Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

Xiao He and Ye Wanqing investigate the abnormal rainstorm near a river. Xiao He realizes that the source of the incident may be a non-human Mutant, specifically a fish living underwater. He suspects the fish possesses a climate-control ability. When they discuss their discovery, dark clouds suddenly gather and lightning repeatedly targets them, suggesting the Mutant is attempting to silence them. Xiao He protects Ye Wanqing and leads her away from the river, but the lightning continues to pursue them until they reach the riverside street, where it finally stops.
Ye Wanqing reports their findings to Cui Man. Rather than having Xiao He individually identify and mark the fish, Cui Man decides to send Xia Yu and the Gluttonous Beast to resolve the incident, with Xiao He only needing to identify the target. Cui Man later arrives with Li Zhiqiang, while Xia Yu approaches by helicopter.

Character developments

Xiao He demonstrates that his investigative ability can reveal unconventional possibilities, including Mutants among animals. He also shows strong protective instincts toward Ye Wanqing, shielding her from lightning and carrying her to safety. His ability remains limited because it is focused on the overall “920 Rainstorm” incident rather than directly controlling the Mutant.
Ye Wanqing becomes more aware of Xiao He’s desire to spend time with her romantically. Though she teases him about using the investigation as an excuse for a date, she is secretly pleased that he wanted to go out with her. Cui Man continues to act as a capable supervisor while playfully teasing Xiao He.

Significant themes

The chapter expands the concept of Mutants by suggesting that any living creature—not just humans—may be affected by the White Light. It also highlights the danger of investigating powerful Mutants, as the suspected fish actively attacks those who uncover its identity. Alongside the supernatural investigation, the chapter emphasizes romance, playful embarrassment, and the difficulty of balancing duty with personal happiness.

Character interactions

Xiao He and Ye Wanqing work closely together as partners, with Xiao He protecting her during the lightning attack and Ye Wanqing caring for him afterward by dusting off his clothes. Their affectionate teasing reveals their growing romantic relationship. Cui Man jokingly exposes Xiao He’s ulterior motive for investigating the river, embarrassing him in front of Ye Wanqing. Ye Wanqing recognizes the truth but responds warmly, agreeing to go shopping with him once the mission is complete.

Chapter Summary: “Unbeatable”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cui Man requisitions a ferry and orders it to patrol the river while Xiao He uses his intuition to track the aquatic Mutant.
• Xiao He identifies the Mutant’s direction, and Xia Yu—using her shark-form enhancement—dives into the river to pursue it.
• The Mutant begins manipulating the weather. It first strikes the water with lightning, narrowly missing Xia Yu, and then causes the temperature to plummet and hail to form.
• Xiao He deduces that the Mutant is a Yangtze finless porpoise. Its sonar allows it to locate targets accurately despite murky water, explaining how it tracked him, Ye Wanqing, and Xia Yu.
• Cui Man orders Xia Yu not to attack but merely follow the porpoise, since it is a critically endangered, nationally protected animal and may be impossible to defeat without causing serious moral and political complications.
• As hail begins falling and tens of thousands of nearby pedestrians risk witnessing the incident, Cui Man anxiously seeks instructions from her superiors. She also orders Xia Yu to stop the porpoise from using its Superpower.
• Xia Yu temporarily loses communication underwater, increasing the team’s anxiety. The porpoise then surfaces near the ferry, confirming that it is the Mutant.
• Xia Yu resurfaces and reveals that she has reached an agreement with the porpoise. Rather than fighting, she proposes that they communicate with it.

Character Developments

• Xiao He demonstrates strong observational and deductive abilities by recognizing the Mutant’s sonar-based hunting method and correctly identifying its species.
• Cui Man remains practical and decisive, coordinating the pursuit and prioritizing civilian safety. However, she becomes increasingly stressed because the Mutant is both powerful and legally/morally difficult to eliminate.
• Xia Yu displays confidence in her shark enhancement and physical abilities, diving from the helicopter and pursuing the Mutant underwater. Her unexpected success in communicating with it reveals a diplomatic and empathetic approach rather than relying solely on force.
• Ye Wanqing contributes by questioning the team’s plan and helping highlight the difficulty of identifying the Mutant underwater.
• The team shifts from treating the porpoise as a hostile target to considering it a sentient creature capable of negotiation.

Significant Themes

• Conflict between public safety and conservation: The team must protect civilians from lightning and hail while avoiding harm to an endangered species.
• Limits of force: The Mutant’s abilities make direct combat dangerous, and its protected status makes killing it unacceptable unless absolutely necessary.
• Communication over violence: Xia Yu’s success suggests that understanding and negotiation may resolve conflicts that strength cannot.
• Fear of public exposure: Cui Man worries that discovering animals can become Mutants would cause widespread panic and potentially lead people to harm ordinary animals.
• Human intelligence versus animal intelligence: The porpoise is portrayed as highly intelligent, socially aware, and capable of deliberately using its Superpower.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Cui Man cooperate closely in tracking the Mutant, with Xiao He providing the crucial identification and Cui Man directing the operation.
• Ye Wanqing challenges Cui Man’s assumptions about how Xia Yu can locate the correct fish, prompting an explanation of the tracking strategy.
• Cui Man communicates with Xia Yu through the earpiece, first ordering her to pursue the target and later instructing her not to attack.
• Xia Yu ultimately takes control of the situation by forming an agreement with the porpoise, surprising Xiao He and replacing the expected battle with an attempt at peaceful dialogue.

Chapter Summary: “Reaching an Agreement”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Yu explains that she communicated with the Yangtze finless porpoise by using a shark’s bite force to remove a small piece of its dorsal fin. This temporarily gave her the porpoise’s hearing and vocal abilities, allowing her to understand its sonar-based communication.
• The porpoise reveals that it caused the rain and flooding to improve the Yangtze River’s water quality. Pollution, overfishing, and environmental damage have made survival increasingly difficult for its kind.
• Cui Man asks Xia Yu to tell the porpoise not to use its Superpower again. The porpoise refuses to promise this, explaining that it will act if the water becomes dangerously polluted because it is only trying to survive.
• Recognizing that the porpoise is an endangered species, Cui Man decides not to capture or attack it. Instead, the authorities reach an informal agreement: as long as the river remains within acceptable water-quality standards, the porpoise will not use its powers.
• The team attaches a tracker to the porpoise in case it later loses control of its abilities. The weather soon clears, and the porpoise disappears peacefully beneath the water.
• Cui Man orders Xiao He and Ye Wanqing to attend an emergency meeting and undergo tests at the Special Response Department the following day.
• Afterward, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing discuss the incident while getting food. Their conversation is interrupted when two young men approach Ye Wanqing, prompting Xiao He to pretend to be her boyfriend and come to her aid.

Character Developments

• Xia Yu demonstrates her unusual adaptability and communication skills, acting as a bridge between humans and the porpoise. She is relieved and happy that the mission ends without violence.
• Cui Man shows pragmatism and compassion. Although responsible for public safety, she acknowledges the porpoise’s endangered status and accepts coexistence rather than imposing human control.
• Xiao He remains cautious and skeptical, especially about the danger posed by animal Mutants. However, he agrees that the porpoise should not be harmed and begins thinking seriously about the broader implications of Mutant animals.
• Ye Wanqing reacts warmly and emotionally to the porpoise, quickly forgiving its earlier attack because of its apparent cuteness. She openly supports peaceful coexistence and displays increasing affection and reliance on Xiao He.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s relationship becomes more openly intimate. They hold hands, shop for food together, and Xiao He instinctively protects her when strangers approach.

Significant Themes

• Coexistence versus domination: The chapter argues that humans should seek compromise with other living beings rather than automatically control or eliminate threats.
• Environmental responsibility: The porpoise’s actions are presented as a response to pollution and habitat destruction, forcing the humans to confront their role in the conflict.
• The rights and intelligence of animals: The ability of animals to become Mutants expands the story’s concept of personhood and raises questions about communication, agency, and moral treatment.
• Pragmatism versus idealism: The authorities must balance public safety against the porpoise’s rarity and legitimate need to survive.
• Growing concern over Mutant animals: Xiao He and Ye Wanqing realize that animals vastly outnumber humans, making the possibility of widespread animal Mutants both significant and frightening.

