Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Becoming a Mystic Artificer! The Rope Evolves!

Key Plot Points and Events

• A powerful professional passes through the city, casting an enormous wing-like shadow over the school. The pressure causes most students to collapse, but Su Chen remains standing.
• Su Chen briefly encounters a disguised Yuan Chenyang, who notices his unusual resilience and considers him a promising student.
• Yuan later discovers that Su Chen has never attended the elite training class after choosing the Gale Walker profession. Suspecting that Su Chen may be selling the profession information, Yuan orders Instructor Zheng to judge him by the harshest possible standards during his review.
• Yuan also instructs his subordinates to monitor the black market for Gale Walker information, while intending to use Su Chen as a lesson for Bai Fengxi, whom he believes is too trusting.
• Su Chen’s Candle Flame reaches the Master level, granting him the trait Spiritual Vision, allowing him to sense his surroundings through spiritual power.
• To complete the requirements for becoming a Mystic Artificer, Su Chen undergoes the dangerous Whispering Trial. He performs the ritual alone in his sealed room and hears increasingly disturbing whispers.
• The trial nearly overwhelms him with dizziness, terror, and a suffocating cold sensation. He escapes only by instinctively breaking the ritual’s immersion.
• The panel confirms that he has passed. Su Chen takes up the Mystic Artificer profession and gains:
  • Mystic Art Control, allowing him to control selected special items.
  • Spirit Spike, a spiritual attack ability.
• His spiritual power expands dramatically, enhancing his perception and making Spiritual Vision nearly as effective as normal sight at close range.
• As an additional reward, the blue-veined hemp rope he received from the Arcane Apprentice evolves into the second-tier Blue-Iron Lock Cable, a dense metallic rope-like artifact.

Character Developments

• Su Chen demonstrates exceptional endurance by resisting the pressure of a powerful professional. He also becomes more cautious and prepared as he confronts the Whispering Trial.
• His advancement from Candle Flame practitioner to Mystic Artificer significantly increases his spiritual power, perception, and combat potential.
• Su Chen learns that Mystic Art Control likely involves more than merely making an artifact move, hinting at greater abilities still to be discovered.
• Yuan Chenyang becomes suspicious and hostile toward Su Chen, interpreting his absence from class as evidence that he may be exploiting Bai Fengxi for profit.
• Yuan also recognizes Su Chen’s potential but allows personal frustration and suspicion to influence his judgment.
• Bai Fengxi remains absent while preparing to take up her own profession, indirectly causing Yuan to worry that her kindness makes her vulnerable.

Significant Themes

• Power and danger: The shadow of the passing professional and the perilous Whispering Trial emphasize how dangerous and overwhelming high-level power can be.
• Misunderstanding and suspicion: Yuan’s assumptions about Su Chen’s motives show how incomplete information can create conflict.
• Growth through risk: Su Chen must endure genuine psychological danger to achieve his goal of becoming a Mystic Artificer.
• Hidden potential: Both Su Chen’s resilience and the rope’s transformation suggest that ordinary-looking people and objects may possess extraordinary possibilities.
• Control versus corruption: The Whispering Trial threatens insanity and loss of control, while Mystic Art Control grants Su Chen the ability to command special items.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen observes and briefly speaks with the disguised Yuan Chenyang, though neither fully understands the other’s identity or intentions.
• Yuan questions Instructor Zheng about Su Chen’s attendance and profession, then commands him to impose strict standards on Su Chen.
• Yuan’s concern for Bai Fengxi motivates his suspicion of Su Chen; he plans to use Su Chen’s review as a warning to her.
• Su Chen’s most important “interaction” is with the Whispering Trial itself, which nearly overwhelms him before he successfully completes it.
• Afterward, he interacts with the evolved Blue-Iron Lock Cable and begins realizing that his new Mystic Artificer abilities may allow him to use the artifact in far more complex ways than simple movement.

Chapter Summary: City Patrol Preparations, Undercurrents Stirring

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen experiments with his newly acquired Tier 2 weapon, the Azure Iron Chain, after becoming a Mystic Artificer. Through Mystic Art Control, he can manipulate the chain at high speed, split it into metal threads, and reshape it into a protective bracer.
• He determines that he can control around ten threads, though coordinating more than one or two in combat is difficult and mentally exhausting. He also possesses Spirit Spike, but cannot test it without a target.
• Despite his increased strength and versatility, Su Chen remains wary of Qi Chuan and Jiang He, believing their silence does not mean their conflict with him is over.
• Meanwhile, Zhou Xian angrily confronts his son, Zhou Zong, for volunteering for city patrol. He criticizes Zhou Zong’s schemes involving Bai Fengxi and warns him that leaving the city could be dangerous because mutated creatures may have become more aggressive after a powerful Professional recently passed through the region.
• Zhou Xian also tells Zhou Zong to stop pursuing Bai Fengxi, though he refuses to explain his reasons. Privately, Zhou Xian considers using the patrol as an opportunity for an undisclosed plan.
• At Southwind Academy, students gather for the patrol. The City Patrol Guard is heavily armed and divided into a small but intimidating force. The patrol is led by a stern commander and includes students carrying survival supplies.
• Bai Fengxi unexpectedly joins the patrol, surprising Su Chen. A flirtatious, conspicuously dressed girl also arrives and appears close to Bai Fengxi. Zhou Zong joins as well, attracting attention because he has already completed a patrol before.
• Before departure, the Inspection Guard attempts to search the patrol party. A tense confrontation develops between Inspection Guard officer Ding Cripple and City Patrol Guard captain Hu Xiang.
• Vice Principal Zhou Xian intervenes, claiming there are suspicious traces elsewhere and proposing that only the students be inspected. Ding Cripple agrees, allowing the patrol to leave after the students are searched for disguises.
• Once outside the academy, Zhou Xian exchanges friendly words with Hu Xiang, while Zhou Zong enjoys the envy directed at him and privately sneers at Su Chen.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Demonstrates major growth after becoming a Mystic Artificer. He gains a powerful defensive and offensive weapon but recognizes the limitations of mental energy and precision control. His caution toward former enemies remains intact.
• Zhou Zong: Remains arrogant, resentful, and obsessed with Bai Fengxi. He is still affected by her previous rejection but takes pride in the attention and jealousy he receives from joining the patrol.
• Zhou Xian: Reveals himself as controlling and politically calculating. Though harsh toward his son, he shows concern for Zhou Zong’s safety and appears to be planning something connected to the patrol.
• Bai Fengxi: Continues to be aloof and distant, but her presence at the patrol creates interest and tension. She unexpectedly initiates contact with Su Chen.
• Hu Xiang and Ding Cripple: Their hostile exchange highlights institutional rivalry and friction between the city’s armed departments.

Significant Themes

• Growing power and experimentation: Su Chen’s weapon testing shows his expanding abilities and the need to balance power with mental stamina.
• Hidden agendas and political maneuvering: Zhou Xian’s unexplained interest in the patrol, the inspection attempt, and the mention of suspicious traces suggest that larger schemes are developing beneath the routine mission.
• Institutional rivalry: The conflict between the Inspection Department and City Patrol Guard reveals competition and distrust among Southwind City’s major organizations.
• Danger beyond the city: Although student patrols are designed to be relatively safe, the chapter emphasizes that mutated creatures and unforeseen incidents can still make the mission deadly.
• Social status and jealousy: Zhou Zong’s satisfaction at provoking envy, as well as the students’ reactions to Su Chen and Bai Fengxi, underscores the academy’s concern with reputation, influence, and romantic rivalry.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Chen privately reflects on his conflict with Qi Chuan and Jiang He.
• Zhou Xian berates Zhou Zong for pursuing Bai Fengxi through schemes and warns him about the dangers of the patrol.
• Bai Fengxi unexpectedly acknowledges Su Chen, drawing attention from the surrounding students.
• The revealingly dressed girl greets Bai Fengxi and Zhou Zong but ignores Su Chen, prompting his mildly irritated response.
• Hu Xiang and Ding Cripple nearly clash over the inspection of the patrol.
• Zhou Xian mediates the dispute and subtly directs the inspection toward the students instead of the armed guards.
• Zhou Zong observes the attention surrounding him and looks down on Su Chen, reinforcing their antagonistic relationship.

Chapter Summary: “A Scare?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The students leave the academy in hovering transport vehicles for an expedition outside Southwind City.
• Instructor Hu Xiang gives three strict survival rules: obey orders, stay united, and never play the hero. He emphasizes that the wilderness is extremely dangerous and that mistakes may lead to death.
• The group reaches the enormous city wall and exits through a smaller gate into the gray, desolate wilderness during the “Sun Mist” phase.
• Once outside, the mist weakens communication equipment and suppresses spiritual perception, making the students more vulnerable.
• Bai Fengxi warns Su Chen that Zhou Zong may have been deliberately placed on the expedition with hostile intentions and advises him to remain cautious.
• A huge mutant wolf suddenly attacks from the mist, throwing the students into panic. Hu Xiang immediately kills it with a fiery spear and restores order.
• The guards count the students and begin dismantling the wolf for supplies.
• Hu Xiang initially seems to believe the attack was an arranged scare meant to test the students. However, one of his subordinates reveals that the guards had not been informed of any planned attack, leaving Hu Xiang concerned that the wolf’s appearance was genuine.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Remains calm during Hu Xiang’s warnings and shows strong sensory awareness in the mist. Despite his apparent confidence, he deliberately hides behind Bai Fengxi during the wolf’s attack, suggesting he is pragmatic rather than heroic. Hu Xiang becomes increasingly suspicious of him and notes that someone may want him dead.
• Hu Xiang: Establishes himself as a strict, experienced leader willing to kill anyone who endangers the group. He recognizes Su Chen’s unusual composure and Bai Fengxi’s potential. His confidence is shaken when he realizes the mutant attack may not have been staged.
• Bai Fengxi: Demonstrates quick thinking and combat readiness by deploying a shield when the wolf appears. Her warning to Su Chen reveals that she is observant and politically aware. Hu Xiang begins to view her as a genuine professional.
• Zhou Zong: Appears connected to influential figures and is surrounded by a prominent student group. He becomes visibly frightened during the attack, and his possible involvement in a plot against Su Chen remains suspicious.
• The other students: Their sheltered upbringing is exposed as many panic, tremble, or collapse when confronted with a real monster.

