Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Miracle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After New Year’s Day, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing become busy preparing for exams, studying English, and taking driving lessons. Ye Wanqing eventually passes her driving test’s Subject Two on her third attempt, and both pass Subject Three.
• The couple enjoys a peaceful evening at home, sharing a large meal and joking affectionately. Their domestic routines emphasize their growing familiarity and comfort with one another.
• They discuss their Lunar New Year plans: Ye Wanqing will visit Xiao He’s family, and Xiao He will visit hers. Ye worries that his parents may not like her, but Xiao He reassures her and praises her cooking and character.
• While the couple is relaxing in bed, a sudden 7.2-magnitude earthquake strikes nearby Xinnan City. Cui Man orders every available Mutant to participate in the rescue effort.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing join the emergency operation, but they initially split up: Ye goes with the Special Response Department, while Xiao He visits the prison to recruit useful Mutants.
• Xiao He persuades or forces several prisoners to accompany him. Yue Feng, Qin Weize, Li Xue, and Zhang Shan join, while Liu Yufei and Jin Shaokang refuse. Xiao also confronts Jin about the meaning behind his shadow-controlling ability and his unwillingness to help others.
• At the disaster site, Cui Man organizes the Mutants into rescue teams and assigns them different danger levels. Xiao He discovers that he can activate a Trigger’s Superpower through their voice over an earpiece, greatly expanding his flexibility and mobility.
• At a severely collapsed residential complex, Xiao He uses a powerful restoration ability to reverse the damage. The building reconstructs itself, rubble is removed from victims, and the injured are healed. Those who are still alive are restored to their pre-earthquake condition, though the dead cannot be revived.
• The rescuers are stunned and call the feat a “miracle.” Xiao He is privately pleased that his abilities can save so many people so quickly.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Shows his affectionate, playful side in domestic life while also becoming more responsible and confident as a leader. He struggles to understand the prisoners’ indifference but continues trying to make use of their abilities. His discovery that he can trigger powers remotely marks a major tactical advancement.
• Ye Wanqing: Demonstrates perseverance by passing her driving exams through her own effort rather than relying on Xiao He’s powers. She becomes increasingly comfortable as Xiao He’s partner and expresses both affection and anxiety about meeting his parents.
• Cui Man: Acts as an efficient commander, coordinating the rescue operation and recognizing the importance of Xiao He’s newly discovered remote-triggering ability.
• The Prison Mutants: Yue Feng, Qin Weize, Li Xue, and Zhang Shan show varying degrees of cooperation, while Liu Yufei and Jin Shaokang remain hostile or apathetic. Jin’s reaction suggests that his shadow ability is connected to a painful personal history.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s relationship: Their bond deepens through shared domestic life, teasing, physical affection, and mutual dependence. Their peaceful evening is abruptly interrupted by duty, but both willingly return to action.

Significant Themes

• Domestic intimacy and family: Everyday actions—cooking, eating leftovers, warming the bed, and discussing parents—show the couple building a life together beyond missions.
• Responsibility and selflessness: The earthquake forces the Mutants to choose whether to use their powers for ordinary citizens, revealing the moral differences between them.
• Power as a means of rescue: Xiao He’s abilities are not merely weapons; they can restore buildings and heal victims, transforming his power into a tool for humanitarian aid.
• Redemption: Xiao argues that helping others can create a cycle of mutual assistance and give criminals a chance to reduce their sentences, though some prisoners reject this opportunity.
• The limits of miracles: Xiao can restore the living but cannot revive the dead, emphasizing that even extraordinary power has boundaries.
• Understanding others: Xiao recognizes that people cannot all be judged by the same standards, even though he remains frustrated by those who refuse to help.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing flirt and tease each other over food, cooking, family habits, and their nighttime routine.
• Ye Wanqing worries about meeting Xiao He’s parents, and Xiao reassures her that her personality and cooking will win them over.
• Xiao He pressures the imprisoned Mutants to participate, confronting their selfishness and challenging Jin Shaokang’s pessimistic worldview.
• Cui Man and Xiao He cooperate closely, with Cui Man managing the rescue effort and Xiao discovering a new way to use the team’s powers remotely.
• Xiao He’s miraculous restoration of the collapsed building changes the rescuers’ view of him, confirming his status as an exceptional protector and giving the chapter its title.

Chapter Summary: “Each Showing Their Special Skills”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He uses his Entropy Reduction Superpower to restore collapsed buildings and return injured residents inside them to their original, unharmed state. Because the ability reverses time and location rather than simply healing, it can only be used on carefully defined groups.
• Firefighters and armed police evacuate civilians to shelters while Xiao He repairs five of the city’s most difficult rescue sites. The rescue effort is urgent because stronger aftershocks have not yet arrived.
• The earthquake’s damage is serious but manageable due to the rapid response of Xiao He, the Mutants, firefighters, and emergency personnel.
• Xia Yu injects an enhanced genetic fluid and transforms into an Atlas Beetle, gaining enormous strength and extremely tough skin. She clears a blocked highway by pushing aside a twenty-ton truck and multiple vehicles buried under rubble, greatly improving evacuation and supply routes.
• Yue Feng clears roads for supply convoys by smashing through rubble and vehicles. His highly destructive approach makes him resemble a “humanoid tank.”
• The chapter ends with Xie Haining jumping from a helicopter, suggesting that another Mutant is about to demonstrate her abilities.

Character Developments

• Xiao He demonstrates both the power and limitations of Entropy Reduction. He remains focused on helping as many people as possible, refusing personal praise and urging survivors to assist with rescue work.
• Xia Yu shows impressive physical growth after months of training. Although she looks young and small, she confidently performs a difficult rescue task and responds modestly to praise.
• Yue Feng is portrayed as energetic, aggressive, and exceptionally effective at clearing obstacles, though his methods are more destructive than those of the other rescuers.
• The Mutants collectively emerge as a coordinated emergency-response force, each applying their unique abilities to a different aspect of disaster relief.

Significant Themes

• Teamwork and public service: Mutants, firefighters, police, and civilians cooperate to reduce casualties and organize evacuation.
• Using individual strengths for the common good: Each character contributes differently—Xiao He restores lives and structures, Xia Yu uses strength to clear routes, and Yue Feng opens supply lines through force.
• Responsibility over recognition: Xiao He and Xia Yu both reject excessive praise, emphasizing that their abilities should be used to help others.
• Power and its limitations: Entropy Reduction appears nearly miraculous but has strict conditions, while the physical abilities of the other Mutants require training and specialized enhancement fluids.
• Contrasting styles of heroism: The chapter contrasts Xiao He’s careful, restorative approach, Xia Yu’s disciplined strength, and Yue Feng’s blunt destructive efficiency.

Character Interactions

• A rescued father thanks Xiao He for saving his daughter and attempts to kneel, but Xiao He stops him and directs him to assist the ongoing rescue effort.
• Firefighters work alongside Xiao He during evacuations and accompany him as he restores damaged buildings.
• A rescue captain praises Xia Yu and pats her on the head, underestimating her because of her small, youthful appearance. Xia Yu responds humbly.
• The emergency crews observe Yue Feng’s powerful but destructive road-clearing methods with a mixture of surprise and amusement.
• Xie Haining’s arrival by helicopter sets up the next sequence, where she is likely to reveal her own special skill.

Chapter Summary: “Yinglong vs. Earthquake”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He discovers that he can activate his Superpower through the sound in his earpiece, allowing him to respond immediately without needing to know where the other Mutants are.
• He reaches Xinnan City’s Fourth Ring Road just as a magnitude 9.6 earthquake approaches. Most civilians have already been evacuated, but the city and its buildings remain in danger.
• Xiao He uses Assimilation to absorb the earthquake’s seismic energy. The force is overwhelming, rapidly filling his body with kinetic energy and threatening to tear him apart.
• Unable to redirect the energy precisely, Xiao He releases it behind himself. The recoil destroys buildings and forces him backward while he struggles to hold back the earthquake’s advancing shockwave.
• Yue Feng arrives and braces Xiao He from behind, using his power to prevent himself from retreating. This allows Xiao He to continue absorbing the earthquake, though both men suffer tremendous pressure and injuries.
• Han Tianyu, An Xiuru, Qin Weize, and Li Xue arrive to help:
  • Han Tianyu strengthens and heals Xiao He while creating “walls” to slow the seismic wave.
  • An Xiuru hardens Xiao He’s bones and increases the resilience of his muscles and ligaments.
  • Qin Weize attacks the earthquake with impact blasts.
  • Li Xue uses powerful air currents to push against the seismic wave.
• Although Zhang Shan considers using the opportunity to attack Xiao He, the others reject the idea. Qin Weize and Li Xue are inspired by Xiao He’s sacrifice and instead protect him.
• Encouraged by Yue Feng and the others, Xiao He advances step by step, shrinking the earthquake’s towering shockwave.
• After the team holds out long enough, Xiao He surges forward and completely Assimilates and repels the magnitude 9.6 earthquake. The released force clears the clouds from the sky.
• Exhausted, Xiao He collapses but feels exhilarated by the victory. The group confirms that the evacuation is complete and the aftershocks are no longer dangerous.

