Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Yun, the ghost inhabiting the manor, turns hostile toward Ling Mengxue and tries to force her to submit. Ling refuses to trust Bai Yun again after realizing that the ghost may genuinely harm her.
• Bai Yun overpowers Ling Mengxue and pins her to the floor. Their compromising position is discovered by Nan Muya, Ling Lexuan, Meng Xi, and the other girls, who mistakenly assume they interrupted an intimate encounter.
• Ling desperately tries to explain that she is the one being restrained, while Ling Lexuan mocks her and makes the misunderstanding worse.
• Bai Yun dismisses the incident and reveals that the girls have been summoned for a mission called “appreciating the artistic conception.” She invites them to eat breakfast before taking them to the secret room.
• Ling Mengxue suspects Bai Yun’s behavior is connected to the severe depression she suffered during life and possibly to the influence of a powerful “magical older sister.” Bai Yun rejects Ling’s attempt to diagnose or understand her.
• Bai Yun leads the group into a vast illusionary “Dream Garden,” a space that blends the manor with another garden-like area through advanced magical abilities. Ling learns from Xi Yan’s guidance that high-level Magical Nightmares can reshape reality and create “real dreamscapes.”
• Inside the garden, the group encounters several beautiful young girls who appear human but behave like mindless puppets. Bai Yun reveals that she keeps them as “pets” and demonstrates her control over them.
• Bai Yun orders the girls to obey the visitors’ commands throughout the day and threatens punishment for disobedience. The others are disturbed by her cruelty and possessiveness.
• A task notification finally appears: the group must train Bai Yun’s “pets” so that they experience physical and mental pleasure and satisfaction. The first-day objective can be completed by earning the affection of at least one girl.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue: Becomes much more cautious around Bai Yun after nearly being attacked. Despite being frightened, she remains determined to understand Bai Yun’s psychological state and resists calling on Xi Yan unless absolutely necessary. She also discovers that she can potentially learn to create dreamscapes herself.
• Bai Yun: Reveals herself as playful, manipulative, domineering, and potentially sadistic. She enjoys embarrassing Ling Mengxue and frightening the others, treating controlled humans as toys or pets. Her behavior hints at deeper psychological damage connected to her past depression and possible magical inheritance.
• Meng Xi: Shows kindness and concern by helping Ling Mengxue up after Bai Yun releases her. Though nervous, she still approaches Ling and later asks about why he came to the manor.
• Ling Lexuan: Reacts with jealousy, disdain, and mockery toward Ling Mengxue, interpreting the scene with Bai Yun in the most provocative way possible.
• Nan Muya and the other girls: Become increasingly wary of Bai Yun after witnessing the controlled “pets.” Even the experienced Astral Mark Girls recognize that the manor and its master pose serious dangers.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: The scene between Bai Yun and Ling Mengxue looks intimate to outsiders, while the truth is an attempted assault. The Dream Garden similarly blurs the boundary between illusion and reality.
• Control and loss of agency: Bai Yun’s “pets” have lost their free will, making the chapter’s task morally disturbing despite its cheerful presentation.
• Trauma and psychological instability: Bai Yun’s cruelty and obsession may stem from her past depression and unresolved issues, suggesting that her behavior is more complex than simple malice.
• Resistance and trust: Ling Mengxue refuses to submit to Bai Yun and struggles to balance self-reliance with accepting help from Xi Yan and her companions.
• Games masking danger: Bai Yun presents the situation as a playful mission, but her threats and control make it clear that failure may carry serious consequences.

Character Interactions

• Bai Yun repeatedly toys with Ling Mengxue, first by attacking and humiliating her, then by teasing her in front of the others.
• Ling Mengxue argues with Bai Yun and attempts to expose the emotional problems behind her behavior, but Bai Yun shuts her down.
• Meng Xi treats Ling with compassion, helping her after the confrontation and quietly questioning her about the mission.
• Ling Lexuan mocks Ling Mengxue and interprets her interaction with Bai Yun as evidence of perversion.
• Bai Yun intimidates Nan Muya, Ling Lexuan, Meng Xi, and the others by displaying her control over the human “pets” and assigning them an unsettling training task.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Bai Yun reveals the second-day task: the group must “raise” and satisfy the manor’s magically controlled young ladies, treating them like pets and winning their affection. Failure would turn them into pets in Bai Yun’s collection, though their lives would be spared.
• The group is trapped inside the room by an external restriction. They cannot escape unless someone at Trial-Level Destiny Engraver strength intervenes, which would count as failing the task.
• Despite their embarrassment—especially Meng Xi’s inexperience—the four participants begin interacting with the young ladies through teasing, affection, games, and other forms of attention.
• Ling Mengxue remains focused on the possibility of restoring the controlled girls’ minds with magical potions, but refrains from using them because Bai Yun may be watching.
• By noon, the group has completed the task early:
  • Meng Xi wins over four girls and ranks first.
  • Ling Lexuan wins over two and ranks second.
  • Nan Muya and Ling Mengxue each win over one and tie for third.
• Bai Yun rewards them with free time, access to a banquet, use of the bedroom’s clothes and tools, and permission to cosplay. She also announces that new tasks will begin the next morning.
• Bai Yun notices the name “Ling Mengxue” on the rankings and realizes it belongs to the supposedly male participant. She teases Ling Mengxue for having a girl’s name, feminine appearance, and behavior, even suggesting that he may be “incapable.”
• After Bai Yun leaves, the group heads downstairs for the promised feast. Ling Lexuan and Nan Muya discuss their suspicions about Ling Mengxue’s identity and the unfamiliar name.

2. Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue/Ling Feng: Demonstrates composure and responsibility despite intense embarrassment. She prioritizes the controlled girls’ safety and remains wary of Bai Yun’s surveillance. Her hidden female identity becomes increasingly difficult to conceal when Bai Yun exposes her name.
• Meng Xi: Begins as the most inexperienced and embarrassed member, but gathers courage and ultimately performs best, winning over four young ladies. Her success shows her adaptability and determination under pressure.
• Ling Lexuan: Shows curiosity about the task and performs confidently, ranking second. She remains observant and begins questioning Ling Mengxue’s identity.
• Nan Muya: Reluctantly participates despite her embarrassment. Her lingering guilt toward Ling Feng affects how she interacts with Ling Mengxue and makes her more sensitive to his strange behavior.
• Bai Yun: Continues acting as a playful but threatening overseer. She treats the horrifying situation like entertainment, rewarding compliance while maintaining complete control over the group.
• The controlled young ladies: Gradually become docile and affectionate toward the participants, behaving like domesticated pets after receiving attention and care.

3. Significant Themes

• Horror mixed with absurdity: The manor’s deadly supernatural setting contrasts sharply with Bai Yun’s bizarre “pet-raising” game, creating an unsettling mixture of comedy, embarrassment, and danger.
• Loss of autonomy: The young ladies are magically controlled, while the participants themselves are also coerced by Bai Yun’s rules. The chapter emphasizes how both groups are manipulated and denied genuine freedom.
• Identity and appearance: Ling Mengxue’s masculine identity, feminine body, behavior, and newly revealed name create confusion and foreshadow the danger of her secret being exposed.
• Survival versus dignity: The group must perform humiliating and intimate tasks to survive, forcing them to suppress personal discomfort and moral hesitation.
• Unexpected kindness in supernatural spaces: Ling Lexuan reflects that Bai Yun’s relatively playful behavior is unusual compared with the normally hostile and predatory supernatural beings found in horror realms.