Significant Themes

• The danger of the outside world: The wilderness is presented as radically different from the protected city, with even ordinary things potentially fatal.
• Preparedness versus sheltered privilege: The students’ fear contrasts with the guards’ discipline and experience, showing how poorly protected civilians cope with real danger.
• Pragmatic survival: The chapter challenges the idea of heroism; Hu Xiang explicitly warns against acting alone, while Su Chen survives by using caution rather than bravado.
• Hidden conspiracies and uncertainty: Bai Fengxi’s warning about Zhou Zong and the unexplained mutant attack suggest that the expedition may involve deliberate manipulation or an unseen threat.
• Appearances can be misleading: Su Chen looks fearless but hides during the attack, while the supposed “training scare” may actually have been a real and dangerous incident.

Character Interactions

• Hu Xiang’s warnings establish an intimidating relationship between the instructor and the students, especially as he repeatedly stresses death and responsibility.
• Zhou Zong discusses a possible alumni gathering connected to Yingfeng, while Shen Ying’er attempts to use him for an introduction, revealing the group’s social ambitions and connections.
• Bai Fengxi quietly advises Su Chen to be cautious, creating a tentative alliance between them.
• During the wolf attack, Su Chen moves behind Bai Fengxi, surprising her and revealing an unexpected dependence on her protection.
• Hu Xiang observes both of them closely, reassessing Bai Fengxi as capable and Su Chen as suspicious.
• The guards’ conversation after the attack changes the meaning of the event: what seemed like a controlled test may indicate that the expedition has encountered an unforeseen threat.

Chapter Summary: “Camping and Ambush”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the Glutton Wolf attack, the City Patrol Guards quickly skin and dismantle the mutant, storing its remains in special cold-preserving bags.
• The students speculate that the wolf’s appearance was deliberate, since it should not have been able to bypass the city’s layered defenses. The incident also helps the students bond through shared fear and embarrassment.
• As night approaches, Hu Xiang orders the group to establish camp. The guards deploy Camp Pillars, creating a protective energy barrier that disperses the surrounding Night Mist.
• The students are fed roasted Glutton Wolf meat. Su Chen notices that it has effects similar to a Blood-Activating Potion and deduces that mutant corpses are valuable ingredients, possibly explaining why the guards preserve every part of the beasts.
• Zhou Zong subtly exposes Su Chen’s identity as a drifter, prompting surprise from the other students. Although most are neutral or merely curious, a few begin treating Su Chen with greater distance.
• Hu Xiang assigns the students to rotating night-watch shifts with the City Patrol Guards. Su Chen is placed on the first shift alongside an experienced soldier called Old Zhao.
• Old Zhao warns Su Chen to prioritize survival and not recklessly interfere if his partner is killed. He also advises Su Chen to endure Zhou Zong’s hostility, which he assumes is connected to Bai Fengxi.
• Meanwhile, two unidentified men approach the camp with the intention of abducting Su Chen at ten o’clock. They consider him dangerous because of his connection to the deaths of Old Ghost and Da Zhuang.
• Old Zhao’s positioning device gives an unusual signal. He leaves Su Chen alone to investigate, after instructing him to report back if he does not return within three minutes.
• Hu Xiang later meets Old Zhao and falsely claims that Su Chen has already been killed by a Mist Nightmare. He instructs Old Zhao to accept and repeat this explanation, implying that the guards are participating in a cover-up or conspiracy.
• Su Chen, left alone, senses two people approaching from opposite directions. They split up to surround him, confirming that he is the target of an imminent ambush.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Demonstrates practical intelligence by recognizing the value of mutant meat and remains composed despite Zhou Zong’s provocation. His spiritual perception, though weakened by the Night Mist, allows him to detect the approaching attackers.
• Zhou Zong: Becomes more openly hostile toward Su Chen. He uses Su Chen’s drifter background to isolate and embarrass him while maintaining a superficially polite attitude.
• Hu Xiang: Shows unusual concern for Su Chen by giving him extra food, apparently because he expects Su Chen to die. However, his later deception of Old Zhao suggests guilt, complicity, or an unwilling role in a larger plot.
• Old Zhao: Acts as a sympathetic and responsible mentor toward Su Chen. He admires Su Chen for entering the academy despite being a drifter, but is shaken and disappointed when Hu Xiang claims Su Chen is dead.
• The two attackers: Reveal that Su Chen is connected to previous deaths and that the ambush has been carefully planned, suggesting he is involved in a larger hidden conflict.

Significant Themes

• Suspicion and conspiracy: The mutant attack, the false explanation of Su Chen’s death, and the planned abduction all suggest that the students’ expedition conceals a deliberate scheme.
• Social prejudice and status: Su Chen’s identity as a drifter changes how some classmates view him, while Zhou Zong uses his background as a weapon.
• Survival and discipline: The chapter emphasizes the dangers outside the city and the importance of following trained soldiers’ orders rather than acting impulsively.
• Hidden value in danger: The mutant meat, ruins, and ancient technology show how dangerous remnants of the outside world can also provide resources and power.
• Isolation and vulnerability: Su Chen is left alone in hostile darkness after being separated from his assigned guard, making the final ambush especially threatening.

Character Interactions

• The students grow friendlier after joking about their cowardice during the Glutton Wolf attack.
• Hu Xiang gives food to Zhou Zong and Su Chen, causing the other students to question why Su Chen receives special attention.
• Zhou Zong attempts to undermine Su Chen by revealing that he is a drifter, but Su Chen refuses to react.
• Old Zhao speaks privately with Su Chen, offering advice and sharing knowledge about ruins and the dangers beyond the city.
• Hu Xiang manipulates Old Zhao by falsely claiming that Su Chen died, creating a painful conflict between the captain’s authority and Old Zhao’s trust in Su Chen.
• The chapter ends with Su Chen facing two unknown attackers, setting up the coming confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Hu Xiang’s Dread: Why Was He Fine?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Two enemy Professionals ambush Su Chen in the fog after accurately locating him. They intend to abduct him rather than kill him.
• Chen Xing, a Strongman with the [Strength] ability, attacks first but quickly discovers that Su Chen is far more powerful than the information they received suggested.
• Su Chen counters with [Wind Erosion], inflicting severe elemental damage on Chen Xing’s arm.
• At the same time, blue-green fibers behind Su Chen form a spear-like chain that impales Chen Xing’s obese companion, killing him almost instantly.
• Su Chen then uses a blue-green armored fist to pierce Chen Xing’s body and kill him. The entire ambush ends within moments.
• Su Chen suspects that someone within the patrol group revealed his location. He considers Old Zhao but concludes that Hu Xiang is more likely responsible because Hu Xiang assigned the patrol schedules and positions.
• Su Chen searches the bodies, taking their wallets, bank cards, and several potions, then moves the corpses away.
• Hu Xiang and Old Zhao later arrive to fabricate an explanation for the bloodshed, planning to blame Corpse Beetles and leave injuries on Old Zhao to support the story.
• Before they can fully cover up the incident, the camp’s locator signals danger. They rush back and find the patrol guards on alert.
• Hu Xiang is shocked to see Su Chen alive and standing in the camp. Su Chen pretends to be concerned about Old Zhao’s injured arm, concealing the fact that he knows about the ambush.
• Hu Xiang unexpectedly excuses Su Chen from the remainder of his night-watch duty and assigns Zhou Zong to replace him. This confuses both Su Chen and the other patrol members.
• Back in his tent, Su Chen examines the items he took. He identifies two pale-gold cards as likely bank cards and recognizes the richer red potions with black sediment as Blackflame Potions, valuable Tier 1 items used when Profession advancement begins to slow.

Character Development

• Su Chen: Demonstrates dramatically greater combat ability than expected, combining [Wind Erosion] with his blue-green fiber or armor ability to kill two trained attackers effortlessly. He also shows caution and intelligence by hiding his knowledge of the conspiracy and observing Hu Xiang’s reactions. His ability to identify the stolen potions reflects his growing knowledge and preparation.
• Chen Xing: Begins the attack confidently and cautiously, but his assumptions about Su Chen’s strength collapse almost immediately. His hesitation to kill Su Chen and subsequent fear leave him vulnerable.
• Chen Xing’s companion: Relies on the pincer attack but is killed before he can contribute, becoming the first victim of Su Chen’s blue-green weapon.
• Hu Xiang: Revealed as a conspirator who arranged the conditions for Su Chen’s abduction, though he does not personally participate. His guilt, fear, and sudden leniency toward Su Chen suggest that he is worried about being exposed or has another motive.
• Old Zhao: Appears complicit but frightened and reluctant. He avoids Su Chen’s gaze and seems concerned that Hu Xiang’s cover-up will implicate him.
• Zhou Zong: Remains abrasive toward Su Chen, criticizing his desire to rest, but is forced to take over the watch when Hu Xiang unexpectedly defends Su Chen.
• Bai Fengxi: Quietly observes the strange behavior and appears suspicious, though she does not intervene.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and mistaken identity: The attackers believe Su Chen is merely a weak drifter, but his abilities vastly exceed their intelligence.
• Deception and concealment: Both sides hide their true intentions. Hu Xiang fabricates evidence, while Su Chen pretends ignorance to investigate the betrayal.
• Fear and uncertainty: Hu Xiang’s shock at finding Su Chen alive creates the chapter’s central mystery—why is Su Chen unharmed, and why does Hu Xiang suddenly treat him cautiously?
• Power imbalance: The attackers expect an easy abduction, but Su Chen reverses the situation instantly, emphasizing his growing dominance.
• Moral compromise and self-preservation: Hu Xiang and Old Zhao participate in the scheme because of personal pressure and desperation, showing how fear and need drive betrayal.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Chen and the two attackers clash in a brief but decisive battle, with Su Chen overwhelming both.
• Hu Xiang and Old Zhao cooperate in staging a false explanation for the deaths, but Old Zhao’s fear reveals tension between them.
• Su Chen deliberately acts concerned toward Old Zhao, creating an uncomfortable interaction in which Old Zhao knows he is implicated but cannot admit it.
• Hu Xiang abruptly protects Su Chen from further night duty, confusing the entire camp and raising further suspicion about his motives.
• Su Chen and Hu Xiang maintain a tense façade of normality while both conceal what they know.

