Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “The Second Generation of Southwind City—Assassination!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen asks Fatty Sun to sell a valuable contraband item and obtain Blackflame Potions. Fatty Sun instead offers to process the item as seized property, converting it into Inspection Department points while also helping Su Chen acquire the potions.
• Since becoming Yuan Chenyang’s student, Su Chen’s social position has changed significantly. He attends a banquet at Clearshore Hotel for Southwind City’s influential younger generation.
• Su Chen is introduced as Yuan Chenyang’s new student and as the man who went undercover, recovered the Holy Word Stone, and defeated an Azure-Scaled Lion pack. The guests recognize his name but remain distant because of his refugee background and unfamiliar status.
• He befriends Du Yu, the son of an Inspection Department deputy minister, who explains the backgrounds and rivalries among the gathered heirs.
• Zhang Hengyu, the City Lord’s son, arrives with his older sister Zhang Yunqing. Su Chen learns more about Yingfeng, the powerful megacity governing Southwind City, and about the rarity and dangers of top-tier Tier 1 professions.
• Du Yu reveals that Zhang Hengyu may resent Su Chen because Su Chen’s refugee status caused him to receive the opportunity to travel to Yingfeng instead of Hengyu. Hengyu appears determined to prove himself against Su Chen.
• During a toast, two disguised attendants suddenly attempt to assassinate Su Chen. He instantly protects Du Yu, blocks one attack, disables another with Spirit Spike, and kills both attackers.
• A hidden Tier 2 assassin then launches a surprise attack, but Yuan Chenyang intervenes and defeats him. The assassin identifies himself as a member of Black Pagoda, vows revenge against Su Chen, and dies through apparent suicide or a lethal internal technique.
• Inspection Guards secure the banquet hall and capture one surviving assassin for interrogation. The guests are left stunned by Su Chen’s speed, ruthlessness, and composure.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Demonstrates increasing confidence, social legitimacy, and combat ability. He remains calm despite being judged by wealthy elites and reacts decisively during the assassination attempt, revealing how formidable he has become.
• Fatty Sun: Shows practical loyalty and political awareness by helping Su Chen convert contraband into official resources while earning merit for himself.
• Du Yu: Becomes Su Chen’s informal guide to the elite youth gathering. Though initially self-conscious and socially isolated, he proves friendly and provides important information about the group.
• Zhang Hengyu: Is portrayed as proud, competitive, and uncomfortable with Su Chen’s success. He views Su Chen as someone who took an opportunity that might otherwise have belonged to him.
• Zhang Yunqing: Appears socially confident, knowledgeable, and influential. Her discussion of professions provides valuable information, though her occasional looks toward Su Chen suggest curiosity or hidden interest.
• Yuan Chenyang: Reinforces his role as a powerful protector and mentor by effortlessly stopping the Tier 2 assassin.
• Black Pagoda: Emerges as an ongoing enemy organization seeking revenge because Su Chen disrupted its plans.

Significant Themes

• Changing status and identity: Su Chen’s acceptance as Yuan Chenyang’s student grants him access to elite circles, but his refugee origins still cause prejudice and social distance.
• Power versus reputation: Rumors about Su Chen’s victory over the Azure-Scaled Lions are exaggerated in some ways but underestimate the truth in others, showing how public perception distorts real strength.
• The dangers of ambition: Zhang Yunqing explains that top-tier professions offer exceptional power but have advancement requirements so dangerous that talented people often die pursuing them.
• Class division and privilege: The banquet exposes the vast gap between Su Chen’s former life and the privileged world of influential families with access to knowledge, opportunities, and powerful backgrounds.
• Constant political danger: Even a gathering of elite heirs can become a battlefield, emphasizing that Su Chen’s achievements have made him a target for powerful enemies.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Fatty Sun negotiate the handling of contraband, establishing a mutually beneficial relationship.
• Su Chen and Du Yu form a tentative friendship, with Du Yu explaining the social dynamics of the banquet and Zhang Hengyu’s hostility.
• Su Chen observes and evaluates the elite heirs, remaining detached from their judgment rather than seeking their approval.
• Zhang Yunqing educates the group about professional tiers while subtly watching Su Chen.
• Zhang Hengyu silently studies Su Chen, hinting at future rivalry.
• Su Chen’s interaction with the assassins showcases his immediate tactical instincts, while Yuan Chenyang’s intervention demonstrates the protective bond and overwhelming power of their teacher-student relationship.

Chapter Summary: “Search! Turn It Upside Down!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the attempted assassination at the banquet, Yuan Chenyang takes Su Chen away in his vehicle and questions him about the attackers.
• The attackers are linked to Southwind City, and their leader is identified as Chen Wu, a Tier 2 Professional from the Exploration Department.
• Su Chen and Yuan Chenyang discuss possible motives, including Su Chen’s possession of the Holy Word Stone and the two Spatial Crystals he secretly absorbed.
• Yuan Chenyang explains that the Holy Word Stone records professional information and can communicate with Strange Gods, though he cannot clearly define what Strange Gods are beyond their tendency to inspire worship and madness.
• Yuan Chenyang gives Su Chen an enhanced potion prepared by Old Sun and reassures him that he is not required to remain indoors, since the assassination depended on the predictable guest list of the banquet.
• Meanwhile, Zhang Hengyu admits that Su Chen is stronger and more qualified than he is to receive the opportunity to go to Yingfeng. Zhang Yunqing rejects the idea of giving Su Chen the position, arguing that political power and background are forms of strength and that Su Chen’s refugee status makes him disadvantaged.
• At the Inspection Department, Yuan Chenyang learns that the assassination involved someone from the Exploration Department. This follows earlier signs of infiltration and treachery within other city agencies.
• Fearing that Southwind City has been compromised and that Yingfeng’s officials may soon discover the corruption, Yuan Chenyang orders a sweeping investigation. He commands his men to monitor the assassins’ relatives and associates and to keep close watch on Zhou Xian.
• Su Chen remains unaware of the political crisis developing around him. Instead, he returns to his room, where Old Sun delivers a case containing several kinds of potions: Blackflame Potions, ten unfamiliar blue potions, and three new pink potions.

Character Developments

• Su Chen remains outwardly carefree and evasive, joking about Yuan Chenyang’s luxurious vehicle while subtly probing him for information. He conceals his knowledge of the Spatial Crystals and continues to hide his true importance.
• Yuan Chenyang shifts from casual observation to alarm and decisive action after discovering that the assassin came from the Exploration Department. His concern for Southwind City’s security becomes clear, and he takes personal responsibility for uncovering the conspiracy.
• Zhang Hengyu becomes more self-aware and honest about his own abilities, recognizing that Su Chen is stronger and may deserve the Yingfeng opportunity more than he does.
• Zhang Yunqing reveals a pragmatic and elitist view of power. She believes social status, official records, and family influence are as important as personal strength, and she dismisses the possibility of helping Su Chen.
• Old Sun continues to act as a reliable supplier and ally to Su Chen, delivering the newly prepared potions.

Significant Themes

• Hidden conspiracies and institutional corruption: Evidence of infiltrators across multiple enforcement departments suggests that Southwind City has been deeply compromised.
• Power beyond personal strength: The Zhang siblings debate whether ability or political status determines worth, highlighting the barriers Su Chen faces as a refugee.
• Secrecy and manipulation: Su Chen conceals his true motives and abilities, while unidentified forces use assassinations and internal sabotage to delay or destabilize the city.
• The danger of Strange Gods: The Holy Word Stone’s connection to Strange Gods introduces a larger supernatural threat involving fanaticism, communication, and madness.
• Responsibility and leadership: Yuan Chenyang must act quickly despite political risks, choosing investigation over waiting for absent officials.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Yuan Chenyang: Their conversation combines humor, suspicion, and mutual reliance. Yuan questions Su Chen about the attack, while Su Chen carefully hides what he knows and asks about the Holy Word Stone.
• Zhang Hengyu and Zhang Yunqing: Their disagreement exposes conflicting views of merit. Hengyu values Su Chen’s demonstrated strength, whereas Yunqing prioritizes status and political influence.
• Yuan Chenyang and Old Du: They discuss the growing danger of internal betrayal and decide to investigate immediately despite the consequences.
• Su Chen and Old Sun: Old Sun delivers the potions, reinforcing their cooperative relationship and hinting that Su Chen’s preparations for future developments are advancing.

Chapter Summary: “A Slap”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fatty Sun delivers several gifts from Minister Yuan to Su Chen:
  • Tier 1 Blackflame and Revitalizing Potions.
  • A rare Tier 3 Glazed Blood potion, a specialty of Southwind City that accelerates potion absorption, restores physical and mental energy, and can be used safely by lower-tier Professionals.
  • A high-end smart wristband connected to city departments.
  • A Mimicry Mask intended to help Su Chen disguise himself.
• Su Chen uses the Glazed Blood with the two other potions in the gravity room. After a day of intense training, his cultivation and professional progress improve substantially:
  • Sky-Rending Warrior reaches 55%.
  • Body-Strengthening Training Method reaches 30%.
  • Hellflame Meditation Method reaches 50%.
  • Mystic Artificer advances to 30%.
• Jiang He visits Su Chen and asks him to force Qi Chuan to sign a marriage dissolution contract. She explains that her father suspects Qi Chuan of involvement in dangerous affairs and wants her to sever all ties with him.
• Jiang He attempts to persuade Su Chen through flirtation, but he remains cold and emphasizes that she must offer him a reason to help.
• She gives him information about advancing to the Tier 2 superior profession, Arcane Scholar:
  1. Survive five minutes in the Whispering Trial.
  2. Raise three F-rank meditation methods to Master level.
• Su Chen accepts the marriage contract but suddenly slaps Jiang He. The act releases the resentment inherited from the previous Su Chen, who had once been manipulated by her.
• Su Chen goes to Qi Chuan’s holding cell. Seeing that Qi Chuan is physically weakened and psychologically vacant, he secretly places a fragment from the attacker’s dagger into Qi Chuan’s meal, apparently preparing a staged or investigative maneuver.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Becomes stronger through accelerated training and receives increasing recognition from Minister Yuan. He displays greater confidence, emotional detachment, and control over his circumstances. The slap represents his final rejection of Jiang He’s past manipulation and the previous owner’s lingering resentment.
• Jiang He: Initially tries to use charm and seduction to control the conversation, but Su Chen’s indifference unsettles her. His slap shocks and angers her, while also creating an unfamiliar emotional reaction she does not fully understand.
• Qi Chuan: Appears to have deteriorated severely in custody, losing weight and becoming listless. His condition suggests both physical deprivation and psychological collapse.
• Fatty Sun and Minister Yuan: Their gifts demonstrate Yuan’s generosity, political support, and careful preparation for Su Chen’s future activities.

