Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Chen receives an invitation to the Relic Hall and browses a catalog of Labyrinth Relics.
• He learns about mental relic capacity and the scarcity of Labyrinth Relics within the Hunter Group.
• Ye Chen anticipates finding a suitable second-tier Labyrinth Relic at the Relic Hall.
• He admires the Hunter's Peak middle level scenery and reflects on his new status as an Auling Hunter and his upcoming eighteenth birthday.
• Ye Chen discovers his hunter title codename, "Bloodsmith Hunter," in a small black box.

Character Developments

• Ye Chen demonstrates eagerness and anticipation for his new role as an Auling Hunter and the potential Labyrinth Relic he might obtain.
• He shows maturity and introspection as he reflects on his coming of age.

Significant Themes

• The scarcity and value of Labyrinth Relics within the Hunter Group.
• Ye Chen's growth and new responsibilities as an Auling Hunter.

Character Interactions

• None in this chapter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Chen, Oko, and Weimeng have their first dinner together as Auling Hunters at the luxurious Hunter Restaurant.
• Weimeng discovers the messaging function of their communicators and they exchange their Hunter titles.
• Weimeng asks Ye Chen and Oko to borrow money for his family's medical expenses.

Character Developments

• Weimeng: Shows his caring nature for his family, becoming more responsible and open about his situation.
• Oko: Demonstrates unexpected generosity and understanding, showing a more vulnerable side.
• Ye Chen: Remains calm and composed, revealing his tragic past without dwelling on it.

Significant Themes

• Family: The importance of family and the lengths one would go to protect them (Weimeng).
• Trust and Friendship: The bond between Ye Chen, Oko, and Weimeng deepens as they support each other.
• Money and Survival: The necessity of money for survival and the uncertainty of life as Hunters (Oko's comment about spending money while alive).

Character Interactions

• Ye Chen, Oko, and Weimeng continue to strengthen their bond as they support each other, with Weimeng opening up about his family's situation.
• Oko shows empathy and understanding towards Ye Chen's past, while also revealing her own curiosity about his family.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Chen and Oko receive invitations to pick a second-tier Labyrinth Relic from the Relic Hall.
• The graduates gather at the upper-level entrance of Hunter's Peak and are led by a receptionist to the Relic Hall.
• They enter the Relic Hall after a thorough security check.

Character Developments

• Ye Chen and Oko show their invitations, indicating they are among the outstanding graduates.
• Firona, Erigat, and Xiya reveal their chosen Labyrinth Relics, demonstrating their preferences and strategies.
• Ye Chen chooses the 'Strange Thread Gloves,' showing his preference for utility and adaptability.

Significant Themes

• The importance and value of Labyrinth Relics to hunters.
• The security and order maintained around the Relic Hall, highlighting its significance.
• The anticipation and excitement among the graduates as they prepare to choose their relics.

Character Interactions

• Ye Chen, Oko, Firona, Erigat, and Xiya discuss their chosen Labyrinth Relics, showing camaraderie and mutual respect.
• The receptionist leads the graduates to the Relic Hall, acting as a guide and authority figure.
• The security personnel maintain order and ensure the safety of the Relic Hall, interacting with the graduates only to perform their duties.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Chen and other graduates visit the Relic Hall to obtain Labyrinth Relics.
• The Relic Hall is a vast, octagonal hall with iron doors leading to different areas. It's filled with Auling Power, making Ye Chen feel refreshed.
• Tommy, a Heteromorph and the only Heteromorph employee of the Hunter Corps, guides them to the relic containment area.
• The relic containment area is a network of corridors with sealed glass window walls containing ownerless Labyrinth Relics.
• Ye Chen chooses the control-type second-tier Labyrinth Relic, the "Strange Thread Gloves."
• Ye Chen successfully forms a contract with the Strange Thread Gloves, and they meld perfectly with his left hand.

Character Developments

• Ye Chen demonstrates his eagerness and anticipation when entering the Relic Hall, showing his commitment to becoming a stronger Hunter.
• Tommy, the Heteromorph, is revealed to be the last of his kind working for the Hunter Corps, highlighting the decline of Heteromorphs in the Hunter Corps.

Significant Themes

• Power and Potential: The Relic Hall is filled with Auling Power, symbolizing the potential and power that the graduates can harness through their Labyrinth Relics.
• Rarity and Value: The Strange Thread Gloves, being a second-tier Labyrinth Relic, emphasizes the rarity and value of such items.
• Change and Decline: The decline of Heteromorphs in the Hunter Corps highlights the changes in society and the Hunter Corps over time.

