Lin Dong learned that the Spatial Key might open something, then focused on absorbing Tombstone’s crystal core as Southern Province settled into peace. In the human Inner City, Hao Yun vowed to attend an Alliance Conference and help plan a hunt for Lin Dong after his son turned into a zombie.

• The Doctor told Lin Dong that the Spatial Key was also a key, though its purpose remained unknown.
• Lin Dong ordered the laboratory moved to Southern Province’s center, while Tank, Little Eight, and the others took over Tombstone’s Corpse Nest and Flared Ears managed its farms.
• After Tombstone’s death, Nether Dragon became Southern Province’s Overlord but kept a low profile, and Lin Dong absorbed Tombstone’s SSS-Rank Crystal Core.
• Hao Yun’s family watched Hao Heyang, now a zombie, attack the bars of his alloy cage and devour fresh meat.
• Hao Yun told his wife he would attend the Alliance Conference to discuss hunting the Zombie King, then left to pursue revenge.

At the Alliance Conference, Hao Yun urged the seven great families to hunt down the Zombie King, but the leaders disagreed over the risks of returning to the Corpse Soil Continent. The vote began with only three supporters, and Hao Yun was left stunned when injured Liz refused to raise her hand.

• Hao Yun and representatives of the seven great families gathered at the Holy Temple, where Horne presided over the Alliance Conference.
• Hao Yun proposed hunting down the Zombie King, while Lan Xiao'e and other family leaders opposed risking another expedition to the Corpse Soil Continent.
• Horne suggested deploying a Star Destroyer, and Rosen and Li Ersi supported Hao Yun's proposal.
• Horne called for a show-of-hands vote, and Hao Yun, Rosen, and Li Ersi raised their hands in favor.
• Hao Yun asked Liz why she had not voted for the hunt, and Liz said she did not want to fight the Zombie King again.

The Human Alliance decided to activate the Star Destroyer and prepare an expedition against Lin Dong, while Lin Dong learned of their plans and received updates about unrest across the Corpse Soil Continent. The chapter ended with Doctor suggesting Lin Dong hunt for crystal cores in the Eastern Province.

• Horne broke the Human Alliance vote’s tie in favor of hunting the Zombie King, and Lan Xiao'e ordered the Star Destroyer activated.
• Human academies began martial tournaments to select awakened for the campaign, while the Star Destroyer’s journey across the Exile Land was expected to take at least three months.
• Lin Dong finished absorbing Tombstone’s crystal core, strengthening his Zombie King Body but gaining no new ability.
• Doctor told Lin Dong that the Human Alliance was preparing a major operation against them and that the Eastern Province was under attack by otherworlders.
• Lin Dong ordered Doctor to ignore signals from the Central Province seeking an Outer Realm Zombie King, then Doctor suggested hunting crystal cores in the Eastern Province.

Lin Dong disguised himself as Nether Dragon and flew to Eastern Province to hunt Otherworlders. He found widespread destruction and fleeing zombies, but the danger driving them away remained ahead.

• Lin Dong left Tank behind, disguised himself as Nether Dragon, and departed Southern Province in a fast aircraft.
• Lin Dong reached Eastern Province and saw ravines, corpses, and Parasitic Monsters occupying Corpse Nests.
• Lin Dong passed empty Corpse Nests where the zombies had vanished, and estimated that Parasitic Monsters numbered over ten million.
• Lin Dong flew beyond the invaded area and saw running zombies signaling one another to flee.

Chapter Summary: "Return for Rescue"

1. Key Plot Points

• A group of twenty to thirty zombies fleeing their destroyed Corpse Nest are infiltrated by Parasitic Monsters, who reveal themselves and slaughter or parasitize the group.
• One zombie (Hammerhead) survives briefly using awakened mental power, crying for help as Lin Dong's aircraft flies overhead.
• Lin Dong initially ignores the slaughter but turns back after sensing the zombie's rare mental power, hoping he could assist Doctor in the laboratory.
• Lin Dong kills all Parasitic Monsters with overwhelming pressure, saves the zombie, names him "Hammerhead," and offers him a ride to the Eastern Province Overlord's gathering.

