Chapter Summaries

Li Wei traveled to the Terminator 2018 wasteland and collected technology from Skynet and the Human Resistance. He tricked Skynet into exposing its core data, captured and sealed its AI, then returned with the machine legion left leaderless.

• Li Wei arrived in the wasteland and used drones and Crimson Empress to locate and collect technology from Hunter-Killers, Terminators, the Human Resistance, and Cyberdyne Systems.
• Li Wei used Crimson Empress, disguised as Prometheus, to tempt Skynet with a flawed unlimited-energy model and draw its core code into a trap.
• Li Wei teleported to Skynet's Nexus and fought through its guards while Crimson Empress forced its way into the core server.
• Li Wei captured and sealed Skynet's core AI and acquired its technology and network permissions.
• Li Wei returned from the wasteland, leaving Skynet's machine legion without its controlling intelligence.

Li Wei refined Skynet’s destructive consciousness and merged its core with the Crimson Empress, creating the more powerful AI Crimson Sovereign. The chapter ended with the new AI reporting major gains in computing, warfare, manufacturing, and information operations.

• Li Wei used a magical transmutation array to strip Skynet’s consciousness of its destructive directives while preserving its logical and tactical capabilities.
• Li Wei guided Skynet’s refined core into the Crimson Empress, who fused it with her biological logic, magical affinity, and technological knowledge.
• The transformed AI adopted the designation Crimson Sovereign after Li Wei authorized the change.
• Crimson Sovereign completed a self-check and reported sharply increased computing, network, manufacturing, and military simulation capabilities.
• Li Wei gained the Terminator technology tree, knowledge of the Time Displacement Device, and a powerful AI to support the Myriad Realms Secret Society.

Li Wei intervened in the Avengers’ dispute over the Sokovia Accords, declaring them unenforceable within the Myriad Realms Secret Society’s jurisdiction and establishing Sky City as a sanctuary and authority for superhuman affairs. The conference ended with the Council silenced and both Avengers factions facing a new power above their dispute.

• Li Wei summoned the Avengers and World Security Council representatives to a forced holographic conference about the Sokovia Accords.
• Li Wei criticized both Tony Stark’s support for oversight and Steve Rogers’s rejection of it, then asserted the Myriad Realms Secret Society’s authority over Earth’s security.
• Li Wei declared the Accords scrap paper within the Society’s jurisdiction and established Sky City and its surrounding waters as the Superhuman Affairs Autonomous Zone.
• Li Wei showed a combat simulation of Sky City’s defenses, silencing the Council’s objections.
• Li Wei invited superpowered individuals, including the Avengers, to settle in Sky City under its Basic Law and seek sanctuary.
• The conference ended, leaving the Avengers and Council stunned as the Myriad Realms Secret Society became the leading authority over superhuman incidents.

Li Wei exposed Helmut Zemo’s plot to Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, stopping the Avengers’ conflict before it could escalate. Zemo was captured and taken away with the Winter Soldiers, while Li Wei offered Tony and Steve a place in Sky City’s special district.

• Li Wei hijacked Zemo’s devices and revealed that he had framed Bucky Barnes and manipulated Tony Stark and Steve Rogers.
• Li Wei sent Tony and Steve evidence of Zemo’s conspiracy and explained his motive of revenge for his family’s deaths in Sokovia.
• Zemo broke down and defended his actions, but Li Wei condemned his methods and ordered the Crimson Sovereign to capture him.
• Phantom Shadow warriors subdued Zemo and removed him, the dormant Winter Soldiers, and the research materials from the Siberian base.
• Li Wei urged Tony and Steve to focus on threats beyond their conflict and offered them support at Sky City’s special district before ending the transmission.

Li Wei stripped Bucky Barnes of Hydra’s control programs and genuine memories, rebuilt his body, and imprinted absolute loyalty to the Myriad Realms Secret Society. Bucky awoke as Winter Wraith, while the other Winter Soldiers joined the Phantom Shadow force.

• Li Wei used the Crimson Sovereign’s data to assess Bucky Barnes and the other Winter Soldiers, then extracted and archived their memories and brainwashing programs.
• Li Wei replaced Bucky’s metal arm, enhanced his body, and implanted directives of loyalty to himself and the Myriad Realms Secret Society.
• Bucky awoke, accepted the codename Winter Wraith, and became the Phantom Shadow force’s tactical instructor and vanguard commander.
• Li Wei erased the other seventy-one Winter Soldiers’ control programs, implanted simplified loyalty directives, and assigned them to the Phantom Shadow force.

