Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Players' consciousnesses within Nyogtha aim to replace the Child of Ashes and return to Nyogtha's origin.
• They face a dilemma: advancing means death due to cognitive overload, while retreating offers a slim chance of survival.
• Lu Li appears and addresses Nyogtha, accelerating its awakening and causing more players' consciousnesses to shatter.
• Gheros destroys Waterblue Star, leading to another wave of truth that destroys the remaining players' consciousnesses.

Character Developments

• Players' consciousnesses transform and mutate, struggling to keep up with Nyogtha's changes.
• Lu Li reveals his true name, causing massive cognitive damage to nearby survivors and gaining a believer.
• The Child of Ashes' consciousness is destroyed, and Gheros is shattered after destroying Waterblue Star.

Significant Themes

• The struggle for survival and the consequences of pursuing power beyond one's limits.
• The revelation of truths and the consequences of cognitive overload.
• The interconnectedness of cosmic events and the insignificance of individual life in the grand scheme of the multiverse.

Character Interactions

• Players' consciousnesses compete and fight within Nyogtha, attempting to seize the Child of Ashes' essence.
• Lu Li interacts with Nyogtha, accelerating its awakening and causing more players' destruction.
• Gheros and Waterblue Star's destruction leads to the final wave of truth that eliminates the remaining players.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Waterblue Star is destroyed, and various powers act in the void.
• Lu Li uses his Player skills to summon Gresta and confront Nyogtha, the Dweller of Darkness.
• Lu Li reveals he infiltrated Gresta's power into Nyogtha, causing disharmony within it.
• Three unlit white candles emerge from Nyogtha's domain and vanish, entering the main world.
• The Countermeasure Bureau intercepts information about the candles and plans to stop them from entering the main world.
• Lin Fan, an ordinary man, witnesses a shooting star that suddenly flashes in the sky.

Character Developments

• Lu Li demonstrates his Player skills and manipulates Nyogtha.
• Lin Fan reflects on his ordinary life and struggles with financial worries.

Significant Themes

• The struggle and manipulation of powers among great beings.
• The contrast between the extraordinary world of great beings and the ordinary life of humans like Lin Fan.
• The looming Final Day and the efforts to prevent it.

Character Interactions

• Lu Li interacts with Nyogtha and Gresta, using his skills to influence Nyogtha.
• Lin Fan has no direct interaction with other characters but reflects on his past and present life.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Three meteor-like candles fall into Jade River City.
• The Countermeasure Bureau, responsible for intercepting these candles, fails to secure them, leading to a city-wide crisis.
• Lin Tong and his team from the City of Sound arrive to assist in finding the candles.
• Lin Fan, an ordinary citizen, discovers a candle stuck on his head.

Character Developments

• Yang Li, the branch director, shows anger and frustration at the bureau's failure but maintains professionalism when Lin Tong arrives.
• Lin Tong, now more mature, takes charge of the situation and understands the urgency of finding the candles.
• Lin Fan, initially shocked and panicked, starts to consider desperate measures to remove the candle from his head.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of failure and the importance of discipline and responsibility (Yang Li's reaction).
• The tension between ordinary life and extraordinary threats (Lin Fan's situation).
• The need for unity and cooperation in facing crises (Lin Tong's arrival and the city's response).

Character Interactions

• Yang Li interacts with Lin Tong, showing respect for his lineage and professionalism.
• Lin Fan interacts with himself, trying various methods to remove the candle, showing his desperation and panic.
• The citizens of Jade River City interact with each other through online forums, expressing their fears, suspicions, and hopes.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan discovers a candle stuck to his head, which the authorities claim is a poison gas weapon but is suspected to be a treasure.
• Lin Fan considers seeking help from the authorities but decides against it after realizing he might be the only one who can see the candle.
• He encounters his landlady, who seems unable to see the candle, further confirming its peculiar nature.
• Lin Fan decides to investigate the supernatural and discovers a website called "Ring of Time and Space."

Character Developments

• Lin Fan evolves from a passive, ordinary individual to someone actively seeking answers about the supernatural event he's experiencing.
• His encounter with his landlady shows his growing awareness of the candle's uniqueness and his desire to keep it a secret.

Significant Themes

• The supernatural and its impact on ordinary life.
• The struggle between maintaining a normal life and embracing the extraordinary.
• The tension between official narratives (poison gas weapon) and personal experiences (possible treasure).