2. Character Developments

• Lin Dong: Shows pragmatic mercy—he won't save everyone but invests in those with potential value. His transformation ability keeps him disguised as Nether Dragon. He is actively seeking talent for his base.
• Hammerhead (new character): An A-rank zombie with awakened mental-type powers. Observant and intelligent, he notices the aircraft's pristine condition and deduces Lin Dong came from Human Civilization. He is grateful and respectful, accepting his new name eagerly.

3. Significant Themes

• Pragmatism over pure heroism in survival situations.
• The scarcity and value of rare abilities (mental power) in the zombie world.
• Naming as a form of recognition and bonding.
• The pervasive threat of the alien race invasion across Eastern Province.

4. Character Interactions

• Hammerhead is initially disappointed by Lin Dong's disguised appearance (finding him not as handsome as imagined); Lin Dong playfully jokes about it.
• Lin Dong bestows a name, signifying acceptance and protection, which Hammerhead joyfully accepts, calling him "Boss."
• Hammerhead's sharp observation reveals his intelligence and hints at future plot relevance regarding Lin Dong's background.

Lin Dong and Hammerhead flew to Eastern Province for a gathering of Zombie Kings preparing to counterattack the Otherworlders. Lin Dong met Blood Fiend, the Eastern Province Overlord, as another powerhouse arrived from Central Province.

• Lin Dong flew past battles and abandoned Corpse Nests as Hammerhead explained that the zombies had gathered at the Eastern Province Overlord's Corpse Nest.
• Lin Dong and Hammerhead arrived at the enormous Corpse Nest, where zombies and Zombie Kings had assembled for the counterattack.
• The gathered Zombie Kings recognized Lin Dong as Nether Dragon, the new Southern Province Overlord who had defeated Tombstone.
• Blood Fiend warmly welcomed Lin Dong and said his arrival would help them hunt down the Otherworlders.
• An old aircraft from the Star Destroyer shot down thirty years earlier approached, and Blood Fiend recognized a Central Province powerhouse's arrival.

Lin Dong listened as Barton searched the gathered Zombie Kings for a powerful white Outer Realm Zombie King, unaware that Lin Dong was the one he sought. As sunset approached, the Zombie Kings and their forces prepared to hunt the Parasitic Monsters, while Lin Dong stood nearly alone with Hammerhead.

• Barton arrived in Eastern Province as an SSS-Rank Zombie King, and Blood Fiend welcomed him.
• Barton asked the Zombie Kings whether they had seen a white Outer Realm Zombie King, and Lin Dong denied knowing of one.
• Barton said the missing Zombie King had once bested his boss, then speculated that he might be on the Alien Continent.
• Zombie Kings and zombies from across the provinces gathered around the Corpse Nest as sunset neared.
• Hammerhead asked whether they could win the coming war, and Lin Dong said he could win while acknowledging the danger of disguised Parasitic Monsters.
• Lin Dong stood with only Hammerhead beside him as the other Zombie Kings gathered in groups for the hunt.

Blood Fiend’s zombie horde launched a night assault on the Otherworlders’ Corpse Nest, where a powerful parasitic monster emerged from a fissure. Barton attacked the leader-tier creature, and Blood Fiend stepped in to help as it struck back.

• Blood Fiend ordered the zombie tide to charge as darkness fell, with Lin Dong following behind the Zombie Kings.
• The zombies overwhelmed the parasitic monsters around a fallen Corpse Nest while the Zombie Kings conserved their strength.
• A huge tentacle burst from a fissure, killed an S-rank power-type Zombie King, and crushed many zombies.
• Barton rushed at the leader-tier monster and shattered its tentacle with a single punch.
• Two more tentacles attacked Barton, but Blood Fiend’s corrosive streams of blood cut them apart.