Important Character Interactions

• Xia Yu serves as interpreter between the humans and the porpoise, enabling the peaceful resolution.
• Cui Man negotiates indirectly with the porpoise through Xia Yu and ultimately permits it to go free under supervision.
• Ye Wanqing expresses affection for the porpoise, while Xiao He responds with skepticism and attempts to undermine her idealized view of it.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing discuss the moral lesson of the incident and agree that coexistence is preferable.
• When two men flirt with Ye Wanqing, Xiao He intervenes by calling her “Babe,” and Ye Wanqing responds happily by calling him “Old Xiao,” reinforcing their close bond.

Summary of “Old Xiao”

Plot points and events

Xiao He and Ye Wanqing visit Beichang City’s lively Fine Food and Fashion Street while pretending to be a couple. After two men approach Ye Wanqing, she links arms with Xiao He and calls him “Old Xiao” to make their relationship seem convincing. The nickname embarrasses and amuses them, especially when Xiao He jokes that he wishes his surname were “Gong,” prompting Ye Wanqing to mention calling a boyfriend “hubby” only after marriage. Their exchange leaves both flustered.
They eat at a local-cuisine restaurant, where Ye Wanqing chooses several dishes and criticizes the food as inauthentic, promising to cook braised pork for Xiao He someday. Afterward, they go to the cinema. During the animated comedy, Xiao He becomes unexpectedly emotional and cries, while Ye Wanqing affectionately gives him her remaining popcorn.

Character development

Xiao He begins to recognize how young and endearing Ye Wanqing is, realizing that he should be more patient and indulgent toward her. He also acknowledges that he is developing romantic feelings but hesitates to confess because he fears rejection could make their work relationship awkward. Ye Wanqing displays both confidence and bashfulness: she handles the restaurant order decisively but becomes extremely embarrassed after the marriage-related joke. Her willingness to care for Xiao He and cook for him suggests growing affection.

Significant themes

The chapter explores the blurred line between pretending to date and genuinely developing romantic feelings. It emphasizes emotional hesitation, mutual attraction, and the comfort of domestic intimacy. The playful nickname “Old Xiao,” shared meals, teasing, and moviegoing all create the atmosphere of an established couple. The chapter also highlights the contrast between youthful embarrassment and increasingly natural affection.

Character interactions

Xiao He and Ye Wanqing tease each other while maintaining their fake-couple act, but their physical closeness and concern for each other feel increasingly sincere. Ye Wanqing relies on Xiao He to navigate the outing while also taking charge of practical matters such as ordering food. Xiao He observes her fondly and restrains himself from teasing her when she becomes embarrassed. At the cinema, Ye Wanqing quietly notices and accepts Xiao He’s emotional reaction, responding with understated tenderness rather than mockery.

Chapter Summary: “Instant Noodles”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After watching a comedy at the theater, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing stroll through a snack street.
• Ye Wanqing buys several local foods, including flaky pastry, baked flatbread, and grilled squid, casually handing unfinished food to Xiao He to eat.
• Xiao He burns his lips on spicy squid. Ye Wanqing gives him her bottle of water, which they share despite her having already drunk from it.
• Exhausted from being outside, Ye Wanqing asks to go home rather than eat a proper dinner. On the bus, she falls asleep against Xiao He’s shoulder after a sharp turn, and he eventually rests his head against hers.
• Once home, Ye Wanqing immediately relaxes and falls asleep on the sofa. Xiao He avoids waking her, though he grows hungry while waiting.
• He prepares a creative meal of instant noodles: dry-mixed noodles using one seasoning packet and a separate soup using another.
• After waking her, he shares the noodles with Ye Wanqing. She enjoys them and is surprised by his cooking improvisation.
• Xiao He gently wipes sauce from the corner of her mouth, leaving Ye Wanqing momentarily flustered.
• Feeling that Xiao He has not eaten anything she prepared that day, Ye Wanqing insists on making him egg fried rice from leftover rice.

Character Development

• Ye Wanqing becomes increasingly comfortable treating Xiao He like a boyfriend, relying on him to share food and care for her. However, she remains shy and easily flustered by physical intimacy, as shown by her reaction when he wipes her mouth.
• She also reveals her preference for staying at home and her discomfort when out in public, becoming visibly relieved once they return.
• Xiao He demonstrates patience and consideration. He notices Ye Wanqing’s exhaustion, refrains from teasing her, lets her sleep undisturbed, and cooks for both of them despite being hungry himself.
• His small act of caring for her and his playful “secret recipe” reveal a domestic, attentive side.
• Ye Wanqing’s insistence on making fried rice shows her growing desire to reciprocate his care and contribute to their shared domestic life.

Significant Themes

• Growing romantic intimacy: Shared food, physical closeness, and casual concern gradually blur the line between friendship and a romantic relationship.
• Domestic companionship: The chapter emphasizes ordinary activities—snacking, riding the bus, sleeping on the sofa, and preparing simple meals—as meaningful expressions of affection.
• Mutual care and reciprocity: Xiao He cares for Ye Wanqing when she is tired, while she later insists on cooking for him so that she can also take care of him.
• Comfort versus social unease: Ye Wanqing feels tense outside but relaxed at home, highlighting how their shared home has become a place of safety.
• Awkwardness and emotional restraint: Both characters experience romantic feelings but remain hesitant to acknowledge them openly, resulting in subtle gestures and unspoken chemistry.

Character Interactions

• Ye Wanqing playfully relies on Xiao He to finish her food, while he willingly accommodates her.
• She tends to his burned lips by offering him water, creating a small moment of shared intimacy.
• Their accidental leaning against each other on the bus becomes a quiet, tender moment neither directly addresses.
• Xiao He wakes her gently and prepares food for her, while Ye Wanqing responds by offering to cook egg fried rice for him.
• Their teasing and concern for one another show an increasingly natural, couple-like dynamic.

Chapter Summary: “Meeting”

Plot Points and Events

• After eating instant noodles, Ye Wanqing makes Xiao He a large bowl of egg fried rice because he is still hungry. They wash the dishes together, sharing a quiet, comfortable domestic moment.
• Before bed, Xiao He gives Ye Wanqing cold medicine after noticing her sneezing. She privately realizes that he has become more considerate and that they have been arguing less.
• Xiao He reflects on his changing feelings toward Ye Wanqing, admitting that he has become attracted to her since noticing how pretty and adorable she has become.
• The next morning, Ye Wanqing wakes Xiao He for their visit to the Special Response Department and prepares him a nourishing breakfast of eight-treasure porridge and a stuffed wrap.
• They discuss buying meat to make dumplings and steamed buns, suggesting that they are beginning to imagine shared routines and meals together.
• At the Special Response Department, Cui Man leads a meeting about the possibility that nonhuman creatures can become Mutants. The staff debate whether animals need intelligence to consciously use Superpowers and acknowledge the danger posed by powerful predatory animals.
• Cui Man announces that the department must prepare for increasing numbers of Mutants and expand its personnel and resources.
• Xie Haining and Xia Yu are assigned continued training, while Xiao He and Ye Wanqing are taken for experiments examining how their Superpowers activate and interact.

Character Development

• Xiao He: Becomes increasingly aware of his romantic feelings for Ye Wanqing. He is embarrassed by his attraction but also deeply comforted by her cooking and care. His protective concern is shown when he gives her cold medicine.
• Ye Wanqing: Demonstrates affection through cooking, helping with chores, preparing breakfast, and planning future meals. She is pleased by Xiao He’s concern and recognizes that their relationship has grown more peaceful and intimate.
• Cui Man: Shows practical leadership and long-term concern about the growing Mutant population. She treats the issue of nonhuman Mutants as a serious institutional problem and emphasizes preparation.
• Xie Haining and Xia Yu: Remain involved in departmental training, though they play a secondary role in this chapter.

