Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the battle against Faust, Xiao He struggles to protect the surrounding Mutants from a massive rain of crystal swords. His psychic barrier is too thin to cover everyone, and several people are injured.
• Xiao He uses Entropy Reduction to heal the wounded, strengthening Adam’s light and keeping the group in the fight. He then notices someone in the crowd and devises a plan to counter Faust.
• Outside the arena, Cui Man defends Dragon Country’s treatment of Faust, explaining that the contestants had signed waivers allowing the organizers to restrain them as necessary. The O Continent Team demands punishment but settles for postponing the match and receiving healing medicine.
• Xiao He explains the limitations of Faust’s character-based Superpower:
  • Faust can only imitate characters with clearly recognizable identities.
  • He must remain faithful to the character’s personality and rules.
  • His power level is based on how the character is generally perceived, particularly through film and television adaptations.
• The Dragon Country team discusses how to counter Faust’s Superman persona. Li Zhengliang volunteers to fight him instead of Xiao He.
• Faust transforms into a Superman-like figure, complete with a cape and underwear worn over his clothes. He overwhelms Li Zhengliang physically and resists all of Li’s martial arts attacks.
• Li eventually tricks Faust with fake “Kryptonite”—ordinary green fluorescent powder. Because Faust’s power depends on his belief and performance as the character, he weakens dramatically.
• Taking advantage of this opening, Li Zhengliang uses multiple martial arts techniques, including the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, Dark Nether Palm, Toad Skill, Left-Right Combat, and Nine Yin White Bone Claw. He defeats Faust and knocks him unconscious.
• Dragon Country wins the match and secures the first spot in the finals. Later, M Country defeats the A Continent Team 2–0, as expected, since most of the A Continent Team’s members were borrowed from M Country.
• The finals are therefore set: Dragon Country versus M Country, promising a showdown between the world’s strongest Mutants and a possible challenge to Yinglong’s undefeated reputation.

Character Developments

• Xiao He demonstrates strategic intelligence rather than relying solely on overwhelming power. He identifies the rules governing Faust’s ability and creates the plan that allows Li Zhengliang to win.
• Li Zhengliang proves his courage and adaptability. Although he is helpless against Superman’s raw strength, he remains composed, discovers the weakness in Faust’s role-playing, and defeats him through deception and martial arts.
• Faust is portrayed less as a conventional villain and more as a theatrical, psychologically unstable performer. He is obsessed with creating a “perfect play,” even fantasizing about dying dramatically. After losing, he is more interested in receiving feedback on his acting than in revenge.
• Cui Man continues to act as a calm and pragmatic leader, handling the political dispute over Faust while trusting her team’s combat decisions.
• Ye Wanqing and Xiao He maintain their playful romantic relationship through teasing and flirtatious exchanges during the battle.
• Xie Haining, Xia Yu, and the others contribute to the team’s tactical discussion, showing collective trust and willingness to take risks.

Significant Themes

• The power of belief and perception: Faust’s abilities depend on how characters are collectively understood. His Superman persona weakens when confronted with an object that symbolizes Superman’s weakness, even though the “Kryptonite” is fake.
• Reality versus fiction: The chapter explores how fictional heroes can gain power through cultural imagination, while also emphasizing that they remain interpretations rather than reality.
• Courage versus invincibility: Li’s statement that “humans are the brave ones” challenges Faust’s idealized image of Superman. True bravery comes from facing danger without being invulnerable.
• Performance and identity: Faust treats combat as theater and seeks meaning through acting. His defeat is still satisfying to him because Li Zhengliang completed the dramatic scene.
• Strategy overcoming brute force: Faust’s overwhelming strength cannot be beaten directly, but understanding the rules and exploiting a psychological weakness allows Li to triumph.
• The transition to a new era: The formation of the Dragon Country–M Country final signals the approaching climax of the competition and the potential rise of a new champion.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Cui Man: Xiao He explains Faust’s weaknesses, while Cui Man evaluates the tactical implications and organizes the team’s response.
• Xiao He and the team: Xiao proposes the fake-Kryptonite strategy, but Li Zhengliang insists on testing it himself, showing both Xiao’s strategic role and Li’s confidence.
• Li Zhengliang and Faust: Their fight is both a physical contest and a clash between martial-arts discipline and theatrical superhero fantasy. After the battle, Faust enthusiastically asks Li to assess his performance, and Li responds like a stunt performer reviewing an actor.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing: Their flirtatious banter provides comic relief amid the tense battle and reinforces their close relationship.
• Li Zhengliang and Faust after the fight: Rather than becoming enemies, they share a strange moment of mutual appreciation, with Faust praising the completed performance and Li acknowledging Faust’s acting ability.

I can summarize it, but the chapter text for “Mutant” hasn’t come through—only the message “Content is still being processed.” Please paste or upload the chapter, and I’ll provide a concise summary covering:

• Key plot points and events
• Character development
• Major themes
• Important character interactions

Chapter Summary: “Assassin”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After defeating the Mushroom Man, Xiao He returns to the Special Response Department and then spends a peaceful afternoon with Ye Wanqing.
• The couple visits Stray Animal Home, a charitable facility for elderly people and stray animals. Xiao He uses Mechanical Modification to create cleaning robots, expanded cat cages, and dog kennels, greatly improving the shelter’s capacity and efficiency.
• Zheng Xu asks Xiao He to encourage the volunteers. While taking a photo with Xiao He, a seemingly ordinary female volunteer suddenly attacks him with a dagger. The blade breaks against Xiao He’s mechanical body, and the woman collapses unconscious.
• Investigators determine that the woman has no suspicious background and genuinely cannot remember attacking Xiao He. Truth Listener confirms she is telling the truth, suggesting that someone controlled her through a Superpower.
• Xiao recalls that the woman whispered a Latin Biblical quotation before attacking: “Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist.” This points toward a religiously motivated group.
• The Special Response Department names the case the “Dragon-Stabbing Incident.” Xiao uses his special investigative intuition to reconstruct what happened: the attacker was a volunteer at the shelter, while the real mastermind observed the scene from nearby and used Possession to control the woman.
• Xiao, Ye Wanqing, and Xie Haining track the mastermind to an old residential complex. Xie deliberately approaches the suspect, but a middle-aged woman possesses him before they can capture her.
• Using Xie’s Superpower, the possessed woman confronts Xiao. She possesses Xiao as well, causing him to split into a duplicate. Xiao knocks out the clone, which also incapacitates the woman. The group captures her and returns to the Special Response Department for interrogation.

Character Development

• Xiao He: Demonstrates increasing confidence in his abilities and his role as a protector. He remains calm under assassination attempts and uses Mechanical Modification and his investigative intuition creatively. However, the attack forces him to recognize the risks of public appearances and the possibility that enemies may target people around him.
• Ye Wanqing: Continues supporting Xiao while showing concern for his safety. Her social anxiety contrasts with Xiao’s ease among fans, but she remains willing to participate in the investigation and use her ability to help locate the mastermind.
• Xie Haining: Shows strong protective concern for Xiao, scolding him for being careless and volunteering to act as bait. His quick reasoning identifies the suspicious behavior of the possessed woman, though he is ultimately taken over by her.
• Cui Man: Provides practical leadership, organizing the investigation and recognizing that the attacker was likely controlled rather than acting voluntarily.
• The middle-aged woman: Initially appears to be a harmless, kindly neighbor, but is revealed to be the mastermind behind the attack. Her religious motivation and connection to the mysterious “three Holy Envoys” remain unresolved.

Significant Themes

• The danger of hero worship and public exposure: Xiao’s popularity allows the assassin to approach him easily, showing that fame creates vulnerabilities as well as influence.
• Hidden threats behind ordinary appearances: Both the young volunteer and the middle-aged woman appear harmless, emphasizing that Superpower users and extremists may conceal themselves among normal civilians.
• Faith distorted into extremism: The Biblical quotation suggests that the attack is motivated by a belief that Xiao has offended or challenged divine authority.
• Technology used for public good: Xiao’s Mechanical Modification is not limited to combat; he uses it to improve the shelter and help vulnerable people.
• Protection and responsibility: The chapter highlights the emotional burden carried by Xiao’s friends and allies, who worry that his willingness to help others exposes him to danger.

Character Interactions

• Xiao and Ye Wanqing work together as a couple while visiting and assisting the shelter.
• Xiao reassures Zheng Xu after the failed assassination and tells him not to blame himself, suggesting that the incident may help expose a larger threat.
• Cui Man, Xiao, and Ye analyze the attack and develop the theory of remote control through Possession.
• Xie Haining reprimands Xiao out of genuine concern and insists on accompanying him as protection.
• Ye and Xie both express disbelief that seemingly good or ordinary people could attempt to kill Xiao.
• During the confrontation, the possessed Xie and Xiao are forced into a dangerous battle, ending with Xiao incapacitating his own clone and indirectly defeating the assassin.