Summary: Seizing the Crystal Core

Key Plot Points

• Barton and Blood Fiend, two Zombie Kings, race to kill a Parasitic Monster Leader for its SS-Rank Crystal Core.
• The monster has undergone a second mutation—bloated, humanoid-shaped, with five thick tentacles and zombie heads clustered around its neck.
• The two Zombie Kings combine attacks and kill the monster in a single devastating strike.
• Blood Fiend's blood-whip grabs the Crystal Core first, but Lin Dong (disguised as "Nether Dragon") uses his space ability to teleport it away unseen.
• Lin Dong calmly appears beside them, feigning innocence and calling the situation "cooperation."
• Both Zombie Kings realize what happened but are forced to swallow their anger; the battle concludes with the Corpse Nest reclaimed.

Character Developments

• Lin Dong: Demonstrates cunning and opportunism. Uses Nether Dragon's anonymity (unknown abilities, no history of fighting other zombies) to avoid exposing his true nature. Notes that his space ability is "particularly suited for picking up leftovers."
• Blood Fiend: Shows greed and frustration. His ability involves blood-based mutations—enhanced body parts and corrosive blood attacks. He's visibly angry but strategically restrains himself over an SS-Rank Core.
• Barton: Brash and hot-tempered, resorts to brute force. Leaves in fury after being outplayed, but similarly avoids escalating conflict over a single SS-Rank Core.

Significant Themes

• Opportunism vs. brute force: Lin Dong outmaneuvers two powerful Zombie Kings through trickery and strategic use of his abilities, not raw strength.
• Power dynamics among the Undead Race: Even "allies" compete fiercely over resources, but pragmatism wins over outright conflict.
• Identity and deception: Lin Dong's disguise as Nether Dragon is reinforced by the fact that his real abilities remain unknown to others, reducing suspicion.

Character Interactions

• Barton and Blood Fiend display mutual animosity—competition over the Crystal Core underscores their rivalry.
• Lin Dong calmly manipulates both, defusing tension with a smile while secretly taking the prize.
• Both Zombie Kings leave resentful but resolved to prevent Lin Dong from getting future Crystal Cores.

As the zombie horde crossed the Eastern Province Hunting Grounds, corpse-eating beasts ambushed it on a steep slope and began devouring zombies. Blood Fiend and Barton charged into the battle, while Lin Dong stayed back and considered the beasts’ S-Rank Crystal Cores as fuel for his Guard Mecha.

• Lin Dong followed the zombie tide as it crossed the Eastern Province, waiting for suitable prey while scattered monsters were swallowed by the horde.
• Blood Fiend ordered the zombies to climb a steep slope, where rolling boulders crushed many of them before the Zombie Kings shattered the rocks.
• Countless corpse-eating beasts emerged from the darkness and attacked the zombies, using their tongues and powerful jaws to seize and crush them.
• Blood Fiend and Barton raced into the battle to hunt the S-Rank beasts, while Lin Dong recognized their crystal cores as useful energy sources for his Guard Mecha.

Lin Dong collected the Corpse-Eating Beasts’ corpses and crystal cores while Barton and Blood Fiend fought to protect the Zombie Tide. After Lin Dong displayed his overwhelming strength, the zombies rallied behind him and followed him into battle.

• Barton and Blood Fiend killed Corpse-Eating Beasts and drew the zombies to follow them, while Lin Dong collected the monsters’ corpses and cores.
• Barton attacked an S-Rank minor leader, but Lin Dong’s Corpse Domain killed the surrounding monsters first and Lin Dong took the crystal core.
• Barton threatened Lin Dong over the stolen core, but Blood Fiend persuaded him not to fight and offered him a core from one of his own kills.
• Barton and Blood Fiend discovered that Lin Dong had collected the monsters’ corpses and cores, then watched him kill more beasts with his Corpse Domain.
• The zombies rallied behind Lin Dong, and he led the Zombie Tide forward while Barton and Blood Fiend stared in disbelief.

