Arc 56The Dead Magic Expedition

Jiang Han led an expedition into the Dead Magic Zone, where she established a camp, fought its monsters, and reunited with Xu Fangying, a long-lost relative living among the Ratfolk. After returning home with treasure, Jiang Han pursued a way to create an avatar and went looking for Anjie Cavera, but found Tang Wen waiting in the rain instead.

  • Jiang Han negotiated with Du Lingxuan over the expedition’s spoils and led her, Xiya, and the Giant Cat Lamps into the Dead Magic Zone.
  • Jiang Han and her group fought through zombies and other creatures, established a hospital camp, and defeated a flame monster whose corpse contained more than forty catties of gold.
  • Jiang Han explored a subway tunnel, encountered a swift Ratfolk warrior, and later followed Ratfolk back to their settlement and hidden laboratory.
  • Jiang Han met Xu Fangying, who explained her long exile and asked for help returning home, and Jiang Han repaired her damaged limbs with Mist Immortal leyline energy.
  • Jiang Han and Xu Fangying arranged protections and trade ties for the Ratfolk, then Jiang Han returned to camp with cartloads of treasure and prepared to leave the Dead Magic Zone.
  • Jiang Han shopped with Olivia for avatar-related furniture, met April Conwari at Eileen’s tasting, and bought April’s legendary April Clone scroll.
  • Jiang Han learned that Angelite and Anjie Cavera were away at a Mars conference, then traveled to Rain Dew Sky Island and approached Tang Wen at the station.
Chapters 1378–1402 Vol. 14 Read

Ch. 1378Smart Big Cat Allocation Method

Jiang Han, Xiya, and Du Lingxuan arranged how to divide the supplies and salvage recovered from the Dead Magic Zone. After Cat Lamps brought back materials from an abandoned foundry, Jiang Han proposed that they go down themselves to establish a foothold and investigate the fire-breathing zombies.

  • Cat Carlo explained that the Cat Lamps had bought supplies to load into pods for the cats to retrieve, avoiding the risk of distributing food directly.
  • Cat Carlo showed Du Lingxuan a return backpack containing Dead Magic Brass, cement, machinery, and placer gold recovered from the Dead Magic Zone.
  • Du Lingxuan proposed receiving seventy percent of the proceeds in exchange for helping with the expedition and providing the zone's coordinates.
  • Jiang Han proposed giving Du Lingxuan seventy percent of basic building materials, splitting valuable materials evenly, and auctioning technical items among them.
  • Jiang Han suggested that she, Xiya, Du Lingxuan, and several giant cats descend into the Dead Magic Zone to establish a foothold and investigate the fire-breathing zombies.

Ch. 1379Landing

Jiang Han and her companions descended in a specially built airship into the Dead Magic Zone, where magic was failing and they prepared to face zombies with firearms. The chapter left them equipped for the coming fight, though Jiang Han was still silently confronting her pink, cat-themed assault rifle.

  • Giant Cat Heavy Industries' airship began its emergency descent into the Dead Magic Zone and shut down its buoyancy power.
  • The airship lurched during the descent, and Xiya broke a bone before resetting it with a Cat Spider silk bandage.
  • Jiang Han inspected her special-metal pistol as the airship's magical systems faded in the Dead Magic Zone.
  • Cat Carlo explained that ordinary 9mm rounds struggled against the zombies, while .50-caliber firearms and Jiang Han's Kitty K63 could penetrate them.
  • Jiang Han looked down at the pink, cat-themed Kitty K63 and fell silent.

Ch. 1380A Letdown Upon Landing

Jiang Han and the witches landed in a Dead Magic Zone with the Giant Cat Lamps, where they fought through zombie hordes and escaping waves of fire while searching for a base site. They headed toward a large modern building, with the cats demanding food as they went.

