to get his way. Though knowledgeable about collectibles, his greed and contempt for ordinary people lead him to overstep legally and socially. His confidence begins to weaken when the incident attracts public attention.
• Feng Jun: Shown as straightforward, proud, and unwilling to tolerate bullying. He dislikes Wang’s condescending behavior and tries to defend his property through the police, though he restrains himself from physically retaliating in the restaurant.
• The class beauty: Presents herself as modest by choosing a cheap restaurant, but remains concerned with appearances and status. She recognizes the danger of escalation and intervenes to stop Feng Jun’s police call.
• Bystanders: Their interest, especially the teenage girl recording the dispute, transforms a private argument into a potentially public scandal.

Significant Themes

• Class prejudice and social arrogance: Wang assumes that anyone eating at a fast-food restaurant is poor and insignificant, demonstrating how wealth distorts his judgment.
• Consent and coercion: The central conflict arises from Wang deliberately ignoring Feng Jun’s refusal and treating silence as permission.
• Appearance versus reality: Feng may look poor and unsophisticated, but his stone could possess significant value. Wang’s polished, wealthy image contrasts with his unethical behavior.
• Power and entitlement: Wang believes money, local influence, and his family’s reputation place him above ordinary rules.
• Public accountability in the digital age: The bystanders’ recordings threaten to expose Wang’s behavior beyond the restaurant, limiting his ability to control the situation.

Character Interactions

• Wang and the class beauty interact as former classmates on a status-conscious date, with Wang trying to impress her.
• Wang initially ignores Feng, then becomes fixated on the stone and treats Feng as someone too poor to challenge him.
• Feng’s refusal to sell clashes directly with Wang’s assumption that money gives him the right to take possession.
• The class beauty attempts to mediate by stopping Feng’s police call, but her intervention also reflects concern for reputation rather than clear support for Feng.
• The growing crowd and the girl filming increase the pressure on Wang, turning his private act of intimidation into a public confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Failed Hype”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun, once ashamed of his poverty, is now confident because of his mysterious fortune-changing encounter. He deliberately provokes Wang Weimin, a jewelry dealer, over the value of a reddish-brown and black stone.
• Wang had tried to buy the stone for only 500 yuan, but Feng’s remarks reveal that he understands enough about stones to recognize Wang’s dishonest appraisal. Embarrassed, Wang takes back his money and leaves rather than risk exposing Treasure-Gathering House to public criticism.
• Feng attempts to turn the crowd against Wang by offering the stone—or 10,000 yuan—in exchange for Wang’s identity and address. The crowd becomes interested but opportunistic, wanting proof and even examining Feng’s bag. Feng ultimately leaves without knowing whether the stunt will have any effect.
• His attempt to generate publicity fails. The incident receives little attention online, with only two minor posts appearing on Yang City’s local forum. One post advertises a 10,000-yuan offer for the stone through Treasure-Gathering House.
• Feng spends a day unsuccessfully trying to sell his other stones on Antique Street. Dealers dismiss them as unattractive or amateurish. He changes tactics and approaches jewelry stores directly, which recognize the value of the jade itself and offer between 8,000 and 12,000 yuan.
• Meanwhile, Xia Xiaoyu recognizes Feng in a blurry video of the incident. Remembering that Feng previously protected her from humiliation, she goes to Hongjie Club to find him.
• Xia discovers that Feng has been fired. Manager Guo explains that the dismissal was the boss’s decision, while Red Sister later reveals that the firing was connected to pressure from a deputy director of the Sports Department, who was trying to curry favor with the Yu family.
• Red Sister argues that Feng’s poor social judgment and inability to handle relationships made it unreasonable to risk the club’s interests to protect him. Xia is dissatisfied but admits the explanation is partly reasonable. She still insists on finding out where Feng has gone.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Becomes more self-assured and less sensitive about his poverty, though he remains impulsive and theatrical. He tries to manipulate public opinion and expose Wang but overestimates how easily a minor incident can become popular. He also begins learning that selling valuable objects requires strategy and reputation, not merely possessing them.
• Wang Weimin: Revealed as opportunistic and willing to underpay an inexperienced seller. Once Feng exposes his likely deception, Wang retreats to protect his own and his store’s reputation.
• Xia Xiaoyu: Demonstrates gratitude and loyalty toward Feng. She actively seeks him out after recognizing him and becomes angry that his employer dismissed him. Her concern suggests that she values his earlier kindness despite their initially poor relationship.
• Red Sister: Appears pragmatic and politically calculating. She regrets losing Feng but prioritizes Hongjie Club’s stability and relationships with powerful officials over protecting a low-ranking employee.
• Guo Yueling and Zhao Qi: Reflect the club’s unwillingness to take responsibility for Feng. Zhao responds with concealed satisfaction, while Guo offers only a formal explanation.

Significant Themes

• Poverty, dignity, and changing self-image: Feng’s improved prospects free him from much of his former shame, but he still reacts strongly when others insult his financial status.
• Reputation and social power: Wang avoids a public dispute because the jewelry business depends on credibility. Similarly, Hongjie Club fires Feng to avoid conflict with a government official.
• The limits of publicity and “hype”: Feng assumes social media will amplify the stone incident, but the story fails to spread because it lacks influential promotion.
• Practical knowledge versus appearances: Feng knows little about stones but understands enough to challenge Wang. His rough-looking stones are undervalued because dealers judge their appearance and presentation.
• Loyalty versus self-interest: Xia is willing to defend Feng out of gratitude, while Red Sister and the club choose institutional interests over personal loyalty.
• Manipulation and opportunism: Wang tries to exploit Feng’s ignorance, the crowd seeks rewards without commitment, and the deputy director uses Feng’s dismissal to gain access to the Yu family.

Important Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Wang Weimin: Their confrontation exposes Wang’s attempted lowball offer and highlights Feng’s growing confidence.
• Feng Jun and the crowd: Feng tries to recruit witnesses and bargain with them, but they respond mainly according to personal profit.
• Xia Xiaoyu and Hongjie Club staff: Xia’s search for Feng reveals that the club has dismissed him and is unwilling to explain itself fully.
• Xia Xiaoyu and Red Sister: Xia confronts Red Sister, accusing the club of making her appear ungrateful. Red Sister counters with the political reasons behind Feng’s dismissal and implies Xia lacks enough influence to reverse it.
• Xia Xiaoyu’s relationship with Feng: Although Feng never asks her for help, Xia actively searches for him because she feels indebted and wants to know his whereabouts.

