Chapter Summaries

Fang Xiaoran learned that Fang Ran had disappeared, while the Night Bureau searched for him and found only signs pointing north. The members remembered the rarely seen Xiao Dun Jia and summoned him for help.

• Fang Xiaoran questioned Meng Lang about Fang Ran's disappearance, and Gou Yu admitted the Bureau did not know where the captain had gone.
• Gou Yu told Fang Xiaoran that Fang Ran had left hurriedly because of something important and asked her not to worry his parents.
• The Night Bureau members searched for Fang Ran, but Su Qun, Hua Ling, Qing Ning, and Resurrection Jie found no clear evidence of where he had gone.
• Cowlick King used her intuition to sense that Fang Ran was somewhere in the north, and Spellcaster's divination pointed in the same direction before failing.
• Cowlick King reminded the group that Xiao Dun Jia could help and tagged him in the Bureau's chat.

The Night Bureau enlisted MoShui LinLang, a reclusive Technologist, to analyze data from the night Fang Ran disappeared. Ye Sheng realized his disappearance was connected to Wandering Night Angel and learned that a suspicious flight had taken him to Norway, while Shui Linlang kept the secret Fang Ran had asked her to protect.

• Mu Cheng contacted Yota, who joined the Night Bureau's call and used its systems to investigate Fang Ran's movements.
• Yota found that a suspicious flight had left Beijing International Airport at 10:27 on the night Fang Ran disappeared, with its records missing.
• Ye Sheng visited Shui Linlang, who guided her to recall Fang Ran's connection to Wandering Night Angel.
• Yota told Ye Sheng that the suspicious flight had been bound for Norway, and she left determined to pursue the lead.
• Shui Linlang reflected that Fang Ran had chosen to face his own path and had once again forced himself to grow.

Fang Ran sailed toward the Arctic aboard the North Sea Ice Ocean Ship, studying records from Iceland and preparing to reach the North Pole. When British authorities ordered the ship to turn back, he calmly left his room and headed out into the Arctic night with the Black Box.

• Li Daina gave Fang Ran the translated materials about Iceland from thirty years earlier and told him the ship should reach the North Pole the following evening.
• Fang Ran reviewed the records while recovering his Magic Energy and considered Ling’s disappearance and his reasons for traveling to the Arctic.
• Li Daina reported that British authorities had ordered the North Sea Ice Ocean Ship to return or face economic retaliation that could block its overseas operations.
• Fang Ran accepted the news calmly, thanked Li Daina for her help, put on his Fies Erde coat, and left the room with the Black Box.

Fang Ran left the icebreaker to continue alone toward the North Pole after speaking with Klim about unreachable goals and the meaning of pursuing them. As he flew into the Arctic night, a half-awakened Twins card appeared, and he realized he had forgotten to ask Klim’s name.

• Fang Ran prepared to cross the remaining distance to the North Pole alone, then encountered Klim on the icebreaker’s deck beneath the Arctic stars.
• Klim told Fang Ran he had come north to see the unreachable thing he had failed to become, after years of being treated as a failed joke by the people who educated him.
• Fang Ran recounted how Huang Chuan had spent half a century trying to see the woman he loved, despite knowing she would never return his feelings.
• Fang Ran encouraged Klim, saying that pursuing something unreachable would not make his efforts meaningless, then spread his Silver Dragon Wings and flew north from the ship.
• A half-awakened Twins card appeared in Fang Ran’s hand, and he realized he had left without learning Klim’s name.

Nevernight Palace’s Zero Knights established tightening blockades around the North Pole to encircle a wounded Wanderer from the Song of the Wanderers faction. At the Arctic’s center, Youye watched as her silver-white Power Bank became the core of a soul projection, while the Ultimate Power remained hidden beneath the ice.

• Pedro Silves reported that the outer European blockade was operating normally and that an approaching icebreaker had turned back.
• Hormonculus and Schmidt Eirampointan activated the outer blockade’s golden Light Wheel anchors from the Asia and Americas directions.
• Yag Nagaen, Klausel, and Roya discussed the Queen’s plan to encircle the Wanderer, and Yag warned that she was an ancient participant with future technology and a century of experience.
• Bayerdians learned that the Light Wheel would reach the Wanderer in about a day and that she was waiting at the North Pole instead of trying to escape.
• At the North Pole’s center, Youye watched her Power Bank disassemble into the core of a soul projection while seated on the Ultimate Power’s shoulder.

