Chapter Summaries

After defeating Jiang Fengshan and securing Feather Pen’s intervention, Xu Shi planned to use the scandal to improve his public image and visited Jiang Fengshan in prison with Jiang Chengcheng. He shot Jiang Fengshan in the thigh and ordered Jiang Chengcheng to kill him.

• After the conference ended, Xu Shi thanked Ning Wei for carrying out Wen Shengkui’s orders, while Ning warned that Wen Shengkui might refuse to meet Xu Shi.
• Xu Shi reflected on his estrangement from his maternal grandfather, Wen Shengkui, and accepted that their relationship would take time to mend.
• Su Lin warned that news of Jiang Fengshan’s case could damage the group’s public image, so Xu Shi decided to arrange exclusive interviews with Imaginary Number.
• In District 14’s public prison, Jiang Fengshan brooded over his forty-year sentence and hoped Lin Wenhua might eventually help him return to power.
• Xu Shi and Jiang Chengcheng visited Jiang Fengshan, and Xu shot him in the thigh after confronting him about his defeat.
• Xu Shi handed the pistol to Jiang Chengcheng and ordered her to kill Jiang Fengshan.

Xu Shi urged Jiang Chengcheng to confront Jiang Fengshan and reclaim control over her life. After she beat Jiang Fengshan to death, she broke down in Xu Shi’s arms, and he declared her reborn.

• Xu Shi handed Jiang Chengcheng a gun and reminded her of the life Jiang Fengshan had stolen from her.
• Xu Shi pressured Jiang Chengcheng to prove she could stop shrinking back, while Jiang Fengshan pleaded for his life and offered evidence against Lin Wenhua.
• Jiang Chengcheng threw aside the gun and asked Xu Shi for a whip.
• Xu Shi gave Jiang Chengcheng a police baton and left her alone with Jiang Fengshan; she beat him until he died.
• Jiang Chengcheng thanked Xu Shi and wept in his arms, while Xu Shi concluded that her loyalty was assured and congratulated her on her rebirth.

After Jiang Chengcheng swore loyalty to Xu Shi, he gained control of her inheritance and the Engineering Department. He reunited Jiang Chengcheng with Su Lin and arranged psychological care, but Su Lin received news that Young Master He of Shark Tooth was in trouble.

• Jiang Chengcheng pledged her wealth, body, and soul to Xu Shi under the influence of Malice Entropy.
• Tang Shuang warned Xu Shi not to repeat his actions, and Xu Shi offered to drive her home before she hurried away.
• Su Lin revealed that Jiang Chengcheng had been her close companion at the orphanage, and the two reunited.
• Xu Shi comforted Jiang Chengcheng and told Su Lin to arrange a psychologist for her before she resumed work on the Overlimit Project.
• Su Lin received a message that Young Master He of Shark Tooth had run into trouble.

Xu Shi visited the badly injured He Yuqiang in the hospital and learned he had been ambushed by gangsters, though He Yuqiang concealed the details. As Xu Shi considered who might be stirring up conflict between Spark and Shark Tooth, he recognized someone in a portrait and suspected her.

• After arranging for Jiang Chengcheng to rest at home under guard, Xu Shi went to visit He Yuqiang in the hospital.
• Xu Shi dramatically mourned He Yuqiang, then reassured him and promised to avenge whoever had hurt him.
• He Yuqiang said he had been ambushed by lowlifes from Sin City but withheld Shen He and Spark’s involvement.
• Xu Shi reasoned that a third party had likely attacked He Yuqiang, making cooperation between Spark and Shark Tooth unlikely.
• As Xu Shi left the ward, he saw a virtual portrait in the hospital lobby and suspected the person depicted was behind the attack.

Xu Shi deduced that Xie Qingyan had arranged He Yuqiang’s injury to obstruct his reconciliation with Spark and weaken his bid to inherit Shark Tooth. He planned to exploit Shen He’s declining influence and use the Overlimit Project to draw Xie Qingyan into negotiations, then went with Su Lin to see Xia Ke'an.

