Chapter Summaries

Song Ren and his party defeated Lakzo, the gatekeeper BOSS, after Song Ren tanked the fight and the others dealt damage and healed. Song Ren looted the BOSS's only drop, a white-quality hammer, and ended the chapter questioning his luck and his choice to play a warrior.

• Song Ren pulled Lakzo and the two Defias Sentry lackeys, then tanked them while Wang Han, Wang Yifan, and Zhang Yi attacked and Qiao Yi healed.
• Song Ren and the party wore Lakzo down and defeated him.
• Song Ren looted Lakzo's Hammer, only to discover it was a white-quality item.
• Qiao Yi joked that Lakzo had been too poor to afford anything better, and the party passed on the hammer.
• Song Ren lamented his bad luck and wondered whether he could keep playing as an unlucky warrior.

Song Ren’s group found a blue shield from Miner Johnson, but his confidence led to another party wipe in the mine. Meanwhile, Chen Xu reassured Qin Yi that World of Warcraft’s dungeons were only one part of the game as most players continued exploring Azeroth.

• Song Ren’s group defeated Miner Johnson, and Zhang Yi looted a blue Gilded Shield.
• Song Ren claimed the shield, equipped it, and charged deeper into the mine to prove his luck had changed.
• Song Ren’s group accidentally triggered a wave of berserk miners and suffered another party wipe, after which Song Ren promised to give up looting rights and treat the group to roast duck.
• Qin Yi told Chen Xu that only 13% of players had cleared the dungeon, and Chen Xu said the game offered plenty of other activities besides dungeons.

Song Ren and his guild rallied Alliance players after a guild member was killed and corpse-camped by the Horde in Hillsbrad Foothills. Their rescue party grew to more than twenty players and set out for Snowman Cave to fight back.

• Song Ren and Zhang Yi played in Hillsbrad Foothills with their guild as they prepared to quest around Southshore and try Scarlet Monastery.
• A guild member reported that five Horde players had killed him and were camping his corpse at Snowman Cave.
• Song Ren called guild members to gather at Menethil Harbor and lead a rescue, and Zhang Yi joined the effort.
• More than twenty Alliance players assembled, including friends and nearby players eager to fight the Horde.
• Song Ren's enlarged group headed toward Snowman Cave to rescue their guild member and attack the Horde.

Song Ren led a large Alliance group to Snowman Cave and wiped out the Horde players who had attacked a Hunter. As both factions called for reinforcements around Hillsbrad Foothills, the local clashes grew into a full-scale battle between the Alliance and the Horde.

• Song Ren, Zhang Yi, and their allies arrived at Snowman Cave, where the Hunter resurrected and the Horde group confronted them.
• Song Ren charged the Horde players, and the Alliance mob overwhelmed all five of them.
• Song Ren claimed the Minotaur had cursed the Alliance, even though he could not understand the Horde language.
• Alliance and Horde players called friends and rallied at Southshore, Menethil Harbor, and Tarren Mill.
• More players flooded into Hillsbrad Foothills, and the two factions' scattered fights escalated into a major battle.

Song Ren and his friends joined the growing Alliance-Horde battle in Hillsbrad Foothills, but Song Ren grew frustrated with dying repeatedly as a warrior and proposed running Scarlet Monastery instead. A sudden world event at Southshore revived Hercular and drew the battling factions into a new fight, while Song Ren’s group slipped away toward Silverpine Forest.

• Fighting between Alliance and Horde players in Hillsbrad Foothills grew from small skirmishes into a region-wide battle.
• Song Ren and his friends joined the PvP, but Song Ren repeatedly died on the front lines and suggested they run Scarlet Monastery.
• Hercular rose from his grave near Southshore, summoned skeletons, and triggered the Alliance quest to stop his revenge.
• Southshore’s soldiers joined the battle against Hercular as Horde and Alliance players reacted to the sudden event.
• Song Ren and his friends watched briefly, then headed toward Silverpine Forest.

Song Ren and his party cautiously cleared Scarlet Monastery’s Graveyard and Library, where they battled bosses and debated unusual loot. After another afternoon of farming, Song Ren still had not seen any pieces of the Scarlet Set he had come for.

