Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Who Are You Photographing, Feng?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• March 7th, Sparkle, and Yan Huan encounter a lizard street-food vendor whose stall is surrounded by flies and appears to be selling rotting food.
• Mistaking a fly for part of the food, March 7th casually eats one. The vendor reveals that it was an actual fly, leaving her horrified and physically ill.
• The vendor openly admits that the food is several days old and has begun to rot, claiming that seasoning can hide the smell and presenting the practice as a normal feature of street-stall commerce.
• March 7th spits out the remains of the fly onto the street and declares that she will report the vendor.
• A raccoon tabloid reporter named Puli Ce photographs the incident and twists it into sensational headlines, first claiming that March 7th spat in public and then suggesting that she enjoys eating flies.
• March 7th protests and demands that the raccoon delete the photographs, but her angry remarks are also photographed and misrepresented as anti-raccoon or human-supremacist views.
• Puli Ce flees, prompting March 7th, Sparkle, and Yan Huan to chase him through the streets. They corner him in a dead-end alley.
• Despite being frightened, Puli Ce insists that he will not surrender or delete the pictures, invoking “press freedom” in a dramatic defense of his gossip journalism.

Character Developments

• March 7th is shown as impulsive, expressive, and easily provoked. Her innocent mistake—eating the fly—quickly turns into embarrassment and anger when the reporter exploits the situation. She becomes determined to protect her reputation and confronts both the dishonest vendor and the manipulative journalist.
• Sparkle remains comparatively composed and observant, reacting to the absurdity of the situation with sarcasm and exasperation. She recognizes that Puli Ce is deliberately creating sensational gossip.
• Yan Huan is disgusted by the vendor’s food practices and initially reacts with disbelief. He supports the chase, though March 7th criticizes him for cheering instead of helping directly.
• Puli Ce, the raccoon reporter, is opportunistic and sensationalist. He repeatedly reframes events to make March 7th look scandalous, but becomes cowardly when cornered. Even so, he theatrically presents himself as a courageous defender of press freedom.
• The lizard vendor is shameless and pragmatic, openly admitting to selling spoiled food and treating the practice as ordinary so long as customers do not complain.

Significant Themes

• Sensationalism and misinformation: Puli Ce distorts an embarrassing accident into multiple outrageous stories, showing how easily facts can be manipulated for attention.
• Public image and reputation: March 7th’s concern is less about the fly itself than about being publicly misrepresented by the photographs and headlines.
• Moral corruption hidden behind normalcy: The vendor treats unsanitary behavior as routine, suggesting that unethical practices can become accepted when people are accustomed to them.
• Freedom of the press versus accountability: Puli Ce uses “press freedom” to justify invasive photography and dishonest reporting, raising questions about whether journalism protects truth or merely exploits people.
• Absurdity and cross-species society: Humans, lizard vendors, and raccoon reporters interact as members of a chaotic urban community, creating much of the chapter’s comedic tension.

Important Character Interactions

• March 7th’s mistaken interaction with the lizard vendor drives the chapter’s central conflict.
• Sparkle and Yan Huan react to March 7th’s disgust and help pursue the reporter.
• March 7th and Puli Ce clash over privacy, truth, and the right to control one’s image.
• Puli Ce turns nearly every exchange with March 7th into another fabricated scandal, escalating her frustration.
• The final confrontation leaves March 7th demanding accountability while Puli Ce hides behind a grandiose claim of journalistic courage.

Chapter Summary: “Let’s Have Some Fun”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A raccoon-like gossip reporter, Puli Ce, attacks March 7th with an oversized brick after secretly photographing the group.
• March defeats the raccoon using a rusty steel pipe, despite its dramatic fighting style and claims of being a devoted fan.
• Puli Ce explains that he and his fellow raccoons idolize “Lord Raccoon” and that their outfits were modeled after March’s appearance.
• Sparkle demands one million Credits per person as compensation for emotional distress, lost wages, and other damages. Puli Ce protests that President Xuzhao, the head of Raccoon Weekly, has withheld the workers’ wages.
• Puli Ce accidentally reveals Xuzhao’s name despite being warned not to, then offers the group a business card and invites them to claim compensation at the magazine’s offices.
• He escapes in a cloud of smoke before March can seize his camera and delete the photographs.
• March decides to confront the magazine’s president, while Sparkle encourages her to investigate the situation.
• Sparkle warns that the Star Rail Express is under intense scrutiny in Two-Phase Paradise and may be targeted by people seeking to join the Phantom Moon Game and gain the Aeon’s authority.
• She hints that one of her acquaintances may soon become the group’s enemy and invites March and Yan Huan to watch this person perform in the nearby plaza.

Character Developments

• March 7th proves energetic and capable in combat, defeating Puli Ce while also showing a strong dislike of invasive and unethical reporting. She realizes too late that she should have taken the camera, revealing her impulsiveness.
• Puli Ce is cowardly yet resourceful. He shifts quickly from aggression to pleading, then from helplessness to crafty negotiation before escaping. His actions suggest he is pressured by poverty and exploitation at work.
• Sparkle displays her usual mischievous opportunism by demanding exaggerated compensation, but she becomes serious when warning the group about the dangers surrounding the Aeon’s game.
• Yan Huan remains calm and observant, questioning March’s failure to confiscate the camera and responding ambiguously when Sparkle asks whether he trusts her.
• President Xuzhao does not appear directly, but is established as a threatening or manipulative figure who withholds wages and controls Raccoon Weekly.

Significant Themes

• Surveillance and privacy: The group’s arrival has made them targets of constant observation, represented by Puli Ce’s secret photography and the many unseen eyes in Two-Phase Paradise.
• Exploitation and desperation: Puli Ce’s illegal reporting is partly motivated by unpaid wages, suggesting how economic hardship pushes individuals into risky behavior.
• Performance and deception: Characters repeatedly adopt exaggerated roles—the raccoon as a fighter and pitiful victim, Sparkle as both playful trickster and serious guide, and the media as a façade for hidden agendas.
• Power and prey: Sparkle frames the Star Rail Express as potential prey for those seeking to participate in the Phantom Moon Game, emphasizing the danger of fame and power.
• Trust and suspicion: March questions Sparkle’s motives, while Yan Huan refuses to give a clear answer, preserving tension within the group.

Character Interactions

• March and Puli Ce clash physically, then argue over his spying and the magazine’s responsibility.
• March and Yan Huan exchange humorous criticism, particularly when he points out that she forgot to take the camera.
• Sparkle manipulates the confrontation by proposing an enormous settlement, then shifts into the role of a warning adviser.
• March remains suspicious of Sparkle, while Sparkle responds theatrically before offering a genuine warning about the threats ahead.
• Sparkle positions Yan Huan as an authority figure by calling him “Boss,” though his ambiguous response highlights the uncertain trust between them.

Chapter Summary: “Okay, I’m Not”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sparkle leads Yan Huan and March 7th through Two-Phase Paradise toward a nearby plaza.
• The area is filled with anime-style reaction memes and collectible-looking gold coins. When Yan Huan touches the coins, they transform into warm golden energy identified by Sparkle as ownerless fragments of Wish Power.
• Yan Huan experiments with collecting and producing the coins, enjoying the game-like mechanics of the environment.
• Sparkle explains that the company has constructed an enormous entertainment network in Two-Phase Paradise and may be attempting to control the Phantom Moon Game, just as it allegedly tried fifteen years earlier.
• She criticizes the company’s commercialized, repetitive version of Elation and warns that the Phantom Moon Game must not become a corporate or political bargaining tool.
• The group enters a crowded plaza filled with attractions and inhabitants from many species, including Mech Armors, Goblins, Foxians, and paper-like Phantom-Made creatures.
• Sparkle proposes a card game called Galactic Power Party, presenting it as a miniature rehearsal for the coming Phantom Moon Game.
• She offers to reveal the identity of their enemy if Yan Huan defeats her, possibly allowing them to cooperate against that foe.
• Sparkle teaches Yan Huan and March 7th the rules: players select character cards with different statistics and abilities, then roll dice to determine attacks and defenses.
• Yan Huan notices the game resembles Genius Invokation TCG, while Sparkle jokingly suggests modifying and merchandising it for profit.

