Chapter Summaries

Trapped survivors emerged from their hiding place when a battle erupted in the warehouse and joined a group fighting a powerful monkey. Wounded and roused from its drunken stupor, the monkey fled toward the exit.

• A crash and the sounds of fighting above led the seven survivors to prepare to leave their hiding place.
• The bespectacled man sent Li Xu and Zhang Xiaoyang out first to support the fighters, while the others waited below.
• Zhang Xiaoyang and Li Xu watched more than a dozen people struggle to control a peak Mid-level Beast Soldier monkey.
• When Ma Tianxing attacked the monkey with two axes, Zhang Xiaoyang and Li Xu joined the fight, and their strikes wounded it.
• The monkey snapped out of its drunken stupor, looked toward the warehouse entrance, and fled along the ceiling toward the exit.

Cai Fenghua told Gao Zheng how Hehe County survived a devastating Beast Tide and rebuilt after the city refused to send aid. He also explained the monster and human power-ranking systems and how the county organized Martial Artist teams to explore.

• Workers unloaded liquor brought back from Huang Kang Distillery while the Second Exploration Team's members went to meet Director Gao.
• Cai Fenghua introduced himself to Gao Zheng and described Hehe County's situation over the past three months.
• A Beast Tide of more than three thousand monsters struck Hehe County, and its defenders killed them at the cost of more than a thousand lives.
• After the city refused to provide aid, Hehe County rebuilt its defenses, reassigned residents, and introduced exercise and cold-weapon training.
• Cai Fenghua explained the monster rankings, the discovery of the Five-Heart-to-Heaven cultivation method, and the human ranks of Warrior, Battle General, and War God.
• Hehe County promoted cultivation and later formed Martial Artist teams to protect researchers and clerks during exploration expeditions.

Gao Zheng discussed cultivation requirements, monster movements, and the need for Xingyan Group to work with the county with Cai Fenghua. The conversation ended when Lin Jin reported that the captain of the Third Exploration Team had passed out after an accident.

• Cai Fenghua explained the strength and speed standards for cultivation, and Gao Zheng ordered Li Yueqi to print and distribute the method and requirements.
• Cai Fenghua described monster strongholds along the route to Huangkang Winery and warned that Beast Soldiers could move in response to stronger monsters.
• Gao Zheng revealed that Xingyan Group had wiped out a nest that might have been led by a monster with Lord Monster potential.
• Cai Fenghua asked about Young Director Lin and warned Gao Zheng about powerful monsters and the need to speed up contact with the county.
• Lin Jin interrupted the meeting and told Gao Zheng that the captain had had an accident and passed out.

Gao Zheng learned how Lin Chenxing’s Third Exploration Team had encountered a dangerous bamboo grove, where razor-sharp leaves attacked after blood was spilled. The team returned to the base and planned to destroy the grove, but Lin Chenxing remained unconscious as the chapter ended.

• Doctor Mao told Gao Zheng that Lin Chenxing’s body was functioning normally, but he could not predict whether or when Lin Chenxing would wake up.
• Lin Jin recounted how the Third Exploration Team had found no monsters in the bamboo grove and used it as a resting place.
• After the team treated two wounded members, bamboo leaves swept through the grove and cut through thorns and a layer of earth, forcing everyone to flee.
• Qin Shuanghai found fresh monster carcasses and drag marks near the grove, and Lin Chenxing decided the team would destroy it.
• The next morning, Lin Chenxing led the Third Exploration Team from the base toward the bamboo grove, leaving the two badly wounded members behind.

Lin Chenxing and the Third Exploration Team tried to destroy the Bamboo Forest with fire and Glyphosate before advancing to chop down what remained. After the bamboo countered with volleys of leaves and roots, the team’s attack stalled.

• Lin Chenxing entered the Bamboo Forest, identified its central stalk as its likely heart, and decided to destroy the bamboo from the outside inward.
• Lin Chenxing’s team burned more than a mu of bamboo, but the spreading roots stopped the flames from advancing farther.
• Lin Chenxing and the team threw concentrated Glyphosate bottles into the forest and waited five hours as more than two hundred stalks began to wither.
• The team approached the remaining bamboo with shields and axes, but the forest fired its leaves at them and then lashed them with roots, halting their advance.

Lin Chenxing led the Third Exploration Team through the Bamboo Forest’s escalating attacks, but the forest transformed its remaining stalks and launched specialized leaves that pierced the team’s damaged shields. The team braced for the new assault as the battle remained unresolved.

