Chapter Summaries

Xia Ke'an told Xu Shi about Night City's likely response to his expansion and proposed using her ability to uncover the force behind the destruction of Tianhe and Refraction. Xu Shi rejected her willingness to die for the investigation, and she was left flustered by his concern and growing attraction to him.

• Xia Ke'an warned Xu Shi that his support for the Long Saber Party and annexation of District Six had disrupted Night City's balance, but he showed that he had anticipated the danger.
• Xia Ke'an and Xu Shi discussed the mysterious destruction of Tianhe and Refraction, and she admitted that she and Wuyou had survived without knowing what happened.
• Xia Ke'an proposed cooperating by using her ability once to identify the enemy, even though doing so would likely cost her life.
• Xu Shi refused to accept her sacrifice and threatened to make Xia Wuyou suffer if Xia Ke'an died, then scolded her for risking herself without certainty of success.
• After Xu Shi left, Xia Ke'an realized she was attracted to him, then told Xia Wuyou that he had said he would make her suffer terribly.

Xu Shi visited his grandfather Wen Shengkui at Feather Pen to seek support against Dragon City, but first overheard Wen speaking oddly to a dog named A-Cheng. Wen acknowledged Xu Shi’s actions against Sin City and, despite denying their family bond, left open the possibility of backing him.

• Su Lin picked Xu Shi up and arranged a visit to Feather Pen after he asked her to contact Ning Wei.
• Xu Shi arrived at Feather Pen’s District Nineteen estate and waited in Wen Shengkui’s reception room.
• Xu Shi overheard Wen speaking harshly to a small dog named A-Cheng and mistakenly suspected his grandfather had a strange hobby.
• Wen questioned Xu Shi about the press conference attack and his takeover of territory from Sin City, then warned him Dragon City could retaliate.
• Xu Shi asked Wen for support against Dragon City, arguing that cooperation would benefit Feather Pen and that they were family.
• Wen rejected Xu Shi’s appeal to family but revealed his longstanding dislike of Dragon City, while Xu Shi teased him about still being called Grandpa.

Xu Shi secured Wen Shengkui’s support for Serpent Coil and met He Yuxia at Feather Pen, then ordered Su Lin to watch her closely. In Sin City, Lin Xing urged Lin Yue to use valuable data against Long Saber Party, and Lin Yue agreed to hear her plan.

• Xu Shi persuaded Wen Shengkui to protect him from Dragon City in exchange for Serpent Coil contributing to Feather Pen’s education fund and paying for the banquet hall repairs.
• Xu Shi met He Yuxia at the manor, learned she had cut ties with Shark Tooth and visited Wen Shengkui as his student, then told Su Lin to monitor her.
• Xu Shi considered the upheaval in Sin City and the valuable information held by Spark as Lin Xing pressed Lin Yue to act before the data lost its value.
• Lin Yue agreed to hear Lin Xing’s plan for using the data, despite worrying that Spark was too weak to challenge Long Saber Party.

Lin Yue and Lin Xing traded the data bricks for control of a quarter of District Six, then Lin Yue struggled with desire triggered by memories of Xu Shi. Lin Xing persuaded her to relieve the feelings through an imagined scenario, while Xu Shi secretly listened in.

• Lin Yue and Lin Xing confronted Ding Jun with the data bricks and threatened to expose their backups unless he gave Spark territory in District Six.
• Lin Xing restrained Ding Jun while Lin Yue subdued his guards, and Ding Jun agreed to give them a quarter of District Six.
• Lin Yue and Lin Xing left the Long Saber Party headquarters planning to secure their new territory and prevent abusive businesses from operating there.
• Lin Yue suffered an intense reaction after Lin Xing mentioned Xu Shi, and Lin Xing coaxed her into trying to release her desire through an imagined scenario.
• Lin Xing listened outside Lin Yue's room, while Xu Shi secretly heard her through a remote control.

Xu Shi supported Lin Yue’s staged confrontation with Ding Jun and considered how Shen He might reconnect with his sister, Shen Qin, among The Forgotten. Jiang Chengcheng reported that Serpent Coil had upgraded its equipment and developed an unstable second-generation Gemini chip, then asked Xu Shi for a private reward.