Character Interactions

• Ye Chen interacts with Tommy, who guides him through the Relic Hall and assists him in obtaining his Labyrinth Relic.
• Ye Chen's interaction with the Strange Thread Gloves showcases his eagerness to form a contract and his satisfaction with his new Labyrinth Relic.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Chen experiments with his Labyrinth Relic, "Strange Thread Gloves," and masters its use over four days.
• After a week, Ye Chen, Oko, and Weimeng receive their first mission from the Auling Hunter Mission Guild: investigate the "Corpse Resurrection Phenomenon" in Yellowstone Village.
• The mission is set for the next morning, with a team consisting of Ye Chen, Oko, Weimeng, and a senior hunter, "Smoke Cloud Hunter."

Character Developments

• Ye Chen focuses on mastering his Labyrinth Relic and is calm about the upcoming mission, curious about their senior hunter teammate.
• Oko is excited about the mission and looks forward to working with Ye Chen and Weimeng.
• Weimeng is nervous about his first mission but is relieved to have Ye Chen and Oko as teammates.

Significant Themes

• The importance of Labyrinth Relics in combat and their role in increasing a hunter's capabilities.
• The "Newcomer Protection Rule" and the role of senior hunters in guiding new hunters through their first mission.
• The weight limit of Hunter Black Rings and the careful selection of mission supplies.

Character Interactions

• Ye Chen, Oko, and Weimeng have dinner together and discuss their upcoming mission.
• They express their thoughts and feelings about the mission and their new teammate, "Smoke Cloud Hunter."
• Ye Chen suggests they prepare mission supplies together after dinner.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Chen prepares for his first mission, reviewing wanted notices and checking his equipment.
• He meets the other hunters in his group: Weimeng (Rat Master Hunter), Oko (Pink-Haired Hunter), and their senior hunter, Dodila (Smoke Cloud Hunter).
• They gather in Departure Room No. 22, where a teleportation priest awaits to send them into the labyrinth.

Character Developments

• Ye Chen shows meticulous preparation and calm demeanor.
• Weimeng appears nervous about the mission.
• Oko maintains her composed and friendly attitude.
• Dodila is introduced as a slovenly, late, and disinterested senior hunter who plans to resign after this mission.

Significant Themes

• The importance of punctuality and responsibility in the hunter commission.
• The contrast between the rookie hunters' enthusiasm and the senior hunter's apathy.

Character Interactions

• Ye Chen, Weimeng, and Oko wait for Dodila, showing varying levels of patience and anxiety.
• The teleportation priest scolds Dodila for being late.
• Dodila introduces himself to the rookie hunters and instructs them to do the same.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Auling Hunter team, led by Dodila, is teleported to the western border of the Holy Light Pure Land.
• They arrive at a wilderness near the Holy Light Great Wall, where they meet Border Knights guarding the entrance.
• The team learns about the resurrection of corpses in Yellowstone Village, guided by an eerie ringing from within the Auling Labyrinth, attempting to cross the Great Wall.

Character Developments

• Dodila: Shows laziness and lack of motivation initially but takes charge upon arrival, demonstrating his seniority and experience.
• Ye Chen: Shows awe and respect for the Holy Light Great Wall, indicating his reverence for divine miracles.

Significant Themes

• The power and magnitude of divine miracles, represented by the Holy Light Great Wall.
• The danger and mystery of the Auling Labyrinth, hinted at by the eerie ringing and the resurrected corpses.

Character Interactions

• Dodila and the Border Knight leader: They discuss the commission, with Dodila brushing off the knight's displeasure about their tardiness.
• Ye Chen, Oko, and Weimeng: They marvel at the Holy Light Great Wall, with Ye Chen showing particular awe and Oko displaying familiarity.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Chen and his group approach the Auling Labyrinth, guarded by Holy Light Knights.
• A bell rings, summoning the bones of humans and livestock from the soil, but the knights assure them it's harmless now.
• Ye Chen learns that the skeletons only attack when obstructed and are weak.
• They cross the Holy Light Great Wall and reach the Labyrinth Mist Wall, the boundary of the Auling Labyrinth.

Character Developments

• Ye Chen shows curiosity and caution about the labyrinth's phenomena.
• Dodila reveals his disregard for Weimeng's auxiliary Spirit Art, causing Weimeng to lose confidence.
• Oko interjects to defend Weimeng.

