Chapter Summaries

Li Si met Keleisi and Lizi at Keleisi’s home and offered to help them escape in exchange for Keleisi’s ring, claiming his knowledge came from prophecy. Meanwhile, Viscount Kuka ordered his men to find Lizi before Earl Solo could punish him.

• Keleisi let Li Si into her home after sensing that he was far stronger than her, but remained wary of him.
• Li Si told Keleisi and Lizi that he knew about Lizi’s flight from her arranged marriage and offered to help them escape in exchange for Keleisi’s black metal ring.
• When Keleisi asked how he knew about them and the ring, Li Si claimed to be a seer who had learned their situation through prophecy.
• Keleisi asked Li Si how he planned to get them out, and he assured her he had foreseen the best way to leave.
• At Viscount Kuka’s Castle, Viscount Kuka berated his guard captain over Lizi’s escape and urged his men to find her quickly.
• The head butler told Viscount Kuka that they had sent for a mage skilled in the Person Seeking Spell.

Li Si helped Keleisi and Lizi escape Kuka City by hiding them in the Fies Merchant Guild caravan, then drew players to himself in the Mercenary Tavern. The caravan left the city the next morning, and Lizi embraced her newfound freedom.

• Keleisi agreed to travel with Li Si and asked to follow the caravan to Can Guang City with Lizi.
• Li Si cast Greater Invisibility on Keleisi and Lizi, brought them to his carriage, and accepted Keleisi's black ring as payment.
• Lizi told Keleisi she trusted Li Si because the carriage bore the Fiss Royal Family emblem and his status appeared high.
• Li Si saw Wu Tian Wu Sheng's forum post about his arrival in Kuka City, then spent the night attracting players and gaining experience in the Mercenary Tavern.
• The Fies Merchant Group caravan left Kuka City without being stopped, and Lizi watched the city recede as she celebrated her escape.

Li Si deliberately broke the Demon Sealing Ring to release the Styx Memory Thief Demon inside it. The devil emerged, but Li Si had trapped it within a restricted magic array.

• Li Si examined the Demon Sealing Ring and recalled how Keleisi had once made a pact with the Styx Memory Thief Demon sealed within it.
• Li Si left the caravan’s scouting range and prepared to break the ring, hoping to force the devil to emerge.
• Li Si used his blue-flamed longsword to split the ring, releasing a gray shadow that tried to flee.
• Li Si revealed that he had set up a restricted magic array, which stopped the shadow from escaping.
• The shadow absorbed the surrounding mist and took the form of a huge Styx Memory Thief Demon before Li Si.

Li Si freed the Styx Memory Thief Demon Sasmu from its seal to obtain the Styx Essence hidden inside it. After Sasmu failed to escape and attacked Li Si, their fight began inside the magic array, leaving Li Si ready to continue with another sword.

• Li Si questioned Sasmu after freeing him and demanded the Styx Essence concealed within him.
• Sasmu tried to escape through the magic array's barrier, failed, and threatened Li Si.
• Li Si charged Sasmu with a flame-covered longsword and pierced his body.
• Sasmu trapped Li Si's sword in his muscles and lunged with his slug-like lower body, but Li Si leaped away.
• Li Si drew another identical longsword and told Sasmu that he had plenty of swords.

Li Si killed the Styx Memory Thief Demon Sams and claimed a mutated Styx Essence from his skull. After swallowing it and passing three hidden checks, Li Si gained the specialty Styx's Blessing.

• Li Si outmaneuvered Sams, avoided his desperate attack with Mirror Image, and killed him from behind.
• Li Si retrieved the Mutated Styx Essence from Sams's skull and received experience and progress toward the Devil Hunter milestone.
• Li Si swallowed the Mutated Styx Essence and passed all three hidden checks.
• Li Si gained the specialty Styx's Blessing.

Li Si gained Styx's Blessing from Sams, harvested the demon's valuable remains, and hurried back after sensing that the ward on the merchant group's carriage had been triggered. He found the Firth Merchant Group stopped while Viscount Kuka's knights tried to search it, and Luo Kui challenged their authority.