Character Development

• Xiao He demonstrates extraordinary endurance, courage, and leadership. He risks his life to protect the cities behind him and ultimately defeats the natural disaster through determination and teamwork rather than by manipulating the earthquake itself.
• Yue Feng proves himself a steadfast ally. His refusal to retreat allows Xiao He to stand his ground, and he silently endures the destructive recoil. Afterward, he recognizes Xiao He as a true warrior and decides to join the Special Response Department.
• Han Tianyu shows loyalty and selflessness by helping despite knowing that his contribution may be small. His admiration for Xiao He grows stronger.
• An Xiuru provides crucial support by strengthening Xiao He’s body, allowing him to survive the pressure.
• Qin Weize changes from a potential enemy into an inspired ally. Moved by Xiao He’s heroism, he abandons the idea of attacking him and openly wants to fight alongside him.
• Li Xue is similarly inspired and chooses to protect Xiao He, later expressing interest in joining the team.
• Zhang Shan remains cynical and frightened, acting as a humorous contrast to the others’ determination.
• Cui Man and Ye Wanqing coordinate the operation and recognize that Xiao He’s actions embody true heroism, even though they never have time to assign the earthquake a codename and modify it.

Significant Themes

• Human perseverance against nature: The chapter presents the victory as humanity challenging an overwhelming natural disaster through courage, cooperation, and persistence.
• The meaning of heroism: Xiao He becomes a hero not merely because of his power, but because he willingly stands between danger and the people behind him.
• No retreat, no regrets, no apologies: Yue Feng’s repeated motto becomes the emotional core of the battle, emphasizing courage, forward movement, and refusing to surrender.
• Strength through unity: Xiao He could not have survived alone. The combined efforts of every Mutant allow him to continue fighting.
• Inspiration and redemption: Xiao He’s actions influence former opponents, turning them toward cooperation and giving them a model of the kind of people they want to become.
• The romance of human effort: Unlike the previous typhoon battle, Xiao He does not use the earthquake itself as a Trigger. The victory is portrayed as a direct achievement of human will and teamwork.

Important Character Interactions

• Yue Feng physically supports Xiao He and repeatedly urges him forward, creating a powerful bond between the two.
• Han Tianyu refuses to abandon Xiao He despite the danger, while An Xiuru directly strengthens his body.
• Qin Weize and Li Xue reject Zhang Shan’s suggestion that they attack Xiao He, choosing instead to defend him.
• After the battle, Yue Feng and Xiao He exchange a fist bump and help each other up, marking the beginning of their mutual friendship and respect.
• Yue Feng declares that anyone who opposes Xiao He will also be opposing him, then asks to join the Special Response Department.
• Qin Weize and Li Xue also express their desire to continue fighting alongside Xiao He.
• Xiao He carries the team over the city afterward and points out the civilians they protected, explaining that this sense of accomplishment is why he performs the job.

Chapter Summary: “Return in Triumph”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He and the Special Response Department return to the command center after defeating the earthquake-based Mutant, Earthquake, and preventing the worst of a magnitude 9.6 aftershock.
• Their victory is celebrated by commanders, technical staff, and armed police. Although casualties occurred, the death toll remained remarkably low, and Xiao He prevented economic losses worth tens of billions.
• Cui Man praises Yue Feng, Li Xue, and Qin Weize, promising to report their achievements and improve their assessment ratings. This may eventually allow the formerly imprisoned Mutants to leave prison and live normal lives.
• The team returns to Beichang City to rest. Xiao He and Ye Wanqing share a playful, intimate evening before sleeping until noon.
• News coverage presents Yinglong—Xiao He’s public identity—as the central hero of the disaster. Footage of his “Entropy Reduction” ability restoring buildings and healing victims amazes the public, while recordings of him and the other Mutants stopping Earthquake’s massive shockwave go viral.
• Xiao He questions Cui Man about why the Special Response Department did not publicize the victory more aggressively. She explains that the department is concealing the Mutants’ abilities ahead of the upcoming Mutant Competition, so foreign opponents will not know their strategies.
• The department nevertheless receives official commendations, increased funding, and rewards. Yue Feng and the others also receive sentence reductions.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing ask Cui Man to help them earn enough merit to receive an uninhabited island where they can live privately. Cui Man agrees to report the request and teases them about their relationship.
• In M Country, President Herlangni becomes furious that Yinglong has gained even more fame. He demands a stronger Mutant, but the only candidate found is hospitalized with multiple personality disorder and cannot yet be deployed.
• In a church in London, a priest and two believers discuss Mutants as either sinners who stole God’s power or lost children who must be returned to God. Despite their differing beliefs, they agree that all Mutants must die. The priest reveals that their organization has identified a child whose ability may be crucial to their plans.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Gains confidence and satisfaction from the team’s victory, while remaining humble enough to acknowledge the contributions of others. His public reputation as Yinglong grows dramatically, making him an international symbol of strength. Privately, he is affectionate, mischievous, and increasingly committed to building a secluded future with Ye Wanqing.
• Ye Wanqing: Becomes openly proud of Xiao He and more comfortable expressing affection and intimacy. Her desire to live with him on a private island shows how seriously she views their relationship.
• Yue Feng, Li Xue, and Qin Weize: Their willingness to fight alongside the team earns them recognition and the possibility of reduced sentences and eventual normal lives. Qin Weize is especially enthusiastic about proving himself, while Yue Feng continues to maintain a proud, independent attitude.
• Cui Man: Gains an important political and administrative victory. The mission strengthens her authority within the Special Response Department, increases its funding, and helps her challenge the Research Department and Wu Changchun.
• Xie Haining and Xia Yu: Contribute by assisting with civilian evacuations rather than joining the high-speed battle. Their roles emphasize that support and rescue work are also essential to the mission.
• President Herlangni: Is shown as jealous, impatient, and increasingly desperate to surpass China’s Yinglong. His frustration highlights the political rivalry surrounding Mutants.
• The London religious group: Emerges as a major threat. Though its members disagree over whether Mutants are sinners or misguided children, they share an extremist goal of eliminating them.

Significant Themes

• Unity and teamwork: Earthquake is defeated only because Xiao He accepts support from the other Mutants. The chapter stresses that even less powerful or less experienced members can provide crucial moral or practical assistance.
• Public image versus hidden power: Yinglong becomes a global celebrity, but the Special Response Department deliberately limits publicity to conceal the team’s abilities before the Mutant Competition.
• Recognition and redemption: The department’s rewards and sentence reductions suggest that service to society can help imprisoned Mutants regain their freedom and legitimacy.
• Love and domestic happiness: The dramatic battle is followed by warm, comedic scenes between Xiao He and Ye Wanqing, presenting their relationship as a source of comfort and motivation.
• Political and international competition: The coming Mutant Competition is not merely a sporting event; it is tied to national security, intelligence, and the balance of power between countries.
• Religious extremism and persecution: The London church storyline introduces an ideological enemy that views Mutants as unnatural beings who must be destroyed or “saved,” foreshadowing future conflict.
• The danger of exceptional power: The chapter repeatedly suggests that extraordinary abilities disrupt the existing world order, provoking admiration, fear, envy, and attempts at control.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He embraces Ye Wanqing upon returning, and the two exchange affectionate, teasing remarks about his victory and their relationship.
• Cui Man praises the team and promises better evaluations, creating hope for Yue Feng, Li Xue, and Qin Weize’s futures.
• Xie Haining expresses regret that he could not contribute more directly, but Xiao He reassures him that different abilities have different uses.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing jokingly discuss living together on an island, while Cui Man playfully teases them about their intimacy and future children.
• Cui Man explains the department’s secrecy strategy to Xiao He, emphasizing the importance of hiding their abilities from foreign competitors.
• Herlangni berates Schofield over the failure to deploy a stronger Mutant, revealing the pressure and hostility surrounding Yinglong.
• The priest and the two believers debate the moral status of Mutants, but ultimately unite around a plan to eliminate them, setting up a new ideological threat.