Fang Ran crossed the Arctic alone, rescued a mother Polar Bear and her cub from poachers, and reached the Light Wheel Core blockade. He released Infinity through Silver Severing Dragon Tooth and attacked Pedro, while Trinity Nereid and Lady Astervia confronted other Zero Riders at the blockade.

• Fang Ran endured ten hours of walking across the Arctic ice, relying on his armor, sleeping pod, and compressed biscuits.
• Fang Ran rescued a mother Polar Bear and her cub from three poachers, discarded the stolen furs, and helped the bears onto an ice platform.
• Fang Ran reached the Light Wheel Core blockade, activated Infinity through Silver Severing Dragon Tooth, and charged into the fight against Pedro.
• Trinity Nereid asked Schmidt to let her pass through the Americas-side blockade and reach the Light Wheel Core.
• Lady Astervia confronted Harmon at the Asia-side blockade, where he confirmed that he had been sent to wait for her.

Four Zero Knights from Nevernight Palace entered the North Pole blockade and were attacked by Ling, who deployed her future-tech weapons from extreme range. Ling summoned the Wandering Night Angel mech and faced the knights, leaving the battle about to begin.

• Yag, Klausel, Roya, and Bayerdians advanced into the forbidden zone after Bayerdians warned that Ling was a veteran Participant from an ancient faction.
• Ling used the Sky Eye Monitor to track the four Zero Knights and attacked them with psionic weapons, seawater annihilation, floating machines, and ion light cones.
• Yag called down the halo’s protection, allowing the four knights to withstand Ling’s assault and rush toward the North Pole.
• Ling appeared before the Zero Knights and awakened the mech frozen beneath the Ice Sea.
• Ling loaded the No. 0 system, Wandering Night Angel, and announced that the battle was about to begin.

Trinity and Ling Feng confronted Schmidt over the Light Wheel Core, but Schmidt left after revealing that Nevernight Palace had anticipated their arrival. Meanwhile, Nevernight Palace’s plan advanced as four Zero Riders pressured Night Roamer, and Astervia set out to meet its pilot.

• Trinity used her mech’s shield to withstand Schmidt’s force-field attack and tried to persuade him to join the Covenant.
• Ling Feng arrived to assist Trinity, and Schmidt decided that fighting two A-rank technologists would be pointless and left for Europe.
• Schmidt said Bayerdians had predicted an unstoppable external factor from North America, but that it still fit Nevernight Palace’s plan.
• Astervia and Harmon watched four Zero Riders overwhelm Night Roamer while its damaged systems struggled under their attacks.
• Harmon said no external force could break Nevernight Palace’s plan, and Astervia left for the Americas to meet the woman piloting Night Roamer.

Ling and the Youye Mecha fought four A-rank Zero Riders above the North Pole as the Zero Riders exploited the mech’s damaged barrier and Ling’s weakened defenses. Ling recalibrated the barrier and unleashed Psionic Core Collision, while the battle remained unresolved.

• Ling used the Youye Mecha’s weapons to attack the Zero Riders, while Yag raised halo platforms and Klausel defended against the barrage.
• Roya destroyed the pursuing machines and struck the Mobius barrier with lightning, damaging Ling’s shield.
• Bayerdians pierced the damaged barrier with a mental attack, causing Ling pain and increasing the barrier’s damage to 70 percent.
• Ling recalibrated the barrier and recognized that Bayerdians posed the greatest threat as the Zero Riders advanced toward her.
• Ling released another Energy Interference Bullet and charged the Youye Mecha’s Psionic Core Collision weapon.

Ling’s Night Wanderer mech was overwhelmed by the Zero Knights’ pursuit, but a masked Fang Ran intervened at the Arctic battlefield and drove them back. The mech escaped by spatial leap, leaving Fang Ran facing all four Zero Knights.

• Klausel blocked the Night Wanderer’s attack on Bayerdians with her Holy Silver cross, but both fell toward the Ice Sea.
• Ling used the Night Wanderer’s blade to strike at Bayerdians, then began a spatial leap as the Zero Knights pursued her.
• Roya nearly stopped Ling’s escape, but Fang Ran crashed into him and slammed him into the ice.
• The Night Wanderer vanished, while Fang Ran’s ice and chain-blade attacks wounded Klausel and forced all three Zero Knights back.
• Fang Ran stood before the four Zero Knights with Silver Severing Dragon Tooth and Night’s Pilgrimage, ready to fight.