Character Developments

• Yan Huan displays curiosity and enthusiasm, eagerly collecting the Wish Power coins and treating the strange world like a video game. However, he remains suspicious of Sparkle’s motives, questioning whether she is promoting someone’s interests.
• Sparkle reveals more of her ideological opposition to the company. Beneath her playful, teasing behavior, she is serious about preserving the unpredictable, chaotic nature of Elation and preventing corporate control of the Phantom Moon Game.
• Sparkle also presents herself as a strategist and provocateur, deliberately encouraging Yan Huan and the Trailblazers to oppose the company while framing the card game as both entertainment and preparation.
• March 7th remains confused by Sparkle’s terminology and schemes but participates in the group’s exploration and game demonstration.

Significant Themes

• Authentic fun versus commercialized entertainment: Sparkle argues that endless online amusement and dream-based entertainment are meaningless without genuine surprise or spontaneity.
• Freedom versus corporate control: The company’s organized, profitable entertainment empire is contrasted with the Masked Fools’ disruptive and unpredictable approach to Elation.
• Games as reflections of power: Both the Phantom Moon Game and Galactic Power Party turn conflicts among powerful figures into structured contests, suggesting that entertainment can conceal or simulate political struggle.
• Reality as a game: The Wish Power coins, meme-like scenery, and card-game mechanics make Two-Phase Paradise feel like a playable world, blurring the lines between amusement, strategy, and reality.
• Elation and unpredictability: Sparkle values collisions between different Paths and seeks to create a truly surprising event rather than another controlled commercial spectacle.

Character Interactions

• Sparkle guides and teases Yan Huan while explaining the plaza and the company’s influence.
• Yan Huan challenges Sparkle’s motives, accusing her of trying to provoke a war with the company; she dismisses this while continuing to encourage him.
• Sparkle appeals to both Yan Huan and March 7th by presenting the card game as a harmless rehearsal, but her offer to reveal their enemy suggests a deeper strategic purpose.
• The chapter ends with Yan Huan and Sparkle seated at the card table, beginning a competitive game that may determine whether Sparkle shares important information.

Chapter Summary — “Let Me Fight Then”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Huan defeats Sparkle in a short card battle, earning a card depicting Spark, a white-haired twin-tailed streamer.
• Sparkle explains that Spark is her “enemy” and another streamer seeking entry into the Phantom Moon Game. She is expected to appear in the plaza soon.
• Before Sparkle can offer further assistance, an angry man identifies her as the woman who previously stuffed him into a trash can. Realizing her cover is exposed, Sparkle leaves.
• Before disappearing into the crowd, Sparkle gives Yan Huan and March 7th a cryptic warning: everyone who looks at the sky sees the same Phantom Moon, regardless of their position or perspective.
• Scott, the Company’s assigned guide, arrives with several Mech Armors. He reveals that Aventurine gave him a second chance after the Penacony Holy Grail War and that the Strategic Investment Department assigned him to accompany the Express crew.
• Scott explains that Sparkle knocked him unconscious and put him in a dumpster before taking his place as their guide. He vows revenge, though his exaggerated anger and servile behavior make him more comic than threatening.
• Yan Huan and March 7th refuse to leave the plaza because they are waiting for Spark, their supposed enemy. Since they still lack the masks needed to enter Phantom Moon Game, Yan Huan suggests passing the time with another card game.

Character Developments

• Yan Huan remains observant and pragmatic. He quickly realizes that Spark is the opponent Sparkle warned them about and stays focused on their mission to enter Phantom Moon Game and obtain the One-Minute Aeon.
• March 7th becomes increasingly suspicious of Sparkle and confirms that she was never truly the Company’s guide. She also remains distrustful of Scott because of their previous conflict during the Martial Arts Ceremony, though she recognizes how thoroughly he has changed into an overly obedient employee.
• Sparkle demonstrates her usual cunning and unpredictability. She manipulates events by impersonating the Company’s guide, arranges for Yan Huan and March 7th to meet Spark, and leaves them with an enigmatic riddle before escaping.
• Scott is shown as a disgraced but reformed figure trying desperately to prove his loyalty and usefulness. His humble, flattering attitude contrasts sharply with his earlier reputation and causes March to feel both uneasy and faintly sympathetic.
• Spark is introduced indirectly through her portrait card and Sparkle’s description. She is established as a rival streamer and an important upcoming presence in the plaza.

Significant Themes

• Deception and shifting identities: Sparkle’s impersonation of the Company guide reinforces the uncertainty surrounding appearances and loyalties.
• Rivalry and competition: Multiple characters are competing for entry into Phantom Moon Game, while Sparkle frames herself and Spark as mutual enemies.
• Perspective and shared reality: Sparkle’s riddle about everyone seeing the same Phantom Moon hints at a deeper idea involving perception, equality, or hidden connections.
• Redemption and transformation: Scott’s new position reflects his attempt to rebuild his reputation after past wrongdoing.
• Waiting versus action: Although the protagonists have urgent goals, they are forced to wait for Spark’s arrival, prompting Yan Huan to suggest another game.

Character Interactions

• Yan Huan and Sparkle engage in a card battle that establishes a playful but strategically significant relationship.
• Sparkle speaks directly with Yan Huan and March, presenting Spark as their shared enemy before escaping.
• March confronts Sparkle about her false identity as the Company’s guide.
• Scott reunites with Yan Huan and March, calling them his “esteemed ancestors” and attempting to win their approval through exaggerated humility.
• March recalls Scott’s prior underhanded tactics, while Scott nervously defends himself and praises her strength.
• Yan Huan rejects Scott’s offers to leave or find food, insisting that they remain in the plaza and wait for Spark.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Scott initially claims he cannot play cards because he is supposed to guide Yan Huan, but immediately agrees when Yan Huan orders him to join the game.
• Scott explains the card-game system: cards circulate among players, can be traded for credits or pixel coins, and become more valuable based on the fame of the person depicted. Cards featuring the Nameless are especially rare.
• Yan Huan defeats Scott despite possessing only a Sparkle Puppet Card. Scott exaggeratedly praises him and asks Yan Huan to speak favorably of him later.
• Scott offers Yan Huan a rare card depicting Scott himself in an idealized Company executive pose. Yan Huan rejects it, finding no use for Scott’s portrait as a playing card.
• Yan Huan and March 7th explore the square and notice that nearly everyone is discussing Sparkle, a popular streamer. The crowd’s intense devotion surprises them, especially because nobody seems interested in the newly arrived members of the Star Rail Express.
• Yan Huan speaks to a Sparkle fan, who recognizes him as a member of the Nameless but quickly shifts the conversation back to praising Sparkle’s cuteness.

Character Developments

• Yan Huan remains practical and unimpressed by status or flattery. He enjoys the game but refuses Scott’s self-promotional card, showing he does not want to exploit or display Scott’s fame.
• Scott is revealed as opportunistic, theatrical, and eager to please. He alternates between pretending to be responsible and enthusiastically obeying Yan Huan. His pride in his own reputation also borders on vanity.
• March 7th is curious and observant, learning the rules of the card game while also recognizing the unhealthy intensity of Sparkle’s fans. She acts as the more socially cautious member of the pair.
• Sparkle does not appear directly, but her overwhelming popularity and carefully guarded privacy become central to the chapter. She is portrayed through the fanaticism of her followers.

Significant Themes

• Celebrity worship and parasocial attachment: Sparkle’s fans believe she personally loves them, revealing how deeply they project emotions onto an online celebrity.
• Fame as a form of currency: The value of cards depends on the fame of the individuals depicted, turning reputation into a collectible and tradable commodity.
• Self-promotion and status: Scott’s pride in his own card contrasts with Yan Huan’s disinterest, highlighting the difference between genuine influence and personal vanity.
• Public attention and misplaced priorities: Although the Nameless are famous heroes who have just arrived, the public is far more captivated by Sparkle, emphasizing how entertainment can overshadow real-world achievements.

Character Interactions

• Yan Huan pressures Scott into playing cards, while Scott tries to maintain the appearance of professionalism and later flatters Yan Huan for personal advantage.
• March 7th watches the game and questions Scott about collecting cards, contributing to the explanation of the card system.
• Yan Huan rejects Scott’s portrait card, briefly deflating Scott before Scott resumes his eager, servant-like attitude.
• Yan Huan and March 7th observe and critique Sparkle’s obsessive fans.
• A Sparkle supporter recognizes Yan Huan but immediately redirects the conversation toward introducing him to Sparkle, ending the chapter with enthusiastic praise of her cuteness.