  • Jiang Han, Xiya, Du Lingxuan, and the Giant Cat Lamps descended from the airship and fought off zombies with their guns.
  • The airship departed, leaving the group to retreat west as zombies and fire-breathing zombies closed in.
  • Jiang Han led the group through a bookstore and into a shifting back alley while the Giant Cat Lamps used heavy umbrellas to block the flames.
  • Jiang Han restored the Giant Cat Lamps' morale with extra-concentrated chocolate, and they endured a third, weakened wave of fire.
  • Du Lingxuan suggested finding a suitable base, and Jiang Han pointed the group toward a large modern building after a Giant Cat Lamp called for food.

Ch. 1381Hospital

Jiang Han and her team fought through the monster-infested Dead Magic Zone and chose a hospital as a tentative base. They learned that otherworldly survivors had already been there and might know about an airship and a way to leave.

  • Jiang Han led the team through the streets, where Histeria killed thorn pigs and a Giant Cat Lamp was struck by their poisonous bone spikes.
  • The Giant Cat Lamps killed a flame-spewing zombie that smashed one of their explosive rounds aside and dodged nearly three meters.
  • Jiang Han and her team navigated the chaotic Dead Magic Zone and settled on a hospital as a tentative base.
  • Cat Carlo spoke with local Cat Lamps, who said mushroom people and lion people had mentioned precious medicines, an airship, and leaving the zone.
  • Jiang Han worried that the mushroom people and lion people might be survivors from other worlds who had arrived before them.

Ch. 1382Shadow of the Year of the Cat

Jiang Han and her companions entered a corrupted world and began clearing a hospital to establish an outpost. The Giant Cats’ fear of the dark delayed the basement operation until Jiang Han reminded them that they could glow.

  • Jiang Han decided to seize a stronghold and investigate the local creatures, then entered a hospital with Xiya and Du Lingxuan.
  • Jiang Han shot two dormant zombies clinging to the hospital ceiling, and the group discovered a poster depicting four-armed monsters.
  • Jiang Han assigned the Giant Cats to clear the basement and gather corpses while she and the witches divided the upper floors.
  • The Giant Cats raised concerns about searching the dark basement, and Jiang Han reminded them that Giant Cat Lamps could glow.

Ch. 1383Precious "Medicine"

Jiang Han cleared the hospital floors and joined Histeria, Du Lingxuan, and Xiya in the first-floor lobby, where they discovered that the local lifeforms' precious medicine was liquid gold. The find left Du Lingxuan trembling with barely contained bloodlust.

  • Jiang Han cleared the hospital's sixth floor and rooftop, then confirmed that the other giant cats did not need help.
  • Histeria called Jiang Han and Du Lingxuan to the first-floor lobby to show them something.
  • Jiang Han helped Du Lingxuan and Xiya set up a plush nest and bathing room despite the lack of magic power.
  • Xiya showed Jiang Han a heavy glass bottle of viscous golden liquid and a medical record for patient Ga-13.
  • Histeria and Xiya explained that the medicine was nearly two pounds of gold, and Du Lingxuan reacted with barely restrained bloodlust.

Ch. 1384Flame Monster

Jiang Han and the giant cat Witches fought a flame monster in the hospital basement, where its sorrowful pheromones and scorching fire threatened the group. After the monster’s flames turned deep blue, Du Lingxuan revealed her golden fire and unleashed the Sleepless Giant Cat’s Breath.

  • Jiang Han watched the giant cats flee upstairs after the flame monster set their fur alight, while Xiya explained that its pheromones caused grief and weakened its prey.
  • A burning, eyeless humanoid monster crawled up the stairs as the hospital sprinklers activated and drenched the basement.
  • Jiang Han ordered the group to fire, and three K63 Rifles pinned the monster down until it charged during their reload.
  • Jiang Han used an umbrella for cover as the monster’s flames turned deep blue, prompting her to force her magic power free.
  • Du Lingxuan emerged in golden flames, chanted “Sleepless Giant Cat’s Breath,” and released a flood of nearly transparent fire.