Chapter Summary: “A Suddenly Appearing Ruin, Yuan Chenyang’s Looming Disaster”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen tests the Blackflame Potion, discovering that even a small sip produces intense, lava-like pain. Its effects clash with the [Molten Stone Training Method] but ultimately stimulate his body and increase his growth.
• In Southwind City, the city’s senior officials gather after the A2 southern Fortress Guard stops responding for over twenty-four hours, suggesting it has been breached.
• At the same time, the Research Department detects a sudden increase in fog concentration, indicating that a ruin may have appeared near the southern city.
• The suspected breach and ruin are located along the route of South Harvest Academy’s patrol team, which includes people important to Yuan Chenyang and Zhou Xian. The two immediately demand that a rescue mission be launched.
• City Lord Zhang Hongbo decides to personally lead an expedition, accompanied by Yuan Chenyang, Zhou Xian, and elite members of the Exploration Department.
• Yuan Chenyang is already under pressure because the thief who stole the Holy Word Stone was found dead before interrogation, while the stone remains missing. With Yingfeng’s people on their way, he risks being blamed for the loss or even suspected of silencing the thief.
• Jiang He returns from the purple stone door after successfully advancing to Tier 2. Her advancement weakens the influence of the Blood Oath Contract, increasing her freedom and power.
• Jiang Rong reveals that Yuan Chenyang was not behind Qi Chuan and that Bai Fengxi helped Su Chen enter the key training class. Jiang He realizes that Su Chen may still be useful in uncovering Qi Chuan’s activities.
• Su Chen senses that the Blood Oath Contract has likely been lifted or weakened, leaving him more vulnerable and anxious about his lack of security.
• Overnight, Su Chen raises the development of [Sky-Rending Warrior] from 30% to 32% and advances [Molten Stone Training Method] to 20% through continued potion use and training.
• The next morning, the expedition group prepares to move. Zhou Zong is exhausted from guarding Su Chen, while Hu Xiang grows increasingly suspicious after failing to find the expected corpse near Su Chen’s watch position.

Character Developments

• Su Chen continues rapidly strengthening himself through the Blackflame Potion and physical cultivation. He recognizes that he also needs a spiritual meditation method to advance his Mystic Artificer profession.
• Yuan Chenyang becomes increasingly trapped by circumstances. He is unable to explain the missing Holy Word Stone and now faces the additional danger of the southern Fortress Guard’s disappearance and the possible ruin.
• Zhou Xian shows strong concern because his son is part of the endangered patrol team, while also supporting the urgent rescue effort.
• Zhang Hongbo demonstrates decisive leadership by taking personal command of the response.
• Jiang He returns as a Tier 2 Professional, making her far more capable and reducing the Blood Oath Contract’s hold over her. Her interest in Su Chen intensifies, and she intends to regain the advantage over him.
• Jiang Rong continues piecing together the connections among Su Chen, Bai Fengxi, Qi Chuan, and Yuan Chenyang, viewing Su Chen as a possible means of uncovering Qi Chuan’s plans.
• Hu Xiang becomes suspicious of Su Chen’s hidden strength, wondering whether Su Chen secretly killed the attackers or whether an unknown danger in the fog eliminated them.

Significant Themes

• Power and insecurity: Su Chen grows stronger but feels less safe once the Blood Oath Contract weakens, showing that strength alone does not guarantee security.
• Political pressure and blame: Yuan Chenyang’s predicament illustrates how officials can become scapegoats when valuable resources disappear and internal cooperation is suspected.
• Hidden identities and manipulation: Nearly every faction is trying to understand or exploit Su Chen, while the truth behind the attacks and the stolen Holy Word Stone remains concealed.
• Ruin and opportunity: The possible ruin represents both a major danger and a source of enormous benefits, motivating the city’s leadership despite the risks.
• Rapid advancement: Su Chen and Jiang He both progress significantly, setting up a widening power struggle between them.

Character Interactions

• City officials confront Yuan Chenyang over the missing Holy Word Stone, but Zhang Hongbo interrupts the dispute to announce the southern crisis.
• Yuan Chenyang and Zhou Xian urgently push for a rescue because their student and son are among those potentially endangered.
• Jiang Rong informs Jiang He of Su Chen’s connection to Bai Fengxi and explains how Yuan Chenyang’s current troubles may help them investigate Qi Chuan.
• Jiang He’s renewed interest in Su Chen suggests a future confrontation, especially now that she has reached Tier 2.
• Hu Xiang silently observes Su Chen and struggles to determine whether Su Chen is concealing overwhelming strength or merely survived an external threat.

Chapter Summary: The Azure-Scaled Lion Pack!

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The group continues traveling through the mist and reaches another camp after a full day of exhausting travel.
• Su Chen claims to be ill and asks Captain Hu Xiang to excuse him from watch duty. Hu agrees without question, suggesting he may understand or suspect Su Chen’s intentions.
• Zhou Zong also tries to avoid watch duty, but Hu Xiang harshly assigns him the first shift, exposing his dislike and favoritism toward Su Chen.
• During the night watch, Zhou Zong angrily curses Hu Xiang and Su Chen. A veteran guard senses danger, and enormous green eyes appear in the darkness.
• Zhou Zong abandons his post and runs back to camp, shouting that the enemy is attacking.
• An Azure-Scaled Giant Lion, a Tier 2 mutant nearly ten meters tall, breaks through the camp’s defenses. Numerous smaller Azure-Scaled Lions follow, surrounding the camp and forming a deadly pack.
• Hu Xiang organizes the City Patrol Guard into a defensive formation and confronts the giant lion. Bai Fengxi reveals that she is a Tier 1 Professional with elemental abilities and joins the battle.
• Gunfire and explosives have little effect on the lions’ tough azure scales. More than twenty lions charge the camp, including at least a dozen Tier 1 mutants, causing the students to panic and scatter.
• A Tier 1 lion pursues Zhou Zong. Trying to save himself and harm Su Chen, Zhou Zong runs toward him and attempts to use him as a shield.
• Su Chen remains completely unmoved by Zhou Zong’s attempt to drag him away, revealing extraordinary strength. He then grabs Zhou Zong instead.
• Bai Fengxi kicks the charging lion away and warns Su Chen that killing Zhou Zong publicly would create trouble. Su Chen casually throws Zhou Zong aside, leaving him terrified by the realization that Su Chen is far stronger than he appears.

2. Character Developments

• Su Chen: Continues hiding his true abilities while calmly observing the situation. His effortless resistance against Zhou Zong confirms that his physical strength far exceeds that of an ordinary person, possibly even surpassing Zhou Zong’s expectations by a large margin.
• Hu Xiang: Demonstrates strict authority and obvious favoritism toward Su Chen. His grim reaction to the lion pack shows that even as a Tier 2 Professional, he recognizes the danger of being surrounded by so many mutants.
• Zhou Zong: Becomes increasingly resentful and cowardly. He abandons his watch post, endangers others while fleeing, and tries to sacrifice Su Chen to save himself. His confidence collapses when he discovers Su Chen cannot be moved.
• Bai Fengxi: Reveals herself as a Tier 1 Professional with ice-based elemental power. She acts decisively in battle and prevents Su Chen from openly killing Zhou Zong, showing both combat ability and awareness of the political consequences.
• City Patrol Guard and students: The guards maintain discipline under pressure, while the students panic and scatter when confronted by the overwhelming mutant attack.

3. Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and deception: Su Chen deliberately appears weak, but his effortless display of power exposes the gap between his public image and reality.
• Cowardice versus responsibility: Zhou Zong abandons others for his own survival, contrasting with the guards and Professionals who stand against the lion pack.
• Favoritism and power struggles: Hu Xiang’s treatment of Su Chen and Zhou Zong highlights personal loyalties and tensions within the group.
• Survival under overwhelming danger: The attack emphasizes how fragile the group’s defenses are in the mist-filled wilderness.
• Consequences of violence: Bai Fengxi’s warning shows that killing an enemy openly can create complications beyond the immediate battle.

4. Character Interactions

• Hu Xiang accepts Su Chen’s request for rest but humiliates Zhou Zong by forcing him to take the first watch.
• Zhou Zong repeatedly curses both Hu Xiang and Su Chen, deepening the hostility between them.
• During the attack, Zhou Zong tries to use Su Chen as bait or a shield, but Su Chen effortlessly reverses the situation by seizing him.
• Bai Fengxi intervenes by kicking the lion away and warning Su Chen not to kill Zhou Zong publicly.
• Zhou Zong is left stunned and frightened when he realizes that Su Chen’s apparent weakness is entirely deceptive.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The camp is attacked by a large group of Azure-Scaled Lions while Hu Xiang battles the powerful lion leader. The defenders are steadily losing ground, and Hu Xiang fears that the camp’s destruction will leave him vulnerable as well.
• Hu Xiang repeatedly calls on Su Chen to intervene, promising to explain the hidden circumstances afterward and even swearing on his unconscious wife. Su Chen finally decides to reveal some of his strength, partly because he wants to force Hu Xiang to expose whoever is behind the situation.
• Su Chen enters the battle using the combined abilities of the Sky-Rending Warrior, Mystic Artificer, and especially the Tier 2 weapon Blue-Iron Lock Cable. He moves through the camp like a blur, piercing the skulls of the Azure-Scaled Lions and killing more than a dozen Tier 1 mutated creatures almost instantly.
• His sudden display of power shocks Bai Fengxi, Liu Liang, Hu Xiang, and the rest of the camp. The survivors realize that Su Chen, whom they regarded as a refugee, is far stronger than expected.
• Terrified by Su Chen’s overwhelming strength, the Azure-Scaled Lion leader abandons its fight with Hu Xiang and retreats into the darkness.
• After the battle, the camp treats its wounded. Although most injuries are minor, several guards may be permanently disabled after protecting the students.
• Zhou Zong is accidentally crushed by a fleeing lion after Su Chen’s mental interference briefly freezes him. His death appears to be an accident, but City Patrol Guard Tang Chen is visibly relieved because there may still be a chance to conceal the truth.
• Hu Xiang orders Zhou Zong’s body collected and then approaches Su Chen, asking to speak with him privately.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Reveals that he possesses combat strength far beyond what others believed. Although his attack appears effortless, it consumes considerable energy and relies on multiple abilities and a Tier 2 item. He remains guarded and refuses to explain his true identity or abilities to Bai Fengxi.
• Hu Xiang: Becomes increasingly impressed and wary of Su Chen, suspecting that he may be a Tier 2 Professional. He understands why Su Chen delayed acting but still recognizes that Su Chen saved the camp. His promise to explain the situation shows how desperate he is to gain Su Chen’s help.
• Bai Fengxi: Her assumptions about Su Chen are overturned. She knew he was concealing strength but is shocked by the scale of his abilities and begins pressing him for answers more directly.
• Liu Liang and the other survivors: Their attitude shifts from suspicion and condescension toward admiration and gratitude. They can no longer dismiss Su Chen as merely a refugee.
• Zhou Zong: Dies suddenly and violently, ending his immediate threat. His death creates uncertainty because the true cause—Su Chen’s interference followed by the lion’s trampling—could have serious consequences if discovered.
• Tang Chen: Shows fear and relief, suggesting that he may have been connected to Zhou Zong or worried about the exposure of their actions.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and strategic concealment: Su Chen deliberately hides his capabilities, revealing them only when circumstances force him to act.
• Power and reputation: A single overwhelming battle changes how the entire camp views Su Chen, demonstrating how strength can instantly alter social standing.
• Trust and manipulation: Hu Xiang appeals to Su Chen through his devotion to his wife, while Su Chen acts partly to extract information from him.
• Consequences and secrecy: Zhou Zong’s death may appear accidental, but the characters understand that its true circumstances could cause trouble.
• Survival and sacrifice: The guards suffer serious injuries while protecting the students, emphasizing the unequal burdens carried during the crisis.