Chapter Summary: “Blasphemers”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Yuping, the middle-aged woman who attempted to kill Yinglong, is brought to the Special Response Department and blindfolded to suppress her Possession Superpower.
• Under Xiao He’s Absolute Command, she reveals that she was not trying to assassinate Yinglong in her own mind; she believed she was “sending him back to God,” viewing Mutants as reincarnated angels who do not belong in the sinful human world.
• She identifies her organization as the Blasphemers, a fanatic group dedicated to killing Mutants. The organization is divided into three factions:
  • Mother Faction: Mutants are angels who should be returned to God.
  • Son Faction: Mutants are demons who stole God’s power and must be destroyed.
  • Father Faction: Only God can judge whether Mutants are angels or demons, so they must be sent back to Him.
• Shen Yuping explains that members communicate with the three leaders—the Three Sacred Overseers—through “Revelation.” The organization is loosely structured, with members often unaware of one another.
• Ye Wanqing discovers that multiple Mutants across the world have been murdered, including six participants in the Mutant Competition. The competition’s public roster effectively gave the Blasphemers a list of targets.
• The group concludes that the Blasphemers may have roughly one hundred members, many of them hidden Mutants. Shen Yuping is imprisoned because her Possession ability could allow her to use other Mutants’ powers.
• The Special Response Department discusses sending trained Mutants to different cities to handle Mutators and regulate dangerous Mutants. The team’s mood briefly improves through friendly conversation and teasing.
• A supernatural beam of light suddenly appears at Shen Yuping’s holding location. An archangel-like manifestation emerges, followed by a young man in bishop’s robes.
• The man introduces himself as Andre, the Sacred Overseer of the Son Faction. He absorbs Shen Yuping’s power, killing or incapacitating her, then confronts Xiao He and Xie Haining.
• The chapter ends with Andre declaring that he will kill Xiao He for supposedly desecrating the Son’s name.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao He: Remains skeptical and outspoken, openly condemning the Blasphemers’ religious justifications. He recognizes that their logic is self-consistent but fundamentally centered on the belief that all Mutants must die. His concern for his teammates and protective attitude toward Xia Yu are also emphasized.
• Cui Man: Handles the interrogation pragmatically and identifies the organization’s structure and threat level. She remains cautious about Shen Yuping’s abilities and begins planning further investigation.
• Shen Yuping: Is revealed as a deeply devoted but fanatical member of the Mother Faction. She genuinely believes she is acting out of compassion by killing Mutants, showing how completely her ideology has distorted her morality.
• Ye Wanqing: Uses investigative research to connect seemingly unrelated international Mutant murders, helping expose the scale of the Blasphemers’ activity.
• Xie Haining: Takes the threat seriously and recognizes the need to deploy trained Mutants throughout the country. He also displays leadership and concern for the team’s readiness.
• Andre: Makes his first appearance as a major antagonist. Unlike Shen Yuping’s calm fanaticism, Andre shifts instantly from gentle and religious to violent and threatening, revealing the danger posed by the Sacred Overseers.

3. Significant Themes

• Fanaticism and self-justifying violence: The Blasphemers use different religious interpretations to rationalize the same goal—the extermination of Mutants.
• Distorted morality: Shen Yuping sees murder as an act of mercy, demonstrating how a rigid worldview can transform cruelty into “salvation.”
• Religious identity versus personal power: Although the Blasphemers claim not to use their abilities without divine permission, the Sacred Overseers are implied to be Mutants themselves, creating hypocrisy within their ideology.
• The danger of public identity: The Mutant Competition exposed powerful Mutants to hostile groups, turning fame and visibility into potential death sentences.
• Growing global threat: The emergence of the Blasphemers adds a new danger alongside the Mutators, forcing the Special Response Department to expand its operations.
• Comradery amid crisis: The team’s teasing, training discussions, and concern for one another provide emotional relief while reinforcing their growing bonds.

4. Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Cui Man work together during the interrogation, with Xiao He using Absolute Command while Cui Man directs the questioning.
• Xiao He argues with Shen Yuping over her belief that Mutants are angels who must die, but realizes that her convictions are too deeply entrenched to challenge rationally.
• Xie Haining briefly suggests cooperating with the Blasphemers against the Mutators, but Shen Yuping rejects the idea, insisting that Mutants should remain separate from human affairs.
• The team discusses the future separation of members into different cities. Ye Wanqing reacts reluctantly, while Xia Yu remains with Cui Man as her protector.
• Xiao He teases Zhang Ming for suggesting that he could protect Xia Yu, prompting Xia Yu to laugh and Ye Wanqing to scold Xiao He.
• The chapter’s final interaction shifts abruptly from investigation to confrontation: Andre addresses Xiao He directly and threatens him, setting up an imminent battle.

Chapter Summary: “Do You Have Some Kind of Misunderstanding?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He is pleased when one of the Three Sacred Overseers appears, hoping to capture and interrogate him for information about the mysterious organization. He orders Xie Haining to alert the others and summons “Little Pufferfish.”
• The competition match is temporarily suspended because Dragon Country’s team severely injured and exhausted Faust while transporting him to the arena. The O Continent representatives accuse Yinglong of deliberately sabotaging Faust, but Cui Man defends Dragon Country by citing their liability agreement and offers a healing potion as compensation.
• Xiao He explains the limits of Faust’s ability:
  • Faust can only transform into recognizable characters.
  • He must act according to the character’s established personality and limitations.
  • His power level is based on the public’s familiar, mainly movie-based understanding of the character rather than the strongest comic versions.
• The team devises a strategy to counter Faust’s Superman transformation. Li Zhengliang volunteers to fight him instead of Xiao He.
• Faust enters the arena dressed as Superman and initially overwhelms Li Zhengliang. Li’s martial-arts attacks, including Iron Shirt and the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, have almost no effect.
• Li eventually uses a green powder as a fake form of kryptonite. Because Faust’s power depends on his role-playing and belief in the character, the “kryptonite” makes him lose Superman’s abilities.
• Li defeats Faust with a combination of martial arts, including Toad Skill, Left-Right Combat, the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, Dark Nether Palm, and Nine Yin White Bone Claw.
• Dragon Country wins the match and secures the first spot in the finals. Faust later wakes up and enthusiastically asks Li how his acting was, revealing that he viewed the entire battle as a performance.
• M Country defeats the A Continent Team 2–0, as expected, since most of A Continent’s members had been borrowed from M Country. The finals are set as Dragon Country versus M Country.

Character Developments

• Xiao He demonstrates strategic insight by analyzing Faust’s ability and identifying its dependence on character consistency and public perception. He also remains confident about Dragon Country’s chances in the finals because he has used very few of his appearance slots.
• Cui Man shows firm leadership and political composure while defending Dragon Country against the O Continent Team’s accusations.
• Li Zhengliang develops from a seemingly outmatched fighter into the key victor of the match. His willingness to test himself and his quick thinking allow him to exploit Faust’s psychological weakness.
• Faust is revealed to be less a ruthless combatant than an eccentric, theatrical performer. His obsession with dramatic roles, Superman’s symbolism, and “completing the performance” highlights his unstable, chuunibyou-like personality.
• Ye Wanqing and Xiao He continue their playful, flirtatious relationship, joking with each other even during the tense competition.
• Xie Haining and the rest of the team contribute to the broader investigation and tactical planning surrounding the Sacred Overseers and the tournament.

Significant Themes

• Power depends on belief and interpretation: Faust’s transformations are limited not only by the character’s abilities but also by how people understand that character.
• Exploiting weaknesses through psychology: The fake kryptonite works because Faust accepts Superman’s narrative rules, demonstrating that understanding an opponent can be more important than overpowering them.
• Performance versus reality: Faust treats combat as theater, while Li Zhengliang counters him by exposing the artificiality of Superman’s image. The chapter repeatedly blurs the line between acting and genuine power.
• Human courage versus fantasy ideals: Li’s statement that humans—not Superman—are truly brave challenges Faust’s worship of fictional heroes and emphasizes the value of real human effort.
• Competition and international rivalry: The tournament advances toward a highly anticipated Dragon Country–M Country final, presenting the coming battle as a clash between the world’s strongest Mutants.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Cui Man discuss Faust’s weaknesses and develop a counterstrategy with the team.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing exchange teasing remarks about Faust’s appearance and the actor who played Superman, reinforcing their affectionate relationship.
• Li Zhengliang and Faust engage in a theatrical battle, with Faust expecting a dramatic Superman performance and Li responding through martial arts and tactical deception.
• After the match, Faust and Li unexpectedly bond over acting and performance, with Faust praising Li’s ability to play along and Li acknowledging Faust’s expressive acting.
• The chapter ends by building anticipation for the final confrontation between Dragon Country and M Country.