Chapter Summary: “Distance Wasn’t a Problem”

Plot points and events

After the previous events, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing enjoy a peaceful period while preparing for life abroad. They study English, take driving lessons, and successfully obtain their driver’s licenses before the end-of-term examinations. Their IELTS scores are only around six, but sufficient for basic daily communication. When the exams begin, Xiao He has an advantage because he can use his ability combination with Ye Wanqing to help him, while Ye Wanqing must rely entirely on her own preparation.

Character developments

Both Xiao He and Ye Wanqing demonstrate determination and adaptability as they work to improve practical skills needed for their future. Xiao He remains resourceful and benefits from his superpowered connection with Ye Wanqing, whereas Ye Wanqing faces the exams independently, highlighting her own competence and preparation.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes preparation for change, teamwork, self-reliance, and the contrast between mutual support and individual responsibility. The title suggests that physical separation or distance will not weaken the bond between the two characters.

Character interactions

Xiao He and Ye Wanqing spend this period studying and training together, strengthening their partnership. Their shared ability gives Xiao He support during the exams, though Ye Wanqing is unable to depend on it in the same way.

Chapter Summary: “Yinglong, Go Wherever You Want”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He uses his new Dimensional Walker ability to return home after spending time with Ye Wanqing. The power allows him to travel instantly to any place he has seen before, either personally or through photographs.
• He visits Cui Man at the Special Response Department and demonstrates that Dimensional Walker can transport other people as well as himself.
• Xiao He and Cui Man experiment with the ability:
  • They travel to the deserted island where Xiao He was previously stranded.
  • They descend beneath the ocean without being affected by the water.
  • By combining Dimensional Walker with Chen Ting’s Perfect Cube, they safely travel through the deep sea and into outer space.
  • After several jumps, they reach the moon and take photographs and consider collecting lunar samples for scientific research.
• Cui Man realizes the enormous strategic and scientific potential of Xiao He’s ability. They discuss replacing helicopters, exploring Mars, gathering extraterrestrial materials, and eventually establishing bases on other planets.
• Xiao He later travels to Ye Wanqing’s neighborhood. She shows him places from her childhood, including her former home, school, and favorite market.
• When Ye Wanqing becomes nostalgic and emotionally vulnerable about her school years, Xiao He comforts and reassures her.
• Xiao He transports Ye Wanqing to their house in Beichang City, where they reunite with Tuantuan and spend an intimate, affectionate evening together.
• They discuss using Dimensional Walker to travel anywhere in the world together, and Ye Wanqing expresses a desire to visit Xiao He’s room the following day.

Character Developments

• Xiao He becomes much more confident and secure because Dimensional Walker eliminates the problem of distance between him and Ye Wanqing. He also begins to understand that the ability has uses far beyond personal travel.
• He remains cautious about danger, especially in the deep sea and outer space, but gradually recognizes the power’s vast possibilities.
• Xiao shows increasing tenderness toward Ye Wanqing, comforting her about painful memories and valuing their relationship more deeply.
• Cui Man displays her energetic, imaginative, and adventurous personality. Rather than merely testing the ability, she immediately thinks of increasingly ambitious applications, from ocean exploration to lunar and Martian research.
• Cui Man’s workload is revealed to be considerable, as she is coordinating the upcoming Mutant Competition across numerous government departments. The trip gives her a rare opportunity to relax.
• Ye Wanqing is affectionate and increasingly comfortable sharing her past with Xiao He. She reveals both happy memories of her childhood and lingering resentment toward classmates who mocked her.
• Her emotional dependence and trust in Xiao He are emphasized when she says that any destination is acceptable as long as he is with her.

Significant Themes

• Freedom from distance: Dimensional Walker allows Xiao He and Ye Wanqing to remain close regardless of where they are, strengthening their romantic relationship.
• The limitless potential of power: The chapter emphasizes that a superpower’s usefulness depends on imagination. Xiao initially sees it as a travel ability, while Cui Man recognizes its scientific, military, and national importance.
• Science and exploration: The journey to the deep ocean and moon highlights humanity’s desire to explore the unknown and obtain knowledge previously inaccessible.
• Love and companionship: The chapter contrasts grand adventures in the ocean and space with intimate domestic moments, suggesting that Xiao He’s greatest use for the ability may be sharing experiences with the people he loves.
• Healing through affection: Xiao comforts Ye Wanqing’s insecurity and painful memories, helping her replace old humiliation with present happiness.
• Work versus relaxation: Cui Man’s demanding responsibilities contrast with her playful excitement during the dimensional excursion, showing how the adventure temporarily frees her from official duties.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Cui Man have a teasing, familiar relationship. She calls their lunar trip a “date,” jokes that it must remain secret from Ye Wanqing, and pushes him into increasingly daring experiments.
• Cui Man’s enthusiasm drives the exploration, while Xiao He provides caution and the technical means to make it possible.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing share a softer, more romantic dynamic. He listens to her childhood stories, comforts her at her old school, teases her affectionately, and reassures her that they can travel anywhere together.
• Their reunion in Beichang City reinforces their emotional and physical closeness after even a brief separation.
• Xiao He’s interactions with both women demonstrate two sides of his life: adventurous cooperation with Cui Man and emotional intimacy with Ye Wanqing.

Chapter Summary: The Warden’s New Year Blessing

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He’s discovery that Triggers can activate his Superpowers through sound greatly improves his operational flexibility. The effect lasts roughly fifteen minutes, requiring regular voice check-ins.
• Before he can enjoy New Year celebrations with Ye Wanqing, Xiao He is summoned by Cui Man to handle a hostage crisis. A Mutant named Feng Wenliang has transformed his body and taken hostages on a bus, demanding to meet Yinglong.
• Feng’s nine-year-old daughter suffers from Cri du Chat Syndrome and may not survive to her tenth birthday. Desperate to obtain Miracle Factor, Feng uses the hostages to force Xiao He into appearing.
• Xiao boards the bus and attempts to negotiate. Feng releases two elderly hostages, but then tricks Xiao into shaking his hand. Upon contact, Feng replicates Xiao He’s body, exposing Yinglong’s true appearance.
• Xiao immediately uses Dimensional Traversal to transport Feng to the Special Response Department. Feng reveals that his Superpower is not merely metal transformation, but genetic and molecular Replication. He can reproduce people, substances, elements, and even states such as fire or water, though he cannot copy Superpowers.
• Feng tries to draw blood from his replicated body to obtain Miracle Factor, but Xiao stops him, explaining that the blood must be handled properly. Testing confirms that the replicated body contains active Miracle Factor identical to Xiao’s.
• Cui Man agrees to secretly use Feng’s blood to treat his daughter, but Feng must accept punishment for the hostage-taking and cooperate with the Special Response Department. He is sent to Mutant detention, with the possibility of a reduced sentence through good behavior.
• Cui Man explains that Feng is being recruited not only to increase Miracle Factor production and research, but also because he knows Xiao’s face and must therefore remain under official control.
• On arriving at the prison, Xiao decides to punish the Raven members for refusing to help during the previous earthquake. He claims he will “teach” them to use their abilities, but openly attacks them instead.
• Feng’s ability triggers a new power for Xiao: Soul Lash. It damages the soul directly, bypasses physical defenses, causes extreme pain, and leaves wounds that cannot naturally heal. Xiao also discovers that Soul Chains can link multiple people so that injuries inflicted on one are shared by all.
• Xiao uses Soul Lash and Soul Chains to force most of the Raven members to admit that they should have assisted during the earthquake. The Old God possessing Liu Yufei even destroys its own clone to avoid having its true body harmed.
• Xiao releases the prisoners after extracting their promises to cooperate in future crises. He ends by offering them a cheerful New Year greeting, though the prisoners interpret it as a threat that their “training” will continue.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Becomes more tactically capable through sound-trigger activation and gains a frightening new soul-based ability. He continues balancing compassion with pragmatism, accepting that he cannot personally save every patient but finding a lawful way to help Feng’s daughter. His playful but ruthless prison discipline also highlights his growing confidence and authority as Yinglong.
• Ye Wanqing: Accompanies Xiao to the Special Response Department and supports him silently during the morally difficult hostage mission.
• Cui Man: Acts as Xiao’s strategic and ethical guide, emphasizing the need to prioritize the many patients who could benefit from Miracle Factor rather than rewarding coercion. She also demonstrates the department’s pragmatic approach by secretly arranging treatment while still enforcing the law.
• Feng Wenliang: Develops from a desperate hostage-taker into a cooperative prisoner. His love for his daughter motivates his reckless actions, but he accepts responsibility once the authorities offer a realistic path to treatment. His powerful Replication ability makes him valuable to the department.
• The Raven members: Their hostility and stubborn independence weaken under Xiao’s Soul Lash. Most admit their failure during the earthquake and agree to cooperate in future emergencies, while Oliver, Ivan, and Johnny retain their defiance.
• Liu Yufei’s Old God: Demonstrates intelligence and self-preservation by committing suicide as a clone rather than allowing Xiao to destroy its true soul.