• Xu Shi reassured Ding Jun that Long Tianding would not threaten him for now, offered him another batch of Gemini chips, and asked him to keep searching for Shen He.
• Ding Jun agreed to continue looking for Shen He and hoped that proving his value to Xu Shi would help him escape his status as a Sin City native.
• Xu Shi recalled that Shen He’s sister, Shen Qin, had survived Tianhe’s destruction and was associated with the powerful faction called The Forgotten in the Huajin Plain.
• Jiang Chengcheng told Xu Shi that Serpent Coil had completed equipment upgrades and showed him a more adaptable second-generation Gemini chip that was still too unstable for mass production.
• Jiang Chengcheng sought a reward from Xu Shi, revealed that she had come wearing only her lab coat and socks, and offered herself to him.

Shen Qin reunited with her brother Shen He and learned how Xu Shi had ruined his gang. Though the Forgotten needed to return to Night Sin City, Shen Qin made clear she would not let those who hurt Shen He go unpunished.

• Shen Qin reunited with Shen He in a cave on the Huajin Plain and explained how she had risen among the Forgotten.
• Shen He told Shen Qin how Xu Shi had defeated him and destroyed everything he had built.
• Shen Qin vowed to avenge Shen He, but a black-robed man warned her that the Forgotten needed to avoid conflict and secure their return to Night Sin City.
• Shen Qin seized the man by the throat for disparaging Shen He, then released him and said she knew what needed to be done.
• Shen Qin accepted that contacting Night Sin City came first but remained determined to punish those who had hurt her brother.

The Six Great Conglomerates met to discuss The Forgotten’s request to naturalize in Night Sin City as worsening Rust Fog threatened their settlement. Xu Shi supported making contact, then proposed letting the whole city weigh in before deciding.

• Xu Shi learned that The Forgotten had requested naturalization and joined a remote meeting with the Six Great Conglomerates and Governor Yue Chizheng.
• Wen Shengkui explained that rising Rust Fog was worsening conditions in The Forgotten’s settlement.
• He Jiayuan opposed admitting The Forgotten, citing old conflicts and Night Sin City’s limited resources.
• Xie Qingyan and Long Tianding argued that the city should make contact before rejecting The Forgotten, while Yue Chizheng said they had promised unexpected benefits.
• Xu Shi agreed to make contact, then proposed that all of Night Sin City should have a say in the decision.

Xu Shi persuaded the Six Great Conglomerates to warn Night Sin City about The Forgotten and compensate Virtual Number for taking the public lead. The group assigned Yue Chizheng to negotiate with The Forgotten, and the next morning news of their intended return flooded the forums.

• Xu Shi proposed publicizing The Forgotten’s intended return to strengthen Night Sin City’s position before negotiations, and the others agreed.
• Xu Shi offered Virtual Number a larger share of future benefits and discounted equipment, while Old Master Wen offered to revisit unfinished projects.
• Qi Maoyang accepted the media role after the other conglomerates promised compensation, and he and Xu Shi eased their earlier tension.
• The group assigned Yue Chizheng to handle negotiations with The Forgotten, then ended the meeting.
• The next morning, major forums ran headlines announcing that The Forgotten intended to return, prompting someone to cry out in disbelief.

Residents of Night Sin City erupted in anger and fear over City Hall’s plan to accept more than a hundred thousand Forgotten, while Ye Shanshan framed their return as a possible benefit to Prism’s Rust Fog research. Rumors portrayed the Forgotten as diseased, deformed savages, and the chapter ended with their leaders furious at Night Sin City.

• News that City Hall might take in more than a hundred thousand Forgotten sparked outrage among Night Sin City residents worried about jobs and competition.
• Ye Shanshan told an interviewer that the Forgotten’s experience with the Rust Fog could help Prism’s medical research and said City Hall could make the final decision.
• Residents worried that the Forgotten might carry contagious diseases because they had lived outside the city amid the Rust Fog.
• Public rumors exaggerated the Forgotten into blood-drinking, deformed mutants, despite the fact that they lived in shelters and used smartphones.
• Several Forgotten leaders heard the rumors and angrily condemned Night Sin City.

Shen Qin led The Forgotten to Night Sin City for negotiations while Xu Shi and Qi Maoyang discussed the public backlash and their political gains. The chapter ended as Shen Qin entered City Hall and faced Xu Shi, whom she recognized as her brother’s enemy.