Significant Themes

• Developing romance and domestic intimacy: Shared meals, dishwashing, medicine, and plans to cook together reveal the couple’s growing closeness more strongly than explicit declarations would.
• Care expressed through everyday actions: Xiao He and Ye Wanqing show affection indirectly through practical gestures rather than open confession.
• The expansion of the Mutant threat: The meeting broadens the story’s scope from individual Superpowered humans to the possibility of Mutant animals and larger future dangers.
• Science and uncertainty: The upcoming experiments reflect the department’s effort to understand Superpowers systematically, especially their activation conditions and interactions.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing work together washing dishes, becoming comfortable with physical closeness and silence.
• Xiao He gives Ye Wanqing medicine, while she interprets his concern as evidence of his growing affection.
• Their breakfast conversation about dumplings and buns subtly establishes the possibility of a shared domestic future.
• At the department, Cui Man organizes the meeting, addresses the researchers’ concerns, assigns training, and informs Xiao He and Ye Wanqing that their abilities will be tested together.

Chapter Summary: “Trigger Conditions”

Plot Points and Events

• The Special Response Department conducts experiments to understand how Xiao He’s and Ye Wanqing’s Superpowers interact, especially after a minor incident during the previous flood-control operation in AL City.
• Xiao He’s ability is clarified:
  • It requires the target to be named “Lin Tiannan.”
  • The target must be within his perception range.
  • Most importantly, Xiao He must regard the target as an enemy or feel hostility toward them.
  • People he trusts, such as Cui Man and Ye Wanqing, cannot activate his power even if their names are changed to Lin Tiannan.
  • His subconscious “whitelist” prevents trusted people and neutral entities—such as the Earth, sun, or air—from being treated as enemies. This whitelist can change if his feelings toward someone change.
• Ye Wanqing’s ability is found to depend on Cognition rather than strictly on legal or birth names. She can alter whichever name or identity is most widely recognized by people.
• Cui Man proposes exploiting this by spreading a fabricated name for an unknown enemy through media and the internet until enough people recognize it for Ye Wanqing to modify it.
• Further testing reveals that Ye Wanqing cannot alter excessively broad categories. She can change an individual’s name, a tribe’s name, or a specific species such as “dolphin,” but not broad terms such as “fish,” “humans,” or racial groups.
• When Ye Wanqing changes a name, everyone’s memories, understanding, and electronic records automatically adjust as if the new name had always existed. However, people aware of her ability and the person whose name was changed remain unaffected.
• Ye Wanqing successfully changes the name of M Country to “the country of Lin Tiannan,” but the effort nearly exhausts her. This establishes that changing a country’s name is close to her limit because the broader the target, the more difficult the modification.
• For the final test, Cui Man asks Ye Wanqing to change Xiao He’s name to “Lin Tiannan.”
• Xiao He’s ability activates immediately, but instead of merely functioning normally, his power continues increasing without limit. He experiences an overwhelming surge of strength and feels invincible.

Character Development

• Xiao He gains a clearer understanding of the conditions and limitations of his own power. He realizes that the Special Response Department’s operations are structured around supporting him: others buy time or manipulate circumstances so that he can defeat the enemy.
• He also shows concern for Ye Wanqing when the experiment leaves her exhausted, reflecting his protectiveness and growing emotional attachment to her.
• Ye Wanqing demonstrates determination and endurance by continuing the experiments despite her fatigue. Her ability is revealed to be extremely powerful but constrained by the scope and specificity of its target.
• Cui Man acts as the experiment’s leader and strategist. She treats Xiao He as the department’s central weapon and begins considering large-scale applications of Ye Wanqing’s power, including altering national identities or neutralizing enemies through fabricated names.

Significant Themes

• The importance of perception and belief: Xiao He’s power depends not only on objective identity but also on whether he personally recognizes someone as an enemy.
• Cognition shaping reality: Ye Wanqing’s ability alters collective memory, records, and social understanding, suggesting that reality in this world is deeply connected to what people know and believe.
• Power and responsibility: The department discusses potentially catastrophic uses of their abilities, such as changing the name of a country or exploiting Xiao He as a destructive trump card.
• Teamwork and strategic dependence: Xiao He may possess overwhelming offensive power, but he relies on the rest of the department to create the conditions required for it to activate.
• The dangers of limitless strength: Changing Xiao He’s name produces an unprecedented escalation, hinting that his power may have no natural upper bound when its activation conditions are manipulated.

Character Interactions

• Cui Man explains Xiao He’s “enemy” requirement and teasingly chokes him when he corrects her mistake about dolphins being mammals.
• She encourages Xiao He to accept his role as the department’s primary weapon while joking about the possibility of using him to destroy a country in an emergency.
• Xiao He worries about Ye Wanqing’s physical condition and wipes the sweat from her face after she changes M Country’s name.
• Ye Wanqing and Xiao He are both surprised and curious when Cui Man suggests changing Xiao He’s name.
• Once Ye Wanqing renames him “Lin Tiannan,” Xiao He’s power activates and grows explosively, ending the chapter on a moment of astonishment and uncertainty.

Chapter Summary: “Nemesis”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He tests his ability by being renamed Lin Tiannan, creating a paradox in which defeating his “opponent” also makes him stronger. His power begins increasing uncontrollably, causing his body to glow and swell as though it might explode.
• Ye Wanqing quickly changes his name back after 57 seconds, stopping the power surge just before Xiao He reaches a potentially fatal limit.
• Xiao He realizes that, for a brief period near the end of the process, he may become effectively invincible. He considers this dangerous ability a possible last-resort trump card.
• Cui Man strongly warns him and Ye Wanqing to conceal their true abilities. If their powers became known, foreign governments could view them as threats and use them as justification for international conflict, potentially triggering a third world war.
• Cui Man sends them home to rest, while humorously handling a phone call from someone teasing her about a blind date.
• On the way home, Xiao He reflects that Ye Wanqing is his greatest “nemesis”: she is necessary for activating his ability, but changing his name could also make him vulnerable to being killed.
• At home, Ye Wanqing notices that Xiao He’s ability activated against himself, despite previous tests showing it only worked against hostile people. She suggests this may mean Xiao He dislikes or hates himself.
• Xiao He proposes that the ability may instead fail against people he likes. His hurried clarification that he means “like-like” creates an awkward, suggestive moment between them.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Learns the dangerous limits and paradoxical nature of his power. He becomes more aware of the responsibility and threat associated with it, though he still views its maximum potential as a useful emergency weapon. His thoughts also reveal growing affection and dependence on Ye Wanqing.
• Ye Wanqing: Demonstrates quick thinking by stopping Xiao He’s runaway transformation. She becomes more perceptive about the conditions governing his ability and begins probing the emotional implications of his powers.
• Cui Man: Acts as a protective mentor and authority figure. She emphasizes the geopolitical consequences of the protagonists’ abilities and shows both stern concern and affectionate familiarity toward them.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing: Their emotional closeness becomes more apparent. Their dependence on each other is both practical—because of the power’s activation conditions—and increasingly romantic.

Significant Themes

• Power and its limits: Unlimited strength is shown to be dangerous when the human body cannot contain it.
• Paradox and self-conflict: Xiao He’s ability creates a loop in which fighting himself causes endless self-enhancement, turning his own power into a potential death sentence.
• Secrecy and responsibility: The characters must hide their abilities because personal power could destabilize international politics and provoke war.
• Mutual dependence: Xiao He and Ye Wanqing are simultaneously each other’s greatest weakness, safeguard, and closest companion.
• Feelings reflected through supernatural abilities: The rules of Xiao He’s power may be connected not only to hostility but also to affection, raising questions about his feelings toward himself and Ye Wanqing.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing work together to stop his dangerous power escalation, with Ye Wanqing acting decisively while he struggles to control the situation.
• Cui Man reprimands both of them but also comforts and protects them, treating them almost like family.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing hold hands while leaving and continue teasing and analyzing his ability at home.
• Their final exchange becomes awkward when Xiao He suggests his ability may not work against people he likes, implicitly revealing romantic feelings he immediately tries to clarify.

