Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Who Was That Sour Face For?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan gives Xia Ping twenty milliliters of Life Essence Fluid, a rare substance capable of healing serious injuries and potentially restoring decades of lost health.
• Xia Ping recognizes the fluid as an invaluable safeguard for the Xia Family. It could save an important family member in the event of a catastrophic injury and is valuable enough to become a family heirloom.
• Li Yuan asks Xia Ping to keep the existence of the fluid secret, claiming he has none left. Xia Ping agrees and promises not even to tell his wife.
• Xia Ping does not question where Li Yuan obtained the fluid. He assumes it may have been stolen or passed through several hands, but cares only that it is now in his possession.
• After securing the fluid, Xia Ping returns to the reception hall with Li Yuan and treats him warmly, arranging the formal tea-serving ceremony for Xia Zhao’s marriage.
• Xia Ping openly defends Li Yuan and Xia Zhao’s right to choose their own marriage. He sharply rebukes Xia Zhao’s father, Xia Cheng, for displaying hostility and orders him to behave courteously.
• The tea ceremony proceeds with Xia Ping ensuring that Xia Zhao’s grandmother and parents accept tea from the younger couple. Xia Cheng is forced to replace his cold expression with a smile after being scolded.

Character Developments

• Xia Ping: His opinion of Li Yuan changes dramatically. He previously viewed Li Yuan as ordinary and unsuitable, but now considers him sincere, dependable, and extraordinarily valuable to the family. He begins treating Li Yuan as one of his own and strongly supports the marriage.
• Li Yuan: Demonstrates his sincerity toward Xia Zhao by giving away an extremely precious item that could have benefited him personally. His generosity earns Xia Ping’s trust and respect, even though his origins remain questionable.
• Xia Cheng: Becomes confused and frustrated by Xia Ping’s sudden approval of Li Yuan. He suspects Li Yuan may have threatened the family through Xia Zhao, but his theories are unfounded. Despite his resentment, he is forced to cooperate.
• Xia Zhao’s mother: Remains unconvinced of Li Yuan’s worth because of his limited background and abilities. She interprets Xia Ping’s unusual behavior as possibly meaning that the family has stopped caring about Xia Zhao’s marriage.
• Xia Zhao: Receives clear support from her grandfather, who reinforces her freedom to choose her own partner.

Significant Themes

• Worth measured through contribution: Li Yuan’s social background matters less to Xia Ping after he makes a contribution capable of protecting the entire Xia Family.
• Loyalty and sacrifice: Li Yuan’s willingness to surrender the Life Essence Fluid proves the seriousness of his feelings for Xia Zhao.
• Family interests versus personal prejudice: Xia Cheng and Xia Zhao’s mother judge Li Yuan by his background, while Xia Ping evaluates him by the practical value and sincerity of his actions.
• Secrecy and power: The Life Essence Fluid is treated as a dangerous secret because knowledge of its existence could attract pressure, manipulation, or conflict.
• Authority and changing attitudes: Xia Ping’s position as family head allows him to immediately reshape the family’s treatment of Li Yuan, silencing opposition through his authority.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Xia Ping share a private conversation in which Li Yuan offers the Life Essence Fluid and Xia Ping accepts both the gift and his request for secrecy.
• Xia Ping and Li Yuan return to the reception hall side by side, visibly signaling Xia Ping’s newfound approval.
• Xia Ping confronts Xia Cheng, defending Li Yuan and Xia Zhao while criticizing Xia Cheng’s hostile demeanor.
• Xia Ping pressures Xia Zhao’s grandmother and parents to participate in the tea ceremony, ensuring that Li Yuan receives formal acknowledgment.
• Xia Cheng and Xia Zhao’s mother remain puzzled and dissatisfied, unable to understand what caused Xia Ping’s sudden and complete change of heart.

Chapter Summary: “Main House and Branch House”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Zhao’s mother worries that marriage to Li Yuan could damage her daughter’s future. She believes Xia Zhao has the talent to manage the Xia Family and possibly become its future head, so she feels the marriage must preserve the family’s dignity.
• After the tea-serving ceremony, Xia Ping unexpectedly changes his attitude toward Li Yuan. His earlier disdain becomes open approval, confusing both Xia Zhao’s parents and the Branch House.
• Branch House members interpret Xia Ping’s behavior as a deliberate attempt to make Li Yuan appear mysterious and impressive, assuming he is actually an ordinary man. They privately mock the Main House and feel pleased that its choice of son-in-law suggests decline.
• The Branch House contrasts Li Yuan with their own supposedly impressive sons-in-law, including Xia Zhi’s future son-in-law, a commander on the southern front.
• Xia Zhao and Li Yuan tour the Xia Family estate together. Xia Cheng tries to interfere, but Xia Ping stops him, implicitly allowing the newly accepted couple time together.
• Xia Zhao reflects on her childhood, her dedication to Martial Dao cultivation, and her formerly smooth path to success. She identifies Qijia Town—where Li Yuan saved her life—as the greatest crisis she has faced.
• Xia Zhao asks what Li Yuan gave Xia Ping that caused his sudden approval. Li Yuan refuses to reveal the details, saying it is something tangible and that he has prepared something similar for Xia Zhao.
• Xia Zhao explains the Xia Family’s structure. The Main House descends from the lineage that traditionally holds the position of family head, while six Branch House lineages joined the family centuries earlier and gradually gained power.
• Internal conflict intensified after Xia Zhao’s great-grandfather was injured on a mission. To stabilize the family, authority was delegated to the Branch House, which eventually became entrenched in many areas and sometimes ignored the Main House’s decisions.
• Xia Ping is surrounded by Main House relatives demanding an explanation for his sudden acceptance of Li Yuan, with some questioning whether he believes Xia Zhao deserves no better.

Character Developments

• Xia Zhao: Shows confidence in Li Yuan and remains emotionally committed to him despite her family’s doubts. She reveals more about her upbringing, her strong dedication to cultivation, and her belief that others would envy her if they understood Li Yuan’s true abilities.
• Li Yuan: Demonstrates patience and composure. He keeps the nature of his gift to Xia Ping secret, suggesting he has deliberately secured his position within the Xia Family and has also planned something beneficial for Xia Zhao.
• Xia Ping: Undergoes the chapter’s most dramatic visible change, shifting from contempt to approval after receiving Li Yuan’s unknown offering. His actions suggest he recognizes Li Yuan’s value, even if he has not yet explained himself.
• Xia Zhao’s parents and Main House relatives: Remain suspicious and concerned that the marriage will weaken Xia Zhao’s prospects and harm the Main House’s standing.
• Branch House members: Reveal their arrogance and political self-interest. They view the marriage as evidence of Main House decline and underestimate Li Yuan.
• Xia Cheng: Continues to oppose or interfere with Xia Zhao and Li Yuan, though Xia Ping temporarily prevents him from stopping their walk.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: The Branch House judges Li Yuan by appearances, while Xia Ping appears to understand that he is far more capable than he seems.
• Family power struggles: The marriage becomes tied to the larger conflict between the Main House and the increasingly powerful Branch House.
• Status and succession: Xia Zhao’s marriage is treated not as a private matter but as something that could affect the future leadership and authority of the Xia Family.
• Trust and secrecy: Li Yuan’s undisclosed gift creates tension but also demonstrates his strategic foresight and the trust developing between him and Xia Zhao.
• Cultivation and discipline: Xia Zhao’s memories emphasize the Xia Family’s belief that Martial Dao should be integrated into everyday life through constant effort and self-improvement.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao: Walk together after the ceremony, discuss her childhood and the family’s history, and display growing mutual trust. Xia Zhao does not pressure Li Yuan to reveal his secret.
• Xia Ping and Li Yuan: Their relationship changes from apparent disapproval to acceptance, driven by the unknown item Li Yuan gives him.
• Li Yuan and the Branch House: Though they outwardly welcome him, the Branch House privately mocks and underestimates him.
• Xia Zhao and the Branch House: Xia Zhao recognizes their misunderstanding and confidently believes they would envy her if they knew Li Yuan’s true nature.
• Xia Ping and the Main House: His relatives confront him over his decision, demanding to know why he approved a marriage they consider beneath Xia Zhao.