Chapter Summary: Regret Too Late

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Xiaoyu visits Feng Jun after learning about his recent troubles, though she does not reveal that social media led her to him.
• Sister Hong and Manager Guo Yueling become increasingly anxious about Feng Jun. Both regret previously mistreating or belittling him, especially after hearing that he may be improving his situation.
• Guo attempts to locate Feng through Wang Haifeng, the club receptionist, and eventually the factory where Feng rents space. She learns that Feng is away comforting a friend after a breakup, but no one knows when he will return.
• Feng Jun reflects on his recent failures:
  • He had placed too much faith in the internet and the idea that becoming a trending topic would solve his problems.
  • His attempts to sell the jade box in Yang City had failed because jewelry stores had no reason to raise their offers.
• He decides to seek buyers outside the province and books a train ticket to Bingzhou, a city with a larger jade market.
• Before leaving, Feng visits a local stone-gambling market to learn how jadeite is bought and sold. His expectations, based largely on web novels, are quickly disappointed.
• He discovers that most gamblers belong to private circles, use their own cutting equipment and sales channels, and avoid displaying valuable stones publicly because of security concerns.
• Feng witnesses several ordinary stone cuts, including one with a small amount of green jade that sells for only 20,000 yuan. This convinces him that spectacular bidding wars are not common.
• The following day, however, he witnesses a valuable ice-variety jade being cut. The stone’s price rapidly rises from 500,000 yuan to nearly 3 million, proving that competitive bidding does exist under the right circumstances.
• The two businessmen who own the stone remain calm and insist on completing the cutting before selling, treating the gamble as entertainment and a joint investment.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes more realistic and self-critical. He recognizes his naïveté about internet fame, jewelry businesses, and the stone-gambling trade. Rather than relying on luck or fantasy, he begins adapting his strategy and searching for better markets.
• Manager Guo Yueling experiences intense regret over her earlier treatment of Feng, including scheming to deprive him of a month’s wages. Her anxiety shows that she now fears losing access to someone she previously considered insignificant.
• Sister Hong becomes curious about Feng’s appeal after seeing Xia Xiaoyu search for him, while also regretting having acted antagonistically toward him.
• Wang Haifeng maintains his grudge against Guo by refusing her call, but eventually helps locate Feng after learning Xia Xiaoyu is involved.
• Xia Xiaoyu is portrayed as actively concerned about Feng and willing to seek him out personally.
• The stone gamblers reveal a more organized and cautious world than Feng expected, relying on trusted circles, shared resources, and private business networks.

Significant Themes

• Regret and changing perceptions: People who dismissed Feng begin to recognize his potential only after believing he may be succeeding.
• Reality versus fantasy: Feng’s assumptions, influenced by online stories and web novels, repeatedly clash with the more complicated realities of internet fame, jewelry dealing, and jade gambling.
• Adaptability and learning: Feng responds to failure by analyzing his mistakes and changing tactics rather than giving up.
• Trust and social networks: Success depends less on simple talent or luck than on relationships, reliable channels, reputation, and belonging to the right circles.
• Risk and wealth: Stone gambling is shown as a mixture of entertainment, investment, social interaction, and potential financial ruin.
• Security and mistrust: Valuable jade attracts suspicion and danger, explaining why gamblers avoid cutting stones publicly and protect their trading networks.

Character Interactions

• Sister Hong and Guo Yueling: Their concern over Feng exposes their shared regret and fear that they misjudged him.
• Guo and Wang Haifeng: Wang deliberately ignores Guo’s calls because of their past conflict, later teasing her by describing Xia Xiaoyu’s interest in Feng as a “romantic encounter.”
• Guo and the factory guards: Guo searches for Feng but receives only vague information about his absence.
• Feng and Sister Hu: Feng questions her about stone cutting and resale channels, but she remains suspicious and assumes he may be an opportunist or petty criminal.
• Feng and the gap-toothed man: Their conversation gives Feng insight into the hidden structure of the stone-gambling market, though the man also makes crude jokes about exploiting Sister Hu.
• Feng and the two businessmen: Feng observes their relaxed attitude toward risk, contrasting their financial security and confidence with his own urgent need to sell the jade box.

Chapter Summary: “Willful Even Without Money”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The bidding for a valuable ice-variety jade intensifies as major jewelry firms arrive to participate. Henglong Jewelry ultimately wins with a bid of 6.89 million yuan, defeating Jubaozhai, whose manager, Wang, refuses to go higher.
• Feng Jun uses the tense atmosphere to approach Manager Wang with a damaged, carved jade box. Although Wang initially offers 68,000 yuan, Manager Liang of Henglong raises the offer to 80,000, prompting Wang to settle at 90,000 yuan.
• Feng Jun proposes discussing additional jade pieces privately. Manager Wang agrees but insists that his people accompany him, reflecting the caution common in the jade business.
• Manager Wang’s nephew, Wang Weimin, arrives with the cash. Feng Jun recognizes him as the man involved in the earlier dispute over the strange stone.
• Wang Weimin reacts angrily upon realizing Feng Jun is selling jade to his uncle. His resentment stems from Feng Jun’s previous actions, which embarrassed him publicly and damaged his reputation.
• After discovering their connection, Feng Jun refuses to sell the jade to Jubaozhai, despite having already agreed to the price. He instead offers it to Manager Liang, accepting 10,000 yuan less out of pride and resentment.
• Manager Liang agrees to do business with Feng Jun and expresses interest in seeing his other jade pieces. Meanwhile, Manager Wang confronts Wang Weimin and learns about the earlier conflict.
• Manager Wang criticizes his nephew for being reckless, explaining that the damaged jade box was likely only a test purchase and that Wang Weimin’s behavior has cost Jubaozhai access to potentially valuable merchandise.

2. Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates growing confidence and business awareness. Though financially poor, he refuses to sacrifice his dignity or tolerate people he dislikes, choosing personal satisfaction over the highest possible profit.
• Manager Wang is shown as experienced, cautious, and concerned with reputation. He recognizes the value of Feng Jun’s goods but is ultimately undermined by his nephew’s past misconduct.
• Manager Liang appears shrewd but fair and more flexible than Manager Wang. He takes advantage of the situation without behaving dishonestly and appreciates Feng Jun’s directness.
• Wang Weimin remains arrogant, vindictive, and immature. He continues to resent Feng Jun and tries to present himself as the victim, but his actions are exposed as damaging to his family’s business.
• Manager Wang and Wang Weimin’s relationship becomes strained as the elder realizes that his nephew’s impulsiveness has harmed Jubaozhai’s interests.

3. Significant Themes

• Pride versus profit: Feng Jun willingly loses money to avoid dealing with someone he resents, emphasizing his independence and strong self-respect.
• Reputation and business ethics: The jade trade depends heavily on credibility. Public price-gouging, dishonesty, and personal scandals can damage a firm’s standing.
• Knowledge as power: Expertise determines value in the jade and antique markets, allowing professionals to profit from inexperienced sellers.
• Business and personal grudges: Although business figures try to separate private conflicts from transactions, Wang Weimin’s personal vendetta directly interferes with Jubaozhai’s commercial opportunity.
• Testing and hidden value: The damaged jade box symbolizes Feng Jun’s strategy of cautiously testing potential buyers before revealing his more valuable items.

4. Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Manager Wang: Their negotiation begins professionally but collapses once Feng Jun learns of Wang Weimin’s connection to Jubaozhai. Feng Jun’s refusal to sell becomes a deliberate act of retaliation.
• Feng Jun and Manager Liang: Their interaction is mutually respectful. Liang recognizes Feng Jun’s straightforward attitude, while Feng Jun trusts Liang enough to continue negotiations with him.
• Manager Wang and Manager Liang: Their rivalry is visible through competitive bidding and sarcastic exchanges, reflecting the intense competition among jewelry firms.
• Feng Jun and Wang Weimin: Their encounter revives their unresolved conflict. Wang Weimin is furious and embarrassed, while Feng Jun openly uses the connection to pressure and reject Jubaozhai.
• Manager Wang and Wang Weimin: The uncle reprimands his nephew for prioritizing personal resentment and reckless behavior over the company’s interests.

Chapter Summary: “Ideals Cannot Penetrate Reality”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun sells one half of an old jade box to Manager Liang of Henglong Jewelry for 60,000 yuan, clearly emphasizing that he is selling the jade material rather than the box’s possible antique value.
• Manager Liang notices that Feng Jun’s backpack is still full and asks whether he has more jade. Feng Jun produces a head-sized jade boulder.
• After examining it, Manager Liang identifies it as a large piece of mutton-fat white jade boulder material, a highly valuable form of nephrite.
• Feng Jun realizes the stone could potentially be worth tens of millions, though he understands that raw calculations based on weight and ideal prices are unrealistic.
• Wang Weimin, who previously looked down on Feng Jun because he ate at a fast-food restaurant, refuses to believe the stone is genuine high-grade material. He insists it is merely mountain-stream jade.
• Manager Liang angrily defends his professional judgment, while Manager Wang forces his nephew to leave after Wang Weimin insults Feng Jun and embarrasses himself.
• Manager Liang offers Feng Jun six million yuan for the jade boulder. Feng Jun initially feels the price is too low, comparing it to the higher price of a previous jadeite piece.
• Liang explains that soft jade and jadeite are priced differently, and that Feng Jun’s stone is only medium-grade, has uncertain origins, and will incur wholesale, processing, and retail costs.
• Feng Jun accepts the offer, valuing the relationship and the speed of the transaction over arguing for every possible extra yuan. Liang then invites him to the company, suggesting the price might increase after the stone is opened and examined more fully.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates increasing confidence and business maturity. Although inexperienced in jade valuation, he remains calm, honest, and flexible during negotiations. His willingness to accept six million yuan shows that he prioritizes practical gain and future opportunities over greed.
• Manager Liang emerges as a shrewd but fair businessman. He recognizes the jade’s value, explains the reasoning behind his offer, and appreciates Feng Jun’s direct and sensible attitude. He also shows interest in maintaining a long-term relationship.
• Wang Weimin is exposed as arrogant and prejudiced. His contempt for Feng Jun’s apparent poverty causes him to misjudge the situation and possibly cost Jubaozhai a major business opportunity. His disbelief quickly turns into humiliation and despair.
• Manager Wang realizes that his nephew’s behavior has damaged Jubaozhai’s interests. Though he tries to comfort Wang Weimin, his own dismissive comment that it is “just a piece of jade” later becomes a source of regret.
• Jubaozhai loses influence in the deal because of Wang Weimin’s class-based assumptions and unprofessional conduct, while Henglong gains access to an extremely valuable resource.

Significant Themes

• Prejudice against the poor: Wang Weimin assumes that someone who eats at a fast-food restaurant cannot possess valuable jade. The chapter demonstrates how class prejudice blinds people to reality.
• Reality versus appearance: Feng Jun’s modest appearance conceals his access to extraordinary resources, while Wang Weimin’s confidence and social position do not translate into sound judgment.
• Material value and market perception: The jade’s worth depends not only on its quality but also on origin, classification, processing costs, market demand, and whether it is sold wholesale or retail.
• Practicality over idealism: Feng Jun initially imagines an enormous theoretical fortune, but he accepts the realities of the market and settles for a guaranteed six million yuan.
• Resource scarcity and commercial competition: High-grade jade is a finite resource, making the loss of one major stone strategically important to jewelry companies beyond its immediate sale price.
• Opportunity and consequences: A single act of arrogance causes Jubaozhai to lose a potentially transformative business opportunity, while Henglong benefits from recognizing Feng Jun’s value.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Manager Liang establish a respectful, increasingly cooperative business relationship. Their negotiation is direct but not hostile, and Liang’s explanation helps Feng Jun understand the market.
• Manager Liang clashes with Wang Weimin when Weimin questions the authenticity and quality of the jade. Liang interprets the challenge as an insult to his professional expertise.
• Manager Wang reprimands Wang Weimin and orders him to leave, recognizing that his nephew’s arrogance has already harmed the company.
• Wang Weimin’s humiliation contrasts sharply with Feng Jun’s calm satisfaction, emphasizing how differently the two men respond to unexpected changes in status.