Character Interactions

• Hu Xiang repeatedly urges Su Chen to help, while Su Chen remains deliberately unmoved until Hu Xiang swears on his wife.
• Bai Fengxi watches Su Chen closely and later confronts him about his hidden abilities. He refuses to satisfy her curiosity, maintaining their playful but tense exchange.
• Hu Xiang reprimands a subordinate who criticizes Su Chen for delaying, recognizing that Su Chen ultimately saved everyone.
• The survivors discuss Su Chen with a mixture of awe, disbelief, and gratitude.
• After Zhou Zong’s death, Hu Xiang questions the witnesses and quietly accepts the explanation that a lion trampled him. The chapter ends with Hu Xiang seeking a private conversation with Su Chen, suggesting that the promised explanation—and the larger conspiracy—will soon be revealed.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen and Hu Xiang discuss the aftermath of the battle and the potential consequences with Zhou Xian, the head of the Internal Affairs Hall.
• Hu Xiang reveals that Qi Chuan hired him to kill Su Chen, offering a lead on the Mist Nightmare Pearl in exchange.
• Su Chen blackmails Hu Xiang, threatening to keep an eye on his wife if he doesn't pay the debt for his failed assassination attempt.
• Hu Xiang decides to cut the watch perimeter in half and allows the students to rest, showing a more considerate side.
• Tang Chen is caught searching Zhou Zong's corpse by Hu Xiang, who cuffs him.

Character Developments

• Su Chen demonstrates his sharp mind and cunning, outmaneuvering Hu Xiang and extracting a confession.
• Hu Xiang shows a more caring side after the battle, comforting and encouraging the students, and cutting the watch perimeter in half to allow them to rest.
• Tang Chen is revealed to be disloyal, searching Zhou Zong's corpse for unknown reasons.

Significant Themes

• Trust and betrayal: Hu Xiang's initial betrayal and subsequent attempt to make amends, as well as Tang Chen's disloyalty.
• Consequences of actions: The aftermath of the battle and the potential consequences with Zhou Xian.
• Power dynamics: Su Chen's manipulation of Hu Xiang and Hu Xiang's authority over the students.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Hu Xiang: Their interaction reveals Hu Xiang's past actions and Su Chen's cunning, leading to a tense but somewhat understanding relationship.
• Hu Xiang and the students: Hu Xiang shows a more caring side, comforting and encouraging the students after the battle.
• Hu Xiang and Tang Chen: Hu Xiang catches Tang Chen searching Zhou Zong's corpse, leading to a tense confrontation.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Xiang secretly informs Su Chen that someone searched Zhou Zong’s corpse, prompting Su Chen to inspect it himself.
• Su Chen discovers a thin sheet hidden in Zhou Zong’s clothing—the stolen record concerning the [Space Storage User] Profession.
• A more thorough search reveals two tiny black metal cubes concealed in Zhou Zong’s shoes. Inside each is a colorful crystal identified by the system as a Spatial Crystal.
• Su Chen realizes Zhou Zong was unknowingly being used to transport important items connected to Southwind Academy’s theft and suspects that people within the City Patrol Guard may be involved.
• Concerned that Zhou Zong’s father may know about the items and that he will become a suspect if they disappear, Su Chen considers surrendering them.
• The system offers him a chance to undergo partial Profession advancement by sacrificing both Spatial Crystals. Su Chen accepts.
• He unlocks the ability Storage Space, a one-cubic-meter portable spatial compartment capable of storing objects through spiritual power.
• Su Chen destroys evidence that he searched Zhou Zong’s body, then gives Hu Xiang a vague warning to monitor whoever tampered with the corpse.
• Su Chen seeks out Bai Fengxi to ask about “Old Yuan,” apparently trying to understand Yuan Chenyang’s character and possible involvement in the situation.
• Before the conversation develops, several powerful figures arrive at the camp in large tracked war vehicles, including Southwind City’s City Lord Zhang Hongbo, Inspector Yuan, and Zhou Xian, Zhou Zong’s father.
• Hu Xiang is alarmed, realizing Zhou Xian’s presence will place intense scrutiny on Su Chen and Zhou Zong’s corpse.

2. Character Developments

• Su Chen remains suspicious and cautious, refusing to trust Hu Xiang completely. His investigation demonstrates his resourcefulness, perception, and willingness to exploit opportunities even in dangerous circumstances.
• He gains a major new ability through an unconventional compromise: partial advancement of the [Space Storage User] Profession. His excitement shows how valuable the ability is to him, despite the danger of possessing the Spatial Crystals.
• Hu Xiang continues acting as a cautious ally. He is concerned about the corpse investigation and tries to protect the camp, but he remains unsure how much Su Chen knows. His observations also reveal a tendency to make assumptions about Su Chen’s motives and romantic relationships.
• Bai Fengxi is positioned as someone Su Chen trusts enough to question about Yuan Chenyang, though their conversation is interrupted.
• Zhou Zong is revealed to have been used as an unwitting carrier for highly sensitive items.
• Zhou Xian’s arrival dramatically raises the stakes, as his position and personal connection to Zhou Zong suggest that he may closely investigate his son’s death and the missing objects.

3. Significant Themes

• Opportunity within danger: Su Chen turns a potentially disastrous discovery into a chance to advance his Profession.
• Secrecy and mistrust: Nearly every character withholds information, and Su Chen must constantly judge who may be investigating or manipulating events.
• Power and political entanglement: The stolen items are linked not only to Southwind Academy but also to the City Patrol Guard and influential city officials.
• Pragmatism and moral ambiguity: Su Chen prioritizes survival and personal advancement, concealing evidence and taking advantage of Zhou Zong’s corpse without hesitation.
• Hidden networks and conspiracies: The smuggling of the Profession record and Spatial Crystals suggests a broader scheme involving insiders and powerful organizations.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Hu Xiang: Their exchange is tense but cooperative. Hu Xiang warns him about the corpse, while Su Chen challenges his motives and later gives him an intentionally ambiguous warning.
• Su Chen and Zhou Zong’s corpse: Su Chen conducts a secret, highly thorough search, discovers the hidden items, and deliberately damages the clothing and shoes to conceal what he has done.
• Su Chen and Bai Fengxi: Su Chen approaches her privately and cautiously asks about Yuan Chenyang, indicating that he is gathering information about the people connected to the mystery.
• Hu Xiang and Tang Chen: Hu Xiang reinforces Tang Chen’s restraints and prevents him from committing suicide, showing his attention to security.
• Hu Xiang and the arriving officials: Hu Xiang is visibly shocked by the arrival of Zhang Hongbo, Inspector Yuan, and especially Zhou Xian. Their presence immediately transforms the corpse incident into a much more dangerous political problem.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Crimson Exploration Guards arrive at the camp under City Lord Zhang Hongbo’s command after learning that the Fortress Guards in Area A2 have disappeared.
• Zhang learns that Hu Xiang’s group was attacked twice by an Azure-Scaled Lion pack. The group suffered twelve minor injuries, seven serious injuries, and one death.
• The casualty is revealed to be Zhou Zong, the son of Inspection Department head Zhou Xian.
• Zhou Xian reacts violently, accusing Hu Xiang of deliberately causing his son’s death and attacking him with lightning. Zhang Hongbo intervenes and prevents the attack, insisting that Hu Xiang must be allowed to explain what happened.
• Zhou Xian goes to inspect his son’s body but discovers it has been placed in Su Chen’s tent. This immediately raises suspicion and fury.
• Su Chen emerges from the tent, followed by Bai Fengxi. Yuan Chenyang recognizes Bai Fengxi and becomes hostile toward Su Chen, but Su Chen suddenly calls Yuan “Teacher” and presents the stolen Holy Word Stone.
• Su Chen claims that, following Yuan Chenyang’s orders, he investigated the City Patrol Guard and recovered the Holy Word Stone. His statement cleverly makes it appear that Yuan had orchestrated the investigation all along.
• Yuan Chenyang quickly accepts the deception, publicly claiming Su Chen as his student and praising him. Zhang Hongbo also commends Yuan for his supposed far-reaching plan.
• Zhou Xian questions why his son’s body was in Su Chen’s tent. Su Chen then claims that the Holy Word Stone was found on Zhou Zong, shocking Yuan and prompting him to warn Su Chen not to make reckless accusations.

Character Developments

• Hu Xiang demonstrates competence by defending the camp against the mutant beasts, but he is placed under intense pressure when Zhou Xian’s son is revealed to be among the dead. He attempts to use the situation to protect Su Chen, though his plan initially fails.
• Zhou Xian shifts from grief to murderous rage after learning of Zhou Zong’s death. His anger diminishes somewhat after the Holy Word Stone is produced, suggesting that the artifact’s importance may outweigh his immediate desire for revenge.
• Zhang Hongbo acts as a calm and powerful mediator. He protects Hu Xiang, comforts the frightened students, and carefully observes the suspicious interactions surrounding Su Chen and Yuan Chenyang.
• Su Chen proves himself highly resourceful and audacious. He manipulates the situation by pretending to be Yuan Chenyang’s student and presenting the Holy Word Stone, then boldly implicates Zhou Zong in the artifact’s theft.
• Yuan Chenyang is initially suspicious and hostile toward Su Chen, especially after seeing Bai Fengxi emerge from Su Chen’s tent. However, recognizing the value of Su Chen’s lie and the Holy Word Stone, he improvises and publicly accepts Su Chen as his student.
• Bai Fengxi silently supports Su Chen’s deception by emerging with him and giving Yuan an imperceptible signal, confirming that she is cooperating with the plan.
• Zhou Zong, though dead, becomes central to the conflict because his corpse and possible connection to the Holy Word Stone threaten to reshape everyone’s understanding of the incident.