• Song Ren’s party entered Scarlet Monastery, chose the Graveyard, and carefully defeated the two sentries at the entrance.
• Song Ren reassured Wang Han that she did not need to change classes, and the party defeated Interrogator Vesthus, whose corpse gave Song Ren only a white glove weapon.
• The party killed Blood Mage Salnoth, and Zhang Yi looted a blue Orb of the Forgotten Prophet, which the group gave to mage Wang Yifan.
• Song Ren’s party moved on to the Library and defeated Beast Slayer Rokhan, who summoned dogs and shouted, “Close the door! Release the dogs!”
• The party defeated Arcane Mage Duan and argued over whether the unusual Hypnotic Blade should go to the mage or the rogue.
• Song Ren wondered when the Scarlet Set would drop, since he had still not seen any of its pieces.

Song Ren and his party reached Scarlet Cathedral after gearing up, but their attempt to skip mobs triggered a wipe, and Whitemane’s resurrection of Mograine defeated them again. The group ended the chapter back in Soul State, having failed to clear the Cathedral.

• Song Ren and his party reached level 38 and geared up with Scarlet drops before entering Scarlet Cathedral in hopes of finding more set pieces and a Hammer for Wang Han.
• Song Ren led the party past mobs on both sides to attack Mograine, but the linked enemies swarmed them and wiped the group.
• The party returned and cleared the surrounding mobs before defeating Mograine, which triggered a chained fight with High Inquisitor Whitemane.
• Whitemane put the party to sleep and resurrected Mograine, and the revived bosses wiped them again.

Players explored the many ways to progress in World of Warcraft, while Song Ren and his friends envied Wang Han’s early-game mount. The chapter left them still adventuring in Azeroth as its world, professions, and economy continued to shape play.

• Players shared their experiences on Nebula Games’ forum and discussed quests, dungeons, equipment, PvP, and professions.
• The chapter described how World of Warcraft let players pursue different routes through Azeroth without forcing them along a single progression path.
• Song Ren, Zhang Yi, Qiao Yi, and Wang Yifan teased Wang Han about her weak performance as she rode her horse.
• Song Ren and the others envied Wang Han’s mount because earning the 100 Gold Coins needed for one was difficult.
• The chapter explained how professions, materials, and crafted goods affected combat and the in-game economy.

Chen Xu prepared Nebula Games for a new project while World of Warcraft players continued exploring Azeroth. In Darrowshire, Song Ren and his companions found the dead girl Pamela, whose spirit did not know she had died.

• Chen Xu told his team to attend a meeting about a new project, which he described as a heartwarming story about a father and daughter.
• Song Ren and Zhang Yi followed a quest from Jessica Redpath to investigate her sister Pamela in Darrowshire.
• Song Ren and his companions explored the ruined town and fought its undead residents.
• Song Ren and his companions found Pamela's spirit playing alone in a house and learned she still waited for her father and had lost her doll.

Song Ren and the others gathered ritual relics and helped Chromie return to Darrowshire's past to save Captain Josef Redpath's soul. The battle reached its turning point when Dumak corrupted Josef, but Song Ren's group was there to fight alongside Darrowshire's defenders.

• Pamela's aunt told Song Ren and the others how Darrowshire fell after the Scourge corrupted Captain Josef Redpath.
• Song Ren and the others collected the ritual items Chromie needed and learned the conditions for saving Josef and the other souls.
• Song Ren placed the relics in Darrowshire's square, and Chromie's spell brought its dead residents back to relive the battle.
• Davil's Paladins helped Darrowshire hold the Scourge, and Song Ren's group killed Hogrus before his poison claimed Davil.
• Dumak appeared on a skeletal warhorse and corrupted Josef, who turned against Darrowshire's defenders.

Song Ren and his companions defeated Captain Josef Redpath, freeing the souls of Darrowshire and reuniting Josef with Pamela in the afterlife. They left deeply moved and set their sights on helping Fordring and his son.