Chapter Summary: “A Tiny Streamer”

Plot and events

Yan Huan and March 7th encounter an intense fan praising the streamer Lady Sparkle, describing her as extraordinarily talented and beloved. The fan enthusiastically tries to recruit them by taking Yan Huan’s phone, but he refuses and dismisses streamers as unproductive “beggars.” Offended, the woman photographs him and posts an accusation on Little Red Book, labeling him a creep who insulted Sparkle. Her post quickly attracts Sparkle’s fans, who surround Yan Huan and March 7th and threaten him.
Scott then arrives with a large force of armed company mechs to protect Yan Huan, whom he calls his “ancestor.” The mechs intimidate and disperse the crowd. When the fan threatens to expose the company for bullying civilians, Scott reveals that he has activated a signal jammer, preventing anyone from posting or contacting others. He confronts her as the likely ringleader, but she defiantly admits her role, insisting that the plaza is sacred ground for welcoming Sparkle before her livestream.

Character developments

• Yan Huan remains skeptical and contemptuous of streamers, but stays calm when confronted by the angry crowd, trusting that Scott and his forces can protect him.
• March 7th shows concern and fear as the situation escalates, moving closer to Yan Huan and asking what they should do.
• The Sparkle fan shifts from cheerful evangelist to aggressive defender. Her devotion makes her willing to publicly shame Yan Huan and challenge armed company personnel.
• Scott demonstrates fierce loyalty to Yan Huan and a readiness to use overwhelming force. His preparation of the signal jammer also reveals his suspicious, controlling, and highly proactive nature.

Themes

The chapter satirizes online fandom, celebrity worship, and the speed with which social-media outrage can mobilize crowds. It also contrasts performative online bravado with real-world fear: fans make extreme threats until faced with armed mechs. Other themes include the power imbalance between ordinary civilians and corporate authority, the danger of public shaming, and the conflict between personal devotion and rational judgment.

Character interactions

The fan attempts to convert Yan Huan and March 7th into Sparkle supporters, but Yan Huan’s insult triggers a confrontation. March 7th reacts anxiously while Yan Huan remains composed. Scott’s arrival reverses the power dynamic, placing the fan and her followers on the defensive. The fan nevertheless refuses to back down, setting up a likely confrontation over Sparkle’s anticipated livestream.

Chapter Summary: “An Average Streamer”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Scott has a devoted Sparkle-Sparkle fan arrested in the public square after she insults his ancestors and refuses to show proper respect.
• The woman reveals that she legally changed her name to “Big Love Sparkle-Sparkle” to obtain promotional merchandise, explaining that the name eventually became a meaningful expression of her devotion.
• She launches into a passionate defense of Sparkle-Sparkle, praising the streamer’s bizarre and adventurous broadcasts. She insists that she has always been a Sparkle-Sparkle fan, even though she previously identified with other fan communities.
• Scott dismisses Sparkle-Sparkle as an insignificant streamer and argues that everyone should instead worship Aventurine and revere the Star Rail Express for saving worlds.
• Yan Huan casually intervenes, suggesting that Sparkle may not be a bad person and criticizing the excessive conflict. Scott immediately changes tone and flatters Yan Huan, treating him as an honored “ancestor.”
• After observing that most of the bystanders are Sparkle fans who are now frightened and resentful, Yan Huan abandons the confrontation and suggests playing cards.
• He challenges a young man on a bench, but the man declines and points him toward a Phantom-Made Species—a talking crocodile painted on a wall.
• Yan Huan plays Galactic Power Party with the crocodile, using his prior card-game experience to defeat it. Impressed, the crocodile compliments his skill.

Character Developments

• Big Love Sparkle-Sparkle: Her devotion to Sparkle is shown to be extreme, theatrical, and deeply personal. She views her altered name and fan identity as proof that her destiny is connected to the streamer, and she remains defiant even when arrested.
• Scott: He is authoritarian toward ordinary citizens but obsequiously submissive toward Yan Huan. His exaggerated praise of the Star Rail Express reveals both his hero worship and his tendency to manipulate situations through flattery.
• Yan Huan: He appears relaxed and detached, refusing to take the conflict as seriously as Scott does. His decision to play cards demonstrates his preference for amusement and casual interaction over political or ideological confrontation. His competence at the game is also emphasized.
• March 7th: She reacts with shock to the woman’s bizarre devotion and later interrupts Scott’s excessive praise, acting as a moderating presence.
• The crocodile Phantom-Made Species: It is friendly, playful, and apparently knowledgeable about the local fan culture. Its willingness to wager a card adds a lighthearted competitive element.

Significant Themes

• Extreme fandom and identity: The woman’s name change shows how admiration for a public figure can become central to a person’s identity and sense of belonging.
• Celebrity culture and competing loyalties: Sparkle-Sparkle’s fanbase is contrasted with devotion to the Star Rail Express, Aventurine, and other cultural or political groups.
• Authority versus individual expression: Scott uses force to suppress criticism, while the fan’s passionate speech exposes the tension between public order and personal belief.
• Propaganda and hero worship: Scott glorifies the Star Rail Express with grand speeches, turning their heroic deeds into an almost religious ideal.
• Absurdity and satire: The chapter exaggerates fandom, bureaucracy, living wall art, and public confrontations for comedic effect.
• Escapism and social connection: Yan Huan resolves an uncomfortable situation by turning to a card game, suggesting that play and casual interaction can defuse conflict.

Important Character Interactions

• Scott interrogates and orders the arrest of Big Love Sparkle-Sparkle, while she defiantly argues with him about Sparkle’s importance.
• Scott flatters Yan Huan and uses the Star Rail Express’s reputation to justify his behavior; March 7th stops him from continuing to boast.
• Yan Huan observes the frightened Sparkle fans but chooses not to escalate the situation.
• Yan Huan befriends and competes with the talking crocodile, ultimately defeating it in a card game and earning its respect.

Chapter Summary: “Instant-Open Immortal?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Crocodile reminds Yan Huan to visit if he wants to play cards, Yan Huan returns to the plaza where Sparkle’s livestream is about to begin.
• The enormous screen attracts a massive, frenzied crowd of humans, Mech Armor, and Phantom-Made Species. Fans carry glow sticks and other merchandise, while Company personnel attempt to maintain order.
• March 7th shows Yan Huan that she has infiltrated Sparkle’s fan group, where fans constantly send red packets. The two become distracted trying to claim the money.
• Scott warns them that Sparkle is not merely a popular streamer. He points out that her fans call her a “Savior” despite her apparent lack of heroic deeds.
• A fan enthusiastically describes Sparkle as the cutest streamer in Two-Phase Paradise and credits her with saving them, insisting that watching her livestream is part of his daily routine.
• Sparkle’s broadcast begins with a dazzling visual display. Her sweet greetings trigger an overwhelming, almost unnaturally synchronized response from the audience.
• Sparkle asks whether the fans have eaten, worked hard, and “loved” her properly. The crowd responds with fanatical declarations of lifelong devotion, even swearing that they should be struck by lightning if they ever change their allegiance.
• Scott angrily criticizes Sparkle for taking credit for ordinary necessities such as food and work, believing she manipulates and exploits her followers.
• Sparkle appears to notice Scott through the screen. She identifies him as carrying the aura of an “old model” and suggests that he has visited someone he should not have.
• Sparkle then physically emerges from the two-dimensional screen into the real world, becoming a gigantic version of herself. She recognizes Yan Huan as “The Nameless,” someone associated with the “old model,” and attacks him.
• Yan Huan reacts immediately, grabbing a nearby fan’s cheer stick as the chapter ends on a cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Yan Huan remains curious and easily distracted, joining March 7th in collecting fan-group red packets. However, he demonstrates quick reflexes when Sparkle attacks.
• March 7th displays her playful, carefree personality by enthusiastically participating in the fan group and red-packet grabbing. She initially dismisses Scott’s concerns about Sparkle.
• Scott becomes increasingly suspicious and agitated. His observations suggest he recognizes that Sparkle’s influence is unnatural and potentially dangerous, though others do not take him seriously.
• Sparkle is revealed to be far more powerful and threatening than an ordinary streamer. Her sweet, affectionate public persona conceals a domineering and possibly supernatural presence.
• Sparkle’s fans are portrayed as fanatical and emotionally dependent, responding to her words with rehearsed, cult-like devotion.