Ch. 1385Reinforcing (Rebuilding) the Camp

After Du Lingxuan’s enormous flame attack destroyed the hospital and nearly burned Jiang Han and Cat Lina, Jiang Han punished her by making her rebuild the site as a secure camp. The group salvaged valuable gold and began reinforcing the camp so they could resume adventuring.

  • Jiang Han scolded Du Lingxuan for unleashing her breath attack and destroying the hospital, then ordered her to turn the ruins into a safe, stable camp.
  • Du Lingxuan eagerly joined the giant cats in carrying stone and reinforcement materials.
  • Jiang Han and Xiya salvaged supplies and discussed how Du Lingxuan’s clinging flames could defeat ordinary fireproof defenses.
  • The giant cats found more than forty catties of gold inside the fire monster, enough to make nearly four hundred ounces of Witch Gold.
  • Jiang Han urged everyone to reinforce the camp quickly so they could go adventuring for more gold and jewels, and glared at Cat Carlo for stealing gold jewelry.

Ch. 1386Cat Division Operation

Jiang Han led a team of Giant Cat Lamps through the Dead Magic Zone, where they collected valuable railway steel and a jewelry-store signboard. The team followed the cats’ old rules for dividing treasure and recorded Cat Xiumei’s purchase of the signboard.

  • The Giant Cat Lamps finished building a camp, and Du Lingxuan, Xiya, and Jiang Han each set out with cat teams to explore.
  • Jiang Han’s team found railway tracks cutting through old buildings, and its Cat Lamps dismantled the tracks for valuable steel.
  • Cat Nesting explained that the haul would be divided under the cats’ old rules, giving shares to the Giant Cat Lord, assisting giant cats, and working Cat Lamps.
  • Cat Nesting inspected a jewelry-store display and found its contents unusable, but the Cat Lamps climbed into a tower and removed the store’s alloy signboard.
  • Cat Xiumei bought the signboard for one thousand five hundred Witch Gold, and Cat Nesting recorded how its proceeds would be divided.

Ch. 1387Subway

Jiang Han followed the cat lamps to a buried subway station and cautiously explored its eerie, skeleton-strewn platform. As she warmed up beside the tracks, a soft laugh came from the tunnel.

  • Jiang Han watched Cat Nesting record the ledger and then helped the cat lamps load supplies for transport back to camp.
  • The cat lamps lured zombies away and found something they called treasure, so Jiang Han and Cat Nesting followed them.
  • The cat lamps dug up a subway entrance, and Jiang Han marked her route with glowing scale powder before descending alone.
  • Jiang Han explored the abandoned platform, found Crowfolk and human skeletons, and checked the dark tracks.
  • Jiang Han stretched beside the tracks, then heard a soft laugh from inside the tunnel.

Ch. 1388Subway Residents

Jiang Han encountered a fast, agile ratman in the dark subway tunnel and fought it with her rifle and bayonet. After the ratman escaped, she decided to return and explore with three battle-hardened giant cats.

  • Jiang Han used her darkvision to spot a ratman and opened fire with her K63 Rifle.
  • The ratman dodged the bullets and clashed with Jiang Han's bayonet, but she overpowered it and slammed it into the tunnel ceiling.
  • Jiang Han tried several times to stab the ratman, but its agility let it evade each attack.
  • The ratman fled along the tracks, and Jiang Han judged its weapon and speed made it a greater threat than the fire monster.
  • Jiang Han retrieved her rifle and bayonet, then turned back to bring three battle-hardened giant cats to explore the tunnel with her.

Ch. 1389Cat's Got It

Jiang Han and the Giant Cats searched the tunnel for the mysterious Ratfolk, while Cat Doyastin explained how to identify Ratfolk and said the one Jiang Han encountered had an unusual form. Driven by a powerful instinct to hunt it, Jiang Han set out alone with glowing scale powder, promising to return within two hours.