Significant Themes

• Individual desperation versus collective welfare: Xiao must choose between saving one dying child immediately and protecting Miracle Factor research that could save thousands. The chapter ultimately seeks a compromise between both priorities.
• Law, mercy, and consequences: Feng’s motives are sympathetic, but his hostage-taking cannot be ignored. The department offers aid while still requiring imprisonment and cooperation.
• The responsibilities of power: The Raven members are reminded that possessing useful Superpowers carries a duty to assist civilians during disasters.
• Identity and secrecy: Feng’s ability to replicate Xiao’s body exposes the danger of Yinglong’s secret identity, prompting strict information control and Feng’s recruitment into the department.
• The nature of the soul: Soul Lash introduces the idea that spiritual injuries can bypass physical defenses and resist healing, making it an exceptionally dangerous power.
• Humor amid darkness: Xiao’s brutal “New Year blessing” and the prisoners’ exaggerated suffering contrast with the serious hostage crisis and medical stakes, maintaining the story’s comedic tone.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Cui Man: Cui Man instructs Xiao throughout the hostage negotiation and later explains the strategic reasons for recruiting Feng. Their relationship combines trust, discipline, and moral debate.
• Xiao He and Feng Wenliang: Xiao sympathizes with Feng’s willingness to do anything for his daughter and promises him a path toward freedom. At the same time, he restrains Feng and ensures that his actions remain under official supervision.
• Xiao He and the Raven prisoners: Their encounter becomes a comic punishment session. Xiao links their souls together and forces them to confess their failure to help during the earthquake, while they recognize that cooperation is the only way to avoid further pain.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing: Ye accompanies him during the emergency, showing their closeness, though she remains mostly silent during the difficult decision.
• Feng Wenliang and his family: Feng’s final concern is ensuring that his daughter receives treatment and understands that his crimes were motivated by love. His family provides the emotional core of the chapter’s conflict.

Chapter Summary: “The Squad’s Scheme”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the Lunar New Year, Xiao He endures boastful and judgmental relatives but thinks fondly of his more supportive colleagues in the Special Response Department.
• He travels from Beichang City to Xinchuan City to visit Ye Wanqing and meet her parents, bringing cigarettes, liquor, local specialties, homemade pickled radish, and beef sauce from his own parents.
• At the airport, he meets Ye Wanqing’s parents, Ye Zhichun and Dai Na. They warmly welcome him, praise his role as Yinglong in saving Xinnan City during the earthquake, and tease Ye Wanqing about her obvious affection for him.
• At their home, Xiao He gives the family his gifts. The homemade food becomes especially popular, helping both families bond.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing cook together, share affectionate moments, and make the atmosphere feel like that of a married couple. Her parents secretly observe them and become reassured about their relationship.
• Ye Zhichun privately warns Xiao He not to take unnecessary risks because he is now responsible for protecting his future family. Xiao He promises to be more careful.
• Cui Man calls with news about the upcoming World Mutant Tournament. Twelve teams have registered instead of the expected sixteen because Country A has distributed or “purchased” Mutants for allied teams, creating an apparent strategy to exhaust Yinglong through repeated battles.
• The team decides that Xiao He will fight the first round-robin alone, using the matches both to demonstrate his strength and reveal the opponents’ abilities. Other teammates will handle the later round, allowing Xiao He to remain within the participation limit.
• That night, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing sleep together in her room, openly expressing their longing, trust, and growing intimacy.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Becomes more emotionally attached to Ye Wanqing and increasingly views her family as his own. He is nervous but sincere while meeting her parents and demonstrates thoughtfulness by bringing gifts and helping with household tasks. He also begins considering the dangers of his heroic identity and future responsibilities.
• Ye Wanqing: Shows how deeply she misses and loves Xiao He, becoming unusually affectionate and openly dependent on him for emotional security. She confidently includes him in her family life and makes their relationship clear to her parents.
• Ye Zhichun and Dai Na: Initially evaluate Xiao He as their daughter’s boyfriend but quickly grow fond of him. They approve of his character, his devotion to Ye Wanqing, and his ordinary family background, while encouraging him to prioritize safety.
• Cui Man: Reveals the opposing teams’ likely strategy and helps formulate a practical counterplan for the tournament.

Significant Themes

• Family and belonging: The chapter contrasts Xiao He’s superficial extended-family gatherings with the sincere support of his chosen work family and Ye Wanqing’s household.
• Domestic intimacy: Cooking, sharing food, exchanging gifts, and helping with chores symbolize the couple’s transition toward a more settled, family-like relationship.
• Love and emotional security: Ye Wanqing’s happiness and sense of safety around Xiao He emphasize their deepening trust.
• Duty versus personal life: Xiao He must balance his identity as Yinglong and his obligations to the country with his promise to protect Ye Wanqing and build a future with her.
• Strategy and political manipulation: Country A exploits tournament rules and international alliances to weaken Dragon Country indirectly, turning the competition into both a sporting event and a geopolitical contest.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He jokes with his parents about marriage before departing.
• Ye Wanqing’s parents warmly greet him, tease their daughter, and praise his heroism.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s parents bond over the homemade radish and beef sauce.
• Ye Zhichun gives Xiao He serious advice about avoiding unnecessary danger.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing cook together through playful exchanges and a kiss.
• Ye Wanqing deliberately gives Xiao He her unfinished food, demonstrating their closeness and making her parents realize she has fully chosen him.
• Cui Man, Xiao He, and Ye Wanqing discuss Country A’s tournament scheme and agree on Xiao He’s role in the opening round.
• The chapter ends with Xiao He and Ye Wanqing cuddling and reaffirming that he makes her feel safe.

Summary of “Mutants Around the World”

Key Plot Points and Events

• With the international Mutant Competition approaching, Xiao He changes his schedule and brings Ye Wanqing to meet his parents before returning to Beichang City.
• Xiao He’s parents warmly welcome Ye Wanqing as their future daughter-in-law. They enthusiastically discuss marriage, children, a bride price, and a future home, embarrassing Ye Wanqing.
• After spending the night at Xiao He’s family home, the couple returns to Beichang City. Their affectionate teasing continues, and they resume their familiar domestic routine of cleaning, walking, and feeding stray animals.
• On the eighth day of the new year, foreign Mutant teams arrive in Dragon Country. More than seventy Mutants and their accompanying personnel gather at Beichang City Airport.
• Xiao He transports the Dragon Country team to the airport using his Dimensional Walker ability. The team includes the five main competitors—Xiao He, Xia Yu, Xie Haining, Han Tianyu, and An Xiuru—and substitutes Zhang Ming and Yue Feng.
• The various international teams display distinct national styles in their costumes and behavior. M Country’s envoy, Mike Nader, publicly emphasizes “fairness,” prompting Xiao He and others to view his statement skeptically.
• A huge Mutant known as the Werewolf attempts to intimidate and humiliate Xiao He. Xiao He uses Psychokinesis to force him to kneel, then overwhelms him during their handshake. The Werewolf’s attempted attack fails, further establishing Xiao He’s superiority.
• Before the teams leave for the competition arena, a giant black-smoke entity resembling the mythological warrior Xing Tian suddenly appears in the airport.
• Xing Tian attacks the assembled Mutants, injuring several. Most competitors deliberately avoid revealing their abilities, suggesting the attack may be a deliberate test or sabotage arranged by one of the teams.
• The Werewolf confronts Xing Tian to regain his pride after being humiliated by Xiao He. Cui Man orders the Dragon Country team to observe rather than intervene unless the Werewolf is defeated.