• Xu Shi connected He Yuqiang’s injury to Xie Qingyan and reasoned that she wanted the brothers’ rivalry to weaken Shark Tooth.
• Xu Shi concluded that Shen He had escaped using Beacon and still had two uses remaining, but had lost most of his forces and would need a new patron.
• Xu Shi decided to intensify pressure on Shen He and use the Overlimit Project to secure leverage over Xie Qingyan before negotiating with her.
• Su Lin brought Xu Shi coffee, and he invited her to sit with him as their growing closeness became apparent.
• Xu Shi told Su Lin that they would visit Xia Ke'an, hoping Xia Wuyou might be there so he could give her another task.

Xu Shi visited Xia Ke'an in the hospital, where he found her recovering well and Xia Wuyou caring for her. After Xia Ke'an confronted him about making Wuyou a wanted criminal and asked him to treat her niece better, Xu Shi made clear he intended to keep Wuyou under his control and left Xia Ke'an uncertain whether he valued her for more than her abilities.

• Xu Shi visited the hospital and found Xia Wuyou and Xia Ke'an sharing an expensive watermelon.
• Xia Ke'an sent Xia Wuyou and Su Lin outside so she could speak privately with Xu Shi.
• Xia Ke'an asked whether Xu Shi had planned to make Wuyou a wanted criminal, and he replied that Wuyou had to accept the consequences of her choices.
• Xia Ke'an asked Xu Shi to treat Wuyou better, but he said he had already been lenient and that Wuyou's wanted status made her safer.
• Xia Ke'an asked whether she herself was part of Xu Shi's plans, and he fed her watermelon instead of answering directly.
• Xu Shi left Xia Ke'an to recover, while she wondered whether he wanted only her abilities.

Xia Wuyou reflected on Xu Shi’s generosity after Su Lin confronted her about her hesitation and ingratitude. Meanwhile, Xu Shi disciplined Gu Yi for gaming during work and offered her a mission as Black Rabbit.

• Xia Wuyou offered Su Lin a piece of bitten watermelon, then asked whether Su Lin disliked her.
• Su Lin admitted she found Xia Wuyou unpleasant because Xia Wuyou remained hesitant despite Xu Shi’s generous treatment after her betrayal.
• Xia Wuyou considered Su Lin’s advice to make the right choice, and Xu Shi arrived and told her she would receive a mission soon.
• Gu Yi enjoyed her comfortable life at Xu Shi’s home while playing a game after completing her work on Serpent Coil’s security system.
• Xu Shi used Gu Yi’s collar to punish her for gaming during work hours, then asked whether she wanted to return as Black Rabbit and make big news.

Xu Shi assigned Gu Yi a hacking mission, and she eagerly agreed to infiltrate Prism’s systems. The next morning, Prism’s unmanned hospitals across three districts were paralyzed, and Xie Qingyan received a ransom note identifying the attack as Black Rabbit’s work.

• Xu Shi asked Gu Yi to steal information, and she agreed after unsuccessfully asking for a bonus.
• Xu Shi told Gu Yi to prepare for the mission the following day, while she secretly looked forward to returning to her old work.
• Robots and electronic systems at Prism’s unmanned hospital in District 13 malfunctioned, causing patients to flee in panic.
• Ye Shanshan told Xie Qingyan that unmanned hospitals in Districts 13, 14, and 15 had been infiltrated and their medical systems paralyzed.
• Xie Qingyan showed Ye Shanshan an extortion email, and Ye Shanshan recognized its taunting message as Black Rabbit’s.

Xie Qingyan ordered Prism to contain the unmanned hospital crisis caused by Black Rabbit, while He Yuzhao promoted Shark Tooth’s new research institute. Xia Wuyou shot He Yuzhao during the press conference and escaped, discovering that carrying out Su Lin’s orders had awakened something within her.

• Xie Qingyan blamed Black Rabbit for the unmanned hospital crisis and ordered staff reassigned, Deep Sea to resolve the breach, and the media situation handled.
• Xie Qingyan reflected on her alliance with He Yuzhao and worried that the hospital incident could damage her work and Prism’s reputation.
• He Yuzhao presented Shark Tooth’s new research institute and thought about his rivalry with He Yuqiang and his interest in Xie Qingyan.
• Xia Wuyou aimed at He Yuzhao from across the street and shot him with a high-explosive round during the press conference.
• Xia Wuyou escaped and smiled as she realized that following Su Lin’s way had awakened something inside her.

Xu Shi assessed how He Yuzhao’s attack had shaken Shark Tooth and kept He Yuxia under watch while Gu Yi celebrated disabling the unmanned hospital system. After Xu Shi started a game with Gu Yi, Xie Qingyan called, and he handed Gu Yi his Communication Bracelet with a provocative request.