Significant Themes

• Power and changing status: Su Chen’s rise makes former relationships and social hierarchies increasingly irrelevant. Jiang He recognizes that he is no longer the weak person she once manipulated.
• Release from the past: The slap symbolically frees Su Chen from the emotional burden inherited from his predecessor.
• Manipulation versus autonomy: Jiang He attempts to bargain through seduction and leverage, but Su Chen insists on setting the terms of their interaction.
• Preparation and hidden conflict: The advanced equipment, disguise, professional advancement requirements, and dagger fragment all suggest that larger political and criminal conflicts are developing.
• Strength through cultivation: The chapter emphasizes how rare resources and disciplined training rapidly expand Su Chen’s abilities.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Fatty Sun: Fatty Sun acts as a messenger and explains the value of Yuan’s gifts, reinforcing his role as Su Chen’s increasingly supportive contact.
• Su Chen and Jiang He: Their tense meeting shifts from flirtation and negotiation to confrontation. Jiang He offers the Arcane Scholar advancement information in exchange for help, while Su Chen responds by asserting dominance and emotional independence.
• Su Chen and Qi Chuan: Though they do not speak directly, Su Chen studies Qi Chuan’s condition and secretly plants evidence in his meal, indicating that he is continuing to investigate or manipulate the situation surrounding Qi Chuan’s arrest.

Chapter Summary: “Hunt Qi Chuan!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen visits Qi Chuan in prison after Qi Chuan has nearly finished eating. Qi Chuan apologizes for his past actions, claiming jealousy and desperation led him to consider murder and to contact Hu Xiang.
• Qi Chuan refuses to reveal who is backing him, warning Su Chen that discovering the truth could cause trouble. He instead promises to remain obedient and frames his cooperation as atonement.
• Su Chen reveals that Jiang He came to rescue Qi Chuan and offers him freedom if he signs a leather scroll. Qi Chuan signs, unknowingly or unwillingly binding himself to Su Chen’s terms.
• Su Chen releases Qi Chuan later that night, despite Qi Chuan’s surprise. Qi Chuan leaves without retrieving his possessions, choosing to return the next day rather than risk further delay.
• Su Chen secretly follows him while disguised with a Mimicry Mask and concealed by the Shadow-Hiding Garment.
• Qi Chuan reflects on his failed conspiracy: he had intended to kill Jiang He, gain Jiang Rong’s support, frame Yuan Chenyang through the theft of the Holy Word Stone, and help Zhou Xian take control of the Inspection Department. Su Chen’s unexpected interference ruined these plans.
• The poison Su Chen planted in Qi Chuan takes effect. Qi Chuan recognizes it as Corpse-Shadow Poison and desperately travels to a hidden apartment in the outer city to retrieve an antidote.
• After drinking the antidote, Qi Chuan briefly stabilizes. However, Su Chen attacks him immediately afterward using a Tier 2 whip-like weapon that divides into metal threads.
• Qi Chuan attempts to defend himself with flames, but his weakened and poisoned state leaves him helpless. The threads tear apart his arms and pierce his eyes and brain, killing him.
• Su Chen fulfills the advancement condition of secretly hunting and killing a Tier 2 Professional.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Demonstrates patience, deception, and strategic planning. He remains calm while manipulating Qi Chuan into revealing his intentions, secretly poisons him, tracks him, and kills him without witnesses. His use of disguise and concealment shows his growing caution and tactical skill.
• Qi Chuan: Presents himself as repentant and submissive, but his private thoughts reveal that he remains ambitious, resentful, and violent. He continues plotting against Su Chen, Jiang He, Yuan Chenyang, and others until the poison and attack leave him powerless.
• Jiang He: Though she does not appear directly, her attempt to save Qi Chuan shows lingering concern due to their former marriage. Her involvement also highlights Qi Chuan’s complicated relationship with her.
• Yuan Chenyang and Jiang Rong: Their political influence remains central to Qi Chuan’s failed scheme, despite their absence from the immediate events.

Significant Themes

• Deception and hidden motives: Qi Chuan’s apology is largely a performance, while Su Chen conceals his poison and assassination plan.
• Revenge and political intrigue: Qi Chuan’s ambitions involve murder, manipulation, and control of the Inspection Department.
• Consequences of betrayal: Qi Chuan’s attempts to manipulate others ultimately lead to his own destruction.
• Strategic patience versus emotional rage: Su Chen carefully waits for the poison to take effect, while Qi Chuan’s jealousy, humiliation, and anger cloud his judgment.
• Power and vulnerability: Although Qi Chuan is a Tier 2 Professional, starvation and poison reduce him to helplessness, showing that preparation and circumstance can overcome raw strength.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Qi Chuan engage in a tense, polite conversation in which Qi Chuan apologizes and attempts to win Su Chen’s trust.
• Su Chen pressures Qi Chuan to identify his backer, but Qi Chuan evades the question.
• Su Chen informs Qi Chuan that Jiang He tried to rescue him, provoking Qi Chuan’s concealed resentment.
• Their final interaction is not verbal: Su Chen stalks Qi Chuan, waits until he retrieves the antidote, and then ambushes and kills him.
• Qi Chuan’s thoughts reveal his hostility toward Su Chen and Jiang He, contrasting sharply with the respectful tone he adopts in Su Chen’s presence.

Chapter Summary: “The Panic of the Professions [Strange God’s Power]!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen completes the first advancement requirement for the Gale Hunter Profession by killing Qi Chuan, a Tier 2 physical-type Professional. Qi Chuan dies with his eyes destroyed, but Su Chen suffers mental strain because high-tier Professionals possess strong mental resilience.
• While searching the room, Su Chen discovers two bottles of purple liquid labeled as targeted antidotes and stores them for later use.
• Using his iron wires and Spiritual Vision, Su Chen detects another hidden object inside the wall: a black-and-yellow metal box marked with a symbol resembling a vertical eye.
• The box opens and releases black smoke that invades Su Chen’s body. A mysterious, withered, black-robed entity—apparently connected to a Strange God—attempts to consume or corrupt his soul and make him a believer.
• The invading power begins eroding Su Chen’s Professions. His various Professions react independently through the panel, ultimately cooperating to resist and tame the foreign force.
• Su Chen survives and gains Low-Tier Strange God’s Power, which can be used on unadvanced Professions below Tier 3 to cause unusual changes. The Strange God’s manifestation retreats, warning that it will remember Su Chen’s scent.
• Su Chen realizes the Strange God may be connected to Jiang He’s murder, the theft of the Holy Word Stone, and other recent mysteries. The box and its contents also provide evidence that Qi Chuan was involved in something suspicious.
• He contacts his teacher, Yuan Chenyang, and Fatty Sun for assistance. A mysterious black-robed figure elsewhere learns that a “holy artifact” has disappeared, suggesting that the Strange God’s faction has noticed the loss.
• Fatty Sun and members of Su Chen’s patrol squad arrive. They are shocked to find Qi Chuan dead, while Fatty Sun jokingly assumes Su Chen killed him over a woman and offers to help conceal the crime.
• Su Chen casually claims that Qi Chuan had been weakened by starvation and finished off with poison. He also warns Lily not to touch the concealed Strange Artifact.
• Yuan Chenyang arrives soon afterward. Su Chen directs him toward the object hidden under the Shadow-Hiding Garment, and Yuan immediately recognizes it as a Strange Artifact.

Character Developments

• Su Chen demonstrates increasing combat ability and confidence by defeating a Tier 2 Professional. He remains calm after the killing and quickly shifts from survival to investigation and evidence collection.
• His greatest development is the revelation that his internal Profession system can actively defend itself. The Professions, previously passive or separately functioning abilities, cooperate during the crisis to repel and tame Strange God’s power.
• Su Chen also becomes more politically cautious. He avoids explaining sensitive details over potentially monitored communications and seeks help from trusted figures while preserving evidence.
• Qi Chuan is confirmed as more than a hostile assassin: his possession of antidotes and the Strange God-related artifact suggests deeper involvement in the conspiracy.
• Fatty Sun shows loyalty and concern for Su Chen, immediately trying to protect him from the consequences of Qi Chuan’s death, though his humor and gossip reveal his informal personality.
• Yuan Chenyang continues to act as a powerful and reliable protector. His rapid arrival and decision to handle the aftermath demonstrate his authority and trust in Su Chen.
• The Strange God or its agent is shown to be powerful but surprised and unsettled by Su Chen’s unusual body and Profession system.