Character Developments

• Xiao He becomes more openly committed to Ye Wanqing, stating that he plans to propose once she turns twenty. He also demonstrates confidence and authority as Dragon Country’s representative, easily defeating the Werewolf’s intimidation attempt.
• Ye Wanqing grows increasingly comfortable with Xiao He’s parents and clearly views them as similar to her own family. Though shy and easily embarrassed by marriage-related teasing, she behaves affectionately and naturally with Xiao He.
• Xiao He’s parents enthusiastically accept Ye Wanqing and treat her as their future daughter-in-law. Their hospitality and teasing reveal their excitement about the couple’s relationship.
• Zhang Ming continues to be irreverent and argumentative, provoking Han Tianyu and complaining about Xiao He’s many abilities. However, he quickly becomes obedient when Xiao He threatens him.
• Han Tianyu is portrayed as disciplined and respectful toward Xiao He, though Zhang Ming criticizes him as overly obedient.
• The Werewolf is introduced as physically powerful but prideful and easily provoked. His unsuccessful confrontation with Xiao He damages his status, motivating him to challenge Xing Tian.
• Cui Man acts as a cautious strategist. She recognizes that the Xing Tian incident may be an attempt to expose competitors’ abilities or eliminate opponents and orders the team not to act prematurely.

Significant Themes

• Romance and family acceptance: Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s relationship moves toward marriage, while both families become emotionally connected.
• National identity and rivalry: The international teams’ costumes, attitudes, and diplomatic exchanges reflect competing national identities and political tensions.
• Power and intimidation: Xiao He’s effortless defeat of the Werewolf establishes him as one of the strongest competitors and warns other teams not to underestimate Dragon Country.
• Secrecy and strategy: Many Mutants hide their abilities before the competition, making every confrontation a potential intelligence-gathering exercise.
• Trust and suspicion: The unexplained appearance of Xing Tian creates suspicion that one of the gathered Mutants may be responsible for summoning it.
• Public image and representation: The Dragon Country team must control its behavior because every action reflects on the nation, not merely on the individual competitors.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He’s parents repeatedly tease him and Ye Wanqing about marriage, causing Ye Wanqing considerable embarrassment.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing continue their playful, physically affectionate relationship, balancing intimacy with comic bickering.
• Zhang Ming and Han Tianyu clash over discipline and obedience, revealing contrasting personalities within the Dragon Country team.
• Xiao He and the Werewolf engage in a tense greeting that becomes a contest of strength. Xiao He wins decisively without serious effort.
• Mike Nader’s diplomatic remarks provoke skepticism from the Dragon Country representatives.
• The Werewolf challenges Xing Tian, turning the airport attack into a personal opportunity to restore his reputation.
• Cui Man, Xiao He, and Xie Haining discuss whether Xing Tian is a summoned weapon and conclude that the team should avoid revealing its powers until intervention becomes necessary.

Chapter Summary: “Chaos at the Airport”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At the airport, the gathered Mutants watch a battle between Xing Tian and an American Werewolf. Both are physically powerful, but Xing Tian’s superior combat training allows him to defend against the Werewolf’s reckless attacks and wait until the beast tires.
• Xing Tian turns the fight around, severely injuring the Werewolf and nearly beheading him. Xiao He intervenes, stopping Xing Tian’s axe with one finger to prevent a competitor from dying on Dragon Country soil.
• Xiao He defeats Xing Tian without using his more conspicuous abilities, relying on strength, timing, and martial skill. He absorbs and redirects the axe’s force, protects the airport floor, exploits Xing Tian’s knee, and finishes him with a punch that causes him to dissolve into black smoke.
• Xiao He’s effortless victory shocks the international Mutants. They realize that, in addition to his physical power, he is believed to possess Psychokinesis and the Perfect Cube, making him appear nearly unbeatable.
• American representative Mike Nader accuses Dragon Country of orchestrating the attack and using the monster to test foreign competitors. Cui Man rejects the accusation, while the ambassador urges everyone to evacuate to the Mutant Arena.
• The true culprit remains unknown. Xiao He and Cui Man reason that the attacker must be among those present, since only the gathered Mutants knew everyone would be at the airport.
• The competitors travel to the newly built Mutant Arena, a massive facility modeled partly on the Perfect Cube. It includes reinforced battle structures, private national lounges, security checkpoints, shops, restaurants, and accommodations. Cui Man explains that the event is expected to generate enormous profits and may become an annual competition.
• At the shared dining hall, international tensions remain high. Sebastian Brand, the American “Balance Man,” apologizes for the Werewolf’s behavior but boldly declares that he will be Xiao He’s greatest rival and defeat him.
• A Russian competitor is tripped by an unseen wire, causing him to drop his food. When nobody admits responsibility, Xiao He uses Absolute Command and Psychic Intimidation to force the culprit to confess.

Character Developments

• Xiao He demonstrates overwhelming combat ability, tactical intelligence, restraint, and concern for minimizing damage. He avoids killing Xing Tian and protects the airport infrastructure, reinforcing his image as both powerful and controlled.
• His casual attitude contrasts with the fear he inspires. Rather than becoming arrogant or intimidating, Xiao He remains cheerful, focuses on food, and is pleased that the other competitors still possess the courage to challenge him.
• Xing Tian is shown as a highly trained warrior who defeats stronger opponents through patience, defense, and technique. However, Xiao He’s superiority exposes the enormous gap between them.
• Cui Man acts as a calm leader and strategist, defending Dragon Country politically while analyzing the attack and managing the competitors.
• Ye Wanqing continues her affectionate, playful relationship with Xiao He. She is openly spoiled and intimate with him, while Xiao He is indulgent and protective.
• Sebastian Brand is introduced as confident, courteous, and ambitious. Unlike Mike Nader, he approaches Xiao He respectfully but still establishes himself as a determined rival.
• The unnamed American competitors and other international Mutants become increasingly wary of Xiao He, while still retaining their competitive spirit.

Significant Themes

• Skill versus raw power: The Werewolf possesses greater natural strength and speed, but Xing Tian’s training and battle experience allow him to dominate. The chapter emphasizes that powerful abilities are not enough without discipline.
• Hidden strength and misjudgment: Dragon Country’s approach values the development of abilities through skill, contrasting with America’s preference for naturally powerful Superpowers. Xiao He’s performance proves that apparent simplicity can conceal terrifying strength.
• Political tension and suspicion: The airport attack creates distrust among the nations. Accusations, nationalism, and uncertainty surround the competition before it has even begun.
• Control amid chaos: Xiao He repeatedly prevents unnecessary deaths and property damage, showing that true power involves restraint and responsibility.
• Competition and spectacle: The Mutant Competition is presented both as an international confrontation and as a profitable public event, blending danger, entertainment, tourism, and commercial ambition.
• Food and normalcy amid hostility: Xiao He’s focus on ordering food and his anger over wasted meals provide comic relief while emphasizing his unusual ability to remain relaxed in a threatening environment.

Character Interactions

• Cui Man and Xie Haining discuss the differences between American and Dragon Country approaches to Superpowers, with Xie Haining promising to prove himself at the competition.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing display their affectionate relationship through teasing, physical intimacy, and domestic concerns about returning home to feed their pet.
• Cui Man and Mike Nader clash over responsibility for the airport attack, with Cui Man calmly turning the accusation back on him.
• Sebastian Brand and Xiao He exchange a polite but challenging introduction. Sebastian promises to defeat Xiao He, while Xiao He responds casually and encourages him.
• Xiao He and the dining hall become the focus of international hostility when the chef jokingly describes him as the “most delicious feast.” Xiao He remains unaware of the threat until his use of intimidation forces the prankster to confess.