Chapter Summary: “Bold and Meticulous, Full of Fiery Spirit”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun declines Manager Liang Haiqing’s offer of eight million yuan to join his company, accepting six million-plus instead. He remains wary of excessive dependence or contact with Liang.
• He sells four unusual stones to Liang for 100,000 yuan. Liang’s offer is essentially a gesture of goodwill and an attempt to maintain a relationship with Feng Jun, while also probing whether Feng has more valuable jade.
• Liang arranges for the payment to be delivered in cash. Two men bring Feng 624 stacks of mostly new banknotes, amounting to over six million yuan.
• Because large sums of cash could attract criminals outside the market, Feng stages a clever escape. He places the money beside an SUV, pretends to wait for someone, then suddenly takes a taxi with the cases.
• He changes taxis several times, buys a cheap second-hand motorcycle, and returns to the street factory after dark. His deception leaves potential pursuers believing he had companions waiting for him.
• Feng hides the money under his bed and begins planning how to use it. He posts a rental request for a private residence with unusually high electrical capacity, requiring a connection capable of handling 500 amperes.
• With the money secured and enough energy remaining for roughly two more trips through his mysterious space, Feng finally feels some relief—though his excitement and exhaustion prevent him from sleeping.

2. Character Developments

• Feng Jun demonstrates increasing caution, independence, and resourcefulness. He refuses to reveal the full extent of his resources, avoids unnecessary alliances, and carefully protects both his identity and his supernatural advantage.
• His handling of the cash shows that he is calm under pressure and capable of thinking several steps ahead. He uses misdirection, multiple vehicles, and an ordinary disguise of behavior to avoid becoming a target.
• Feng also shifts from merely surviving to actively planning his future. With capital now available, he intends to secure better living conditions and improve his ability to charge and use his mysterious power.
• Manager Liang Haiqing appears generous but perceptive. He recognizes Feng’s caution, respects his boundaries, and tries to preserve a business relationship without pressing too aggressively.
• Liang and the observers at the market come to view Feng as a capable “lone wolf”: bold, careful, and difficult to track.

3. Significant Themes

• Caution amid wealth and opportunity: Sudden riches bring not only freedom but also danger, requiring Feng to remain guarded.
• Independence and distrust: Feng prefers controlling his own future rather than becoming tied to powerful businessmen or exposing his secrets.
• Intelligence over force: His escape relies on deception and composure rather than confrontation.
• Transition from survival to planning: The money allows Feng to think about housing, energy access, privacy, and long-term development.
• Emotional detachment and unresolved feelings: The old man’s comments about broken relationships prompt Feng to repeat that once a relationship ends, it should stay ended, suggesting lingering pain from his own recent breakup.

4. Character Interactions

• Feng and Manager Liang maintain a polite but guarded negotiation. Liang offers money and future cooperation, while Feng responds warmly but avoids making commitments or revealing information.
• Liang’s employees deliver the cash, and Feng’s calm handling of the transaction reinforces his controlled personality.
• Feng interacts with taxi drivers who recognize that he may be escaping danger. One driver cooperates without asking questions and helps him leave quickly.
• His deception fools the men watching the market, especially when a fat stranger claims ownership of the SUV Feng used as a decoy.
• Back at the factory, Feng exchanges brief remarks with the old man about the motorcycle and his “heartbroken classmate.” The conversation indirectly exposes Feng’s unresolved feelings about his breakup.

Chapter Summary: “Selective Attention and Neglect”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun finally checks his phone after ignoring calls while selling jade and researching information. He learns that Wang Haifeng visited and that his family called.
• His mother asks whether he will return home for the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival. Feng Jun avoids explaining his unemployment and recent troubles, telling her he is too busy and may return for New Year.
• He considers sending the fifty-kilowatt generator to his family’s shop, where unreliable electricity is a serious problem. He decides against it for now, reasoning that the generator is too large, costly to transport, and useful as a backup base for himself.
• Feng Jun tries to reach Wang Haifeng and assumes he has once again quarreled with his jealous wife.
• Several landlords and agents respond rapidly to Feng Jun’s online request for a rental property. He is willing to pay unusually high rent, but only if the property can support extremely heavy electricity usage—specifically, charging equipment requiring about five hundred amps.
• A woman offers an expensive apartment but fails to understand that charging capacity must exist at the property itself. Feng Jun becomes irritated by her confidence and blacklists her after repeated calls.
• A suburban landlord understands the electrical requirement but can provide only two hundred amps. He offers to install a dedicated line, but demands to know what Feng Jun intends to use the electricity for. Feng Jun refuses to explain, arguing that the high rent should compensate the landlord for accommodating his unusual requirements.
• Feng Jun rejects numerous landlords and real-estate agents who advise him to compromise or justify his demands. Despite his hostility toward agencies, his most productive conversation ultimately comes from a real-estate employee.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun remains cautious and secretive about his unusual power source, high electricity consumption, and financial situation. He values independence and refuses to reveal information that might expose his fortune or supernatural opportunity.
• His attitude becomes increasingly assertive and impatient. He believes that paying an exceptionally high rent entitles him to have his conditions met without interrogation.
• Despite his anger, Feng Jun shows concern for his family by considering purchasing a generator for his mother’s shop. However, his secrecy and avoidance reveal emotional distance and discomfort about admitting that he lost his job.
• Feng Jun’s mother is portrayed as caring and nonjudgmental, focusing on his health and reminding him to dress warmly rather than criticizing him for not returning home.
• Wang Haifeng remains mostly off-page, but his recurring domestic conflicts are used to show his unstable relationship with his wife.