• Zhao Yuan and Song Chen argued over the reports condemning The Forgotten, and Shen Qin stopped them from fighting.
• Shen Qin reminded the other leaders that The Forgotten needed to stay united and negotiate with Night Sin City despite the public hostility.
• Tang Shuang escorted Shen Qin, Zhao Yuan, and Song Chen into the city, where Shen Qin saw the banners demanding that The Forgotten leave.
• Xu Shi and Qi Maoyang discussed how the negative coverage had redirected public hostility toward City Hall while bringing their organizations benefits.
• Tang Shuang brought The Forgotten into the reception room, where Shen Qin recognized Xu Shi as her brother’s enemy.

Shen Qin and the other Forgotten leaders met with Night Sin City’s representatives to negotiate their return, while Xu Shi recognized Shen Qin’s connection to Shen He and assessed the leaders’ personalities. The Forgotten presented cases of potential bargaining chips, leaving the representatives surprised and the negotiations poised to begin.

• Xu Shi recognized Shen Qin as Shen He's sister and sensed her hostility, while Shen Qin and Li Tang judged him to be a formidable opponent.
• Yue Chizheng opened the meeting, and Shen Qin used the alias Nan Qian while the Forgotten leaders Zhao Yuan and Song Chen used aliases as well.
• Zhao Yuan objected to the slanders against the Forgotten, but Song Chen and Xu Shi calmed the exchange and steered the meeting back to business.
• Yue Chizheng and Long Tianding asked what the Forgotten could offer beyond manpower, and Shen Qin promised other signs of sincerity.
• The attendants opened cases on the table, and the contents visibly surprised everyone.

The Forgotten presented Rust Fog-rich ore, weapons, medicine, and proposed exchange terms to Night Sin City's leaders. Xu Shi tore up Shen Qin's document and said their sincerity was far from enough, leaving negotiations on hostile footing.

• Shen Qin showed the leaders an ore sample from The Forgotten's settlement with a Rust Fog content of roughly forty-five to sixty percent.
• Song Chen presented Rust Fog-based weapons and medicine, while The Forgotten asserted that they had ample ore reserves.
• Shen Qin handed out documents outlining proposed exchange terms and personally gave one to Xu Shi.
• Xu Shi tore up his document without reading it, stunning Shen Qin.
• Xu Shi mocked Shen Qin and declared that The Forgotten had shown far too little sincerity.

Xu Shi demanded The Forgotten's research data and Rust Fog ore-mining techniques, using the group's dependence on Night Sin City to pressure Shen Qin. Song Chen secured them another day to consider the terms, while Shen Qin left feeling defeated and began to doubt her brother Shen He's judgment.

• Xu Shi rejected Shen Qin's offer of weapons, medicine, and ore, demanding research and development data and Rust Fog ore-mining techniques instead.
• Shen Qin argued that Xu Shi's terms were unfair, but he told The Forgotten to leave if they would not accept them.
• Shen Qin looked to the other leaders for support, but none challenged Xu Shi.
• Song Chen intervened and asked to continue the discussion, and Xu Shi gave The Forgotten one more day to decide.
• Shen Qin left the meeting despairing over her inability to negotiate as an equal and wondering whether Shen He had provoked Xu Shi.

Xu Shi secured Night Sin City's advantage in negotiations with The Forgotten and laid out terms for their resettlement, resource transfers, and admission into the city. Shen Qin and the other leaders accepted most of the demands but refused Xu Shi's final request that two of them move into Night Sin City.

• The first negotiations failed after Xu Shi humiliated Shen Qin, and Xie Qingyan discussed The Forgotten's resources and research with him.
• Xie Qingyan concealed her efforts to divert Prism's manpower toward independent development while privately resenting Xu Shi for outmaneuvering her.
• Shen Qin returned to The Forgotten and reassured Shen He about the negotiations, while Li Tang watched their exchange with contempt.
• The Forgotten accepted Night Sin City's terms, including limited first-round admission, transfers of Rust Fog ore and technology, and a temporary settlement on the Huajin Plain.
• Xu Shi proposed that The Forgotten's leaders move into Night Sin City; Shen Qin and the other leaders refused, so he offered to let one remain while two moved.

Xu Shi forced The Forgotten to send Shen Qin and Song Chen to Night Sin City while Zhao Yuan stayed behind to lead the settlement. Shen Qin accepted the move to gain influence in the city, believing Xu Shi did not know her connection to Shen He, and vowed to repay her humiliation.