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan's interaction with his landlady, Sister Ma, highlights her sharp tongue and his growing determination to keep the candle a secret.
• Lin Fan's online interactions with forum users show the range of reactions and theories about his situation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan discovers a mysterious website, the Ring of Time and Space, which requires a key to access.
• He calls the provided number, speaks to a seductive woman, and completes a survey to obtain a key.
• After registering, he finds the website contains various sections, including a Newcomer's Guide.
• The guide reveals that the website worships a god called the Time-Space Circle, and users can gain time power through rituals.
• It also introduces a ranking system where users gain half of their apprentices' time power.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan: Initially skeptical, he becomes convinced of the website's supernatural powers and decides to participate, hoping to gain abilities.

Significant Themes

• Supernatural powers and their acquisition.
• The concept of a ranking system and gaining power through apprentices.
• The idea of belief and faith in a higher power.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan interacts with a seductive woman over the phone, who is later revealed to be his teacher on the website.
• Lin Fan's initial interaction with the website and the Newcomer's Guide shapes his understanding of the website's mechanics and his role within it.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan, a college student, accidentally enters a chat room called "Room B" in the Ring of Time and Space.
• He meets Shadow B, an eccentric figure who tries to recruit him into the Shadow Legion.
• Lin Fan tries to leave but is threatened by Shadow B, who claims he can't leave Room B once he enters.
• Shadow B calls someone named Xiao Li to confirm Lin Fan's recruitment.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan: Initially naive and unwilling to join Room B, Lin Fan becomes frightened and desperate to leave after meeting Shadow B. He tries to reason with Shadow B and uses his promise to Xiao Li as an excuse.
• Shadow B: Shadow B is introduced as a charismatic yet menacing figure. He is determined to recruit Lin Fan into the Shadow Legion and uses threats and manipulation to achieve his goal.

Significant Themes

• Recruitment and Manipulation: Shadow B's primary goal is to recruit Lin Fan into the Shadow Legion, using various tactics such as threats, manipulation, and false promises of wealth and glory.
• Power Imbalance: The power dynamic between Lin Fan and Shadow B is clear, with Shadow B holding all the power and Lin Fan being vulnerable and frightened.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan and Shadow B: Their interaction is tense and one-sided, with Shadow B threatening and manipulating Lin Fan, while Lin Fan tries to reason with Shadow B and find a way out of the situation.
• Shadow B and Xiao Li: Although not physically present, Xiao Li is mentioned as someone who might have a say in Lin Fan's recruitment, indicating a power struggle within the Ring of Time and Space.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan meets Shadow B, who tries to sell him ritual manuals for exorbitant prices.
• Shadow B forces Lin Fan to shave his head and gives him a ritual manual for bald people.
• Lin Fan uses the Time Ring Ritual Manual to travel back in time and observe his past self.
• Lin Fan attempts to steal strength from his past self but loses most of it to the mentor and the candle.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan: Becomes more determined to understand and control his newfound powers. He also becomes more aware of the potential dangers and scams in this new world.
• Shadow B: Reveals his manipulative and greedy nature, taking advantage of Lin Fan's lack of knowledge.

Significant Themes

• The cost of power: Lin Fan learns that getting stronger often comes at a price, whether it's monetary or personal.
• Time manipulation: The chapter explores the consequences and limitations of time travel and manipulation.
• Trust and deception: Lin Fan encounters deceitful characters, making him more cautious and wary.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan and Shadow B: Their interaction highlights the power imbalance and Lin Fan's naivety in this new world.
• Lin Fan and his past self: Lin Fan observes his past self, raising questions about identity and self-control.
• Lin Fan and the mentor/candle: Lin Fan discovers that the candle can absorb time power, hinting at a deeper connection between them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan discovers that he can steal time from his past, using a ritual from a secret manual.
• He realizes he can extract time during moments when he was unobserved, like when he picked up the mysterious candle or was in a broken elevator camera.
• He extracts six strands of time power, with one strand fueling the candle above his head, causing it to grow hotter and emit power that rejuvenates him.
• Lin Fan learns from others that they extracted time power through meditation, but he feels he's different and can extract it more easily.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan begins to believe he's extraordinary and destined for greatness, leading him to keep the powerful candle instead of handing it over to authorities.
• He becomes more observant and aware of his surroundings, noticing a colleague's hatred towards him.