4. Character Interactions

• Ling Mengxue and Meng Xi: Meng Xi nervously asks Ling Mengxue to participate, while Ling Mengxue reassures her and suggests imagining the young ladies as cats. Their exchange shows mutual concern and growing trust.
• The group and the young ladies: All four cautiously build affectionate relationships with the controlled girls, eventually making them comfortable enough to rest beside them like pets.
• Ling Mengxue and Bai Yun: Bai Yun repeatedly mocks and tests Ling Mengxue, while Ling Mengxue suppresses her anger to avoid exposing her true identity or provoking the Ghost Emperor.
• Ling Lexuan and Nan Muya: Ling Lexuan pulls Nan Muya along to the banquet and later questions her about Ling Mengxue’s suspicious name. Nan Muya provides a rational but uncertain defense, admitting that the name feels familiar.
• Ling Lexuan, Nan Muya, and Meng Xi: Their shared embarrassment and cooperation strengthen their group dynamic, as they endure the strange task together while trying to understand the manor and its master.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After lunch, Ling Mengxue and the others return to their room to rest. They relax on the unusual pink bed and garden lawn while discussing the day’s mission.
• Meng Xi shyly tells Ling Mengxue that she received 2,000 Soul Coins and offers to treat him to a meal as thanks. Ling Mengxue hears her but dismisses the offer, believing he has enough money and feeling uncomfortable being treated by a girl.
• Ling Mengxue examines his mission reward: a provocative pair of magical black stockings belonging to Miss Ghost. Though embarrassed by the item’s description, he recognizes that it provides small combat and charm bonuses and keeps it hidden.
• Ling Lexuan researches the Dark Secret Realms and becomes suspicious that their relatively pleasant dungeon experience—snacks, computers, and lighthearted missions—is abnormal compared with other players’ deadly and traumatizing experiences.
• Ling Lexuan also notices that she feels increasingly close to Ling Mengxue whenever she looks at him. She wonders if she is developing romantic feelings despite their family conflicts and her previous hostility toward him.
• That evening, Miss Ghost allows the group to leave work early. The players separate after leaving the villa, with Ling Lexuan hurriedly taking Nan Muya away because she is distracted and upset.
• Ling Mengxue, accompanied by Meng Xi, heads to the small dining room. On the way, they discover several mutilated corpses hanging beneath a sign near the orchard.
• Ling Mengxue infers that the victims were likely players who attempted to steal fruit from the forbidden orchard, probably because they had not earned enough Soul Coins. The sight deeply frightens Meng Xi and leaves both girls shaken.
• At the restaurant, Ling Mengxue orders food despite the grim discovery. Meng Xi can barely eat and asks for the leftovers to be packed.
• They discover that Shu Momo works at the restaurant and has effectively taken control of it through her overwhelming magical strength. Because she has intimidated or driven away the other ghosts, she handles nearly every job herself.
• Shu Momo declares Ling Mengxue her “brother” because he is related to Xue-chan and arranges for him to eat at the restaurant for free. Ling Mengxue jokingly calls this “dining and dashing” but accepts the benefit, reasoning that morality is complicated in a realm where ghosts want to eat humans.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue remains pragmatic, emotionally restrained, and resistant to social pressure. He ignores Ling Lexuan’s concerns, rejects Meng Xi’s offer out of pride and discomfort, and focuses on practical matters such as food, rewards, and survival.
• He also demonstrates growing protectiveness toward Meng Xi by taking her hand and leading her away from the corpses, later comforting her with a pat on the head.
• Meng Xi becomes increasingly attached and grateful to Ling Mengxue. Her offer to treat him to dinner reveals her shyness and desire to repay him. The sight of the corpses exposes her vulnerability, as she breaks down despite having endured earlier supernatural horrors.
• Ling Lexuan begins to question her hostility toward Ling Mengxue. Her growing sense of familiarity and possible attraction conflicts with her loyalty to Ling Yue and the family’s previous tensions.
• Nan Muya remains relaxed and accepting, seeing little problem with the group’s closeness and with Ling Lexuan’s feelings.
• Shu Momo is shown to be powerful, socially bold, and playful. She casually claims Ling Mengxue as her brother and uses her strength to dominate the restaurant’s ghosts.

Significant Themes

• Survival and greed: The mutilated players serve as a warning about the deadly consequences of disregarding dungeon rules, especially the temptation to steal from the orchard.
• Morality in a horror world: Ling Mengxue questions whether ordinary moral standards—such as paying for food—still matter when the surrounding ghosts view humans as food themselves.
• Unexplained attraction and influence: Ling Lexuan and Meng Xi both develop unusual emotional closeness to Ling Mengxue, suggesting that his presence may have supernatural effects or that old relationships are changing.
• Contrast between comfort and horror: The chapter shifts from a cozy afternoon of resting, eating, and chatting to the grotesque discovery of corpses, emphasizing the deceptive safety of the dungeon.
• Power and social control: Shu Momo’s magical strength allows her to take over the restaurant, illustrating how authority in the dungeon belongs to whoever can intimidate or overpower others.

Character Interactions

• Ling Lexuan scolds Ling Mengxue for behaving casually on the bed, while Nan Muya and Meng Xi indicate that they do not mind.
• Meng Xi quietly confesses her wish to repay Ling Mengxue, though he pretends not to notice.
• Ling Lexuan discusses her strange feelings toward Ling Mengxue with Nan Muya, who responds calmly and sees their closeness as natural.
• Ling Mengxue comforts the frightened Meng Xi after they see the hanging corpses.
• Shu Momo playfully embraces Ling Mengxue, calls him her brother, and grants him unlimited free meals. He responds with sarcastic humor and mild resistance.
• Meng Xi notices the apparent intimacy between Ling Mengxue and Shu Momo, becoming quietly envious and curious about their relationship.