Chapter Summary: “Preparing for the Wedding”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Ping defends his approval of Xia Zhao’s marriage to Li Yuan, explaining that he has three reasons:
  1. Li Yuan has an attractive appearance and a suitable temperament.
  2. He is capable, having won the Southeast Region Youth Martial Tournament and helped repair damaged machinery in Lan Eagle City.
  3. He has already made a significant, confidential contribution to the Xia Family—greater than that of several family members.
• Xia Ping firmly declares that Xia Zhao’s agreement and his own decision settle the marriage. He refuses to reveal what Li Yuan gave him and forbids the family from pressuring Li Yuan about it.
• Xia Cheng objects because Li Yuan has a serious conflict with Jin Fan of the Jin Family. He worries that the marriage will drag the Xia Family into conflict with the Jin Family.
• Xia Ping rejects this concern, stating that if the Jin Family attacks Li Yuan, they will become enemies of the Xia Family.
• Xia Cheng refuses to attend the family banquet, claiming illness as a sign of continued disapproval. Xia Ping instead seats Li Yuan and Xia Zhao beside him and treats Li Yuan warmly.
• Xia Ping tells Li Yuan that he will arrange tasks for him so that he can earn merit and silence the family’s doubts. Xia Zhao initially objects because she does not want Li Yuan exposed to unnecessary danger, but Li Yuan agrees that earning merit will help establish his standing.
• Xia Ping teases Xia Zhao for already defending Li Yuan like a wife.
• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao leave after the banquet, and Xia Zhao sees him off at the high-speed rail station.
• Wedding preparations begin, with the wedding scheduled before the start of the school term. The couple plans to hold ceremonies in both their hometowns, allowing relatives from each side to attend the more convenient event.
• After Li Yuan returns to Lingshan City, his parents anxiously ask about the visit. He reassures them that everything went well, and they begin discussing the practical arrangements for the wedding.

Character Developments

• Xia Ping: Demonstrates strong authority and decisiveness. He openly supports Li Yuan, protects him from family interrogation, and is willing to confront the Jin Family on his behalf. He also takes a practical approach by planning to give Li Yuan opportunities to gain recognition within the Xia Family.
• Li Yuan: Shows maturity and awareness of social pressures. Although Xia Zhao believes he should ignore gossip, he understands that reputation matters and willingly accepts Xia Ping’s proposed tasks to prove his worth.
• Xia Zhao: Becomes increasingly protective of Li Yuan, instinctively trying to prevent him from taking risks. Her behavior reveals her emotional commitment to him, which Xia Ping notices and playfully points out.
• Xia Cheng: Remains distrustful and resistant to the marriage. His refusal to attend the banquet shows that he has not accepted Xia Ping’s decision, despite being unable to oppose it directly.
• Li Yuan’s parents: Their anxiety reflects their awareness of the gap between their family and Xia Zhao’s powerful background. Their relief after the successful visit shows their growing confidence in the marriage.

Significant Themes

• Family authority versus individual opposition: Xia Ping’s decision overrides the objections of younger family members, emphasizing the power of the family head.
• Reputation and social acceptance: The chapter stresses that personal ability alone may not be enough; Li Yuan must earn visible merit to eliminate doubts about his suitability.
• Political and familial alliances: Li Yuan’s marriage connects him to the Xia Family and risks conflict with the Jin Family, turning a personal relationship into a matter of family power.
• Trust and protection: Xia Zhao trusts Li Yuan’s abilities but wants to shield him from danger, while Xia Ping protects him through authority and strategic support.
• Marriage as a union of families: The wedding is treated not merely as a romantic event but as a major alliance requiring extensive logistical and social preparation.

Important Character Interactions

• Xia Ping confronts the younger Xia Family members and explains why he supports Li Yuan.
• Xia Cheng challenges the marriage by raising the threat posed by the Jin Family, but Xia Ping responds firmly.
• Xia Ping warmly includes Li Yuan at the banquet and privately explains how he can gain the family’s respect.
• Xia Zhao defends Li Yuan and worries about the risks he may face, revealing her attachment to him.
• Xia Ping teases Xia Zhao about taking Li Yuan’s side.
• Li Yuan reassures his parents after returning home and begins planning the wedding with them.

Chapter Summary: “Newlyweds”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao discuss their upcoming wedding through their chat app. Both want to express affection but are too embarrassed to use overly sentimental language.
• They discuss wedding attire. Xia Zhao is unconcerned with obtaining an exclusive or famous designer gown and suggests choosing a dress together after she arrives in Lingshan City.
• Several days later, Li Yuan’s colleagues at Lingshan No. 1 High School receive his wedding invitations and are shocked. They had not even known he was dating, and some female teachers had previously considered him a possible partner because of his rapid promotion to vice principal.
• The teachers’ earlier doubts about Li Yuan’s future—especially because of his conflicts with influential figures—disappear when they learn he is marrying Xia Zhao.
• On August 26, Li Yuan and Xia Zhao hold a lavish wedding at the finest hotel in Lingshan City. Li Yuan arranges every detail carefully, determined to provide Xia Zhao with an impressive ceremony despite her lack of concern for extravagance.
• The wedding is attended by Li Yuan’s relatives, friends, colleagues, members of the powerful Feng Family, and Xia Zhao’s relatives from the Xia Family’s main branch.
• Xia Zhao’s relatives initially arrive with a sense of superiority, but their attitude changes after seeing the Feng Family’s presence and realizing the importance of Li Yuan’s connections. Xia Zhao herself treats Li Yuan’s family and friends with warmth and respect.
• The wedding procession attracts a large crowd at Heavenly River Garden. Xia Zhao’s beauty and refined bearing impress everyone, including Xu Nianxing’s mother, who is forced to confront how greatly Li Yuan has surpassed her expectations.
• The ceremony proceeds successfully, followed by entertainment and celebrations for the guests at the hotel.
• Zhuang Meng sees photographs from the wedding in the class group chat. She realizes that Li Yuan has truly married Xia Zhao, a woman far more prestigious and influential than she had imagined.
• Alone together that night, Li Yuan and Xia Zhao return home as husband and wife. Both are somewhat awkward because their physical relationship has so far been limited to holding hands and sitting close. Li Yuan turns on the television and dims the lights to ease the tension as they prepare to become more intimate.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Shows thoughtfulness and pride in arranging a wedding worthy of Xia Zhao. His growing social status and accomplishments are publicly validated by the attendance of both the Feng and Xia families.
• Xia Zhao: Demonstrates humility and emotional sincerity. Despite her elite family background, she does not care about luxury or status symbols and treats Li Yuan’s relatives and friends graciously.
• Zhuang Meng: Experiences jealousy, regret, and a painful reassessment of Li Yuan. She can no longer dismiss his achievements or deny his appeal after seeing that Xia Zhao—someone vastly more powerful and desirable in her eyes—has chosen him.
• Xu Nianxing’s mother: Is humbled when she sees Li Yuan’s successful marriage and realizes that the man she once looked down on has gained a much more impressive position and partner.
• The teachers at Lingshan No. 1 High School: Their view of Li Yuan changes from cautious interest and uncertainty to recognition that his prospects and standing are secure.

Significant Themes

• Social status and reversal of judgment: People who once underestimated Li Yuan are forced to recognize his success and connections.
• Love beyond wealth and appearances: Xia Zhao values Li Yuan himself rather than an expensive gown, prestigious branding, or social display.
• Regret and envy: Zhuang Meng’s reaction highlights the consequences of rejecting someone while assuming a more advantageous future is guaranteed.
• Public recognition and private intimacy: The grand wedding confirms Li Yuan and Xia Zhao’s social union, while their quiet evening together emphasizes the nervousness and tenderness of their personal relationship.
• Family prestige and acceptance: The interaction between the Feng and Xia families reveals how marriage can reshape perceptions of status and legitimacy.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao: Their restrained chat reveals mutual affection and shyness. During the wedding they cooperate closely, greeting guests together, and later face the nervous transition into married intimacy.
• Li Yuan and the Feng Family: Feng Yingtian, Mrs. Zhou, and other Feng relatives attend and show Li Yuan considerable respect, reinforcing his elevated position.
• Li Yuan and the Xia Family: Xia Zhao’s relatives initially view him with some condescension, but their attitude softens after seeing his influential guests and successful standing.
• Li Yuan and his colleagues: His wedding surprises the teachers, especially those who had considered him romantically but hesitated because of his uncertain conflicts and prospects.
• Zhuang Meng and Li Yuan: Though they do not interact directly, Zhuang Meng reflects bitterly on their past relationship and recognizes that Li Yuan has achieved the life and status she once assumed he could never attain.
• Xia Zhao and Li Yuan’s family and friends: Xia Zhao’s polite, unpretentious behavior earns their respect and demonstrates that she accepts Li Yuan’s background rather than looking down on it.

Chapter Summary: “Sleeping Together”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao grow physically and emotionally closer after their wedding. Their intimate evening is interrupted briefly by a television advertisement, but Xia Zhao then invites him to continue in the bedroom.
• Afterward, they rest together, discuss recent events, and reflect on their wedding and relationship. Xia Zhao reveals that she had never seriously considered marriage until meeting the right person.
• The couple attends a second wedding arranged by the Xia Family. Li Yuan brings his parents, who recognize that Xia Zhao comes from an exceptionally powerful and wealthy background.
• When the new school term begins on September 1, Li Yuan returns to work as Vice Principal of Lingshan No. 1 High School. Xia Zhao moves in with him at Heavenly River Garden.
• To give the newlyweds privacy and avoid household conflicts, Li Yuan’s parents rent a separate apartment in the same residential complex. Li Yuan ultimately purchases the apartment for them.
• Li Yuan continues returning home quickly after work, showing his eagerness to spend time with Xia Zhao.
• Many Xia Family elders look down on Li Yuan, believing he advanced through Xia Family connections and married into their family for personal gain.
• Li Yuan resents this reputation. He insists that he could have achieved his position independently and remains in education mainly to gain Experience Points, Talent Points, and help students—not to exploit the Xia Family.
• Wanting to prove himself and prevent Xia Zhao from being mocked because of him, Li Yuan announces that he will undertake a frontline mission arranged by her grandfather.
• The mission is at Qujiang Town Camp in the southwest. Xia Zhao is reassured because the camp is controlled by the Xia Family and its personnel are likely to protect Li Yuan.