Significant Themes

• Time manipulation and its consequences (Hounds of Tindalos, theft of time being recorded).
• The extraordinary vs. the ordinary, with Lin Fan starting to believe he's special.
• The power of observation and awareness.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan interacts with his past self, observing and controlling his actions.
• He communicates with fellow members of the Ring of Time and Space, learning about time extraction techniques.
• He becomes aware of a colleague's animosity towards him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan, injured at work and facing financial struggles, attempts to negotiate with his miserly boss for compensation.
• While waiting, Lin Fan uses his newfound ability to interfere with his past self and extract temporal power, earning money and awakening a superpower.
• He sells an inch of time in the Ring of Time and Space's Trading Hall, earning eighty-eight thousand.
• Lin Fan studies a basic time acceleration spell and experiments with his blood-control superpower.
• He performs the Time Ring Ritual again to extract more temporal power.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan becomes more proactive and assertive, taking control of his situation instead of passively accepting it.
• He discovers his ability to control blood, providing him with a means of self-defense.
• Lin Fan's financial situation improves significantly after selling temporal power.

Significant Themes

• Time and its value: Lin Fan learns that time can be exchanged for money, highlighting the theme of time as a valuable resource.
• Power and control: Lin Fan's new abilities allow him to exert control over his life and circumstances, contrasting with his previous powerlessness.
• Adaptation and growth: Lin Fan adapts to his new abilities and circumstances, demonstrating personal growth.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan interacts with his past self, interfering with his actions and extracting temporal power.
• He communicates with his boss, who dismisses him without proper compensation.
• Lin Fan interacts with Sister Ma, transferring rent money to her.
• He studies time spells in the Ring of Time and Space's database, learning about their requirements and effects.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan, after finishing work, discovers he can interfere with his past self more powerfully due to the candle's influence.
• He uses this ability to alter his past actions in the unobserved state, stealing time power.
• Lin Fan realizes the candle's origin and decides to investigate further.
• He witnesses a meteor's interception by time power and understands it was manipulated by someone from the Ring of Time and Space.
• Lin Fan is forced back to his original past due to time's impact and runs home.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan becomes more confident and daring in using his time interference abilities.
• He shows curiosity and determination in uncovering the candle's mystery.

Significant Themes

• The power of observation and unobservation in altering past events.
• The dangers and potential of time manipulation.
• The existence of a higher power or entity (Time-Space Circle) within the universe.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan interacts with his past self, altering his actions and appearance.
• He encounters Yang Li, an agent from the Countermeasure Bureau, who is investigating the missing candle, but they do not interact directly.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan returns from his time travel to find it's been a day in the present.
• He overhears his neighbors, Brother Hei and Sister-in-law Hei, arguing about returning something he gave them.
• Lin Fan finds Brother Hei and Sister-in-law Hei murdered in their home, with a red crystal near Brother Hei's body.
• Lin Fan realizes his future self, "Future Calamity," is responsible for the murders.
• Lin Fan cleans up the scene and stages it to look like a burglary gone wrong.
• A figure wrapped in clothes escapes from the scene, and Lin Fan sees it vanish.
• Police arrive, and Lin Fan is questioned and asked to sketch the murderer.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan: Realizes the dangers of time travel and encounters his future self, "Future Calamity," who is responsible for the murders of his neighbors. Lin Fan tries to cover up the crime to avoid suspicion.
• Future Calamity: Lin Fan's future self who has traveled back in time, killing Brother Hei and Sister-in-law Hei, and framing Lin Fan. The motivations for these actions are not yet clear.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of time travel: Lin Fan's encounter with his future self highlights the potential dangers and unforeseen consequences of time travel.
• The struggle between present and future selves: Lin Fan's conflict with his future self raises questions about the nature of identity and the tension between different versions of oneself.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan and Brother Hei/Sister-in-law Hei: Their interactions are limited to a brief argument overheard by Lin Fan and the discovery of their bodies. Brother Hei had given Lin Fan a red crystal, which may be connected to their deaths.
• Lin Fan and the police: Lin Fan is questioned by the police and asked to sketch the murderer. He tries to avoid suspicion by claiming he doesn't know anything.
• Lin Fan and Future Calamity: Though not directly interacting, Lin Fan is aware of his future self's actions and tries to cover up the crime to avoid suspicion. Their relationship and motivations for each other's actions remain unclear.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan realizes he needs to upgrade his clearance to access more information about the future disaster.
• He decides to use the power of time to create a Time Clone to clear his name and prevent the future disaster.
• Lin Fan travels back two days to observe his past self and learns about the restrictions of time travel.
• He creates a Time Clone and uses it to investigate the second candle's whereabouts, discovering it on the second floor of his company's building.
• Lin Fan sees someone else jumping from the rooftop, wearing a mask and black cloak, suggesting another time traveler.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan becomes more proactive and determined to prevent the future disaster.
• He learns to use the Time Clone skill and experiences the restrictions and dangers of time travel.
• Lin Fan's instincts and premonitions guide him, indicating his growing understanding of time manipulation.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of altering the past and the restrictions imposed by time.
• The power of instinct and intuition in guiding actions.
• The potential existence of multiple time travelers.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan interacts with his past self, observing his actions without being noticed.
• He encounters another time traveler, suggesting potential alliances or rivalries in the future.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan discovers the second candle's location is at his company.
• His boss is found dead, and the police want to question him.
• Lin Fan performs a Time Ring Ritual to return to two days ago to investigate.
• He encounters a masked man who claims to be the founder of the Time-Space Circle.
• Lin Fan finds that the building's cameras were functioning normally, including those of the educational institution on the second floor.
• He completes a spacetime loop, gaining time power and forming an incomplete Time-Space Circle within his body.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan becomes more proactive and resourceful in investigating the candle's location and his boss's murder.
• He learns about the incomplete Time-Space Circle within his body and the importance of reclaiming traded time.