Significant Themes

• Celebrity worship and mass manipulation: Sparkle’s fans treat her as a savior and pledge absolute loyalty, suggesting that her popularity may be based on psychological control rather than simple entertainment.
• The contrast between appearance and reality: Sparkle presents herself as cute, caring, and harmless, but her behavior quickly becomes menacing.
• The dangers of unquestioning devotion: The fans’ synchronized chants and willingness to swear oaths reveal how completely their identities have been absorbed into Sparkle’s fandom.
• Technology and dimensional boundaries: Sparkle’s ability to leave the screen and enter the physical world blurs the line between virtual entertainment and reality.
• Suspicion versus complacency: Scott senses danger early, while Yan Huan and March 7th initially treat the situation casually.

Character Interactions

• Yan Huan and March 7th bond over their shared interest in Sparkle’s fan-group red packets.
• Scott and the two Nameless characters clash over how seriously Sparkle should be regarded; Scott tries to warn them while they remain largely unconcerned.
• Scott and the fan briefly interact when Scott asks about Sparkle. The fan responds with reverence, emphasizing the extreme devotion Sparkle inspires.
• Sparkle and Scott become indirectly opposed when she singles him out as suspicious and connected to an “old model.”
• Sparkle and Yan Huan confront each other directly at the end. She identifies him as an enemy or ally of her rival and attacks, forcing him to defend himself.

Chapter Summary: Taking On Us Nameless

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Huan abruptly attacks Giant Sparkle by throwing a glow stick through her palm after she attempts to provoke and attack him.
• Sparkle quickly heals herself and accuses Yan Huan and March 7th of ruining her chances with their “old model,” while March remains confused about Sparkle’s hostility.
• Sparkle manipulates the surrounding audience, transforming her fans into vacant, aggressive followers who surround the Nameless and attempt to capture them.
• She claims that Yan Huan and March are working with the Company to control the Phantom Moon Game, arguing that the Masked Fools must preserve the ritual’s spirit of fun.
• Sparkle commands her fans to attack, but Yan Huan somehow turns the crowd against her. The fans abandon Sparkle and chase her while proclaiming loyalty to the Nameless.
• Scott emerges from hiding, praises Yan Huan for defeating Sparkle, and orders the Company’s forces to seize the situation.
• Company reinforcements arrive, including armed personnel, mechs, police dogs, and an armored hovercar.
• A new female peace officer from the Anomaly Defense Department steps forward to protect Yan Huan and March. She asserts authority over Sparkle, stating that only people wearing masks qualify as “petitioners” in the Phantom Moon Game.

Character Developments

• Yan Huan is shown to be confident, aggressive, and highly resistant to Sparkle’s manipulations. He mocks her theatrics and demonstrates that he can counter her influence over the crowd.
• March 7th remains bewildered by Sparkle’s accusations but stands beside Yan Huan and becomes involved in the confrontation.
• Sparkle shifts from a playful, flirtatious idol persona to a frightened and enraged antagonist when her control over the fans fails. Her exaggerated emotional performance highlights both her manipulative nature and her unpredictability.
• Scott moves from hiding in the bushes to boldly asserting Company authority, using Yan Huan’s success as an opportunity to retaliate against Sparkle.
• The unnamed peace officer is introduced as calm, capable, and authoritative. Her arrival creates a new power balance between Sparkle, the Company, and the Nameless.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and mass influence: Sparkle’s idol persona allows her to control her fans, turning admiration into violent fanaticism.
• Performance versus reality: Sparkle’s cute, affectionate image collapses when she is injured and challenged, exposing the aggression beneath her performance.
• Authority and control: The conflict reflects a struggle among the Masked Fools, the Company, and official authorities over who has the right to control the Phantom Moon Game.
• Identity and legitimacy: The peace officer’s statement that only masked individuals count as “petitioners” raises questions about who is recognized as a true participant in the game.
• Reversal and unpredictability: Sparkle expects her fans to obey her, but they unexpectedly turn against her, emphasizing the unstable, chaotic nature of the confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Yan Huan and Sparkle trade insults, with Sparkle accusing him of rejecting her and Yan Huan bluntly pointing out that she attacked him first.
• March challenges Sparkle’s assumptions, questioning why the group cannot simply interact with her and denying any familiarity with her.
• Sparkle rallies her fans against the Nameless, but Yan Huan reverses the crowd’s loyalty and makes them pursue Sparkle instead.
• Scott supports Yan Huan and condemns Sparkle for threatening his “ancestor,” then calls in Company troops.
• The new peace officer directly addresses Yan Huan and March as allies under her protection, while confronting Sparkle’s claim that authorities cannot interfere with the game.

Chapter Summary: “You’re Quite Pretty”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sparkle openly mocks the Company and Two-Phase Paradise’s strict laws, claiming that the Phantom Moon Game has become dull and restricted to “good little kids.”
• She admits that she was careless but threatens Yan Huan and March 7th, promising to turn them into her loyal fans in the future.
• Sparkle disappears when the giant screen shuts down, apparently escaping the confrontation.
• Xiuye, a peace officer from the Anomaly Defense Department, leads Yan Huan and March 7th into an alley to speak privately.
• Xiuye explains that her department handles supernatural anomalies, including Phantom-Made Species, living objects, spaces within paintings, and other abnormal phenomena. Sparkle is included among the anomalies they monitor.
• Yan Huan asks whether the department can arrest Sparkle, emphasizing the danger of her mind-control abilities and the threat posed to innocent people manipulated into attacking others.
• Xiuye reveals that Scott contacted the Anomaly Defense Department after recognizing Sparkle as a dangerous Masked Fool. His call brought Xiuye and a large group of Dog Spirits to the scene.
• March 7th worries that the disturbance has ruined their shopping plans and suggests contacting Himeko. Xiuye reassures them and offers to take them somewhere to eat while they wait.
• The chapter then shifts to a reception room, where Pearl stands before a massive painting of a turbulent sea, setting up the next scene.

Character Developments

• Sparkle remains provocative, theatrical, and antagonistic. She treats the conflict as entertainment, mocks authority, and demonstrates her obsession with manipulating others into becoming her “fans.”
• Yan Huan displays practical judgment and moral concern. Although confident that he and March 7th could defeat Sparkle, he recognizes that fighting her controlled followers could cause innocent deaths.
• March 7th provides a lighter, more conversational perspective. She remains concerned about their disrupted plans but also thinks carefully about how Sparkle’s escape and Scott’s actions fit together.
• Xiuye is established as a capable and professional peace officer. She is serious about maintaining public order but also friendly and approachable, offering to help Yan Huan and March 7th relax after the incident.
• Scott is revealed to have acted decisively despite hiding from Sparkle during the confrontation. His call for reinforcements demonstrates caution and awareness of the danger, even if March 7th finds his behavior embarrassing.
• Pearl is introduced in a quiet, formal setting, creating anticipation for her role in the following events.

Significant Themes

• Order versus rebellion: Sparkle rejects the Company’s regulated society and views its laws as oppressive, while Xiuye defends the need for order and accountability.
• Power and responsibility: The chapter highlights the danger of abilities such as mind control, particularly when used to manipulate ordinary people into violence.
• Authority and legitimacy: The Anomaly Defense Department represents institutional control over supernatural forces, raising questions about whether such regulation protects society or suppresses freedom.
• Performance and identity: Sparkle treats conflict as a game and seeks “fans,” blurring the line between genuine loyalty and forced obedience.
• The supernatural as ordinary life: Strange phenomena—including living artwork, Phantom-Made creatures, and Dog Spirits serving as police officers—are presented as established parts of Two-Phase Paradise.

Character Interactions

• Sparkle verbally clashes with Xiuye through the screen, insulting her as a Company lapdog and rejecting the laws she represents.
• Sparkle addresses Yan Huan and March 7th directly, acknowledging their strength while threatening to manipulate them in the future.
• Xiuye reprimands Yan Huan and March 7th for potentially causing a large fight in a crowded area, though her concern is protective rather than hostile.
• Yan Huan questions Xiuye about the department’s powers and expresses concern over Sparkle’s controlled followers.
• March 7th and Xiuye discuss Scott’s role in summoning help, with Xiuye defending his decision to seek support.
• Xiuye then shifts the mood from danger to hospitality by inviting Yan Huan and March 7th to try local pastries while they wait for their companions.