• Lin Chenxing drew the Bamboo Roots’ attacks while the team rearranged its formation and used axes to sever the roots.
• The team advanced as the forest pulled back severed roots, and Lin Chenxing rested before rejoining the attack.
• The team reached the remaining forest, where most bamboo stalks withered and seventeen stalks grew sharper leaves.
• The bamboo stalks swept at the team and rained leaves, forcing members to defend with shields while Lin Chenxing and others attacked.
• Seven of the sixteen remaining stalks withered as the others changed, and the team split between blocking attacks and chopping stalks and roots.
• A stalk silently shed specialized leaves that darted toward the team, and members raised a shield wall as the sharp leaves pierced their damaged shields.

The Exploration Team cleared the transformed bamboo forest, but an explosion left Lin Chenxing unconscious, one member dead, and many others injured. Gao Zheng and the senior staff then established the Xingyan Group base’s Warrior Cultivation Plan and reorganized its teams.

• Lin Chenxing led the Exploration Team against the bamboo, whose last stalks grew more dangerous as they absorbed nutrients and changed.
• The team severed the jade-like central stalk’s roots, then Lin Chenxing struck a glimmering spot near its base and triggered an explosion that knocked him and the others unconscious or injured.
• The team returned to base, where doctors examined the injured and Gao Zheng reprimanded Lin Chenxing for handling the mission alone.
• Gao Zheng left Lin Chenxing in Doctor Mao’s care and met with senior staff to create the Warrior Cultivation Plan for the Xingyan Group base.
• The plan required daily exercise and work, combat training and cultivation for qualified members, new housing, and a reorganization of the Exploration Teams, including Guo Qichang’s appointment to lead the Law Enforcement Team.

Lin Chenxing remained unconscious in a world of souls and consciousness, where he pieced together clues about the wolves near the base and discovered that drifting wisps held memories. After absorbing memories connected to the Bamboo Forest, he encountered a small white mist that he suspected was the Bamboo Forest’s soul and decided to test something.

• Lin Chenxing reviewed what had happened and reasoned that the wolves who attacked the base might have been the pack they had encountered earlier, with some wolves still roaming outside.
• Lin Chenxing touched a drifting wisp of smoke and recovered a memory from his previous life, realizing the wisps contained memories he had forgotten.
• Lin Chenxing tried to wake himself, then began moving through the strange space and absorbing more gray wisps to recover his past-life memories.
• Lin Chenxing absorbed pale wisps that showed grass and a withered bamboo stalk, and suspected the images were memories of the Bamboo Forest destroyed by the Third Exploration Team.
• Lin Chenxing encountered a small white mist that absorbed passing wisps and suspected it was the Bamboo Forest’s soul, then decided to try something.

Lin Chenxing relived the Bamboo Forest’s growth and evolution, from its first mutation by the R Virus to its struggle against stronger animals and its eventual attack on the food brought by his team. After the forest’s memories merged with his own, Lin Chenxing sensed the outside air and began to awaken.

• A bamboo plant spread its roots and grew a forest of shoots, but wild boars repeatedly ate them.
• A shoot absorbed blood carrying the R Virus, causing the Bamboo Forest to mutate and use its falling leaves to kill animals.
• After animals killed the plant that could attack them, the Bamboo Forest absorbed more blood carrying the RR Virus and gained the same abilities across its roots.
• The Bamboo Forest expanded its attacks, but a mutated brown bear damaged it and forced it to provide food every ten days.
• When Lin Chenxing and his team arrived, the Bamboo Forest eventually attacked their repeatedly appearing food, completing the merger of its memories with Lin Chenxing’s.
• Lin Chenxing sensed air moving outside and finally saw green light again.

Lin Chenxing discovered that his consciousness had been carried into a bamboo shoot, where he grew strong enough to return through a mysterious link to his original body. After waking from a long coma, he found Xi Qing at his bedside and realized the world had changed while he was unconscious.

• Lin Chenxing learned that the Bamboo Forest's consciousness had merged with part of his own and brought him to a shoot outside the destroyed forest.
• Lin Chenxing followed a faint line through his Consciousness Sea and concluded it led back to his body, but he lacked the strength to break through.
• Lin Chenxing controlled his bamboo leaves and roots to kill small animals and steal nutrients from nearby plants, growing tall enough to condense his consciousness and break through the barrier.
• Lin Chenxing was pulled along the line and heard Xi Qing tell a nurse to keep his recovery secret from people on the other side.
• Lin Chenxing gradually woke, heard reports of changes in the world, and finally opened his eyes to see Xi Qing standing beside him.

While Lin Chenxing remained unconscious, conflict over Martial Artists’ privileges divided the Xingyan Group, prompting Gao Zheng to strengthen his standing and become the first Battle General. The chapter ends with Gao Zheng and He Qishun leading teams together to rescue survivors in monster-filled Chuilong Town.