Summary of “Maintaining” Order

Key Plot Points and Events

• At a formal gathering of international Mutants, Xiao He interrogates Scott Atkins, an American Mutant participating on the Australian team. Scott is compelled to answer because of Xiao He’s abilities.
• An argument breaks out between Scott and an Indian Mutant, escalating when a Russian Mutant punches Scott. Scott’s Australian teammates retaliate with a fireball, triggering a larger confrontation involving the South American and Russian teams.
• The fight rapidly spreads through the restaurant, with Mutants destroying tables, food, and much of the building. Xiao He becomes increasingly angry—not because he is threatened, but because the combatants are wasting his noodles and other food.
• Cui Man orders Xiao He, as Yinglong, to “maintain Order” by stopping the violence and preventing the Mutants from harming others. Xiao He eagerly intervenes.
• Xiao He initially gives the combatants several warnings, but they continue attacking him. He discovers that many of them are not merely fighting out of anger: they are deliberately testing Yinglong’s abilities and determining whether their own powers can affect him.
• Xiao He defeats wave after wave of opponents while remaining completely unharmed. He absorbs fire, explosions, lightning, energy beams, and even a miniature black hole, then redirects the energy as devastating impact attacks.
• He reveals several abilities that surprise the gathered Mutants, including his Perfect Cube, soul chains, energy absorption, and powerful impact techniques. He incapacitates more than half of the eighty-plus Mutants present.
• Bomb Man, the powerful Australian Level 5 Mutant Shier Nash, concedes first. His surrender causes the remaining Mutants to abandon the fight and return to their meals.
• Xiao He returns to his table, frustrated that his noodles and dumplings have gone cold. Medical personnel remove the injured, while Xiao He later repairs the destroyed restaurant with Entropy Reduction.
• The incident convinces the international teams that Yinglong’s reputation is genuine. They conclude that he cannot realistically be defeated through individual strength, or even by a small team, though tournament rules and exhaustion may provide opportunities.
• The chapter ends with the Dragon Country team discussing the tournament draw. The organizers intend to keep Dragon Country and America apart until the finals, while America’s unusually large roster of powerful substitutes is criticized as an unfair advantage.

Character Developments

• Xiao He/Yinglong: Demonstrates overwhelming strength, durability, versatility, and restraint. He defeats dozens of Mutants without killing anyone, but his main concern throughout the battle is preserving the food. His behavior also shows his simple, direct sense of justice: he repeatedly gives warnings before using force.
• Cui Man: Acts as Xiao He’s commander and explains his official responsibility to maintain order. She trusts him enough to let him fight alone and uses the incident to evaluate the weaknesses of the foreign teams.
• Scott Atkins: Revealed as arrogant and openly contemptuous toward the Indian Mutant. His provocation helps ignite the brawl, and he becomes one of Xiao He’s first targets.
• Shier Nash/Bomb Man: His concession demonstrates his status and influence among the Mutants. Although he does not directly lead the others, his recognition of Yinglong’s superiority helps end the conflict.
• The foreign Mutants: Their lack of discipline, entitlement, and reliance on unrestricted powers are exposed. Many are shown to be testing Yinglong rather than fighting with a single unified purpose.
• The Dragon Country team: Their confidence in Xiao He grows further. His presence reassures them that even America’s large roster of elite substitutes may not pose a serious threat.

Significant Themes

• Order versus chaos: The chapter contrasts the foreign Mutants’ impulsive violence with Dragon Country’s disciplined approach. Xiao He is tasked with restoring order, though he does so through overwhelming force.
• Power and restraint: Xiao He possesses enough power to destroy everyone present, but he deliberately avoids killing and limits himself to incapacitating opponents.
• Privilege without responsibility: Cui Man explains that foreign Mutants are granted extensive privileges according to their strength but receive little formal training or discipline. Their behavior reflects the dangers of power without accountability.
• Strength as psychological dominance: Xiao He’s victory is important not only because he defeats the attackers but because he destroys their confidence. Once the Mutants realize their powers cannot harm him, resistance collapses.
• Competition and commercial manipulation: The supposedly random tournament draw is revealed to be carefully arranged for financial and entertainment purposes, ensuring a potential Dragon Country–America final.
• Comedy amid danger: Xiao He’s anger over ruined food and cold noodles undercuts the seriousness of the battle, reinforcing his unconventional personality.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He uses Absolute Command to force Scott to identify himself, provoking Scott’s hostility toward the Indian Mutant.
• Scott and the Indian Mutant exchange insults based on nationality, caste, and perceived status, revealing the prejudice and arrogance within the gathering.
• The Russian Mutant attacks Scott, while Scott’s Australian teammates retaliate, causing the international brawl.
• Cui Man orders Xiao He to act and prevents Qin Weize and Yue Feng from assisting, insisting that Xiao He preserve his abilities for the tournament.
• The Mutants coordinate attacks against Xiao He—using fire, crystal barriers, chains, lightning, energy weapons, and physical restraint—but their cooperation is primarily motivated by curiosity and testing rather than genuine unity.
• Xiao He’s return to the team leads to lighter interactions with Ye Wanqing, Xie Haining, and Cui Man. Ye Wanqing worries about him, while Xiao He casually reassures her and complains about his cold food.
• The team later discusses America’s excessive number of Level 5 substitutes, but Xiao He’s arrival immediately restores everyone’s confidence.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Mutants are given a temporary break before the group-drawing ceremony for the upcoming Mutant Competition. Xiao He questions the point of drawing lots since the teams seem politically predetermined.
• Xiao He spends the evening with Ye Wanqing at home, relaxing after his battles. Although he is confident, he recognizes that many Level 5 Mutants, including Nash, were only testing him and have not yet revealed their full strength.
• Beichang City becomes an international hub as the competition approaches. Tourists, reporters, military forces, police, and Special Response Department personnel flood the city, increasing both excitement and crime.
• The competition groups are drawn:
  • Group A: Dragon Country, the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Japan, and the European Team.
  • Group B: France, Russia, the African Union, the European Union, the South American Union, and the Asian Union.
• Since teams within each group will face one another twice and all teams will still meet, the main event everyone anticipates is a Dragon Country–United States final.
• One week before the competition begins, the organizers conduct offensive and defensive ratings for every Mutant. These ratings determine what weapons and security measures can be used in matches, primarily to reduce casualties rather than create perfect fairness.
• The ratings are performed by a young New Zealand Mutant named Alice, whose teddy bear transforms into a giant testing creature called Cub Beast. The creature displays attack and defense values on a slot-machine-like panel.
• Early ratings reveal large differences between the contestants. Bomb Man receives an attack rating of 682, Werewolf receives 347 attack and 258 defense, while Balance Man receives unexpectedly low scores of 72 attack and 58 defense.
• Xiao He enters the test and uses his full strength. His punch causes Cub Beast’s display to reach 999, then overload and explode. He repairs the teddy bear with Entropy Reduction.
• During the defense test, Xiao He uses Perfect Cube to block Cub Beast’s attack. The creature again reaches 999 and explodes. Xiao repairs it a second time, but Alice becomes furious with him.
• Because Xiao’s abilities exceed the machine’s measurable range, both his attack and defense ratings are recorded as Infinity.
• Only three other Mutants receive an Infinity rating in one category: Yue Feng has Infinity attack but only 500 defense; the “Can Cut Anything” Mutant has Infinity attack; and a Mutant with a one-way Perfect Cube has Infinity defense.
• Cui Man later explains that Alice’s rating system is used internationally to determine whether Mutants qualify as Level 5. Xiao’s double-Infinity result places Xiao far beyond the normal Level 5 threshold, at least according to the official numbers.

Character Developments

• Xiao He remains confident and powerful but becomes more aware that the earlier battles did not represent his opponents’ full capabilities. He looks forward to a genuinely difficult fight.
• He demonstrates an unusual combination of overwhelming strength and considerate responsibility: despite destroying Cub Beast twice, he immediately repairs it and tries to comfort Alice.
• Xiao’s public status is strengthened when his ratings prove to be immeasurable. This gives Dragon Country a major advantage in the eyes of international observers.
• Ye Wanqing continues to provide Xiao with affection and emotional support. Their playful relationship is emphasized through their relaxed behavior at home and her amusement at his attempts to win Alice over.
• Alice is introduced as a cute but powerful young Mutant whose ability can empower dolls. She becomes comically hostile toward Xiao after he destroys Cub Beast twice, though her anger reflects her attachment to the teddy bear rather than genuine malice.
• Cui Man acts as an organizer and mediator, explaining the testing system and introducing Alice to Xiao. She recognizes the political value of Xiao’s ratings.
• Yue Feng remains impatient and competitive, immediately volunteering to be tested after Xiao’s result.

