Ch. 181(1/3)
Chapter Summary
Key Plot Points & Events
- Zuo Yi sits in a milk tea shop, reflecting on his first love from five years ago after a brief encounter with her.
- He receives a message from Wu Yongjian asking if Director Lu has contacted him. Wu confirms that protecting Director Lu's daughter, Lu Jingyuan, is a mission he cannot handle alone, but together they can succeed.
- Zuo Yi recognizes Lu Jingyuan as a Transcendent whose singing carries a bewitching power, reminiscent of "Phantom Songstresses" from the Sadea World—highly respected beings whose songs could even affect Legendary creatures.
- Zuo Yi agrees to protect Lu Jingyuan and considers joking about asking for concert tickets for his fangirl Bao'er.
- That evening, Zuo Yi brings Bao'er to Shang Yulin's home for their regular free meal, as Liang Xuemei loves the girl dearly.
- They find Liang Xuemei wiping tears after talking with her old friend "Aunt Zhuang."
- Shang Yulin explains that Aunt Zhuang's daughter, Xiaoyun, died in an accident last year. The trauma caused Aunt Zhuang to develop mental problems—she insists Xiaoyun is still alive and refuses to leave home or seek hospital care.
- Shang Yulin asks Zuo Yi whether ghosts truly exist, admitting she always felt Xiaoyun's presence at Aunt Zhuang's house.
- Zuo Yi reflects that in the Sadea World, spirits (Spirit Forms) genuinely existed—lingering obsessions of the dead divided into Vengeful Spirits and White Spirits. He has not yet encountered any on Blue Star, but the chapter ends with him growing curious about Aunt Zhuang's situation.
Character Developments
- Zuo Yi: Shows his pragmatism, supernatural knowledge, and growing sense of responsibility as a Superhuman Administration member. His curiosity is piqued by a potential paranormal case on Blue Star.
- Wu Yongjian: Displays loyalty and concern for his comrade Lu Han, taking responsibility for protecting the man's daughter in his absence.
- Shang Yulin: Reveals emotional sensitivity toward others' suffering, and her concerns about the supernatural foreshadow potential conflict.
- Liang Xuemei: Shows empathy for her grieving friend, contrasting her own recovered health with Aunt Zhuang's decline.
Significant Themes
- Grief and Denial: Aunt Zhuang's refusal to accept her daughter's death mirrors the story's emphasis on loss and psychological trauma.
- The Supernatural vs. Reality: Zuo Yi's Sadea World knowledge of spirit forms raises the possibility that "ghosts" may exist on Blue Star in an unfamiliar form.
- Protection and Comradeship: The central plot concern—protecting Lu Jingyuan—reinforces themes of duty, loyalty, and collective responsibility.
- The Ordinary and Extraordinary: Everyday life (family meals, milk tea, grief counseling) is interwoven with transcendent powers and paranormal hints.
Character Interactions
- Zuo Yi ↔ Wu Yongjian (by phone): Cooperation and mutual trust in a dangerous mission; Wu expresses genuine gratitude.
- Zuo Yi ↔ Shang Yulin: Close rapport; she confides her worries about her mother and Aunt Zhuang, while Zuo Yi listens thoughtfully before revealing his expertise about spirit forms.
- Liang Xuemei ↔ Bao'er: Warm, affectionate dynamic; Bao'er's presence comforts the older woman.
- Shang Yulin ↔ Liang Xuemei: Mother-daughter concern; Shang Yulin notices and probes her mother's hidden distress.
Key Setup for Future Events
- Zuo Yi's interest in Aunt Zhuang's situation strongly hints at a forthcoming plotline involving a potential spirit manifestation on Blue Star.
- The Lu Jingyuan protection mission is established but not yet actively begun.