Chapter Summary: “Dormitory Mishaps”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ling Mengxue discovers that water and electricity in the dormitory are not free, costing 50 Soul Coins per day. Because she has plenty of money, she purchases extensive amenities and supplies for the entire suite, surprising Meng Xi.
• While resting, Ling Mengxue reflects on Miss Ghost’s mission: she must help Bai Yun recognize that her “hobby” is psychologically abnormal. Meng Mengxue concludes that Bai Yun’s behavior may stem from the influence of the mysterious “Dark Girl” who comforted and influenced her during depression.
• Meng Xi bathes but discovers that her only maid outfit has become wet. Ling Mengxue claims to have spare girls’ clothing and uses Mirror Magic to copy and clean numerous maid outfits. She also awkwardly provides stockings, embarrassing Meng Xi.
• Zhao Lei and Yue Xinrou eventually return from their work assignment in a transformed state. Yue Xinrou has lost all her hair, while Zhao Lei has been turned into a beautiful girl.
• The transformations were caused by the side effects of a Strength Potion they used to escape a ghost-infested storeroom. The ghost had trapped them inside even after their cleaning task was complete.
• Ling Mengxue explains that the effects should disappear after approximately twenty-four hours. She finds Zhao Lei’s transformation amusing, though Zhao Lei is horrified by becoming female. Yue Xinrou is deeply distressed by her baldness.
• The group eats the food Zhao Lei and Yue Xinrou brought back, then goes to sleep. Zhao Lei and Yue Xinrou ask Meng Xi about her earlier mission, but Meng Xi conceals the truth and gives them a fabricated, ordinary-sounding explanation.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue shows generosity and resourcefulness by spending freely on necessities, helping Meng Xi, and using Mirror Magic to create clothing. She remains emotionally conflicted about the strange mission involving Bai Yun and is increasingly aware that solving Bai Yun’s problem may require uncovering the Dark Girl’s influence.
• Meng Xi becomes noticeably happier and more relaxed after receiving bathing supplies and clothing. She grows more comfortable relying on Ling Mengxue, though she remains shy and easily embarrassed. She also demonstrates loyalty by helping keep the secret about Miss Ghost’s mission.
• Zhao Lei returns traumatized and humiliated after being transformed into a woman. Despite his distress, his appetite and familiar personality remain unchanged, creating a comic contrast with his new appearance.
• Yue Xinrou is devastated by losing her hair, treating the transformation as a major blow to her beauty and confidence. She is less able than Zhao Lei to laugh off the situation.
• Bai Yun, though absent, becomes more important to the ongoing plot as Ling Mengxue considers the psychological origins of her behavior and the mysterious Dark Girl behind it.

Significant Themes

• Identity and transformation: Zhao Lei and Yue Xinrou’s physical changes create humor but also raise questions about how appearance affects self-image and personal identity.
• Trust and secrecy: Meng Xi and Ling Mengxue share knowledge that must remain hidden from the others, strengthening their quiet bond.
• Psychological influence: Ling Mengxue’s investigation into Bai Yun suggests that trauma, depression, and outside influence can shape a person’s desires and personality.
• Resourcefulness in survival: Everyday necessities, magical abilities, potions, and dungeon rules all become important tools for coping with the dangerous realm.
• Comedy amid danger: The chapter balances supernatural threats and disturbing missions with embarrassing domestic situations and absurd transformations.

Character Interactions

• Ling Mengxue and Meng Xi develop greater intimacy through practical care: Ling Mengxue provides supplies, clothes, and protection, while Meng Xi becomes increasingly dependent on and curious about her.
• Ling Mengxue teases Zhao Lei about becoming a beautiful girl, while Zhao Lei angrily insists that he is still a man.
• The group reacts with shock and disbelief to Zhao Lei and Yue Xinrou’s transformations, then gathers to eat and recover.
• Meng Xi protects Ling Mengxue and the mission’s secrecy by giving Zhao Lei and Yue Xinrou a false account of her day, turning the shared secret between her and Ling Mengxue into an unspoken bond.

Chapter Summary: “A New Morning~ / What I Want Now!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ling Mengxue wakes early in Star Prefecture, reflecting on the oppressive world, the danger of the secret realm, and her forced sleeping arrangements with three other girls.
• She continues supporting Zhao Lei’s group by providing Strength Potions, though she notes the financial loss compared with selling them for Soul Coins.
• Ling Mengxue learns from Xi He that experienced players can customize their names and appearances after clearing three stages, protecting their real identities from exposure.
• At breakfast, Bai Yun invites everyone to eat before announcing the day’s task. Ling Mengxue again tells Bai Yun that she wants to cure her mental corruption.
• Bai Yun reacts angrily and threatens to turn Ling Mengxue into food if she fails to “conquer” enough people, then sends everyone to the garden for another task.
• The group discovers that the day’s assignment is even more perverse and humiliating than the previous one. Bai Yun uses control, punishment, food, and freedom as incentives to force everyone’s cooperation.
• Ling Mengxue provokes Bai Yun by suggesting that Bai Yun secretly wants to participate in the activities herself. Bai Yun becomes flustered and threatens to control and drain Ling Mengxue if she fails.
• The chapter ends with Bai Yun rejecting Ling Mengxue’s attempts to reason with her, insisting that her current desires are what she truly wants.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue: Remains cautious and emotionally exhausted but continues trying to save Bai Yun, despite the danger and embarrassment involved. She also becomes more willing to tease and challenge Bai Yun directly.
• Bai Yun: Shows increasing instability beneath her playful exterior. She is lonely, frustrated by her inability to enjoy food, and disturbed by Ling Mengxue’s pity and determination to “cure” her. Her threats and possessiveness reveal both her cruelty and her lingering human emotions.
• Meng Xi: Becomes increasingly anxious about Bai Yun’s tasks but remains attentive to Ling Mengxue and offers quiet reminders and support.
• Ling Lexuan and Nan Muya: Continue to distrust Bai Yun and remain highly guarded around her.
• Zhao Lei’s group: Receive safer assignments and benefit from Ling Mengxue’s potions, while their resentment toward her gradually weakens.
• Chu Yue and Yi Lan: After being rescued from Bai Yun’s control, they develop gratitude toward Ling Mengxue.

Significant Themes

• Humanity versus corruption: Bai Yun was once human, and Ling Mengxue fears that abandoning her will allow her to become completely demonic.
• Compassion amid danger: Ling Mengxue continues trying to help Bai Yun even though Bai Yun can kill or control her at any moment.
• Power and coercion: Bai Yun’s authority over food, work, punishment, and freedom forces the others to obey, exposing how survival can strip people of dignity and choice.
• Identity and privacy: The secret realm exposes players’ true names and appearances, emphasizing the vulnerability of those trapped inside it.
• Loneliness and emotional numbness: Bai Yun’s inability to taste food symbolizes her loss of ordinary human pleasures, while her insistence on entertaining others masks her isolation.
• Humor and embarrassment as defense mechanisms: Teasing, flirtation, and awkward banter allow the characters—especially Ling Mengxue and Bai Yun—to avoid confronting the seriousness of Bai Yun’s condition directly.