Significant Themes

• Selective attention and neglect: Feng Jun has ignored his family and acquaintances while focusing on his business and secret plans, then selectively responds when he feels ready.
• Privacy versus trust: His refusal to explain the purpose of the enormous electricity demand reflects his determination to protect his secrets, even when secrecy creates practical obstacles.
• Money and entitlement: Feng Jun believes high financial compensation should eliminate questions and guarantee special treatment, while landlords see his unexplained demands as a potential risk.
• Family responsibility: Although he avoids discussing his problems with his mother, Feng Jun still thinks about improving his family’s living and working conditions.
• Communication and mutual respect: The repeated disputes arise because Feng Jun feels landlords are ignoring his requirements, while they believe he is being unreasonable by demanding unusual services without explanation.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun has a gentle but evasive conversation with his mother, concealing his unemployment and promising to visit later.
• He unsuccessfully tries to contact Wang Haifeng and interprets the unanswered calls as evidence of another marital quarrel.
• His exchanges with the female landlord become hostile because she focuses on the apartment’s quality and price rather than the required electrical capacity.
• His discussion with the suburban landlord is more substantive: the man understands the technical issue but becomes suspicious of Feng Jun’s secrecy.
• Feng Jun argues with multiple real-estate agents who urge flexibility, yet one agency employee eventually proves more capable of engaging with his actual requirements.

Chapter Summary: “Considerate Maintenance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun authorizes a young property broker to search for a suitable property under his name, but insists the authorization is nonexclusive: whoever finds a property first gets the deal.
• Feeling calmer after arranging the search, Feng explores the “People Nearby” feature on his phone and greets women whose profiles appear attractive.
• He rejects women who openly advertise paid companionship and becomes suspicious of one who demands a ten-yuan red packet before chatting. His thoughts about whether his special ability could reveal if she is genuinely beautiful or a scammer create a strong temptation.
• Remembering that his energy points are limited and should be used for important matters, Feng resists the temptation, leaves, and buys beer and peanuts to distract himself.
• Meanwhile, Guo Yueling remains under pressure from Xia Xiaoyu, who demands that Feng Jun be found. Xia threatens to have Guo sent to manage her family’s rural restaurant if she continues failing.
• Guo asks Zhao Qi to watch Feng’s residence, but Zhao neglects the task and plays mahjong instead.
• Xia discovers that Feng briefly returned to the factory but left again. Frustrated with Hongjie Club’s failure to help, she appeals to a member of the powerful Yu family.
• The Yu family member agrees to intervene indirectly, arranging for the power bureau to inspect Hongjie Club’s electrical system. Soon afterward, the club receives an official notice announcing indefinite, unscheduled power cuts for “maintenance.”
• Red Sister quickly realizes the power shutdown is retaliation connected to Zhao Lahei’s influence. She summons Guo and orders her to personally find Feng within three days—or take over a countryside restaurant.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Shows increased financial confidence but remains wary of being exploited. He is tempted to use his mysterious left-hand ability for trivial personal curiosity, yet ultimately demonstrates restraint and recognizes the importance of conserving his energy points.
• Wang Haifeng: Although absent, his character is developed through Feng’s memories. He is portrayed as carefree, financially unconcerned, and willing to endure scams in pursuit of attractive women, contrasting sharply with Feng’s dislike of being cheated.
• Guo Yueling: Becomes increasingly anxious as her failure to locate Feng threatens her position and possibly her future. Her authority at the club is undermined by the pressure from Xia Xiaoyu and Red Sister.
• Xia Xiaoyu: Demonstrates determination and influence. Grateful to Feng for saving her, she refuses to let the matter drop and is willing to pressure the Yu family and Hongjie Club on his behalf.
• Red Sister: Reveals herself as perceptive and politically aware. She immediately identifies the power bureau’s “maintenance” as a targeted warning and responds by holding Guo accountable.
• Zhao Qi: Is shown to be unreliable and self-serving, claiming to monitor Feng while actually spending the time playing mahjong.
• The Yu family: Their influence is emphasized. Even minor pressure from them can trigger administrative action, though they prefer indirect measures rather than openly escalating a small dispute.

Significant Themes

• Money and privilege: Feng reflects that wealth makes it easier to mobilize others, while the Yu family’s power demonstrates how social connections can accomplish what ordinary people cannot.
• Restraint versus impulse: Feng’s temptation to use his ability for curiosity or romantic interest conflicts with his rational understanding that his limited energy must be reserved for meaningful goals.
• Different attitudes toward loss: Feng hates even the possibility of being scammed, while Wang Haifeng treats small financial losses as the cost of gaining experience and entertainment.
• Power and indirect coercion: The Yu family avoids direct confrontation, instead using the power bureau to pressure Hongjie Club. The chapter shows how authority can be exercised through ostensibly legitimate procedures.
• Consequences and accountability: Guo’s failure to locate Feng leads to escalating pressure from both Xia Xiaoyu and Red Sister, culminating in a strict three-day ultimatum.

Character Interactions

• Feng negotiates with the young broker, granting him authority while protecting himself from an exclusive arrangement.
• Feng’s memories of conversations with Wang Haifeng highlight their contrasting personalities and attitudes toward women, money, and scams.
• Guo Yueling pressures Zhao Qi for information, but Zhao conceals his negligence.
• Xia Xiaoyu confronts the Yu family over their failure to help locate Feng, invoking the fact that he personally saved her rather than Yu Qingzhu.
• A Yu family member reluctantly agrees to intervene and uses the power bureau to target Hongjie Club.
• Red Sister confronts Guo Yueling, recognizes the political maneuver behind the power cutoff, and threatens to send Guo to a rural restaurant if Feng is not found within three days.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• At Sister Hong’s business, tensions rise because Feng Jun has disappeared. Guo Yueling claims she cannot guarantee finding him within three days, while Sister Hong orders her to locate him.
• Xia Xiaoyu arrives angrily after learning from the doorman that Feng Jun returned the previous day and left again that morning. She accuses Guo Yueling and Sister Hong of lying about being unable to find him.
• Sister Hong discovers that Xia Xiaoyu is desperate to contact Feng Jun because she feels responsible for causing him to lose his job. To calm her, Sister Hong promises to rehire Feng Jun at a high salary and frame it as recognition of Xia Xiaoyu’s concern.
• Xia Xiaoyu agrees to give them only two days. After she leaves, Sister Hong repeats the deadline to Guo Yueling and orders her to personally invite Feng Jun back, leaving Guo extremely distressed.
• Meanwhile, Feng Jun spends the day managing his newly acquired wealth. He opens several bank accounts and deposits millions of yuan, learning that real-world VIP banking rules differ from the effortless process shown in web novels.
• At one bank, he discovers that a Diamond card requires maintaining a one-million-yuan average balance for twenty to thirty days. Although disappointed, he receives VIP treatment and uses a gold card to bypass the queue.
• Having learned the process, Feng Jun efficiently opens additional accounts, eventually obtaining a same-day Gold card from a local commercial bank and depositing over two million yuan into it.
• He buys a domestic Maolin smartphone and a new phone number, choosing not to wait for an unavailable newly released model.
• Feng Jun then visits an auto-repair district seeking a powerful, load-bearing motorcycle suitable for poor rural roads. After initially receiving suspicious reactions, he claims money is no object. A shop owner recommends a three-wheeled agricultural vehicle instead, and Feng Jun orders one with increased horsepower and a roof for protection from the weather.