Significant Themes

• The danger of hidden supernatural forces: Strange Gods do not merely attack physically; they can invade the soul and corrupt or alter a person’s Profession.
• The uniqueness of Su Chen’s Profession system: His Professions function almost like independent entities and can cooperate to resist powers that would overwhelm ordinary people.
• Conspiracy and concealed loyalties: Qi Chuan’s death links the assassination attempt to broader mysteries involving the Holy Word Stone, Jiang He’s murder, and Strange God worship.
• Power and advancement: Su Chen’s victory fulfills part of his advancement path, but it also exposes him to dangers far beyond ordinary Professional conflicts.
• Evidence versus secrecy: Su Chen must balance revealing the truth, protecting himself from surveillance, and ensuring that others can verify Qi Chuan’s crimes.
• The unfamiliar and uncontrollable: The Strange God’s power is described as bizarre and difficult to understand, emphasizing that Su Chen is entering a realm where conventional knowledge and defenses may not be enough.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Qi Chuan: Their confrontation ends with Su Chen killing Qi Chuan, confirming Su Chen’s superiority in the encounter despite Qi Chuan’s Tier 2 strength.
• Su Chen and the Strange God’s manifestation: The entity attempts to invade and claim Su Chen but is repelled by the coordinated resistance of his Professions. It leaves behind a threat and its power.
• Su Chen and Old Yuan/Yuan Chenyang: Su Chen reports the discovery indirectly and relies on his teacher to manage the political and investigative consequences. Yuan responds decisively and recognizes the artifact’s importance.
• Su Chen and Fatty Sun: Fatty Sun arrives worried about Su Chen, jokes about the killing, and tries to cover for him before realizing the seriousness of the situation.
• Su Chen and the patrol squad: His colleagues are shocked by Qi Chuan’s identity and cautiously investigate the scene. Su Chen prevents Lily from touching the dangerous artifact.
• The Strange God’s faction: A separate black-robed figure realizes that a holy artifact has vanished, indicating that Su Chen’s discovery has triggered concern among the enemy’s allies.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen reveals to Yuan Chenyang that he killed Qi Chuan by starving and poisoning him, explaining that Qi Chuan had become a threat rather than merely a personal enemy.
• Yuan examines the mysterious Shadow-Hiding Garment and its metal container. The artifact is revealed to be a Strange Artifact made from meteoric iron, capable of containing power granted by Strange Gods.
• The artifact was apparently intended to hold the Black Pagoda’s power for a large-scale sacrifice, summoning, or blessing. However, the power has already disappeared, suggesting that the ritual connected to Southwind City has already taken place or is imminent.
• Yuan realizes that the authorities acted too late and fears that Southwind City is close to destruction.
• He explains that if the Strange God’s power had remained in the artifact, Su Chen—whose mental talent makes him especially attractive to Strange Gods—might have been corrupted and turned into a puppet.
• Yuan contacts Jiang Rong and informs him of Qi Chuan’s death and his connection to Strange Gods. He agrees to suppress the matter and urges Jiang Rong to sever all ties with Qi Chuan.
• Jiang Rong and Jiang He discuss the situation. Jiang Rong concludes that Su Chen likely informed Yuan about the events surrounding Qi Chuan, inadvertently helping clear the Jiang family of suspicion.
• Political tensions are rising: Zhang Hongbo and Feng Chang are absent, Zhou Xian is under suspicion, and Yuan Chenyang is making a significant move.
• After returning home, Su Chen uses the Low-Tier Strange God’s Power on his unassigned Storm Hunter career. Instead of simply strengthening it, the power taints the career and activates the “Path of Slaughter,” requiring him to kill three Tier 2 Professionals to evolve it to peak Tier 2.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Demonstrates ruthless decisiveness by eliminating Qi Chuan, but also shows caution and strategic thinking when questioning Yuan about Strange God followers. He becomes increasingly willing to exploit dangerous powers for personal advancement, choosing to use Strange God’s Power despite its risks.
• Yuan Chenyang: Reveals his deep knowledge of Strange Artifacts and Strange Gods. He is alarmed by the implications of the empty artifact but also protects Su Chen from the danger of corruption. His decision to suppress Qi Chuan’s death shows both political pragmatism and a willingness to shield allies.
• Fatty Sun: Becomes more cautious and authoritarian after witnessing the seriousness of the incident, warning everyone to keep silent.
• Jiang Rong: Shows political awareness and relief that Su Chen’s actions may have protected the Jiang family from suspicion. He recognizes that the balance of power in Southwind City is shifting.
• Jiang He: Initially reacts angrily upon learning of Qi Chuan’s association with Strange Gods, but her confidence falters when Jiang Rong reminds her that Qi Chuan had become dangerous and unpredictable.
• Qi Chuan: Though dead, his actions are revealed to have been connected to a much larger Strange God conspiracy involving the Black Pagoda and potentially the destruction of Southwind City.
• Zhou Xian and other major figures: Their absences, alliances, and suspicious positions contribute to the growing political uncertainty.

Significant Themes

• The danger of forbidden power: Strange God power can offer extraordinary benefits but threatens corruption, loss of free will, and spiritual destruction.
• Pragmatism versus morality: Su Chen’s murder of Qi Chuan is framed as necessary protection, while Yuan’s suppression of the truth shows how political survival often overrides strict justice.
• Conspiracy and hidden loyalties: The artifact and Qi Chuan’s death indicate that powerful figures may be involved in a larger plan involving Strange Gods and Southwind City.
• Risk and ambition: Su Chen knowingly uses a dangerous power because the possible reward—a stronger career—is worth the risk in his eyes.
• The fragility of political alliances: The Jiang family, Yuan Chenyang, Zhou Xian, and other factions are maneuvering carefully as the city approaches a crisis.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Yuan Chenyang have a tense but increasingly cooperative exchange, with Yuan demanding the truth and warning Su Chen about Strange God corruption.
• Su Chen consults Fatty Sun about identifying Strange God followers, learning that they are extremely difficult to detect.
• Yuan Chenyang contacts Jiang Rong to establish a tacit agreement: Qi Chuan’s connection to Strange Gods will be contained, and the Jiang family must distance itself from him.
• Jiang Rong and Jiang He argue over Qi Chuan’s actions and the consequences of their past relationship with him.
• Fatty Sun reprimands Han Da and the others, emphasizing secrecy after the incident.
• Su Chen’s final interaction is with the system itself, as he accepts the violent conditions imposed by the newly activated Path of Slaughter.

Chapter Summary: Mystic Art Control: Zhou Xian Forces the Issue!

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen worries about completing his task of killing three more Tier 2 Professionals, recognizing that such targets are powerful, influential, and difficult to eliminate without attracting attention.
• The system informs him that he can continue hunting after completing his current appointment, reassuring him that he need not act immediately.
• Su Chen considers the dangerous power of the Strange God and the possibility of obtaining it, but decides to postpone the matter.
• He undergoes intensive training for seven or eight days, using large quantities of potions to accelerate his development.
• His Mystic Artificer class reaches 50%, awakening Mystic Artifact Enhancement, which allows him to apply abilities from other classes to Mystic Artifacts.
• Su Chen tests the new ability by infusing his cyan iron cable with Wind Erosion, greatly increasing its speed and destructive power.
• His other abilities also improve significantly:
  • Sky-Rending Warrior: 76%
  • Body-Strengthening Training Method: 40% proficient
  • Hellflame Meditation Method: 60% proficient
• After exhausting all his potions, Su Chen leaves his room to ask his teacher for more. He discovers that the city’s officials are in turmoil.
• Fatty Sun explains that Chief Inspector Yuan Chenyang has launched a sweeping investigation for Strange God cultists throughout Southwind City.
• Zhou Xian and several deputy ministers oppose Yuan’s actions, arguing that the investigation has disrupted the city and produced little evidence.

Character Developments

• Su Chen grows stronger and gains a major new capability that lets his different classes work together. His training becomes increasingly efficient, and he gains confidence in combining Mystic Artificer techniques with combat abilities.
• Yuan Chenyang becomes increasingly forceful and uncompromising. He prioritizes preventing a possible catastrophe over maintaining political harmony, even when the other officials turn against him.
• Zhou Xian shifts from open confrontation to private alarm. After seeing Qi Chuan’s corpse and the emptied Strange Artifact, he realizes the situation is far more serious than he expected and begins suspecting Su Chen.
• Fatty Sun acts as Su Chen’s informant, revealing the political conflict and helping him understand the consequences of the Strange Artifact incident.

Significant Themes

• Power and danger: The Strange Artifact represents a potentially catastrophic power whose disappearance creates fear throughout the city.
• Political conflict and authority: Yuan’s investigation pits emergency action against bureaucratic resistance, with officials questioning whether he is protecting the city or abusing his authority.
• Secrecy and suspicion: Su Chen hides his involvement, while Yuan and Zhou Xian struggle to determine what happened to the artifact’s power.
• Growth through integration: Mystic Artificer Enhancement demonstrates the increasing synergy between Su Chen’s different abilities and classes.
• Fear of unseen threats: Even without proof of an immediate attack, the possibility that the Strange God’s power has been used keeps Southwind City tense.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Fatty Sun speak privately about the investigation, with Fatty Sun warning him that Yuan has effectively taken control of the city’s security operations.
• Yuan confronts Zhou Xian and the other officials, defending his investigation by revealing Qi Chuan’s corpse and the empty Strange Artifact.
• Zhou Xian challenges Yuan, accusing him of creating chaos and even suggesting that Yuan may be “the thief crying thief.”
• Yuan counters that the empty artifact is evidence of a grave threat and demands that his opponents provide proof before criticizing him.
• After Zhou Xian leaves, he privately connects the incident to Su Chen.
• Su Chen eventually meets Yuan in secret, suggesting that the artifact’s stored power must have been used for something, though neither of them yet understands exactly what happened.