Chapter Summary: “Unconvinced”

Key plot points and events

Xiao He and Ye Wanqing discuss how their relationship changed from initial dislike to mutual affection. When they realize they are out of flour, they go shopping together. Ye Wanqing teaches Xiao He about different types of flour, and they buy several varieties along with ingredients for dumplings. Back home, they prepare the filling and dough, then wrap dumplings together while watching Gintama, with Tuantuan observing nearby. Xiao He insists on cooking the dumplings himself and successfully makes crispy, delicious pan-fried dumplings. Ye Wanqing eats twelve, despite initially doubting his ability.

Character developments

Xiao He becomes increasingly attentive and comfortable around Ye Wanqing. He protects her while crossing the street, enjoys her affectionate nickname for him, and takes pride in impressing her with his cooking. Ye Wanqing’s attitude softens noticeably: her formerly accusatory tone becomes playful and coquettish, and she willingly spends domestic, everyday time with him. Although she remains outwardly skeptical and competitive, she is clearly pleased by Xiao He’s thoughtfulness and cooking skills.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes growing intimacy through ordinary domestic activities. Shopping, cooking, watching anime, and washing dishes together demonstrate how the two are gradually developing a shared routine. It also highlights the contrast between Ye Wanqing’s verbal resistance and her genuine affection, as well as Xiao He’s delight in their increasingly couple-like relationship. Mutual cooperation and comfort are replacing their former friction.

Character interactions

Ye Wanqing guides Xiao He through buying flour, preparing dough, and wrapping dumplings, while Xiao He follows her instructions and helps with the heavier work. Their teasing creates a playful, affectionate dynamic: she mocks his confidence in his simple cooking specialties, while he proudly seeks her approval. After enjoying the dumplings, Ye Wanqing remains “unconvinced” and somewhat embarrassed by his success, but their coordinated dishwashing at the end shows that they are becoming increasingly in sync.

Chapter Summary: “Visiting as a Guest”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing shop for ingredients and discuss making steamed buns at home. Their conversation reveals that Ye Wanqing learned to cook and make food herself to help her family manage the financial burden of their house loan.
• Ye Wanqing expresses hope that their peaceful domestic life will continue, while Xiao He reflects on how attractive and endearing she has become.
• Ye Wanqing’s improved appearance has begun attracting attention at school. Students secretly photograph her and discuss her on the school forum as a potential campus beauty, though she remains unaware of the gossip.
• Concerned by the increased attention she receives, Xiao He decides to accompany her to class despite not having lessons himself, openly presenting himself as her boyfriend.
• Ye Wanqing introduces Xiao He to her classmates and friends, Zhou Huimei and Yin Jia. When they ask whether the couple lives together, Ye Wanqing confirms it, strengthening the impression that their relationship is genuine.
• Xiao He plans to treat the two girls to lunch, but Ye Wanqing suggests inviting them home instead and cooking for them. Since she and Xiao He are only pretending to be a couple, they agree to behave more affectionately so their friends will not discover the truth.
• Their plan becomes awkward when Xiao He asks what they will do if the girls question why they never kiss.

Character Development

• Ye Wanqing is shown as practical, hardworking, domestic, and financially responsible. She has become more confident socially, forming friendships with classmates and openly referring to Xiao He as her boyfriend. However, she remains modest and easily embarrassed by romantic displays.
• Xiao He becomes increasingly protective and possessive as other students notice Ye Wanqing’s attractiveness. He wants to establish his place beside her publicly, but his teasing and lack of romantic experience make their fake relationship difficult to maintain convincingly.
• Their relationship appears more natural and comfortable than before. They share routines, live together, and casually discuss cooking and household matters, even though their romantic arrangement remains technically false.

Significant Themes

• Domestic companionship: Everyday activities such as shopping, cooking, and commuting create a sense of stability and intimacy between Xiao He and Ye Wanqing.
• Economic practicality: Ye Wanqing’s family finances explain her resourcefulness and emphasize the value she places on self-sufficiency and peaceful living.
• Appearance and public attention: Ye Wanqing’s transformation changes how others perceive her, creating unwanted attention and prompting Xiao He’s jealousy.
• Pretense versus genuine affection: Although the couple is pretending to be together, their natural closeness increasingly resembles a real relationship.
• Social pressure and reputation: The school forum, classmates’ gossip, and expectations about public displays of affection complicate their efforts to conceal the truth.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He admires Ye Wanqing’s cooking skills and reassures her when she worries about her family’s finances.
• He teases her about being attractive, while she responds with playful punches and scolding.
• Xiao He introduces himself publicly as her boyfriend and deliberately stays near her to discourage interested male classmates.
• Ye Wanqing introduces him to Zhou Huimei and Yin Jia, who are curious and envious of the couple’s living arrangement.
• During class, Xiao He fusses over Ye Wanqing by smoothing her hair, while she tells him to behave.
• The two collaborate on maintaining their fake relationship, but their discussion of kissing exposes the awkwardness and limitations of their arrangement.

Chapter Summary: “Too Detailed”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He walks home with Ye Wanqing, Yin Jia, and Zhou Huimei after deciding to bring the two women into their ongoing arrangement. He and Ye Wanqing explain that they initially argued frequently while living together but have gradually adjusted to one another.
• At the apartment, Tuantuan—their wary cat—checks Ye Wanqing and distrustfully observes the two guests. It allows Xiao He inside easily but rejects Yin Jia when she tries to pet it.
• Ye Wanqing begins preparing lunch while Xiao He tidies her extremely messy bedroom. His cleaning reveals how disorganized and careless she is with her personal space.
• Ye Wanqing cooks several dishes, impressing Yin Jia and Zhou Huimei. Xiao He enthusiastically eats, even finishing the women’s leftovers, while Ye Wanqing acts familiar and affectionate toward him.
• The guests notice the couple’s domestic intimacy, including Ye Wanqing feeding Xiao He leftover rice, watching him eat fondly, and checking that their matching slippers and staged couple photos are visible.
• Yin Jia teases them about not showing enough affection and challenges Xiao He to make a move. Both Xiao He and Ye Wanqing nervously anticipate a kiss, but Yin Jia interrupts by asking for a toothpick.
• While searching for one, Ye Wanqing accidentally reveals an opened box of condoms in the drawer. The guests notice, tease her, and reassure her that it is normal for a cohabiting couple, leaving Ye Wanqing mortified.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Shows increasing domestic familiarity with Ye Wanqing, helping clean her room and comfortably accepting her leftover food. Although he is embarrassed by the pressure to display affection, he appears increasingly invested in maintaining their “couple” image.
• Ye Wanqing: Demonstrates both dependence on and affection for Xiao He. She trusts him enough to let him tidy her room, cooks for everyone, and subtly enjoys his attention. However, she remains easily flustered by romantic situations and is especially humiliated when the condoms are discovered.
• Yin Jia: Acts as a playful observer and instigator, teasing Xiao He and Ye Wanqing about their relationship. Her innocent request for a toothpick unintentionally prevents their possible kiss.
• Zhou Huimei: Offers supportive commentary about their apparent closeness and cooking, joining Yin Jia in teasing them while remaining more composed.
• Tuantuan: Reinforces the household dynamic by treating Xiao He as its trusted person while remaining suspicious of the women, particularly Yin Jia.