Character Developments

• Guo Yueling becomes increasingly anxious and trapped between Sister Hong’s demands and her inability to locate Feng Jun. She is ultimately held personally responsible for bringing him back.
• Sister Hong demonstrates authority, manipulation, and practical diplomacy. She manages Xia Xiaoyu’s anger by exploiting her sense of guilt and gratitude, while still maintaining pressure on Guo Yueling.
• Xia Xiaoyu reveals that she genuinely feels guilty about Feng Jun losing his job. Though embarrassed by Sister Hong’s suggestion that she and Feng Jun may be romantically connected, she insists that her concern comes from a desire not to become an ingrate.
• Feng Jun grows more confident and pragmatic as his financial situation improves. He learns to use wealth to gain convenience and influence, but remains unfamiliar with ordinary banking procedures and real-world logistics.

Significant Themes

• Reality versus fiction: Feng Jun discovers that web novels exaggerate or misrepresent VIP banking procedures, humorously contrasting fantasy expectations with actual rules.
• The power of money: His wealth allows him to bypass queues, receive attentive service, open multiple accounts, and obtain customized equipment.
• Manipulation and diplomacy: Sister Hong uses carefully chosen language to redirect Xia Xiaoyu’s anger and preserve the possibility of recovering Feng Jun.
• Responsibility and gratitude: Xia Xiaoyu’s actions are driven by guilt and her determination not to appear ungrateful, even though her concern may be interpreted romantically.
• Adaptation and practical problem-solving: Feng Jun adjusts quickly when his original plans prove inconvenient, switching from motorcycles to a more suitable agricultural vehicle.

Character Interactions

• Sister Hong and Guo Yueling: Sister Hong pressures Guo to find Feng Jun, eventually demanding that she personally recruit him back.
• Sister Hong and Xia Xiaoyu: Their confrontation begins with accusations but shifts into negotiation when Sister Hong promises to rehire Feng Jun. Sister Hong also teases Xia Xiaoyu about her apparent concern for him.
• Guo Yueling and Xia Xiaoyu: Xia Xiaoyu blames Guo for misleading her, while Guo defensively insists that Feng Jun could not have returned because Zhao Qi was monitoring him.
• Feng Jun and bank staff: Their interactions show the contrast between his expectations and actual banking procedures, while also highlighting how his money earns him respectful, flexible treatment.
• Feng Jun and the repair-shop owner: Their discussion demonstrates Feng Jun’s willingness to bluff and spend freely, as well as the owner’s practical recommendation of a three-wheeled agricultural vehicle.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun plans a much larger expedition and orders both motorcycles and tricycles, hoping eventually to move freely between worlds without worrying about energy limitations.
• He searches for a secluded property where he can access a large and reliable electricity supply to recharge his energy.
• His real-estate agent first shows him a courtyard near Xinguang Cement Factory. Although it offers cheap, powerful electricity, Feng Jun rejects it because corruption and internal conflict among the factory’s owners could create trouble.
• The agent then takes him to a remote villa built on two forested hills near a river. The property includes wells, roads, worker dormitories, drainage facilities, and an 800-kilowatt diesel generator capable of supplying 1,500 amperes.
• The villa’s caretaker agrees to rent it to Feng Jun for 10,000 yuan per month, with electricity included as long as Feng Jun replenishes the diesel. His only condition is that Feng Jun not bring troublesome people there.
• Feng Jun immediately accepts, choosing the rear courtyard to reduce the likelihood of surveillance. He arranges for the diesel tank to be filled and extra fuel to be purchased.
• The next morning, he and the caretaker complete the rental paperwork. Feng Jun pays 20,000 yuan—one month’s rent as a deposit and one month in advance.
• After Wang Haifeng again fails to answer his calls, Feng Jun contacts Ye Qingyi through Liaoliao and asks her to appraise a large piece of mutton-fat white jade. He jokingly claims it is worth hundreds of millions and that he sold it for six million yuan to Liang Haiqing of Henglong Jewelry.
• Ye Qingyi initially assumes Feng Jun is joking but gradually realizes he may be telling the truth. She becomes frustrated that he sold such valuable jade without asking her to appraise it first.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes more practical and strategic. He recognizes that a secluded property with an independent generator is essential for managing his energy-based travels and is willing to pay a high rent for privacy and reliable power.
• He also shows increasing confidence with money, spending freely when it helps him achieve his goals, while remaining cautious about unnecessary risks.
• The real-estate agent is portrayed as diligent and resourceful, quickly finding Feng Jun a more suitable property after noticing his hesitation about the cement factory.
• The caretaker, a distant relative of the property owner, is pragmatic and eager to earn rental income. Though puzzled by Feng Jun’s talk of “energy,” he accepts him as long as he causes no trouble.
• Ye Qingyi demonstrates strong knowledge of jade and a sharp eye for authenticity. Her curiosity and professional interest turn into irritation when Feng Jun reveals that he sold the jade without consulting her.
• Wang Haifeng’s continued failure to answer his phone leaves Feng Jun temporarily aimless and isolated.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and long-term planning: Feng Jun invests in vehicles, fuel, and a private base to expand his ability to travel between worlds.
• Privacy and secrecy: His rejection of the cement factory and preference for the villa reflect his concern about surveillance, corruption, and unwanted attention.
• Money as a tool: Feng Jun treats large expenditures as worthwhile if they secure safety, independence, and access to electricity.
• Opportunity and risk: The remote villa solves his energy problem but requires careful concealment of his true purpose.
• Humor and deception: Feng Jun deliberately teases Ye Qingyi about the jade, creating a playful but increasingly tense exchange.
• The value of expertise: Ye Qingyi’s appraisal skills are shown to be important, while Feng Jun’s decision to act without consulting her risks losing useful advice.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun negotiates with the agent and the caretaker, quickly establishing that the secluded villa is preferable to the politically unstable cement factory property.
• He interacts cooperatively with the electrician, offering extra compensation for filling the generator and securing additional diesel.
• His exchanges with Ye Qingyi are flirtatious and mischievous. He calls her a “beauty expert,” exaggerates the jade’s value, and repeatedly insists that he really owned and sold it.
• Ye Qingyi responds with skepticism, then curiosity, and finally annoyance, demanding to know why Feng Jun did not let her examine the jade before selling it.