Chapter Summary: “The Oriole Lurks Behind”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen visits his teacher, Yuan Chenyang, to ask about the uproar surrounding the Strange Artifact. Su Chen secretly feels responsible because he drained the artifact’s power, though Yuan Chenyang believes Su Chen is referring only to discovering its empty shell.
• Yuan reassures Su Chen that the incident was not his fault and that exposing a Strange Artifact is itself a great merit. He promises Su Chen rewards, including ten Blackflame Potions, Revitalizing Potions, and possibly a better substitute for the latter.
• Su Chen also asks for Glazed Blood and information about special professions, particularly the Scholar profession. Yuan refuses the Glazed Blood due to its scarcity and warns Su Chen against pursuing too many professions at once. He explains that Southwind City has limited access to higher-level professional knowledge and suggests Yingfeng may possess more.
• Su reveals that he has developed his Sky-Rending Warrior profession to roughly seventy percent. Yuan is impressed by his progress and believes Su Chen will soon reach Tier 2, praising his patience, discipline, and determination as a former refugee.
• Yuan receives news that City Lord Zhang Hongbo has returned with Zhou Xian and others. He realizes that Zhang is investigating the upheaval and possibly trying to determine what resources or “cards” Yuan possesses. Yuan sends Su Chen away and promises to have Old Sun deliver his rewards.
• Su encounters Zhang Hongbo in the elevator. Zhang acts warmly, asks Su to call him “Uncle Zhang,” and encourages him to build a relationship with his son Hengyu, suggesting they may support each other at Yingfeng.
• Once Su leaves, Zhang’s friendly demeanor disappears. He confronts Yuan angrily for disrupting Southwind City while Zhang was away.
• Yuan explains that members of the Cult of the Strange Gods may exist within several official departments and that the Strange Artifact’s power has vanished mysteriously. Zhang acknowledges the danger but questions whether Yuan’s investigation justified the scale of the disturbance.
• Zhang reveals that the council has decided Yuan must rotate early to guard the ruins because Zhang returned without anyone stationed there. Yingfeng’s representatives support the decision. Though furious, Yuan is forced to accept.
• Zhang takes temporary control of the Inspection Department and advises Yuan that good intentions must be matched with better methods.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Shows growing confidence and practicality by openly negotiating for useful rewards rather than caring about public recognition. His rapid professional progress and disciplined temperament impress Yuan. He remains cautious about the consequences of his secret actions involving the Strange Artifact.
• Yuan Chenyang: Demonstrates genuine concern for Su Chen and tries to relieve his guilt. He values Su’s talent and character but is also frustrated by Su’s ambition to master multiple professions. Yuan’s investigation reveals his willingness to challenge institutional corruption, though his methods leave him politically vulnerable.
• Zhang Hongbo: Appears cordial and approachable toward Su Chen, but reveals himself to be politically calculating and highly observant. He has been monitoring events and uses the council’s decision to restrain Yuan and reclaim control.
• Hengyu: Does not appear directly, but Zhang’s comments establish him as an important future connection for Su Chen, especially regarding Yingfeng.

Significant Themes

• Hidden consequences and secrecy: Su Chen’s concealed role in draining the Strange Artifact creates a gap between what he knows and what Yuan believes.
• Political maneuvering: The chapter emphasizes that investigations into the Cult of the Strange Gods are entangled with departmental rivalries, surveillance, and power struggles.
• Talent versus discipline: Yuan stresses that raw talent can fade, while patience, temperament, and the ability to seize opportunities determine long-term success.
• Ambition and restraint: Su Chen’s desire to pursue multiple professions reflects his extraordinary curiosity and drive, while Yuan warns him that excessive ambition can lead to wasted effort.
• Good intentions versus effective methods: Zhang acknowledges Yuan’s motives but criticizes the chaos caused by his actions, highlighting the importance of political judgment.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Yuan Chenyang: A warm teacher-student exchange in which Su seeks reassurance and negotiates for rewards. Yuan encourages Su but cautions him against overextending himself.
• Su Chen and Zhang Hongbo: A brief, friendly elevator meeting that establishes Zhang’s interest in Su’s future and hints at a possible alliance with Hengyu.
• Yuan Chenyang and Zhang Hongbo: A tense confrontation between two powerful officials. Zhang rebukes Yuan, questions his investigation, and ultimately forces him into an early rotation while taking temporary control of the Inspection Department.

Chapter Summary: “Advance Rotation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen secretly calculates that, after obtaining ten more doses of Blackflame Potion—or Revitalizing Potion as a substitute—he can raise both the Body-Strengthening Training Method and Hellflame Meditation Method to master level.
• With these advancements, he will fulfill all but one of the master-level training requirements for advancing into the second-tier class Storm Hunter.
• Yuan Chenyang unexpectedly visits Su Chen to say goodbye. He has been transferred early to guard the ruins, despite the Strange Artifact proving that his investigation into Southwind City’s cult activity was justified.
• Yuan believes City Lord Zhang Hongbo arranged the transfer not to halt the investigation, but to take control of it himself after Yuan had already eliminated several false leads.
• Yuan reassures Su Chen that Zhang Hongbo is not a believer of the Strange Gods and instructs him to seek help from Sun Tai if necessary. He also tells Su Chen to remain in Southwind City rather than accompany him to the dangerous ruins.
• Meanwhile, Zhang Yunqing meets Yang Yan and Gu Bing, officials from Yingfeng. They confirm that Southwind City has an unusually high concentration of Strange God believers and that the cult is likely preparing a major operation.
• The discovery of the empty Strange Artifact shell has increased the seriousness of the situation. Yuan Chenyang’s transfer is revealed to be part of a plan to lure the cult into exposing itself.
• Yang Yan reveals that the person coming to deal with the cult is the Sixth Chief Judge, a notoriously violent and reckless figure. Zhang Yunqing is alarmed, believing his arrival could cause destruction on a scale comparable to—or worse than—the cult’s own attacks.
• Yang Yan notices Zhang Hengyu’s Brilliant Silver-grade physical talent and offers to take him away early, but Zhang Yunqing refuses, choosing to follow normal procedures.
• Zhang Yunqing explains to her younger brother that the Sixth Chief Judge is feared because his ruthless suppression of the cult often causes severe collateral damage. He is also a “drifter,” adding to his dangerous and unpredictable reputation.

Character Developments

• Su Chen continues progressing toward the Storm Hunter class, showing careful planning and an awareness of the difficult resources and training required for higher-tier advancement.
• Yuan Chenyang demonstrates his suspicion of City Lord Zhang Hongbo and his willingness to protect Su Chen even while being forced to leave. His confidence that Zhang is not a cultist gives Su Chen some reassurance, though Su Chen remains cautious.
• Zhang Hongbo is portrayed as politically calculating. His decision to transfer Yuan may be an attempt to control the investigation and exploit the situation for his own purposes.
• Zhang Yunqing is revealed to understand the dangers surrounding Southwind City and to possess authority within the Tribunal. Her fear of the Sixth Chief Judge shows that even powerful officials consider him a serious threat.
• Zhang Hengyu is identified as an exceptionally talented young fighter. His thoughts about Su Chen suggest that Su Chen has become personally important to him.
• The Sixth Chief Judge is established as a powerful but dangerous figure whose methods may be as destructive as the enemy he fights.

Significant Themes

• Advancement through preparation: Su Chen’s progress reflects the importance of resources, disciplined training, and long-term planning.
• Political maneuvering and hidden motives: Yuan’s transfer appears to serve multiple agendas, showing that official actions may conceal strategic or personal intentions.
• Danger from allies as well as enemies: The Tribunal’s own enforcers, particularly the Sixth Chief Judge, may cause enormous destruction while fighting the Strange Gods.
• Trust and uncertainty: Su Chen and Yuan must decide whom they can trust, while Zhang Yunqing worries about the consequences of relying on powerful but reckless authorities.
• Talent and protection: Zhang Hengyu’s exceptional potential makes him valuable to Yingfeng, but Zhang Yunqing’s refusal to send him away suggests a protective concern and perhaps awareness of personal attachments.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Yuan Chenyang: Yuan visits to inform Su Chen of his transfer and offers practical guidance. Su Chen expresses concern about Yuan’s safety and considers following him, but Yuan refuses because the ruins are too dangerous.
• Su Chen and Zhang Hongbo: Though Zhang Hongbo does not appear directly, the conversation frames him as Yuan’s political rival and a possible manipulator of the investigation.
• Zhang Yunqing, Yang Yan, and Gu Bing: They discuss the cult’s growing threat and the strategy of using Yuan’s transfer to lure the enemy out. Their exchange also reveals tensions between local authority and Yingfeng.
• Zhang Yunqing and Zhang Hengyu: She explains the Sixth Chief Judge’s reputation and rejects Yang Yan’s offer to remove Hengyu early, demonstrating both authority and concern for her brother.
• Yang Yan and Zhang Hengyu: Yang Yan recognizes Hengyu’s talent and attempts to recruit or escort him, but Zhang Yunqing declines.