Significant Themes

• The power of time and its manipulation through the Time Ring Ritual.
• The consequences of trading time and the need to reclaim it.
• The mystery surrounding the masked man and his connection to the Time-Space Circle.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan interacts with his past self and the masked man.
• The masked man provides cryptic information and advice to Lin Fan.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan observes his past self (Future Calamity) killing the miserly boss and realizes he is the killer.
• Lin Fan jumps from the second floor and retrieves the cloak, mask, and candle left behind by his Future Calamity.
• Lin Fan returns to the company and encounters the police, the boss's wife, and secretary. Lin Tong arrives and suspects Lin Fan of the murder.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan understands the horror of time and its impact on his actions.
• Lin Tong's powers have grown, allowing him to see the candle above Lin Fan's head and restrain him using Ouroboros snakes.

Significant Themes

• The inevitability of fate and the consequences of one's actions.
• The struggle between free will and predestination.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan and his Future Calamity (though they don't interact directly, Lin Fan observes and understands his past self's actions).
• Lin Fan and Lin Tong: Lin Tong suspects Lin Fan of murder and uses his powers to restrain him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A mysterious man on a distant building chooses to activate his Crimson Snake power, causing a surge of scorching life force.
• Lin Fan's Ouroboros restraint melts, and he absorbs the power of time from the candle, becoming the new Crimson Snake.
• Lin Fan escapes from the building, pursued by Lin Tong and Yang Li.
• Lin Fan survives the attack and escapes, reflecting on his situation and deciding to complete his own time ring and investigate the candle.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan: Becomes the new Crimson Snake, gains more power, and decides to focus on completing his time ring and investigating the candle.
• Lin Tong: Shows his principles by saving ordinary people despite pursuing Lin Fan.
• Yang Li: Prioritizes capturing Lin Fan over saving ordinary people.

Significant Themes

• Power and its consequences: Lin Fan's newfound power as the Crimson Snake comes with dangers and responsibilities.
• Principles and choices: Lin Tong's decision to save ordinary people showcases his principles, while Yang Li's pursuit of Lin Fan highlights his different priorities.
• The importance of self-investigation: Lin Fan decides to investigate the candle and his own powers to better understand his situation.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan and Lin Tong: Pursuer and target, with Lin Tong showing restraint in his pursuit and Lin Fan escaping narrowly.
• Lin Fan and Yang Li: No direct interaction, but Yang Li's pursuit of Lin Fan is mentioned.
• Lin Fan and his past self: Lin Fan guides his past self in cleaning up evidence and discovers the candle in his past self's wardrobe.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan completes the Time Ring Ritual and returns to the present.
• He witnesses a middle-aged man and a woman hiding gold bars and other valuables in a safe.
• Lin Fan contacts Shadow B, who reveals that Lin Fan's future self chose to die as a human and gives him the chance to become the Crimson Snake.
• Shadow B explains the three candles' connection to the Shadow Kingdom and the Shadow Lord's prophecy.
• Lin Fan decides to take a trip to the past and deal with the candle he tossed onto the rooftop first.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan: Struggles with the decision to merge with the Crimson Snake and become a unique existence or remain human. He's more cautious and thoughtful about his choices.
• Shadow B: Reveals more about the Shadow Kingdom and the Shadow Lord's prophecy. He shows wisdom and understanding of Lin Fan's situation, offering guidance but also maintaining his interest in wealth.