Chapter Summary: “No Need for Words—Take Them Down”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Pearl studies a painting of ocean waves, the World-Covering Wave Painting, and confirms that her technical reproduction is nearly perfect. However, she is dissatisfied because she cannot quantify or reproduce its true artistry.
• Jade’s projection discusses Pearl’s rapid rise to become an administrator of Two-Phase Paradise and suggests that Pearl must discover her own understanding of art and imagination.
• Pearl rejects the idea that personal growth or artistic appreciation is part of her duties. She insists that her responsibility is to manage the progress of the Phantom Moon Game and make optimal, neutral decisions.
• Jade encourages Pearl to consider the broader transformation expected of her by the Ten Stonehearts, particularly as a highly rational machine operating in a world shaped by imagination.
• After Jade departs, Pearl receives Himeko and Welt of the Astral Express.
• The visitors initially appear to be discussing the Anti-Destruction Alliance, and Pearl calculates that they have a 91.2% probability of refusing to join.
• Welt explains that the Express wishes to remain independent because the IPC’s influence can cause worlds to become absorbed into the system of Preservation.
• Pearl defends the Strategic Investment Department, citing statistics showing that many planets retained their civilizations after joining the Pan-Galactic Trade System. She presents Two-Phase Paradise as proof that Preservation and Elation can coexist.
• Pearl argues that the Alliance should combine Trailblaze, Preservation, Harmony, Erudition, and Hunt to defeat Destruction. She warns that hesitation will create divisions that their enemy can exploit.
• Himeko reveals that Pearl’s prediction is fundamentally wrong: the Express’s probability of refusing is not 91.2% or even 100%, but 0%, because they have come to cooperate rather than reject the Alliance.
• Pearl is genuinely surprised, experiencing visible confusion for the first time. She asks whether emotional changes caused Himeko and Welt to alter their decision.

Character Developments

• Pearl: Demonstrates exceptional analytical ability, precision, and commitment to efficiency. Yet her inability to understand artistic value exposes a limitation in her purely quantitative worldview. Her confidence in prediction and calculation is shaken when Himeko overturns her forecast.
• Jade: Acts as a mentor and observer, recognizing that Pearl’s real challenge is not administration but developing an appreciation for the irrational, imaginative, and unquantifiable. She also subtly links Pearl’s growth to the expectations of Diamond and the Ten Stonehearts.
• Himeko: Remains diplomatic but assertive. She challenges Pearl’s assumptions and uses a clever reversal of “zero” and “one” to reveal the Express’s true intention. Her response shows strategic flexibility and confidence.
• Welt: Provides the Express’s principled objection to the IPC’s influence, emphasizing the importance of Trailblaze’s independence and preserving the individuality of civilizations.
• Jade and Pearl’s dynamic: Jade tries to draw Pearl beyond pure logic, while Pearl responds respectfully but firmly, maintaining her commitment to duty and neutrality.

Significant Themes

• Logic versus artistry: Pearl can reproduce the painting physically but cannot grasp the intangible quality that makes it art, emphasizing the limits of measurable data.
• Prediction versus human choice: Pearl’s statistical forecast fails because the Express’s decision is not governed solely by predictable political calculations.
• Independence versus integration: The chapter explores whether cooperation with the IPC and the Anti-Destruction Alliance would preserve worlds or gradually absorb them into a larger system.
• Preservation and change: Pearl argues that Preservation can coexist with other philosophies, while Himeko and Welt remain wary of the costs of institutional influence.
• Growth beyond duty: Jade suggests that Pearl may need personal development and emotional or imaginative understanding, even though Pearl considers such growth irrelevant to her assigned role.

Character Interactions

• Pearl and Jade: Their conversation is respectful and intellectually probing. Jade challenges Pearl to look beyond numerical accuracy, while Pearl insists on neutrality and duty.
• Pearl, Himeko, and Welt: Their meeting begins as a formal diplomatic exchange but turns into a test of Pearl’s predictive model. Himeko and Welt explain their concerns, while Pearl presents evidence supporting the IPC’s methods.
• Himeko and Pearl: Himeko directly undermines Pearl’s probability assessment, surprising her and revealing that cooperation—not refusal—is the Express’s actual position.

Summary

Himeko and Welt explain to Pearl that the Express’s greatest strength is not power or influence, but the trust it has earned through sincere exploration and helping worlds in crisis. Rather than forming a formal alliance against Destruction, they propose that the Express act as a “sail”—supporting and helping coordinate those who oppose Destruction without attempting to control their direction. Pearl recognizes the distinction from her earlier “flag” proposal and, despite finding the argument emotionally compelling, concludes that neutrality remains the optimal choice.
Himeko then questions Pearl about the Company’s intentions regarding the Phantom Moon Game and its possible attempt to contact or recruit an Aeon. Pearl refuses to disclose classified information but offers to reveal what she can. She leads Himeko and Welt through a corridor of living paintings into the Phantom Moon Hidden Court, a secret realm containing a star-filled sky, a ritual altar, and an ancient tree that blooms before the game begins.
Pearl explains that the ritual involves eight masks and eight petitioners competing for Elation. She suggests that the game could determine whether the Express should become a “sail” or a “flag,” effectively turning the contest into a test of their opposing visions. Himeko agrees to consider participation but notes that the Express and Xianzhou would need Masks of Elation to compete.
Pearl reveals that she currently possesses three of the eight masks and that the Company intends to use its resources to coordinate its petitioners. With three cooperating participants against five independent competitors, the Company could effectively control much of the game. Himeko becomes concerned that the Company is attempting to manipulate a ritual associated with the unpredictable Aeon Aha and warns Pearl to proceed carefully. Pearl remains confident, arguing that Aha’s unpredictability is precisely what makes the Company’s daring plan possible.
The chapter ends when Pearl receives an unexpected communication request, leaving the next development unresolved.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Himeko presents the Express as a force built on trust rather than authority and challenges Pearl to imagine cooperation outside Company structures. She also becomes increasingly wary of the Company’s attempt to control the Phantom Moon Game.
• Welt supports Himeko’s argument, clarifying that a “sail” aids others through danger without controlling their path.
• Pearl moves from detached, mechanical reasoning toward a faintly warmer emotional response, acknowledging the appeal of the Express’s philosophy while still choosing neutrality. Her confidence in the Company’s strategy contrasts with Himeko’s caution.
• Himeko and Pearl engage in a philosophical debate over whether the Express should guide others through cooperation or attempt to direct them. Their discussion evolves into a concrete proposal involving the Phantom Moon Game.
• Welt and Himeko act as a united front, reinforcing the Express’s principles while investigating the Company’s motives.

Significant Themes

• Trust versus control: The Express’s influence comes from sincerity and earned trust, while the Company seeks power through organization and strategic control.
• Cooperation without alliance: The Express proposes traveling alongside different factions without becoming formally bound to them.
• Neutrality versus moral commitment: Pearl chooses neutrality as the “optimal” decision, even as she is visibly affected by the Express’s ideals.
• The danger of manipulating unpredictability: The Company’s attempt to regulate a ritual tied to Aha raises questions about whether chaos and Elation can truly be controlled.
• Symbolism of the sail and flag: A flag represents direction and authority, while a sail represents support—helping others endure the storm without commanding their course.

Chapter Summary: “Say That Again”

Plot and Key Events

• Pearl learns that a guide associated with the Star Rail Express was attacked by a Masked Fool, confirming that the Phantom Moon Game has already begun regardless of the Express’s decision.
• Himeko checks on the other Express members through their group chat. March 7th reports that she and Yan Huan encountered someone claiming to be Sparkle, who threatened to kill them and exclude the Express from the game.
• March reveals that she is considering participating but is uncertain whether Yan intends to join the game or simply cause chaos.
• While on 2D City’s food street, Yan is approached by a mysterious masked man, who gives him a blank mask. The mask magically transforms into a cartoon raccoon mask.
• At the Phantom Moon Hidden Court, the appearance of Yan’s mask activates the first stone platform and creates the first Herald Mask, the Raccoon Mask, signaling Yan’s entry into the Phantom Moon Game.
• Himeko instructs March and Yan to visit Artworld Academy and find Bobo Doll, an old friend who safeguards the masks required for the game. Himeko and Welt plan to meet them there.
• Dan Heng reports that he and Sunday are traveling to assist a troubled Xianzhou envoy.
• Before leaving Pearl’s residence, Himeko chooses to remain behind temporarily to discuss her ancestor, the World-Covering Wave Painting, and the Illusory Creation Art with Pearl. Welt leaves for Artworld Academy alone.
• Pearl offers Welt an ornate gift box. He initially refuses, assuming it contains money, but Pearl insists that it is something more significant. Upon opening it, Welt is visibly shocked, though the chapter ends before revealing the contents.

