Chapter Summaries

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Deng Zixin's videos go viral on Douyin, gaining millions of likes and followers.
• Sixty-seven entertainment companies contact her within a night, expressing interest in signing her.
• An influential figure, whom Chen Zhao has met, offers Deng Zixin an alternative path.

Character Developments

• Deng Zixin gains confidence in her content creation and popularity.
• Chen Zhao demonstrates his sharp deduction skills and predictive abilities.

Significant Themes

• Rapid fame and its consequences.
• The influence of leaked information in the entertainment industry.
• The struggle between commercial opportunities and personal aspirations.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Deng Zixin support each other's decisions, with Chen Zhao providing guidance and encouragement.
• Deng Zixin interacts with various entertainment companies, considering their offers.
• An influential figure, not named in this chapter, presents Deng Zixin with an alternative career path.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Deng Zixin receives an offer from director Mo Tao to join the entertainment industry.
• Chen Zhao is invited to meet Mr. Wang, a mysterious figure with a classified operation.
• Chen Zhao discovers a secret elevator in the principal's office, leading to an underground network.
• The elevator takes them to a hidden area in the school, where Mr. Wang resides.

Character Developments

• Deng Zixin shows ambition and determination, pursuing her dream in the entertainment industry.
• Chen Zhao demonstrates curiosity and adaptability, accepting the mysterious situation and exploring the secret elevator.
• Mr. Wang is revealed to have a terrifying appearance, hinting at his mental illness.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and Pursuit of Dreams: Deng Zixin's desire to enter the entertainment industry.
• Secrecy and Mystery: The hidden elevator, the underground network, and Mr. Wang's classified operation.
• Appearance vs. Reality: Mr. Wang's terrifying appearance contrasting with his status as the district's top genius.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Deng Zixin: They support each other's dreams, with Chen Zhao promising to accompany Deng Zixin to meet Mo Tao but ultimately breaking his promise due to the meeting with Mr. Wang.
• Chen Zhao and Shen Meiyu: They work together, with Shen Meiyu guiding Chen Zhao through the secret elevator and introducing him to Mr. Wang.
• Chen Zhao and Mr. Wang: They meet for the first time, with Chen Zhao being startled by Mr. Wang's terrifying appearance.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao meets Mr. Wang, an extraordinarily tall and muscular man with a grotesque face and terrifying eyes.
• Mr. Wang tests Chen Zhao by staring silently at him, then asks him what he wants for breakfast.
• A chef arrives with a lavish breakfast spread from various regions of China.
• After breakfast, Mr. Wang compliments Chen Zhao's intellect and asks him to help with a task.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: Shows courage in facing Mr. Wang's intimidating presence and maintains composure during their interaction.
• Mr. Wang: Reveals his habit of using specific terms like "intelligence" and displays a serious, focused demeanor when discussing his task.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between individuals, with Mr. Wang initially exerting dominance over Chen Zhao.
• The importance of intellect and its recognition, as highlighted by Mr. Wang's compliments towards Chen Zhao.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Mr. Wang: Their interaction begins with tension and fear, but they establish a friendly rapport after breakfast. Mr. Wang tests Chen Zhao, then compliments his intellect and asks for his help.
• Chen Zhao and Shen Meiyu: Shen Meiyu acts as a mediator, helping to ease the tension between Chen Zhao and Mr. Wang. She also displays a playful side when grabbing the soup dumplings and tea.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mr. Wang introduces Chen Zhao to the world of cryptography.
• Chen deciphers two intercepted messages using simple substitution ciphers:
  1. Every other character method: "Tomorrow little dawn careful within noon ghost Long Ma Virtue Lian Road Virtue one and number Wang rendezvous Shun contact point" deciphers to "Rendezvous at Longde Road No. 1 tomorrow morning. Beware of the mole, Ma Liande and Wang Shun."
  2. Alphabetical shift method: "GVYJBPKJOHPOH" deciphers to "Attack at dawn!"
• Mr. Wang explains the history and evolution of ciphers.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao demonstrates his aptitude for cryptography, impressing Mr. Wang.
• Mr. Wang reveals his past as a guerrilla fighter against the Japanese, indicating he's over ninety years old.

Significant Themes

• The power and importance of communication and information security.
• The evolution of cryptography over time.
• The concept of disguise and restoration in communication.