Chapter Summary: “A Collision”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun invites Ye Qingyi to lunch to discuss the complicated circumstances surrounding his jade.
• Although he dislikes Western food and would prefer a private place where he could drink freely, he agrees to meet at a coffee shop near Ye Qingyi’s workplace.
• Before the meeting, Feng Jun buys Ye Qingyi an expensive Maolin phone as thanks for her earlier advice, which led him to purchase the Jade Gourd Pendant and eventually discover valuable jade.
• At lunch, Ye Qingyi reveals that she has heard about Feng Jun’s sudden wealth and realizes he is the mysterious “backpacker” associated with the jade.
• They discuss the jade’s sale for six million yuan. Ye Qingyi criticizes Feng Jun for not consulting her or negotiating more aggressively, believing he may have lost over a million yuan.
• Feng Jun explains that he deliberately sold quickly to avoid becoming emotionally attached to a target price and making poor decisions. Ye Qingyi is impressed by his self-awareness and restraint.
• Feng Jun shows Ye Qingyi a video of the mutton-fat jade pebble while they eat and talk.
• He gives her the new phone as a gesture of gratitude, and their conversation becomes playfully flirtatious.
• Their interaction is abruptly interrupted when Wang Haifeng arrives with Xia Xiaoyu.
• Xia Xiaoyu’s presence, combined with the gift on the table, makes the situation appear romantically suspicious. Ye Qingyi assumes Feng Jun may have another woman in his life, withdraws, and leaves without taking the phone.
• Feng Jun is left frustrated because he cannot easily explain his relationship with Xia Xiaoyu—or clarify his intentions toward Ye Qingyi—since he and Ye Qingyi have not formally established a relationship.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Demonstrates practical judgment and emotional discipline in explaining why he sold the jade quickly. He is increasingly interested in Ye Qingyi and attempts to cultivate closeness through gratitude, teasing, and a thoughtful gift, but his romantic situation becomes awkward and complicated.
• Ye Qingyi: Shows genuine concern for Feng Jun’s financial decisions and a willingness to help him. Her admiration grows when she realizes his choices were deliberate rather than careless. However, she becomes guarded and possibly jealous when Xia Xiaoyu appears, revealing that she may have romantic interest in Feng Jun.
• Wang Haifeng: Functions as an unwelcome interrupter, arriving at the worst possible moment and unintentionally disrupting Feng Jun and Ye Qingyi’s developing relationship.
• Xia Xiaoyu: Her cheerful arrival changes the mood instantly. Though she does not openly accuse Feng Jun of anything, her presence creates a misunderstanding when Ye Qingyi sees her.

Significant Themes

• Trust and vulnerability: Feng Jun tells Ye Qingyi that he trusts her character, while Ye Qingyi feels hurt that he did not rely on her expertise.
• Self-knowledge and restraint: Feng Jun’s decision to sell quickly reflects his awareness of his own weaknesses and his desire to avoid greed or indecision.
• Romantic ambiguity: Feng Jun and Ye Qingyi flirt but lack an official relationship, leaving both vulnerable to misunderstandings.
• Appearance versus reality: The phone gift and Xia Xiaoyu’s arrival make Feng Jun look romantically involved with someone else, even though the situation is innocent.
• Opportunity and gratitude: Ye Qingyi’s earlier advice indirectly led Feng Jun to his fortune, motivating his expensive gift and deepening their connection.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Ye Qingyi engage in teasing, flirtation, and increasingly personal conversation throughout lunch.
• Ye Qingyi challenges Feng Jun’s business decisions, while he defends them through a calm explanation of his priorities.
• Their mutual trust and attraction appear to be growing until Wang Haifeng and Xia Xiaoyu interrupt them.
• Ye Qingyi’s reaction to Xia Xiaoyu exposes her uncertainty about Feng Jun’s romantic circumstances, while Feng Jun’s inability to explain himself leaves the relationship temporarily strained.

Chapter Summary: “Women Are Such a Hassle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Haifeng introduces Xia Xiaoyu to Feng Jun, who is already meeting Ye Qingyi and has prepared a phone as a gift for her.
• Xia Xiaoyu feels conflicted and jealous, believing Feng Jun is romantically interested in Ye Qingyi.
• Feng Jun explains that his dismissal was partly due to his own weakness, while Wang Haifeng argues that his pride and stubbornness were more responsible.
• Xia Xiaoyu reveals that she pressured Hongjie to rehire Feng Jun at a high salary, but Feng Jun says he probably will not return.
• Feng Jun recounts how Manager Guo Yueling unfairly targeted him because of Liu Shuming’s misconduct. Xia Xiaoyu becomes furious and vows to punish Guo, with Wang Haifeng encouraging her.
• An argument develops over whether Ye Qingyi is prettier than Xia Xiaoyu and over Feng Jun’s refusal to give Xia the phone intended for Ye.
• Hurt by Feng Jun’s bluntness and lack of romantic reassurance, Xia Xiaoyu leaves in anger.
• Before leaving, she reveals that the man who stole Feng Jun’s strange stone is Wang Weimin, son of the owner of Treasure-Gathering House.
• Xia Xiaoyu expects at least acknowledgment of Feng Jun’s promised ten-thousand-yuan reward, but he fails to mention it because he already knew Wang Weimin’s identity.
• Feeling unappreciated, Xia Xiaoyu accuses Feng Jun of lacking responsibility and leaves. Wang Haifeng concludes that women are “such a hassle.”