Significant Themes

• Improvisation and deception: Su Chen survives a dangerous confrontation by inventing a relationship with Yuan Chenyang and using the Holy Word Stone to make the lie convincing.
• Power and authority: Zhang Hongbo’s intervention shows the difference between personal anger and institutional control, while Yuan and Zhou struggle over influence and reputation.
• Grief versus political calculation: Zhou Xian is devastated by his son’s death, but the appearance of the Holy Word Stone forces him to reconsider the situation in practical terms.
• Appearance and hidden motives: The corpse’s placement in Su Chen’s tent, Bai Fengxi’s presence, and the artifact’s revelation all create misleading appearances that conceal deeper plans.
• Turning danger into advantage: Su Chen transforms a situation that could have led to his arrest or death into an opportunity to gain Yuan Chenyang’s protection and redirect suspicion toward Zhou Zong.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Hongbo and Hu Xiang: Zhang questions Hu Xiang about the battle and protects him from Zhou Xian’s attack.
• Zhang Hongbo and Zhou Xian: Zhang restrains Zhou’s rage while acknowledging his grief and insisting on a proper explanation.
• Zhou Xian and Su Chen: Their confrontation is driven by the discovery that Zhou Zong’s body was in Su Chen’s tent. Su Chen escalates the conflict by claiming Zhou Zong possessed the Holy Word Stone.
• Su Chen and Yuan Chenyang: Su Chen unexpectedly presents himself as Yuan’s subordinate, forcing Yuan to accept the false relationship. Their interaction becomes a tense exchange of manipulation and mutual calculation.
• Su Chen and Bai Fengxi: Bai’s silent cooperation helps reinforce Su Chen’s fabricated identity as Yuan’s student.
• Yuan Chenyang and Zhang Hongbo: Zhang praises Yuan for the supposed investigation, while Yuan is forced to maintain the illusion despite being caught off guard.

Chapter Summary: “Black Pagoda, Cult of the Strange Gods”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen reveals that Captain Hu Xiang discovered Zhou Xian’s insider within the City Patrol Guard: Tang Chen, who searched Zhou Zong’s corpse after Zhou’s death.
• Tang Chen is brought before City Lord Zhang Hongbo and magically interrogated. Before he can identify who ordered the search, black markings spread across his body, a vertical eye appears on his head, and his head explodes.
• The incident exposes Tang Chen as a hidden believer of the Black Pagoda, a faction of the Cult of the Strange Gods. The revelation suggests that the Holy Word Stone theft is connected to a dangerous cult.
• Suspicion shifts toward Zhou Xian. Yuan Chenyang accuses him of knowingly helping Zhou Zong bypass the Inspection Guard’s search and smuggle out the Holy Word Stone. Zhou Xian denies involvement, but Yuan believes he is lying.
• Zhang Hongbo postpones further investigation, orders the groups to return to the city, and declares that the students’ city patrol assignment is complete because they endured two unusually severe attacks.
• Zhou Xian publicly mourns his son’s corpse, but Yuan Chenyang dismisses the display as an insincere attempt to gain sympathy.
• In private, Yuan questions Su Chen about his origins, his knowledge of the Holy Word Stone, and his professional class. Su Chen gives a carefully constructed story claiming that his parents left him the Sky-Rending Warrior profession and that he had secretly worked toward meeting its requirements.
• Su Chen reveals that the profession is first-tier top grade, shocking Yuan and Bai Fengxi. He offers to teach it to Yuan, using its value to strengthen their relationship.
• Yuan accepts Su Chen as his student and advises him to conceal the profession’s true origin, claiming if necessary that Yuan himself gave it to him.
• The chapter ends with the announcement that Zhang Hongbo will conduct detailed physical examinations on the City Patrol Guard and all students to detect hidden injuries or other abnormalities.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Demonstrates considerable political awareness and strategic manipulation. He shares credit with Hu Xiang, uses the Tang Chen incident to expose the cult connection, and successfully presents a convincing false history to Yuan Chenyang. By offering the Sky-Rending Warrior profession, he gains Yuan’s protection and formally becomes his student.
• Yuan Chenyang: Becomes increasingly suspicious of Zhou Xian but recognizes Su Chen’s usefulness and talent. Though he doubts Su Chen’s story, he accepts him as a student and chooses not to investigate further.
• Zhang Hongbo: Shows powerful mental-control abilities and a cautious approach to the crisis. He identifies the Black Pagoda threat, prevents the investigation from escalating immediately, and prioritizes returning the students safely.
• Zhou Xian: His apparent grief over Zhou Zong’s death is portrayed as manipulative. He remains under suspicion because of his role in weakening the inspection process.
• Hu Xiang: Receives credit for detaining Tang Chen and discovering the insider, but his earlier failure to properly inspect Zhou Zong leaves him anxious and vulnerable to blame.
• Bai Fengxi: Quietly confirms Su Chen’s identity and supports his connection with Yuan, while reacting with surprise to the quality of his profession.

Significant Themes

• Hidden conspiracies and corruption: The Holy Word Stone theft reaches into official institutions, with insiders and possible collusion between powerful figures.
• The danger of the Cult of the Strange Gods: Tang Chen’s horrifying death establishes the cult’s fanaticism and supernatural influence.
• Trust and deception: Su Chen gains Yuan’s trust through a mixture of truth, carefully chosen lies, and valuable information. The chapter emphasizes that alliances are often built on controlled disclosure rather than honesty.
• Power and protection: Possessing a rare, high-grade profession gives Su Chen leverage and allows him to secure Yuan as a powerful backer.
• Political maneuvering: The various guards, agencies, and officials are hampered by rivalries, making the truth difficult to uncover.
• Public appearance versus reality: Zhou Xian’s grief appears performative, while Su Chen’s sincere-looking explanations conceal much of the truth.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Hu Xiang: Su Chen credits Hu Xiang with finding Tang Chen, helping the captain avoid blame and strengthening their cooperation.
• Zhang Hongbo and Tang Chen: Zhang uses mind control to interrogate Tang Chen, triggering the Black Pagoda’s lethal safeguard.
• Yuan Chenyang and Zhou Xian: Yuan directly accuses Zhou Xian of knowingly aiding the smuggling of the Holy Word Stone, while Zhou Xian insists he was framed.
• Yuan Chenyang and Su Chen: Yuan interrogates Su Chen about his background but ultimately accepts him as a student after learning about the rare Sky-Rending Warrior profession.
• Su Chen and Bai Fengxi: Bai confirms Su Chen’s identity and silently supports his bid for Yuan’s protection.

Chapter Summary: The Aggrieved Party: How Did Everything Change Overnight?!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yuan Chenyang learns that Zhang Hongbo intends to search the returning group, likely because of suspicions surrounding Zhou Xian and possible cult activity.
• Su Chen warns Yuan Chenyang that Zhou Xian appeared to be hiding something, but Yuan explains that Zhou Xian is too politically powerful to confront without evidence.
• Bai Fengxi explains the nature of the Strange Gods, powerful beings who grant abilities through sacrifice but eventually drive their followers insane. Black Pagoda is revealed to be one such Strange God.
• Su Chen discovers that Bai Fengxi is not truly Yuan Chenyang’s student. Yuan is only her senior brother and accepted her as a student on behalf of their mutual teacher. This secret is known only to Su Chen and the City Lord.
• Zhang Hongbo investigates the deaths of the Azure-Scaled Lions. Hu Xiang’s earlier promise to “give Su Chen an explanation” raises suspicion that he may have colluded with outsiders, but Zhang ultimately dismisses the matter because Hu Xiang helped protect Su Chen.
• Zhang learns that Su Chen killed twelve first-tier mutants and fifteen ordinary mutants almost single-handedly in under ten minutes. Yuan conceals the full extent of Su Chen’s abilities by claiming that he possesses a Brilliant Silver physical-combat talent.
• Zhang orders a thorough search of the group, partly because of Tang Chen’s connection to the Strange Gods and partly because three Spatial Crystals previously disappeared from Cloudwave. No suspicious items are found.
• The group returns to Southwind City after three days. Su Chen has used the journey to train, increasing his Molten Stone Training Method to 10% proficiency and his Sky-Rending Warrior skill to 36%.
• Hu Xiang promises to calculate the value of the Azure-Scaled Lions and send Su Chen his share of the earnings.
• Zhou Xian learns that Su Chen is far stronger than expected and, more importantly, is now Yuan Chenyang’s student. Furious over Zhou Zong’s death, he orders Qi Chuan to investigate Su Chen completely.

Character Developments

• Su Chen becomes more cautious and politically aware. He recognizes that his survival depends on maintaining a low profile while using Yuan Chenyang’s protection. His strength is also revealed to be far greater than most people realize.
• Yuan Chenyang increasingly acts as Su Chen’s protector and mentor. Although he sees through Su Chen’s attempts to influence him, he still chooses to shield him from Zhou Xian and conceal his true abilities.
• Bai Fengxi reveals a rare playful side when teasing Su Chen about their senior-junior relationship. Her hidden background and connection to Yuan Chenyang deepen the mystery surrounding her.
• Zhang Hongbo is shown to be cautious and politically pragmatic. He suspects wrongdoing but refuses to act without concrete evidence, while also taking Su Chen’s combat ability seriously.
• Hu Xiang narrowly avoids punishment for his earlier cooperation with outsiders. His gratitude toward Su Chen is reinforced, and he remains responsible for handling the reward for the slain mutants.
• Zhou Xian shifts from suspicion to open hostility. Su Chen’s strength and connection to Yuan Chenyang convince him that Su Chen may be responsible for Zhou Zong’s death.
• Qi Chuan is shocked by how drastically Su Chen’s status has changed and is forced to investigate him under threat of severe consequences.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identities and shifting perceptions: Su Chen was believed to be a powerless refugee, but his strength and new affiliation reveal that appearances can be deliberately misleading.
• Political protection and power structures: Talent alone is not enough; Su Chen’s safety depends heavily on Yuan Chenyang’s status and willingness to protect him.
• Trust and secrecy: Su Chen, Yuan Chenyang, and Bai Fengxi form a fragile network of mutual confidence, but each continues to conceal important information.
• The dangers of forbidden power: Strange Gods offer extraordinary abilities at the cost of sanity, highlighting the destructive consequences of pursuing power through dangerous means.
• Evidence versus suspicion: Zhang Hongbo’s refusal to punish Zhou Xian or Hu Xiang without proof contrasts with Zhou Xian’s increasingly emotional and assumption-driven accusations.
• Rapid reversal of status: Su Chen’s absence changes how everyone views him; what was once a hidden, vulnerable identity becomes that of a dangerous and valuable rising talent.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Yuan Chenyang: Su Chen tries to alert his teacher to Zhou Xian’s suspicious behavior, while Yuan sees through his manipulation but still agrees to protect him.
• Su Chen and Bai Fengxi: Their relationship becomes more familiar and teasing. Bai Fengxi reveals her true connection to Yuan Chenyang, surprising Su Chen.
• Zhang Hongbo and Hu Xiang: Zhang interrogates Hu Xiang about his dealings with Su Chen but ultimately lets him go after weighing his merits and faults.
• Zhang Hongbo and Yuan Chenyang: They discuss Su Chen’s strength, Zhou Xian’s suspected involvement, and the missing Spatial Crystals, revealing both cooperation and underlying distrust.
• Zhou Xian and Qi Chuan: Zhou Xian blames Qi Chuan for misjudging Su Chen and demands a complete investigation, making clear that Qi Chuan’s future depends on the results.