Character Interactions

• Ling Mengxue and Xi He discuss player identities and the secret realm’s protection system, with Xi He teasing Ling Mengxue about disguising herself with “Stinky Mud.”
• Bai Yun tries to create a friendly breakfast atmosphere, but Ling Lexuan, Nan Muya, and Meng Xi remain fearful and suspicious.
• Ling Mengxue openly tells Bai Yun she wants to cure her, prompting Bai Yun’s angry threats.
• Ling Mengxue then teases Bai Yun about wanting to join the maid attendants, causing Bai Yun to blush and retaliate with threateningly intimate remarks.
• Bai Yun and Ling Mengxue’s relationship remains a mixture of hostility, provocation, pity, and reluctant emotional attachment.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ling Mengxue’s side quest, “Pathological Heart Knot,” is unexpectedly completed. Xi explains that Bai Yun had always understood her own psychological problem but had buried it; Ling Mengxue’s repeated visits forced her to confront it.
• The quest reward grants Ling Mengxue an exceptionally rare Overabundant Star Source, restoring and improving her power to the Middle Tier Astral Mark Executor, Intermediate Mage, and Fifth Order Star Warrior realms.
• During the day’s dungeon task, the captives must perform increasingly humiliating and fetishistic “pet” behavior. Ling Mengxue reluctantly participates while becoming more determined to rescue the imprisoned women.
• Bai Yun discovers that Ling Mengxue has failed to meet the day’s required number of successful tasks. She threatens to transform Ling Mengxue into one of her “pets,” approaching with scissors.
• Ling Mengxue reveals her increased strength by using the Pure Lotus Shadow-Stacking Step to evade Bai Yun’s threat instead of continuing to pretend to be weak.
• Bai Yun offers a wager: if Ling Mengxue can defeat her, she will surrender the manor and release all the captives and players. The challenge is scheduled for midnight in the manor’s back garden, where Ling Mengxue must first overcome Bai Yun’s servants.
• Ling Mengxue asks that Bai Yun stop keeping people as pets. She admits she is not acting purely out of altruism—some prisoners may want her dead—but believes her position and responsibilities require her to help those in danger.
• Bai Yun infers that Ling Mengxue is connected to the Special Affairs Bureau, likely the Ninth Bureau, and accepts the challenge.
• After Bai Yun leaves, Meng Xi anxiously tries to dissuade Ling Mengxue. Ling Mengxue reassures her that freeing everyone is worth the risk.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue: Her quest completion and reward restore her confidence and significantly increase her power. She stops tolerating Bai Yun’s manipulation, reveals her true abilities, and takes a direct stance against the manor’s system of captivity. Her sense of duty becomes clearer: she is not a saint, but she refuses to ignore suffering when she has the ability to intervene.
• Bai Yun: She remains playful, cruel, and supremely confident in her superiority. However, Ling Mengxue’s sudden display of strength interests her, leading her to offer a genuine opportunity rather than simply punish him. She also recognizes Ling Mengxue as a possible government supernatural agent.
• Meng Xi: She becomes increasingly worried about Ling Mengxue’s recklessness and develops visible embarrassment and emotional turmoil around him. His promise to rescue everyone affects her deeply.
• Ling Lexuan and Nan Muya: They view Ling Mengxue’s behavior as reckless and foolish given Bai Yun’s overwhelming reputation and power. Ling Lexuan especially doubts that someone of Ling Mengxue’s apparent rank can defeat a Ghost King-level opponent.
• The captive maidens: They continue to behave under Bai Yun’s control, treating the degrading tasks as normal. Their situation strengthens Ling Mengxue’s resolve to free them.

Significant Themes

• Duty versus self-preservation: Ling Mengxue acknowledges that she is not morally perfect, yet chooses to act because her responsibilities demand it.
• Resistance to dehumanization: The captives are treated as pets, and Ling Mengxue increasingly rejects Bai Yun’s entire system rather than merely trying to survive it.
• Recklessness and courage: Other characters see Ling Mengxue’s challenge as suicidal arrogance, while he sees it as the only practical route to saving everyone.
• Power and hidden identity: Ling Mengxue’s concealed strength and Special Affairs Bureau affiliation shift the balance of the situation, though Bai Yun still believes herself overwhelmingly superior.
• Psychological wounds: The completed side quest emphasizes that buried trauma or denial can be brought to the surface through persistent emotional confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Xi explains the quest’s completion to Ling Mengxue and warns that Bai Yun is unlikely to abandon her obsession.
• Ling Mengxue reluctantly interacts with the brown-haired captive during the task, while the others mock or misunderstand his behavior.
• Bai Yun confronts Ling Mengxue with a humiliating threat, prompting him to reveal his movement technique.
• Ling Mengxue negotiates directly with Bai Yun, demanding the release of the captives in exchange for victory.
• Meng Xi privately expresses concern for him afterward. Ling Mengxue responds gently by patting her head and promising to save them, leaving her flustered and emotionally affected.
• Ling Lexuan silently judges the challenge as brave but foolish, highlighting the gap between Ling Mengxue’s confidence and the others’ perception of Bai Yun’s power.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter begins by emphasizing the overwhelming power gap between Ling Mengxue and Bai Yun. Mengxue’s apparent odds of defeating Bai Yun are nearly nonexistent unless she uses hidden abilities or “cheats.”
• During the day’s tasks, Bai Yun must win over two girls. She successfully charms one girl again and later uses a mixture of experience and “taming” to make another younger girl completely attached to her.
• Bai Yun returns briefly, rewards everyone generously with money and ghost-item tools, and reminds Ling Mengxue not to be late that night.
• Ling Mengxue privately prepares for her planned confrontation with Bai Yun. She is conflicted about concealing her true identity from her friends, especially Meng Xi, but fears the embarrassment and danger of revealing that she is also Ling Feng.
• On the way to dinner, Ling Mengxue and Meng Xi pass the horrifying orchard, where corpses hang from warning signs. Meng Xi now deliberately avoids looking at the scene.
• At the dining hall, Shu Momo invites Ling Mengxue and Meng Xi to share an extravagant meal. The ghosts working there are forced to serve them because Shu Momo is the strongest presence in the restaurant.
• After dinner, Ling Mengxue brings extra food back for her teammates. Shu Momo teasingly asks whether Ling Mengxue and Meng Xi are a couple, but Ling Mengxue explains that they are roommates and that she already has a girlfriend.
• Back in the dormitory, Ling Mengxue tells Meng Xi about her plan to face Bai Yun alone and asks her to keep it secret, particularly from Zhao Lei, who would recklessly try to help.
• Ling Mengxue waits uneasily for midnight and examines an Epic-Tier Soul Lamp, wondering whether it might be useful in the dungeon.
• Zhao Lei and the other teammate finally return, soaked and exhausted after encountering another danger. Zhao Lei enthusiastically tries to hug Ling Mengxue, but she casually sidesteps and tells him to shower first.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue/Ling Feng: Shows increasing anxiety over maintaining her disguise and hiding her identity from her companions. Although she acts confident about facing Bai Yun, she recognizes that using her full abilities could expose her as a Destiny Engraver. She also demonstrates practical concern for her teammates by bringing them food and keeping Zhao Lei away from the impending confrontation.
• Meng Xi: Becomes more emotionally attached to and worried about Ling Mengxue. She feels helpless because she cannot assist him in the upcoming battle, but she still agrees to protect his secret. Her embarrassment and curiosity about his girlfriend also reveal growing personal feelings.
• Bai Yun: Continues to act as a powerful, playful, and generous superior. Her ability to complete difficult social tasks and distribute valuable rewards reinforces her overwhelming status.
• Shu Momo: Displays a cheerful, domineering personality. She enjoys the company of Ling Mengxue and Meng Xi and uses her authority over the restaurant’s ghosts to provide them with an enormous feast.
• Zhao Lei: Remains loyal and impulsive. Despite returning exhausted, his first instinct is to rush toward Ling Mengxue, showing how readily he would risk himself for his friend.