• Xi Qing told Lin Chenxing what had happened during his three-month unconsciousness, including a Rescue Team member’s assault on a couple and his arrest by the Law Enforcement Team.
• He Qishun challenged the arrest and pushed for better treatment and lighter punishments for Martial Artists, triggering protests and a meeting where Martial Artist representatives passed measures favoring their rights.
• Gao Zheng formed the Emergency Support team and joined missions on the front lines, becoming the group’s first Battle General; He Qishun and the other directors soon followed.
• An Exploration Team reported survivors in dangerous Chuilong Town, so He Qishun and Gao Zheng set out with their teams to rescue them.

Gao Zheng and his team encountered the Black Leopard while drawing monsters away from Chuilong Town’s survivors, and Su Mo was forced to face the beast that had killed her father. With Yue Qi and Xi Qing joining the fight, Gao Zheng killed the newly advanced Intermediate Beast General.

• Gao Zheng and He Qishun led their teams toward the hospital gathering point, clearing monsters so survivors could escape.
• Su Mo recognized the residential complex where the Black Leopard had killed her father, and Xi Qing urged her to overcome her fear and seek revenge.
• The Black Leopard attacked Gao Zheng, who fought it with his spear while the others held off nearby monsters.
• Gao Zheng recognized the Black Leopard as a newly advanced Intermediate Beast General and called Yue Qi and Xi Qing to help.
• Gao Zheng, Yue Qi, and Xi Qing overwhelmed the Black Leopard, and Gao Zheng killed it with his spear.

Gao Zheng’s injury and the base’s conflict between the Law Enforcement Team and Rescue Team escalated as he and He Qishun let the dispute grow, hoping to settle who would hold power. After Rescue Team members threatened Lin Chenxing, Gao Zheng sent Xi Qing to guard his room.

• Doctors discovered toxins from the Black Leopard’s saber teeth were causing Gao Zheng’s wound to ulcerate, and he insisted they scrape away the affected flesh.
• With Gao Zheng recovering and Xi Qing unable to lead an expedition, the base shifted its exploration plans toward Hehe County while avoiding the monster-infested Ming Township.
• A boy trained for half a month after being bullied by a Martial Artist’s family member, then beat the man at the Underground Training Ground before the man’s Intermediate Warrior brother knocked him unconscious.
• The boy’s father and his Exploration Team fought the other team at the base, and the Law Enforcement Team took both sides into custody.
• Rescue Team members intervened on their comrade’s behalf, reigniting tensions with the Law Enforcement Team, while Gao Zheng and He Qishun let the conflict escalate as Gao Zheng’s wound worsened.
• After Rescue Team members threatened Lin Chenxing during a clash, Gao Zheng sent Xi Qing to guard Lin Chenxing’s room.

After recovering from his injuries, Lin Chenxing began cultivating the Five Hearts Toward Heaven Cultivation Method and absorbed cosmic energy, triggering a major evolution in both his human body and bamboo body. He emerged more than twice as strong and prepared to surprise the others.

• Lin Chenxing studied his bamboo body's abilities, including Transference, and planned to develop its traits once he regained strength and authority over the base.
• Lin Chenxing secretly recovered under Xi Qing's care, then began sparring with her and practicing the Five Hearts Toward Heaven Cultivation Method.
• Lin Chenxing sensed cosmic energy after about two and a half hours and absorbed it for three and a half hours, evolving his body at the cellular level.
• Cosmic energy also transformed Lin Chenxing's bamboo body, turning it jade-like and upgrading Transference into Directed Evolution.
• Lin Chenxing told Xi Qing he felt more than twice as strong and said he was ready to go out and surprise the others.

After waking from a months-long coma, Lin Chenxing visited the training ground and learned that the base had grown stronger under the Five Hearts Toward Heaven Cultivation Method. He discovered that the Rescue Team and Law Enforcement Team were being drawn into a power struggle, and Gao Zheng and He Qishun explained that factions were trying to replace them.

• Xi Qing brought Lin Chenxing to the training ground, where he greeted the Martial Artists and asked one of the strongest to demonstrate his abilities.
• Lin Chenxing asked the Martial Artists about their training problems, then headed toward the office building to find Gao Zheng.
• Xi Qing learned that the Rescue Team and Law Enforcement Team were fighting, and Lin Chenxing chose to observe how Gao Zheng and He Qishun handled the dispute.
• Lin Chenxing entered his own office instead of the Chairman's Office, where Gao Zheng and the other directors eventually found him.
• Gao Zheng and He Qishun admitted they had staged the confrontation to test Lin Chenxing and show the factions stirring conflict where he stood.
• He Qishun warned that some people were preparing to replace him and Gao Zheng, leaving Lin Chenxing concerned about the base's future.