Chapter Summary: “Delicious Soul? Black Pagoda’s Attention”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang Yunqing explains that vagrants can enter the Tribunal, though their status limits their advancement. She cites the Sixth Presiding Judge as an example: despite his strength, he cannot become Chief Presiding Judge because he is a vagrant.
• She warns Zhang Hengyu not to reveal his contact with the Sixth Presiding Judge, especially to their father. She also reassures him that his merely Brilliant Silver talent makes him less likely to attract the Judge’s attention as a potential disciple.
• In the aftermath of Zhou Zong’s death, Zhou Xian is visited by a Black Pagoda Priest, who speaks through Zhou Zong’s damaged corpse. The priest reveals that the Black Pagoda’s corruption of a powerful target failed because the target possessed extraordinary resistance.
• The Black Pagoda Sovereign has noticed an exceptionally “delicious soul” and orders Zhou Xian to identify and capture it. In exchange, Zhou Xian may be granted a wish—most importantly, the possible resurrection of Zhou Zong.
• Zhou Xian realizes that the failed corruption may point to Yuan Chenyang, but the priest warns him that he has only one chance to offer the correct person. A wrong sacrifice could result in both Zhou Xian and the priest being killed.
• Yuan Chenyang leaves the Inspection Department to guard the ruins. Meanwhile, Zhou Xian unsuccessfully attempts to take temporary control of the Inspection Department, but Zhang Hongbo rejects him because of his suspicious ties to the Cult of the Strange Gods and his hostility toward Yuan Chenyang.
• Fatty Sun visits the protagonist and discusses weapons and training. He explains that the Inspection Department can provide first-tier weapons, while higher-tier weapons are difficult to obtain and generally require specialized weaponsmiths.
• The protagonist learns that weaponsmithing is based on the Engineering Apprentice profession—the same foundation taught by his teacher—but discovers that first-tier weapons would not significantly improve his strength.
• He instead consumes Black Flame and Spirit Light Potions before entering the gravity room for intensive training.
• Zhang Hongbo later summons the Inspection Department’s section chiefs to stabilize the organization and assign responsibilities. After the meeting, he unexpectedly orders Fatty Sun to remain behind, making Fatty Sun visibly nervous.

Character Developments

• Zhang Hengyu becomes aware of the political and social limitations placed on vagrants within the Tribunal. His connection to the Sixth Presiding Judge is treated as dangerous information that must be concealed.
• Zhang Yunqing acts protectively toward her brother, advising him to keep silent and indirectly shielding him from unwanted attention.
• Zhou Xian becomes increasingly desperate and morally compromised. His grief over Zhou Zong drives him deeper into cooperation with the Black Pagoda, despite recognizing the danger and the possibility that he may be sacrificed himself.
• Zhou Zong, though physically dead or nearly destroyed, becomes a vessel for the Black Pagoda Priest, emphasizing the extent of the organization’s supernatural influence.
• Yuan Chenyang/the protagonist continues strengthening himself through potions and gravity training. His resistance to corruption marks him as an unusually valuable and dangerous target.
• Fatty Sun remains loyal and supportive, but his ordinary, humorous attitude gives way to anxiety when Zhang Hongbo singles him out.
• Zhang Hongbo demonstrates authority and caution by blocking Zhou Xian’s takeover attempt and reorganizing the Inspection Department.

Significant Themes

• Power and social hierarchy: Talent and strength do not guarantee advancement when a person’s background—such as being a vagrant—limits their status.
• Corruption and resistance: The failed attempt to corrupt the protagonist establishes his soul as unusually resilient and draws the attention of a powerful supernatural entity.
• Grief and desperation: Zhou Xian’s desire to revive his son makes him vulnerable to manipulation and pushes him toward increasingly dangerous alliances.
• Secrecy and political mistrust: Nearly every faction hides information, whether concerning the Sixth Presiding Judge, Zhou Xian’s suspected cult involvement, or the identity of the Black Pagoda’s target.
• Growth through preparation: Rather than relying solely on rare weapons, the protagonist continues improving through potions, training, and professional knowledge.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhang Yunqing and Zhang Hengyu: She explains the Tribunal’s treatment of vagrants and orders him to keep his connection to the Sixth Presiding Judge secret.
• Zhou Xian and the Black Pagoda Priest: The priest manipulates Zhou Xian by offering the possibility of reviving Zhou Zong, while threatening death if the wrong sacrifice is chosen.
• Fatty Sun and the protagonist: Fatty Sun provides political information, warns the protagonist not to isolate himself, and explains the availability and manufacture of ranked weapons.
• Zhang Hongbo and the Inspection Department: Zhang Hongbo reassures the department, rejects Zhou Xian’s attempt to control it, and then privately summons Fatty Sun for an unknown reason.

Zhang Hongbo questioned Fatty Sun about Su Chen, prompting Fatty Sun to warn Su Chen that the new City Lord was watching him. Su Chen ignored a blackmail note, reached Master level in two methods, and received two more methods from Fatty Sun.

• Zhang Hongbo reviewed Su Chen's file and told Fatty Sun to pass along a message urging Su Chen to work hard.
• Fatty Sun told Su Chen about Zhang Hongbo's questions and advised him not to patrol, while Su Chen asked him to find an F-rank Body Forging Method and meditation method.
• Su Chen found a note threatening to expose his possession of the Spatial Crystal unless he explained how Yuan Chenyang found the Strange Artifact, but he burned it and continued training.
• Su Chen reached Master level in the Body-Tempering Method and learned that his Hellflame Meditation Method had reached Master level five days earlier.
• Fatty Sun gave Su Chen copies of the F-rank Snake Shadow Body-Forging Method and Starlight Meditation Method, warning him not to sell them.

Chapter Summary: The Shadow Draws Near: Why Was the Strange Artifact Empty?

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fatty Sun reveals that the minister has continued investigating the mysterious intruder who entered Su Chen’s room after his arrival at the Inspection Department.
• Surveillance records narrow the possible culprit to seven second-rank-or-higher Profession users who were unaccounted for at the time. Fatty Sun gives Su Chen a handwritten list, though Su Chen recognizes few of the names.
• Su Chen asks Fatty Sun to purchase more Blackflame and Spirit Light Potions. Fatty Sun agrees to use Su Chen’s earnings from the Azure-Scaled Lion hunt to obtain them at a favorable price.
• Han Da visits Su Chen after receiving temporary access to his floor. He warns that someone has been investigating the circumstances surrounding Qi Chuan’s death.
• The suspicious investigator is identified as the captain of the 3rd Patrol Squad, who belongs to Deputy Director Pan Yu’s faction. He had noticed inconsistencies in the patrol airship’s energy usage and used indirect questioning to probe what happened.
• Han Da also reports that several refugees have disappeared, including Huang Peng, the leader of the group Su Chen once belonged to. This raises the possibility that the Cult of the Strange Gods is investigating Su Chen through his past connections.
• Zhang Man, an official from the Refugee Bureau who once helped Su Chen, sends a congratulatory gift after learning that Su Chen has become the minister’s student.
• Han Da mentions that Lily has advanced to the first rank, partly because of the merit award connected to Su Chen’s actions.
• After Han Da leaves, Su Chen concludes that both Southwind City’s authorities and the Cult of the Strange Gods are investigating the Strange Artifact, which was believed to have been empty when discovered.
• Su Chen suspects that his connection to Qi Chuan makes him a likely target and contacts Hu Xiang for assistance.

Character Developments

• Su Chen becomes increasingly cautious and strategically minded. He connects several seemingly unrelated incidents—the investigation into Qi Chuan, the missing refugees, and the Strange Artifact—and recognizes the growing danger around him.
• Fatty Sun demonstrates loyalty and usefulness by secretly investigating Su Chen’s intruder problem and helping him obtain valuable potions.
• Han Da proves to be a trustworthy informant, discreetly passing along Zhao Xiong’s warning despite the risks.
• Pan Yu emerges as a potential internal enemy through his subordinate’s investigation into Qi Chuan’s death.
• Huang Peng’s disappearance suggests that Su Chen’s former refugee identity may be relevant to the larger conspiracy.
• Lily has successfully advanced to the first rank, showing the positive effects of Su Chen’s influence and assistance.

Significant Themes

• Growing conspiracy and paranoia: Su Chen realizes that both official forces and the Cult of the Strange Gods are searching for the truth behind the Strange Artifact.
• Information and secrecy: Deleted records, coded investigations, indirect questions, and secret warnings demonstrate how dangerous knowledge has become.
• Political factions: The Inspection Department is divided into competing alliances, making internal enemies as threatening as external ones.
• Past connections resurfacing: Su Chen’s former life among refugees may expose him to danger, showing that his past cannot be completely left behind.
• Preparation and advancement: Su Chen continues strengthening himself through potions and cultivation, viewing advancement to the second rank as essential protection.

Character Interactions

• Fatty Sun and Su Chen maintain a friendly, trusting relationship, with Fatty Sun acting as both investigator and supplier.
• Han Da approaches Su Chen discreetly and warns him on behalf of Captain Zhao Xiong, strengthening the patrol squad’s connection with him.
• Han Da jokes with Su Chen about Zhang Man’s gift and Lily’s feelings, providing a brief lighter moment amid the tension.
• Su Chen recalls his connection to Zhang Man and Huang Peng, linking his current status to his refugee origins.
• Recognizing that danger is closing in, Su Chen reaches out to Hu Xiang for further assistance.

Key plot points and events

• Su Chen confirms that Hu Xiang is keeping an eye on someone, then receives an unexpected visit from Deputy Chief Pan Yu.
• Pan Yu pressures Su Chen to patrol regularly, citing attendance and his own supervisory responsibilities. Su Chen agrees to patrol once a week, but secretly has no intention of doing so.
• Su Chen asks Fatty Sun to obtain supplies and information about the [Shadow Veil Envoy] Profession. Sun brings him potions and discreetly gathered documents, which Su Chen later burns.
• When Pan Yu returns to ask about patrols, Su Chen says he has already arranged to be marked absent and has no intention of following the department’s attendance rules. Pan Yu realizes Su Chen has misled him and leaves furious.
• Su Chen later meets Hu Xiang, who reports that Pan Yu’s routine appears ordinary. Su Chen rejects the idea of an internal investigation, since it could expose the Spatial Crystal and drained Strange Artifact.