Chapter Summary: “Gourd Brothers, Gourd Brothers”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He discovers that the white-clad woman’s Superpower, “Fantasy Slayer,” nullifies the abilities of everyone nearby. This explains the awkward weakness in Nash’s fighting style: his explosive techniques can harm him if detonated instantly.
• Xie Haining recognizes that Nash’s “Explosive Leap” and mine-setting abilities require him to maintain a safe distance—roughly thirty meters—to avoid his own blasts.
• Nash begins spreading explosive points throughout the arena to compensate for this weakness. However, Xie Haining uses his extraordinary reaction speed, careful observation, and precise deductions to remain inside a safe zone while firing at Nash.
• Xie Haining manipulates a flash grenade with carefully angled gunshots, forcing Nash to use Explosive Leap. He predicts Nash’s landing point and shoots him in the head and chest.
• Nash responds by filling the arena with explosions, using the chaos to conceal his movements and gradually trap Xie Haining. Xie Haining realizes the danger and charges through the explosions rather than allowing himself to be surrounded.
• The battle becomes a complex contest of traps, positioning, timing, and prediction. Most spectators cannot understand the strategies, but Xiao He recognizes that every movement is deliberate and that either fighter could lose from a single mistake.
• Xie Haining’s ammunition begins running low, while Nash’s explosive supply is effectively unlimited. Nash appears to gain the advantage as he completes his minefield.
• Xie Haining reveals that he had planned from the very beginning. Before the match officially started, he subtly changed positions, forcing Nash to establish the initial minefield in an unfavorable arrangement and leaving one crucial area unoccupied.
• Xie Haining exploits that gap and forces Nash toward a corner. Nash attempts to escape through his own minefield, but the closely timed explosions limit his options.
• Xie Haining appears to step into one of Nash’s explosive points. Nash detonates it, only for Xie Haining to use the blast’s force to propel himself toward Nash instead of being knocked away.
• Xie Haining fires his final bullet, seriously injuring Nash, then rushes in for a finishing attack. Nash, knowing he cannot win after being shot, triggers a timed bomb beside them.
• The explosion throws both fighters across the arena and leaves them unable to continue. The referee declares the match a draw, the first draw in the arena’s history.

2. Character Developments

• Nash: Initially confident in his ability to control the battlefield, Nash becomes increasingly frustrated as Xie Haining reads his movements and exploits the limitations of his Superpower. He demonstrates adaptability and willingness to sacrifice himself, ultimately choosing a mutual defeat rather than losing outright.
• Xie Haining: Displays exceptional observation, patience, and tactical intelligence. He does not merely rely on his enhanced reaction speed; he studies Nash’s body language, predicts his movements, and prepares his winning position before the match officially begins. His calmness remains intact even under extreme pressure.
• Xiao He: Gains a deeper appreciation for both fighters. Although he finds their strategies difficult for the audience to follow, he recognizes the sophistication of their battle and comes to respect Nash as a worthy opponent.
• The audience and host: The spectators largely misunderstand the fight, seeing only apparently random movement and explosions. The host enthusiastically celebrates the draw without grasping the full tactical depth of the match.

3. Significant Themes

• Strategy versus raw power: The battle is decided less by destructive strength than by positioning, timing, ammunition management, and psychological prediction.
• The importance of observation: Xie Haining succeeds because he reads Nash’s involuntary reactions. Nash’s own body language reveals the locations and timing of his explosives.
• Preparation and foresight: Xie Haining’s victory position is established before the official start, emphasizing that decisive moves can occur before a battle visibly begins.
• The danger of time: Nash initially believes his enemy is Xie Haining’s superior reactions, but Xie Haining concludes that the real issue is time. Nash’s delayed explosions and need to constantly adjust their timing eventually restrict his choices.
• Mutual respect through combat: Although the fight ends in a draw, both men acknowledge each other’s skill. Nash is forced to reassess his own weaknesses, while Xiao He develops admiration for him.

4. Character Interactions

• Xiao He analyzes Nash and Xie Haining’s tactics from outside the arena, contrasting the audience’s confusion with his own partial understanding.
• Nash and Xie Haining exchange attacks designed to manipulate each other’s movement rather than simply cause damage.
• After the match, Nash asks whether Xie Haining truly memorized every explosive point. Xie Haining explains that he remembered only their approximate locations and instead watched Nash’s body tense whenever he adjusted a detonation.
• Xie Haining ends the conversation with the cryptic remark: “Time isn’t your enemy. Eternity is,” highlighting the chapter’s focus on timing, endurance, and the limits of Nash’s explosive strategy.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He confronts Raphael, who uses a holographic decoy while attempting to extract the souls of the imprisoned Three Sacred Overseers, Andre and Sylvia.
• Xiao He stops time and uses Psychokinesis to interrupt the extraction. He saves Sylvia, but Andre’s soul is successfully removed from his body. Raphael abandons Sylvia and escapes.
• Xiao He returns to the Special Response Department with Sylvia and the injured Spanner. Sylvia explains that Andre can be resurrected in another believer’s body through Raphael’s power.
• During interrogation, Sylvia reveals that Raphael’s abilities are extremely versatile and grow stronger with the number of his followers. Raphael intends to reach a “complete form” before confronting Yinglong.
• The organization considers Yinglong its greatest threat because his powers interfere with the natural disasters they believe God uses to cleanse the world.
• Cui Man detains Sylvia, whose ability, Fantasy Slayer, can erase other people’s Superpowers but is not considered highly dangerous.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing discuss their upcoming engagement and prepare dinner at home. When a new Mutator incident occurs, Xiao He creates and remotely deploys a second Yinglong Robot so he can remain with Ye Wanqing.
• In Nanhua City, the powerful four-armed Mutator Fist Tyrant attacks civilians and survives a sniper’s shot. Yinglong arrives, rescues the snipers, and apparently defeats Fist Tyrant with a powerful combination of physical attacks and an electromagnetic railgun.
• Believing the robot has been defeated, Fist Tyrant launches a surprise counterattack and brutally destroys it while Xiao He is distracted at home.
• Xiao He suddenly realizes he is physically lying in the rubble because his remote-controlled robot was destroyed. He confronts Fist Tyrant directly, setting up the next battle.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Xiao He: Demonstrates tactical awareness by stopping time and saving Sylvia, but his confidence and habit of multitasking lead him to underestimate Fist Tyrant. His attachment to his robot is played for comedy when he angrily asks who “touched” it.
• Raphael: Reveals himself to be calculating and ruthless, using a decoy and abandoning Sylvia without hesitation. His willingness to sacrifice allies suggests that he prioritizes his larger organization and eventual “complete form.”
• Sylvia: Cooperates with Xiao He after being abandoned, providing information about Raphael, the organization, and its beliefs. She also shows concern for Spanner by asking Xiao He to rescue him.
• Andre: Though physically left behind, he is not permanently dead; Raphael retrieves his soul and can potentially revive him in another believer’s body.
• Ye Wanqing: Acts as Xiao He’s emotional and domestic counterpart, preparing for their engagement and dinner. Their affectionate relationship continues to develop through playful, intimate exchanges.
• Fist Tyrant: Is unusually intelligent for a Mutator and highly arrogant. He enjoys humiliating opponents and becomes especially excited when confronting Yinglong, believing he has finally found a worthy challenge.
• Cui Man and the Special Response Department: Treat Sylvia as a useful prisoner and recognize that Raphael, rather than his subordinates, is the key target.

Significant Themes

• Power and imbalance: Raphael’s organization views Yinglong as a threat because his abilities disrupt their belief in a divinely ordained natural order.
• Loyalty versus expendability: Raphael’s abandonment of Sylvia contrasts with her concern for Spanner and highlights the organization’s ruthless hierarchy.
• Identity and embodiment: Andre’s soul being placed into another believer’s body raises questions about resurrection, individuality, and the relationship between body and self.
• Overconfidence and vigilance: Xiao He’s casual reliance on his robot allows Fist Tyrant to gain the upper hand, showing that even overwhelming power can be undermined by complacency.
• Domestic normalcy amid danger: Engagement plans, cooking, and affectionate banter continue alongside supernatural battles, emphasizing the contrast between Xiao He’s private life and his public responsibilities.
• Technology and remote power: Xiao He’s robot lets him fight while remaining at home, but the chapter demonstrates the vulnerability of acting through a proxy.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Raphael clash indirectly, with Raphael using deception rather than direct combat.
• Xiao He and Sylvia negotiate her cooperation, with Sylvia exchanging information in return for protection and help for Spanner.
• Xiao He and Cui Man discuss Sylvia’s threat level and the Special Response Department’s priorities.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing share affectionate domestic moments while planning their engagement and coordinating the Mutator response.
• Yinglong and Fist Tyrant engage in a seemingly one-sided battle, but the apparent victory is revealed to be only the destruction of Xiao He’s robot.
• The chapter ends with Xiao He facing the still-living Fist Tyrant in person, transforming the encounter into a more serious confrontation.