Character Development

• Li Yuan: Becomes more emotionally open and affectionate toward Xia Zhao. He also reveals a strong sense of pride and responsibility, refusing to remain labeled as someone dependent on his wife’s family. His determination to earn respect through military merit shows ambition and concern for Xia Zhao’s reputation.
• Xia Zhao: Grows more comfortable with intimacy and married life. Though normally detached from gossip, she is considerate of Li Yuan’s feelings and tries to protect him from the Xia Family’s disdain. Her willingness to marry and build a home with him marks a major emotional shift.
• Li Yuan’s parents: Act with restraint and understanding, recognizing the couple’s need for privacy. Their separate living arrangement reflects a practical effort to preserve family harmony.
• Xia Family elders: Continue to view Li Yuan suspiciously, treating him as an outsider who benefits from the family’s influence.

Significant Themes

• Marriage and emotional security: The chapter presents marriage as a source of comfort, intimacy, and mutual support rather than merely a social obligation.
• Privacy and family boundaries: Separate households are portrayed as a way to prevent resentment and preserve respectful relationships between generations.
• Reputation and self-worth: Li Yuan’s frustration with being seen as dependent on the Xia Family drives him to seek recognition through his own accomplishments.
• Action versus words: Li Yuan believes that actual achievements, especially on the front lines, are the only convincing way to silence criticism.
• Family influence and social status: The contrast between Li Yuan’s ordinary background and Xia Zhao’s powerful family creates tension and reinforces the class divide within their marriage.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao share a tender, increasingly intimate relationship and later discuss marriage, family expectations, and their future.
• Xia Zhao reassures and protects Li Yuan emotionally when discussing the Xia Family’s opinions.
• Li Yuan’s parents deliberately avoid intruding on the newlyweds, while Li Yuan ensures they remain comfortably housed nearby.
• Li Yuan and Xia Zhao discuss his upcoming mission; Xia Zhao’s knowledge of Qujiang Town Camp helps ease her concerns because of its close ties to her family.

Chapter Summary: “Qujiang Town, Peril at Every Turn”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Zhao explains the dangerous but rewarding conditions at Qujiang Town, a recently reclaimed frontier area where Fierce Beasts remain highly active.
• Li Yuan learns that Xia Ping has arranged for him to serve as a squadron commander. Zhang Cheng, an experienced and trusted subordinate of Xia Ping, will act as his deputy.
• Xia Zhao gives Li Yuan specially made inner armor capable of blocking one fatal attack, emphasizing the dangers of his new assignment.
• Li Yuan leaves for Qujiang Town after a week, while Xia Zhao returns to the Xia Family to manage internal affairs rather than immediately joining him on the front lines.
• During the journey, Li Yuan detours to a hidden cave identified by Senior Chu Shanhe and discovers approximately two liters of extremely valuable Life Essence Fluid. He takes only a small amount and leaves the rest concealed.
• After using the fluid, Li Yuan breaks through from Sixth-Grade Great Perfection to the Seventh Rank of Martial Dao. His physical body, previously believed to have reached its limit, also continues improving under the fluid’s nourishment.
• Qujiang Town is revealed to be strategically vital because of its abundant energy resources, especially natural gas. The Xia Kingdom hopes to advance toward Quduan Mountain and use it as a defensive barrier.
• Li Yuan arrives at Qujiang Town a day ahead of schedule, entering a region where missions are especially dangerous because Fierce Beasts gather around the river and retaliate fiercely against human expansion.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan accepts greater responsibility by taking command of a squadron, showing confidence and ambition in pursuing merit.
• His strength increases significantly, reaching the Seventh Rank of Martial Dao. His body also becomes stronger beyond its former cultivation ceiling.
• Li Yuan demonstrates caution and discretion by refusing to remove all the Life Essence Fluid from its hiding place, understanding that exposure of the treasure could create serious danger.
• Xia Zhao shows deep concern for Li Yuan’s safety by giving him protective armor and supporting his appointment. Her anxiety is eased when she learns Zhang Cheng will assist him.
• Xia Ping is portrayed as strongly supporting Li Yuan’s future, investing substantial resources to secure his command position and provide the squadron with supplies, pay, and provisions.
• Zhang Cheng is introduced as a reliable, experienced, and even-tempered veteran trusted by both Xia Ping and Xia Zhao.

Significant Themes

• Danger and opportunity: Qujiang Town offers abundant chances to earn merit, but advancement comes with constant threats from Fierce Beasts.
• Family support and responsibility: Xia Zhao and Xia Ping use their resources to protect and advance Li Yuan, while Li Yuan must prove himself in his own right.
• The cost of territorial expansion: The kingdom’s efforts to reclaim land are driven by valuable natural resources, but the process places martial artists in continual danger.
• Secrecy and prudence: The Life Essence Fluid represents enormous power and wealth, making concealment essential.
• Growth beyond limits: Li Yuan’s cultivation and physique improve past what he believed was an absolute boundary, suggesting that his potential remains far greater than expected.

Character Interactions

• Xia Zhao and Li Yuan discuss his future command, with Xia Zhao explaining the situation at Qujiang Town and reassuring him about Zhang Cheng’s assistance.
• Xia Zhao urges Li Yuan to take her protective inner armor, reflecting their mutual concern as newlyweds.
• Li Yuan accepts her concern without resistance, showing the closeness and trust in their relationship.
• Xia Zhao’s reaction to Zhang Cheng’s appointment reveals her confidence in her grandfather’s arrangements and her relief that Li Yuan will not face the frontier alone.

Summary: “Various Missions in Qujiang Town”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan arrives in Qujiang Town, a newly established frontier settlement heavily fortified with barbed wire, defensive spikes, and military-style isolation measures.
• He meets Zhang Cheng, an older acquaintance who attended Li Yuan and Xia Zhao’s wedding. Zhang becomes his guide and future deputy commander.
• While touring the town, Li Yuan correctly deduces that the wire and spikes are not intended to injure Fierce Beasts, but to catch fur or leave other traces when beasts infiltrate the town’s wide perimeter.
• Impressed by Li Yuan’s practical understanding of frontier defense, Zhang explains that Li Yuan will serve as squadron commander while he serves as deputy commander.
• The squadron is funded and effectively owned by the Xia Family, with experienced martial artists who have long fought alongside the family.
• Li Yuan surveys Qujiang Town’s border, sees numerous military squadrons and Fierce Beasts, and gains a firsthand impression of the danger surrounding the settlement.
• Zhang takes him to dinner, then sends him a file listing available missions. Li Yuan returns to his hotel, contacts Xia Zhao, and studies the mission information.
• He learns that Qujiang Town’s missions involve genuine Wilderness Region combat, often requiring the destruction of entire Fierce Beast nests containing one or more A-level Beasts.
• The missions are far more dangerous than those in Lan Eagle City. Some have caused hundreds of deaths, including among Eighth-Rank martial artists. The most dangerous category is the Trailblazing Mission, in which vanguards enter unexplored areas to gather intelligence for later forces.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates sharp observation, strong battlefield awareness, and confidence in unfamiliar conditions. His Eidetic Memory allows him to recognize Zhang Cheng despite having met him only once. He also approaches the mission system seriously, carefully reviewing the risks before beginning his assignment.
• Zhang Cheng: Establishes himself as friendly, considerate, and experienced. He tests Li Yuan’s basic judgment before trusting him with command responsibilities, revealing that he is concerned with Li Yuan’s survival rather than merely helping him earn merit.
• Xia Zhao: Though absent from the town, she remains connected to Li Yuan through his call after arrival and through the Xia Family’s support of his squadron.

Significant Themes

• The harshness of the frontier: Qujiang Town exists under constant threat, with defensive measures and armed squadrons necessary for survival.
• Preparation versus recklessness: Knowledge, caution, and proper assessment are portrayed as essential qualities for martial artists operating against Fierce Beasts.
• The real cost of merit: Earning military merit in Qujiang Town requires facing lethal dangers, not completing routine missions.
• Family influence and responsibility: The Xia Family’s investment gives Li Yuan command authority, but he must still prove that he understands the risks and responsibilities involved.
• Human vulnerability against nature: Even fortified towns cannot fully prevent Fierce Beasts from approaching, while the beasts’ lack of fear makes them especially difficult to deter.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Zhang Cheng greet each other formally, with Zhang unaware that Li Yuan remembers him clearly.
• During their tour, Zhang subtly evaluates Li Yuan by questioning the purpose of the town’s defensive barriers. Li Yuan’s answer earns his approval.
• Zhang explains Li Yuan’s command role and introduces him to the structure and history of the Xia Family’s squadron.
• The two share dinner in a relaxed atmosphere, reinforcing Zhang’s warm and approachable personality.
• Afterward, Zhang provides Li Yuan with the mission file and prepares him to meet the rest of the squadron the following morning.