Significant Themes

• Power versus measurement: The rating system is shown to be useful for regulation but inadequate for accurately representing real combat ability. Xiao’s power exceeds the machine’s numerical limits, while technical skill and strategy may matter more than raw ratings.
• Public image and international competition: The tournament is both entertainment and geopolitical theater. Audiences are divided between wanting Yinglong’s legend destroyed and wanting it confirmed.
• Controlled violence: The organizers attempt to make the competition profitable without allowing the Mutants to cause unnecessary deaths, leading to weapon restrictions and defensive regulations.
• Hidden strength: Several powerful Mutants have not yet fought seriously, creating uncertainty beneath the apparently reassuring ratings and preliminary battles.
• Humor and emotional contrast: Xiao’s terrifying strength is juxtaposed with his awkward concern over upsetting a little girl and her teddy bear.
• Family-like intimacy amid global tension: Xiao and Ye Wanqing’s affectionate domestic interactions offer a calm contrast to the political pressure and international spectacle surrounding the competition.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing share affectionate, teasing moments at home, reinforcing their close romantic bond.
• Xiao questions Cui Man about whether the rating test can be manipulated; she assures him that witnesses and Xue Ting’s truth-detecting ability prevent cheating.
• Xiao interacts with Alice first as a test subject and then as an apologetic “big brother.” His attempts to offer her a lollipop fail because she believes strangers who give children candy are suspicious.
• Ye Wanqing laughs at Xiao’s failed attempt to reconcile with Alice.
• Cui Man explains that Alice can empower any doll, meaning Cub Beast is replaceable, and praises Xiao’s double-Infinity rating as a major symbolic victory over the foreign competitors.

Chapter Summary: “The Battle Begins!”

• Plot and events: After the Mutants’ ratings are finalized, they unexpectedly behave themselves instead of causing widespread trouble. This restraint is revealed to be intentional: they have been ordered to perform well in an upcoming competition. The ratings and competition are especially important because foreign countries place significant value on Mutant rankings, which could affect the Mutants’ financial prospects and future benefits.
• Character developments: Level 5 Mutants hope to achieve strong results so they can obtain greater privileges. Lower-level Mutants also see the competition as an opportunity, though the provided excerpt cuts off before explaining their specific goals.
• Themes: The passage highlights competition, social hierarchy, privilege, and the way Mutants’ abilities are tied to international influence and financial interests. It also suggests that the Mutants’ behavior is being controlled or shaped by larger authorities.
• Character interactions: No specific personal interactions occur in the excerpt. The main relationship shown is between the Mutants and the authorities directing them to behave and compete successfully.
  The excerpt ends mid-sentence, so the full motivations and developments of the non-Level 5 Mutants are not included.

Chapter Summary: “Fifteen Consecutive Battles”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dragon Country’s Yinglong, secretly Xiao He, defeats India Team’s first fighter, Apasi, instantly with a single overwhelming strike. The victory is so sudden that Apasi vomits, while Xiao He himself is embarrassed after throwing up from earlier illness in front of the enormous audience.
• Xiao He chooses to continue fighting India’s remaining members alone, intending to gather information about their abilities for his teammates.
• India sends out Indra, who can transform into lightning while moving. Indra attacks Xiao He at extreme speed, but his punch injures his own hand against Xiao He’s enhanced physique. Frightened and demoralized, Indra quickly surrenders.
• Xiao He asks Cui Man to reduce the physical enhancement he receives from Yue Feng’s ability. His excessive defense and strength are preventing weaker opponents from hurting him enough to reveal their powers.
• India’s third fighter, Asura, enters determined to prove himself. Asura explains that he comes from a lower caste and must win to earn respect and become a noble.
• Asura transforms into a huge three-headed, six-armed monster. His physical strength initially sends Xiao He sliding backward and makes the match appear competitive.
• Xiao He studies Asura’s fighting style, using techniques learned from Johnny, the Oliver brothers, Ivan, and Xie Haining. He exploits Asura’s poor technique and dependence on a stable lower-body stance, attacking his knee and using feints, counters, and close-range strikes.
• Asura reveals a stronger ability: he creates black ghostly weapons—swords, whips, and spears—that inflict icy, supernatural flames Xiao He cannot fully neutralize with Kinetic Energy Absorption.
• Realizing the flames could injure him and that he must preserve his strength for later matches, Xiao He absorbs the physical force of Asura’s attacks and releases it through both hands in a powerful counterattack. Asura is knocked unconscious and his transformation dissolves.
• Xiao He wins against all three Indian fighters, prompting the host to praise him as the tournament’s strongest Mutant. The audience finally cheers enthusiastically.
• Other teams, including Victor and Sebastian, realize that Xiao He deliberately limited himself while collecting intelligence. They become angry and begin preparing to face him themselves.

Character Developments

• Xiao He/Yinglong: He remains overwhelmingly powerful but deliberately restrains himself to study opponents and avoid revealing his full abilities. He adjusts his physique enhancement, applies advanced combat techniques, and demonstrates increasing tactical sophistication. His concern about his public vomiting adds a humorous and humanizing side to his otherwise intimidating image.
• Indra: His confidence collapses after his lightning-fast attack rebounds painfully against Xiao He. Rather than continue testing his ability, he becomes frightened and surrenders.
• Asura: Unlike his arrogant teammates, Asura is nervous but deeply motivated. His desire to overcome caste discrimination gives him emotional depth and makes him the most determined Indian fighter. He proves to be India Team’s strongest opponent by combining immense physical power with supernatural weapons.
• Cui Man: She cooperates with Xiao He’s strategy by changing the codename ability providing his physical enhancement, despite initial concern that weakening him might be dangerous.
• The other teams: Victor and Sebastian recognize that Xiao He has been holding back and gathering intelligence. Their frustration shifts the tournament’s tension toward future confrontations.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus technique: Asura possesses greater apparent physical power and more limbs, but Xiao He’s training, timing, and tactical awareness allow him to overcome him.
• Intelligence and preparation: Xiao He values learning opponents’ abilities over achieving quick victories, using the early matches to give Dragon Country a strategic advantage.
• Self-restraint versus arrogance: Xiao He’s refusal to use his full strength contrasts with India Team’s exaggerated reputation and confidence. The chapter questions whether boasting about power is meaningful without practical skill.
• Social inequality and recognition: Asura’s determination is driven by his lower-caste status and desire to be respected, making his battle more than a simple sporting contest.
• Public image and spectacle: The tournament is presented as a massive global event, and both the host and fighters worry about audience reactions. Xiao He’s embarrassment over vomiting and the crowd’s boos and cheers emphasize the pressure of public performance.
• Adaptability: Xiao He repeatedly changes his physical enhancement, fighting style, and tactics depending on his opponent’s abilities.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Cui Man coordinate through his earpiece, discussing how to lower his physical strength so he can gather useful combat information.
• Xiao He tries to reassure and encourage Indra, even asking him to attack again after lowering his own physique, but Indra loses confidence and surrenders.
• Xiao He treats Asura respectfully, encouraging him before the fight rather than mocking his appearance or background.
• During the battle, Xiao He and Asura engage in a tactical exchange: Asura relies on overwhelming attacks and multiple weapons, while Xiao He studies his movements, absorbs force, exploits openings, and counters decisively.
• The host struggles to commentate the brief first two matches but becomes genuinely excited during the longer fight with Asura.
• Victor and Sebastian discuss Xiao He afterward, recognizing that his apparent victories conceal deliberate restraint and preparation for future opponents.

Chapter Summary: The Powerhouse Oddball

Plot and Events

During the thirty-minute halftime break, Xiao He returns to the public lounge after defeating his first opponent but having vomited from nervousness and dizziness caused by the enemy’s water-based ability. Ye Wanqing immediately checks on him and gives him porridge and a banana. Xiao He explains the abilities of the three opponents he faced: the first controlled a limited amount of water, the second could accelerate but surrendered before revealing much, and the third transformed into a three-headed, six-armed fighter with an eerie weapon that inflicted cold, ghostly pain.
Cui Man worries about the third opponent’s LV4 physical strength and asks who could defeat him. Xie Haining volunteers, reasoning that despite his multiple heads and arms, the opponent has only one mind and therefore ordinary attack patterns. Cui assigns Yue Feng as a backup, though she warns him that his own ability has an exploitable weakness.
As the halftime ends, the host announces Dragon Country’s second match against Japan. Xiao He is once again selected to fight for Dragon Country, drawing enthusiastic cheers from the audience after the previous match ended too quickly. Before leaving, he playfully asks Ye Wanqing for a kiss and promises not to get hurt.