  • Jiang Han had the cat lamps tear up the rails as bait, but the Ratfolk did not return.
  • Cat Doyastin explained that the creature was likely a Ratfolk, identified its tracks, and taught the others ways to recognize Ratfolk.
  • Jiang Han told the cats she felt a bond with the Ratfolk and wanted to find it, though she could not explain why.
  • Cat Xiumei suggested Jiang Han wander alone, and Cat Nesting gave her glowing scale powder and set a two-hour limit.
  • Jiang Han left alone to try to catch the Ratfolk.

Ch. 1390Ratfolk Mine Shaft

Jiang Han secretly followed a Ratfolk mining party through the Dead Magic Zone and discovered their underground settlement. She watched their routines and found a bustling city of fewer than a thousand Ratfolk, where they cooked cheese and played rare Witch Cards.

  • Jiang Han hid in a mine shaft, left the giant cats a message, and waited for the Ratfolk to return along their route.
  • A group of six Ratfolk and two Large Rats arrived with a cart of raw ore, and Jiang Han silently followed them through the mine.
  • The Ratfolk mined ore as they traveled, while the Large Rats hurried them along and spoke of miracle medicine.
  • Jiang Han reached the Ratfolk settlement and saw its cheese-filled hall, crowded wooden walkways, and many rat holes.
  • Jiang Han spotted Ratfolk playing old-style Witch Cards and estimated that the settlement held fewer than a thousand inhabitants.

Ch. 1391Mirror

Jiang Han secretly infiltrated the ratfolk’s cavern and discovered that it housed a laboratory. There, she met a mouse girl with her own face, who asked whether Jiang Han belonged to the Jiang family of the Five Great Lakes.

  • Jiang Han used her Breath-Holding Technique to hide among the ratfolk and overheard them discussing cat-lamps and Giant Cat Ladies.
  • Jiang Han spotted ratfolk transporting supplies into a guarded cavern and rode a mine cart inside without being noticed.
  • Jiang Han discovered a laboratory filled with observation chambers, research equipment, and recorded data.
  • A mouse girl with Jiang Han’s face turned toward her and asked if her surname was Jiang, of the Five Great Lakes.

Ch. 1392Her Story

Jiang Han reunited with Xu Fangying, an older version of herself who had survived for centuries in the void as the leader of a rat collective. They discussed returning Xu Fangying to the Witch world and resolving the problem of two identical Witches, while Jiang Han repaired Xu Fangying’s injured limbs.

  • Xu Fangying named herself and told Jiang Han that she had spent 295 years longing to return home and remembering their family.
  • Xu Fangying explained how she became fused with rats and founded the Rat Collective Consciousness Faction while sending distress signals into the void.
  • Xu Fangying asked Jiang Han to help her return home and find an Avatar School spell to address the existence of two identical Witches.
  • Jiang Han assured Xu Fangying she knew powerful Witches, including Kraken, Lilith, and Angelite, and revealed that her magic power had reached 240,000.
  • Jiang Han broke through the Dead Magic Zone’s restraints and used Mist Immortal leyline energy to repair Xu Fangying’s left arm and leg.

Ch. 1393Cats and Mice in Cahoots

Jiang Han hosted the giant cats and rats for a meal while Xu Fangying, her other self, questioned her about the secrets surrounding giant cat witches. Xu Fangying offered to set up protections for Jiang Han and explained that such protections chiefly let witches report anyone who spies on them.

  • Xu Fangying's food and radio calisthenics helped the rats grow strong, and she arranged a buffet for the giant cats.
  • The giant cats ate and drank with the rats while keeping quiet about the secrets in Jiang Han's circle.
  • Xu Fangying asked Jiang Han about giant cat witches and suggested she had safeguards against spying.
  • Jiang Han admitted she had not set up the protections Xu Fangying described, so Xu Fangying offered to arrange them.
  • Xu Fangying explained that witches used protections to ensure they could report snoopers and avoid social humiliation.

Ch. 1394True Witch

Jiang Han and Xu Fangying prepared to leave the Dead Magic Zone while arranging cooperation between the ratfolk and the cats. Xu Fangying enthusiastically planned to turn Jiang Han’s alchemy skills and their territory into a growing business.