Character Interactions

• Mr. Wang mentors Chen Zhao, introducing him to the world of cryptography and testing his skills.
• Shen Meiyu assists Mr. Wang by providing paper and a pen.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao is offered a job to crack a foreign military code.
• He must undergo assessments to prove his genius and mental preparedness.
• Chen Zhao deduces that Mr. Wang and Shen Meiyu are blood relatives.
• Mr. Wang agrees to let Chen Zhao take on the mission after his impressive deduction.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao demonstrates his exceptional intelligence and observational skills.
• Mr. Wang reveals his satisfaction with Chen Zhao's abilities.
• Shen Meiyu becomes curious about Chen Zhao's perspective on the world.

Significant Themes

• Intelligence and genius: Chen Zhao's extraordinary IQ and abilities are central to the chapter.
• Secrets and deduction: Chen Zhao's ability to deduce secrets based on subtle clues is a key theme.
• Trust and assessment: The need for trust and assessment before taking on a highly classified mission is emphasized.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao impresses Mr. Wang with his deductions, leading to a mentor-like relationship.
• Chen Zhao's interaction with Shen Meiyu becomes more complex as she sees him in a new light.
• Chen Zhao's determination to contribute his talents to his country is reinforced through his interactions with Mr. Wang.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mr. Wang introduces the Demon Cipher, its predecessors Monster Cipher and Ghost Cipher, and their creators' dedication and time spent on developing these codes.
• Chen Zhao is warned about the immense complexity of Demon Cipher and the potential consequences of failing to crack it.
• Mr. Wang reveals that he spent decades trying to crack a code, implying it was Ghost Cipher.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: Realizes the magnitude of the task ahead and the potential personal cost.
• Mr. Wang: Reveals his past as a codebreaker, his dedication, and the personal toll it took on him.

Significant Themes

• Patriotism: Mr. Wang's unwavering dedication to his country drives his codebreaking efforts.
• Personal Sacrifice: Both Mr. Wang and the creators of the codes dedicate their lives to their work, sacrificing personal achievements and recognition.
• The Weight of Failure: The consequences of failing to crack the codes are severe, both personally and professionally.

Character Interactions

• Mr. Wang and Chen Zhao: Mr. Wang shares his past with Chen Zhao to prepare him for the task ahead.
• Mr. Wang and Shen Meiyu: Shen Meiyu's emotional reaction reveals her personal connection to Mr. Wang's story.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mr. Wang, a renowned codebreaker, shares his lifelong struggle with increasingly complex ciphers: the Ghost Cipher, which he solved but was quickly replaced, and the Monster Cipher, which he failed to crack after 25 years.
• Chen Zhao, a young man, decides to take part in cracking the Demon Cipher after hearing Mr. Wang's story, on the condition that he won't have to live in isolation.
• Mr. Wang tests Chen Zhao by asking him to draw a maze that he can't escape from. Chen Zhao draws three increasingly complex mazes, with the third being a three-dimensional one that Mr. Wang finds challenging.
• Mr. Wang allows Chen Zhao to take the preliminary exam, which he must complete within an hour and a half to qualify for the next round.

Character Developments

• Mr. Wang: Reveals his lifelong dedication and obsession with codebreaking, leading to his current frail and isolated state. He shows a competitive and challenging nature when testing Chen Zhao.
• Chen Zhao: Demonstrates his intelligence and determination by drawing increasingly complex mazes and immediately starting the preliminary exam with confidence.

Significant Themes

• Obsession and its consequences: Mr. Wang's life is consumed by his pursuit of solving ciphers, leading to isolation and regret.
• Intelligence and competition: Both Mr. Wang and Chen Zhao exhibit high intelligence and a desire to outdo each other in their respective challenges.

Character Interactions

• Mr. Wang and Chen Zhao: Their interaction is primarily competitive, with Mr. Wang testing Chen Zhao's abilities and Chen Zhao trying to prove himself.
• Chen Zhao and Shen Meiyu: Shen Meiyu, a woman present at the pavilion, watches Chen Zhao draw the mazes and seems impressed by his abilities. Their interaction is minimal, but she appears to be interested in him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao takes a preliminary test consisting of forty short-answer questions, each requiring him to decrypt a given string of jumbled text.
• He completes the test in just forty-five minutes, far faster than expected by Mr. Wang, the test administrator.
• Mr. Wang grades the test and finds every answer correct, giving Chen Zhao a perfect score.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao demonstrates his intelligence and proficiency in cipherbreaking by acing the test.
• Mr. Wang shows surprise and approval at Chen Zhao's performance, seeing him in a new light.
• Shen Meiyu, the principal, shows support and confidence in Chen Zhao's abilities.