Significant Themes

• The power of the Auling Labyrinth to revive the dead.
• The importance of team dynamics and individual roles in a mission.
• The struggle between confidence and self-doubt, as seen in Weimeng.

Character Interactions

• Ye Chen questions the Holy Light Knight, showing initiative and curiosity.
• Dodila belittles Weimeng, causing him to lose confidence.
• Oko defends Weimeng, showing empathy and team spirit.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Oko asks Dodila about his Nightmare Realm level, provoking him.
• Dodila threatens Oko, ready to fight.
• Ye Chen intervenes, warning Dodila about the consequences of internal fighting.
• Dodila backs down, smokes a cigarette to calm down.

Character Developments

• Oko shows courage and readiness to fight despite Dodila's threat.
• Dodila reveals a sensitive issue regarding his Nightmare Realm level, showing a violent side when provoked.
• Ye Chen demonstrates leadership and understanding of Corps rules, stepping in to prevent a fight.

Significant Themes

• The risks and consequences of internal strife among Auling Hunters.
• The importance of self-control and restraint in maintaining harmony within a team.
• The power dynamics and hierarchy within the Auling Hunter Corps.

Character Interactions

• Oko's question provokes Dodila, leading to a tense confrontation.
• Ye Chen mediates the conflict between Oko and Dodila, showing concern for his team's safety and unity.
• Dodila's reaction to Oko's question hints at a potential insecurity or secret regarding his Nightmare Realm level.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dodila, a third-tier Nightmare Sensor, is provoked by Oko's questions about his Nightmare realm, leading to a tense moment.
• Ye Chen, Oko, and Weimeng enter the Auling Labyrinth and encounter a steep cliff with ancient castle ruins in the distance, which they must reach in two days.
• The mysterious bell rings again, and its source is determined to be the castle ruins.

Character Developments

• Dodila is revealed to be sensitive about his Nightmare realm, displaying a volatile temperament.
• Oko shows a scheming side, provoking Dodila on purpose.
• Ye Chen demonstrates strategic thinking, advising the group to keep their Labyrinth Relics hidden from Dodila.

Significant Themes

• The oppressive and heavy atmosphere of the labyrinth, which affects the hunters' minds.
• The mysterious ancient civilization within the labyrinth, hinting at unknown history and power.

Character Interactions

• Oko provokes Dodila, leading to a tense exchange.
• Ye Chen warns Oko and Weimeng not to use their Labyrinth Relics in front of Dodila.
• Dodila leads the group into the labyrinth, displaying his experience and knowledge.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The hunter squad traverses treacherous mountain paths and ravines, nearing an abandoned castle.
• Weimeng uses his Spirit Art, sending out rats to scout ahead and detect any threats.
• After a day of travel, they encounter no enemies, only strange bell chimes from the castle ruins.
• As they prepare to camp, Weimeng's rats detect three stone-like creatures approaching.

Character Developments

• Ye Chen remains cautious and alert, focusing on the task at hand.
• Oko grows bored and restless during the uneventful journey.
• Weimeng seeks to prove his worth to Dodila, hoping his rats will find suitable danger.
• Dodila remains composed and experienced, expecting both peaceful and dangerous areas in the Labyrinth.

Significant Themes

• Peril and Caution: The squad faces constant danger from the cliffs and potential enemies, emphasizing the need for caution.
• Proving Oneself: Weimeng wants to demonstrate his value to Dodila, highlighting the importance of individual contributions in a team.

Character Interactions

• Weimeng seeks Dodila's approval and tries to impress him with his Spirit Art.
• Ye Chen and Oko work together, supporting Weimeng when he's tasked with facing an enemy alone.
• Dodila leads the team, providing guidance and assigning tasks based on each hunter's abilities.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Chen, Oko, and Weimeng encounter Mountain Stone Monsters, powerful Labyrinth creatures.
• Oko demonstrates her Innate Spirit Art, using three swords and her ponytail to move at incredible speeds.
• Ye Chen uses his hand-cannon revolver to fire "Blood Bullets," destroying the monsters' hearts.
• Oko and Ye Chen defeat the monsters, showcasing their formidable abilities.

Character Developments

• Oko's fighting style is revealed, emphasizing her speed and agility.
• Ye Chen's "Blood Bullets" prove effective against the monsters' rocky defenses.
• Dodila, their guide, is impressed by the hunters' strength.