Character Developments

• Pearl appears increasingly concerned about the Phantom Moon Game but remains composed and enigmatic. Her knowledge of Himeko’s ancestry suggests she may understand more about Himeko’s background and abilities than previously revealed.
• Himeko takes on a coordinating and protective role, organizing the Express’s response and directing March and Yan toward the masks. She also shows emotional concern about her ancestor and the mysterious artistic powers connected to her heritage.
• Welt acts cautiously and supportively, prioritizing Himeko’s personal concerns by allowing her to stay with Pearl. His surprise at Pearl’s gift hints at an important revelation or artifact.
• March 7th remains energetic and irreverent, joking with Yan even during a dangerous situation. She nevertheless takes responsibility for moving the Express forward.
• Yan Huan is portrayed as unpredictable and sarcastic, but his possession of the Raccoon Mask makes him an official participant in the game whether or not he intended to join.
• Dan Heng continues gathering outside assistance and responds practically to the crisis affecting the Xianzhou envoy.
• The masked stranger acts mysteriously, directly initiating Yan’s participation by giving him the transforming mask.

Significant Themes

• Inevitable participation: The Phantom Moon Game is no longer something the Express can simply choose to avoid; events are forcing them into it.
• Masks and identity: The masks represent entry into the game while also reinforcing uncertainty about people’s true identities, particularly through the false or ambiguous appearance of “Sparkle.”
• Ancestry and hidden power: Himeko’s ancestor, the World-Covering Wave Painting, and Illusory Creation Art introduce a deeper connection between the Express and the history of the Ancient Benzaiten Kingdom.
• Trust and concealed motives: Pearl, the mysterious masked man, and the contents of the gift box all suggest that important characters are withholding information.
• Comedic defiance amid danger: Yan and March’s humor contrasts with the serious threats surrounding them, highlighting their unconventional approach to the crisis.

Important Character Interactions

• Himeko and Welt coordinate the Express’s response and exchange concern over the danger facing their companions.
• March and Yan banter about whether Yan actually wants to join the Phantom Moon Game.
• Yan encounters the masked stranger, whose gift forces or enables Yan’s participation.
• Himeko directs March and Yan toward Bobo Doll at Artworld Academy.
• Himeko and Pearl discuss Himeko’s ancestry and the artistic legacy of the Ancient Benzaiten Kingdom.
• Welt and Himeko demonstrate mutual trust when Welt agrees to leave first.
• Pearl and Welt’s exchange over the mysterious gift creates the chapter’s cliffhanger.

Chapter Summary: “Maybe They’re Taking an Exam”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Pearl gives Welt a highly detailed, unreleased Magic Mech Armor model from the Pearlstar Consortium. Its early serial number and advanced articulation impress Welt, who gratefully accepts the generous gift.
• In 2D City, Yan Huan, March 7th, and Xiuye travel to Artworld Academy to meet their companions, following a location sent by Himeko.
• Xiuye explains that Artworld Academy is a well-known school for training artists and guides the pair there while offering protection.
• Along the picturesque school road, March 7th admires the unusual golden, cherry-blossom-like leaves and takes several instant photographs of the scenery.
• The group enters the academy and waits in a decorated gymnasium. Xiuye informs them that she has contacted the tour guide and gives March 7th her business card for emergencies during the Phantom Moon Game.
• Yan Huan attempts to contact Welt—referred to as “Uncle Yang” and “Alliance Leader”—but discovers that his phone has no signal. His joking message about March 7th wanting cigarettes embarrasses her.
• March 7th and Yan Huan speculate that the school may have signal jammers because students could be taking an exam. They consider looking around while waiting.

Character Developments

• Welt: Shows strong enthusiasm for robotics and Mech Armor, revealing his technical interests through his excited reaction to Pearl’s gift.
• Pearl: Demonstrates thoughtfulness and awareness of Welt’s interests by selecting a rare, specialized gift.
• March 7th: Remains energetic, curious, and easily fascinated by beautiful surroundings. Her photography highlights her appreciation for memories and aesthetics. She also reacts humorously and indignantly to Yan Huan’s teasing.
• Yan Huan: Acts casually and mischievously, teasing March 7th while trying to coordinate with the others. His concern increases when communication fails.
• Xiuye: Establishes herself as dependable, protective, and considerate. She guides the travelers, informs the tour guide of their arrival, and provides personal contact information for future assistance.

Significant Themes

• Technology and craftsmanship: The Mech Armor model emphasizes advanced robotics, innovation, and the value of specialized knowledge.
• Beauty and memory: March 7th’s photographs and the autumn scenery underscore the importance of preserving fleeting, beautiful moments.
• Trust and support: Xiuye’s escort and offer of continued assistance show cooperation between allies.
• Communication and uncertainty: The failed messages and lack of signal create a small but important obstacle, suggesting that the group may be isolated or that something unusual is affecting the school.
• Playfulness amid danger: Humor, teasing, and sightseeing balance the underlying tension of the Phantom Moon Game.

Character Interactions

• Pearl and Welt share a respectful exchange centered on her carefully chosen gift.
• Xiuye and March 7th bond over the academy’s scenery and dramatic, romantic associations.
• Xiuye takes responsibility for Yan Huan and March 7th’s safety and helps establish their next meeting.
• Yan Huan and March 7th engage in playful banter, particularly over his embarrassing fake message about her nicotine cravings.
• The chapter ends with Yan Huan and March 7th jointly speculating about the school’s communication problems while waiting for their companions.

Chapter Summary: “Who Was Making All That Noise?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• March 7th and Yan Huan explore the empty gymnasium and academy grounds of Artworld Academy. Yan Huan worries that, as outsiders, they might be arrested, while March confidently argues that their status as the Nameless—and their connections to Miss Xiuye, Miss Pearl, and the Strategic Investment Department—protect them.
• March is fascinated by the academy, which resembles the school shown in an animation. She imagines experiencing ordinary student life, while Yan Huan jokes that his Dream Passport proves he is already a university student.
• In the central garden, they discover a spectacular fountain depicting frozen waves filled with animated soybean emojis. An inscription explains that the scene was painted to represent the strange transformation of the Yinge River’s waters.
• The academy’s broadcast unexpectedly announces that March 7th and Yan Huan’s transfer procedures are complete and orders them to report to the Principal’s Office. They suspect this may have been arranged to help them obtain Artworld Academy’s mask, though they do not know who is responsible.
• While searching for the office, they encounter Scott dressed in an ill-fitting school uniform and being punished in the hallway. Scott appears confused, treats March and Yan Huan as younger students, and vaguely remembers being told to find them.
• The chapter ends with Welt approaching after hearing the disturbance, creating the possibility that he, Scott, and the Nameless have become part of the academy’s strange school scenario.

Character Developments

• March 7th remains bold, impulsive, and easily excited. She dismisses Yan Huan’s fears, enthusiastically explores the academy, and embraces the fantasy of attending school.
• Yan Huan acts as the more cautious and practical member of the pair, questioning the danger of trespassing and trying to reason through the company’s possible motives. He nevertheless joins March in exploring the academy.
• Scott appears to have been placed under the academy’s influence or in an altered role. His unfamiliar school uniform, distorted behavior, and partial memory suggest that the academy is reshaping visitors’ identities and memories.
• Welt is introduced at the end in a school-related setting, implying that he may also be caught up in the academy’s unusual transformation.

Significant Themes

• Identity and altered reality: The academy appears able to assign people new roles, clothing, memories, and social relationships, blurring the boundary between reality and fiction.
• Nostalgia and missed experiences: March’s excitement about school life reflects her longing to experience an ordinary youth she never had.
• Power and institutional control: The opening discussion about the Strategic Investment Department and control of the Astral Express highlights concerns about authority, influence, and the vulnerability of institutions.
• Art transforming reality: The fantastical fountain and the academy itself demonstrate how artistic creation can become physically real within Artworld.

Character Interactions

• March and Yan Huan banter constantly, with March teasing Yan Huan’s supposed student credentials and Yan Huan responding with cautious logic.
• Their discussion of the company reveals both their trust in their allies and their awareness that political power could threaten the Nameless.
• March and Yan Huan investigate the fountain together, sharing their curiosity about its artistic construction.
• Their encounter with Scott is comedic but unsettling: Scott treats them like junior students while failing to recognize them, then hints that someone—or something—has instructed him to seek them out.
• Welt’s arrival at the end links the strange school setting to the broader Astral Express crew and raises questions about how many characters have been affected.