Significant Themes

• Intelligence and quick thinking: Chen Zhao's ability to solve the test questions quickly highlights his intelligence and problem-solving skills.
• First impressions and expectations: Mr. Wang's initial expectations for Chen Zhao's performance are exceeded, challenging his first impressions.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Mr. Wang: Their interaction shows Mr. Wang's high standards and Chen Zhao's ability to meet and exceed them.
• Chen Zhao and Shen Meiyu: They share a friendly rapport, with Shen Meiyu showing support and offering resources for Chen Zhao's further study.
• Chen Zhao and the unknown visitors: Their interaction hints at a potential new development in Chen Zhao's life, possibly related to his newfound career in cipherbreaking.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao, a disaster scholar, is visited by representatives of the Sara Disaster Foundation, established according to Sara's will.
• They inform him that Sara has nominated him as the foundation's president.
• Chen Zhao agrees to take the position, with the understanding that he will mainly serve as a nominal figure.
• The foundation's establishment ceremony is scheduled for the next day at the Sydney Opera House.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: Shows humility and willingness to honor his mentor's wishes, despite his initial hesitation about taking on the presidential role.
• Han Bing: Reveals a health issue (insomnia and night sweats) that Chen Zhao picks up on and offers to help with.

Significant Themes

• Fulfilling one's mentor's wishes: Chen Zhao agrees to take on the presidency to honor Sara's legacy.
• Trust and responsibility: Sara trusted Chen Zhao enough to nominate him as the president, and he feels the responsibility to uphold her wishes.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and the foundation representatives (Chen Lei and Han Bing): They discuss the foundation's establishment and Chen Zhao's role as president. Chen Zhao also offers medical advice to Han Bing.
• Chen Zhao and Sara (through her will): Chen Zhao reflects on Sara's trust in him and her detailed plans for the foundation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao examines a prescription written by Chen Zhao, which seems unreliable due to its childish handwriting.
• Chen Zhao messages Deng Zixin about his trip to Sydney for the Sara Disaster Foundation's inauguration.
• Chen Zhao arrives at the Sydney Opera House for the inauguration ceremony, where he learns about the foundation's wealth and is surprised by Sara's past frugality.
• Chen Zhao overhears attendees discussing their bids for presidency, revealing their self-serving motivations.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao shows concern for his sister's well-being and is willing to help her, demonstrating his familial affection.
• Chen Zhao reflects on Sara's life and wealth, questioning the value of her sacrifices and the meaning of life.
• Chen Zhao displays integrity and a desire to steer the foundation in the right direction, contrasting with the self-serving attendees.

Significant Themes

• The contrast between wealth and simplicity, as seen in Sara's past and the foundation's current opulence.
• The corrupting influence of power and money, as exemplified by the attendees' motivations.
• The value of one's life and the pursuit of one's goals, as Chen Zhao ponders Sara's choices.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Deng Zixin maintain a close, affectionate relationship despite their distance.
• Chen Zhao interacts with the attendees, overhearing their conversations and forming opinions about their character and motivations.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The foundation's inauguration ceremony begins, with attendees discussing the potential chairman candidates.
• Chen Zhao, the actual candidate, remains inconspicuous, while others speculate about prominent figures present.
• Han Bing, a staff member, approaches Chen Zhao to thank him for treating her cold and offers to treat him to a meal, which he declines.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: Shows humility and lack of interest in the attention or position, focusing on his work instead. His medical skills are confirmed as excellent.
• Han Bing: Shows gratitude and eagerness to express her thanks, demonstrating a kind and polite nature.

Significant Themes

• Humility: Chen Zhao's unassuming behavior contrasts with the others' ambitions.
• Recognition: Chen Zhao's skills are recognized by Han Bing, highlighting his expertise despite his low profile.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Han Bing: Their brief interaction shows mutual respect and appreciation. Han Bing's gratitude contrasts with Chen Zhao's modesty.
• Attendees: They interact by speculating about potential candidates, highlighting their ambition and lack of awareness about Chen Zhao's true identity.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Sara Disaster Foundation's inauguration ceremony begins.
• The host, an elderly Japanese professor, reads a lengthy and poorly translated introduction.
• Appointments are confirmed perfunctorily, as Sara had pre-selected most personnel.
• The president's position is announced last, with Chen Zhao revealed as the selected candidate.
• Chen Zhao delivers a brief, conventional speech upon accepting the presidency.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao is revealed to be the president of the Sara Disaster Foundation, surprising the attendees.
• Chen Zhao demonstrates his photographic memory by memorizing his speech instead of reading from notes.