Chapter Summary: “Molten Stone Power”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang He returns to the academy and wonders whether Su Chen successfully exposed or baited Qi Chuan’s people during the ruins-related city patrol.
• She overhears Liu Liang enthusiastically praising Su Chen’s achievements:
  • Su Chen defeated nearly an entire pack of Azure-Scaled Lions, including surviving a fight with their second-tier mutant leader.
  • He solved the academy theft case by infiltrating the city patrol and recovering the stolen goods.
  • He is supposedly Vice Principal Yuan Chenyang’s student and was praised by the City Lord.
• Liu Liang publicly calls Jiang He “sister-in-law,” embarrassing and irritating her while fueling rumors about her relationship with Su Chen.
• Su Chen goes with Bai Fengxi to Yuan Chenyang’s villa and asks about spiritual meditation techniques, hoping to cultivate both physical and spiritual professions.
• Bai Fengxi explains that spiritual talent is categorized into grades such as Bronze, Brilliant Silver, and Red Gold, with talent affecting cultivation speed and professional development. She cautions Su Chen to test his aptitude before investing time.
• Little Pigeon returns home and discovers that Su Chen will be living there. She jokes suspiciously about Su Chen’s motives and reminds him of the hard labor he once assigned her.
• Bai Fengxi provides Su Chen with food, nutrient solutions, and Blood-Activating Potions. Yuan Chenyang remains absent for several days.
• Su Chen spends four or five days cultivating the Molten Stone Training Method, consuming seven or eight bottles of potion.
• The method finally reaches the Master level, granting him the ability Molten Stone Power. His skin becomes extremely hard, resembling stone, and a dagger can barely scratch it.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Demonstrates increasing strength, ambition, and confidence. He seeks to broaden his abilities by pursuing spiritual cultivation in addition to physical development. His mastery of the Molten Stone Training Method gives him a powerful defensive ability, strengthening his belief in the advantages of his mysterious system.
• Jiang He: Becomes more aware of Su Chen’s extraordinary accomplishments and strength. Though embarrassed by the rumors linking them romantically, she is clearly impressed and intrigued by his progress.
• Bai Fengxi: Acts as Su Chen’s guardian and provider while maintaining a blunt, practical attitude. She is willing to help him but grows frustrated by his appetite for potions and his tendency to impose on her generosity.
• Little Pigeon: Remains outspoken and mischievous. Her teasing familiarity with Su Chen suggests a close relationship, while her comments reveal that she remembers and resents his earlier demands.
• Liu Liang: Becomes one of Su Chen’s enthusiastic supporters, exaggerating or embellishing his accomplishments and openly defending his reputation.

Significant Themes

• Reputation and rumor: Su Chen’s achievements quickly become academy gossip, with Liu Liang turning him into a heroic figure and linking him romantically with Jiang He.
• Talent versus effort: Bai Fengxi emphasizes that spiritual cultivation depends heavily on innate talent, while Su Chen’s system allows him to bypass much of the uncertainty through guaranteed rewards for reaching mastery.
• Growth through mastery: The chapter highlights the value of persistent cultivation and the dramatic abilities that emerge when a Training Method reaches the Master level.
• Physical strength and defense: Molten Stone Power marks a major improvement in Su Chen’s durability, reinforcing his development into a formidable combatant.
• Dependence and family-like bonds: Su Chen’s stay with Bai Fengxi and Little Pigeon creates a domestic, familial atmosphere, despite the teasing and occasional irritation between them.

Character Interactions

• Jiang He overhears Liu Liang’s praise and is embarrassed when he calls her Su Chen’s “sister-in-law.”
• Bai Fengxi and Su Chen discuss spiritual talent and cultivation, with Bai Fengxi criticizing his ambition while still offering assistance.
• Little Pigeon teases Su Chen about living with Bai Fengxi and challenges his treatment of her in the past.
• Bai Fengxi supplies Su Chen with potions and nourishment, though his repeated requests visibly test her patience.
• After mastering the technique, Su Chen tests his new stone-like skin and realizes that his defensive power may rival that of specialized first-tier defensive professions.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen considers learning multiple Body Forging Methods rather than specializing in only one. His [Scholar] profession allows him to rapidly increase proficiency, making the lower initial efficiency of unfamiliar methods worthwhile in exchange for gaining diverse abilities.
• With Old Yuan’s support, Su Chen expects access to the large number of training resources this plan will require. His [Sky-Rending Warrior] development has reached 41%.
• Yuan Chenyang returns home exhausted and informs Su Chen that he must transfer to the Inspection Department.
• The Southwind Academy receives one annual quota to enter the Yingfeng Tribunal, an elite institution and “cradle” for future leaders. Su Chen’s emergence threatened Zhang Hengyu, the City Lord’s son, who had originally been expected to receive the quota.
• City Lord Zhang Hongbo attempts to suppress Su Chen by sealing his file. Yuan Chenyang negotiates a compromise: Su Chen will not compete for this year’s quota, but Zhang Hongbo will remove Su Chen’s “drifter” status from his file the following year.
• Yuan explains that Su Chen’s drifter background places him at a political disadvantage because the upper powers distrust drifters becoming leaders. The Inspection Department will instead provide Su Chen with a safer environment to develop, and Yuan promises to protect him from excessive work or interference.
• Su Chen immediately requests training resources, including a Body Forging Method, meditation method, auxiliary potions, and information related to the [Scholar] profession.
• Yuan advises him to focus on his physical development and reveals that the Inspection Department possesses information for advancing to the second-tier [Storm Hunter] profession.
• Yuan tests Su Chen’s innate talents using two mysterious hemispherical devices. His physical talent is measured as Brilliant Silver, already considered quite high.
• When Su Chen tests his mental talent, the device produces a dazzling Scarlet-Gold beam—an extraordinarily rare result. Yuan is stunned and calls Su Chen “a pearl lost in the vast sea.”

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Demonstrates strategic thinking by planning to master several training methods. He remains ambitious and resourceful, immediately seeking methods to expand his abilities. His testing reveals that he possesses exceptional mental talent, validating his belief that his mental aptitude is unusually strong.
• Yuan Chenyang: Acts as a protective mentor and political negotiator. Although he initially pretends to be unable to help, he has already secured a major future benefit for Su Chen by arranging the removal of his drifter status. He also begins taking Su Chen’s unusual potential more seriously.
• Bai Fengxi: Continues to serve as a knowledgeable intermediary, clarifying the significance of the Tribunal quota and helping Yuan explain matters to Su Chen.
• Zhang Hongbo and Zhang Hengyu: Though absent, they emerge as political obstacles. Zhang Hongbo tries to suppress Su Chen to protect his son’s position, while Zhang Hengyu is established as the talent who originally held the strongest claim to the Tribunal opportunity.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus effort: Su Chen’s [Scholar] ability lets him compensate for limited proficiency and potentially imitate or enhance innate talent through relentless study.
• Political prejudice and social status: Su Chen’s drifter background limits his opportunities, showing that institutional power is shaped by history and social hierarchy, not ability alone.
• Mentorship and loyalty: Yuan’s actions show that accepting Su Chen as a student entails genuine responsibility and protection.
• Hidden potential: Su Chen’s extraordinary Scarlet-Gold mental talent suggests that his abilities are far greater than previously recognized, possibly enhanced or revealed through the influence of [Scholar].
• Power and competition: The Tribunal quota illustrates how elite institutions serve as battlegrounds for political succession and influence.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Yuan discuss Su Chen’s forced transfer, the Tribunal quota, and the political maneuvering surrounding his drifter status.
• Yuan tests Su Chen’s physical and mental talents, shifting the conversation from skepticism about Su Chen’s ambitions to astonishment at his exceptional potential.
• Bai Fengxi corrects Yuan’s assumptions and helps explain the importance of the quota.
• Su Chen and Yuan develop a more trusting mentor-student relationship, with Su Chen openly asking for resources and Yuan promising protection and guidance.

Chapter Summary: Wind Armor at 50% Development

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yuan Chenyang and Bai Fengxi discover that Su Chen possesses an exceptionally rare Scarlet-Gold/Red Gold mental talent, in addition to his previously known Brilliant Silver physical talent.
• Yuan Chenyang is thrilled but immediately insists that the information remain secret. High-level mental talents are valuable to the Cult of the Strange Gods, and Black Pagoda Believers have already infiltrated Southwind City’s City Patrol Guard.
• Yuan Chenyang considers sending Su Chen to Yingfeng for advanced training, but Su Chen’s refugee background creates political and security concerns. Refugees are distrusted because they are believed to be more vulnerable to Cult manipulation and less suited for important future positions.
• Because Su Chen’s records are already stored in Southwind Academy, changing his background would require overcoming Zhang Hongbo’s influence. Yuan Chenyang plans to contact his own teacher through advanced communication equipment in the ruins.
• Su Chen calmly accepts the possibility of waiting a year, reassuring Yuan Chenyang that stability matters more than rushing his advancement.
• Su Chen reveals that he has already taken the Arcane Apprentice profession. Yuan Chenyang promises to obtain meditation and training methods for him and looks for a suitable auxiliary profession.
• In a hidden chamber, Zhou Xian consults a mysterious entity through a floating black vertical eye. He laments using Zhou Zong as a vessel and is furious at Yuan Chenyang and Su Chen. The entity urges him to investigate the incident and recover the missing Spatial Crystal.
• After nearly ten days of training, Su Chen’s Sky-Rending Warrior profession reaches 50% development and awakens the ability Wind Armor.
• Wind Armor forms a cyan barrier of circulating air around Su Chen’s body, providing meaningful defense while preserving the profession’s balance of speed, strength, and durability.
• Su Chen’s other professions also progress: Mystic Artificer reaches 10%, while his new Body-Tempering and Hellfire Meditation methods begin accumulating proficiency.
• Yuan Chenyang completes the procedures to seal Su Chen’s records and arranges for him to report to the Inspection Department, where he can obtain the auxiliary profession Gale Hunter.