Chapter Summary: Iron Legion

Key Plot Points and Events

• After fighting Fist Tyrant, Xiao He checks his damage and discovers that his body has suffered 46% damage. His system offers three possible upgrades: increased defense at the cost of speed, improved shock absorption, or a lighter high-strength alloy body.
• Xiao He briefly distracts Fist Tyrant by speaking to Ye Wanqing, then uses a second Yinglong Robot to confuse him. When Fist Tyrant attacks, Xiao He absorbs and reflects the impact, defeating him almost instantly.
• To prevent Fist Tyrant from remaining dangerous, Xiao He uses his Erosion ability to drain the tyrant’s strength, stamina, and life force, reducing him to ordinary-human levels while preserving the stolen energy for future use.
• Xiao He returns home in time for dinner with Ye Wanqing. Their domestic scene emphasizes their affection and playful intimacy, especially as they share spicy food and fried dumplings.
• After dinner, Xiao He repairs and upgrades the damaged Yinglong Robot using Mechanical Modification and Inorganic Matter Control. The robot’s defense reaches Level 6, though its offensive capabilities still need improvement.
• Cui Man visits to discuss expanding the Yinglong Robots across Dragon Country. She explains that the robots would provide the public with a sense of security and allow Mutants and other forces to focus on more serious assignments.
• Xiao He agrees to create an entire “Iron Legion.” He calculates that thirty-six enhanced Yinglong Robots can cover the country by being stationed in major cities and strategic regions.
• Using Stone-to-Gold and Mechanical Modification, Xiao He rapidly replicates the upgraded robot. Each unit receives basic AI based on his combat patterns and can scout for and attack Mutants until Xiao He arrives to control them directly.
• The following day, the Yinglong Robots are deployed across Dragon Country. Public fear of Mutants sharply declines, daily life returns to normal, and neighboring countries begin requesting protection in exchange for political and economic concessions.
• Dragon Country declines the requests for the time being because the Iron Legion has not yet been tested in actual large-scale combat. Xiao He views the deployment as only the beginning of the robots’ development.

Character Development

• Xiao He demonstrates overwhelming combat ability, defeating Fist Tyrant with minimal effort despite suffering significant damage. He also becomes more strategic, using duplication, Erosion, and robot upgrades rather than relying solely on direct strength.
• He continues to balance his heroic responsibilities with domestic life. His eagerness to return for dinner and his care toward Ye Wanqing and Cui Man reveal a warm, family-oriented side.
• Xiao’s understanding of Mechanical Modification expands. He recognizes that the Yinglong Robot can evolve through combat data and sees its potential as a nationwide defense system rather than merely a personal weapon.
• Fist Tyrant, initially arrogant and confident, is quickly humiliated and incapacitated. His power is deliberately removed, turning him from a major threat into a manageable prisoner.
• Ye Wanqing is shown as Xiao He’s emotional anchor. Although she does not participate directly in combat, her companionship and domestic support give him comfort and stability.
• Cui Man is portrayed as overworked by her many responsibilities, but she remains optimistic and energetic. She recognizes the Iron Legion’s strategic value and strongly encourages its deployment.
• Wu Changchun reacts with approval to the large group of robots, representing the authorities’ confidence in the project.

Significant Themes

• Technology as protection: The Yinglong Robots transform Xiao He’s individual strength into a nationwide security network.
• Security and public confidence: The Iron Legion’s greatest immediate effect is psychological. Its presence restores ordinary citizens’ sense of safety, even before it proves itself in battle.
• Individual power versus organized defense: Xiao He evolves from a lone powerhouse into the creator of a system capable of protecting an entire nation.
• Balance between heroism and domestic life: Combat, national responsibility, romance, food, and family life coexist, emphasizing Xiao He’s desire to protect both society and the people closest to him.
• Endless potential and future escalation: Xiao He realizes that the Yinglong Robots can continue improving, making the Iron Legion a foundation for even greater developments.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Fist Tyrant exchange taunts before Xiao defeats him through reflected kinetic force.
• Xiao’s mechanical system provides tactical upgrade options, highlighting his growing partnership with advanced technology.
• Xiao and Ye Wanqing share a playful, affectionate dinner, discussing food, future children, and their relationship.
• Cui Man teases both Xiao He and Ye Wanqing while relying on Xiao’s home as a place to rest, showing their close, almost familial bond.
• Xiao He comforts and cares for the exhausted Cui Man, then invites Ye Wanqing to accompany them, reinforcing the importance of both women in his life.
• Cui Man and Xiao He cooperate professionally to launch the Iron Legion, while Wu Changchun and the authorities recognize its enormous political and military significance.

Chapter Summary: “Prisoners Around the World”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He considers further developing the Iron Legion by creating a VR-style controller so others can operate Yinglong Robots. This would let him handle fewer minor threats personally, spread the robots’ use, reduce mutant-related danger, and—most importantly—allow him to slack off.
• Adner challenges Xie Haining to clear one hundred amusement-park games. If Xie succeeds, Adner will release the other prisoners; if he fails, Adner will consume his soul and turn him into a permanent Joker Clone. Xie accepts without hesitation.
• Xie begins with the free carousel game. Despite its extreme speed and constantly shifting horses, he uses balance and precise control of his center of gravity to remain mounted until the timer ends, earning one coin.
• He then clears a dangerous drop-tower game. After being launched into the air when his safety belt releases, he catches and deploys a parachute, avoids flames and spikes, and lands accurately in the target zone, earning three coins.
• Xie spends two coins on “Death Drift,” a rafting game involving armed monkey soldiers, sharks, and a cartoon Kraken. He efficiently uses cannonballs against the monkeys and Kraken’s striking tentacles, while using a harpoon to repel sharks and tentacles that grab the raft. He reaches the treasure chest and earns five coins.
• At the ring-toss attraction, Xie buys six rings and throws them in a carefully timed sequence, causing them to strike one another and land on valuable prizes. He earns twenty-three coins, reinvests most of them, and wins even more prizes, bringing his total to forty-six coins.
• Confident and entertained, Xie looks for more attractions to conquer while Xiao He watches with growing excitement and considers playing the games himself.

Character Developments

• Xie Haining demonstrates exceptional composure, physical coordination, judgment, and adaptability. He treats deadly challenges as enjoyable recreational activities and quickly identifies each game’s rules and weaknesses.
• His competitive side becomes increasingly apparent, but he remains calm rather than reckless. He also displays strong strategic and mathematical thinking, especially in the ring-toss game, where he maximizes his winnings through precise timing and reinvestment.
• Adner acts as both host and tormentor, enjoying the spectacle and repeatedly escalating the challenges. His arrogance and delight in Xie’s potential failure are contrasted with Xie’s complete lack of fear.
• Xiao He remains an observer, but he becomes increasingly eager to participate. He studies the games carefully, recognizes their mechanics, and begins thinking about capturing or recreating the attractions for his own amusement.

Significant Themes

• Entertainment and danger: The amusement park disguises lethal trials as playful rides, blurring the boundary between games and survival challenges.
• Skill overcoming supernatural threats: Xie succeeds not through brute force alone, but through balance, observation, timing, and rapid adaptation.
• Control and exploitation: Adner controls the park and its prisoners through a wager, while Xie gradually turns the park’s rules and reward system to his advantage.
• Freedom through competition: The prisoners’ release depends on Xie’s performance, making the games a possible path out of captivity.
• Leisure amid crisis: Xiao He’s desire to automate his work and play the amusement games reflects the story’s recurring humorous contrast between extraordinary dangers and ordinary desires for convenience and relaxation.

Character Interactions

• Adner taunts and threatens Xie, but Xie responds casually, even increasing the wager rather than being intimidated.
• During each attraction, Adner appears as an active game host, introducing new hazards and trying to make the challenges more difficult.
• Xiao He observes Xie’s performance and mentally analyzes the rules, praising his technique while also hoping to try the games himself.
• Xie’s calm competence repeatedly frustrates Adner’s attempts to frighten or overwhelm him, shifting control of the situation toward Xie.

Chapter Summary: “After Things Went Wrong…”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He checks on the imprisoned Tamura Toshio, who has been knocked unconscious. He seals him inside a nanobot cage, and his robot reports only 2.8% damage.
• The match is temporarily suspended because Faust was badly injured and exhausted while being transported to the arena. The O Continent Team protests, accusing Dragon Country’s Yinglong team of deliberately harming him.
• Cui Man defends their actions, citing the team’s liability agreement and Faust’s violent resistance. She offers a healing potion as compensation, and the match is postponed for an hour.
• Xiao He analyzes Faust’s power. Faust can imitate only highly recognizable fictional characters and must behave according to their established personalities and abilities. His imitations are also limited by the version of the character most commonly recognized by the public.
• Dragon Country devises a strategy to exploit Faust’s Superman imitation. Li Zhengliang volunteers to fight him in the third match.
• Faust transforms into Superman, complete with a makeshift cape and underwear worn over his clothes. He easily withstands Li Zhengliang’s martial-arts attacks and appears virtually invulnerable.
• Li Zhengliang tricks Faust by throwing ordinary green fluorescent powder at him and claiming it is Kryptonite. Because Faust’s power depends on his role-playing and belief in the character’s weaknesses, he loses his Superman abilities.
• With Faust weakened, Li Zhengliang overwhelms him using multiple martial-arts techniques, including the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, Dark Nether Palm, Toad Skill, and Nine Yin White Bone Claw. Faust is knocked unconscious, securing Dragon Country’s victory and a place in the finals.
• After recovering, Faust does not attack Li Zhengliang. Instead, he excitedly asks for an evaluation of his acting. Li praises his expressions but criticizes the crude costume props, leading to mutual appreciation between the two performers.
• In the other semifinal, M Country defeats the A Continent Team 2–0. Since most of the A Continent Team’s members were borrowed from M Country, the result is unsurprising.
• The finals are established as Dragon Country versus M Country, setting up a highly anticipated confrontation between Yinglong and the world’s strongest mutants.