Significant Themes

• The power of reputation and influence, as seen in the attendees' eagerness to connect with Chen Zhao.
• The importance of human connection and remembrance, highlighted in Chen Zhao's speech about Professor Sara.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao interacts with various attendees, who are eager to shake his hand and introduce themselves.
• The attendees display a lack of decorum in their rush to connect with Chen Zhao.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao meets Lan Wei, a wealthy Singaporean businessman, at a foundation event.
• Lan Wei donates 100 million yuan to the foundation, writing a check on the spot and leaving immediately, earning the term "Whirlwind-Style Lavish Donation."
• Chen Zhao learns that Lan Wei regularly makes such donations, causing a sensation online with people fantasizing about encountering him.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: Becomes awestruck by Lan Wei's donation and is curious about his motivations.
• Lan Wei: Remains consistent in his Whirlwind-Style Lavish Donations, showing no interest in public attention.

Significant Themes

• Wealth and Philanthropy: Explores the relationship between wealth and charitable giving, with Lan Wei's actions challenging conventional notions of publicizing donations.
• Curiosity and Desire for Knowledge: Chen Zhao's curiosity about Lan Wei's motivations drives the narrative.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Lan Wei: Their brief interaction leaves a strong impression on Chen Zhao, leading him to investigate Lan Wei's motivations.
• Chen Zhao and Online Users: Chen Zhao reads online theories about Lan Wei's donations, highlighting the public's fascination with his actions.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Deng Zixin returns from a trip, bringing heavy luggage, which turns out to be contracts.
• She cries upon seeing the contracts, expressing her distress to Chen Zhao.
• They discover the contracts outline stringent terms for Deng Zixin's work and life under Mo Tao Entertainment Company.

Character Developments

• Deng Zixin: Shows vulnerability and distress, unlike her usual assertive self, indicating her struggle with the contract terms.
• Chen Zhao: Demonstrates concern and support for Deng Zixin, offering to help her navigate the situation.

Significant Themes

• The price of fame and success in the entertainment industry.
• The loss of personal freedom and control over one's life and work.
• The struggle between personal desires and professional obligations.

Character Interactions

• Deng Zixin and Chen Zhao: Their dynamic shifts from a professional relationship to a more intimate, supportive one as Deng Zixin seeks comfort from Chen Zhao.
• Deng Zixin and Mo Tao (implied): Their relationship is strained due to the contract terms, with Deng Zixin feeling overwhelmed and unhappy with the conditions.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Deng Zixin explains the concept of a celebrity's public image to Chen Zhao, using an example of an actor who faked being well-read.
• Deng Zixin reveals her planned public image: beautiful, simple-minded, kind-hearted, and longing for a reliable man.
• She also reveals the conflict: her desire to date Chen Zhao openly and her desire to act in movies, which conflict with her planned public image.

Character Developments

• Deng Zixin: Struggles with her desire to date openly and her ambition to act in movies, showing her indecisive nature.
• Chen Zhao: Shows understanding and support for Deng Zixin's career, but also expresses his desire to date her openly.

Significant Themes

• The conflict between personal desires and career ambitions.
• The manipulation of public image in the entertainment industry.
• The struggle between honesty and deception in relationships.

Character Interactions

• Deng Zixin and Chen Zhao discuss her public image and career plans, leading to a difficult choice for Deng Zixin.
• Deng Zixin asks Chen Zhao to help her decide between dating openly and pursuing her acting career.
• Chen Zhao shows support for Deng Zixin's career but also expresses his desire to date her openly.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao advises Deng Zixin to sign a one-year contract with Mo Tao, allowing her to decide if she likes the entertainment industry after a year.
• They spend a day together, visiting a new park and locking a love lock on a bridge.
• Deng Zixin leaves for filming, and Chen Zhao receives a message about the second round of the codebreaking test.

Character Developments

• Deng Zixin shows determination and excitement about her new career path.
• Chen Zhao demonstrates his strength and skill when throwing the key into the lake, symbolizing their commitment.