Significant Themes

• Domestic intimacy: Cooking, cleaning, sharing food, and caring for a pet reveal a growing sense of ordinary couplehood.
• Performance versus reality: Xiao He and Ye Wanqing are trying to present themselves as a convincing couple, but their nervous reactions suggest that genuine romantic feelings may be developing beneath the staged arrangement.
• Embarrassment and privacy: Ye Wanqing’s messy room and the exposed condoms highlight the awkwardness of having guests examine the private details of her life.
• Affection expressed indirectly: Rather than openly confessing feelings, the characters show attachment through food, household help, teasing, and small gestures.
• Comic misunderstanding: The chapter uses the couple’s elaborate “details” and the badly timed condom discovery to create humor while increasing romantic tension.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing bicker familiarly but cooperate as housemates, with Ye Wanqing ordering him around and Xiao He teasing her with nicknames.
• Ye Wanqing’s warm treatment of Xiao He—especially feeding him leftovers and watching him eat—draws attention from Yin Jia and Zhou Huimei.
• Yin Jia and Zhou Huimei repeatedly test and tease the couple, pushing them toward a public display of affection.
• The interrupted kiss creates mutual nervousness and disappointment, suggesting that both Xiao He and Ye Wanqing may secretly welcome greater intimacy.
• The condom incident intensifies Ye Wanqing’s embarrassment but also makes the guests more convinced that she and Xiao He are a genuine couple.

Chapter Summary: “Little Pufferfish”

Plot Points and Events

• Ye Wanqing discovers suggestive items hidden in a drawer, likely planted by the Special Response Department to make her and Xiao He’s relationship appear genuine. Embarrassed, she angrily shuts the drawer before Xiao He can see inside.
• Her friends, Yin Jia and Zhou Huimei, tease her about living with Xiao He and imply that the two are more intimate than they admit. Ye Wanqing insists Xiao He is usually unreliable, though she reluctantly acknowledges that he is dependable when it truly matters.
• After her friends leave, Ye Wanqing blames Xiao He for damaging her reputation. Xiao He argues that since they already pretend to be a couple—and live together—the situation only makes their cover more convincing.
• Their playful argument reveals that Ye Wanqing has little romantic experience and has never even held hands with a boy before Xiao He. She protests that she only tolerates him because of their contract, despite becoming increasingly comfortable with him.
• Xiao He tidies Ye Wanqing’s clothes and organizes her belongings, prompting her to repeatedly come out of her room to complain about where he put things. Although she calls him annoying, his familiarity with her needs shows how naturally domestic their relationship has become.
• Alone in her room, Ye Wanqing imagines what marrying Xiao He—and becoming physically intimate with him—would involve. She is deeply embarrassed but realizes she is not entirely opposed to the idea, which causes her to panic and accuse herself of being shameless.
• Xiao He watches news coverage of Yinglong, taking pride in the public admiration surrounding the hero. He observes that foreign governments have stopped promoting their own Mutants and instead begun attacking Yinglong through human-rights criticism, suggesting that his demonstrated power has frightened them.
• Before Xiao He can nap, Cui Man arrives with an urgent assignment. An overseas smuggling ring has been discovered, and one of its members is suspected of being a Mutant. Xiao He and Ye Wanqing are ordered to change clothes and report to the Special Response Department on standby.

Character Development

• Ye Wanqing: Becomes increasingly flustered by the romantic implications of her relationship with Xiao He. Though she continues to complain and deny her feelings, her jealousy, embarrassment, and private fantasies reveal that she is beginning to develop genuine affection and trust toward him.
• Xiao He: Remains relaxed and teasing, calling Ye Wanqing “Little Pufferfish,” but also demonstrates practical consideration by cleaning, organizing her belongings, and caring about her schedule. He is confident in their partnership and increasingly aware of his importance as Yinglong.
• Cui Man: Acts as the serious authority figure who interrupts the couple’s domestic quarrel and redirects them toward their responsibilities.
• Yin Jia and Zhou Huimei: Serve as playful observers who expose and exaggerate the romantic tension between Ye Wanqing and Xiao He.

Significant Themes

• Pretend romance becoming genuine: The couple’s contractual relationship increasingly resembles a real domestic partnership, and Ye Wanqing struggles with feelings she can no longer dismiss.
• Embarrassment and emotional denial: Ye Wanqing’s anger and blushing mask growing attraction and vulnerability.
• Domestic intimacy: Small acts such as folding clothes, organizing chargers, and managing household chores demonstrate closeness more effectively than overt declarations.
• Public image and national power: Yinglong’s heroic reputation contrasts with foreign governments’ attempts to discredit him, emphasizing political competition surrounding Mutants.
• Duty interrupting personal life: Just as the characters settle into a domestic and emotionally complicated moment, an apparent Mutant-related criminal case calls them back to action.

Character Interactions

• Ye Wanqing and Xiao He bicker constantly, but their arguments carry increasing familiarity and affection.
• Her friends tease her about Xiao He, forcing her to confront how others perceive their relationship.
• Xiao He’s teasing nickname, “Little Pufferfish,” becomes a recurring source of irritation and intimacy.
• Ye Wanqing relies on Xiao He for everyday matters while pretending to resent his involvement.
• Cui Man’s sudden arrival shifts the chapter from romantic comedy and domestic tension to a serious supernatural investigation.

Chapter Summary: “Insurance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A criminal gang in Baihua City has gained a dangerous advantage because one of its members, Jin Shaokang, is a newly identified Mutant.
• Xiao He eagerly imagines making a dramatic entrance, defeating the criminals, and becoming the heroic center of attention.
• However, Cui Man tells him that he and Ye Wanqing will not lead the operation. Their abilities and identities are being kept in reserve as “insurance” in case the situation becomes dangerous.
• The mission will instead showcase Gluttonous Beast and Candle Dragon, helping build their reputations.
• Xie Haining is placed in command of the operation, while Xia Yu and the others accompany the team.
• The group arrives in Baihua City by helicopter and meets local special police officers, who provide information about the gang’s planned transaction and Jin Shaokang.
• Jin Shaokang is a local thug with a criminal record whose Superpower allows him to create a shadow Clone. The Clone moves slightly behind him and cannot be harmed by bullets or blades.
• Cui Man dismisses the local police backup, confident that the Special Response Department can handle the mission. She encourages Xie Haining, as Candle Dragon, to perform well.

Character Developments

• Xiao He remains eager for recognition and heroics but is forced to accept a supporting role. He demonstrates growing familiarity with his dependence on Ye Wanqing, acknowledging that his ability cannot activate without her consent.
• Ye Wanqing becomes embarrassed and irritated by Cui Man’s teasing about her relationship with Xiao He. Her anger and emotional reactions reinforce her “Little Pufferfish” nickname, although she gradually calms when Xiao He comforts her.
• Xie Haining appears healthier and more confident than when Xiao He first met him. He takes on leadership of the operation and becomes more serious and professional.
• Xia Yu also appears more confident and relaxed, laughing at Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s playful arguments.
• Cui Man demonstrates strategic judgment by reserving Xiao He and Ye Wanqing for emergencies while giving other team members the opportunity to establish themselves.

Significant Themes

• Strategic use of power: The strongest individuals are not always deployed first; abilities and reputations must be managed carefully.
• Public image and heroism: The team is concerned with developing the public identities of its members, not merely winning battles.
• Trust and partnership: Xiao He’s Superpower depends on Ye Wanqing’s agreement, emphasizing their close cooperation despite their frequent quarrels.
• Humor amid danger: Embarrassing romantic teasing and Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s bickering contrast with the seriousness of the impending criminal operation.
• The emergence of Mutants: Jin Shaokang represents the growing threat posed by ordinary criminals who acquire unusual Superpowers.

Character Interactions

• Cui Man embarrasses Ye Wanqing by discussing the condoms in her and Xiao He’s home, even speculating about whether Mutant abilities could be inherited by children.
• Xiao He teases Ye Wanqing with the nickname “Little Pufferfish,” prompting her to hit and scold him before he pacifies her.
• Xia Yu finds their relationship amusing, while Xie Haining watches them with an almost parental fondness.
• Cui Man teases Xiao He for being henpecked and reminds him that Yinglong should not be used for every minor mission.
• At the end of the chapter, Cui Man publicly encourages Xie Haining to take center stage as Candle Dragon.