Significant Themes

• Power imbalance and hidden strength: The apparent battle between Mengxue and Bai Yun highlights the difference between visible strength and concealed abilities.
• Identity and secrecy: Ling Mengxue’s disguise creates guilt and emotional distance, forcing her to weigh honesty against the danger of exposing herself.
• Friendship and sacrifice: Meng Xi and Zhao Lei both demonstrate their willingness to protect Ling Mengxue, even though their concern may place them in danger.
• Horror contrasted with domestic comfort: The terrifying manor, corpses, mist, and supernatural threats are juxtaposed with food, teasing, friendship, and dormitory life.
• Dependence and authority: The ghosts’ reluctant obedience to Shu Momo and Bai Yun’s generous rewards show how power determines relationships in the supernatural world.

Important Character Interactions

• Ling Mengxue and Meng Xi: Meng Xi worries about the upcoming battle, while Mengxue reassures her indirectly and asks her to keep the plan secret. Their exchange reveals both trust and the strain caused by Mengxue’s concealed identity.
• Ling Mengxue and Bai Yun: Bai Yun rewards Mengxue’s group but gives her a knowing reminder about the night, suggesting that she is aware of or anticipating their confrontation.
• Ling Mengxue, Meng Xi, and Shu Momo: Shu Momo welcomes them to an extravagant meal and playfully questions their relationship, creating a rare moment of warmth in the otherwise frightening dungeon.
• Ling Mengxue and Zhao Lei: Zhao Lei’s enthusiastic return contrasts with Mengxue’s restrained reaction. Her effortless sidestep and instruction to shower reinforce the familiar, comedic dynamic between them.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ling Mengxue takes a bath and her appearance temporarily returns to normal, causing a brief commotion.
• Ling Mengxue gives each of them a Strength Potion for potential use in the mission.
• Ling Mengxue plans to sneak out at night to confront Bai Yun, but Meng Xi insists on going with her.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue: Shows concern for her companions' safety by giving them potions. Her resolve to face Bai Yun strengthens.
• Meng Xi: Demonstrates determination and courage by insisting on accompanying Ling Mengxue, even offering a Guardian Crystal for protection.

Significant Themes

• Trust and companionship: Meng Xi's insistence on joining Ling Mengxue highlights their growing bond and trust in each other.
• Danger and risk: The nighttime in the manor is portrayed as extremely dangerous, emphasizing the risks the characters are willing to take.

Character Interactions

• Ling Mengxue and Meng Xi: Their interaction shows a deepening of their relationship, with Meng Xi showing unwavering support for Ling Mengxue.
• Ling Mengxue and Zhao Lei: Zhao Lei shows understanding and acceptance of Ling Mengxue's actions, even if he doesn't fully comprehend them.
• Ling Mengxue and Yue Xinrou: Ling Mengxue's actions towards Yue Xinrou are motivated by a desire to teach her a lesson and ensure she contributes to the team.

Chapter Summary: Abyssal Corridor / The Bloodsaw Maniac Delivers a Gift at the Door

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Ling Mengxue leaves, Meng Xi secretly takes out another Guardian Crystal. Because the paired crystals allow their holders to sense each other’s locations, she plans to follow Ling Mengxue from a safe distance and ensure she does not encounter danger.
• Ling Mengxue leaves the dormitory despite the dungeon’s nighttime restrictions. The manor’s corridors are filled with darkness, mist, and roaming Abyssal Predators, making the journey extremely dangerous.
• To avoid attracting attention, Ling Mengxue does not use her Soul Lamp. Instead, she carries the purple sword Flower Shadow, relying on Spatial Perception and her movement abilities to navigate the corridor.
• She hears a player being attacked and discovers a severed human head. Using the Star Engraving technique Void-Breaking Form, she cuts through the mist and reveals the surrounding corridor.
• At the stairwell, a little girl in a bloodstained fertilizer sack suddenly bursts through the wall. She reveals herself to be a monstrous creature that has been collecting human heads as “balls” and attempts to replace the lost one with Ling Mengxue.
• Ling Mengxue immediately kills the girl with a single sword strike. She finds several bloody heads inside the sack and burns all remains with a Purifying Fire Lotus.
• Meng Xi follows afterward, using the Guardian Crystal to track Ling Mengxue. She discovers the blood-soaked aftermath and becomes increasingly worried but continues into the mist.
• Ling Mengxue descends through the dormitory, defeating several Second- and Third-Order paranormal creatures with relative ease.
• In the empty lobby, she finds the dorm manager missing and an old radio emitting static. When she steps outside, a towering monster ambushes her with a blood-covered chainsaw.
• She destroys the supernatural chainsaw and kicks the attacker through the dormitory entrance, identifying it as the Fourth-Order Bloodsaw Demon.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue demonstrates exceptional composure and combat skill. Although the darkness and unseen threats frighten her instinctively, she suppresses her emotions and maintains a cold, efficient mindset.
• She becomes more pragmatic, choosing weapons and abilities suited to stealth and the dungeon’s supernatural rules rather than relying on flashy or attention-drawing equipment.
• Her strength is emphasized through her effortless destruction of lower-ranked paranormal creatures and her decisive execution of the murderous child-monster.
• Meng Xi reveals strong concern and loyalty toward Ling Mengxue. Despite the danger and her promise to remain behind, she secretly follows him, prepared to face death alongside him if necessary.
• Meng Xi’s fear and anxiety contrast with Ling Mengxue’s controlled exterior, though her determination drives her to continue following him.

Significant Themes

• Fear versus self-control: Ling Mengxue’s fear is natural, but she suppresses it to preserve her judgment and survive.
• The danger of the unknown: The dark, mist-filled corridor creates constant tension because threats can emerge from anywhere.
• Protection and sacrifice: Meng Xi risks violating dungeon rules because protecting Ling Mengxue matters more to her than her own safety.
• Monstrous innocence: The little girl’s harmless appearance and playful speech conceal extreme brutality, emphasizing that appearances are meaningless in the dungeon.
• Survival through adaptability: The characters must understand the dungeon’s mechanics, including the weaknesses of ghosts and the limitations of physical attacks.

Character Interactions

• Meng Xi and Ling Mengxue interact indirectly: Ling Mengxue leaves without knowing she is being followed, while Meng Xi tracks her through the Guardian Crystal.
• Ling Mengxue confronts and verbally responds to the seemingly innocent little girl, but the encounter quickly becomes a lethal battle.
• The Bloodsaw Demon attacks Ling Mengxue without warning, initiating a new confrontation at the dormitory entrance.
• The chapter ends with Ling Mengxue facing this stronger Fourth-Order enemy after easily handling several weaker creatures.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ling Mengxue encounters a Bloodsaw Demon, a psychotic serial killer, and engages in a fight.
• She defeats the demon using her gun and takes its wrench as a trophy.
• Pursued by monsters drawn to the scene, Ling Mengxue flees through a manor filled with ghosts.
• She is surrounded by a large number of monsters, from First Order to Fifth Order, and must fight her way out.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue demonstrates her combat skills and strategic thinking, showing no fear despite being outnumbered.
• She shows resourcefulness by taking the wrench as a trophy and considering it a free item.
• Ling Mengxue's determination to survive and escape is evident in her actions.