Character Developments

• Xiao He demonstrates strong tactical awareness by identifying the limitations of Faust’s ability and designing the Kryptonite deception. He remains confident about Dragon Country’s chances in the final.
• Cui Man proves herself to be firm, legally cautious, and skilled at handling international disputes. She protects the team while keeping negotiations under control.
• Li Zhengliang shows courage by volunteering to face Faust’s seemingly invincible Superman form. He combines endurance, martial arts, and clever strategy rather than relying only on strength.
• Faust is revealed to be less a conventional fighter than an obsessive performer. He treats combat as theatrical performance and is genuinely satisfied when others participate in his “story.” Even after losing, he focuses on the quality of his acting rather than resentment.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing continue their playful romantic banter, joking about actors and physical appearance. Their teasing displays their comfortable intimacy.
• Xia Yu and the other team members show cooperation and willingness to step forward, though Li Zhengliang ultimately takes responsibility for the match.

Significant Themes

• The power of perception and belief: Faust’s abilities depend on how characters are collectively understood. Even fake Kryptonite works because his role-playing makes the weakness real.
• Strategy over brute force: Li Zhengliang cannot defeat Superman through martial arts alone, but exploiting Faust’s psychological and narrative limitations allows him to win.
• The boundary between fiction and reality: Faust’s transformations blur acting and actual superhuman power. His devotion to fictional roles gives those roles temporary reality.
• Performance and identity: Faust sees battle as theater, while Li Zhengliang’s background and skill as a performer allow him to understand and satisfy Faust’s dramatic mindset.
• International rivalry and spectacle: The tournament is both a real conflict between powerful mutants and a public entertainment event, with media excitement building toward the Dragon Country–M Country final.

Important Character Interactions

• Cui Man and the O Continent representative: They argue over Faust’s condition, with Cui Man relying on the signed agreement and refusing to accept blame.
• Xiao He and Cui Man: Xiao He explains Faust’s weaknesses, helping the team form a practical counterstrategy.
• Xiao He and Li Zhengliang: Xiao He proposes the deceptive Kryptonite plan, while Li Zhengliang chooses to test it personally.
• Faust and Li Zhengliang: Their fight begins as a clash between Superman’s overwhelming power and martial arts, but ends as a collaboration between two performers. Li defeats Faust while still respecting the theatrical nature of his opponent.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing: Their flirtatious exchange provides comic relief during the tense match.
• Li Zhengliang and Faust after the battle: Faust seeks artistic feedback, and Li responds as though reviewing an actor’s performance rather than speaking to a defeated enemy.

Chapter Summary

This section is an author’s note rather than a narrative chapter.

• Key events: The numbering skipped from Chapter 260 to Chapter 262 because Chapter 260 accidentally combined the material of two chapters. The author later corrected the numbering, which caused Chapter 266 to be updated recently. No story content was omitted; the narrative remains continuous.
• Publication update: Chapter 267 was uploaded at 3 a.m. but was delayed in review because a keyword triggered the platform’s screening process. The review did not begin until 9 a.m., so readers were asked to wait.
• Character development and interactions: None; the note contains no fictional character scenes or plot developments.
• Themes: The message focuses on publication logistics, numbering corrections, moderation delays, and communication with readers. The author also thanks several readers for their monthly-ticket support.

Chapter Summary: “Necessary Evil”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After successfully escorting prisoners from E Country, Xiao He returns home and plans to upgrade the Yinglong Robots, improving their resistance to extreme temperatures and developing remote-control devices so he does not have to personally intervene in every mission.
• Xiao He’s confrontation with Julius left only a minor red mark because his physique is temporarily strengthened by the powers absorbed through Erosion. He estimates that continued encounters with Mutators may eventually raise his strength beyond Level 8.
• Xiao He brings Ye Wanqing’s parents to the island villa through Dimensional Walker for a formal meeting with his own parents.
• Both families warmly approve of Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s relationship. They discuss marriage plans, with the couple intending to obtain their marriage certificate soon but hold the wedding after graduating university.
• The families spend the day together on the island, bonding through meals, fishing, sightseeing, and conversations about future children. Their parents enthusiastically discuss having grandchildren, embarrassing Ye Wanqing.
• After seeing their parents off, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing visit Xie Haining’s home, where the Four Cornerstones of the Special Response Department gather for a meal.
• Xiao He learns about Claude Moriarty, a highly wanted Mutant with a five-million-dollar bounty. Claude was originally supposed to be sent against Xiao He but escaped before reaching Dragon Country.
• Claude is revealed to possess seven personalities, though the exact nature of his Superpower remains unknown.
• In Mississippi, Claude approaches Sate, a powerful three-headed Mutator, and the other Mutators hiding with him. He defeats Sate effortlessly and forces the group to submit.
• Claude announces his ideology of “Necessary Evil”: he believes Yinglong represents excessive justice and that the world requires an opposing evil force to maintain balance.
• He gathers a vast army of Mutators and declares that they will teach the world the “true” nature of heroes.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Continues transitioning from a lone frontline fighter into someone capable of managing threats remotely through the Yinglong Robots. He shows confidence in his growing strength but also becomes more focused on protecting his family and maintaining a normal life with Ye Wanqing.
• Ye Wanqing: Demonstrates complete trust in Xiao He and openly confirms that she will not regret marrying him. She is affectionate but easily embarrassed by discussions of marriage and children.
• Xiao He’s and Ye Wanqing’s parents: Quickly grow comfortable with each other and strongly support the relationship. They become eager to arrange the marriage and discuss grandchildren.
• Claude Moriarty: Emerges as the chapter’s new major antagonist. He is calm, refined, arrogant, and highly dangerous. Rather than seeking simple destruction, he presents himself as a necessary counterweight to Yinglong’s justice.
• Sate: Initially confident and threatening, but is quickly humbled by Claude’s superior power. He ultimately accepts Claude’s leadership.
• Cui Man: Provides information about Claude and remains playful and familiar with Xiao He, lightly teasing and affectionately pinching his cheek.
• Xie Xinya: Interacts affectionately with Xiao He, treating him as a godfather and emphasizing his gentle, family-oriented side.

Significant Themes

• Balance between justice and evil: Claude argues that absolute justice and absolute evil are both dangerous, presenting conflict as necessary for maintaining global stability.
• Family and responsibility: Xiao He’s engagement highlights his growing desire to protect loved ones and balance his dangerous heroic duties with domestic life.
• The transformation of heroism: Xiao He represents a hero who uses technology and responsibility to reduce personal risk, while Claude challenges the meaning of heroism by deliberately creating an opposing evil force.
• Power and leadership: The Mutators are portrayed as individually powerful but disorganized. Claude believes his ability to unite and direct them makes him more dangerous than any single Mutator.
• Normal life versus extraordinary identity: The warm family gathering contrasts sharply with Xiao He’s secret battles and Claude’s plans to unleash a monstrous army.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing share affectionate, playful moments while cooking, discussing marriage, and privately reassuring each other about their future.
• Their parents formally meet, praise one another’s children, approve the engagement, and begin planning the wedding.
• The parents’ enthusiastic conversation about having three children embarrasses Ye Wanqing, prompting Xiao He to comfort and tease her.
• Xiao He reads to Xie Xinya, revealing his fondness for children and leading him to imagine having a daughter with Ye Wanqing.
• Cui Man and Xiao He discuss Claude’s bounty and threat level, with Cui Man teasing him about his confidence.
• Claude dominates Sate in combat and persuades the surrounding Mutators to follow him, establishing himself as the leader of a new anti-Yinglong force.

Chapter Summary: “Opportunity to Learn”

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• Plot points and events: No narrative events are provided. The page only reports that the chapter could not be retrieved and suggests refreshing it.
• Character developments: No character actions, dialogue, or development are available.
• Themes: The only implied theme is the chapter’s title, “Opportunity to Learn,” but the story does not provide enough context to interpret it.
• Character interactions: None are included in the retrieved text.
  A summary of the actual chapter would require the chapter text to be supplied or successfully retrieved.