Chapter Summary: “Another Kind of Strength”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Haining enters an abandoned factory alone to stop an illegal transaction involving a group of thugs and the Mutant Jin Shaokang.
• Although Xiao He worries that Xie’s ordinary physical body will leave him vulnerable, Cui Man assures him that Xie’s abilities are far more powerful than they appear.
• Using surveillance footage and the camera on Xie’s mask, Xiao He, Cui Man, and Ye Wanqing monitor his infiltration.
• Xie moves through the factory with exceptional stealth and agility, entering through the ventilation ducts.
• Once inside, he immediately attacks the group, firing tranquilizer rounds with incredible speed and precision. Nearly all the enemies are incapacitated before they can react.
• Jin Shaokang remains standing because his shadow blocks the bullets. He reveals his ability to project his shadow as a powerful attacking force.
• Xie identifies Jin and attempts to persuade him to cooperate, but deliberately provokes him by implying that the Special Response Department does not consider him dangerous enough to warrant sending Yinglong.
• Jin attacks with his shadow, but Xie activates his Bullet Time ability, evades the blow with minimal movement, and shoots Jin in the neck.
• The tranquilizer affects Jin only gradually because of his enhanced physique or the defensive properties of his shadow.
• Jin makes a final charge, attacking both directly and through his shadow. Xie avoids every strike, using reflections and environmental information to anticipate attacks from behind.
• Rather than relying on his guns, Xie puts them away and prepares to face Jin at close range, leaving Xiao He anxious about the danger.

Character Developments

• Xie Haining is established as a highly capable operative whose ordinary body is compensated for by extraordinary perception, calculation, and precision. His ability is revealed to be less about literally slowing time and more about allowing him to process vast amounts of information almost endlessly.
• Xiao He gains a deeper understanding of Xie’s fighting style. He recognizes that his own strength comes from overwhelming physical power, while Xie represents a completely different form of strength based on technique and perfect efficiency.
• Cui Man demonstrates strong confidence in Xie and serves as the person who explains the true nature of his ability to the others.
• Jin Shaokang is shown to be physically formidable and confident in his shadow-based power, but he is quickly overwhelmed by Xie’s superior tactical ability.
• Ye Wanqing initially questions Xie’s reckless-looking approach but, like Xiao He, becomes impressed by the effectiveness of his methods.

Significant Themes

• Technique versus raw power: Xie’s success shows that intelligence, precision, and preparation can rival or surpass brute physical strength.
• Perception and information as power: Xie’s ability allows him to analyze his surroundings and predict attacks almost instantly, making even surprise attacks manageable.
• Confidence based on mastery: Xie remains calm because he has already calculated the possible outcomes, while his opponents act impulsively.
• Different forms of strength: The chapter contrasts Xiao He’s superhuman body with Xie’s ordinary physique and extraordinary skill, emphasizing that strength is not limited to physical force.
• Controlled force: The use of tranquilizer rounds demonstrates the Special Response Department’s preference for capturing Mutants alive rather than killing them.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He repeatedly voices concern for Xie’s safety, while Cui Man confidently insists that Xie is much stronger than he appears.
• Cui Man explains Xie’s ability to Xiao He and Ye Wanqing, helping them understand how he can react to attacks outside his direct line of sight.
• Xie calmly confronts and taunts Jin Shaokang, attempting both to secure his surrender and provoke him into revealing his abilities.
• Jin responds emotionally to Xie’s provocation, attacking recklessly and allowing Xie to exploit his predictable movements.
• The chapter ends with Xie choosing to face Jin at close range, setting up a more dangerous confrontation despite the tranquilizer’s weakening effect.

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

• Xie Haining confronts the tranquilized Jin Shaokang at close range and defeats him with a swift combination of evasions, leg sweeps, palm strikes, and a devastating Muay Thai elbow technique.
• Xiao He is stunned by Xie’s speed and precision, while Cui Man explains that Xie’s combat ability makes him extremely reliable. With stronger weapons, he could even challenge physically powerful Mutants.
• After Jin is subdued, Cui Man orders that he be cuffed, renamed Lin Tiannan, and taken to the Special Response Department. The police and SWAT teams remain behind to arrest the smugglers.
• During the helicopter ride, Xiao He notices that his own power is weaker than when he fought natural disasters, confirming that his strength increases in proportion to the opponent’s power.
• Cui Man explains the Department’s procedure: Mutants undergo psychological assessment, training, and modification if they are safe, but dangerous Mutants are imprisoned under the standardized name “Lin Tiannan” in a high-security island prison.
• Jin awakens during the flight and attacks Xia Yu, but Xiao He knocks him down with a single blow. Jin realizes that Xiao He is “Yinglong” and acknowledges the overwhelming difference in strength.
• Xiao He accidentally strikes Jin again with enough force to nearly cause severe internal injury, prompting Cui Man to compare the blow to a gunshot.

Character developments

• Xie Haining is established as an exceptionally disciplined and technically skilled fighter. His ability to defeat Jin without hesitation demonstrates his confidence and combat mastery.
• Xiao He gains a deeper understanding of ordinary human potential, Xie’s abilities, and the limits of his own power. He also displays growing confidence and a willingness to protect the team, though he still struggles to control his immense strength.
• Cui Man is shown as a capable commander who understands both combat strategy and the Department’s methods for managing Mutants.
• Jin Shaokang/Lin Tiannan is revealed to be dangerous and aggressive even while weakened, but he is completely outmatched by Xie and Xiao He.
• Ye Wanqing remains cautious and morally concerned, objecting when Xiao He appears to use excessive force.
• Xia Yu is confirmed to have passed the Department’s psychological screening and receives an enhancement before the team departs.

Significant themes

• Skill versus raw power: Xie’s technique allows him to defeat a physically stronger opponent, while Xiao He represents overwhelming superhuman strength.
• The scale of power: Xiao He’s abilities are most effective against powerful threats, but appear diminished against ordinary humans, emphasizing the vast difference between human conflict and natural disasters.
• Control and responsibility: The Department values obedience, psychological stability, and public safety as much as combat ability.
• Institutional control of Mutants: Renaming dangerous prisoners and placing them in a specialized prison reflects the Department’s systematic, somewhat unsettling approach to supernatural threats.
• The danger of excessive strength: Xiao He’s casual strike nearly causes serious harm, showing that mastering power is as important as possessing it.

Character interactions

• Xiao He admires Xie Haining’s flawless fight, while Ye Wanqing playfully reprimands him for swearing.
• Cui Man explains Xie’s combat potential and reassures the group that the Department only accepts psychologically reliable Mutants.
• Ye Wanqing questions whether Jin can be recruited, leading Cui Man to describe the assessment, training, and imprisonment process.
• Jin attacks Xia Yu after awakening, but Xiao He immediately intervenes and subdues him.
• Ye Wanqing criticizes Xiao He for hitting Jin too hard, while Cui Man confirms that even a seemingly casual strike from him can be comparable to a gunshot.

Chapter Summary: “Family”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing remain at the Special Response Department while waiting for Jin Shaokang’s psychological evaluation and socializing with senior agents Xie Haining and Xia Yu.
• Xiao He admires Xie Haining’s efficient fighting style. Xie explains that, as an ordinary human, he must avoid wasted movements because even one mistake could be fatal.
• Xie reveals that he has an inoperable brain tumor. Without treatment, he may soon become paralyzed and burden his family; surgery has only a ten percent chance of success.
• Xie joined the department because Chief Cui offered him hope that Xiao He’s antibodies—known by researchers as the “Miracle Factor”—might help him. The treatment has already reduced his tumor by half a centimeter, extending his life by several years.
• Grateful for the extra time with his wife and daughter, Xie vows to protect Xiao He with his life, though he acknowledges that Xiao’s Yinglong ability makes him extraordinarily powerful.
• Xia Yu explains that she joined the department to earn money for her family. Her parents expect her to fund a new house, support her younger brother, pay his expenses, and provide his future bride price.
• Xiao He angrily criticizes Xia Yu’s family for exploiting her, but Xia defends them as the only family she has.
• Xiao tells Xia that family is not defined solely by blood and that she has the people around her. His sincere statement deeply affects everyone and strengthens their sense of companionship.
• The group visits the infirmary to hear the results of Jin Shaokang’s evaluation. Cui Man reports that he has severe violent and antisocial tendencies and resists control.
• Because there is currently no way to suppress supernatural abilities, Jin will likely be imprisoned indefinitely or receive a sentence exceeding ten years for his crimes.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Shows admiration for Xie’s combat ability and a growing desire to improve. He also demonstrates strong loyalty and moral instincts by defending Xia Yu and redefining family as emotional support rather than blood relation.
• Ye Wanqing: Teases Xiao He affectionately but also participates thoughtfully in the discussion, revealing their close relationship.
• Xie Haining: His disciplined combat style is explained through his fragile physical condition. His illness makes his devotion to Xiao He especially meaningful, while his gratitude highlights how much Xiao’s powers have changed his life.
• Xia Yu: Reveals the financial and emotional burdens placed on her by her family. Although she resents the pressure, she remains attached to them and fears being alone. Xiao’s acceptance gives her comfort.
• Cui Man: Acts decisively and pragmatically, prioritizing public safety by recommending imprisonment for Jin Shaokang.
• Jin Shaokang: Is shown to be dangerous and psychologically unstable, with little immediate prospect of rehabilitation.