• He Yuzhao’s attack stirred Night City and weakened He Yuqiang’s position as Shark Tooth’s heir, while He Yuxia’s standing rose.
• Xu Shi told Su Lin to watch He Yuxia and pay particular attention to Xie Qingyan’s movements.
• Gu Yi celebrated successfully paralyzing the unmanned hospital system and asked Xu Shi to let her play games.
• Xu Shi agreed to try Divine Arrival with Gu Yi, but Xie Qingyan called before he could play.
• Xu Shi gave Gu Yi his Communication Bracelet and asked her, “Can you... answer the phone while moaning?”

Xu Shi used Gu Yi to provoke his fiancée, Xie Qingyan, during a phone call and hinted that Serpent Coil could offer her a better project. Xie Qingyan suspected Xu Shi was behind the attack on He Yuzhao and grew interested in his proposal, while Gu Yi was left embarrassed and unsettled by her reaction to Xu Shi.

• Xu Shi persuaded Gu Yi to answer Xie Qingyan’s call and coached her to keep Xie Qingyan from speaking to him directly.
• Xie Qingyan suspected Xu Shi had orchestrated the attack on He Yuzhao and pressed Gu Yi to pass along a message.
• Xu Shi had Gu Yi tell Xie Qingyan that Serpent Coil could offer better projects and that he was willing to bring her into them.
• Xie Qingyan demanded that Xu Shi speak to her personally, then became furious when Gu Yi ended the call before she could respond.
• Xu Shi explained that he had provoked Xie Qingyan to disrupt her plans and tempt her into cooperating, while Gu Yi scolded him and privately wondered about her feelings toward him.

Xu Shi decided to use Heng Wo to Re-Ascend and address the limitations of his Malice Entropy ability. Su Lin administered the drug in the laboratory and monitored him as the procedure began.

• Xu Shi assessed how Malice Entropy was hindered by its need for physical contact and the time it took to take effect, especially against Xie Qingyan’s Ability Nullification.
• Xu Shi considered ways to Re-Ascend and chose Heng Wo, a drug developed by his company that could improve abilities below A-class.
• Xu Shi arrived at the company and arranged to undergo the procedure, relying on his wealth to obtain Heng Wo.
• Su Lin warned Xu Shi about the risks, fitted him with monitoring instruments, and injected the drug while keeping watch over the data.

Xu Shi underwent Re-Ascension and awakened with an A- ability level and a new psychic effect, Victim Will Implantation. After waking from three days unconscious, he asked Su Lin about events outside and learned that Disgu had grown stronger after accepting Spark's allegiance.

• Xu Shi endured Rust Fog extract’s psychic effects and chose to embrace the darkness represented by a giant anglerfish during Re-Ascension.
• Xu Shi woke after three days and found that Jiang Chengcheng had cared for him while he was unconscious.
• Su Lin reported that Xu Shi’s Re-Ascension had succeeded without aftereffects, leaving him at A- and granting him Victim Will Implantation.
• Xu Shi asked about events outside, and Su Lin reported that Disgu’s strength had rapidly increased after accepting Spark’s allegiance.

Xu Shi realized Shen He had sought refuge with Disgu, despite Lin Yue’s hatred of the gang, and expected the choice to strain Shen He’s followers and weaken his ability. In District Six, Shen He faced Lin Yue’s challenge over his decision.

• Xu Shi considered finding a local gang in Sin City to support Serpent Coil and reviewed Shen He’s remaining allies.
• Xu Shi recalled that Lin Yue’s mother had been abducted and killed by Disgu, giving Lin Yue a deep hatred of the gang.
• Xu Shi predicted that Shen He’s alliance with Disgu would cause a rift with Lin Yue and could undermine United Will.
• Shen He recalled how an attack had destroyed his cooperation with He Yuqiang and nearly killed him.
• Shen He led his surviving forces to seek refuge with Disgu, and Lin Yue questioned his decision.

Shen He tried to justify Spark's temporary alliance with Disgu, but Lin Yue rejected it and left the group after cutting off her little finger. Determined to act on her own against Serpent Coil and Xu Shi, she headed for Night City, unaware of what awaited her.