• Li Si inspected Styx's Blessing and learned it granted immunity to River Styx Water, increased Enchantment Spell priority, and a daily Unyielding Soul status.
• Li Si carved up Sams's corpse for valuable materials, then burned the remains and cleaned up the battlefield.
• Li Si sensed that the ward on the merchant group's designated carriage had been triggered and rushed back.
• Li Si found the Firth Merchant Group stopped as Viscount Kuka's knights confronted its guards.
• Luo Kui told the knights they could not search the merchant group without stating a reason.

Rashid and the others tracked Miss Lizi to the Firth Merchant Group and searched its carriages, but found no sign of her. Rashid opened the one carriage Luo Kui and Ignoth warned him away from, where a blazing Great Fireball awaited him.

• Rashid brought Sirius and Ignoth to Luo Kui, claiming Sirius had tracked Miss Lizi to the merchant group with a Person Seeking Spell.
• Luo Kui allowed the search after Sirius showed his magical disc and Ignoth asked for his cooperation.
• Blake’s knights searched the merchant group’s carriages but skipped Li Si’s luxurious carriage because its emblem unsettled him.
• Rashid learned that the search had found nothing and headed for the carriage the knights had skipped.
• Luo Kui and Ignoth shouted for Rashid to stop, but Rashid opened the carriage door and faced a blazing Great Fireball.

Keleisi and Lizi hid inside Li Si’s carriage as Viscount Kuka’s knights caught up with the merchant group and searched its carriages. When a butler opened their carriage door, a magical fireball struck him, and Keleisi realized a gray film was concealing her and Lizi from those outside.

• After the merchant group stopped, Lizi woke Keleisi and showed her Viscount Kuka’s knights approaching from behind.
• Keleisi recognized the knights’ emblems, armed herself with a Black Staff, and told Lizi to hide.
• The knights searched the merchant group’s carriages, initially passing by Li Si’s carriage.
• A knight returned with an angry butler, who opened the carriage door as Keleisi prepared to attack.
• A fireball struck the butler, and Keleisi noticed a gray film at the doorway that kept the people outside from seeing her and Lizi.

Rashid’s attempt to search the carriage bearing the Fiss Royal Family emblem triggered its magical defenses and set him ablaze. Luo Kui ordered Ignoth’s group away and prepared the caravan for a fight, until someone asked what they were doing there.

• Rashid forced open the carriage door, triggering a magical fireball that badly burned him and a barrier that hid the interior.
• Luo Kui warned Ignoth that Rashid had gravely offended the lord inside the carriage, while Ignoth disclaimed responsibility and offered an apology.
• Luo Kui ordered Zorf to gather the caravan guards and mercenaries, then told Ignoth and his party to leave.
• Ignoth signaled his party to retreat, and the two groups faced each other in a tense standoff.
• An unidentified voice broke the silence and asked what they were doing there.

Li Si arrived as Ignoth tried to manage the conflict over Rashid forcing open Li Si’s carriage, and Ignoth recognized him as Marquis Kane and apologized on Earl Solo’s behalf. The chapter ended with Li Si amused by Ignoth’s tactful apology and offer of compensation.

• Luo Kui and Zorf respectfully greeted the arriving Li Si, and Ignoth recognized him as the new Marquis Kane.
• Ignoth recalled Earl Solo’s intelligence about Li Si Kane, a powerful noble and Flame of Judgement’s newest student whom Earl Solo had hoped to meet.
• Ignoth interrupted Luo Kui’s explanation and apologized to Li Si for Rashid forcing open his carriage.
• Ignoth explained that he and Sirius the Mage had been searching for Viscount Kuka’s missing daughter, Miss Lizi, and offered compensation on Earl Solo’s behalf.
• Li Si smiled at Ignoth’s apology, while Luo Kui admired the butler’s tact.

Li Si dismissed Ignoth and his men after Rashid’s attack, then recalled Earl Solo’s role in stopping Dillon Kingdom’s future invasion of the Fies Kingdom. He planned to warn Earl Solo Territory and Can Guang City, while reassuring Lizi and Keleisi that the incident was over.