Fang Ran arrived on the Arctic battlefield and fought the Zero Knights, overcoming their lightning, holy light, mental attacks, and halo prison. As he floated beneath the night sky, his power made the Zero Knights remember their old fear of the unknown.

• Fang Ran drew the Dragon Spine Greatsword and charged Roya, who met him with Thunder God's Hammer.
• Fang Ran used swordsmanship and illusion and shadow abilities to gain the advantage, then countered Roya's lightning with Night's Pilgrimage.
• Klausel summoned Holy Light Crosses and used Judgment to trap Fang Ran, but he escaped into the sky.
• Yag Nagaen sealed Fang Ran inside a compressed halo prison, but Fang Ran filled it with ice and shattered it.
• The Zero Knights saw Fang Ran floating intact beneath the stars and felt the fear they had known before becoming powerful.

Fang Ran faced Nevernight Palace’s Zero Knights at the North Pole and accepted Roya’s demand for a one-on-one duel. As his exhausted body faltered, he unleashed Night’s Pilgrimage and struck at Roya with the full force of his remaining strength.

• Fang Ran descended onto Klausel’s Holy Light Cross after suppressing the coordinated attacks of the four Zero Knights.
• Roya charged Fang Ran, then blocked Klausel and Yag Nagaen’s joint attack and demanded a duel without interference.
• Fang Ran landed on the Ice Field and prepared to meet Roya despite his exhaustion from traveling and using eleven cards.
• Roya attacked with white lightning, and Fang Ran unleashed Night’s Pilgrimage’s darkness across the battlefield.
• Fang Ran poured his remaining strength into a sword strike against Roya as a brilliant light pierced the Arctic night.

Fang Ran overwhelmed the Zero Knights and Bayerdians at the North Pole, but a sudden power struck him down just as dawn broke. Bayerdians recognized the arriving figure as Your Majesty the Queen.

• Pedro was badly injured by Fang Ran, and Le Guien used Yag Nagaen’s anchor crystal to view the battle inside the Light Ring.
• The image showed Fang Ran suppressing four Zero Knights while Ling Feng and Trinity fought five regenerating frost beasts against Astervia.
• Fang Ran shattered Yag’s Light Ring and sent Roya crashing across the ice, then rushed toward Bayerdians as Klausel’s attacks failed to stop him.
• Fang Ran’s Night’s Pilgrimage blocked the counterattacks, and he raised Silver Severing Dragon Tooth to strike Bayerdians.
• A sudden force smashed Fang Ran into the Arctic ice, and Bayerdians recognized the radiant figure before him as Your Majesty the Queen.

Fang Ran survived his failed attack on Bayerdians, but the Nevernight Palace Queen’s projection blocked his renewed assault and stopped him from using the Dark World Crystal. As Fang Ran lost consciousness, a familiar girl caught him and scolded him.

• The Nevernight Palace Queen appeared at the North Pole and asked Yag about Roya, who had been badly injured but remained alive.
• Fang Ran, gravely wounded in the ice crater, forced himself back to his feet by using the shadow card to move his body and attacked the Queen’s projection.
• Fang Ran shattered Yag’s light wheel and sent him into the ice, but the Queen ordered Klausel and Bayerdians to stand down and deflected Fang Ran’s attacks.
• Fang Ran unleashed a massive Thunder Card strike, but the Queen remained unharmed and knocked the Dark World Crystal from his hand before he could use it.
• As Fang Ran lost consciousness, the Queen pulled him into an embrace, and a familiar girl called him an idiot for risking himself.

Fang Ran’s final attack failed against the Nevernight Palace Queen, and Ling returned to rescue him while Klausel and Bayerdians pursued them across the Ice Sea. As Ling sent the wounded Fang Ran beneath the water to escape, they confronted each other over all the things they had kept secret.