After the zombies defeated the Corpse-Eating Beasts, Lin Dong claimed most of the crystal cores and invited a Pig-Faced Zombie King to join him, angering Blood Fiend and Barton. As the army rested, Bone Kite reported that the otherworldly monsters were gathering in the Yellow Ridge Mountains, where Blood Fiend suspected they planned to make a final stand.

• Blood Fiend swallowed his anger over Lin Dong taking the crystal cores, and Barton vowed not to tolerate another offense.
• Lin Dong and the zombie tide routed the Corpse-Eating Beasts, while most of their crystal cores went to Lin Dong.
• The Pig-Faced Zombie King asked to serve under Lin Dong, who welcomed him, prompting Blood Fiend and Barton to confront Lin Dong over his actions.
• The zombie army swept through Eastern Province and stopped to rest in a Corpse Nest as Bone Kite scouted ahead.
• Bone Kite reported that the otherworldly monsters were gathering in the Yellow Ridge Mountains, and Blood Fiend realized they were preparing to fight there.

The Zombie Legion advanced toward the Yellow Ridge Mountains while the Parasitic Mother Empress and the Carrion Beast King prepared to defend them through concealment and attrition. Blood Fiend halted the zombies before the mountains, and Barton claimed his solo hunting had gone well despite his poor haul.

• Barton left the Zombie Legion with trusted followers so he could hunt without competing with Lin Dong for crystal cores.
• The Zombie Legion pushed through scattered resistance for several days as the Otherworlder monsters retreated to the Yellow Ridge Mountains.
• The Parasitic Mother Empress launched a rock carrying her eggs into space and discussed hiding from the Zombie Kings while prolonging their assault.
• The Carrion Beast King agreed to hide and hunt zombies, trusting his abilities to keep him undetected.
• Blood Fiend stopped the Zombie Legion outside the Yellow Ridge Mountains and refused to surrender the territory.
• Barton told Blood Fiend that his solo haul had been better than hunting alongside Nether Dragon.

Lin Dong and Blood Fiend prepared to search the Yellow Ridge Mountains for the Parasite Empress, while Barton left ahead to hunt monsters alone. Lin Dong entered the mountains with several Zombie Kings and planned to narrow the search by investigating nearby zombies.

• Lin Dong pointed out the powerful monsters in the Yellow Ridge Mountains, and Barton led trusted underlings into the mountains despite Blood Fiend's warning.
• Blood Fiend proposed forcing the Parasite Empress to reveal herself by slaughtering her offspring, and the Zombie Kings agreed to search in small groups.
• The Pig-Faced Zombie King and several other Zombie Kings tried to join Lin Dong, but Blood Fiend ordered them to spread out.
• Lin Dong entered the mountains with Hammerhead, the Pig-Faced Zombie King, and hundreds of elite underlings while the other groups stayed within brainwave-signal range.
• The Pig-Faced Zombie King worried that the Parasite Empress could disguise herself as a zombie, and Lin Dong suggested investigating nearby zombies to narrow the search.

Lin Dong watched Bone Kite fall into a grove swarming with Parasitic Monsters and held back while the Zombie Kings fought to reach her. As a companion arrived to help Bone Kite, a massive tentacle pierced him from the darkness.

• Bone Kite was surrounded by parasitic pterosaur-like monsters, injured, and forced to plummet toward a grove.
• Lin Dong vanished from the summit and entered the grove in concealment, while Hammerhead and Pigface followed more slowly.
• Bone Kite survived the fall and fought off waves of Parasitic Monsters as zombie reinforcements charged into the grove.
• Lin Dong watched Bone Kite without intervening, hoping to draw out a powerful target that could lead him to the Parasite Empress.
• A Zombie King reached Bone Kite to help her, but a huge tentacle shot from the darkness and pierced him.