  • Xu Fangying arranged for the ratfolk’s economy and wages to be tied to Jiang Han’s Giant Cat Territory, and the giant catgirls escorted them to inspect a safe mining passage.
  • Jiang Han learned that Shu Jia’er and other zombies used unusual martial arts, including Shu Jia’er’s bullet-crossing technique, and decided battle-hardened giant cats were needed for protection.
  • Jiang Han and Xu Fangying inspected their supplies and prepared to move while planning to distribute ratfolk tokens if they met Du Lingxuan, Xiya, and the other giant cats.
  • Xu Fangying approved of Jiang Han’s former work as a hostess witch and proposed using service work and alchemy lessons to build a reputation and establish alchemy workshops.
  • Xu Fangying teased Jiang Han about the embarrassing material on her computer, and Jiang Han covered her mouth to stop her from talking.

Ch. 1395Ratfolk Wealth

Jiang Han followed Xu Fangying through the Ratfolk’s underground settlement and discovered the wealth she had secretly collected. They discussed moving the Ratfolk and Jiang Han told Xu Fangying that their family had moved to Snow Cedar Lake, leaving Xu Fangying impressed by how successful Jiang Han had become.

  • Jiang Han followed Xu Fangying through the transformed subway tunnels to a locked warehouse where Xu Fangying kept valuables and metal ingots collected by the Ratfolk.
  • Xu Fangying teased Jiang Han about her old private folder, and Jiang Han gave up trying to make her forget it.
  • Xu Fangying showed Jiang Han the valuable brass, special steel, and aluminum ingots she had stored from the Dead Magic Zone.
  • Jiang Han told Xu Fangying that the family had moved to Snow Cedar Lake, which was connected to Rain Dew Sky Island by a three-minute ghost train.
  • Xu Fangying realized Jiang Han had made something of herself, and Jiang Han beamed at the praise.

Ch. 1396Transport

Jiang Han returned with a huge haul of treasure and shared the spoils with Du Lingxuan and Histeria. After reinforcing their camp, the group prepared to leave, with Jiang Han planning to seek Anjie Cavera for an incarnation ritual.

  • Jiang Han brought cartloads of gold, silver, jewels, and other goods back from the Dead Magic Plane.
  • Du Lingxuan was astonished by Jiang Han’s haul and suggested revising their harvest contract, but Jiang Han avoided discussing the division of spoils.
  • Jiang Han considered how Du Lingxuan’s debt could create a valuable long-term connection between their families.
  • Histeria asked whether the ratfolk would willingly settle on Cat Lamp Island, and Jiang Han said she believed they would.
  • Jiang Han, Du Lingxuan, and Histeria reinforced the camp and prepared to return; Jiang Han planned to find Anjie Cavera, while Xiya said she would make a mummy catgirl.
  • The group ate an all-lamb feast and ended up smelling of lamb.

Ch. 1397Furnishing the Home

Jiang Han prepared to shop for furniture and invited Olivia to come along, explaining that she planned to use an avatar. Olivia became intrigued by the idea of a Trickcraft Giant Cat Transformation avatar, which Jiang Han immediately rejected.

  • Jiang Han sorted the gold, silver, and jewelry she had brought home and left Giant Cat Lamp instructions for processing them.
  • Jiang Han chose two Cat Lamps to take with her as lights and found Olivia waiting in the hall.
  • Olivia bragged about decorating tents with fellow witches during her time in the Knight Hunting Army and Sixth Witch Regiment.
  • Jiang Han invited Olivia furniture shopping, then clarified that she planned to sculpt an avatar.
  • Olivia asked if Jiang Han meant a Trickcraft Giant Cat Transformation avatar, and Jiang Han firmly refused.

Ch. 1398Rain Dew Premium Furniture City (Part One)

Jiang Han visited Rain Dew Premium Furniture City to buy furnishings for her avatar while Olivia tried to turn the trip into a shopping outing for herself. After Olivia caused trouble with the store’s electromagnetic cat lamps, Jiang Han paid to settle the matter and continued browsing.