Chapter Summary: “Pale Justice”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He uses a robot disguised as Argus Wang to participate in the international Mutant martial-arts competition. The sixteen contestants are powerful Mutants, but Superpowers are forbidden, forcing them to rely on physical combat.
• The match is temporarily delayed because Dragon Country’s team delivers Faust to the arena badly exhausted and injured. The O Continent representatives accuse Dragon Country of deliberately mistreating him, but Cui Man defends their actions under the terms of the liability waiver. She offers a healing potion as compensation, though it cannot restore Faust’s stamina.
• Xiao He explains the limitations of Faust’s ability: Faust can transform into recognizable fictional characters, but must remain faithful to their established personalities and behavior. His power also appears to reflect common public perceptions of the character, limiting him to roughly film-level abilities rather than their strongest comic-book versions.
• Dragon Country devises a strategy to exploit these weaknesses. Li Zhengliang volunteers to fight Faust, who chooses to portray Superman by wearing improvised underwear and a red cape.
• Faust initially overwhelms Li Zhengliang. He survives Li’s martial-arts attacks effortlessly, flies, and knocks Li aside with casual force. Li’s Iron Shirt technique prevents him from being seriously injured, but he is gradually worn down.
• Li then uses fake “Kryptonite”—ordinary green fluorescent powder—to make Faust believe he has become powerless. Because Faust’s ability depends on maintaining his character, the suggestion works: he collapses and loses Superman’s strength.
• Taking advantage of Faust’s weakness, Li launches a coordinated series of martial-arts techniques, including Toad Skill, Left-Right Combat, the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, and Dark Nether Palm. He defeats Faust with a final strike and knocks him unconscious using the Nine Yin White Bone Claw.
• Dragon Country wins the match and secures a place in the finals. In the afternoon, M Country defeats the A Continent Team 2–0, setting up the anticipated final between M Country and Dragon Country.
• After awakening, Faust does not seek revenge. Instead, he enthusiastically asks Li how his performance was, revealing that he viewed the battle as an acting performance and is pleased by Li’s appreciation of his portrayal.

Character Developments

• Xiao He demonstrates strategic insight by identifying the rules and limitations governing Faust’s transformation ability. He also contributes the idea of using Kryptonite as psychological and narrative manipulation rather than relying on brute force.
• Cui Man remains composed and politically assertive while defending Dragon Country against the O Continent Team’s accusations. She prioritizes practical solutions and accepts the possibility of another match if the strategy fails.
• Li Zhengliang develops from a straightforward martial artist into a creative and adaptive fighter. Rather than trying to overpower Faust, he exploits Faust’s dependence on character consistency. His background as a stunt double also helps explain his appreciation of Faust’s theatrical performance.
• Faust is revealed to be less a conventional villain than an obsessive performer with “chuunibyou” tendencies. He seeks a dramatic, meaningful death or defeat and treats the match as a chance to fully embody Superman. Even after losing, he responds with excitement and admiration instead of resentment.
• Ye Wanqing and Xiao He continue their playful, flirtatious relationship, joking during the match and privately implying plans for an intimate “battle” later.

Significant Themes

• Reality versus fiction: Faust’s power blurs the boundary between fictional characters and reality, but the chapter emphasizes that his strength depends on how people collectively understand those characters.
• The power of belief and narrative: The fake Kryptonite works because Faust believes it fits Superman’s story. The battle is won through controlling the narrative rather than through superior physical strength.
• Heroism as an ideal: Li argues that Superman represents a dream and a source of hope rather than literal reality. His statement reframes Superman as a symbol created by human imagination.
• Performance and identity: Faust’s transformation requires him to act according to a role, making him both a fighter and an actor. His satisfaction comes not only from victory or defeat but from performing the character convincingly.
• Strategy over brute force: The fight shows that understanding an opponent’s rules and psychology can overcome an apparently invincible enemy.
• Competition and spectacle: The tournament is presented as both a serious contest and entertainment, with dramatic entrances, theatrical personalities, commentators, and audience excitement.

Character Interactions

• Cui Man argues with the O Continent representative over Faust’s treatment and refuses to surrender Dragon Country’s appearance slot.
• Xiao He briefs Cui Man, Xie Haining, Xia Yu, and Li Zhengliang on Faust’s weaknesses, prompting the group to debate who can counter Superman or Hulk.
• Faust expresses disappointment that Xiao He—whom he calls Yinglong—will not fight him, hoping for a dramatic confrontation.
• Li Zhengliang and Faust engage in a theatrical battle: Faust performs Superman’s arrogance and invulnerability, while Li counters him through clever deception.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing exchange flirtatious jokes from the sidelines, while Li Xue teasingly comments on their behavior.
• After the fight, Li and Faust bond over performance and staging, with Li complimenting Faust’s acting and Faust admitting that his prison-made costume was inadequate.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens with Hollande attacking Claude after Claude dismisses him as insignificant. Hollande uses spikes that emerge from his fists, elbows, and knees, while Claude remains confident and uninterested in fighting him.
• During the superpowered tournament, Xiao He analyzes Ford’s ability. Ford appears capable of surviving any attack, making a direct defeat difficult.
• Xiao He and Cui Man initially consider declaring the match a draw because their abilities might conflict. However, Xiao He proposes having Ye Wanqing temporarily change Ford’s name so that Xiao He’s ability can affect him.
• Ye Wanqing changes Ford’s name successfully. Xiao He’s power activates without causing a destructive conflict, and he commands Ford to surrender. Ford complies immediately because he never wanted to fight in the first place.
• Dragon Country wins the first match of the BO3, taking a 1–0 lead. Xiao He realizes that Ford had been forced into the competition to delay and exhaust him, not because Ford genuinely wanted to battle.
• After the match, Ford admits that others pressured him into participating, claiming only he could prevent Dragon Country from ruling the world. Xiao He criticizes this reasoning and tells him to refuse if he does not want to be involved.
• Back in the lounge, Cui Man praises Xiao He, while Xiao He credits Ye Wanqing for making the victory possible. Since Xiao He is exhausted, he agrees to rest during the second match.
• Xie Haining volunteers to fight in Xiao He’s place and confidently suggests he may be able to defeat all three opposing competitors.
• The opposing team sends Nash out first, hoping to exploit Xiao He’s exhaustion. Nash begins setting up a minefield of remote detonation points.
• Xie Haining deduces that Nash’s power involves placing explosions remotely and that his own ability likely alters his perception of time. He positions himself at the edge of the arena and uses pistols to attack Nash from a distance.
• Nash unexpectedly fails to detonate his explosives effectively. Xie Haining’s strange movement suggests that he can perceive and avoid the bombs’ blast zones.
• Xie Haining reveals Nash’s weakness: every explosion has a blast radius five meters larger than the distance at which Nash places it. Therefore, every detonation Nash sets inevitably includes Nash himself within the explosion radius, making his ability dangerous to use recklessly.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Demonstrates strategic thinking rather than relying purely on force. He recognizes Ford’s psychological weakness and defeats him through a command to surrender. He also shows concern for his teammates and accepts that he needs to rest after being drained.
• Ford: Is revealed to be timid, conflict-averse, and unwilling to participate in the political struggle surrounding the tournament. His surrender reflects both Xiao He’s command and Ford’s underlying desire to avoid combat.
• Ye Wanqing: Plays a crucial supporting role by changing Ford’s name, enabling Xiao He’s power to work safely. She is eager for Xiao He’s approval and is delighted when he praises her.
• Cui Man: Acts as a cautious strategist and caretaker. She worries about the danger of conflicting abilities but ultimately trusts Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s judgment. She also encourages Xiao He to recover.
• Xie Haining: Emerges as a highly perceptive and confident fighter. He identifies Nash’s ability, studies its limitations, and exploits them through positioning, timing, and ranged attacks.
• Nash: Initially appears confident and technically formidable, but becomes frustrated when Xie Haining exposes the hidden drawback of his power. His arrogance gives way to anger and helplessness.

Significant Themes

• Strategy over brute force: Xiao He and Xie Haining win advantages by understanding how powers function instead of overpowering their opponents directly.
• The psychological nature of superpowers: Xiao He reasons that abilities reflect their users’ wishes and personalities, allowing him to infer Ford’s power from Ford’s behavior.
• The dangers of conflicting abilities: The characters remain wary that opposing rules could trigger escalating power reactions and mutual destruction.
• Free will versus coercion: Ford’s participation raises questions about responsibility when someone is pressured into fighting for a larger political cause.
• Hidden limitations and careful observation: Nash’s seemingly overwhelming ability contains a fatal flaw, emphasizing that every power has conditions that can be discovered and exploited.
• Teamwork and trust: The victories depend on coordination between Xiao He, Ye Wanqing, Cui Man, and Xie Haining rather than on one fighter acting alone.

Character Interactions

• Hollande confronts Claude directly after Claude insults him, establishing tension between them.
• Xiao He communicates with Cui Man during the match, and they debate whether using Ye Wanqing’s ability is too dangerous.
• Ye Wanqing persuades Cui Man to let her try changing Ford’s name, strengthening her role within the team.
• Xiao He confronts Ford after forcing him to surrender and challenges his decision to participate in the tournament.
• Cui Man comforts and praises Xiao He after his exhausting battle, while Xiao He praises Ye Wanqing for her contribution.
• Xie Haining reassures Xiao He before the second match and challenges Nash through deliberate positioning and taunting.
• Nash recognizes that Xie Haining’s fighting style suggests altered time perception, but Xie Haining turns Nash’s own analytical instincts against him by exposing the flaw in his explosive ability.