Character developments

• Su Chen remains focused on training and protecting his secrets. He uses polite compliance to manage Pan Yu while privately disregarding the patrol arrangement, and carefully researches a Profession that may help a squadmate.
• Pan Yu tries to exert authority through a cordial, sympathetic approach, but his patience wears thin when Su Chen avoids cooperation. His repeated visits suggest urgency or suspicion, though his motives remain unclear.
• Fatty Sun continues to help Su Chen, bringing both potions and sensitive information. He shows concern about Su Chen’s relationship with Zhou Li but chooses not to interfere.
• Hu Xiang acts as Su Chen’s discreet observer, though he has found nothing unusual about Pan Yu.

Significant themes

• Secrecy and self-protection: Su Chen conceals his plans and avoids scrutiny that could reveal dangerous artifacts.
• Appearance versus reality: Su Chen’s courteous promises to Pan Yu mask his refusal to comply; Pan Yu’s friendly manner also serves a practical purpose.
• Ambition and preparation: Su Chen trains relentlessly and gathers Profession information to prepare for future advancement.
• Power and institutional friction: Pan Yu tries to enforce departmental expectations, while Su Chen’s connections and independent priorities make him difficult to control.

Character interactions

• Su Chen and Pan Yu: Their polite exchanges conceal mutual distrust. Pan Yu seeks compliance; Su Chen gives him just enough reassurance to end the conversation, then openly evades the rules.
• Su Chen and Fatty Sun: Sun supplies resources and information, while Su Chen gives a cover story that the Profession research is for Zhou Li.
• Su Chen and Hu Xiang: Su Chen uses Hu Xiang to monitor Pan Yu but decides against formal action to keep his own secrets safe.

Key plot points and events

• Hu Xiang tells Su Chen he has ten days left in his rotation before beginning a month-and-a-half inspection tour. Su Chen offers a few reminders, and they part.
• Through intensive training and potions, Su Chen meets the requirements to advance from Sky-Rending Warrior to Storm Hunter. His Body Forging Method also reaches master level, giving him the Snake Shadow technique, which creates afterimages at high speed.
• During a strange gray rainstorm, Su Chen advances. His existing wind abilities are upgraded, and he gains the Storm Hunter ability Wild Hunt.
• Testing his new powers, he finds that Gale’s Wrath is far more destructive, Gale Barrier forms armor, and Wind-Hiding Shadow conceals him exceptionally well. Wild Hunt heightens his strength, speed, senses, and control of wind, but quickly drains his energy.
• After advancing, Su Chen finds his first-tier potions and Body Forging Method are now inefficient. He decides that obtaining second-tier training resources must become a priority, though they will be difficult to acquire.
• Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Pan Yu investigates Qi Chuan’s death. He confirms the 17th Patrol Squad was out that night and suspects Su Chen may be central to the truth. Unable to draw Su Chen out, Pan Yu decides to target the squad members to force the investigation forward.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Chen grows significantly more powerful and learns that advancement strengthens and transforms earlier abilities rather than simply replacing them. He realizes that a strong foundation—and what someone accumulates at each tier—can create lasting differences between people with the same Profession.
• Su Chen’s exchange with Hu Xiang is brief and practical; Hu shares his upcoming schedule, while Su Chen remains focused on his plans.
• Pan Yu shifts from cautious inquiry to a calculated threat. He views Su Chen as a sensitive target because of his connection to the minister, so he chooses to pressure the 17th Patrol Squad instead.

Significant themes

• The value of foundations: Higher-tier strength depends partly on the quality of the Profession and abilities developed at lower tiers.
• Growth and adaptation: Advancement reshapes existing powers, while old training methods can become inadequate as a person grows stronger.
• Power and its cost: Su Chen’s new abilities are potent but consume energy, and continued progress requires increasingly advanced resources.
• Investigation and danger: Pan Yu’s pursuit of the truth threatens people connected to Su Chen, escalating the conflict surrounding Qi Chuan’s death.

Chapter Summary: “Tracking: So They Were Going After Them!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Xiang informs Su Chen that Pan Yu has abandoned his usual travel routine and secretly left the Inspection Department.
• Suspecting that Pan Yu may be meeting someone connected to Qi Chuan’s death and the missing contents of the Strange Artifact, Su Chen orders Hu Xiang to track him.
• Su Chen disguises himself with the Shadow-Hiding Garment and Mimicry Mask, then meets Hu Xiang outside headquarters.
• Using a Tier 2 Shadow-Painting Telescope borrowed from the City Patrol Guard, Hu Xiang follows Pan Yu through the rainy night toward the West District near the Great Liang River.
• Su Chen recognizes the area as being near Han Da’s home and realizes Pan Yu is investigating the people who may have witnessed or been involved in the events surrounding Qi Chuan’s death.
• Su Chen concludes that Pan Yu is targeting weaker, less conspicuous individuals—particularly Zhao Xiong and the others—because he can capture and interrogate them without attracting much attention.
• While Pan Yu searches Han Da’s empty home, Su Chen and Hu Xiang secretly break into Pan Yu’s residence and set up an ambush. Hu Xiang is uneasy about the operation, believing they are trespassing, stealing, and possibly preparing to murder Pan Yu.
• Su Chen dismisses these concerns by arguing that, as an Inspection Department investigator, he can define the operation as a legitimate investigation.
• Pan Yu eventually returns and decides to target Zhou Li next, believing her closeness to Su Chen may mean she knows something. He also considers taking advantage of her personally.
• As Pan Yu enters the house through the shadows, Hu Xiang launches a surprise attack with his flaming spear.
• Pan Yu attempts to use Shadow Concealment to escape, but the lights suddenly activate throughout the room, eliminating the shadows and trapping him in place.
• Hu Xiang’s spear pierces Pan Yu, leaving him badly wounded and triggering his instinctive savagery. The chapter ends at this cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Becomes increasingly proactive and calculating. Rather than merely observing Pan Yu, he anticipates his targets and organizes a counteroperation. His confidence and willingness to exploit his authority also become more apparent.
• Hu Xiang: Demonstrates strong tracking and combat abilities, especially with the Shadow-Painting Telescope and his Flame Spear Wielder profession. However, he remains morally uncomfortable with Su Chen’s aggressive methods.
• Pan Yu: Is revealed to be actively investigating Qi Chuan’s death and the Strange Artifact. He is cautious and methodical, but his frustration and predatory impulses lead him to make the dangerous decision to target Zhou Li.
• Han Da, Zhao Xiong, and Zhou Li: Though not all appear directly, they become important potential witnesses or targets in Pan Yu’s investigation.

Significant Themes

• Counter-investigation and hidden motives: Both sides are investigating the same mystery, turning the chapter into a contest of surveillance, deduction, and ambushes.
• Justice versus authority: Su Chen’s claim that an action becomes legitimate because the Inspection Department defines it that way raises questions about the limits of official power.
• Predation and vulnerability: Pan Yu targets weaker or less-protected people, while Su Chen and Hu Xiang reverse the dynamic by making Pan Yu the hunted one.
• Preparation and tactical advantage: The ambush succeeds because Su Chen and Hu Xiang carefully prepare the environment, especially by removing Pan Yu’s access to darkness.
• Moral ambiguity: Hu Xiang recognizes that their methods resemble criminal behavior, while Su Chen prioritizes results over conventional morality.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Hu Xiang work together as partners, with Hu Xiang providing surveillance and combat support while Su Chen directs the operation.
• Their discussion about breaking into Pan Yu’s home highlights their contrasting personalities: Hu Xiang is cautious and morally troubled, whereas Su Chen is pragmatic and confident.
• Pan Yu’s thoughts reveal his growing interest in Zhou Li and his willingness to exploit his authority and strength for personal gratification.
• The final confrontation shifts the power dynamic: Pan Yu, who had been stalking potential victims, becomes the victim of a carefully prepared attack.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Pan Yu ambushes Hu Xiang, but Hu Xiang’s spear pierces him. Pan Yu attempts a counterattack with a concealed dagger, only to be momentarily stunned.
• Hu Xiang exploits the opening and sets Pan Yu ablaze with fire-infused spear techniques.
• Pan Yu uses his mist-like ability to rush toward the room’s powerful lamps, hoping to destroy the lighting and escape into the shadows.
• He succeeds in extinguishing one lamp, but Su Chen attacks from behind with the Azure Cord, severely damaging Pan Yu’s back and paralyzing him.
• Pan Yu recognizes Su Chen just before dying, shocked that Su Chen has come to kill him despite Pan Yu never having directly attacked him.
• Su Chen’s system confirms that the objective for the Path of Slaughter has been completed and identifies Pan Yu’s weapon as a Tier 2 Shadow Dagger.
• Hu Xiang realizes that Su Chen is already a Tier 2 Professional and is deeply disturbed by how effortlessly the two of them defeated Pan Yu.
• Su Chen orders Hu Xiang to burn Pan Yu’s body, while he dismantles and stores the remains to prevent identification.
• Hu Xiang asks Su Chen to investigate the Mist Nightmare Pearl when he goes to Yingfeng. Su Chen agrees.
• Su Chen returns to the Inspection Department before dawn, reflects on the Cult of the Strange Gods, and examines the valuables recovered from Pan Yu’s safe.
• The safe contains three Glazed Blood potions, ten Skyglow Stones, and a mysterious document.
• The document triggers the discovery of the special profession Black Pagoda Believer. Although Su Chen lacks reverence for the Black Pagoda, the class attempts to forcibly assign itself to him.
• Su Chen’s existing professions react defensively, preparing to confront the hostile new class.