Significant Themes

• Family beyond blood: The chapter argues that genuine family is created through care, loyalty, and mutual protection rather than biological ties alone.
• Sacrifice and obligation: Xie risks his life for Xiao He, while Xia sacrifices her future to support her relatives.
• Hope in desperate circumstances: Xiao He’s Miracle Factor gives Xie a future he had believed was impossible.
• The burden of power and responsibility: Extraordinary abilities bring both protection and danger, requiring the characters to decide how they will use them.
• Found family and belonging: The Special Response Department increasingly functions as a supportive community for people who may not receive understanding from their biological families.

Important Character Interactions

• Xie mentors Xiao He about combat efficiency and promises to protect him.
• Ye Wanqing and Xiao share playful, affectionate teasing, particularly after Xiao’s heartfelt speech to Xia Yu.
• Xiao confronts Xia Yu’s family situation but ultimately offers her emotional support rather than judgment.
• Xie recognizes Xiao’s sincerity and helps ease the awkwardness after Xiao’s emotional declaration.
• Cui Man gives the group the final evaluation of Jin Shaokang, emphasizing the department’s responsibility to contain dangerous supernatural individuals.

Chapter Summary: “Hidden Ability”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jin Shaokang, badly injured after failing his evaluation, is scheduled to be transferred to the Special Response Department’s special prison. The facility is designed to withstand and adapt to inmates’ Superpowers, with Xiao He serving as its ultimate security measure.
• Prisoners are temporarily renamed “Lin Tiannan” until their powers can be sealed or they genuinely reform.
• After changing clothes, Xiao He prepares to leave the training building. While passing an office, he notices a strange humanoid shadow moving toward the security room.
• He realizes the shadow belongs to Jin Shaokang and is part of a hidden technique. Jin can exchange places with his shadow, allowing the shadow to become his active body while his injured body remains in the infirmary.
• Jin’s shadow may also absorb or lessen damage, explaining why he remained conscious after being tranquilized.
• Because Xiao He’s ability only works on Jin’s actual body, it does not activate against the shadow. Xiao must either return to the infirmary or stop Jin directly.
• Jin attacks Xiao but, after his punch fails to incapacitate him, attempts to escape. Xiao gives chase, recognizing that Jin’s shadow form is weaker and that Jin can no longer use his strongest ability effectively.
• Xiao uses the close-combat techniques taught by Xia Rui, dodging Jin’s wild hook and landing a series of punches: a straight right, a jab, and a powerful uppercut that knocks Jin to the floor.
• Excited by his success, Xiao decides to use the weakened Jin as a live sparring partner to test his recent combat training.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Demonstrates growing confidence and physical strength. He applies Xia Rui’s lessons successfully, learning to combine light attacks to stagger an opponent with heavy attacks for finishing blows. His enthusiasm reveals a playful, competitive side as he begins treating the fight like a fighting game.
• Jin Shaokang: Reveals a previously hidden ability involving his shadow. Though this technique gives him a possible escape route and defensive advantages, switching bodies leaves him physically weakened and vulnerable. His desperation to flee contrasts with his earlier combat dominance.
• Xia Rui: Although absent, his combat instruction directly influences Xiao’s success, showing that Xiao is beginning to internalize formal training.
• Cui Man and the Special Response Department: Their prison system and security arrangements establish the organization’s strict methods for containing dangerous Mutants.

Significant Themes

• Hidden abilities and deception: Jin’s shadow technique shows that Superpowers may have unexpected applications beyond their obvious uses.
• Adaptation and counterplay: Xiao succeeds by recognizing the limitations of Jin’s ability and adjusting his strategy rather than relying solely on his own Superpower.
• Growth through practice: Xiao’s fight demonstrates the practical results of training and his increasing confidence in his physical capabilities.
• Control versus rehabilitation: The special prison reflects the Department’s attempt to contain dangerous individuals while leaving open the possibility of reform.
• Identity and transformation: The prisoners’ temporary renaming as “Lin Tiannan,” along with Jin’s ability to exchange bodies with his shadow, emphasizes altered identities and blurred boundaries between the real self and a transformed one.

Character Interactions

• Xiao briefly interacts with Jin’s shadow as it attempts to infiltrate the security area, immediately turning the chapter into a pursuit and confrontation.
• Jin attacks Xiao in an effort to escape, but Xiao withstands the blow and pursues him.
• Xiao applies Xia Rui’s teachings during the fight, using disciplined footwork and combinations to overpower Jin.
• After knocking Jin down, Xiao openly declares his intention to continue fighting him for practice, turning Jin from a dangerous escapee into an unwilling training partner.

Chapter Summary: Training Results

Plot Points and Events

• Jin Shaokang attempts to escape through the security room, but Xiao He pursues him using an advanced wall-kicking maneuver learned from obstacle-training exercises.
• Xiao He tackles Jin, and the two engage in close combat. Although Jin fights recklessly—at one point biting Xiao He’s leg—Xiao He uses practiced techniques such as an armbar, evasive footwork, punches, low kicks, palm strikes, and a Crescent Kick.
• Xiao’s final kick knocks Jin unconscious. His attack is extremely dangerous, but Xiao assumes Jin’s mutant body can withstand it.
• While inspecting Jin, Xiao is caught off guard when Jin pretends to be unconscious and attacks his eyes.
• Xie Haining intervenes by firing two bullets that ricochet off each other, allowing them to strike Jin despite his position in a blind spot. Jin is knocked unconscious for real.
• Xie explains that his ability lets him calculate bullet trajectories, though the technique is limited to close range and reduces the bullets’ penetrating power.
• After consulting Officer Cui, Xie decides Jin should be imprisoned immediately because of his concealed ability.
• Jin’s shadowy transformation fades, revealing his normal body. His earlier injuries heal or disappear, though the wounds from the current fight remain.

Character Development

• Xiao He demonstrates that, despite lacking superhuman powers, he has become highly capable through disciplined combat and obstacle-training. He confidently applies technical fighting methods against Jin’s amateurish attacks.
• Xiao also shows growing tactical awareness, recognizing openings, assessing Jin’s durability, and realizing that enemies may conceal important abilities.
• Jin Shaokang is revealed as an unscrupulous and unpredictable opponent. He relies on escape, dirty tactics, deception, and a hidden shadow-based ability rather than formal combat skill.
• Xie Haining displays exceptional precision, composure, and strategic thinking. His bullet-ricochet technique reveals that his abilities are more versatile—and potentially more dangerous—than previously understood.
• Xiao increasingly views Xie with both admiration and apprehension, recognizing him as someone who plans for multiple outcomes and rarely acts without preparation.