Significant Themes

• The struggle between maintaining one's humanity and embracing a new existence.
• The consequences of one's actions and the choices made by future selves.
• The power of time and its manipulation.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan and Shadow B: Lin Fan seeks guidance from Shadow B, who provides information and advice while also maintaining his interest in financial gain. Their interaction is a mix of serious discussion and light banter.
• Lin Fan and the middle-aged man/woman: Lin Fan observes the couple hiding valuables, showing his ability to adapt to new situations and gather information discreetly.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shadow B, a future version of Lin Fan, appears and causes a scene at the middle-aged man's house.
• Lin Fan possesses his past self from a day ago and splits off a Time Clone.
• Lin Fan finds the third candle untouched on the rooftop.
• Another future version of Lin Fan, with an umbrella called Shadow Umbrella, appears and begs Lin Fan to light the candle to save him.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan understands that his future selves have experienced his current timeline, giving them an informational advantage.
• The future Lin Fan with the Shadow Umbrella is desperate and manic, willing to do anything to avoid disappearing.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of one's actions and the impact on future selves.
• The struggle between self-preservation and morality.
• The struggle between different timelines and versions of the same person.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan interacts with Shadow B, his future self, who is reckless and brash.
• Lin Fan encounters another future version of himself, who is desperate and willing to use force to achieve his goals.
• Lin Fan grapples with the moral implications of his actions and the potential consequences for his future selves.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The author expresses a lack of motivation and writer's block, leading to irregular updates.
• Xu Ming's health condition worsens, causing concern and distress.
• The story is approaching its end, which may contribute to the author's decreased drive.

Character Developments

• The author: Struggles with writer's block and decreased motivation, leading to irregular updates and apologies to readers.
• Xu Ming: His health condition deteriorates, causing worry and sympathy from the author and readers.

Significant Themes

• Writer's block and the struggle to maintain motivation and creativity.
• The impact of real-life issues (Xu Ming's health) on the progress of a story.
• The relationship between authors and their readers, with the author expressing guilt and apologizing for the irregular updates.

Character Interactions

• The author interacts with readers through the chapter, expressing their feelings and apologizing for the situation.
• Though not physically present, Xu Ming's deteriorating health affects the author's emotional state and writing progress.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan fights a future remnant using his Crimson Snake power, testing his strength.
• Shadow B helps Lin Fan by reporting a corrupt official and training him for a mission.
• Lin Fan arrives at the Ring of Time and Space headquarters, hidden beneath Linxi Park's Lakeside Tower.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan's Crimson Snake power is shown to be formidable but still developing.
• Shadow B demonstrates his expertise in driving and knowledge of the Ring of Time and Space's headquarters.
• The lecturer at the Ring of Time and Space is revealed to be deceiving people, implying the organization's questionable methods.

Significant Themes

• The power of time and space, and the distortions they can cause.
• The duality of appearances versus reality, as seen in the hidden headquarters and the lecturer's deception.
• The importance of experience and skill, as shown by Shadow B's driving and Lin Fan's combat inexperience.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan and the future remnant engage in a power contest, showing Lin Fan's growing strength and the remnant's desperation.
• Lin Fan and Shadow B work together, with Shadow B providing guidance and assistance to Lin Fan.
• The lecturer and the audience at the Ring of Time and Space, highlighting the organization's manipulative tactics.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Fan completes his apprenticeship with Shadow B and is sent to Linxi Park, where he observes the founding of the Ring of Time and Space by Lu Li.
• Lin Fan follows Lu Li to Lakeside Tower, where he witnesses a mysterious figure called Black Face interacting with both Lu Li and You Qiying.
• Black Face gives You Qiying an eye-like object to place behind a stone door at the bottom of the lake, and Lin Fan also sees an eye appear before him.

Character Developments

• Lin Fan: Becomes more confident in his abilities and makes decisions based on intuition and curiosity.
• Lu Li: Revealed to be the founder of the Ring of Time and Space, and has ties to the Shadow Kingdom. He is also a time-based avatar.
• You Qiying: Appears to be seeking a new identity from Black Face.
• Black Face: A mysterious figure with unknown intentions, possibly connected to the Shadow Kingdom and the Ring of Time and Space.

Significant Themes

• Time manipulation and its consequences.
• Identity and transformation.
• The interconnectedness of organizations and their leaders.

Character Interactions

• Lin Fan and Lu Li: Lin Fan follows Lu Li, hoping to learn more about the Shadow Lord and his own destiny.
• Lu Li and Black Face: They seem to have a complex relationship, with Lu Li acting as both an agent and a time-based avatar.
• Black Face and You Qiying: Black Face offers You Qiying a deal, suggesting they have a mutual goal or need.