Significant Themes

• The importance of teamwork and complementary abilities in combat.
• The hunters' adaptability and resourcefulness in facing unexpected challenges.

Character Interactions

• Oko and Ye Chen work together to take down the monsters, demonstrating their coordination and trust in each other's abilities.
• Dodila observes the hunters' combat skills, leading to a newfound respect for them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Oko and Ye Chen defeat their respective Mountain Stone Monsters with ease.
• Weimeng struggles against his monster, using shotgun, grenades, and rat swarm tactics, but to no avail.
• Dodila intervenes, saving Weimeng by killing the monster with smoke spikes and a circular saw.
• Dodila advises Weimeng to give up on becoming an Auling Hunter.

Character Developments

• Oko demonstrates her prowess as a hunter, taking down a monster with skill and satisfaction.
• Ye Chen shows his efficiency and precision in combat.
• Weimeng reveals his desperation and lack of skill, ultimately needing rescue.
• Dodila showcases his unique abilities and indifference towards Weimeng's struggles.

Significant Themes

• The struggle and determination required to become a successful hunter.
• The importance of adaptability and versatility in combat.
• The consequences of underestimating opponents and overestimating one's abilities.

Character Interactions

• Oko and Ye Chen share a brief moment of eye contact, with Oko smiling at Ye Chen.
• Dodila saves Weimeng, but expresses his disapproval of Weimeng's hunting abilities.
• Weimeng feels grateful yet embarrassed after being rescued, leading to Dodila's harsh advice.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dodila criticizes Weimeng's combat skills and his Innate Spirit Art, advising him to give up on being a hunter.
• Ye Chen defends Weimeng's ability, arguing that it's valuable for scouting and avoiding risks.
• Dodila shares a past experience where a scouting-type hunter caused his team's downfall, revealing his prejudice against Weimeng's ability.
• The team sets up camp and encounters reanimated Mountain Stone Monsters due to the strange bell from the castle ruins.

Character Developments

• Weimeng feels inferior and discouraged after Dodila's criticism but finds encouragement in Ye Chen's support.
• Dodila reveals his prejudice and past trauma, showing a more vulnerable side.
• Ye Chen demonstrates his maturity and fairness, standing up for Weimeng despite Dodila's seniority.

Significant Themes

• The value of different Innate Spirit Arts and their roles in a team.
• Prejudice and its impact on personal judgments and interactions.
• The dangers and challenges of the Labyrinth, including reanimated monsters.

Character Interactions

• Dodila expresses his disdain for Weimeng's ability and advises him to quit hunting.
• Ye Chen defends Weimeng and offers him comfort and encouragement.
• The team works together to set up camp and faces reanimated monsters due to the strange bell.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Mountain Stone Monster reassembles and follows a bell's summons towards the castle ruins.
• The hunters observe the castle ruins and decide to send a rat to scout inside.
• The rat discovers a large, empty hall with a massive hole in the center, leading to an underground chamber filled with a mountain of corpses.

Character Developments

• Dodila shows impatience and urgency when waiting for Weimeng's report.
• Weimeng demonstrates his ability to communicate with his rats and gather information, but struggles to convey the disturbing scene he witnessed.

Significant Themes

• The danger and mystery of the Labyrinth.
• The consequences of death and decay within the Labyrinth.

Character Interactions

• Ye Chen suggests using Weimeng's rat to scout the castle interior.
• Dodila grows impatient while waiting for Weimeng's report.
• Weimeng struggles to describe the horrifying scene he witnessed through his rat's eyes.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The hunters discover an underground city ruin beneath the castle, filled with a mountain of corpses.
• A Corpse Worm, a giant beast formed from scattered corpse chunks, emerges from the pit and attacks the hunters.
• The hunters are pulled into the pit by the Corpse Worm's powerful suction force.

Character Developments

• Ye Chen, Oko, and Weimeng are introduced as newly initiated hunters, joining Dodila on a mission.
• Weimeng's rat is killed by the Corpse Worm, revealing the danger of the mission.
• Dodila shows his experience and calmness, leading the team and making strategic decisions.

Significant Themes

• The dangers and unpredictability of the Labyrinth.
• The power of unity and teamwork among hunters.
• The importance of preparation and adaptability in facing unexpected threats.