Significant Themes

• Training versus innate power: Xiao proves that technique and preparation can allow an ordinary person to contend with mutants.
• Deception and hidden strengths: Jin’s feigned unconsciousness and shadow form emphasize that appearances are unreliable and that every opponent may possess a concealed trump card.
• Tactical planning and controlled risk: Xie’s intervention reflects careful calculation, using a risky technique while accounting for the possibility of hitting Xiao.
• Escalation of danger: The fight shifts from a training-like display of martial skill to a lethal confrontation involving eye attacks, firearms, and potentially deadly kicks.

Character Interactions

• Xiao and Jin clash physically, with Xiao relying on technical combat while Jin uses desperate, dishonorable methods.
• Xie saves Xiao at the critical moment, then calmly explains his ability and helps him to his feet, reinforcing their developing partnership.
• Xie communicates with Officer Cui, and together they determine that Jin’s unusual ability makes immediate imprisonment necessary.
• Xiao’s final realization—that everyone keeps a hidden trump card—deepens his awareness of the dangers surrounding mutants and future confrontations.

Chapter Summary: “Mutant Prison”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After defeating Jin Shaokang, Xiao He escorts him to Mutant Prison with Xie Haining, Xia Yu, and Cui Man.
• Ye Wanqing stays behind, and Xiao He affectionately calls her “little pufferfish,” asking her to wait for him so they can return home together.
• Jin Shaokang remains unconscious during the journey because Xie Haining’s shot struck his forehead. However, his shadow-based ability can transfer his injuries to his shadow, potentially healing him.
• The prison is located on a small island in North Lake. It has minimal armed security because the prisoners are deterred by Yinglong—Xiao He’s intimidating reputation and power.
• Instead of a grim detention center, the facility resembles a comfortable dormitory, with private rooms, computers, bathrooms, air conditioning, food delivery, recreational areas, and internet access.
• The prison’s main restriction is constant surveillance and the impossibility of safely escaping Yinglong’s pursuit.
• Cui Man registers Jin Shaokang under the identity “Lin Tiannan 002,” suggesting that another prisoner previously held the “001” designation.
• Once awake, Jin Shaokang rejects the idea of remaining imprisoned and challenges Xiao He.
• Xiao He warns that Jin Shaokang cannot escape unless he can defeat or kill him. Jin Shaokang then forms a blade from his shadow and attacks Xiao He, prompting Cui Man to pull Xie Haining aside and allow Xiao He to handle the confrontation.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Demonstrates growing confidence and effectiveness as a fighter. Although he complains inwardly about the mission and presents himself as unmotivated, his recent training has clearly made him formidable. He also reveals a darker, intimidating side by casually discussing crippling Jin Shaokang to test the limits of his ability.
• Jin Shaokang: Remains defiant and unwilling to accept imprisonment. His pride and hostility toward Xiao He intensify, leading him to attack despite the overwhelming danger.
• Cui Man: Shows her practical and psychologically strategic approach to containment. She relies less on physical guards than on the prisoners’ fear of Xiao He, and she calmly manipulates Jin Shaokang by emphasizing the prison’s comfortable conditions.
• Xie Haining: Appears deeply hostile toward Jin Shaokang after the capture, watching him with an unsettling intensity that suggests a desire for revenge or violence.
• Ye Wanqing: Displays affection and independence by refusing to prepare dinner and leave immediately, instead choosing to wait for Xiao He and return home with him.
• Xia Yu: Accompanies the escort but has no major individual actions in the chapter.

Significant Themes

• Deterrence through fear: The prison’s security depends primarily on the prisoners’ belief that Yinglong cannot be escaped, making psychological control more important than physical barriers.
• Freedom versus comfort: The facility offers luxurious living conditions but removes the prisoners’ freedom to leave, raising questions about whether comfort can compensate for confinement.
• Power and reputation: Xiao He’s reputation is powerful enough to function as the prison’s central security system, even before he takes direct action.
• Hidden strength and personal growth: Xiao He’s outward laziness contrasts with his disciplined training and increasing combat ability.
• Justice and punishment: Jin Shaokang’s imprisonment is presented as the consequence of his crimes, but the prison’s unusual conditions blur the line between punishment, containment, and rehabilitation.
• Surveillance and control: The prison’s cameras ensure total observation, suggesting that even a comfortable environment can be oppressive when privacy and escape are impossible.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing share a playful, affectionate exchange before his departure, highlighting their close relationship.
• Cui Man praises Xiao He’s fighting ability and teases him about secretly training hard.
• Xiao He notices Xie Haining’s intense hostility toward the unconscious Jin Shaokang.
• Cui Man explains the prison’s deterrence system to Xiao He, revealing that every escort mission allows prisoners to experience Yinglong’s power firsthand.
• Cui Man attempts to persuade Jin Shaokang to accept prison life by emphasizing its comforts, but he rejects her reasoning.
• Jin Shaokang directly challenges Xiao He, and their conflict escalates into a new fight at the chapter’s conclusion.

Chapter Summary: “Tacit Understanding”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He easily defeats Jin Shaokang, blocking his sword strike with one finger and surviving a point-blank gunshot unharmed.
• Jin Shaokang uses his shadow-based abilities to create weapons and armor, but Xiao He overpowers him with invisible force and tears the shadow armor away.
• Xiao He compresses Jin’s isolated shadow, discovering that Jin cannot fight or escape without it and may even die if separated from it too long.
• Under Cui Man’s questioning and the threat of permanent containment, Jin agrees to remain obediently in custody. His shadow is returned to him.
• Cui Man explains that the facility is secured with surveillance and a signal device implanted in Jin’s brain. Jin will eventually face legal judgment, even if supernatural abilities are suppressed.
• Xiao He, Cui Man, and Xie Haining return by helicopter to the Special Response Department. Xiao He is exhausted but satisfied by the fight and recognizes how much his abilities and physical strength have improved.
• Ye Wanqing waits for him, and they return home for dinner. Their domestic routine—caring for the cat, cleaning, cooking, and carrying dishes together—reveals an increasingly natural and intimate partnership.

Character Development

• Xiao He: Demonstrates overwhelming power and complete confidence in combat, defeating Jin without needing to exert himself seriously. He also shows a more mature, composed appearance after the battle, though he retains his playful and slightly mischievous personality. His physical exhaustion confirms that his earlier hand-to-hand fight required real effort, but he feels proud of his progress.
• Jin Shaokang: Changes from an aggressive, defiant attacker into a frightened and defeated prisoner. He realizes the enormous gap between his strength and Xiao He’s and reluctantly accepts captivity.
• Cui Man: Maintains authority and control throughout the situation. She uses Jin’s vulnerability to secure his cooperation and calmly handles the practical issues of his imprisonment.
• Ye Wanqing: Begins to recognize her growing romantic attraction to Xiao He. His changed appearance and mature demeanor leave her flustered, and she becomes unusually self-conscious around him.
• Xie Haining: Accompanies Xiao He and Cui Man but has little direct involvement in the chapter’s main events.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and submission: Xiao He’s effortless victory emphasizes the vast difference between supernatural ability levels and shows how power can determine the outcome of conflict.
• Control versus freedom: Jin’s dependence on his shadow makes it both his weapon and his weakness. His surrender illustrates how the loss of control forces him to accept authority.
• Justice and accountability: Although Jin is detained, Cui Man emphasizes that he will still face the law, reinforcing the idea that supernatural crimes do not place someone above legal consequences.
• Growth and maturity: Xiao He’s stronger body, improved combat ability, and more mature appearance symbolize his development.
• Domestic intimacy and tacit understanding: Xiao He and Ye Wanqing function comfortably as a household unit, sharing chores and coordinating without speaking. Their behavior resembles that of a long-married couple, hinting at deepening romantic feelings.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He deliberately provokes Jin during the fight, treating his attacks with curiosity and amusement rather than fear.
• Cui Man supports Xiao He’s control of Jin and takes the lead in negotiating Jin’s surrender.
• Ye Wanqing’s reaction to Xiao He shows that her feelings are shifting from friendship or familiarity toward attraction, though she is embarrassed and confused by it.
• At home, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing exchange casual domestic instructions and cooperate naturally. Their effortless coordination while serving dinner makes both privately realize how much they resemble an established married couple.