2. Character Developments

• Su Chen is revealed to be a Tier 2 Professional with considerable combat power and strategic intelligence. He carefully prepared the battlefield, exploited Pan Yu’s weakness, and allowed Hu Xiang to strike first so Pan Yu would be unable to escape.
• Su Chen’s ruthless side becomes more apparent: he kills Pan Yu for completing his system objective, conceals the body, and takes all valuable possessions from the safe.
• Hu Xiang grows increasingly impressed—and frightened—by Su Chen. He begins treating Su Chen as the leader and recognizes him as something closer to a “monster” than an ordinary ally.
• Hu Xiang also demonstrates lingering hope and responsibility by asking Su Chen to search for the Mist Nightmare Pearl, presumably connected to his personal concerns.
• Pan Yu is portrayed as desperate and cunning, using his shadow abilities and hidden dagger to survive. However, his long period of safety has made him careless, and he is overwhelmed once his weaknesses are deliberately exploited.
• The Black Pagoda Believer class is characterized almost like a hostile, self-willed entity, willing to force itself onto Su Chen despite his lack of faith.

3. Significant Themes

• Preparation and information determine victory: Pan Yu is a powerful Tier 2 Professional, but Su Chen and Hu Xiang neutralize him through planning, lighting, and knowledge of his shadow-based weakness.
• Concealment and identity: Pan Yu’s double life and Su Chen’s concern over keeping the killing secret emphasize the danger of exposing one’s abilities, affiliations, and weaknesses.
• Power and moral ambiguity: Su Chen treats assassination and looting as practical necessities, showing how survival and advancement blur ethical boundaries.
• The dangers of complacency: Pan Yu’s long, peaceful operation in Southwind City leaves him unprepared for a carefully organized attack.
• Conflict between belief and forced power: The Black Pagoda profession introduces a new tension between genuine faith and externally imposed class systems.
• Escalating supernatural threats: The Cult of the Strange Gods, the Black Pagoda, and the mysterious Mist Nightmare Pearl suggest that larger forces are becoming increasingly active.

4. Character Interactions

• Hu Xiang attacks Pan Yu directly, while Su Chen supports him from the shadows and delivers the decisive blow.
• Their teamwork is efficient and coordinated, though Hu Xiang realizes that Su Chen could likely have killed Pan Yu alone.
• Hu Xiang defers to Su Chen after the battle, asking for instructions and accepting his judgment about disposing of the body.
• Hu Xiang makes a personal request regarding the Mist Nightmare Pearl, and Su Chen responds with a reassuring promise.
• Su Chen’s interaction with the newly discovered Black Pagoda Believer class is not verbal but functions like a confrontation: the hostile class attempts to impose itself, while Su Chen’s existing professions unite to resist and “correct” it.

Chapter Summary: “I Am Already Tier 2”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen realizes that the Black Pagoda Believer has not yet been “reformed” by the professions, unlike the Engineering Apprentice. He assumes the process is simply taking longer.
• After collecting valuable metals, Su Chen drinks one of his remaining Blackflame Potions. It has become virtually ineffective, confirming that his body has outgrown its benefits.
• He recognizes that he now needs Tier 2 potions and a Body Forging Method to continue advancing, but lacks the connections to obtain them. He decides to rely on the Inspection Department.
• At breakfast in the Inspection Department cafeteria, Su Chen hears guards discussing Pan Ke’s unexplained absence.
• Fatty Sun joins him and complains about attending Zhou Li’s celebration alone. Su Chen explains that he had summoned the patrol team but stayed away because of other matters.
• Su Chen asks Fatty Sun how to acquire Tier 2 resources. Fatty Sun explains that Tier 2 potions are distributed through organizational quotas, while Body Forging Methods require authorization from a department head.
• Su Chen openly reveals that he himself has reached Tier 2. Fatty Sun is shocked, and the nearby guards also become interested.
• Fatty Sun immediately urges Su Chen to meet the City Lord so that he can receive the resources and privileges owed to a Tier 2 Professional.
• Meanwhile, Exploration Department officials Yang Yan and Zhang Hongbo discuss their failure to uncover the Cult of the Strange Gods’ plans in Southwind City.
• They decide to use Su Chen as bait to provoke the cult. Su Chen’s involvement in intercepting the Holy Word Stone, Zhou Xian’s son’s death, Qi Chuan’s death, and the discovery of the Strange Artifact makes him a potentially valuable target.
• Yang Yan is surprised by Su Chen’s importance and talent, especially his Brilliant Silver body talent. He is even more astonished upon learning that Su Chen is a refugee.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: His rapid advancement is confirmed when he reveals that he has already reached Tier 2. He is becoming increasingly confident and pragmatic, choosing to disclose his strength when doing so will secure necessary resources. His physical growth has also rendered lower-level potions ineffective.
• Fatty Sun: He remains friendly and informal with Su Chen but is genuinely impressed by Su Chen’s speed of advancement. His reaction shows growing respect and admiration.
• Yang Yan and Zhang Hongbo: Their frustration deepens as their investigation produces no results. They become willing to employ dangerous tactics and sacrifice Su Chen’s safety to expose the cult.
• Zhou Li: Though she does not appear directly, her disappointment at Su Chen’s absence from her celebration reveals that she expected his presence and may have personal feelings or attachment toward him.
• Pan Ke: His unexplained absence is noted, suggesting that his behavior may be suspicious or connected to the broader intrigue.

Significant Themes

• Rapid growth and resource limitations: Su Chen’s advancement has outpaced the resources available to him, emphasizing that power requires access to increasingly rare and controlled materials.
• Institutional hierarchy: Tier 2 Professionals occupy managerial positions and receive privileges unavailable to ordinary members, showing how advancement changes one’s status within the Inspection Department.
• Dangerous political maneuvering: Officials are willing to use talented individuals as bait when conventional investigations fail, highlighting the ruthless nature of the conflict with the Cult of the Strange Gods.
• Hidden identity and social prejudice: Yang Yan’s surprise that Su Chen is a refugee reflects the assumptions people make about background, status, and talent.
• Suspicion beneath ordinary life: Casual conversations about Pan Ke’s absence contrast with the secret investigations and conspiracies unfolding within the city.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen and Fatty Sun: Their friendly cafeteria conversation shifts into an important revelation when Su Chen admits he is already Tier 2. Fatty Sun responds with shock and immediately offers practical assistance.
• Yang Yan and Zhang Hongbo: They argue over how to expose the cult. Zhang Hongbo proposes using Su Chen, while Yang Yan pushes him to accept the risks and promises to take responsibility.
• Su Chen and Zhou Li: Although they do not interact directly in the chapter, Su Chen’s absence from her celebration and her disappointment suggest increasing personal tension or emotional significance between them.
• Su Chen and the Inspection Department: His new Tier 2 status marks a change in his relationship with the organization, granting him access to resources while also making him more valuable—and more vulnerable—as a target.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhang Hongbo and Yang Yan discuss revising Yuan Chenyang’s records to conceal his refugee background. However, before granting this favor, they plan to test whether Yuan is willing to perform patrol duty.
• Gu Bing warns Yang Yan that Zhang Hongbo is manipulating him. Zhang’s son possesses Brilliant Silver-grade talent and may eventually inherit his position, making Su Chen’s growing influence a potential threat.
• Su Chen, now a Tier 2 Professional, is brought before Zhang Hongbo by Sun Tai. Zhang is surprised but quickly adopts a welcoming attitude.
• Zhang praises Su Chen’s advancement and offers him an honorary promotion to deputy chief of the Patrol Division. The position comes with substantial benefits:
  • A Tier 2 weapon
  • One portion of Glazed Blood per year
  • Three Tier 2 Miasma Potions weekly
  • Permission to apply for a Tier 2 Body Forging Method
• Su Chen initially suspects the offer is too generous, but the promotion is approved almost immediately.
• He learns that he is being transferred to the North City Inspection Branch, where he will serve concurrently as deputy branch chief. Zhang’s stated reason is that a Tier 2 Professional should not merely collect a salary, but Su Chen realizes he is being used as bait.
• Su Chen concludes that Zhang Hongbo likely intends to use him against Qin Cheng or other hidden opposition, much as Yuan Chenyang previously exploited him.
• Rather than reject the assignment, Su Chen decides to claim all promised rewards first and goes with Sun Tai to logistics.