Significant Themes

• Survival and perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds.
• The power of destiny and the Astral Mark Necklace, which gives Ling Mengxue an edge against supernatural creatures.
• The theme of being pursued and hunted, reflecting Ling Mengxue's status as an enemy of the magical girls.

Character Interactions

• Ling Mengxue interacts with the Bloodsaw Demon, fighting and ultimately defeating it.
• She encounters various ghosts and monsters within the manor, fighting against them as she tries to escape.
• Ling Mengxue's internal dialogue with Xi He, her Astral Mark, provides insight into her thoughts and strategies.

Plot Points and Events

• Ling Mengxue is attacked by a horde of evil spirits and ghosts led by powerful supernatural entities.
• She fights back, using powerful techniques like "Shattered Star Trace" to fend them off.
• The ghosts retreat, and Ling Mengxue heads to the villa's backyard as per Bai Yun's instructions.
• She finds a vast, beautiful lake and decides to investigate further.
• Bai Yun appears, attacking Ling Mengxue with a powerful beam.
• Ling Mengxue avoids the attack, and the two engage in a fierce battle.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue demonstrates her powerful combat skills and determination to protect her friends.
• Bai Yun reveals her true nature, showing a crazed, savage side and offering Ling Mengxue a choice between becoming her slave or a Restless Soul of the manor.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the consequences of defying authority (Bai Yun's reaction to Ling Mengxue's defiance).
• The struggle between personal freedom and submission (Ling Mengxue's refusal to become Bai Yun's slave or Restless Soul).

Character Interactions

• Ling Mengxue and Bai Yun's interaction highlights their contrasting personalities and goals.
• Ling Mengxue's determination to protect her friends influences her actions and decisions.
• Bai Yun's crazed, possessive behavior towards Ling Mengxue is revealed, showing her obsession and desire for control.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• A devastating battle erupts near Star Sea Manor, producing shockwaves powerful enough to shake the entire secret realm and even affect the outside world. The manor’s reinforced buildings barely withstand the destruction.
• The manor’s staff, supernatural guards, ghosts, and the remaining Survival Challenge players panic, believing that powerful King-rank beings—or even gods—are fighting nearby.
• Zhao Lei wakes to discover that Feng and Meng Xi are missing. Determined to rescue his friend, he rushes out despite the danger. Yue Xinrou initially tries to stop him, fearing for her own survival, but ultimately follows him.
• On a rooftop, Ling Yue, Nan Muya, Ling Lexuan, and Shu Momo watch the distant battle. They speculate that the combatants may include the mysterious powerful individual they encountered earlier and recognize that the manor’s owner is far beyond the Ghost King Tier.
• The battle is revealed to be between Bai Yun, the manor’s powerful ghostly ruler, and Ling Mengxue, the Astral Mark Girl.
• Bai Yun overwhelms Ling Mengxue with relentless attacks, but Ling Mengxue survives through precise, extremely efficient movement. Her sword eventually shatters under Bai Yun’s attack, leaving her injured and weaponless.
• Ling Mengxue switches to firearms, using Star Source to create seemingly endless ammunition. Her advanced dual-gun techniques allow her to unleash continuous, irregular gunfire and briefly suppress Bai Yun.
• Bai Yun is initially unconcerned, but a Star Source bullet pierces her shoulder, revealing that Ling Mengxue’s attacks can genuinely harm her. Bai Yun is shocked because Star Source should normally belong only to Astral Mark Girls.
• The battle intensifies, destroying buildings, a lakeside pavilion, and much of the surrounding terrain. The lake churns violently as bloody demonic attacks clash with Ling Mengxue’s star-powered bullets.
• Meng Xi eventually reaches the central villa’s back garden and witnesses the devastation. Although horrified, she is relieved to see that Ling Mengxue is still alive.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue: Demonstrates exceptional combat skill, stamina management, evasive movement, and mental resilience. Even after her sword is destroyed and she is badly injured, she remains calm and continues fighting. She reveals that gunplay—not swordsmanship—is her true specialty and displays a powerful, highly refined dual-gun style. Her ability to use Star Source raises questions about her identity and hidden abilities.
• Bai Yun: Establishes herself as an overwhelmingly powerful opponent who initially dominates the fight. However, she is forced to take Ling Mengxue seriously once Star Source bullets begin injuring her. Her confidence shifts into irritation and surprise as Ling Mengxue’s endless gunfire prevents her from closing in.
• Zhao Lei: Shows strong loyalty and courage by immediately going out to search for Feng, even when doing so may mean certain death.
• Yue Xinrou: Initially prioritizes self-preservation and tries to keep Zhao Lei from leaving, but her concern for him eventually overcomes her fear, and she follows him outside.
• Meng Xi: Remains deeply worried about Ling Mengxue and is visibly relieved when she reaches the battlefield and confirms that Ling Mengxue is still alive.
• Shu Momo: Calmly observes the destruction and recognizes Bai Yun’s power, treating the battle with curiosity rather than fear.
• Ling Yue, Nan Muya, and Ling Lexuan: Are stunned by the scale of the fight and begin reconsidering the identities and strength of the figures involved.

Significant Themes

• Power and hidden identity: Ling Mengxue’s use of Star Source despite not being expected to possess it suggests concealed abilities or a deeper connection to the Astral Mark Girls.
• Perseverance under overwhelming odds: Ling Mengxue continues fighting after being injured, disarmed, and nearly overwhelmed, emphasizing determination and adaptability.
• Fear versus loyalty: The terrified players focus on survival, while Zhao Lei chooses to risk his life for his missing friend. Yue Xinrou’s decision to follow him reflects a reluctant shift from selfishness toward companionship.
• Escalation and destruction: The battle’s increasing scale demonstrates the terrifying consequences of clashes between top-tier supernatural beings and reinforces the overwhelming power of the manor’s ruler.
• Adaptability and specialization: Ling Mengxue succeeds not through brute force but by changing tactics—from swordplay to Star Source-powered firearms—and exploiting Bai Yun’s need to evade rather than attack directly.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhao Lei and Yue Xinrou: They argue over whether to leave the dormitory. Zhao Lei accuses Yue Xinrou of selfishness, while she insists that going outside is suicidal. Despite their disagreement, she ultimately follows him.
• Ling Lexuan and Nan Muya: They discuss whether the distant battle involves the mysterious person connected to their earlier experiences, though neither can confidently identify him.
• Bai Yun and Ling Mengxue: Their confrontation evolves from Bai Yun’s confident domination to mutual recognition of their opponent’s strength. Bai Yun mocks Ling Mengxue’s abilities, while Ling Mengxue responds through increasingly dangerous attacks rather than words.
• Meng Xi and Ling Mengxue: Though they do not directly interact in the excerpt, Meng Xi’s relief upon seeing Ling Mengxue alive highlights her concern and emotional attachment.
• Bai Yun and Ling Mengxue’s Star Source: Bai Yun’s shock at being wounded by Star Source reveals that Ling Mengxue’s powers contradict what Bai Yun believes should be possible.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ling Mengxue fights Bai Yun, a Ghost Emperor-level Magical Nightmare, at the great lake in Central Manor.
• Ling Mengxue reveals her true gender and identity as a girl, shocking both Bai Yun and Meng Xi.
• Ling Mengxue uses her spatial ability and dual-wielding skills to gain the upper hand in the fight.
• Bai Yun agrees to honor the agreement if Ling Mengxue promises to visit her often and let her touch her once more.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue demonstrates her strength and resilience in battle, proving she's more than just a delicate girl.
• Bai Yun shows her true nature as a fickle, mischievous, and perverted Magical Nightmare, but also reveals her desire for companionship and affection.
• Meng Xi watches the battle from a distance, showing concern for Ling Mengxue's safety.