Lin Chenxing, Gao Zheng, He Qishun, and Xi Qing devised plans to expose a suspected alliance within the base and draw its members into the open. Xi Qing agreed to join a social mixer, while the threat behind the word "Mask" remained uncertain.

• Li Yueqi told Lin Chenxing that the base had nine Primary Battle Generals and thirty-eight Advanced Warriors, including eight Exploration Team leaders.
• Lin Chenxing proposed creating a new team and holding a competition for its leadership to draw people away from the suspected alliance.
• He Qishun explained how he had uncovered suspicious meetings and heard members discuss the "Mask" and taking over the base, leading him and Gao Zheng to plan an operation around clearing routes to the county seat.
• Lin Chenxing questioned whether the "Mask" had originated with the alliance, but He Qishun said they lacked enough contact with the outside world to know.
• Xi Qing proposed a social mixer to encourage stability among the base's Martial Artists, and Gao Zheng asked her and Lin Chenxing to take part.
• Xi Qing agreed to join the mixer after Gao Zheng asked her directly.

The base held a Martial Arts Tournament and a Social Mixer, while Gao Zheng and He Qishun monitored the squad captains for signs of a conspiracy. Their surveillance revealed references to masks and an organization called the “Jester,” leaving Lin Chenxing and the others preparing a final plan to take their opponents down.

• The Martial Arts Tournament named Ren Tingchen captain of the new Security Team after he won the combined competitions.
• Lin Chenxing and Xi Qing attended Li Yueqi’s Social Mixer, where the guests took part in mask, praise, and gift-exchange activities.
• Lin Chenxing swapped gifts with Xi Qing after noticing she looked awkward with hers.
• Ren Tingchen invited members of the other squads to join the Security Team, prompting the squad captains to complain to the directors.
• Gao Zheng and He Qishun monitored the captains’ conversations and identified “Jester” as a likely name for their organization.

Ma Tianxing led a team along the Ning River toward Hehe County, where river monsters attacked and killed one of their members. Despite the escalating danger, the captains persuaded Ma Tianxing to continue, and the county seat came into view as he remained wary of the route behind them.

• Ma Tianxing led the Trade Team and three Exploration Team captains along a wooded path, where they found the Ning River and followed it downstream toward Hehe County.
• Tian Ming spotted a ripple and warned the group away from the bank, but a river monster dragged a nearby team member into the water and killed him.
• A giant toad and a swarm of large frogs attacked the team, which defeated them and recovered their dead teammate from inside the toad.
• Ma Tianxing wanted to abandon the river route and return to base, but the three captains persuaded him to continue after he set conditions for keeping his team back from the bank and retreating if necessary.
• The river monsters attacked repeatedly and grew more dangerous; after three kilometers, the team faced three Junior Beast General-level monsters and saw Hehe County ahead, while Ma Tianxing kept looking back along their route.

Ma Tianxing’s exploration team returned from the river route and met Gao Zheng’s force, which had secretly planned to surround them. When the three captains were confronted, they revealed that they belonged to the Jester organization as Black and White Clowns.

• Gao Zheng ordered the Emergency, Security, and Law Enforcement Teams to move out after the planned timing changed.
• Ma Tianxing’s team encountered increasingly powerful river monsters and retreated after fighting an Intermediate Beast General.
• Gao Zheng and He Qishun met Ma Tianxing’s party, and He Qishun warned that the county seat had fallen.
• Gao Zheng’s Martial Artists surrounded Ma Tianxing’s team, and Captain Lai asked when they had been exposed.
• Captain Lai and the other two captains donned masks and introduced themselves as Black and White Clowns No. 37, No. 41, and No. 42.

Gao Zheng’s group exposed their hidden fighters and defeated the Black and White Clowns at the Xingyan Group base, though the battle cost the base many high-level fighters. Interrogating captured Clowns revealed their plan to seize the base, while the directors also obtained a new cultivation technique for study.

• Black and White Clown No. 37 summoned No. 16, Nos. 29 and 40, and other masked fighters, prompting Gao Zheng’s group to reveal nine hidden fighters, including Zhang Xiaoyang, Li Xu, Xi Qing, and Lin Chenxing.
• Both groups charged into battle, and Lin Chenxing used a Jade Bamboo Leaf guided by his consciousness to cut an opponent’s neck as the Clowns came under mounting pressure.
• No. 16 ordered a retreat, but the fighters captured seven Clowns; No. 16 escaped into the woods after threatening the directors.
• During interrogation, No. 41 revealed that Captain Lai had recruited him into the Black and White Clowns and that their missions were to sow discord and take control of the base.
• The interrogation revealed that the Clowns had been practicing the Guiding Technique, which was sent to the research institute and placed on the directors’ desks.