• Li Si accepted Ignoth’s apology, ordered him to take Rashid away, and said he would visit Earl Solo.
• Ignoth led his group away with Rashid after asking Luo Kui about the caravan’s route to Earl Kulo Territory.
• Li Si remembered that Dillon Kingdom would invade the Fies Kingdom and that Earl Solo Territory had once halted the invasion.
• Li Si decided to consider warning Earl Solo and Can Guang City after reaching Earl Solo Territory.
• Li Si returned to the carriage and reassured Lizi and Keleisi that Viscount Kuka and Earl Solo should not pursue the incident.

The caravan continued its journey, and Li Si discovered that Lizi’s Forbidden Love talent shaped her unusual desires and could lead her toward a path as a cleric of Goddess Freya. The chapter left Fink nursing a crush on Lizi while Li Si encouraged him despite seeing little chance for him.

• After Earl Solo and Viscount Kuka's men left, the caravan resumed its journey, and Lizi and Keleisi explored during stops.
• Fink asked Li Si whether Lizi and Keleisi were involved with his lord, then admitted he liked the blonde young lady, Lizi.
• Li Si recalled that Lizi's pale pink eyes and unusual ideas about love had raised his suspicions.
• Li Si checked Lizi's status panel and confirmed that she had the Gold-level Forbidden Love talent, which increased her Mysticism Attribute and drew her toward forbidden love.
• Li Si considered Goddess Freya of Love and Beauty a suitable divine path for Lizi and shared some information about her with Fink.

Ignoth returned to Northwind City and told Andrew Solo what had happened, prompting Andrew to cancel Liner’s engagement to Viscount Kuka’s daughter and prepare to host Li Si Kane. Meanwhile, Seth arrived at a Dillon Kingdom intelligence outpost to collect reports on Can Guang City and the Northern Borderlands, but had to wait for dispatches from other outposts.

• Ignoth rushed to Northwind City and reported everything to Andrew Solo.
• Andrew ordered Ignoth to prepare valuable gifts, cancel Liner’s engagement, and arrange a dinner banquet for Li Si Kane.
• Ignoth confirmed Li Si would reach Northwind City in about three to five days.
• Seth met Ul at the underground intelligence outpost and ordered him to gather reports, especially those concerning Can Guang City and the Northern Borderlands.
• Ul said reports from the other outposts would take up to five days to arrive, so Seth began reviewing the intelligence already on hand.

Li Si and the Firth Merchant Group arrived in Northwind City, where Earl Andrew Solo arranged a banquet and personally welcomed Li Si. Li Si went with Andrew to Solo Castle, while the White Wolf Mercenary Group wondered whether he was Moriarty.

• Li Si watched Fink awkwardly court Lizi during the journey, then arrived with the Firth Merchant Group at Northwind City.
• A city clerk waived the merchant group's entrance tax and arranged their stay at Old Jack Inn, explaining that Earl Solo planned to invite Li Si to a castle banquet.
• Luo Kui told Li Si about the planned banquet, and Li Si agreed to meet Earl Solo.
• Andrew Solo arrived at the inn, greeted Li Si as Marquis Kane, and invited him to Solo Castle for the banquet.
• After Li Si departed with Andrew, Fink wondered whether he had just seen Moriarty, and Magat and the other mercenaries shook their heads at his confusion.

At Earl Solo’s banquet, Li Si met Ul, the president of the Cold Pine Merchant Guild, whom he recognized as a key figure in Dillon Kingdom’s hidden intelligence network. After the guests departed, Andre offered Li Si a token of compensation as they prepared to discuss business.

• Li Si attended Earl Solo’s lavish banquet and spoke with Northwind City’s influential figures.
• Ul introduced himself to Li Si and offered northern specialties from the Cold Pine Merchant Guild, prompting Li Si to arrange a visit the next day.
• Li Si recognized Ul and the guild as targets in the Northwind City storyline involving Dillon Kingdom’s hidden intelligence network.
• Ul left the banquet and wondered why Li Si had come to Northwind City, deciding to report to Lord Seth and seek information from him.
• After the banquet, Andre gave Li Si a small box as compensation for what had happened before.

Li Si accepted a Soul Relieving Gem from Andre Solo as thanks for forgiving Ignoth, then told Andre that the war with the Bertich Kingdom could spread to the northern frontier. He revealed that he knew Andre had been tasked with watching the Dillon Kingdom, leaving Andre surprised by how much Li Si knew.