Chapter Summary: “I Am Not Your Enemy”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan studies the history and structure of the Trailblazing Missions in Qujiang Town, where more than 1,200 people have died during the outward expansion.
• He learns that Trailblazing Missions are extremely dangerous and are generally undertaken by lower-ranking martial artists, while stronger Eighth-Rank practitioners usually pursue safer, more prestigious assignments.
• Li Yuan realizes that the missions are important not only for survival and expansion but also for earning merit. Merit grants the contributing families political influence, economic advantages, and greater authority in decision-making.
• He understands that the Xia Family Branch House gained influence through years of accumulating merit, and that his own mission could help the Xia Family Main House receive similar benefits.
• Since he is about to assume command of a squadron, Li Yuan resolves not to be a ceremonial leader who takes credit without contributing. He believes genuine achievement is necessary to earn honor rather than disgrace.
• The next morning, Li Yuan arrives at the camp and formally takes command of a squadron consisting of ten martial artists, with Zhang Cheng serving as deputy commander.
• The team displays strong discipline while forming ranks, but their applause and responses reveal open dissatisfaction toward Li Yuan, suggesting they resent his appointment.
• A younger captain, Guo Taiqi, attempts to embarrass Li Yuan by questioning whether he remembers the members’ names and hometowns.
• Using his exceptional memory, Li Yuan accurately recites all ten members’ names and origins without hesitation.
• He then directly tells the squadron that he is not their enemy and that they should cooperate to earn merit together. His display of competence and straightforward warning causes the members to restrain their hostility.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates strategic understanding, ambition, responsibility, and confidence. He recognizes the political value of merit and intends to earn it through real accomplishments. His extraordinary memory allows him to neutralize the squadron’s attempt to undermine him. He also shows leadership by addressing the team’s hostility directly rather than pretending not to notice it.
• Zhang Cheng: Acts as Li Yuan’s deputy and introduces him to the squadron. He appears supportive, though the squadron’s resistance suggests that Li Yuan’s appointment may be politically complicated.
• The squadron members: Initially disciplined in military procedure but openly resistant to Li Yuan personally. Their behavior indicates distrust, resentment, or loyalty to previous arrangements. After Li Yuan proves his memory and authority, they become more cautious and begin to obey.
• Guo Taiqi: Attempts to test and embarrass Li Yuan during their first meeting, but his challenge backfires when Li Yuan remembers every detail about the team.

Significant Themes

• Merit and political influence: Martial achievements are converted into tangible benefits for the families and organizations that support the fighters. Merit becomes the foundation of authority, prestige, and policy influence.
• Leadership must be earned: Li Yuan understands that holding a title is not enough. A commander must contribute directly and prove his value through results.
• Discipline versus personal loyalty: The squadron’s formation shows excellent organizational discipline, but their weak applause reveals that obedience and genuine loyalty are different things.
• Memory and competence as authority: Li Yuan’s ability to remember every member’s name and hometown immediately strengthens his credibility and prevents the team from defining him as an incapable outsider.
• Cooperation over internal conflict: The title and Li Yuan’s final statement emphasize that teammates should not treat one another as enemies, especially when they face lethal dangers together.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Cheng formally presents Li Yuan as the new commander and encourages the team to cooperate with him.
• The squadron members respond with restrained hostility, signaling that they do not welcome Li Yuan’s leadership.
• Guo Taiqi challenges Li Yuan by asking whether he remembers the members’ identities.
• Li Yuan answers by flawlessly reciting all ten names and hometowns, turning the attempted humiliation into a demonstration of his abilities.
• Li Yuan then confronts the team’s antagonism openly, urging them to unite around their shared goal of earning merit. His directness forces the members to moderate their behavior and acknowledge his authority.

Chapter Summary: “C Grade Mission: Encountering Fierce Beasts”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan formally assumes leadership of the squad and announces that their first mission will begin the following day.
• The mission is a C Grade assignment at Plot 66, an area behind the advancing front line where infiltrating Fierce Beasts must be eliminated or the area thoroughly patrolled.
• Although the mission is considered low-level, the squad must remain cautious because stronger beasts, potentially even A-level, could appear.
• Li Yuan and Zhang Cheng review the mission details, then observe the squad’s training.
• The squad consists of experienced veterans, with brothers Peng Jiashu and Peng Jiaze—both Seventh-Grade Great Perfection martial artists—serving as its primary fighters.
• Li Yuan notices roughly ten weaknesses in the squad’s coordination but points out only one: they should deliberately leave an apparent opening in their formation to lure Fierce Beasts into attacking a predictable position.
• The squad members do not openly respond, though Peng Jiashu tacitly accepts the advice.
• That night, Li Yuan speaks with Xia Zhao while the camp remains accustomed to the distant roars of Fierce Beasts.
• The next morning, the squad travels to Plot 66. Their intelligence reports four B-level Fierce Beasts in the area.
• After about thirty minutes of patrolling, Li Yuan’s [Flaw Insight] detects three hidden beasts in shrubs on a slope.
• He orders the squad to prepare and retreat, but the members initially look to Zhang Cheng because they have not yet fully adjusted to Li Yuan’s authority.
• The Peng brothers immediately attack the visible hiding place. Li Yuan realizes the attack is a trap: one additional Fierce Beast is ambushing from each side, placing the squad in danger.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Begins transitioning from a nominal squad captain into an active commander. He understands that authority must be earned through successful leadership, not merely assigned by title. He demonstrates tactical insight, restraint, and awareness of the squad’s weaknesses. His use of [Flaw Insight] allows him to detect the ambush before it fully unfolds.
• Zhang Cheng: Acts as Li Yuan’s adviser and supports his appointment. He recognizes Li Yuan’s initiative but remains uncertain whether Li Yuan can make the squad obey his commands. During the first encounter, Zhang’s silence helps establish Li Yuan’s authority, even though the members still instinctively look to him.
• Peng Jiashu and Peng Jiaze: Established as the squad’s strongest central fighters and tactical leaders. They work as a coordinated pair and react quickly to perceived threats, though their immediate attack also exposes them to the hidden ambush.
• The squad members: They are experienced and well-coordinated but remain hesitant to fully accept Li Yuan as their leader. Their silence toward his training advice and delayed response to his command reveal this uncertainty.

Significant Themes

• Earning authority and trust: Li Yuan knows leadership depends on repeated success and accurate decisions rather than rank alone.
• Practical leadership: He avoids overwhelming the squad with criticism and offers only one useful correction, showing political awareness and tactical judgment.
• Deception in combat: Li Yuan’s suggestion to leave a gap reflects the importance of manipulating an enemy’s instincts instead of relying solely on defensive formations.
• Hidden danger and vigilance: Even a supposedly routine C Grade mission can contain unexpected threats, emphasizing that complacency in the wilderness can be fatal.
• Conflict between experience and innovation: The veterans possess established methods, while Li Yuan brings new tactical ideas and special perception abilities.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Zhang Cheng discuss the mission and the responsibilities of leading the squad.
• Li Yuan observes and evaluates the Peng brothers’ combat-centered formation.
• Li Yuan advises the entire squad to use controlled openings to lure Fierce Beasts, receiving no verbal response but indirect acceptance from Peng Jiashu.
• Li Yuan chats with Xia Zhao during the night, providing a brief personal connection before the mission.
• During the ambush, Li Yuan gives urgent orders, but the squad hesitates and looks to Zhang Cheng, highlighting the incomplete transfer of authority.
• The Peng brothers act immediately and attack the first detected beasts, while Li Yuan recognizes the larger trap and orders the others to retreat.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• During a mission on Plot Sixty-Six, Li Yuan orders the squadron to retreat and regroup after their initial attack fails to seriously injure a B-level Fierce Beast.
• The Peng brothers, Peng Jiashu and Peng Jiaze, ignore the retreat order and advance recklessly. Their actions expose the team to attacks from additional Fierce Beasts hidden on both flanks.
• Li Yuan quickly reorganizes the squadron, assigning the left and right sides for coordinated support. He and Zhang Cheng join the fight, preventing the Peng brothers from being overwhelmed.
• The three Fierce Beasts become desperate and attack wildly, creating a dangerous situation that could have caused serious injuries. Li Yuan targets their vital points, and the squadron kills all three within minutes.
• Although everyone survives with only minor injuries, Li Yuan reprimands the Peng brothers for disobeying orders and disrupting the battle plan. Their eventual punishment is reduced to several days’ rest after Zhang Cheng appeals on their behalf.
• The squadron completes the mission and later carries out several more C Grade missions, but Li Yuan becomes increasingly concerned about their poor coordination and habit of altering or ignoring his commands.
• Zhang Cheng advises Li Yuan to build better relationships with the squadron members. The following day, Li Yuan holds a post-mission meeting and openly criticizes the team’s recklessness.
• Peng Jiashu responds confrontationally, accusing Li Yuan of giving unnecessary advice and implying that the squadron will grant him only the credit he legitimately deserves. His statement reveals the deeper hostility toward Li Yuan’s leadership.

2. Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates strong battlefield judgment, decisive leadership, and concern for minimizing injuries rather than merely securing victory. His frustration grows as the squadron repeatedly undermines his authority. He makes clear that his goal is to help the team earn merit safely, not to claim easy credit.
• Peng Jiashu and Peng Jiaze: Their impulsiveness and resistance to Li Yuan become increasingly apparent. Though they accept punishment without arguing, they remain openly dissatisfied and continue to challenge Li Yuan’s authority. Peng Jiashu eventually voices their opposition directly.
• Zhang Cheng: Acts as a loyal and diplomatic deputy. He supports Li Yuan’s authority while also trying to preserve team unity, pleading for leniency for the Peng brothers and encouraging Li Yuan to improve personal relationships with the squadron.
• The Squadron: The members appear experienced but undisciplined. They follow commands superficially while frequently adding their own interpretations, revealing a lack of trust in or respect for Li Yuan.

3. Significant Themes

• Discipline versus individual initiative: The battle shows that disregarding orders can turn a manageable situation into a dangerous one, even when the final result is technically successful.
• Leadership and authority: Li Yuan must establish legitimacy among subordinates who question his seniority and competence.
• Teamwork and coordination: The squadron’s lack of unified execution prevents Li Yuan from confidently accepting more difficult B Grade missions.
• Merit and recognition: The title’s statement reflects the central conflict over credit. Li Yuan wants genuine accomplishments earned through effective leadership, while the squadron appears to believe he is seeking undeserved prestige.
• Success versus cost: Killing all the Fierce Beasts is not enough for Li Yuan; the injuries, disorder, and unnecessary danger make the operation a poor outcome in his eyes.

4. Character Interactions

• Li Yuan gives repeated orders during the ambush and directly coordinates the Peng brothers, Zhang Cheng, and the rest of the squadron.
• Zhang Cheng supports Li Yuan in combat and later mediates between him and the Peng brothers.
• A squadron member attempts to defend the brothers, but Li Yuan firmly rejects the idea that a victorious mission was automatically a good one.
• During the evening discussion, Zhang Cheng urges Li Yuan to speak privately and build rapport with the team.
• At the following meeting, Li Yuan invites criticism after reviewing the squadron’s failures. Peng Jiashu uses the opportunity to openly challenge him, turning the underlying resentment into a direct confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Switch Squads”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Peng Jiashu openly argues that Li Yuan’s leadership has weakened the squad. He claims their success rate on B-grade missions could fall from around 60% to 40% because of Li Yuan’s involvement.
• Zhang Cheng, the deputy captain, strongly criticizes Peng Jiashu’s attitude, insisting that the squad’s achievements belong to everyone and should not be treated as favors being “yielded” to Li Yuan.
• Li Yuan realizes that most squad members resent him and believe he is a burden, despite his successful decisions during previous C-grade missions. He leaves the tent, declaring that he will earn merits independently.
• Zhang Cheng reprimands the squad for its lack of discipline, then contacts Xia Ping, the Xia Family head, to discuss the crisis.
• Zhang suggests transferring Li Yuan to another squad, since Peng Jiashu and Peng Jiaze appear influenced by the Branch House and may leave if tensions continue.
• Xia Ping decides that Li Yuan should indeed be assigned to a more suitable team, while Zhang should remain behind to stabilize the current squad and prevent it from collapsing. The conflict is revealed to reflect the broader struggle between the Xia Family’s Main House and Branch House.
• Acting alone, Li Yuan accepts an extremely dangerous A-level Trailblazing Mission, one of the highest-contribution missions available and one with a very high death rate.
• After returning to his tent, Li Yuan receives a visit from Zhang Cheng, whom he still respects because of Zhang’s consistent support.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Becomes determined to prove his ability without relying on the squad. His motivation is not merely personal pride; he wants to protect Xia Zhao’s reputation and avoid becoming a source of shame or political disadvantage for her within the Xia Family. His confidence in his own judgment and knowledge of the terrain leads him to accept a highly dangerous mission.
• Peng Jiashu: Drops his previous restraint and directly challenges Li Yuan’s authority. His words reveal both his lack of confidence in Li Yuan and his alignment with interests connected to the Branch House.
• Zhang Cheng: Acts as the squad’s stabilizing force. He defends discipline, recognizes that Li Yuan is not solely responsible for the conflict, and tries to protect both Li Yuan and the squad’s future.
• Xia Ping: Takes a strategic, long-term view. Rather than simply abandoning the difficult squad, he rearranges responsibilities so Li Yuan can develop elsewhere while Zhang monitors the troubled team.
• Peng Jiaze and the squad members: Though less directly involved, they are shown to share or reinforce the prejudice against Li Yuan, illustrating the squad’s broader resistance to his leadership.

Significant Themes

• Leadership and legitimacy: Li Yuan’s formal authority as captain is not enough to earn the squad’s respect; he must demonstrate his ability through results.
• Merit and loyalty: The dispute over whether the squad is “yielding” merits exposes differing ideas about teamwork, contribution, and entitlement.
• Political factionalism: The squad’s internal conflict mirrors the power struggle between the Xia Family’s Main House and Branch House.
• Reputation and responsibility: Li Yuan is deeply concerned that his failure could damage Xia Zhao’s standing, showing that personal actions carry consequences within the family’s political structure.
• Proving oneself through action: Rather than continuing the argument, Li Yuan chooses to undertake a dangerous mission alone and let his achievements speak for him.

Character Interactions

• Peng Jiashu confronts Li Yuan, while Zhang Cheng attempts to defend proper squad discipline.
• Li Yuan responds to the criticism calmly but firmly, choosing to leave instead of escalating the dispute.
• Zhang privately confronts the squad members and later consults Xia Ping about Li Yuan’s future.
• Xia Ping and Zhang discuss reassignment, squad stability, and the risk of the Branch House attracting valuable members.
• Li Yuan and Zhang maintain mutual respect despite the squad’s conflict, ending the chapter with Zhang visiting Li Yuan after his acceptance of the A-level mission.

Chapter Summary: “I've More or Less Seen Through Him”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang Cheng privately meets with Li Yuan to apologize for the squadron’s recent conflict and explain that he has discussed the situation with Xia Ping.
• To ease tensions, Zhang Cheng proposes transferring Li Yuan to another squadron while allowing him to retain his position as squadron leader. Li Yuan agrees in principle but asks to wait four or five days so he can handle other matters—specifically, the newly accepted A-level Trailblazing Mission.
• Zhang Cheng leaves Li Yuan’s tent and encounters Peng Jiashu and the other squadron members, who are alarmed to discover that their squadron has accepted an extremely dangerous mission to investigate Plot 102.
• Zhang Cheng initially denies knowing about such a mission, but the members confirm through their phones that it has been officially registered.
• Li Yuan reveals that he personally accepted the mission. He explains that he intends to undertake it alone and is not asking the squadron members to participate.
• The squadron members react with disbelief and mockery, expecting Li Yuan either to fail or receive an official reprimand. Peng Jiashu openly refuses to participate.
• Li Yuan orders Zhang Cheng to take the squadron back to rest and prepare for training, asserting that he knows what he is doing.
• Afterward, Zhang Cheng remains deeply concerned—not about the possible reprimand, but about Li Yuan actually risking his life by entering the dangerous area.
• Peng Jiashu dismisses the possibility that Li Yuan will follow through, claiming that Li Yuan is overly cautious and will eventually back down.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates increasing confidence and independence. He refuses to be defined by the squadron’s distrust and accepts the A-level mission for himself, showing determination to prove his capabilities. His calm response to ridicule suggests that he has stopped seeking the team’s approval.
• Zhang Cheng: Acts as a mediator and tries to protect Li Yuan by arranging a transfer. Although he remains polite and professional, he becomes increasingly worried that Li Yuan is making a dangerously bold decision.
• Peng Jiashu: Continues to oppose Li Yuan’s leadership. He refuses responsibility for the mission and speaks with confidence based on his assumptions about Li Yuan’s character, revealing his arrogance and underestimation of Li Yuan.
• The squadron members: Remain united in their skepticism and hostility toward Li Yuan. They view the mission as reckless and expect failure rather than trusting their squadron leader.

Significant Themes

• Leadership and authority: Li Yuan’s authority is challenged by the squadron, but he reinforces it by making and owning his own decisions.
• Underestimation and misjudgment: The squadron assumes Li Yuan is timid and incapable, while Zhang Cheng begins to suspect that Li Yuan’s decision may reflect genuine resolve rather than impulsiveness.
• Responsibility: The chapter emphasizes that accepting a mission creates an obligation that cannot easily be withdrawn. Li Yuan accepts the consequences personally instead of forcing the squadron to share the risk.
• Isolation and proving oneself: Li Yuan is increasingly isolated from his team, yet this isolation strengthens his determination to demonstrate his abilities independently.
• Appearance versus reality: Peng Jiashu believes he has “seen through” Li Yuan, but his confidence may indicate that he has misunderstood Li Yuan completely.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Cheng and Li Yuan have a respectful private conversation in which Zhang Cheng offers practical support and a possible transfer.
• Peng Jiashu and the squadron confront Zhang Cheng about the mission, showing their anxiety and distrust.
• Li Yuan interrupts the confrontation to take responsibility for accepting the mission and clarifies that he will handle it alone.
• Li Yuan gives Zhang Cheng a direct order, signaling a shift from seeking advice to asserting command.
• Zhang Cheng’s private concern contrasts with Peng Jiashu’s dismissive certainty, highlighting the differing interpretations of Li Yuan’s character.