Significant Themes

• The duality of human nature, as seen in Bai Yun's contrasting behavior before and after her defeat.
• The power of determination and resilience in the face of adversity, as shown by Ling Mengxue's refusal to give up despite her injuries.

Character Interactions

• Ling Mengxue and Bai Yun engage in a tense and dangerous battle, with Ling Mengxue ultimately emerging victorious.
• Ling Mengxue and Bai Yun engage in a verbal sparring match after the battle, with Bai Yun trying to negotiate further terms and Ling Mengxue refusing to give in to her demands.
• Meng Xi watches the battle from afar, showing concern for Ling Mengxue's safety but not interfering.

Key Plot Points & Events

• Ling Mengxue, now in her female form, uses magic to change her clothes after they were burned by Bai Yun.
• Bai Yun teases Ling Mengxue, suggesting she might have feelings for her.
• Meng Xi, Zhao Lei, and Yue Xinrou are found by Bai Yun near the villa.
• Bai Yun decides not to harm them after recognizing Ling Mengxue.
• Ling Mengxue reveals her true identity to her friends.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue: Reveals her true identity to her friends, showing trust and openness.
• Meng Xi, Zhao Lei, and Yue Xinrou: Learn about Ling Mengxue's true identity and accept it.
• Bai Yun: Shows mercy and understanding towards Ling Mengxue's friends.

Significant Themes

• Identity and self-discovery: Ling Mengxue's journey of accepting and revealing her true identity.
• Trust and friendship: Ling Mengxue's trust in her friends and their acceptance of her true identity.
• Power and mercy: Bai Yun's decision to spare Ling Mengxue's friends.

Character Interactions

• Ling Mengxue and Bai Yun: Continue to tease and flirt with each other.
• Ling Mengxue and her friends: Reveal her true identity, leading to a moment of confusion and acceptance.
• Zhao Lei and Yue Xinrou: Witness Ling Mengxue's transformation and struggle to understand her true identity.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ling Mengxue reveals she can do magic and is now a girl.
• Players receive a mission to stay in the dormitory all day and receive rewards.
• Ling Mengxue visits Bai Yun's villa with Zhao Lei and Meng Xi.
• Meng Yi arrives at Ping'an District, aiming to assassinate Bai Yun.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue accepts her new appearance and is more at ease with it.
• Meng Xi shows loyalty and support for Ling Mengxue.
• Bai Yun continues to be seductive and manipulative.
• Meng Yi displays her casual yet serious demeanor and theatrical side.

Significant Themes

• Identity and acceptance (Ling Mengxue's new appearance).
• Manipulation and power dynamics (Bai Yun's control over her realm and the players).
• Trust and loyalty (Meng Xi's support for Ling Mengxue).

Character Interactions

• Ling Mengxue and Zhao Lei: Zhao Lei is concerned for Ling Mengxue's well-being as a girl.
• Ling Mengxue and Meng Xi: They share a bond, with Meng Xi showing loyalty and support.
• Bai Yun and Ling Mengxue: Bai Yun continues to flirt with and manipulate Ling Mengxue.
• Meng Yi and Bai Yun: Meng Yi plans to assassinate Bai Yun without her knowledge.

Plot Points and Events

• Meng Yi, disguised as a human, infiltrates the estate to prevent Bai Yun from taking hostages.
• Bai Yun brings Ling Mengxue and Meng Xi to the rooftop pool, where they swim and play.
• Ling Mengxue senses a powerful Destiny Engraver nearby and decides to investigate.

Character Developments

• Meng Yi shows her ruthlessness and cunning in dealing with the old security guard.
• Ling Mengxue demonstrates her maturity and patience in handling Bai Yun's antics.
• Bai Yun reveals her playful and mischievous side while swimming with Meng Xi and Ling Mengxue.

Significant Themes

• The theme of deception and disguise, as Meng Yi hides her true nature and intentions.
• The exploration of power dynamics, as Ling Mengxue maintains her composure despite Bai Yun's provocations.
• The contrast between the playful, carefree atmosphere at the pool and the impending danger from the unknown Destiny Engraver.

Character Interactions

• Meng Yi and the old security guard: Meng Yi's brutal and unexpected response to the guard's hostility.
• Bai Yun, Ling Mengxue, and Meng Xi: The three girls engage in playful banter and teasing at the pool, with Ling Mengxue maintaining her dignity despite their antics.
• Ling Mengxue and the unknown Destiny Engraver: Ling Mengxue senses the presence of a powerful Destiny Engraver and decides to investigate, putting her on a collision course with this new threat.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Meng Yi, the High Tier Astral Mark Executor, attempts to infiltrate the manor but is stopped by skeletal guards.
• The secret realm instance ends, and all players are transported to a starfield space for settlement.
• Players receive rewards and can leave the instance.

Character Developments

• Meng Yi: She shows her acting skills and tries to befriend Ling Mengxue, inviting her to join her university club.
• Ling Mengxue: She remains reserved and cautious, accepting Meng Yi's business card but not committing to joining the club.

Significant Themes

• Friendship and camaraderie among players after surviving the instance together.
• The contrast between the horror of the secret realm and the mundane reality of returning home.

Character Interactions

• Meng Yi and Ling Mengxue: Meng Yi tries to befriend Ling Mengxue, while Ling Mengxue remains cautious and polite.
• Ling Mengxue and Meng Xi: They briefly reunite, but Ling Mengxue chooses to leave without further interaction.
• Ling Mengxue and Zhao Lei: They part ways without much sentiment, focusing on their own lives.