• Song Ren and his companions defeated Josef Redpath, saving Darrowshire and freeing its tormented souls.
• Davil and Josef thanked Song Ren and his companions, and the party returned to Pamela with the key to a chest behind her house.
• Pamela reunited with Josef, and the two departed together for their new home where her mother was waiting.
• Song Ren and his companions were moved by Pamela's story and decided to gain two levels before helping Fordring recover his painting.
• The chapter recalled other tragic Plaguelands stories, including Uther's tomb and Arthas's actions in Stratholme.

After Taelan broke free from Isilien’s control, Isilien killed him, prompting old Fordring to regain the Holy Light and take revenge. Song Ren and his companions then heard that players had uncovered the Black Dragon Princess’s conspiracy and returned to Stormwind City to witness Marshal Reginald Windsor confront the threat.

• Song Ren and his companions helped old Fordring reunite with Taelan by delivering the mural, keepsakes, and letter to Hearthglen.
• Song Ren’s party escorted Taelan through Hearthglen’s Elite Monsters to the Archbishop’s Tower.
• Isilien attacked and killed Taelan, and old Fordring arrived too late to save his son.
• Old Fordring regained his Holy Light, killed Isilien and his confidants, and vowed to bring a new order to Lordaeron.
• Players announced that the Black Dragon Princess’s conspiracy had been exposed, and Song Ren’s group returned to Stormwind City.
• Marshal Reginald Windsor stood with Stormwind’s guards before the gathered players and declared that he would bring the threat to justice.

Marshal Reginald Windsor exposed Countess Onyxia as the Black Dragon Princess in Stormwind, but she mortally wounded him and escaped. After players witnessed the battle and Windsor’s death, they learned that both Alliance and Horde could pursue the lengthy quest tied to his story.

• Countess Onyxia ordered soldiers to arrest Marshal Reginald Windsor, but General Marcus Jonsson recalled their service and let Windsor pass into Stormwind Keep.
• Windsor used an ancient draconic spell to expose Onyxia’s disguise, and she transformed into a dragon and summoned elite Dragonkin Guards.
• Onyxia struck Windsor with her claws and fled Stormwind, while Duke Bolvar and the players fought the Dragonkin Guards.
• Windsor died in Bolvar’s arms after beginning to mention a medal that could help find something.
• Song Ren, Zhang Yi, and other players searched for quest information and discovered that both factions could follow the story, though the Horde quest required extensive travel and dungeon runs.

Song Ren led his guild into Upper Blackrock Spire while distracted by fried chicken and missed the strategist’s warning about the dragon eggs. After the raid wiped, he promised the participants a month of game time and urged his guild to level up for future raids.

• Song Ren streamed the guild’s run against General Dakk'Thul and logged out briefly to collect his fried chicken.
• The strategist warned the raid to avoid the hatchery’s eggs, but Qiao Yi and Wang Han wanted to fight there for Shoulderplates of Devotion, so the group prepared to proceed.
• Song Ren returned without hearing the tactics, charged into the hatchery, and cracked every dragon egg while pulling the mobs.
• The dragon whelps overwhelmed the raid, and all fifteen members died as Song Ren realized he had caused the wipe.
• Song Ren apologized and offered each raid member a month of game time, then urged the guild’s underleveled members to prepare for future raids.

Max-level players found plenty of quests, dungeons, and class-specific activities still available in World of Warcraft, while Chen Xu refined Blackrock Depths and planned steady updates. Song Ren then discovered that an edited video of him shouting before entering Fuhua Jian had gone viral, earning him the nickname King of Trains.

• Max-level players continued exploring side quests, farming gear, and tackling difficult dungeons, while many groups struggled with Onyxia, Molten Core, and late-game dungeon keys.
• Chen Xu added route guidance and optional story clues to Blackrock Depths and decided World of Warcraft could continue with steady updates for years.
• Song Ren watched a video Zhang Yi had sent him that edited his Fuhua Jian shout to include the line, “I'm the King of Trains!”
• Song Ren learned the video had gone viral and worried that the nickname King of Trains would stick with him.

As World of Warcraft became a global phenomenon, game designers debated whether social MMORPGs would define the future of gaming. Chen Xu’s team reviewed his next project, a complex remake whose story and themes left them worried about how much it would hurt players and how they could portray its many elements.