Chapter Summary: “A-Level Trailblazing Mission!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The squad gathers to discuss abandoning the A-level Trailblazing Mission because none of them believe they can safely complete it.
• Their squad has almost no experience with A-level missions and has only participated in one such mission before, alongside five other squads. Their highest independently completed mission was B Grade.
• After prolonged discussion, they decide to report that injuries among the personnel make continuing impossible. Although the excuse is weak, it will allow the authorities to soften the official criticism and preserve the squad’s reputation.
• Zhang Cheng reminds everyone to maintain discipline and treat Li Yuan respectfully, especially since Li Yuan remains their captain for the time being and will soon be transferred.
• The next morning, Zhang Cheng discovers that Li Yuan has already gone alone to Plot 102 to carry out the mission.
• Zhang Cheng phones him and urges him to return, but Li Yuan calmly insists that he understands the danger and will retreat if necessary.
• Li Yuan enters the unexplored region, where he uses his special talents and enhanced physique to detect hidden Fierce Beasts and memorize the terrain.
• He discovers three Fierce Beasts concealed in a small area, circles around them, and attacks first with his blade technique.
• Using the second realm of Wiping Blade, “Wiping Mark, Leaving Wounds,” Li Yuan strikes their weak points, severely injuring them before they can counterattack.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan demonstrates growing confidence, independence, and willingness to shoulder responsibility. Unlike the rest of the squad, he refuses to retreat simply because the mission is dangerous.
• His confidence is supported by his Flaw Insight talent, Eidetic Memory, enhanced stamina, and increased physical strength from consuming Life Essence Fluid.
• Zhang Cheng acts as a responsible senior figure. He worries about Li Yuan’s safety, tries to protect his dignity, and emphasizes discipline within the squad.
• The squad members remain cautious and fearful, revealing their lack of experience and their reluctance to follow Li Yuan into a mission they consider far beyond their abilities.

Significant Themes

• Courage versus fear: The squad chooses self-preservation, while Li Yuan accepts the risk and acts alone.
• Responsibility and leadership: Li Yuan proves his authority through action, while Zhang Cheng tries to preserve order and respect within the squad.
• Preparation and self-reliance: Daily training, heightened awareness, and specialized abilities are portrayed as essential to survival.
• The danger of the unknown: Trailblazing Missions are dangerous not simply because of powerful enemies, but because every location must be investigated without knowing where threats are hiding.
• Reputation and dignity: The squad’s planned official explanation shows its concern with avoiding humiliation even while abandoning the mission.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Cheng and the squad members agree on a face-saving explanation and discuss how to treat Li Yuan respectfully.
• Zhang Cheng later visits Li Yuan’s tent, discovers he is gone, and calls him in alarm.
• During the phone call, Zhang Cheng warns Li Yuan not to act recklessly, while Li Yuan reassures him that he knows when to retreat before ending the conversation.
• Li Yuan then faces the hidden Fierce Beasts alone, turning the predators’ usual ambush tactic against them.

Chapter Summary: A-Level Trailblazing Missions Were Not That Hard

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan confronts three wounded B-level Fierce Beasts in Plot 102. Using the Wind River Art movement technique and the martial technique Wiping Blade, he inflicts severe bleeding wounds before retreating to a tree.
• Rather than finishing them immediately, Li Yuan observes the technique’s effects. After several minutes, the beasts weaken from blood loss, allowing him to kill them easily ten minutes later.
• This completes the first obstacle of the A-level Trailblazing Mission with minimal effort. However, the chapter emphasizes that the real difficulty was detecting the hidden beasts before they could launch an ambush.
• While Li Yuan explores Plot 102 alone, Zhang Cheng gathers the squad and proposes going to retrieve him. The squad members, led in persuasion by Peng Jiashu, refuse to enter such a dangerous area.
• They argue that Li Yuan may be bluffing, may have been forced to flee, or will eventually return once he realizes the danger. Zhang Cheng remains worried because he feels responsible for Li Yuan, but he is eventually persuaded not to go.
• Li Yuan continues surveying the plot, locating hidden Fierce Beasts and driving them away instead of killing every one. After four hours, he has inspected more than half the area.
• Near the southern edge, he discovers what appears to be a large Fierce Beast nest. Rather than attack directly, he begins constructing a mechanism to create noise, lure the beasts out, and document the nest with his body-mounted recorder.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates superior combat ability, perception, patience, and tactical judgment. He understands that identifying hidden enemies is more important than brute strength. His confidence grows as he handles the mission efficiently, while his practical nature leads him to avoid unnecessary fights and refuse to depend on the squad.
• Zhang Cheng: Shows loyalty and responsibility toward Li Yuan, despite lacking confidence in completing the mission. His concern for Li Yuan and fear of failing to explain his death reveal his protective sense of duty.
• Peng Jiashu: Acts as the main voice opposing the rescue attempt. He rationalizes Li Yuan’s actions as a bluff or reckless display, reinforcing his skepticism and unwillingness to support the captain.
• The Squad Members: Their fear and self-interest become clear. They prioritize survival and reputation, agreeing collectively not to support Li Yuan while using seemingly reasonable arguments to justify their decision.

Significant Themes

• Perception versus apparent difficulty: The mission looks easy only because Li Yuan solves the hardest problem—detecting ambushing beasts—before engaging them.
• Preparation and strategy over brute force: Li Yuan succeeds through observation, positioning, controlled attacks, and careful planning rather than reckless combat.
• Responsibility and cowardice: Zhang Cheng feels morally obligated to help, while the others avoid danger and hide their unwillingness behind practical explanations.
• The importance of evidence: Trailblazing Missions require recorded, verifiable information, not merely personal conclusions. Li Yuan must document the nest to complete the mission.
• Independence and trust: Li Yuan prefers working alone and does not want to owe the squad a favor, while the squad’s refusal further separates him from them.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Cheng urges the squad to accompany him to Plot 102, but the members reject the idea because of the mission’s danger.
• Peng Jiashu repeatedly persuades Zhang Cheng that Li Yuan is likely bluffing or will retreat on his own.
• Zhang Cheng initially insists on going because of his position as vice-captain and his personal bond with Li Yuan, but the squad’s arguments eventually make him hesitate.
• Meanwhile, Li Yuan remains unaware of—or unconcerned with—the squad’s debate, independently exploring Plot 102 and preparing to investigate the newly discovered nest.

Summary of “Filming Really Was in Plot 102”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan constructs a simple distraction mechanism from materials in the wilderness. It launches wood and stones roughly one hundred meters away.
• He triggers the device, creating a loud noise that draws the Fierce Beasts away from their nest and toward the southeast.
• Using the opening, Li Yuan approaches the nest and records its entrance, the species present, and their approximate numbers.
• The nest contains a pack of enormous wolf-type Fierce Beasts called Black Wolf Wraiths, some of which can grow up to three meters tall.
• Li Yuan wisely avoids combat, since the pack is too large and the Trailblazing Mission only requires reconnaissance, not extermination.
• He completes his survey of Plot 102, finding no additional nests, only scattered individual Fierce Beasts.
• After returning safely to Qujiang Town around one in the morning, Li Yuan submits his mission and the required location-synchronized video.
• The clerks initially doubt that he truly completed the A-level mission, assuming the footage might be fabricated or unrelated to Plot 102.
• After checking the location data, they confirm that the video was genuinely recorded in Plot 102. They carefully review the footage, including the recording of the Fierce Beast nest.
• Three hours later, they complete a highly detailed preliminary map of Plot 102, confirming that Li Yuan successfully and thoroughly completed the Trailblazing Mission.

Character Development

• Li Yuan demonstrates intelligence, caution, and tactical creativity by using a distraction rather than risking a direct fight.
• His successful solo mission strengthens his confidence in his own judgment and validates his earlier leadership decisions.
• He reflects that the conflicts and dangers during the previous C Grade missions might have been avoided if the team had followed his plans.
• His exceptional stamina is emphasized: despite traveling and dealing with Fierce Beasts all day, he feels almost no fatigue.
• The clerks shift from skepticism to respect as they recognize the authenticity and quality of his work.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and information as power: The mission’s purpose is to gather information so future Beast-Clearing teams can act with initiative and avoid unnecessary casualties.
• Intelligence over brute force: Li Yuan succeeds through planning, deception, and observation rather than combat.
• Leadership and trust: His reflections highlight how poor cooperation had undermined earlier missions, while sound preparation could have made them safer.
• Professional responsibility: The mission system and clerks emphasize that Fierce Beast operations follow strict, military-like standards and prioritize minimizing deaths.
• Recognition through results: Although Li Yuan’s achievement is initially doubted, objective evidence proves his competence.