Character Developments

• Su Chen demonstrates remarkable talent and composure. Despite being offered opportunities for exceptional advancement, he remains cautious and patient, trusting in gradual progress and his mysterious panel.
• Yuan Chenyang becomes increasingly invested in Su Chen’s future. His excitement over Su Chen’s talent is tempered by political concerns, security threats, and the dangers associated with Su Chen’s refugee identity.
• Bai Fengxi is astonished by Su Chen’s hidden abilities and appears increasingly curious about how many other secrets he is concealing.
• Zhou Xian becomes more desperate and unstable after Zhou Zong’s death and the disappearance of the Spatial Crystal. His hatred toward Yuan Chenyang and Su Chen intensifies.
• The mysterious entity communicating through the black eye remains calm and calculating, guiding Zhou Xian toward uncovering the truth rather than acting impulsively.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus social prejudice: Even extraordinary Scarlet-Gold talent cannot completely erase the stigma attached to Su Chen’s refugee background.
• Secrecy and political danger: Su Chen’s abilities must be concealed because powerful factions may exploit or eliminate people with rare talents.
• Steady progress over haste: Su Chen’s willingness to wait reflects his belief that stable development is more important than immediate advancement.
• Connections and institutional power: Yuan Chenyang’s influence allows Su Chen to obtain rare training methods, sealed records, and access to advanced professions.
• Balanced growth: The Sky-Rending Warrior represents a comprehensive path combining offense, speed, and defense rather than specializing in only one attribute.
• Conspiracy and infiltration: The presence of Black Pagoda Believers within Southwind City suggests that internal threats may be as dangerous as external enemies.

Character Interactions

• Yuan Chenyang, Bai Fengxi, and Su Chen discuss the implications of Su Chen’s Scarlet-Gold mental talent, with Yuan Chenyang warning that the information must remain hidden.
• Yuan Chenyang and Su Chen differ in urgency: Yuan wants to secure the best possible training immediately, while Su Chen remains calm and accepts delays.
• Su Chen’s revelation that he has already become an Arcane Apprentice surprises Bai Fengxi and prompts Yuan Chenyang to reconsider his training plans.
• Su Chen lightly confronts Bai Fengxi about repeatedly staring at him, causing her to withdraw awkwardly.
• Zhou Xian argues with the entity in the black vertical eye, blaming himself for using Zhou Zong as a vessel while demanding revenge against Yuan Chenyang and Su Chen.
• Yuan Chenyang continues acting as Su Chen’s mentor and benefactor, arranging both his protected identity and access to the Gale Hunter profession.

Chapter Summary: “Second-Generation Privileges, News of Death”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen formally reports to the Inspection Department rather than treating it as his personal territory, demonstrating his preference for following proper procedures despite his connections.
• He travels through Southwind City by floating rail, observing the city’s gloomy atmosphere, refugee unrest, and ordinary citizens’ concerns.
• Upon arriving at the Inspection Department, the guards initially doubt his identity because of his young appearance. They soon realize he is a special recruit with powerful connections.
• Division Chief Sun personally receives Su Chen and gives him preferential treatment, including:
  • A private, luxurious room normally reserved for senior officials
  • Assignment to Patrol Team Seventeen, whose members patrol only once every three days
  • Permission to skip patrol duty if he wishes
  • Access to a private gravity training room
• Other guards assume Su Chen is a privileged “second-generation heir” using connections to advance his career.
• Su Chen tests the gravity-training room and immediately appreciates its benefits for physical cultivation. He handles the increased gravitational pressure with ease, impressing Fatty Sun.
• Su Chen asks about supplies of Blackflame Potion and Revitalizing Potion. Fatty Sun explains that resources are limited, especially because the Finance Division is controlled by City Lord Zhang. Su Chen settles for obtaining blood-activating potions.
• Fatty Sun attempts to arrange a welcome dinner and encourages Su Chen to respond to an active incident, but Su Chen declines both, showing that he is focused on training rather than appearances or excitement.
• Hu Xiang arrives with urgent news: Old Zhao has died.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Reveals himself to be disciplined, restrained, and uninterested in flaunting his status. Although he benefits from his association with Yuan Chenyang, he insists on following official procedures. He is also highly focused on cultivation and physical improvement, quickly recognizing the value of the gravity-training room.
• Division Chief Sun: Displays strong political instincts and an exaggeratedly fawning attitude toward Su Chen. He quickly identifies Su Chen as someone important and tries to accommodate him. At the same time, he carefully evaluates Su Chen and becomes increasingly impressed by his composure and physical ability.
• The Inspection Department guards: Initially suspicious of Su Chen, they quickly reinterpret him as a privileged heir once they see Fatty Sun personally welcoming him.
• Hu Xiang: Arrives in a visibly serious state, shifting the chapter’s tone from light bureaucratic comedy to impending danger.

Significant Themes

• Privilege and perception: Su Chen receives exceptional treatment because of his connection to Yuan Chenyang, causing others to assume he is merely a well-connected second-generation heir.
• Merit versus connections: Although Su Chen benefits from his status, his calm demeanor, willingness to work within official structures, and impressive physical ability suggest he is not dependent solely on privilege.
• Bureaucracy and political maneuvering: Fatty Sun’s exaggerated hospitality, the Finance Division’s control over resources, and the guards’ reactions show the importance of hierarchy and connections within the Inspection Department.
• Discipline and self-improvement: Su Chen rejects distractions and prioritizes training, medical resources, and practical advancement.
• The contrast between comfort and danger: The luxurious accommodations and humorous reception are abruptly undercut by the revelation of Old Zhao’s death, signaling a darker development.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen communicates briefly with Hu Xiang while traveling, teasing him about bringing money.
• The guards challenge Su Chen’s identity before Fatty Sun intervenes.
• Fatty Sun flatters Su Chen, offers him special privileges, and tries to involve him in department activities.
• Su Chen remains polite but reserved, refusing Fatty Sun’s dinner invitation and offer to respond to an incident.
• Fatty Sun observes Su Chen’s performance in the gravity room and concludes that he is far more capable than an ordinary privileged heir.
• Hu Xiang’s final announcement that Old Zhao is dead ends the chapter on a serious cliffhanger.

Chapter Summary: “Sister-in-Law’s Husband” [Storm Hunter]

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Xiang informs Su Chen that Old Zhao, a City Patrol Guard who had recently seemed happy and was close to becoming a Professional, was found hanged. An examination revealed cerebral damage, suggesting he had been tortured and murdered rather than committing suicide.
• Su Chen and Hu Xiang suspect Old Zhao was targeted because of his connection to Su Chen. The likely motive is the mysterious Spatial Crystal, which Su Chen possesses but cannot explain or return. They believe Zhou Xian may be investigating everyone associated with Su Chen before acting directly.
• Hu Xiang warns Su Chen to be careful. Su Chen turns the warning back on him, reminding him that he is also closely connected to Su Chen and could become a target. Hu Xiang realizes his own family may be in danger and hurriedly leaves after exchanging contact information.
• Su Chen returns to Southwind Academy to retrieve his Shadow-Hiding Garment from his dormitory. There, Liu Liang warns him that Qi Chuan—Teacher Jiang He’s husband—has been secretly asking students detailed questions about Su Chen.
• Su Chen suspects Qi Chuan may be working with Zhou Xian or pursuing his own grudge. He dismisses the danger outwardly but recognizes that Qi Chuan’s continued interest is suspicious.
• Back at the Inspection Department, Fatty Sun presents Su Chen with the advancement information for the Tier 2 upper-level Profession, Storm Hunter. The profession is awarded to him as recognition for his contribution to the 17th Patrol Squad’s destruction of an underground black market.
• The advancement requirements are revealed:
  1. Secretly hunt and kill a Tier 2 Professional without being noticed.
  2. Raise three F-rank Body Forging Methods to Master level.
     Su Chen considers the second task manageable but is concerned about the difficulty and secrecy required for the first.
• Su Chen discovers that someone has entered his room. Before leaving, he had placed a strand of hair in the door crack, but it has disappeared, proving that someone secretly entered despite the lack of evidence on surveillance footage.
• Initially alarmed by the possibility that powerful figures within the Inspection Department are monitoring him, Su Chen remembers his connection to his powerful teacher and decides to stop acting defensively. He demands that Fatty Sun help him investigate and then names Qi Chuan as the person he wants to deal with.
• Fatty Sun checks Qi Chuan’s file and confirms that he is a Tier 2 Professional and a first-class researcher in the Ruins Research Department. Qi Chuan is married to Jiang He, who is the daughter of the department head, Jiang Rong.
• Su Chen explains that his conflict with Qi Chuan began after he provoked Jiang He in order to gain entry to Southwind Academy. Fatty Sun is stunned by Su Chen’s boldness and complicated relationship with the powerful Jiang family.

Character Developments

• Su Chen becomes increasingly alert to the dangers surrounding him. He connects Old Zhao’s death, the Spatial Crystal, Qi Chuan’s investigation, and the intrusion into his room as parts of a larger web of surveillance and hostility.
• He also shows greater confidence. Rather than remaining intimidated by hidden enemies, he begins relying on his status as a favored student and decides to use his teacher’s influence to counterattack.
• Hu Xiang demonstrates concern for Su Chen but is also visibly frightened when Su Chen points out that his own closeness to him could make him a target. His attempt to gain Su Chen’s goodwill succeeds only partially.
• Liu Liang continues to admire and flatter Su Chen. He interprets Su Chen’s dismissive attitude as evidence of personal closeness and remains eager to prove his loyalty.
• Fatty Sun acts as Su Chen’s helpful contact within the Inspection Department, though his reactions reveal unease about Su Chen’s increasingly dangerous behavior and powerful enemies.
• Qi Chuan is established as a persistent and suspicious figure. His status as a Tier 2 Professional makes him a serious potential threat, while his continued investigation of Su Chen suggests resentment or manipulation by someone else.
• Zhou Xian remains an unseen but influential threat, suspected of using others to investigate Su Chen because he cannot attack openly.