Character Developments

• Su Chen: Becomes more cautious and politically perceptive. He recognizes that the promotion is not a genuine reward but a calculated maneuver. His advancement to Tier 2 has protected him from being assigned ordinary patrol work, yet it has also made him valuable as a pawn in factional struggles.
• Zhang Hongbo: Presents himself as generous and supportive while strategically relocating Su Chen. His hesitation upon seeing Su Chen’s Brilliant Silver-grade talent reveals concern about Su Chen becoming an unpredictable threat.
• Sun Tai: Remains enthusiastic and politically naïve. He interprets the promotion as Zhang Hongbo’s generosity and fails to recognize the hidden motives behind the transfer.
• Gu Bing: Demonstrates clear political insight by identifying Zhang Hongbo’s manipulation and the conflict of interest involving his talented son.
• Yang Yan: Shows willingness to cooperate with Zhang Hongbo’s plan, prioritizing practical results over concerns about manipulation or fairness.
• Yuan Chenyang: Though absent, remains central to the chapter through the discussion of his refugee records and his previous use of Su Chen.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and factional struggle: Promotions, assignments, and even personal records are used as tools of influence.
• Discrimination and social identity: Refugee origins can hinder advancement, making altered records a means of escaping prejudice and reshaping one’s social standing.
• The price of advancement: Su Chen’s promotion brings powerful resources but also places him in a more dangerous political position.
• Appearances versus reality: Zhang’s generous offer appears to be a reward, but Su Chen correctly sees it as a trap designed to make him confront or expose others.
• Pragmatism: Su Chen chooses to accept the benefits despite recognizing the manipulation, showing his willingness to exploit the system while avoiding unnecessary confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Hongbo and Yang Yan negotiate how to test Yuan Chenyang before altering his records.
• Gu Bing privately warns Yang Yan that Zhang Hongbo is using him and explains the political threat Su Chen represents.
• Sun Tai enthusiastically presents Su Chen’s advancement to Zhang Hongbo, unintentionally forcing Zhang to respond before he is prepared.
• Zhang Hongbo flatters Su Chen and offers him a promotion, while Su Chen cautiously plays along and observes Zhang’s motives.
• Sun Tai celebrates the promotion and transfer, but Su Chen understands the danger beneath the apparent benefits.
• The chapter ends with Su Chen and Sun Tai heading to logistics to collect the promised rewards.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• At a ruined garrison outside Southwind City, Minister Yuan Chenyang surveys the aftermath of a fierce battle and learns that Su Chen has advanced to the second tier ahead of schedule.
• Xia Hanshi, the sinister Sixth Chief Judge, suddenly appears. He examines the powerful first-tier Profession Yuan Chenyang obtained for Su Chen and demands to know its origin. Yuan conceals Su Chen’s refugee background and spiritual talent, fearing Xia might forcibly take or ruin him.
• Yuan briefs Xia on Southwind City’s recent crises: the loss and recovery of the Holy Word Stone, the Black Pagoda Believers, and the empty shell of the Strange Artifact. Xia immediately focuses on Zhou Xian, whose son transported the Holy Word Stone, and threatens to arrest and torture him despite the lack of evidence.
• Xia also learns that Yuan used an undercover student to recover the Holy Word Stone, then leaves for Southwind while ordering Yuan to remain at the garrison.
• Meanwhile, Fatty Sun brings Su Chen to the Logistics Section to claim his second-tier weapon or equipment, as authorized by the City Lord.
• Sun pressures Qian Hui, the logistics chief, into handing over a valuable prototype armor that Logistics had tried to conceal or return. The armor, called the Azure-Scale Armor, was developed using Yingfeng technology, the scales of a second-tier Azure-Scaled Lion, secret-art engravings, and half-nanometer technology.
• The armor automatically spreads over Su Chen’s body and adjusts to his shape. Though officially a second-tier weapon, it is described as “peak second-tier, perfected, half-step third-tier,” making it exceptionally powerful.

Character Developments

• Yuan Chenyang: Shows pride in Su Chen’s rapid advancement but also deep concern for his safety. He carefully protects Su Chen’s secrets from Xia Hanshi and demonstrates both political caution and loyalty toward his student.
• Su Chen: His rapid growth is confirmed, and he begins receiving equipment suited to his new strength. His reaction to the Azure-Scale Armor shows increasing confidence and awareness of how much stronger his defenses can become.
• Xia Hanshi: Is established as ruthless, intimidating, and unconcerned with legal procedure. He values useful talents and information but is willing to employ brutal methods to achieve results.
• Fatty Sun: Acts as Su Chen’s advocate and uses humor, pressure, and political connections to secure the best possible reward for him.
• Qian Hui: Initially attempts to hide or retain the prototype armor but eventually gives in to Sun’s pressure. His reluctance emphasizes the armor’s rarity and cost.
• Su Chen and Yuan’s relationship: Yuan’s efforts to conceal Su Chen’s identity reveal that he sees himself as responsible for guiding and protecting his student’s future.

Significant Themes

• Protection versus exploitation: Su Chen’s exceptional talent attracts powerful figures, but Yuan fears that premature exposure could place him in Xia Hanshi’s dangerous hands.
• Political maneuvering and corruption: The dispute over the Holy Word Stone and suspicion surrounding Zhou Xian reveal internal protectionism and factional conflict within the authorities.
• Talent and rapid advancement: Su Chen’s unusually fast progression reflects his perseverance and the extraordinary potential of his Profession.
• Technology and cultivation: The Azure-Scale Armor combines monster materials, secret arts, and advanced technology, illustrating the chapter’s fusion of supernatural power and scientific innovation.
• Power and privilege: Su Chen receives an exceptional treasure because influential figures such as the City Lord, Yuan, and Fatty Sun support him, showing how political backing affects access to resources.

Character Interactions

• Yuan Chenyang and Xia Hanshi: Their tense exchange is dominated by fear, concealed information, and Xia’s overwhelming authority. Yuan carefully answers while trying to prevent Xia from discovering too much about Su Chen.
• Fatty Sun and Qian Hui: Their playful but forceful bargaining drives the logistics subplot. Sun repeatedly corners Qian Hui until he reluctantly releases the prototype armor.
• Fatty Sun and Su Chen: Sun acts protectively and strategically, using Su Chen’s status to obtain benefits while explaining the political and practical value of the armor.
• Qian Hui and Su Chen: Qian Hui remains polite but visibly pained at surrendering the Azure-Scale Armor, while Su Chen accepts it with courtesy and growing appreciation.
• Su Chen and the Azure-Scale Armor: The armor responds almost organically, flowing over his body and adapting perfectly, giving him a strong sense of security and hinting at its extraordinary defensive potential.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Chen accepts valuable resources from Qian Hui, including a Tier 2 Miasma Potion quota and other supplies. Qian Hui is relieved because giving Su Chen the items prevents him from having to offend rival claimants.
• Fatty Sun obtains the E-grade Fierce Wind Body Tempering Method for Su Chen, suitable for the Storm Hunter profession.
• Sun Tai gives Su Chen the Ethereal Meditation Method, the third meditation technique he has acquired. Su Chen believes this is sufficient for advancing toward Arcane Scholar.
• Su Chen spends three days preparing for his new assignment, familiarizing himself with Southwind City and its four district branch offices.
• Zhou Xian learns that Su Chen has become a Tier 2 Professional and has transferred to the North City Branch Office. Still grieving his son’s death, Zhou considers personally targeting Su Chen but hesitates because he is unsure what Su Chen knows about the emptied Strange Artifact.
• Pan Yu, the deputy chief of the Patrol Division, mysteriously disappears. His home is empty, his safe is missing, and no one can contact him. The Inspection Department suspects the Cult of the Strange Gods may be responsible.
• Su Chen arrives at the North City Branch Office. Director Hou Xu warmly welcomes him and gives him the director’s office after Su Chen promises not to interfere with local affairs.
• Su Chen inspects the office for surveillance and realizes that people may be monitoring him as part of a trap. He contacts someone through his wristband, apparently arranging an additional safeguard.
• He begins training with the Miasma Potion, fivefold gravity, and the Fierce Wind Body Tempering Method. The process is extremely painful, but he makes progress in Storm Hunter, Arcane Scholar, body tempering, and meditation.
• The next morning, Su Chen is informed that someone is waiting for him downstairs. The visitor is Zhang Hengyu.

Character Developments

• Su Chen remains cautious, diplomatic, and strategically minded. He accepts help without becoming dependent on others and carefully checks his new office for hidden surveillance. His training shows his willingness to endure intense pain, though his advancement slows after reaching Tier 2.
• Fatty Sun continues acting as Su Chen’s guide and provider, helping him obtain training resources and explaining the political situation surrounding Pan Yu’s disappearance.
• Qian Hui shows practical goodwill toward Su Chen while also protecting himself from political conflict. His relationship with Su Chen becomes more cooperative.
• Sun Tai has successfully secured multiple meditation methods for Su Chen but is relieved when Su Chen says he will not request more, suggesting that obtaining them is difficult and risky.
• Zhou Xian becomes increasingly consumed by grief and resentment over his son’s death. He is tempted to act against Su Chen personally but remains cautious because of the larger forces involved.
• Pan Yu becomes an important off-screen concern through his unexplained disappearance, raising doubts about his fate and the reach of the Cult of the Strange Gods.
• Hou Xu appears accommodating and politically perceptive, quickly yielding his office and welcoming Su Chen because of Su Chen’s powerful connections.

Significant Themes

• Political maneuvering and obligation: Characters exchange favors while carefully avoiding unnecessary conflict. Su Chen’s resources and status place him at the center of competing interests.
• Suspicion and surveillance: Su Chen recognizes that his transfer may be part of a larger plan to use him as bait, while Zhou Xian and other factions monitor events from the shadows.
• Escalating danger: Pan Yu’s disappearance and Zhou Xian’s possible intervention suggest that hidden enemies are becoming more active.
• Training through suffering: Su Chen’s advancement depends on enduring increasingly painful methods, but reaching a higher tier also makes progress slower and more difficult.
• Uncertainty and hidden agendas: Few characters know the full truth about the missing safe, the Strange Artifact, Pan Yu’s disappearance, or Zhang Hongbo’s plans.

Character Interactions

• Su Chen respectfully thanks Qian Hui, while Fatty Sun later reassures him that he should not feel indebted.
• Fatty Sun and Qian Hui clash humorously over the limited potion supply, with Su Chen calming the situation.
• Fatty Sun guides Su Chen through the Internal Affairs Department and helps him obtain the body-forging method.
• Sun Tai quietly warns Su Chen that acquiring further meditation methods will be difficult.
• Fatty Sun informs Su Chen about Pan Yu’s disappearance, prompting Su Chen to express concern for Pan Yu’s safety.
• Su Chen reassures Hou Xu that he will focus on training rather than interfere in branch-office affairs, earning Hou’s enthusiastic cooperation.
• The chapter ends with Zhang Hengyu arriving to meet Su Chen, setting up the next development.