• Xu Shi insisted that only one of The Forgotten's leaders could remain behind, and Shen Qin, Zhao Yuan, and Song Chen agreed to the arrangement.
• Song Chen and Shen Qin became the two leaders bound for Night Sin City, while Zhao Yuan accepted responsibility for the remaining clansmen.
• Shen Qin told Zhao Yuan not to act impulsively when Night Sin City sent people to oversee the settlement.
• Shen He worried about Shen Qin settling in Night Sin City, but she explained that she wanted to contact the city's other forces and exploit Xu Shi's ignorance of her identity.
• Shen Qin regained confidence and vowed to repay Xu Shi for her humiliation.

Xu Shi sent Su Lin to recruit Shen Qin into Serpent Coil while concealing that they knew her identity and connection to Shen He. After a tiring day, Xu Shi received reports from Xia Wuyou, who noticed his exhaustion and offered to help him relax.

• Xu Shi told Su Lin to recruit Shen Qin and explained Shen Qin’s identity and abilities to her.
• Su Lin agreed to approach Shen Qin without revealing what they knew about her identity.
• Xu Shi reflected on his efforts to strengthen Serpent Coil and counter its rivals, then rested on his office sofa.
• Xia Wuyou delivered Field Operations Department reports because Director Du Wei was on leave and Su Lin was unavailable.
• Xia Wuyou noticed Xu Shi looked tired and asked whether she could help him relax.

Xia Wuyou massaged Xu Shi and struggled to understand her feelings toward him as he teased her. When she asked whether he planned to torment her, Xu Shi embraced the wording and asked what she thought of being tormented mercilessly.

• Xia Wuyou offered to massage Xu Shi, using her ability to weaken gravity and help him relax.
• Xu Shi asked Xia Wuyou to massage him again in the future and teased that she and Su Lin could do it together.
• Xia Wuyou reflected on her uncertain feelings for Xu Shi and how much she felt she owed him.
• Xu Shi asked what was on Xia Wuyou's mind, and she revealed that her aunt had told her he planned to torment her.
• Xu Shi laughed, then said he would torment Xia Wuyou mercilessly and asked what she thought.

Xia Wuyou examined her growing affection for Xu Shi and realized she wanted to become his woman, not merely obey him or enjoy his embrace. As they kissed and grew intimate, Su Lin walked in and asked if she had arrived at the wrong time.

• Xia Wuyou considered how Xu Shi's kindness, ability, and accomplishments had shaped her feelings for him.
• Xu Shi told Xia Wuyou he did not care that he had a fiancée, then pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
• Xia Wuyou realized she wanted Xu Shi himself and willingly responded to his advances.
• Su Lin walked in on Xu Shi and Xia Wuyou and awkwardly asked whether she had arrived at the wrong time.

Su Lin reported that Serpent Coil had selected about a hundred candidates from The Forgotten, including Nan Qian, while Li Si had joined Prism. Xu Shi asked Xia Wuyou to assess Nan Qian and deliberately lose to her, then Xia Wuyou kissed him before leaving to change clothes.

• Su Lin told Xu Shi that a hundred medically screened candidates had been selected, and that Nan Qian had joined Serpent Coil while Li Si had gone to Prism.
• Xu Shi told Su Lin to prepare the candidates for interviews and said he would interview them personally.
• Xia Wuyou asked to leave, but Xu Shi asked her to help assess Nan Qian because Nan Qian was Shen Qin, Shen He's biological younger sister.
• Xu Shi instructed Xia Wuyou to lose to Nan Qian without making the loss obvious, and Xia Wuyou understood his plan.
• Xia Wuyou kissed Xu Shi before leaving to change clothes.

Serpent Coil conducted strict interviews for The Forgotten, assigning most candidates to subsidiary or basic labor roles. Shen Qin entered her Field Operations interview with Xia Wuyou, and both women prepared to vent their anger in a fight.

• Jiang Chengcheng rejected most candidates with a severe assessment, while Su Lin arranged for those who failed to try their luck at subsidiaries.
• Gu Yi completed her cybersecurity interviews by projection and thought about Xu Shi’s absence.
• Shen Qin worried that The Forgotten had gained safety in Night Sin City but little access to its core work or research.
• Xia Wuyou identified herself as the Field Operations chief examiner and challenged Shen Qin to a fight to test her combat ability.
• Shen Qin and Xia Wuyou both saw the fight as a chance to vent their anger, making the atmosphere tense.