Summary

This update is an author’s announcement rather than a narrative chapter.

• Key events: The author explains that updates will temporarily decrease to one chapter per day while they prepare a new book. After the new book is approved, the schedule should return to two updates per day. The author intends to complete the current novel according to its planned storyline, without rushing or abandoning it.
• Character development: None; no story characters or plot developments appear.
• Themes: The update emphasizes the author’s commitment to finishing the existing story, maintaining its intended quality, and balancing work on both the old and new books.
• Character interactions: None.
• Additional note: The author hopes to release the new book and finish the current one within the month. If the current novel is unfinished when the new book launches, both works may be updated simultaneously for a period, with further notice to readers.

Chapter Summary: “The Weak”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He defeats Eight-Claw, causing him to explode into scattered octopus-like pieces, then removes the arena’s protective barrier. The spectators flee in panic.
• Gabo attacks by transforming into a mass of worms and slime. Medusa attempts to crush and bite Xiao He, while Sate attacks directly. Xiao He counters them with Psychokinesis and Erosion, draining much of Sate and Medusa’s strength.
• Gabo repeatedly changes form, first becoming a giant underground worm and later a bizarre rooster-like creature. Its sonic attack briefly disorients Xiao He, but he silences it and destroys its explosive worm eggs with crystal weapons.
• Just as Xiao He is about to finish the three Mutants, Claude intervenes and teleports them away.
• Claude confronts Xiao He, using his powerful spatial abilities to evade attacks and manipulate the battlefield. Xiao He’s attacks devastate much of the arena, but Claude remains difficult to hit.
• Claude uses Sebastian as a hostage, forcing Xiao He to choose between pursuing him and rescuing Sebastian. With Ye Wanqing’s help, Xiao He alters the public’s Cognition of Claude’s name and uses Spatial Shockwave to disrupt Claude’s ability to teleport.
• Xiao He rescues Sebastian and explains that he is not moving through space but forcing space itself to move. He then strikes Claude with overwhelming force, apparently killing him and destroying the remaining arena.
• Xiao He leaves Sebastian to handle the aftermath. Witnesses begin praising Xiao He as the only “real hero,” while Claude’s plan succeeds in undermining public confidence in other heroes and Mutants.
• The ending reveals that Claude survived—or that a related entity did. In Arizona, a parasitic being named Anika Moriarty takes over a man’s body, assumes Claude’s appearance, and kills or infects a woman to obtain another parasitic egg.
• Anika declares that Claude failed but suggests that a larger “stage” is needed. She plans to make Xiao He the world’s only recognized hero and use faith as a catalyst for mass madness.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao He demonstrates a dramatic increase in power, apparently reaching LV7 after draining Sate and Medusa. He is confident, aggressive, and willing to kill dangerous enemies rather than risk containing them.
• Despite his ruthlessness, Xiao He still identifies with the idea of a hero. When Claude challenges him with Sebastian as a hostage, Xiao He chooses to save Sebastian first.
• Sate and Medusa are reduced from arrogant, dominant combatants to helpless figures after Xiao He’s Erosion drains most of their strength. Their willingness to mutilate themselves in order to escape shows their desperation.
• Gabo proves highly adaptable, using multiple monstrous forms and unusual biological attacks, but its creativity cannot overcome Xiao He’s superior abilities.
• Claude Moriarty is revealed as a manipulative, theatrical villain who prefers psychological dilemmas and strategic retreats over direct combat. Even after appearing to die, his influence and plans continue.
• Sebastian is physically overwhelmed and unable to control the situation, but Xiao He saves him. His shock at Xiao He’s apparent execution of Claude reflects the moral conflict surrounding the definition of heroism.
• Ye Wanqing supports Xiao He remotely by altering the public’s Cognition of Claude, allowing Xiao He to counter Claude’s spatial powers.
• Anika Moriarty emerges as a new or connected antagonist. She is parasitic, sadistic, and more calculating than the Claude seen in the arena.

3. Significant Themes

• Heroism versus restraint: Claude argues that being a hero limits one’s actions, while villains can act without moral boundaries. Xiao He’s decision to save Sebastian first offers his own answer, though he still intends to kill Claude afterward.
• The weakness of conventional heroes: The Mutants and other fighters are portrayed as powerless against Xiao He, causing the public to question whether established heroes deserve their reputations.
• Public perception and manufactured faith: Claude’s true objective is not merely defeating Xiao He but reshaping society’s belief in heroes. Anika plans to elevate Xiao He as the sole “real hero,” suggesting that blind faith can become a tool for madness.
• Power and escalation: Xiao He’s overwhelming abilities make ordinary combat increasingly one-sided, while Claude relies on unusual powers, manipulation, and indirect strategies to remain a threat.
• Identity and possession: The transformation into Anika Moriarty introduces the idea that Claude’s identity may be transferable, parasitic, or part of a larger entity. Names, appearances, and public Cognition become weapons.
• Theater and spectacle: Claude treats the arena and public reaction as a performance. The destruction of the battlefield and the witnesses’ reactions become part of his larger social experiment.

4. Character Interactions

• Xiao He dominates the battle against Sate, Medusa, and Gabo, mocking their earlier arrogance while exploiting their weaknesses.
• Claude repeatedly taunts Xiao He about the meaning of heroism and contrasts him with Sebastian, using Sebastian’s helplessness to create a moral dilemma.
• Xiao He and Claude engage in a clash between overwhelming physical power and evasive spatial manipulation. Their exchange establishes them as ideological as well as physical opposites.
• Xiao He saves Sebastian despite Claude’s trap, then immediately turns against Claude, showing that compassion and violence coexist in his interpretation of heroism.
• Ye Wanqing’s remote assistance is crucial to Xiao He’s victory, demonstrating their trust and coordinated use of Cognition-based abilities.
• Anika speaks to Claude as though he is a failed partner or subordinate, revealing that the threat behind Claude may be larger than the individual who fought Xiao He.
• The fleeing spectators praise Xiao He while dismissing other heroes, unknowingly fulfilling Claude’s plan to divide the heroic image and create dependence on a single figure.

Chapter Summary: “Legal Husband and Wife”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Xiao He’s unauthorized mission to M Country, an international dispute erupts. M Country condemns Yinglong’s actions as an invasion while claiming its own military and Mutants could handle the crisis. However, the controversy mainly serves to redirect attention from M Country’s failure against Claude Moriarty.
• Claude’s attack forces the world to question whether existing heroes and Mutants are powerful enough to face the newly emerged Mutators. Although Mutators lack Superpowers, their physical strength ranges from roughly LV4 to LV6, radically changing the global power balance.
• Cui Man orders Xiao He to remain quiet and avoid acting independently while the international situation settles. Dragon Country remains relatively secure because Steel Yinglong is stationed there.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing openly discuss obtaining their marriage certificate. Their classmates, Yin Jia and Zhou Huimei, excitedly congratulate them and admire Ye Wanqing’s engagement ring.
• On Ye Wanqing’s twentieth birthday, Xiao He gives her the deed to their home, explaining that the house is meaningful because it is where they met and began their relationship.
• The couple goes to the Civil Affairs Bureau the next morning and officially becomes legally married. They celebrate with their friends and colleagues from the Special Response Department.
• The celebration also serves as a farewell gathering, since the Department’s Mutants will soon be sent throughout the country to protect different regions.

Character Developments

• Xiao He becomes more openly affectionate and committed to Ye Wanqing. He is eager to formalize their relationship and views marriage as both a romantic milestone and a symbol of their shared home and future.
• Ye Wanqing grows more confident in expressing her love. Though easily embarrassed by Xiao He’s teasing, she proudly calls him “husband” after their marriage and openly acknowledges her place beside him.
• Cui Man continues acting as both Xiao He’s superior and a supportive family-like figure. She manages the Department’s broader responsibilities while helping arrange the couple’s celebration.
• Claude Moriarty reveals a more sinister and ambitious side. He remains calm and theatrical as Claude, but can transform into the violent, ravenous Wade Moriarty, whose monstrous ability devours attacks and people.
• Raphael remains hostile toward Mutators and refuses Claude’s proposal of cooperation. His religious conviction and hatred of Mutators make him an active enemy of both Claude and the broader Mutator movement.
• Andre is shown to be reckless and subordinate to Raphael. After attacking Claude, he is effortlessly killed by Wade.
• Wade/Claude suggests that the Mutators intend to unveil “Soul Interrogation” to the entire world, hinting at a major future threat or public demonstration.