Chapter Summary: “Are You Some Kind of Fence-Sitter?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Welt arrives at the school entrance and finds March 7th and Yan Huan. He refers to them as “students,” revealing that their transfer paperwork has been processed.
• Scott, who had been with them, mysteriously disappears before Welt can question him.
• Welt leads March 7th and Yan Huan to the principal’s office, which is bizarrely freezing despite the summer heat. Three air conditioners run constantly, and real penguins occupy one corner of the room.
• Sparkle suddenly appears and reveals that she is now the school’s acting principal. She claims to have used her Cognitive Revision ability to influence the school’s fans and arrange her takeover.
• March 7th and Yan Huan are shocked and suspicious, especially because Sparkle has repeatedly used similar methods in the past. Sparkle dismisses their concerns and announces that they should enjoy their new campus life.
• The narrative then skips forward in an uncertain, exaggerated passage—possibly days, months, or years—to show March 7th and Yan Huan attending classes.
• With the Illustrator Qualification Exam only three days away, Yan Huan plays a game on his phone during class. March 7th warns him, but he insists the teacher cannot see him.
• Sparkle, now dressed as a strict teacher or principal, confronts Yan Huan for playing games. When he responds disrespectfully, Scott intervenes and passionately defends Sparkle’s authority and reputation.
• Yan Huan is baffled that Scott is once again taking Sparkle’s side and openly antagonizing him.

Character Developments

• March 7th remains lively and outspoken but is clearly unsettled by the sudden transfer and Sparkle’s control of the school. She tries to shift blame to Scott and later attempts to keep Yan Huan out of trouble.
• Yan Huan continues to be irreverent, skeptical, and resistant to authority. He openly challenges Sparkle and refuses to treat her position as legitimate, while also showing frustration at Scott’s repeated opposition.
• Sparkle expands her control and influence by becoming acting principal. She presents herself as cheerful and harmless, but her use of Cognitive Revision reveals a manipulative and authoritarian side. Her later strict classroom persona contrasts humorously with her sweet public image.
• Welt acts as the responsible adult figure, handling the transfers and trying to move the situation indoors before it becomes more chaotic.
• Scott disappears initially but later reappears as an enthusiastic supporter of Sparkle. He adopts the role of her defender, praising her accomplishments and demanding that Yan Huan show respect.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and control: Sparkle’s takeover of the school through Cognitive Revision raises questions about free will, authority, and whether the school’s apparent acceptance of her is genuine.
• Authority versus rebellion: Yan Huan’s disrespectful attitude clashes with Sparkle’s new institutional power and Scott’s unquestioning loyalty.
• Absurdity and comedy: The freezing principal’s office, resident penguins, uncertain passage of time, and Sparkle’s exaggerated résumé create a deliberately surreal school setting.
• Identity and shifting roles: Sparkle moves between streamer, celebrity, principal, and teacher, while Scott transforms into a model defender of authority. The chapter repeatedly blurs the boundary between genuine roles and performances.
• Forced normalcy: Despite the strange circumstances, the characters are pushed into an ordinary school routine, suggesting that the absurd has been normalized.

Character Interactions

• Welt formally takes responsibility for March 7th and Yan Huan’s transfer.
• March 7th reacts with surprise and distrust toward Sparkle, while Yan Huan directly questions her motives and methods.
• Sparkle treats the pair as students and attempts to impose a cheerful “campus life” despite having engineered the situation.
• In class, March 7th quietly tries to protect Yan Huan from punishment, but Sparkle catches him playing games.
• Scott aggressively defends Sparkle when Yan Huan challenges her, creating another confrontation between the two men and leaving Yan Huan confused about Scott’s hostility.

Chapter Summary: Have You Forgotten Our Bond?

Key Plot Points and Events

• Principal Sparkle enters the classroom and praises Scott for defending her, while lightly reprimanding Yan Huan for his lack of self-discipline.
• Sparkle announces Campus Cleanup Day and orders the students and teachers to search the school—especially the archives—for “that thing.” She also tells everyone to report if they find the absent teacher, promising rewards for obedient students.
• After Sparkle leaves, Scott confronts Yan Huan. He accuses him of ruining his life by draining his Wish Power for over ten years, preventing him from becoming a sports star.
• Scott also complains that Yan Huan destroyed a love letter intended for a confession, causing Scott to be humiliated and misunderstood. He challenges Yan Huan to a rooftop duel after school.
• When Yan Huan casually accepts the challenge immediately, Scott becomes frightened, insists he does not fight unprepared, and flees while declaring that he will eventually rise again.
• As the class winds down, March 7th questions Yan Huan’s strange behavior and wonders whether graduation stress has affected him. Yan Huan responds with confusion about school exams and denies needing psychological help.
• March 7th shows Yan Huan a newly developed class photograph. The image depicts Sparkle, Welt, Yan Huan, March 7th, Scott, and the rest of the class.
• Yan Huan notices an unfamiliar pink-haired girl with unusually long, drooping ears standing beside March 7th. Neither he nor March 7th can remember who she is, suggesting a mysterious alteration or forgotten connection.

Character Developments

• Yan Huan remains detached and sarcastic, showing little concern for Scott’s anger or his own apparent abnormal perceptions. His confusion about the pink-haired girl reveals that he is beginning to notice inconsistencies in his memories or surroundings.
• Scott is established as proud, emotional, and resentful. His anger stems from both a long-standing grievance involving his lost Wish Power and a more recent romantic humiliation. Despite his aggressive words, he is clearly intimidated by Yan Huan.
• March 7th acts as Yan Huan’s concerned and familiar companion. She tries to explain his behavior rationally, jokes with him, and helps him examine the class photo.
• Sparkle presents herself as cheerful and affectionate but also controlling and manipulative, using praise, threats, and rewards to direct the school.
• Welt appears only in the photograph, maintaining his role as the stern teacher.
• The unidentified pink-haired, long-eared girl becomes a central mystery. Her presence in the photograph contrasts with everyone’s inability to recognize her.

Significant Themes

• Erased or distorted memories: The unknown girl appears in a shared photograph, yet no one remembers her, raising questions about forgotten relationships and altered reality.
• Control and manipulation: Sparkle’s cheerful authority masks her ability to command students and teachers through rewards, discipline, and implied pressure.
• Resentment and lost potential: Scott’s bitterness reflects how past interference has shaped his identity and ruined his ambitions.
• The unreliability of reality: Yan Huan’s strange questions and the class’s inability to identify the girl suggest that the school environment may not be what it appears to be.
• Bonds and forgotten connections: The chapter’s title is reinforced by the mysterious classmate, hinting that Yan Huan may once have shared an important bond with someone he no longer remembers.

Important Character Interactions

• Sparkle publicly manages Yan Huan and Scott, rewarding Scott’s loyalty while reprimanding Yan Huan.
• Scott angrily confronts Yan Huan, blaming him for his ruined dreams and romantic embarrassment, but retreats when Yan Huan accepts the duel.
• March 7th provides comic relief while also expressing genuine concern for Yan Huan’s mental state.
• Yan Huan and March 7th jointly inspect the class photograph, leading to the discovery of the unremembered pink-haired girl and ending the chapter on a mystery.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• March 7th helps Yan Huan recover memories of his school life at Artworld Academy by showing him old photographs and recounting past events.
• She reminds him of his conflict with the principal, Sparkle, who had allegedly given him a ring as a child and secretly drained his Wish Power, reducing him from a prodigy to a failure. Yan Huan eventually confronted her, but was humiliated and forced to bark like a dog.
• Yan Huan begins remembering fragments of their shared school life: sleeping through classes, cafeteria fights, track activities, dormitory conversations, breaking into the archives to retrieve a camera, and defending younger students from Scott.
• As graduation approaches, March 7th encourages Yan Huan to make the most of their final days at school and avoid future regret.
• Yan Huan notices unsettling inconsistencies, including the blackboard equation “4+6=2” and the phrase “Evernight died?” on the class schedule, suggesting that reality or his memories may be distorted.
• March 7th repeatedly tries to persuade Yan Huan to have an intimate “adult ceremony” with her, even suggesting they go to the woods or rooftop on graduation day.
• Yan Huan instead insists on visiting the rooftop to check on “their son,” leading them to encounter Scott.
• On the rooftop, Scott is kneeling before a towering Mech Armor and desperately claiming that he was framed and is innocent of being labeled the “Madman of the Sea of Shit.” He addresses the machine as Lakshmi and begs it to believe him.