• Li Si accepted Andre Solo's apology gift and opened the box to find a valuable Soul Relieving Gem.
• Li Si recognized the gem, appraised its uses and worth, and put it away despite acknowledging how generous Andre's gift was.
• Li Si told Andre that he wanted to discuss matters related to his visit to the northern frontier.
• Li Si and Andre discussed the kingdom's progress in its war against the Bertich Kingdom.
• Li Si warned Andre that the conflict might spread north and revealed that he knew King Morton had tasked Andre with watching the Dillon Kingdom.

Li Si warned Andre that Dillon Kingdom was waiting for the war with Bertich Kingdom and the Church of the Gods to weaken Fies Kingdom before invading. They agreed to arrest Ul and the Cold Pine Merchant Guild in Northwind City the next day, while Andre resolved to take personal command.

• Li Si told Andre that Dillon Kingdom was preparing to invade and explained that its forces were waiting for Fies Kingdom to commit strength to the Eastern Border and for the Church of the Gods to respond.
• Li Si identified Ul and the Cold Pine Merchant Guild as the public face of Winter Serpent, Dillon Kingdom's intelligence network in the Northern Borderlands.
• Li Si proposed arresting the guild, and Andre insisted that the matter belonged to him and agreed to ensure no one escaped.
• Andre said he would personally lead the operation the next day and thanked Li Si as he left.
• Andre summoned Klose, learned no further details about the guild, and ordered him not to investigate before the planned arrest so they would not be alerted.

Li Si visited the Cold Pine Merchant Guild and exposed its owner, Ul, as the Dillon Kingdom’s Silver-level assassin. After Ul attacked him and Li Si signaled Earl Solo’s forces, Ul vanished to continue the fight.

• Li Si arrived at the Cold Pine Merchant Guild, where Ul welcomed him and showed him luxury goods that Li Si accepted without hesitation.
• Li Si asked Ul about Winter Serpent, then revealed that he knew Ul’s true identity as Shadow Serpent Ul Pa'er.
• Ul asked Li Si how he had discovered him and attempted to negotiate, but Li Si told him to speak with Earl Solo.
• Ul attacked Li Si with a dagger, but Li Si blocked the strike with his longsword and forced him back.
• Li Si threw an object out the window, causing an explosion that alerted the people downstairs and prompted Ul to realize he was trapped.
• Ul vanished from sight, and Li Si received a limited challenge quest to defeat the Silver Assassin Ul.

Li Si fought Ul after the assassin triggered a challenge quest, using layered defenses and experimental fire magic to fend off his attacks. Li Si’s Feeblemind Spell left Ul helpless, and he knocked him unconscious with a hammer.

• Li Si detected Ul’s challenge and prepared for battle, layering protective spells over himself.
• Ul used Shadow Strike to attack Li Si from behind, but Li Si’s magical defenses stopped the dagger.
• Li Si’s Blue Ball Spell burst into streams of fire and burned Ul’s forearm, which Ul cut away to stop the flames.
• Li Si cast Freezing Fog Spell, but it barely slowed Ul, then used Wall of Force Spell and Feeblemind Spell to disorient him.
• Li Si knocked the confused Ul unconscious with his Adamantine Great Hammer and credited Styx’s Blessing and Sams for their support.

Li Si helped Andrew Solo raid the Cold Pine Merchant Guild, exposed its role as a Dillon Kingdom intelligence stronghold, and captured its president, Ul. When Li Si revealed the hidden assassin Seth, Andrew fought him while his soldiers sealed off the area.

• Li Si searched the unconscious Ul, took the Gold Coins and valuables from his Storage Ring, and handed him over to Andrew Solo.
• Andrew told Li Si that his men had suppressed resistance and uncovered a secret chamber beneath the merchant guild that served as a Dillon Kingdom intelligence stronghold.
• Andrew thanked Li Si for helping uncover the spy network, while both recognized that the Dillon Kingdom's invasion threat remained unresolved.
• Li Si spotted someone hiding nearby and used Greater Glitterdust to reveal Seth, a Gold-level assassin.
• Andrew rushed Seth, struck him through a brick wall, and then suppressed him in close combat as his soldiers surrounded the area.