Character Interactions

• Li Yuan has limited direct interaction with others during the mission, deliberately operating alone to maintain control over the situation.
• He briefly interacts with the mission clerk, who processes his submission and informs him that verification will be prioritized.
• The clerks discuss and initially mock the possibility that Li Yuan has submitted an unrelated video, likely because Zhang Cheng’s squad was expected to handle the mission.
• Their attitude changes when the location data confirms the footage is authentic. They collaborate professionally, dividing the video into sections and combining their observations into a complete map.

Chapter Summary: “Has Li Yuan Still Not Returned?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The office notifies Li Yuan that his squad’s A-level Trailblazing Mission for Plot 102 has been officially completed, with a remarkable 97% completion rate.
• The mission had remained unresolved for nearly four months and was strategically important because valuable mineral resources lay beneath the surrounding land. Its completion allows future development and advancement of the front line.
• The office staff, unaware that Li Yuan completed the mission alone, assume the entire squad deserves credit. At breakfast, they congratulate Deputy Captain Zhang Cheng and jokingly charge him for their meal.
• Zhang Cheng and his squad initially have no idea what the staff are talking about, since they believed they had only recently accepted several C Grade missions.
• After learning that their A-level mission was confirmed complete, Zhang Cheng rushes to the office hall to verify the result. The staff publicly announce the mission’s perfect completion, drawing admiration and envy from others.
• Rather than celebrating, Zhang Cheng and the squad members become uneasy. They know that Li Yuan was the only person who accepted and carried out the mission, raising the alarming question of how one person could complete an A-level assignment.
• Zhang gathers the squad in the communal tent and messages Li Yuan, waiting for him to return. The chapter ends with the members wondering whether Li Yuan is still missing and whether they may need to search the wilderness for him.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan is revealed to have accomplished something seemingly impossible: completing an A-level Trailblazing Mission alone and achieving an exceptionally high success rate. His absence after the mission creates suspense and suggests that the task may have come at a serious cost.
• Zhang Cheng shifts from confusion to concern. Although his squad receives the credit and potential rewards, he recognizes that the accomplishment belongs almost entirely to Li Yuan and becomes focused on finding out what happened to him.
• The squad members move from ignorance and possible excitement to unease. They realize they may have benefited from a feat they did not participate in and are troubled by Li Yuan’s unexplained absence.
• The office staff view the mission as a major achievement for Zhang’s squad and treat the result as cause for celebration, unaware of the unusual circumstances behind it.

Significant Themes

• Extraordinary individual ability: Li Yuan’s success challenges the accepted limits of what a single martial artist can accomplish.
• Recognition versus reality: The squad receives public credit and prestige, but the actual achievement was Li Yuan’s alone.
• Duty and strategic importance: The mission’s completion affects not only the squad but also the larger military and economic expansion of the region.
• Suspense and uncertainty: The official success of the mission contrasts sharply with Li Yuan’s failure to return, suggesting unresolved danger.
• Fatigue and human limitations: The office staff acknowledge that even powerful martial artists become exhausted, emphasizing that Li Yuan’s accomplishment may have left him vulnerable.

Character Interactions

• Section Chief Leng and Zhang Cheng exchange familiar teasing at breakfast, with Leng congratulating Zhang and jokingly putting the food on his tab.
• Zhang questions Leng after realizing that the staff are referring to an A-level mission his squad accepted.
• At the office hall, staff members continue teasing Zhang, assuming he is showing off by checking a mission he already knows was successful.
• Zhang avoids speculating with his squad and instead orders them to verify the facts directly, demonstrating his practical and serious leadership.
• In the communal tent, the squad members question one another about the meeting and Li Yuan’s whereabouts, ending on the worried possibility that they may have to search for him.

Chapter Summary: “Is There a Cure for Regret?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Peng Jiashu and the other squad members complain about Li Yuan, criticizing his leadership and decisions. Those aware of the full situation feel embarrassed because they previously mocked him despite being inferior to him.
• Brother Liao tells everyone to check the squad-management app on their phones. They discover that the A-level Trailblazing Mission Li Yuan accepted—expected to be abandoned—has been marked completed.
• The squad initially suspects an administrative mistake, but Brother Liao explains that he and others verified the result at the service hall. The mission achieved an exceptional 97% completion rate.
• Li Yuan arrives, and the squad members respectfully greet him. He explains that he will soon transfer to another squad and asks them to stop calling him squad leader.
• Zhang Cheng confirms whether Li Yuan completed the mission alone. Li Yuan explains that, after reflecting on their previous heart-to-heart discussion, he decided to rely on himself to earn merit and prove his ability.
• Li Yuan directly reminds Peng Jiashu and Peng Jiaze of their earlier claim that his leadership would drastically reduce the squad’s mission success rate. His successful completion of the A-level mission decisively disproves their judgment.
• Rather than continue arguing, Li Yuan says he only wants to prevent squad gossip from affecting his wife. Since he is leaving, he suggests a farewell meal.
• The squad members are left deeply ashamed and regretful, realizing they had misjudged Li Yuan and may have lost the chance to work under a highly capable leader.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan demonstrates confidence, competence, and emotional restraint. He completes an extremely difficult mission alone, then responds to the squad’s earlier insults without arrogance or hostility.
• Peng Jiashu and Peng Jiaze are forced to confront the failure of their judgment. Their former contempt turns into embarrassment as Li Yuan’s achievements directly contradict their claims.
• Brother Liao shows a change in attitude by acknowledging the truth and taking the initiative to inform the others. He appears ashamed of having participated in the earlier mockery.
• Zhang Cheng reveals concern for Li Yuan’s safety and recognizes the seriousness of the risk Li Yuan took.
• The rest of the squad shifts from disrespect and skepticism to admiration, realizing that Li Yuan’s leadership and tactical decisions were more effective than they had believed.

Significant Themes

• Regret and missed opportunities: The chapter’s central question—whether regret can be cured—reflects the squad’s realization that their prejudice may have cost them a valuable leader.
• Actions proving ability: Li Yuan does not rely on arguments or self-defense; his 97% mission completion rate provides undeniable evidence of his skill.
• Prejudice and misjudgment: The squad judged Li Yuan based on assumptions and personal bias rather than results.
• Humility and restraint: Despite proving everyone wrong, Li Yuan avoids humiliating them and instead proposes a peaceful farewell.
• Recognition through achievement: Respect is only granted after Li Yuan accomplishes what the others believed impossible.

Character Interactions

• Brother Liao confronts the squad with the mission results, indirectly forcing Peng Jiashu and Peng Jiaze to face their error.
• Li Yuan speaks with Zhang Cheng about the dangers of the mission and his decision to undertake it alone.
• Li Yuan directly challenges the Peng brothers by asking whether his successful mission has proven his capability.
• His calm farewell proposal contrasts with the squad’s embarrassment, emphasizing how much their attitudes toward him have changed.

Chapter Summary: “Excitedly Dancing with Joy”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Yuan confirms that he personally completed the A-level Trailblazing Mission in Plot 102, achieving a 97% completion rate.
• He asks Zhang Cheng whether the accomplishment qualifies as significant merit, revealing that he wants both recognition and proof of his abilities.
• Zhang Cheng and Zhang Yuan explain that the achievement is extraordinarily valuable—roughly equivalent to the merit earned by eleven Xia Family squads in an entire year. It will bring major economic benefits and likely earn Li Yuan an official commendation.
• Li Yuan invites the team to a farewell meal, as he is leaving the squad. Peng Jiashu and Peng Jiaze reluctantly accept, while Zhang Cheng stays behind to speak privately with him.
• Zhang Cheng admits that he had underestimated Li Yuan and apologizes for misjudging his abilities.
• He explains the larger political conflict within the Xia Family: the Main House and Branch House are competing for decision-making power in Qujiang Town. The Branch House currently has more squads and has been attempting to recruit key members, including the Peng brothers.
• The two factions agreed to compare their contributions. Li Yuan’s successful completion of the A-level mission gives the Main House a decisive advantage and may allow it to reclaim authority over Qujiang Town.
• Zhang Cheng calls Xia Ping to report the result. Xia Ping initially assumes Li Yuan abandoned the mission or needed outside assistance, but is stunned to learn that Li Yuan completed it alone.
• After verifying the official result, Xia Ping is overwhelmed with delight and praises Li Yuan as his “good grandson-in-law.”

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates remarkable competence, courage, and independence by completing an A-level mission alone. His motivation is partly personal: he wants to avoid losing face and protect Xia Zhao from gossip about his failure. His accomplishment greatly improves his standing within the Xia Family.
• Zhang Cheng: Moves from doubt to respect. He openly acknowledges his poor judgment and recognizes that Li Yuan is far more capable and reliable than he initially believed.
• Peng Jiashu and Peng Jiaze: Remain silent and hesitant after Li Yuan’s success, suggesting embarrassment and uncertainty about their previous arrogance and possible loyalty to the Branch House.
• Xia Ping: Shows strong support for Li Yuan. Although initially worried about the mission, he becomes ecstatic when he learns Li Yuan succeeded, further accepting him as Xia Zhao’s prospective husband.
• Xia Zhao: Does not appear directly, but her relationship with Li Yuan influences his desire to prove himself and strengthens Xia Ping’s support for him.