• The Nevernight Palace Queen shattered Fang Ran’s Black Rose Mask, destroyed his arm, and knocked the Dark World Crystal away, leaving him helpless as dawn broke.
• Ling abandoned her interrupted spatial jump, returned to Fang Ran, and carried him through the pursuing Klausel and Bayerdians’s attacks.
• Fang Ran asked Ling why she had hidden her troubles and said he could have helped her, while Ling accused him of concealing his lost heart, newfound strength, and Second Personality.
• Ling told Fang Ran that her choices and her grudge with Nevernight Palace were her own, and insisted that she had nothing to do with him.
• The Wandering Night, Arc Light, and a curtain of seawater disrupted the pursuit, and Ling tapped Fang Ran’s Black Box before releasing him into the Ice Sea.

After Ling helped defeat the black figure at the Arctic battlefield, Trinity and Ling Feng arrived as the Queen of Nevernight Palace’s projection appeared. As Ling explained that she had left to keep him out of the world of conflict, the Doll Demoness arrived and confronted Astervia amid a battle between undead monsters and Frost Giant Beasts.

• Ling watched the black figure sink into the Arctic waters, then collapsed as Trinity arrived and caught her.
• Trinity and Ling Feng joined the battlefield, breaking Klausel’s blockade as Klausel and Yag continued guarding the Queen of Nevernight Palace.
• Ling rejected Trinity’s support and said the man she cared about did not belong in this world, recalling the ordinary life he wanted to protect.
• Astervia’s five Frost Giant Beasts fought the Doll Demoness’s undead monsters and the Participants emerging among them.
• Astervia recognized the Doll Demoness and her A-rank creation Pride, then asked why the Demoness had come to the Arctic.

Fang Ran sank unconscious into the Ice Sea after exhausting himself trying to return to Ling and help her fight. The Black Box activated a Time Inheritance scenario, leaving him on the brink of a new experience.

• Fang Ran sank deeper into the Ice Sea, exhausted and unable to reach Ling or return to the battle.
• Fang Ran grieved over his helplessness and regretted not gaining enough power to protect Ling.
• Fang Ran lost consciousness as the Sealed Armor ran out of energy.
• A mysterious figure emerged from Fang Ran’s chest, embraced him, and gave him a breath before the Black Box transported him away.
• On September 23, the system announced that a special real-world node had been acquired and activated the Time Inheritance scenario.

As Trinity and Ling Feng remained trapped beneath the Nevernight Palace Queen’s phantom, Fang Ran awoke in an unfamiliar stable with no sign of Ling. He recognized a pale-haired girl before him, leaving his location and fate unclear.

• Trinity and Ling Feng struggled against the Zero Knights as the Queen’s phantom empowered their enemies and blocked their escape.
• Astervia watched her Winter beasts lose ground to the Demoness and her monstrous forces, then questioned what the Demoness had done.
• Fang Ran drifted through fragmented visions of a powerful mech pursued by darkness and of a splendid white-clad palace.
• Fang Ran woke in a stable, called out for Ling, and found himself alone beside a horse.
• A teenage girl carrying a bucket dropped it and pointed a pitchfork at Fang Ran, who recognized her pale golden hair.

After waking in a stable in Italy in 1916, Fang Ran realized he had traveled more than a century into the past and found Ling as a hungry, wary child. He introduced himself after giving her food and asking her name.

• Fang Ran woke in an Italian stable and recognized the young girl before him as a childhood version of Ling.
• The girl called Fang Ran a far easterner and told him they were in Italy.
• Fang Ran learned it was 1916 and realized he had arrived during the First World War.
• When the girl asked if she could leave, Fang Ran stopped her and offered her compressed biscuits.
• Fang Ran asked the girl her name, and she said she was Ling; Fang Ran introduced himself.

Fang Ran entered a mysterious 1916 scenario and secretly watched the young Ling struggle to survive in an Italian village. After deciding to stay rather than return to the Ice Sea, he greeted Ling when she woke to find him and his gifts at her ruined home.

• Fang Ran watched Ling work for food and sleep in the ruins she called home.
• Fang Ran used the Sleep Card to let Ling rest, then covered her with his coat and gave her a pillow.
• The scenario interface revealed that Fang Ran was in the Po River Plain in Italy in 1916, with no mission or known duration.
• Fang Ran awakened the Mist Card and chose not to exit the scenario, telling Ling that today would be the last day.
• Ling woke beneath Fang Ran's coat, discovered her roof had been moved, and found Fang Ran roasting a fish nearby.