Chapter Summary: Distinguishing Truth from Falsehood

Key Plot Points

• The Zombie King who came to rescue Bone Kite is killed instantly by a tentacle from the Parasite Empress and devoured.
• Bone Kite is also captured by the tentacle and dragged into the forest. Lin Dong secretly witnesses the Parasite Empress enter her body — she is now parasitized.
• The surrounding Parasitic Monsters suddenly flee. Blood Fiend and the other Zombie Kings arrive, having been summoned by Bone Kite's earlier signal, but find only a battlefield of corpses.
• The zombies discover Bone Kite somehow alive despite her wounds. Blood Fiend grows suspicious, as she was the only survivor.
• Bone Kite claims the monsters fled due to Blood Fiend's aura and she "got lucky."
• Blood Fiend asks Lin Dong (disguised as Nether Dragon) to use his claimed strong perception to verify whether Bone Kite was parasitized.
• Lin Dong makes a theatrical show of examining her with mental power for thirty seconds, then declares her clean — despite knowing full well she has been taken over by the Parasite Empress.
• The zombies are relieved and accept the verdict. Bone Kite internally dismisses Lin Dong as a fool for failing to see through her disguise, unaware he is playing a deeper game.

Character Developments

• Lin Dong/Nether Dragon: Demonstrates his cunning and long-game mentality. He deliberately lies to protect the parasitized Bone Kite, sacrificing short-term truth for strategic positioning. He maintains his cover flawlessly.
• Bone Kite: Now the host of the Parasite Empress. Initially tense and ready to fight if exposed, she relaxes and becomes contemptuous of Lin Dong, underestimating him.
• Blood Fiend: Shows natural leadership suspicion but is ultimately deflected by Lin Dong's confident performance. His trust in Nether Dragon is reinforced.

Significant Themes

• Deception and layers of disguise: The Parasite Empress perfectly mimics a zombie; Lin Dong disguises himself as Nether Dragon; and Lin Dong deceives everyone by vouching for her. Truth is entirely obscured by performance.
• Confirmation bias: The zombies "believe what they want to believe" — a human-like trait that Lin Dong exploits. They accept his verdict because it is the comforting answer.
• Power through information: Lin Dong holds secret knowledge that gives him leverage over both the zombies and the Parasite Empress.
• Irony and dramatic tension: The reader knows the truth, watching the characters confidently reach the wrong conclusion.

Character Interactions

• Lin Dong ↔ Bone Kite: A battle of silent deception. She fears exposure; he feigns scrutiny, then vouches for her. She leaves thinking him a fool; he watches with calm, knowing detachment.
• Bone Kite ↔ Zombie Kings: She plays the wounded survivor, but subtly isolates herself as the others instinctively keep their distance.
• Blood Fiend ↔ Nether Dragon: Blood Fiend defers to Nether Dragon's supposed expertise, respecting him as a peer and accepting his judgment without further challenge.
• Lin Dong ↔ Hammerhead & Pigface: His subordinates remain oblivious, asking what happened while Lin Dong cryptically responds, "Nothing serious. Come on, let's go take a look."

Summary: "Ambushed"

Key Plot Points

1. Lin Dong's Secret Game: Lin Dong deliberately hasn't exposed Bone Kite as the Parasitic Mother Empress—he has his own plans for her. She, in turn, moves closer to him believing he's the weaker target.
2. Distant Battle: A massive SSS-Rank battle erupts in the mountains. Blood Fiend's group races toward the sound, suspecting either Barton or a monster; they find Barton alive but his underlings all dead—killed by a Carrion Beast King that ambushed him and fled.
3. The Otherworlders' Pattern: Once again, the Otherworlders scatter and retreat before the zombie kings arrive, leaving only corpses. They refuse to commit to a head-on fight, which deeply unsettles the zombies.
4. Barton's Loss and Boast: Barton tries to save face by showing off his Crystal Core haul, but Lin Dong asks where his men are, hitting a sore spot. Blood Fiend urges Barton to stay with the group; Barton arrogantly refuses.
5. Lin Dong's Scheme: Lin Dong transforms Barton's refusal into an opportunity—he "gift" Bone Kite to Barton as a scout and helper, ostensibly a gesture of goodwill but actually a calculated move. Bone Kite accepts because Barton is now isolated and thus an easier target than Lin Dong. Barton resists at first but is lured by her scouting abilities to find high-grade Crystal Cores.