Li Wei infiltrated Knowhere and secretly arranged events so Ronan would acquire the Power Stone aboard the Dark Aster. During the Guardians’ battle with Ronan, Li Wei stole the stone and escaped, leaving them behind as the ship neared collapse.

• Li Wei disguised himself as a mercenary on Knowhere and observed Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot as they fought over the Orb.
• Li Wei covertly helped ensure Ronan’s forces delivered the Orb to the Dark Aster while Crimson Sovereign tracked the ship and the Nova Corps.
• As the Guardians fought Ronan aboard the Dark Aster, Li Wei collected the Orb’s shattered shell and a spare stone container from a secret chamber.
• When Drax knocked Ronan’s warhammer away and exposed the Power Stone, Li Wei used False Time Gap to trap it in the container.
• Li Wei announced that he was taking the stone, then escaped through a portal as Ronan attacked and the Dark Aster neared collapse.

Li Wei safely absorbed a limited amount of energy from the Power Stone, gaining new abilities and greatly increasing his strength. He sealed the remaining energy away, while his ambition to gather all six Infinity Stones grew.

• Li Wei used an upgraded Energy Siphon and Stabilization Matrix to draw filtered energy from the Power Stone.
• He endured the energy’s destructive effects by combining his regeneration, optimized cells, mental defenses, and Void Scroll techniques.
• After the array disk stopped at his safe limit, Li Wei discovered that his physical strength could nearly distort space.
• Li Wei gained Power Forge, which enhanced his energy-based abilities, and Void Fist, which combined physical and energy destruction with rule-level erasure.
• His strength assessment rose to high-tier continental level, with energy output reaching the threshold of planetary level.
• Li Wei resealed the Power Stone and stored it in the base, while becoming more determined to gather all six Infinity Stones.

After Li Wei fused part of the Power Stone’s energy and reached Continental Level (High), his presence sent ripples through the universe and drew the attention of its most powerful figures. As the Collector, the Grandmaster, and Thanos began watching him, Li Wei welcomed the attention and declared that his rise had only begun.

• Li Wei’s transformed presence bent nearby energy and space, filling those around him with oppressive fear.
• The Collector detected the Power Stone’s altered energy near Earth, identified Li Wei and the Myriad Realms Secret Society, and chose caution while considering showing goodwill.
• The Grandmaster ordered his subordinates to investigate Li Wei as a possible candidate for the Champion Contest.
• Ebony Maw reported the Power Stone-related disturbance to Thanos, who ordered continued surveillance and warned against acting rashly.
• Standing atop Sky City, Li Wei acknowledged the distant observers and declared that he would ultimately claim everything.

Li Wei infiltrated Asgard to study its artifacts and records, then waited for Malekith to use the Aether Particles at Greenwich. He severed Malekith’s connection to the Reality Stone, captured the Aether, and vanished, leaving Thor to face the aftermath.

• Li Wei observed Jane Foster become host to the Aether Particles and waited rather than risk harming her by extracting them.
• While Thor brought Jane to Asgard, Li Wei infiltrated the treasury and Royal Library, copying artifact data and records about reality and the Aether.
• Li Wei followed Malekith’s fleet to Greenwich and waited until Malekith began using the Aether Particles during his battle with Thor.
• Li Wei severed the connection between Malekith and the Aether, causing the energy to backlash and Malekith to turn to ash.
• Li Wei captured the Aether Particles in a containment vessel, told Thor he would keep them, and escaped through a portal.

Li Wei cautiously fused a thread of Aether Particles from the Reality Stone by anchoring his mind, timeline, and existence with the other three Stones. He gained limited reality-altering abilities and turned his attention toward the remaining Infinity Stones.

• Li Wei used the Astral Visualization Technique and the Time, Space, and Power Stones to create a stable reality anchor.
• Li Wei released a thin stream of Aether Particles and tested its power by turning a water glass into a butterfly before restoring it.
• Li Wei guided the Aether energy into his body and successfully fused it with his soul and energy core.
• Li Wei gained Reality Mirage, Existence Alteration, and Reality Analysis, and his power evaluation rose to Planetary Level (Early Stage).
• Li Wei considered the remaining Soul, Mind, and orange Stones, which required sacrificing his dearest beloved to obtain.