Character Interactions

• Ye Chen, Oko, Weimeng, and Dodila work together as a team, sharing information, making decisions, and supporting each other.
• Dodila takes on a mentoring role, guiding the younger hunters and helping them prepare for the mission.
• The hunters' bond strengthens as they face the Corpse Worm together, showing trust and reliance on one another.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group falls into a pit, and Dodila is swallowed by a corpse worm.
• Ye Chen, Oko, and Weimeng manage to halt their fall by grabbing onto ruins.
• Weimeng is attacked and dragged into a ruin stratum by an unknown creature.
• Oko is attacked by a bird-like creature and falls into the ruins.
• Ye Chen is attacked by a spider-like creature and dragged into its nest.

Character Developments

• Dodila's death demonstrates the dungeon's danger and the consequences of underestimating it.
• Weimeng shows initial panic but later agrees to Ye Chen's plan to deal with the source of the ringing.
• Oko remains calm and suggests exploring downward despite Dodila's fate.
• Ye Chen assesses the situation rationally and prioritizes dealing with the ringing's source.

Significant Themes

• Danger and Precariousness: The dungeon's unpredictable and dangerous nature is emphasized, with characters facing sudden attacks and life-threatening situations.
• Trust and Teamwork: The group's dynamic shifts as they discuss their next move, showing a level of trust and cooperation despite their recent induction.

Character Interactions

• Ye Chen, Oko, and Weimeng discuss their plan of action, showing a mix of caution and determination.
• Oko and Weimeng are both attacked and separated from the group, highlighting the dungeon's threat to individual characters.
• Ye Chen is the last to be attacked, leaving him isolated and vulnerable.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Chen encounters a giant spider-like beast (Corpse Spider) in the ruins.
• He fires his revolver, wounding the spider and causing it to fall.
• Ye Chen is dragged into a dark passageway and becomes stuck in the spider's web.
• He frees himself and faces the Corpse Spider, which is revealed to be made from the remains of many creatures.
• Ye Chen engages in a fierce battle with the Corpse Spider, severing four of its legs.
• The Corpse Spider retreats to engage in a ranged battle.

Character Developments

• Ye Chen demonstrates his quick thinking, agility, and combat skills in the face of the Corpse Spider's attacks.
• He shows no fear despite the dangerous situation, displaying courage and determination.

Significant Themes

• The theme of facing one's fears and confronting danger head-on is emphasized through Ye Chen's actions.
• The Corpse Spider's origin from the remains of many creatures hints at the theme of the consequences of past actions and the cycle of life and death.

Character Interactions

• Ye Chen interacts with the Corpse Spider, demonstrating his combat prowess and strategic thinking.
• There are no human interactions in this chapter.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Chen uses the "Strange Thread Gloves" relic to swiftly defeat a corpse spider ambush.
• He decides to explore the ruins towards the source of the bell sounds, hoping to find his teammates.
• He encounters and defeats a group of skeletal soldiers in a decayed banquet hall.
• He feels an explosion and hears a mouse, which he suspects is summoned by his teammate Weimeng.

Character Developments

• Ye Chen demonstrates his combat prowess and quick thinking, using the relic's ability to his advantage.
• He shows determination and calmness under pressure, maintaining his composure in the eerie ruins.

Significant Themes

• The ruins' labyrinthine nature and the increasing concentration of labyrinth mania.
• The constant threat of the unknown and the need for vigilance.

Character Interactions

• Ye Chen interacts with a mouse, which he believes is summoned by his teammate Weimeng, indicating potential rescue or guidance.
• No direct interactions with other characters, but Ye Chen's thoughts and actions show concern for his missing teammates.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Chen follows a rat and finds Weimeng, the Rat Master Hunter, hiding in a cramped room.
• Weimeng recounts his encounter with a Corpse Frog monster, which he outsmarted by using rats as bait and exploiting its lack of static vision.
• Weimeng discovers a skeleton in the room and defeats it, finding a Labyrinth Relic called the 'Detonation Pull Ring' among its remains.

Character Developments

• Weimeng demonstrates his resourcefulness and survival skills, proving that he's more than just a rat summoner.
• Ye Chen shows understanding and approval of Weimeng's actions, valuing survival and adaptability.

Significant Themes

• The importance of playing to one's strengths and avoiding weaknesses.
• The value of survival and adaptability in dangerous situations.
• The role of luck in finding powerful artifacts like Labyrinth Relics.

Character Interactions

• Ye Chen and Weimeng reunite, with Ye Chen expressing relief and Weimeng sharing his experiences.
• Weimeng shows excitement and pride in finding his own Labyrinth Relic.
• Ye Chen shows interest and curiosity about Weimeng's new Labyrinth Relic.