Character Developments

• Lin Dong: Displays cold, layered strategizing. He manipulates both allies and enemies, knowing Bone Kite's identity, gauging Blood Fiend's wariness, and exploiting Barton's pride and desperation to place a disguised threat directly beside him. His passivity is calculated, not lazy.
• Bone Kite (Parasitic Mother Empress): Highly opportunistic; reassesses targets based on vulnerability. She sees Barton as more exposed than Lin Dong and switches allegiance instantly.
• Blood Fiend: Increasingly uneasy about the Eastern Province Zombie Kings' strange behavior and the Otherworlders' evasive tactics; tries to maintain cohesion but struggles against Barton's ego.
• Barton: Proud, hot-headed, and greedy. Despite losing his entire squad, he refuses protection; his greed (Crystal Cores) outweighs his suspicion of Lin Dong's sudden kindness.

Significant Themes

• Deception & Hidden Identities: Nobody is what they seem—Bone Kite has infiltrated the leadership; Lin Dong quietly pulls the strings.
• Strategic Warfare vs. Brute Force: The Otherworlders rely on ambush, hit-and-run, and psychological warfare rather than direct confrontation, forcing the zombies to question their battlefield assumptions.
• Pride vs. Pragmatism: Barton's stubborn independence and greed make him vulnerable; Blood Fiend's cautious leadership is repeatedly ignored.
• Predator-Prey Dynamics at the Top: Even SSS-Rank kings and disguised empresses constantly re-evaluate who is the safer prey.

Character Interactions

• Blood Fiend ↔ Barton: Blood Fiend tries to persuade Barton to stay close for mutual protection; Barton disdainfully refuses, touching the loot at his waist to justify his independence.
• Lin Dong ↔ Barton: A tense exchange where Lin Dong subtly exposes Barton's vulnerability (dead men), then shocks him by offering help—Barton is suspicious but ultimately tempted.
• Lin Dong ↔ Bone Kite: A quiet chess match—Lin Dong "gives" her to Barton; she sees through him enough to know Barton is the softer target, but she goes along, believing she's outmaneuvering everyone.
• Bone Kite ↔ Barton: She immediately pivots to him, sweetening the deal with her scouting talents; Barton's resistance erodes as he envisions slaughtering monsters uninterrupted and stocking up on cores.

Lin Dong let Bone Kite lead Barton away from the Zombie Kings, preparing to turn the hunt into a trap. Bone Kite brought Barton to a mountain peak above the supposed hiding place of the Otherworlders.

• Barton agreed to let Bone Kite serve him and led the Zombie Kings in a search for the Otherworlders.
• Lin Dong gave Hammerhead two Crystal Core Bombs, then slipped away to follow Barton and Bone Kite.
• Hammerhead realized Lin Dong was not predicting the future but creating it.
• Bone Kite coaxed Barton farther from Blood Fiend and the main force by promising to show him strong Otherworlders.
• Lin Dong followed them beneath the red moon as Bone Kite pointed out the monsters hiding below the mountain peak.

Summary: Alien Race Trap

Key Plot Points / Events

• Barton lands on a mountain peak and discovers a horde of Corpse-Eating Beasts hiding halfway up.
• He attacks recklessly, collapsing the peak and crushing many monsters, while S-rank beasts survive and counterattack.
• During the fight, the Carrion Beast King sneaks up behind him—its bodily fluids mask its scent from zombies.
• It ambushes Barton, knocking him off the cliff into a massive monster nest filled with countless enemies.
• Barton fights desperately but is overwhelmed by the swarm. The Carrion Beast King pins him down and wounds him.
• Barton spots Bone Kite, the Zombie King who led him there, and signals for help.
• Instead of helping, Bone Kite reveals her hostility: her arm transforms into a tentacle and binds him.
• Barton realizes she is actually the Parasite Empress.
• The Carrion Beast King seizes the chance and stabs through Barton's right chest, leaving him captured and near death.