Significant Themes

• Marriage and commitment: Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s legal marriage formalizes a relationship that has already been emotionally established.
• Love amid instability: Their private happiness contrasts with international conflict, emerging monsters, and the reorganization of global defenses.
• Changing power structures: The appearance of Mutators forces nations to reconsider the usefulness and strength of their traditional heroes.
• Unity versus division: Cui Man describes the Department’s Mutants as stars scattered across the country, emphasizing how individuals can still protect society even when no longer gathered together.
• Manipulation and hidden agendas: M Country shifts blame, while Claude attempts to exploit Raphael’s hatred of Yinglong for his own purposes.
• Dual identities and moral ambiguity: Claude’s refined persona conceals Wade’s savage hunger, reflecting the danger of judging characters by their outward appearance.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing share playful, affectionate exchanges throughout the chapter, balancing teasing with reassurance and emotional intimacy.
• Yin Jia and Zhou Huimei enthusiastically question Ye Wanqing about her engagement and ring, reinforcing their friendship and excitement for the couple.
• Claude confronts Raphael and Andre in the church, killing Andre after he attacks and then proposing an alliance with Raphael against Yinglong.
• Raphael rejects Claude’s offer and attacks him with holy power, but Claude easily escapes.
• Cui Man and the Department members celebrate Xiao He and Ye Wanqing while teasing them about their relationship.
• Ye Wanqing, once embarrassed by public affection, confidently links arms with Xiao He and declares that she is his wife, marking a noticeable increase in her confidence.

Chapter Summary: “The Choice”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing have registered their marriage and are preparing to hold their wedding after the school year ends.
• During their summer vacation, Xiao He develops a high-end VR controller for the Yinglong Robots. The device allows operators to control the robots through body movements and activate weapons by voice command.
• The Special Response Department distributes the controllers to powerful personnel, effectively giving Dragon Country dozens of additional “Iron Man”-like combatants.
• Although Claude Moriarty was believed to have been killed, Xiao He suspects he survived because the Mutators have remained unusually organized and inactive.
• Claude suddenly hijacks a television broadcast and announces “The Choice of Humanity.” He reveals that Mutators will attack numerous locations worldwide in thirty minutes.
• Claude also places packages around the world containing two buttons. Each button can teleport a country’s Mutator to either Dragon Country or M Country. Since only those two countries are capable of barely handling the attacks, other nations must choose between confronting the Mutators themselves or transferring the danger elsewhere.
• Xiao He recognizes the moral dilemma: if every country sends its Mutators to Dragon Country and M Country, those countries will be overwhelmed and humanity may be destroyed.
• The Special Response Department evacuates civilians and assigns its available forces to the predicted attack locations. An Xiuru and Han Tianyu enhance the fighters with powerful buffs, while Xiao He takes responsibility for Beichang City.
• Xiao encounters a Worm Mutator that splits into four creatures when cut apart. He neutralizes them using Soul Chains and a massively powerful punch, then restores the destroyed buildings with Entropy Reduction.
• After finishing in under five minutes, Xiao discovers that more than a dozen Mutators have been teleported into Dragon Country from other nations. He realizes that some countries immediately chose to sacrifice Dragon Country rather than fight themselves.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao He: Becomes more capable and strategic, relying on his growing range of Superpowers and the Yinglong Robots to protect humanity. He initially enjoys a peaceful married life but quickly returns to his role as Dragon Country’s strongest defender. His anger grows when other nations selfishly shift their danger onto Dragon Country.
• Ye Wanqing: Shows her affectionate, playful relationship with Xiao He while also demonstrating calmness and practical judgment during the crisis. She reminds him to eat and conserve his strength before battle, revealing emotional maturity and steady support.
• Claude Moriarty: Returns as the main antagonist and reveals a sadistic, manipulative personality. Rather than simply attacking, he constructs a global moral experiment designed to expose humanity’s selfishness and turn countries against one another.
• Cui Man: Continues to act as a composed coordinator for the Special Response Department, organizing defenses and recognizing Xiao He’s effectiveness.
• An Xiuru and Han Tianyu: Support the defense effort by strengthening the combatants with comprehensive physical buffs.

3. Significant Themes

• Moral choice and collective responsibility: Claude forces every nation to decide whether it will accept responsibility for its own threats or sacrifice others to survive.
• Human selfishness versus heroism: The supposed heroes of different countries must answer whether they are willing and able to save others, while nations receiving help must confront whether they deserve to be saved.
• The cost of survival: The chapter questions whether survival achieved by sacrificing innocent people or other nations can be morally justified.
• Trust and deception: Xiao He understands that Claude’s apparent death was likely a deception, and Claude’s return confirms that the Mutator threat is more organized and dangerous than it first appeared.
• Peace threatened by hidden danger: Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s domestic happiness contrasts sharply with the sudden global crisis, showing how quickly ordinary life can be disrupted.
• Technology and preparation: The Yinglong Robots and their new controllers represent humanity’s attempt to prepare technologically for supernatural threats, while Claude’s plan tests whether preparation is enough without international cooperation.

4. Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing share a warm, teasing domestic relationship, joking about nicknames, food, and their married life.
• Ye Wanqing helps Xiao He remain focused and physically prepared when Claude’s broadcast begins.
• Xiao He consults with Cui Man and the Special Response Department about how to distribute their limited forces.
• An Xiuru and Han Tianyu work with the team to enhance everyone’s combat abilities before deployment.
• Xiao He coordinates with Cui Man after defeating the Worm Mutators and offers to assist other battle zones.
• The arrival of foreign Mutators immediately after Xiao’s victory creates a new conflict: Dragon Country is not merely fighting Claude’s planned attack but is being deliberately burdened by other nations’ choices.

Chapter Summary: “Husband and Wife Join the Fray”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cui Man assigns Ye Wanqing command of Yinglong’s communications and grants her permission to modify the United Nations database.
• Ye Wanqing begins directing Xiao He remotely, identifying Mutators, renaming them when possible, and organizing rescue priorities across Dragon Country.
• Numerous countries exploit the teleportation system by sending their Mutators elsewhere instead of fighting them. Claude Moriarty redirects many of these Mutators toward Dragon Country and M Country, deliberately overwhelming both nations.
• Xiao He becomes increasingly furious at the selfishness of other countries and Claude’s manipulation. When dozens of Mutators are sent into Dragon Country, he uses Spatial Shockwave and rapidly eliminates them.
• Ye Wanqing reports that Dragon Country is under attack in multiple locations, while M Country is in even greater disorder because it lacks someone as powerful as Xiao He.
• Xiao He travels between rescue points, defeating Mutators and restoring his stamina through Erosion. The Yinglong Robots help delay the attackers until he can arrive.
• In Nanhua City, Zhang Ming struggles against a powerful lizard-like Mutator. Xiao He arrives and destroys both the lizard Mutator and a fleeing tree Mutator with single punches.
• Xiao and Xie Haining briefly discuss their differing combat roles: Xiao compares himself to a nuclear bomb, while Xie is more like a sniper rifle.
• Ye Wanqing directs Xiao to Link Harbor City, where more than a dozen Mutators are approaching from the sea. Xiao wipes them out with a massive shockwave that splits the water and leaves only their remains.
• Xiao and Ye casually discuss eating barbecue after the crisis, showing their continued intimacy amid the destruction.
• At the chapter’s end, Claude calls Xiao directly, signaling another confrontation or psychological provocation.

Character Developments

• Ye Wanqing takes on an active strategic role rather than merely supporting Xiao personally. She demonstrates confidence, technical skill, and composure while coordinating multiple battlefronts.
• Xiao He grows more powerful through repeated use of Erosion, approaching the strength of a Level 10 being. However, his increasing power also becomes harder to control, as shown when he accidentally destroys half a building with one punch.
• Xiao’s anger toward humanity’s selfishness becomes more pronounced, but he remains committed to protecting people despite Claude’s attempts to make him abandon them.
• Xie Haining recognizes the gap between his own abilities and Xiao’s overwhelming strength, though he accepts that their combat styles serve different purposes.
• Claude Moriarty is revealed as an amused, manipulative mastermind who treats the global catastrophe as a game designed to test Xiao’s ideals.

Significant Themes

• Human selfishness and moral responsibility: Claude argues that people will sacrifice others to survive slightly longer, while Xiao rejects the idea that selfishness should determine who deserves protection.
• Heroism under pressure: Xiao continues saving others even when countries deliberately dump their problems onto Dragon Country.
• Teamwork and trust: Ye Wanqing’s coordination allows Xiao to function as a mobile rescue force, while the Yinglong Robots and local Mutants buy time.
• Power and control: Xiao’s strength is rapidly increasing, but controlling it is becoming more difficult.
• Love amid catastrophe: Xiao and Ye’s affectionate teasing and discussion of food provide emotional warmth and normalcy during the worldwide crisis.

Character Interactions

• Cui Man entrusts Ye Wanqing with command responsibilities, demonstrating confidence in her abilities.
• Ye and Xiao communicate closely throughout the battle, combining strategic coordination with affectionate marital banter.
• Xiao and Xie Haining exchange humor after Xiao rescues him, with Xiao emphasizing that their abilities complement each other.
• Xiao and the Mutators trade insults before Xiao decisively overwhelms them.
• Claude directly challenges Xiao’s worldview by framing the crisis as a lesson about human nature and ending the chapter by calling him personally.