  • Jiang Han and Olivia went to Rain Dew Premium Furniture City, where Olivia asked to buy a cat kotatsu for her room.
  • Jiang Han insisted that she had come to choose furniture for her avatar, not to shop for Olivia.
  • Rakshasa Witch 3602 introduced the store’s furniture and explained that its mechanical-race staff were trained rather than programmed, a practice attributed to Angelite.
  • Olivia interacted with the electromagnetic cat lamps, encouraging several of them to become lazy and fall asleep.
  • Jiang Han paid 3,500 yuan to settle the trouble, then watched Olivia while Rakshasa Witch 3602 resumed her furniture presentation.

Ch. 1399Rain Dew Premium Furniture City (Part 2)

Jiang Han and Olivia shopped for furniture and room components at Rain Dew Premium Furniture City, with Olivia’s curiosity causing a small commotion. Jiang Han bought Xu Fangying a set of furniture with a laboratory component room, while Olivia purchased a luxurious tea room for her research.

  • Olivia poked at the furniture with her tail until Jiang Han warned that she would be sent to the cat-washing machine.
  • Rakshasa Witch No. 3602 introduced a graystone collaboration set that included a laboratory component room, and Jiang Han decided to buy that kind of component in a style suited to Xu Fangying.
  • Jiang Han compared options with several sales witches and eventually bought the Radiant Tavern—Eileen Golden Nest collaboration furniture and room components.
  • Olivia bought a Luxury Giant Cat Tea-Brewing Room, hoping to study its electromagnetic tea-brewing giant cats.

Ch. 1400Untangling Doubts

Jiang Han met April Conwari at Eileen’s private dinner to ask about her research into creating incarnations from parallel worlds. The chapter ended with April about to answer whether that technique was truly possible.

  • Jiang Han inspected the newly installed demiplane and left Ovi to study the electromagnetic tea-brewing giant cat.
  • Jiang Han attended Eileen’s private cuisine tasting specifically to meet April Conwari, an expert on avatars.
  • April discussed her research summoning versions of herself from different worldlines and criticized Angelite for creating avatars while denying her reliance on them.
  • Eileen introduced Jiang Han as her close friend and best friend, and April praised Jiang Han’s match and her commendation from the Anse region commander.
  • Jiang Han told April she admired her books, then asked whether someone could turn a parallel-world self into an incarnation.

Ch. 1401Ritual

Jiang Han learned about parallel-world avatars and the paths witches followed toward omniscience and omnipotence. After buying April’s spell scroll, she set out to gather ritual books before deceiving the other Witches.

  • Eileen described Odettas’s Virtue and Nature cultivation method and explained how its reliance on morality had corrupted the Crimson and Surplus Dynasty.
  • Eileen explained that avatars were meant to multiply a witch’s facets and outlined three paths to godhood: authority, knowledge, and magical power.
  • Jiang Han decided that she followed the path of knowledge and bought April’s legendary April Clone scroll from Eileen.
  • Jiang Han prepared to create an avatar and went to buy ritual books from Anjie before fooling the other Witches.

Ch. 1402Leisurely Meow-Ao

Jiang Han visited Sovereign Palace hoping to find Angelite and Anjie Cavera, but learned they had gone to a Mars conference. After leaving, she headed to Rain Dew Sky Island to relax, where she ran into Tang Wen in the rain.

  • Chen Anjie told Jiang Han that Angelite had taken Anjie Cavera to a Mars conference to discuss a project linking Earth and Mars.
  • Jiang Han left a message for Angelite and departed Sovereign Palace disappointed that neither she nor Anjie Cavera was there.
  • Jiang Han rode the Ghost Train to Rain Dew Sky Island, where heavy rain spoiled her plans to relax outdoors.
  • Jiang Han saw two witches joking together at the station and privately complained about their youthful closeness.
  • Jiang Han spotted Tang Wen waiting out the rain with a cardboard box and approached her, joking that she would be her lucky cat-raiser.
Arc 56 of 69