Character Developments

• Feng Jun: Shows increased confidence and financial independence but remains socially awkward, stubborn, and unwilling to flatter Xia Xiaoyu. He recognizes his past weakness but now intends to handle his own affairs, including his conflict with Guo Yueling and the stolen stone.
• Xia Xiaoyu: Reveals strong feelings for Feng Jun through jealousy, emotional sensitivity, and her desire for acknowledgment. Although she genuinely helps him, she wants her efforts—and perhaps her affection—to be recognized.
• Wang Haifeng: Acts as a teasing mediator and instigator. He understands the romantic tension better than Feng Jun and repeatedly points out that Xia Xiaoyu is upset because Feng Jun does not treat her as a potential love interest.
• Ye Qingyi: Does not appear directly, but her presence dominates Xia Xiaoyu’s insecurity and Feng Jun’s explanations.

Significant Themes

• Miscommunication in relationships: Feng Jun interprets Xia Xiaoyu’s behavior literally, while she expects him to understand her unspoken feelings.
• Pride and vulnerability: Feng Jun’s refusal to ask for help contributed to his dismissal, while Xia Xiaoyu’s pride prevents her from openly expressing affection.
• Recognition and reciprocity: Xia Xiaoyu wants credit and emotional appreciation for the help she provides, not merely a formal “thank you.”
• Appearance versus sincerity: The argument over beauty and the phone exposes how easily romantic insecurity turns ordinary remarks into personal offenses.
• Independence and responsibility: Feng Jun wants to resolve matters himself, but his failure to acknowledge Xia Xiaoyu’s efforts creates further conflict.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Xia Xiaoyu: Their conversation is marked by jealousy, sarcasm, and unresolved attraction. Xia Xiaoyu tries to test Feng Jun’s feelings, while his bluntness repeatedly hurts her.
• Feng Jun and Wang Haifeng: Wang Haifeng teases Feng Jun about his romantic troubles and pushes him to recognize Xia Xiaoyu’s interest.
• Xia Xiaoyu and Wang Haifeng: They briefly cooperate in plotting against Manager Guo, with Wang Haifeng encouraging Xia Xiaoyu’s anger.
• Xia Xiaoyu and Ye Qingyi: Though they never meet, Xia Xiaoyu views Ye as a romantic rival because of Feng Jun’s gift and his apparent preference for her.
• Feng Jun and Guo Yueling: Their past conflict is revisited, establishing Guo as an antagonist whom Xia Xiaoyu now intends to confront.

Chapter Summary: “Trying Out Cultivation Techniques”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Jun avoids discussing the conflict between Wang Weimin and Wang Haifeng, using the need to stay busy as an excuse. He temporarily moves his belongings from the factory to a villa, joking to the gatekeeper that a friend was dumped.
• He spends three days charging his phone’s mysterious mark with a powerful generator, increasing its energy from roughly 25 to over 50 points. The process is inefficient because he must avoid detection and prevent the generator from tripping.
• The electrician becomes suspicious of Feng Jun’s enormous diesel consumption, but Feng Jun silences his questions by offering a generous payment and threatening to move out. The electrician advises him to avoid attracting the villa owners’ attention.
• Rather than immediately returning to the dangerous Wilderness Space, Feng Jun decides to investigate whether mobile games can provide useful abilities, such as cultivation techniques or spells.
• He travels to Yang City, rents a hotel room near the telecommunications company, stocks up on food, and prepares for a prolonged experiment. He also realizes he should eventually buy a laptop to make searching and testing easier.
• Feng Jun downloads the cultivation-themed game Seeking Love Immortal Envoy. After reaching level thirty and entering Vermilion Bird City, he activates the phone’s power and is transported into the game world.
• He buys three technique talismans: a movement technique, a saber technique, and a spear technique. He learns the spear technique and stores the other two.
• He joins hunting parties outside the city but encounters poor teamwork, careless players, and disputes over loot. After three days of fighting, he finally obtains a dropped cultivation manual, the Blazing Fire Art.
• When the team leader offers 100 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones for the manual, Feng Jun refuses because he needs it for real-world testing. The leader threatens him, disbands the team, and orders his guild members to attack and camp him until the manual drops.

Character Developments

• Feng Jun becomes increasingly experimental and cautious. He recognizes the danger of Wilderness Space and seeks practical self-defense methods before returning there.
• His imagination and willingness to test seemingly absurd possibilities lead him to discover that game-world items and abilities may be transferable to reality.
• He demonstrates greater strategic awareness by choosing reputable hunting teams, refusing to surrender the Blazing Fire Art, and disguising his true motives with humorous excuses.
• Wang Haifeng remains curious and somewhat hypocritical, criticizing Feng Jun for being unreachable despite often disappearing himself.
• The electrician shifts from suspicion to pragmatic cooperation after realizing he can profit substantially from Feng Jun’s unusual electricity consumption.
• The game’s team leader is revealed to be greedy and domineering, using threats, guild power, and forced PvP to obtain the cultivation manual.

Significant Themes

• Experimentation and discovery: Feng Jun systematically tests the phone’s capabilities instead of acting recklessly.
• Risk and preparation: The dangers of Wilderness Space motivate him to acquire defensive techniques before returning.
• The boundary between fiction and reality: A mobile game becomes a possible source of genuine supernatural abilities.
• Secrecy and deception: Feng Jun hides his activities from relatives, workers, and other players, using misleading explanations to protect his secrets.
• Greed and power struggles: The game’s players exploit teamwork and combat mechanics for personal gain, reflecting real-world conflicts over valuable resources.
• Pragmatism: Characters tolerate suspicious behavior when financial benefits outweigh their concerns.

Character Interactions

• Feng Jun and Wang Haifeng exchange teasing and accusations over their unreliable communication.
• Feng Jun gives the factory gatekeeper a ridiculous explanation for moving his belongings, maintaining his secrecy through humor.
• He negotiates firmly with the electrician, offering extra money in exchange for privacy.
• In the game, Feng Jun experiences repeated failures with poorly organized teams, including an unprotected healer dying and an archer stealing loot.
• His final team leader initially negotiates for the Blazing Fire Art but turns hostile when Feng Jun refuses, leading to a guild-backed attack and an attempt to force him to surrender the manual.