Significant Themes

• Recognition through achievement: Li Yuan seeks to establish his worth through undeniable results rather than words.
• Misjudgment and redemption: Zhang Cheng’s change in opinion highlights how actual ability can overturn prejudice and mistaken assumptions.
• Family politics and power struggles: The Main House and Branch House’s rivalry turns Li Yuan’s mission into a decisive political victory for the Main House.
• Loyalty and responsibility: Li Yuan’s actions benefit not only himself but also Xia Zhao and the Main House.
• Unexpected success: The mission’s completion surpasses everyone’s expectations, transforming doubt and concern into celebration.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Yuan and Zhang Cheng discuss the value of the mission, with Zhang Cheng praising Li Yuan and apologizing for underestimating him.
• Zhang Cheng explains the Xia Family’s internal conflict, helping Li Yuan understand why his achievement matters politically.
• Zhang Cheng’s phone call with Xia Ping shifts from concern over Li Yuan’s supposed recklessness to amazement at his solo success.
• Xia Ping’s final joyful reaction confirms that Li Yuan has won his approval and significantly strengthened his position within the Xia Family.

Chapter Summary: “The Price of Staying on the Team”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Ping reflects on the political difficulty of managing Qujiang Town. Although the Main House has formal authority over the Branch House, it must prove that following its leadership brings real benefits.
• He considers sending the Grandmaster Xia Cheng to Qujiang Town to restore the Main House’s advantage, but rejects the idea because of the danger to Xia Cheng and the potential damage to the Xia Family if anything happens to him.
• Li Yuan’s solo completion of an A-level Trailblazing Mission solves the Main House’s problems. His achievement demonstrates the Main House’s strength without risking a Grandmaster.
• Curious about Li Yuan’s strategy, Xia Ping asks Zhang Cheng how he completed the difficult mission. Zhang admits that nobody knows because Li Yuan entered the dangerous area alone.
• Realizing the significance of Li Yuan’s feat, Xia Ping orders Zhang Cheng to reorganize the squad. He decides that both the Main House and Branch House squads should stop taking missions for roughly six months to a year, allowing the team to stabilize and preventing further internal competition.
• At a farewell banquet for Li Yuan, the squad members discuss how to persuade him to stay. They recognize that his leadership and ability to solve wilderness problems could bring them considerable benefits.
• The members plan to apologize for their earlier disrespect, especially the arrogant Peng brothers. However, Peng Jiaze proposes making Li Yuan’s continued leadership conditional on completing another genuine A-level Mission.
• Zhang Cheng is shocked by their attitude. He realizes that the squad members have misunderstood their position, behaving as though they possess the authority to decide whether Li Yuan is allowed to remain.

Character Developments

• Xia Ping: Demonstrates caution and political awareness. He prioritizes the Xia Family’s long-term stability over a short-term display of force and recognizes Li Yuan’s success as a major turning point.
• Li Yuan: Though absent from most of the chapter, his reputation grows dramatically. Completing an A-level mission alone establishes him as an exceptional strategist and wilderness fighter.
• Zhang Cheng: Acts as a sensible mediator. He understands Li Yuan’s true value and sees that the squad members’ proposed condition is foolish and disrespectful.
• Peng Jiashu and Peng Jiaze: Their previous arrogance begins to weaken as they recognize their dependence on Li Yuan. However, their attempted apology remains self-serving, since they still try to impose conditions on him.
• The squad members: Shift from doubting Li Yuan to wanting to retain him after realizing that following him could provide them with major rewards and future opportunities.

Significant Themes

• Authority must be earned: Formal power alone cannot command genuine loyalty; leaders must demonstrate competence and provide tangible benefits.
• Talent and merit over status: Li Yuan’s accomplishment gives the Main House legitimacy and proves that exceptional ability can outweigh family hierarchy.
• Political caution and risk management: Xia Ping avoids risking a Grandmaster when Li Yuan can resolve the crisis through his own abilities.
• Self-interest and misplaced pride: The squad members want Li Yuan’s protection and leadership but still try to preserve their pride by framing his continued service as something they can approve.
• Recognition after failure: The squad only appreciates Li Yuan after witnessing undeniable success, exposing their earlier shortsightedness.

Important Character Interactions

• Xia Ping and Zhang Cheng: Xia Ping questions Zhang about Li Yuan’s mission, then instructs him to stabilize the squad rather than pursue more achievements immediately.
• The squad members and Peng brothers: They pressure the brothers to apologize because their submission would have the greatest effect on Li Yuan.
• Peng Jiaze and Zhang Cheng: Peng Jiaze presents the demand for another A-level Mission as a condition for Li Yuan’s stay. Zhang Cheng reacts with disbelief and anger, recognizing the squad’s arrogance.
• The squad and Li Yuan: Although Li Yuan is not present, the entire banquet centers on whether he can be persuaded to remain. Their discussions reveal both their dependence on him and their failure to understand how much power he now holds.

Chapter Summary: “What Use Are You? Just Giving Me a Headache?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The ten members of Li Yuan’s assigned squad discuss whether to allow him to remain as their captain. Believing themselves indispensable, they plan to offer their “approval” in exchange for Li Yuan leading them through an A-level mission.
• Zhang Cheng is asked for advice but refuses to take responsibility for their decision, telling them to raise the matter directly with Li Yuan.
• During a celebratory banquet honoring Li Yuan for completing the difficult A-level Trailblazing Mission, the squad members question him about how he succeeded. Li Yuan honestly explains that he used his exceptional perception to locate the Fierce Beasts in advance, but they regard his answer as vague and unhelpful.
• The squad members apologize for their previous disrespect, including the brothers Peng Jiashu and Peng Jiaze. Li Yuan accepts their apologies politely, maintaining an outwardly civil atmosphere.
• Peng Jiashu then announces that the squad has “agreed” to let Li Yuan remain as captain, adding that he must first fulfill a condition. Before he can finish, Li Yuan interrupts and firmly rejects the proposal.
• Li Yuan clarifies that he never intended to stay in the squad and does not require their permission to hold or leave the position. He criticizes their arrogance, arguing that they overestimate their own importance and are easily replaceable.
• He tells Zhang Cheng that the squad’s fundamental problem is its members’ pride and lack of discipline. Li Yuan compares their behavior to students who think refusing to cooperate will pressure their teachers.
• The squad members are left humiliated and embarrassed as Li Yuan makes clear that he can form or lead another squad without them.

Character Developments

• Li Yuan: Demonstrates confidence, independence, and a sharper willingness to confront people directly. Although initially polite for Zhang Cheng’s sake, he becomes openly critical once he realizes the squad’s proposal was not connected to Zhang Cheng. His experience as a teacher influences his judgment: he views the squad members as immature people who need to be replaced if they cannot improve.
• Peng Jiashu and Peng Jiaze: Their arrogance becomes fully exposed. They assume Li Yuan needs them and believe they possess enough leverage to impose conditions, but their confidence collapses when Li Yuan rejects their offer and questions their actual value.
• The other squad members: Follow the brothers’ lead, first showing dissatisfaction with Li Yuan’s explanation and later apologizing to him. Their embarrassment reveals that they had misjudged both Li Yuan’s abilities and their own importance.
• Zhang Cheng: Remains neutral and avoids interfering. He quietly confirms that the decision was the squad members’ own idea, allowing Li Yuan to respond freely while preserving his relationship with him.

Significant Themes

• Arrogance versus competence: The squad members believe their position and family affiliation make them indispensable, while Li Yuan’s achievements prove that genuine ability matters more than status.
• Misplaced leverage: The squad assumes Li Yuan needs their cooperation, but he recognizes that they need his leadership far more than he needs their support.
• Leadership and obedience: Li Yuan suggests that a squad cannot succeed when its members refuse to follow orders or view themselves as superior to their captain.
• Merit and replaceability: The chapter emphasizes that people who fail to contribute can be replaced, just as unsuitable students are removed from a teacher’s class.
• Surface politeness versus honest confrontation: The banquet begins with formal courtesy and apologies, but Li Yuan ultimately abandons diplomacy to expose the squad’s flawed attitude.

Character Interactions

• The squad members attempt to use the banquet to question Li Yuan and negotiate his continued leadership.
• Their apologies create a temporary appearance of reconciliation, but Peng Jiashu’s conditional offer reveals that their attitude has not truly changed.
• Li Yuan looks to Zhang Cheng for clarification, briefly wondering whether Zhang wants him to stay. Once Zhang denies involvement, Li Yuan openly challenges the squad.
• Li Yuan’s direct criticism of Peng Jiashu, Peng Jiaze, and the others leaves them speechless and humiliated, while Zhang Cheng remains a quiet witness to the confrontation.