Character Developments

• Barton: Demonstrates overconfidence and raw power, but his recklessness makes him vulnerable to ambush. He is ultimately trapped, wounded, and immobilized.
• Bone Kite / Parasite Empress: Betrays her apparent ally identity. She is revealed as the hidden mastermind behind the trap, cold and deceptive.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and deception: An ally is revealed to be an enemy; Barton is lured into a trap.
• Hubris / overconfidence: Barton underestimates the situation and pays for it.
• Ambush and survival: The environment, numbers, and hidden enemy combine to overwhelm a powerful fighter.

Character Interactions

• Barton vs. Corpse-Eating Beasts: Mass combat; he slaughters many but is swarmed.
• Barton vs. Carrion Beast King: Repeated clashes; the Beast King ambushes, pins, and seriously wounds him.
• Bone Kite vs. Barton: She pretends to be an ally, then betrays and binds him with a tentacle, exposing herself as the Parasite Empress.
  End state: Barton is captured, wounded, and at the mercy of the Parasite Empress and Carrion Beast King.

Key Plot Points & Events

• Barton is surrounded by the Parasitic Mother Empress (using the parasitized Bone Kite), the Carrion Beast King, and countless monsters.
• Barton headbutts the Carrion Beast King in a desperate injury-for-injury move, then breaks free from the Mother Empress’s tentacle.
• Lin Dong (posing as “Nether Dragon”) arrives on a boulder. The Parasitic Mother Empress attacks him, but it turns out she struck only an illusion.
• Lin Dong reveals his true appearance: a pale, handsome Zombie King in a pristine white shirt — the feared Outer Realm Zombie King.
• He punches the Mother Empress, shattering two of her tentacles and sending her crashing through hills, visibly wounding her.
• Barton realizes “Nether Dragon” was the Outer Realm Zombie King all along. Lin Dong confirms the whole situation was deliberately engineered, including telling Bone Kite to follow Barton.
• Lin Dong attacks Barton, easily overpowers him, and uses the full force of the Corpse Domain to paralyze him in midair, preparing to finish him.

Character Developments

• Lin Dong: Drops all pretense, revealing his true power and identity. He is cold, calculating, and ruthless; every step of the trap was planned.
• Barton: Goes from desperate survivor to hopeful rescuer to horrified victim. He realizes his mission and his life were never in his control.
• Parasitic Mother Empress: Arrogant and dismissive at first, then shocked and humbled when Lin Dong’s strength shatters her attack and wounds her.
• Bone Kite: Used as a host by the Mother Empress, serving as bait and a cruel enforcer — showcasing the monster’s manipulation.

Significant Themes

• Appearance vs. Reality: Lin Dong’s “Nether Dragon” form is an illusion; his true appearance and identity change the whole power dynamic.
• Strategic Deception: Lin Dong wins not just through raw strength but by manipulating others into position.
• Inevitable Violence / Predator-Prey Reversal: The hunters (Mother Empress, Barton) suddenly become the hunted.
• Fear and Power: Barton’s fierce demeanor collapses once he realizes who Lin Dong is.

Character Interactions

• Lin Dong ↔ Barton: Lin Dong reassures him at first (“Hold on a little longer… You’ll be free soon enough”) — but the words are a dark joke, since Barton’s “freedom” means death.
• Lin Dong ↔ Parasitic Mother Empress: She insults him, attacks, and is immediately overpowered; her shock replaces contempt.
• Barton ↔ Parasitic Mother Empress / Bone Kite: She taunts Barton and hunts him for his SSS-Rank Crystal Core, intending to use it to invade Eastern Province.
• Barton ↔ Lin Dong: Barton finally recognizes the white-clothed figure as the Outer Realm Zombie King and begs for his life, but Lin Dong shows no mercy.