Significant Themes

• The theme of making choices and their consequences is highlighted, as Deng Zixin chooses to sign the contract and Chen Zhao chooses to throw the key.
• The idea of commitment and its symbolism is explored through the love lock ritual.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Deng Zixin interact as a loving couple, supporting each other's decisions and spending quality time together before their respective missions begin.
• Chen Zhao receives a message from Shen Meiyu, hinting at his upcoming challenge and the continuation of his mission.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao immerses himself in studying codebreaking, working tirelessly and obsessively.
• He moves into his office, dedicating all his time to learning about cryptography.
• After intense study, Chen Zhao feels fear rather than excitement, realizing the complexity and terror of codebreaking.
• He studies various advanced foreign cipher systems and the Black Cipher, experiencing their overwhelming complexity.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: Becomes increasingly dedicated and obsessed with codebreaking, feeling fear and despair at its complexity. Develops a fierce resolve to face the challenge.
• Mr. Wang: Reveals his past achievements and the harsh realities of codebreaking, trying to deter Chen Zhao. Recognizes Chen Zhao's newfound determination.

Significant Themes

• The complexity and terror of codebreaking.
• The human cost and dedication required to crack ciphers.
• The battle against one's own inner demons and fears.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao seeks Mr. Wang's guidance and learns about the true nature of codebreaking from him.
• Mr. Wang tries to dissuade Chen Zhao but ultimately acknowledges his resolve.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Students gather outside Conference Room No. 10 for the exam.
• Top students from prestigious universities introduce themselves.
• The pretty girl in a white dress arrives, causing a stir among the male students.
• Students discuss their lack of preparation for the exam.
• The girl in white expresses her uncertainty about the exam's focus.
• Male students eagerly offer to help her and try to connect with her on WeChat.
• The girl in white freezes upon seeing a familiar figure approaching.

Character Developments

• The top students feel a mix of pride and disappointment at being at Lop Nur University.
• The girl in white is portrayed as beautiful, intelligent, and somewhat naive.
• The male students are shown to be competitive, eager to impress the girl, and quick to act on their feelings.

Significant Themes

• The pressure and uncertainty of exams, especially when faced with an unfamiliar test.
• The allure of beauty and the immediate response it elicits from others.
• The competitive nature of top students and their desire to prove themselves.

Character Interactions

• The top students interact with each other, showing mutual respect and understanding.
• The male students interact with the girl in white, trying to impress her and connect with her.
• The girl in white interacts with the approaching familiar figure, showing immediate recognition and excitement.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Xiaobai and Chen Zhao reunite at an exam venue.
• Zhao Xiaobai ignores the top students who were trying to add her on WeChat and instead greets Chen Zhao enthusiastically.
• They catch up, revealing that they are both there for the second round of the cryptography exam.
• Zhao Xiaobai expresses her admiration for Chen Zhao's achievements and teases him about his exam prowess.
• The top students watch their interaction, feeling jealous and speculating about Chen Zhao's background.

Character Developments

• Zhao Xiaobai: She remains outgoing and confident, expressing admiration for Chen Zhao's success. She is also modest about her own achievements.
• Chen Zhao: He is portrayed as humble and confident, with a strong academic record. He is also shown to be a good friend to Zhao Xiaobai.
• Top Students: They are portrayed as competitive, jealous, and somewhat naive about social dynamics outside their academic pursuits.

Significant Themes

• Friendship: The chapter emphasizes the strong bond between Zhao Xiaobai and Chen Zhao.
• Academic Competition: The exam setting highlights the competitive nature of academic pursuits.
• Social Dynamics: The top students' reactions to Zhao Xiaobai and Chen Zhao's interaction reveal their insecurities and lack of social awareness.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Xiaobai and Chen Zhao: They interact warmly, catching up on each other's lives and teasing each other about their academic abilities.
• Top Students and Zhao Xiaobai: The top students try to interact with Zhao Xiaobai but are ignored. They then watch her interaction with Chen Zhao with jealousy and curiosity.
• Top Students among themselves: They discuss their jealousy, Chen Zhao's background, and their own lack of social skills.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao, a renowned genius student, joins the top students for an exam.
• The exam is highly confidential and strictly monitored, with each examinee assigned two proctors.
• The exam paper contains incomprehensible questions, asking examinees to analyze and write down any information they can derive.
• Several top students hand in blank papers due to the extreme difficulty of the exam.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao remains calm and focused, determined to attempt the exam despite its difficulty.
• The top students, for the first time, experience the frustration of not understanding exam questions, leading some to lose their composure and hand in blank papers.

Significant Themes

• The struggle of the intelligent and the arrogant when faced with insurmountable challenges.
• The importance of perseverance and not giving up despite initial difficulties.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao's calm demeanor contrasts with the top students' restlessness and eventual submission.
• The proctors' surprise at Chen Zhao's decision to attempt the exam highlights his exceptional determination.