Significant Themes

• Hidden surveillance and political danger: Su Chen realizes that enemies may be watching him from within supposedly secure institutions. The missing hair and unexplained room intrusion emphasize that even his private spaces are unsafe.
• Power, status, and protection: Su Chen’s attitude shifts when he remembers that he is not alone or powerless. His relationship with his teacher gives him political protection and emboldens him to confront threats.
• Mistrust and uncertainty: The chapter repeatedly questions who is acting independently and who may be serving Zhou Xian’s interests. Qi Chuan’s behavior, Old Zhao’s murder, and the surveillance all contribute to an atmosphere of suspicion.
• The cost of secrets: The Spatial Crystal is valuable enough to motivate torture, murder, and investigation, yet Su Chen cannot reveal that he possesses it. His secret has become a source of constant danger.
• Advancement through risk: The Storm Hunter profession offers powerful growth but requires Su Chen to secretly kill a Tier 2 Professional, forcing him to consider morally and practically dangerous methods of advancement.
• Humor amid danger: Despite the serious threats, Su Chen maintains a sarcastic and irreverent attitude, especially when mocking Qi Chuan as the “wronged husband” and teasing Hu Xiang.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Hu Xiang: They discuss Old Zhao’s suspicious death and the possibility that Su Chen’s enemies are targeting everyone connected to him. Su Chen exposes Hu Xiang’s own fear and forces him to recognize that he may also be endangered.
• Su Chen and Liu Liang: Liu Liang warns Su Chen about Qi Chuan’s inquiries. Su Chen responds casually, even suggesting that Liu Liang charge Qi Chuan for information, showing both confidence and contempt toward the investigation.
• Su Chen and Fatty Sun: Fatty Sun delivers the Storm Hunter profession information and later assists Su Chen in checking surveillance and Qi Chuan’s background. Their relationship shifts from routine cooperation toward a more serious alliance.
• Su Chen and Qi Chuan: Though Qi Chuan does not appear directly, his investigation of Su Chen and their connection through Jiang He establish an escalating personal conflict. Su Chen now intends to confront him rather than simply endure his interference.
• Su Chen and his unseen enemies: The chapter deepens the conflict with Zhou Xian and whoever entered Su Chen’s room, portraying them as cautious, powerful opponents operating indirectly.

Chapter Summary: “Bullying Others with Influence”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fatty Sun warns Su Chen not to seriously harm Qi Chuan, reminding him that Qi is a Tier 2 Professional and has protection through his position in the Research Department.
• Su Chen joins his new Inspection Guard patrol team under Captain Zhao Xiong. Although the team initially resented him as a privileged “second-generation heir,” their attitude changes after his influence helps them earn a collective Third-Class Merit.
• The team is abruptly assigned an emergency mission to investigate suspected contraband in an upscale apartment.
• The target is revealed to be Qi Chuan, who immediately recognizes Su Chen and understands that the raid is an act of retaliation.
• Su Chen deliberately provokes Qi by commenting on and touching the wedding photograph of Qi and Jiang He, even praising Jiang He’s beauty. Qi nearly loses control and releases his fiery power, but restrains himself when Fatty Sun appears and threatens him through sheer presence.
• The Inspection Guards discover a bottle of Powder Poppy, a Level-One hallucinogenic contraband, in Qi’s bedroom. Qi is arrested without resisting and taken to a holding cell.
• Zhao Xiong confirms that Qi is a mid-tier Tier 2 Fire Refining Soldier with less than five percent professional development progress.
• Since Qi can only be detained for seven days, Su Chen orders the guards to give him low-nutrition meals, effectively weakening him through controlled starvation. Su Chen plans to interrogate him again later.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Demonstrates growing confidence in using institutional authority and social influence against enemies. Rather than attacking Qi directly, he manipulates the Inspection Department to pressure and imprison him. His provocative behavior shows both calculated cruelty and a desire to force Qi into making a mistake.
• Qi Chuan: Is shown to be powerful but politically vulnerable. Despite his anger and humiliation, he maintains control and refuses to attack Su Chen, recognizing that doing so would give Fatty Sun justification to kill or punish him.
• Fatty Sun: Acts as Su Chen’s protector and political shield. He cautions Su Chen against excessive action but quietly supervises the raid, using his intimidating presence to suppress Qi.
• Zhao Xiong: Proves disciplined and professional. He follows orders but prevents his teammates from independently escalating the abuse against Qi.
• The patrol team: Their resentment toward Su Chen disappears after they benefit from his influence. They begin treating him more favorably, though they remain curious about his motives.
• Han Da: Displays a rough, opportunistic personality by suggesting that the team intensify Qi’s punishment, but backs down when Zhao Xiong reprimands him.

Significant Themes

• Power through influence: Su Chen’s privileged identity allows him to weaponize official institutions against a personal enemy, demonstrating that social status can be as dangerous as combat strength.
• Abuse of authority and institutional bullying: The raid and arrest are technically justified by the discovery of contraband, but the mission is clearly arranged to target Qi. The chapter highlights how law enforcement can be manipulated for private revenge.
• Restraint under humiliation: Qi’s ability to suppress his anger emphasizes the importance of self-control when confronting overwhelming political power.
• Class and privilege: The patrol team initially sees Su Chen as a useless heir, but quickly changes its opinion once his connections produce tangible rewards.
• Psychological warfare: Su Chen’s comments about Jiang He are intended to provoke Qi emotionally, while Fatty Sun’s silent threat ensures Qi cannot retaliate.

Character Interactions

• Fatty Sun advises Su Chen and secretly follows the team to prevent the situation from becoming uncontrollable.
• Su Chen is introduced to Zhao Xiong and the patrol team, who shift from suspicion to gratitude after receiving collective merit.
• Lily playfully flirts with Su Chen, establishing the team’s informal atmosphere before the emergency mission.
• Zhao Xiong maintains authority over the team and later stops Han Da from independently tormenting Qi.
• Su Chen and Qi engage in a silent battle of provocation and restraint, with Su Chen invoking Jiang He’s image and Qi barely controlling his rage.
• Fatty Sun’s appearance decisively changes the balance of power, forcing Qi to endure arrest and humiliation without fighting back.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen reflects on Qi Chuan’s clean background and realizes that anyone who acts against him may reveal connections to Black Pagoda, Strange God, or Zhou Xian. He remains suspicious of the powerful figures pressuring him after he killed Zhou Xian’s son and seized certain items.
• Elsewhere, a powerful group investigates a third-tier mutant, the Crimson Redhawk Demon. A silver-gray aircraft carries the Chief Justice, “Old Xia,” and others.
• They discuss the recovery of the Holy Word Stone, Yuan Chenyang’s undercover student, and the discovery of a Black Pagoda follower. However, the Spatial Crystal is still missing, and the investigation points toward Southwind City’s upper leadership—particularly Zhou Xian, whose son may have acted as a mule.
• Old Xia angrily suggests killing all of Southwind City’s upper echelons, even if some are innocent, but the white-haired man warns that this would cause enormous trouble. Old Xia leaves to investigate why a third-tier mutant appeared along their route and orders the others to proceed to Southwind City.
• Back at his residence, Su Chen meets Yuan Chenyang. They discuss the intruder who entered Su Chen’s room, and Old Sun explains that security has been strengthened.
• Yuan Chenyang confirms that Su Chen’s capture of Qi Chuan was connected to Qi Chuan’s secret collaboration with Hu Xiang. He advises Su Chen to remain within the rules and avoid giving enemies evidence against him.
• Yuan Chenyang gives Su Chen the requirements for the first-tier profession Engineering Apprentice. Normally, Su Chen would need to repair one thousand ordinary items and possess a first-tier mental-type profession.
• Yuan explains that the profession’s advanced ability, Dual Focus, can allow Su Chen to train his body and mind simultaneously. He arranges for Su Chen to work in logistics and also asks him to attend a banquet hosted by Zhang Yunqing, Zhang Hengyu’s older sister, so he can build connections among Southwind City’s younger elites.
• Su Chen’s system unexpectedly grants him a direct perfect advancement into Engineering Apprentice, apparently because his stronger professions—Sky-Rending Warrior and Mystic Artificer—“pressured” the weaker profession into waiving its time limit.
• After accepting the profession, Su Chen absorbs extensive mechanical knowledge and gains Dual Focus, allowing his mind to process two separate tasks independently.
• He successfully trains his Body Forging Method and Hellflame Meditation Method at the same time, recognizing the enormous value of the ability. He considers combining it with Blackflame Potions to improve his cultivation.
• Old Sun arrives to confirm that a logistics position has been arranged for him. Su Chen instead asks Old Sun to help sell the Shadow-Hiding Garment, leaving Old Sun shocked.

2. Character Developments

• Su Chen becomes more cautious and politically aware, recognizing that every hostile action may reveal a larger conspiracy. He also continues adapting to his system and finding ways to exploit the strengths of his various professions.
• Yuan Chenyang acts as a protective but demanding mentor. He approves of Su Chen’s actions while emphasizing discipline, legality, and caution. He also deliberately pushes Su Chen toward useful social contacts and professional development.
• Old Sun proves himself highly efficient and dependable by rapidly improving security and arranging Su Chen’s logistics work.
• Old Xia/Chief Justice is portrayed as ruthless and impulsive, willing to accept innocent casualties in pursuit of suspected Black Pagoda members.
• The white-haired man serves as a more cautious counterbalance, recognizing the political consequences of indiscriminate violence.
• Su Chen’s acquisition of Engineering Apprentice marks a major improvement in his practical abilities and cultivation efficiency.

3. Significant Themes

• Political suspicion and hidden conspiracies: The missing Spatial Crystal, Black Pagoda infiltration, and corruption among Southwind City’s leaders create an atmosphere of paranoia and instability.
• Power versus procedure: Old Xia’s willingness to “kill them all” contrasts with the need for evidence, rules, and political restraint.
• The value of seemingly ordinary abilities: Engineering Apprentice appears unimpressive at first, but Dual Focus makes it exceptionally useful when combined with Su Chen’s cultivation methods.
• System exploitation and hierarchy: Su Chen’s stronger professions effectively force Engineering Apprentice to grant him an effortless advancement, emphasizing the dominance of higher-level powers.
• Social prejudice and status: Su Chen’s refugee identity continues to limit his social acceptance and complicate his interactions with Southwind City’s elite.
• Efficiency and multitasking: Dual Focus symbolizes Su Chen’s growing ability to overcome time constraints and pursue multiple forms of advancement simultaneously.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Yuan Chenyang: Their mentor-student relationship is trusting but practical. Yuan praises Su Chen’s judgment, warns him to obey regulations, gives him the Engineering Apprentice profession, and directs him toward Zhang Yunqing’s banquet.
• Su Chen and Old Sun: Their relationship is increasingly cooperative. Su Chen appreciates Old Sun’s competence, while Old Sun treats him warmly and handles security and logistics arrangements.
• Old Xia and the white-haired man: They clash over the handling of suspected corruption. Old Xia favors brutal, sweeping action, while the white-haired man urges caution.
• Su Chen and the system: The system behaves almost comically like a social hierarchy, with Su Chen’s powerful professions bullying Engineering Apprentice into granting him a perfect advancement.
• Su Chen and Zhang Yunqing: They have not yet met in the chapter, but Yuan Chenyang arranges their future interaction through the banquet, suggesting that Zhang Yunqing may possess valuable information and connections.