• Shen He told Lin Yue that Spark had joined Disgu temporarily to survive and rebuild its strength.
• Lin Yue refused to tolerate the alliance because of Disgu's abuse of her mother, cut off her left little finger, and left Spark.
• Shen He suffered backlash from United Will and told Zhang Shinian to recruit more people and prepare to leave Disgu.
• Lin Yue recognized that her feelings for Shen He went beyond gratitude, but felt he had ignored her pain and resolved to pursue Spark's unfinished goal herself.
• Lin Yue decided that killing Xu Shi might solve the problem and set off alone toward Night City.

Xu Shi strengthened his partnership with He Yuqiang by admitting he had arranged the attack on He Yuzhao, while keeping He Yuzhao alive as leverage. After Xu Shi sensed an invisible Ascendant watching him, he decided to lure the would-be assassin into an attack.

• Xu Shi visited He Yuqiang in the hospital and admitted that he had arranged the attack on He Yuzhao to avenge him.
• He Yuqiang considered working openly with Xu Shi to take over Shark Tooth and decided to replace his ear and hold a party after his discharge.
• Xu Shi told Su Lin that keeping He Yuzhao alive would restrain He Yuqiang and help him gain control of Shark Tooth gradually.
• Su Lin sensed an invisible Ascendant watching them, and Xu Shi decided to sell the assassin a weakness.

Lin Yue attempted to assassinate Xu Shi in a hospital parking garage, but Xu Shi sensed her and Su Lin subdued her. They took Lin Yue back with them, while Su Lin hinted she was looking forward to seeing how Xu Shi would deal with the captured assassin.

• Lin Yue followed Xu Shi to the hospital and saw him separate from Su Lin, giving her a chance to approach him alone.
• Xu Shi sensed Lin Yue’s killing intent, shot her shoulder, and let Su Lin knock her out.
• Su Lin tied Lin Yue up and put her in the car trunk as Xu Shi ordered them to take her back.
• Su Lin teased Xu Shi about taking Lin Yue to train, and admitted she was looking forward to what he would do with her.

Lin Yue awoke captured by Xu Shi and learned that he had tied her to a modified resistance-training frame. After refusing to reveal anything about the assassination, she became the subject of Xu Shi’s promised torture, beginning with a massage gun.

• Lin Yue dreamed of her childhood with her mother and Shen He before the dream collapsed and she woke up.
• Xu Shi identified Lin Yue as a member of Spark while she realized she was securely restrained and her shoulder wound had been treated.
• Lin Yue rejected Xu Shi’s questions about Shen He and insisted that he kill her rather than expect her to talk.
• Xu Shi said he would torture Lin Yue and used a strange red light from his eyes that briefly blanked her thoughts.
• Xu Shi showed Lin Yue a massage gun and called it a wonderful tool they would use later.

Xu Shi tested the effects and limits of Victim Will Implantation by tormenting the captive Lin Yue, who found herself unable to feel the hatred she expected. After ending the four-hour experiment, he opened the door to find Xia Wuyou carrying an unconscious girl.

• Xu Shi used Victim Will Implantation on Lin Yue and discovered that it suppressed her anger and hatred toward him.
• When the ability's effect began to fade, Xu Shi ordered Su Lin to find more ways to continue the experiment.
• Xu Shi tested Lin Yue's dependence on being victimized until she lost track of time and nearly asked him to continue.
• Xu Shi told Lin Yue that only four hours had passed and decided to let her rest after completing his tests.
• Xia Wuyou arrived carrying an unconscious girl, leaving Xu Shi confused.

Xia Wuyou captured a Hexagram Assassin sent by Lin Wenhua before she could attack Xu Shi. Xu Shi decided to use the failed assassin to intensify the conflict with Lin Wenhua and called Chengcheng in to work overtime.

• Xia Wuyou brought the captured assassin to Xu Shi and explained that she had found disruptors, poison, and miniature bombs on her.
• Xu Shi recognized the assassin as one of Lin Wenhua’s death warriors and realized she had been staking him out for a chance to kill him.
• Xia Wuyou declined Xu Shi’s dinner invitation and left, claiming she needed to go to the hospital.
• Su Lin said the assassination attempt could convict Lin Wenhua, but Xu Shi decided the conflict had not escalated enough yet.
• Xu Shi ordered Su Lin to bring Chengcheng over to work overtime so he could make use of the captured assassin.