Chapter 298 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ling Mengxue returns to the first floor and finds the blood doll diligently working as a shop assistant, proudly showing off the more than ten thousand yuan she has earned.
• She tells the blood doll that she will leave Ping’an District the next day and will not return to school, since her accumulated knowledge is already sufficient for the national university entrance exams. She plans to travel and pursue other matters instead.
• The blood doll becomes upset at the prospect of being left alone, but is reassured when Ling Mengxue promises to visit regularly. Ling Mengxue also prepares a fixed-point teleportation magic circle so she can return quickly.
• Ling Mengxue begins arranging travel plans and considers visiting Xi Yan’s family to surprise her girlfriend. She worries about meeting Xi Yan’s parents, what Xi Yan might say about their relationship, and what gift would be appropriate.
• She notices missed messages from several acquaintances, including Ye Yiren. Ye Yiren invites her to celebrate after successfully joining the Star Engraving Alliance.
• Ling Mengxue uses a Fate Space item called a Voice-Changing Sticker, which allows her to alter her voice for twenty-four hours. She uses it before answering Ye Yiren’s call, continuing to conceal her identity and female appearance by presenting herself as “Brother Feng.”
• Ye Yiren reveals that she is currently at Star Prefecture Media University, a women’s college connected to the Star Engraving Alliance, and invites Ling Mengxue to visit.
• Ling Mengxue realizes that Star Prefecture Media University may be connected to Meng Yi, who previously gave her a business card, suggesting that several recent events are converging.
• Meanwhile, the conclusion of the Ping’an District secret realm causes a major sensation. Around half of the participants survive, and Ling Mengxue achieves the highest score, 94. Shu Momo ranks second with 90, while Ling Lexuan ranks third with 79.
• Online commentators speculate about the identities of the highly ranked female players, wondering whether Ling Mengxue might be a rare “Destiny Girl” or Destiny Engraver.
• At Star Prefecture Media University, members of the Star Engraving Alliance learn that their missing “little princess” may have been inside the Ping’an District secret realm. They worry about her safety and begin investigating, while Shu Yun appears unexpectedly amused and interested in what will happen next.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue continues becoming more independent and confident. She is comfortable abandoning ordinary schooling because of her extraordinary knowledge and abilities.
• She remains protective and responsible toward the blood doll, arranging a teleportation route and warning her not to leave Ping’an District alone.
• Ling Mengxue’s romantic relationship with Xi Yan becomes more serious, as she considers meeting Xi Yan’s parents and worries about how their relationship will be received.
• She also shows increasing skill in using Fate Space items creatively, employing the Voice-Changing Sticker to preserve her disguise.
• The blood doll demonstrates surprising diligence by earning money and working seriously, but remains emotionally dependent on Ling Mengxue and dislikes being separated from her.
• Ye Yiren shows genuine concern for Ling Mengxue while teasing her familiarly, indicating their close relationship.
• The Star Engraving Alliance members become increasingly concerned about their princess, whose unexplained involvement in Ping’an District raises questions about her motives and whereabouts.

Significant Themes

• Responsibility and attachment: Ling Mengxue wants freedom and new experiences but still feels responsible for the blood doll and her friends.
• Identity and concealment: Her use of the alias “Brother Feng,” voice-changing magic, and hidden gender highlights the complications of maintaining multiple identities.
• Romantic commitment: Her anxiety about meeting Xi Yan’s parents reflects the relationship moving toward greater openness and seriousness.
• The widening consequences of the secret realm: The Ping’an District incident is no longer a private adventure; rankings, rumors, and official investigations are beginning to expose Ling Mengxue’s extraordinary abilities.
• Found family and emotional dependence: The blood doll’s attachment to Ling Mengxue contrasts with Ling Mengxue’s desire to travel, creating both affection and tension.

Important Character Interactions

• Ling Mengxue praises and comforts the blood doll, balancing affection with discipline.
• The blood doll asks to cook for Ling Mengxue, though her lack of culinary skill nearly causes a disaster.
• Ling Mengxue and Ye Yiren exchange a concerned but teasing phone conversation, with Ye Yiren offering her food and lodging.
• Ling Mengxue privately debates how Xi Yan will introduce her to her family.
• Members of the Star Engraving Alliance discuss whether their princess entered Ping’an District as a player, through a ticket, or by invitation, revealing their concern and curiosity.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ling Mengxue and Blood Doll go out for ice cream and street food, attracting attention from nearby shop owners.
• They run into Meng Xi and her friend, who recognizes Ling Mengxue as an idol. Meng Xi asks Ling Mengxue to add her as a contact.
• Ling Mengxue returns to the potion shop and uses spatial magic to teleport back home. The next morning, she goes to meet Ye Yiren at Star Prefecture Media University.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue: She shows concern for Blood Doll's well-being and tries to protect her from being discovered. She also accepts Meng Xi's request to add her as a contact.
• Blood Doll: She shows affection towards Ling Mengxue and is willing to carry the bags of food. She also acts shy around strangers.
• Meng Xi: She becomes more assertive and asks Ling Mengxue to add her as a contact. She also expresses her desire to not leave any regrets.
• Ye Yiren: She is shown to be a heavy sleeper and has a sharp tongue when woken up. She perks up when Ling Mengxue mentions being "Brother Feng."

Significant Themes

• Friendship: The chapter explores the friendship between Ling Mengxue and Meng Xi, as well as the potential friendship between Ling Mengxue and Ye Yiren.
• Identity: Ling Mengxue's identity as an idol is revealed, and she struggles with how to handle it. Blood Doll's identity as a supernatural being is also a concern.
• Responsibility: Ling Mengxue feels responsible for Blood Doll's well-being and tries to protect her.

Character Interactions

• Ling Mengxue and Blood Doll: They interact like a parent and child, with Blood Doll showing affection towards Ling Mengxue and Ling Mengxue showing concern for Blood Doll.
• Ling Mengxue and Meng Xi: They run into each other again, and Meng Xi asks Ling Mengxue to add her as a contact. They have a brief conversation about their past.
• Ling Mengxue and Ye Yiren: They arrange to meet at Ye Yiren's school, and Ling Mengxue calls Ye Yiren to confirm their meeting. Ye Yiren is initially groggy but perks up when she hears Ling Mengxue's voice.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ling Mengxue arrives at the United Alliance and meets an eccentric security guard.
• She meets Ye Yiren, who shows her around and invites her to breakfast.
• Su Yun, Ling Mengxue's gaming friend and colleague, coincidentally meets them at breakfast and joins their table.

Character Developments

• Ling Mengxue: Struggles with anxiety about meeting her girlfriend's parents and is cautious around Su Yun due to her suspicions.
• Ye Yiren: Shows concern and support for Ling Mengxue, feeling protective and possessive.
• Su Yun: Maintains a friendly demeanor but is clearly suspicious of Ling Mengxue's true identity and intentions.

Significant Themes

• Trust and suspicion: Su Yun's suspicion of Ling Mengxue creates tension, while Ye Yiren's trust in Ling Mengxue leads to a protective stance.
• Identity and belonging: Ling Mengxue's multiple identities (student, Star Warrior, and gaming friend) lead to questions about her true self and where she belongs.

Character Interactions

• Ling Mengxue and Ye Yiren: They grow closer, with Ye Yiren showing care and support for Ling Mengxue.
• Ling Mengxue and Su Yun: Their interaction is tense due to Su Yun's suspicions, with Ling Mengxue trying to maintain a friendly demeanor.
• Ye Yiren and Su Yun: Ye Yiren feels annoyed and protective of Ling Mengxue, leading to some tension with Su Yun.