• New players joined World of Warcraft, explored Azeroth, and shared quests, stories, raids, guilds, and PvP.
• Game designers debated whether the success of World of Warcraft meant MMORPGs would become the future of gaming, while others argued that single-player games would remain important.
• Chen Xu focused on his next project as Yang Xin warned that the team would get beaten to death over its plot.
• Chen Xu defended the story’s ending, but Yang Xin pointed out that the game had more than one protagonist.
• Ruan Ningxue asked how the team would present a game combining religion, race, Capital Company, utopia, Steampunk, Exceptionalism, and concepts from physics.

Chen Xu introduced BioShock Infinite to the project team and emphasized Elizabeth’s emotional connection with players and Columbia’s distinctive art style. He planned to release Infinite as one chapter and pair Burial at Sea with the first BioShock as another, ending with Elizabeth’s story.

• Chen Xu presented the BioShock series as his next game project, highlighting its themes, acclaim, and place in gaming history.
• Chen Xu and the project team began testing Elizabeth’s AI in a small demo scene and discussed making her a believable, emotionally engaging companion.
• Chen Xu explained that BioShock Infinite’s art style combined Steampunk machinery, Art Deco, Victorian aesthetics, vivid colors, and Columbia’s religious utopian setting.
• Chen Xu contrasted the second BioShock installment with the first and third games, noting its weaker connection to the series’ core story.
• Chen Xu planned to structure the release as two chapters: BioShock Infinite, then Burial at Sea alongside the first BioShock.

Song Ren’s raid team cleared two Molten Core bosses before he disbanded the group and learned that Chen Xu had announced a new game. The promotional trailer revealed the cartoon-styled, Steampunk world of "BioShock" but left players puzzled about its story and gameplay.

• Song Ren’s raid team defeated two gatekeeper bosses in Molten Core, but Song Ren complained that the guild had made little progress toward better loot.
• Song Ren disbanded the raid team and prepared to return to Crystal Lake to kill Merm, until Wang Han told him to check the Official Blog.
• Song Ren and other players watched Chen Xu’s new promotional CG and discovered it was for "BioShock," Nebula Games’ first cartoon-style VR game.
• The trailer showed a girl, a man named DeWitt, a giant hawk-like creature, and a city engulfed in war, leaving players to speculate about its Steampunk setting and call Chen Xu a riddler.

After the second BioShock trailer revealed more of Columbia’s beauty and brutality, players speculated about Booker, Elizabeth, and Comstock while Chen Xu continued developing the game. He tested Elizabeth’s reactions and urged the team to make her feel like a true partner, leaving her characterization central to the game’s development.

• Chen Xu released a second BioShock trailer showing Columbia, combat, and story scenes featuring Booker and Elizabeth.
• Players analyzed the trailers and debated Elizabeth’s role, Booker’s deal, and the identities of the shepherd and Comstock.
• Chen Xu and his team designed Columbia’s regions and added clues to connect BioShock Infinite with Burial at Sea.
• Chen Xu tested Elizabeth’s in-game AI and watched her react to Booker entering a women’s restroom.
• Chen Xu praised Elizabeth’s performance and told Qin Yi’s team to refine her details so players would see her as a reliable partner.

Zhang Yi began playing BioShock Infinite and arrived at a mysterious Lighthouse after a tense boat ride. He learned that Booker DeWitt had been ordered to bring back a girl named Elizabeth in exchange for having his debts erased.

• BioShock Infinite unlocked, and Zhang Yi dismissed Song Ren's worries before entering the game.
• Zhang Yi rode toward the Lighthouse as a cryptic subtitle about memories and Parallel Worlds appeared.
• A woman and a man rowing the boat handed Zhang Yi a box marked with Booker DeWitt's name and Wounded Knee.
• Zhang Yi opened the box and found a pistol, a photograph of Elizabeth, and a message demanding that he bring her back unharmed.
• At the Lighthouse door, Zhang Yi read a bloodstained note promising to erase Booker's debts if he brought them the girl.