Character Developments

• Yan Huan: Gradually regains memories but remains suspicious of them, recognizing that some appear fabricated or impossible. His attention is drawn to strange clues, indicating growing awareness that something is wrong with his surroundings. He also retains his ambition, arrogance, and tendency to prioritize mysteries over March 7th’s romantic advances.
• March 7th: Acts as Yan Huan’s guide and emotional anchor, enthusiastically reconstructing their shared past. She is nostalgic about school and determined to enjoy their remaining time together, but her flirtatious behavior becomes increasingly bold and bizarre. Her concern over Yan Huan’s memory loss contrasts with her playful, manipulative excitement.
• Sparkle: Is presented as the principal and as a past antagonist who allegedly exploited Yan Huan’s power and humiliated him, though the reliability of this account is uncertain.
• Dan Heng: Appears only through recovered memories as a former close friend who has since returned to the Xianzhou Luofu.
• Scott: Is revealed to be dramatic and desperate, defending himself before the Mech Armor and claiming he was falsely branded as a notorious figure.

Significant Themes

• Unreliable memory and distorted reality: Yan Huan’s recovered memories may not be genuine, and strange details such as “4+6=2” and “Evernight died?” imply a warped or artificial world.
• Nostalgia and the passage of time: March 7th emphasizes that youth and school life are fleeting, urging Yan Huan to cherish his final moments before graduation.
• Regret and missed opportunities: The chapter reflects on how people often long to return to their carefree youth only after entering adulthood.
• Identity and manipulation: The accusations against Sparkle, Yan Huan’s altered memories, and Scott’s denial of his identity all raise questions about who is telling the truth and how identities can be imposed or rewritten.
• Absurdity and dark humor: Ordinary school experiences are mixed with surreal elements—Wish Power, Mech Armor, impossible equations, fabricated memories, and bizarre romantic propositions.

Character Interactions

• March 7th and Yan Huan share a close but uneven relationship: she is affectionate, nostalgic, and sexually suggestive, while he remains distracted by inconsistencies and unresolved mysteries.
• March 7th uses photographs and storytelling to trigger Yan Huan’s memories, shifting between teasing him and expressing genuine concern.
• Yan Huan questions March 7th’s version of events, especially the story of Sparkle and the reality of his recovered memories.
• The chapter ends with Yan Huan and March 7th encountering Scott, whose theatrical plea to Lakshmi introduces a new mystery and expands the surreal conflict beyond the classroom.

Chapter Summary: “Find Your Old Feng First”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Huan discovers Scott with a golden-yellow Bumblebee Mech Armor named Lakshmi. The mech teasingly suggests that Scott’s jealousy may hide possessive feelings, provoking Yan Huan.
• Yan Huan confronts Scott and Lakshmi, declaring that he wants to duel both of them. Lakshmi, irritated by Scott’s apparent manipulation, slaps him and transforms into a sports car before driving off the rooftop.
• Scott, furious and humiliated, summons his student gang to attack Yan Huan. The group arrives armed with pipes, bats, brooms, and mops.
• Yan Huan effortlessly defeats the entire crowd, leaving the students injured and Scott badly beaten. Scott blames Yan Huan for ruining both his campus romance and the gang he built.
• Scott and his followers flee. Yan Huan finds and keeps Scott’s Galactic Power Party card, which depicts Scott in a successful Company uniform and displays his power level.
• Yan Huan returns to the classroom and finds March 7th waiting. He uses the feather’s effects to restore her memories and remind her of their actual mission.
• March 7th recalls that they came to the academy to find Teacher Bobo Doll and retrieve a mask being kept by her, though she remains confused about the details.

Character Developments

• Yan Huan remains blunt, impatient, and overwhelmingly confident. He treats the confrontation as an irritating interruption and defeats Scott’s entire gang with ease.
• Scott is shown to be dramatic, jealous, prideful, and dependent on others when threatened. His romantic frustration turns into a mass attack, but he is quickly humiliated and forced to retreat.
• Lakshmi/Bumblebee Mech Armor displays a teasing, emotionally perceptive personality. She recognizes the possessive implications behind Scott’s jealousy but becomes angry when she suspects he summoned Yan Huan merely to provoke her.
• March 7th continues to suffer confusion and memory distortion, but Yan Huan’s feather helps her recover important memories and refocus on their mission.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and possessiveness: Lakshmi interprets Scott’s jealousy as evidence of hidden possessive feelings, highlighting the emotional tension between them.
• Comedy through power imbalance: Scott treats the confrontation as a serious duel, while Yan Huan views it as a minor inconvenience and easily defeats an entire crowd.
• Memory and mental influence: March 7th’s confusion shows the effects of the feather or related supernatural interference, while Yan Huan uses it to restore her awareness.
• Distraction versus mission: The chaotic rooftop fight contrasts with the group’s real objective—finding the mask held by Teacher Bobo Doll.
• Identity and status: Scott’s power card presents a more polished, successful version of him in Company attire, suggesting a contrast between his current student persona and a more important future or alternate identity.

Character Interactions

• Yan Huan and Scott exchange hostile, comedic insults, with Scott accusing Yan Huan of ruining his important romantic moments.
• Lakshmi teases Scott about his feelings, then slaps him after suspecting he used Yan Huan to provoke her.
• Scott orders his gang to attack Yan Huan instead of fighting personally, revealing his cowardice and reliance on group strength.
• Yan Huan defeats Scott and the gang, then later questions March 7th and helps her recover her memories.
• The chapter ends by redirecting the story from the comedic brawl to the main objective: locating Teacher Bobo Doll and retrieving the mask.

Chapter Summary: This Lady Is a Master Too

Key Plot Points and Events

• March 7th and Yan Huan decide to investigate the school archives room after remembering that Sparkle had ordered the students to search the school.
• In the archives, they learn that everyone is searching for a smiling mask, apparently connected to the company and the Phantom Moon Game ritual.
• They ask a student about Teacher Bobo Doll. Using a staff group photograph, they discover that Bobo Doll is not human but a red roly-poly puppet standing in the background.
• March and Yan leave the archives after realizing that Bobo Doll is likely hiding from Sparkle.
• March summons a pink-and-blue jellyfish-like Memory Spirit, explaining that she can use it to trace memories left behind by Bobo Doll.
• The Memory Spirit leads them through the school and turns crimson when it detects an important memory.
• The memory reveals Bobo Doll worrying that Sparkle is not truly the principal and is searching for her. Bobo Doll orders the Illusory Art Classroom to be sealed as a hiding place.
• March and Yan identify Bobo Doll’s location and rush to retrieve the mask before Sparkle finds her.

Character Developments

• March 7th demonstrates increased confidence and new abilities gained through her experiences in Amphoreus. She proudly reveals her Memory Spirit and uses it to solve the mystery.
• Yan Huan remains observant and skeptical, questioning why the company left such an important artifact in an insecure location. He supports March while also recognizing the difficulty of their task.
• Teacher Bobo Doll is revealed to be a long-serving puppet teacher rather than a human instructor. Her memory shows that she is frightened of Sparkle and aware that Sparkle’s identity and motives are suspicious.
• Sparkle becomes increasingly threatening. Her search for both Bobo Doll and the mask suggests that she is pursuing a larger, hidden objective.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identities and deception: Sparkle may not be the true principal, while Bobo Doll’s harmless appearance conceals her importance and knowledge.
• Memory as evidence: March’s Memory Spirit allows the protagonists to uncover the past and locate someone who has successfully hidden herself.
• Trust and institutional corruption: The company’s careless handling of the mask raises questions about the competence or intentions of those in power.
• Growing capability: March’s new skill reflects the protagonists’ development and their ability to handle increasingly unusual challenges.

Character Interactions

• March tricks the male student into explaining the search and identifying Teacher Bobo Doll, while the student responds impatiently and condescendingly.
• Yan questions the company’s security arrangements, prompting discussion about the mask’s significance.
• The student uses the group photograph to point out that Bobo Doll is the red roly-poly puppet, surprising March.
• March and Yan collaborate closely: Yan provides logical observations, while March supplies the supernatural means to follow Bobo Doll’s memories.
• Bobo Doll’s recovered memory directly establishes her fear of Sparkle and gives March and Yan their next destination: the Illusory Art Classroom.