Character Development

Xiao He demonstrates resilience and confidence despite his initial nervousness and physical discomfort. He analyzes his opponents carefully and remains willing to fight again immediately. Ye Wanqing’s affection and concern reveal her nurturing side and her emotional closeness with Xiao He. Cui Man acts as a cautious commander, assessing threats and planning backup strategies. Xie Haining shows tactical insight, while Yue Feng remains boastful but is reminded to conceal his weakness.

Significant Themes

The chapter emphasizes teamwork, preparation, and the importance of understanding an opponent’s limitations rather than judging abilities by appearance. It also contrasts Xiao He’s overwhelming strength with his humorous, affectionate personality. Support, romance, and emotional reassurance help him recover from fear and pressure, while strategic thinking balances raw power.

Character Interactions

Ye Wanqing comforts Xiao He, feeds him, and worries about his health; he responds with teasing affection and kisses her cheek. Xiao He and Cui Man discuss the abilities and threats posed by the opposing fighters. Xie Haining offers his assessment of the transformed opponent, and Cui Man assigns contingency roles to him and Yue Feng. Before Xiao He returns to battle, he and Ye Wanqing exchange playful romantic banter, ending with her secretly kissing him and urging him to stay safe.

Summary: “Dangerous Opponents”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He faces Charge Hero, whose Superpower allows him to grow stronger when attacked. Charge Hero launches two high-speed charged strikes, but Xiao He realizes he can only channel the energy through his fists. By redirecting the first punch slightly, Xiao causes Charge Hero to crash headfirst into him and knock himself unconscious.
• Xiao then battles Soul Blade, a calm but extremely dangerous swordsman wielding two katanas. Soul Blade’s Superpower turns his heart, will, and soul into the sharpness of his blades.
• Soul Blade’s opening Draw-Cut wounds Xiao across the torso, though Xiao uses Entropy Reduction to restore himself. Ordinary slashes cannot penetrate Xiao’s defenses, but Soul Blade’s special attacks can injure him when Xiao’s confidence or resolve wavers.
• Soul Blade explains that his blades, particularly the Soul Severing sword, attack an opponent’s will rather than merely their body. Xiao realizes that believing he can be cut makes him vulnerable, while absolute confidence prevents injury.
• The two engage in a fast, evenly matched exchange of hand-to-hand combat and twin-blade technique. Xiao studies Soul Blade’s fighting patterns, especially the short sword’s alternating defensive and offensive grips.
• Xiao ultimately uses Perfect Cube to block an attack, then exploits the moment Soul Blade shifts his short blade into a defensive position. He lands an Inch Punch that sends Soul Blade flying and wins the match.
• Xiao deliberately restrains his strength so he does not seriously injure Soul Blade. The two acknowledge and respect one another, treating the match as a valuable sparring session rather than a fight to the death.
• After six total matches, Xiao returns to the team lounge. Medical staff treat his superficial wounds, and Ye Wanqing, Cui Man, and the rest of the team express concern and praise. Cui Man reminds everyone that Xiao will be unable to compete after the next round, so the rest of the team must eventually secure victory.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Demonstrates sharp observational skills, quickly identifying Charge Hero’s limitation and analyzing Soul Blade’s combat style. He grows excited by the chance to learn from a skilled opponent and shows restraint and sportsmanship by sparing Soul Blade from a potentially fatal blow. His confidence and mental discipline become crucial to surviving Soul Blade’s will-based attacks.
• Soul Blade: Emerges as an honorable, sincere, and highly skilled opponent. Though his physical level is much lower than Xiao’s, his technical mastery allows him to challenge a stronger fighter. He openly explains his abilities, accepts defeat graciously, and recognizes Xiao’s superior will.
• Charge Hero: Is revealed to be powerful but reckless. His speed and charged attacks are dangerous, yet his inability to control his momentum causes his own defeat.
• Ye Wanqing: Shows affection and concern for Xiao while scolding him for taking unnecessary risks. Her playful refusal to kiss him because of his injuries highlights their intimate relationship.
• Cui Man and the team: Support Xiao after his matches but remain focused on the broader competition. They understand that the team must rely on its other members once Xiao is no longer eligible to fight.

Significant Themes

• Willpower and belief: Soul Blade’s weapons injure opponents according to the firmness of their will, making mental strength as important as physical durability.
• Skill versus raw power: Soul Blade’s technique allows a Level 2 fighter to contend with Xiao’s vastly stronger body, showing that mastery and experience can offset a major power gap.
• Learning through combat: Xiao treats the match as an opportunity to study and improve, recognizing that opponents can teach him techniques and strategies.
• Sportsmanship and mutual respect: Despite the intensity of the fight, Xiao and Soul Blade choose not to kill or seriously injure one another. Their honest exchange creates genuine admiration between them.
• The danger of hesitation: Xiao’s brief doubts make him vulnerable, while confidence allows him to withstand Soul Blade’s attacks.
• Team responsibility: Xiao’s impressive victories cannot carry the team indefinitely; the other members must prepare to take over and win later rounds.

Character Interactions

• Xiao and Soul Blade exchange open praise and warnings throughout the battle, developing mutual respect through their honest combat.
• Xiao spares Soul Blade after winning, and the two shake hands and agree that another sparring match would be worthwhile.
• Ye Wanqing greets Xiao affectionately but reprimands him for getting injured, mixing romantic concern with playful humor.
• Cui Man advises Xiao to eat and rest, emphasizing that several more matches remain.
• Yue Feng envies Xiao’s exciting battle and wants a similar challenge, while Cui Man reminds him that he and the others will soon have to fight without Xiao’s assistance.

Summary

Key Points and Events

• After updating 10,000 words daily for thirty consecutive days, the author announces a reduction to 8,000 words per day because the previous pace was exhausting.
• The slower schedule will allow the author to build a reserve of chapters for occasional bonus updates, such as those triggered by guild leaders or recommendations.
• One month after the novel became premium, average subscriptions have remained above 700, though they have recently begun to decline slightly.
• The author rejects aggressive anti-piracy tactics that would inconvenience legitimate readers, arguing that determined pirates would not subscribe regardless.
• The author urges readers using pirated copies to support the official release, explaining that legitimate subscriptions directly influence which kinds of books publishers and editors support.
• The chapter argues that the popularity of repetitive “studio novels”—formulaic works produced by imitating successful trends—is driven by paying readers’ purchasing choices.
• The author reveals that the book was rejected for a contract twice and that an editor advised them to imitate highly ranked studio novels. Instead, the author chose to write something less formulaic.
• Although the book’s subscription numbers are respectable, its subscription ratio is much lower than that of studio novels, suggesting that a more conventional approach might have performed better.

Character and Author Development

• The author demonstrates an ongoing commitment to readers by maintaining an exceptionally demanding update schedule, then recognizes the need to balance reader expectations with personal sustainability.
• Their attitude toward piracy is pragmatic and reader-focused: they refuse to punish legitimate readers with disruptive anti-piracy measures.
• The author reflects honestly on their career choices, acknowledging that refusing to follow popular formulas may have limited the book’s commercial success.
• They remain appreciative of existing supporters while also encouraging readers to help shape the market through official purchases.

Significant Themes

• Sustainability and responsibility: Authors must balance productivity with their own health and energy.
• Piracy and reader influence: Official subscriptions are presented not merely as financial support, but as votes determining which genres and styles continue to be published.
• Market forces versus creativity: Formulaic novels dominate because they reliably attract paying readers, while more distinctive works face greater commercial difficulty.
• Collective consequences: Readers who consume pirated content lose influence over publishing trends and may later find that fewer books match their preferences.
• The publishing ecosystem: Rankings, subscriptions, editors, and reader behavior all interact to shape the webnovel market.

Character Interactions

• The author directly addresses legitimate readers with gratitude and asks them to continue supporting the official release.
• They also address pirate readers, urging them to recognize that their choices affect both authors and the availability of the kinds of books they want.
• The author recounts interactions with an editor, who encouraged them to model their work on successful studio novels after rejecting the book twice.
• The chapter contrasts the author’s creative preference for variety with the market’s preference for familiar, commercially proven formulas.

Chapter Summary: “Counterfeit”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• During lunch, Xiao He and his team review the morning’s matches and assess the remaining opponents. Xiao He has three more teams—and nine additional opponents—to face that day.
• Xie Haining warns that because Xiao He fought early, the other teams have had time to study his abilities, combat style, and habits. Rather than worrying, Xiao He becomes more eager to face increasingly difficult opponents.
• Ye Wanqing insists that Xiao He rest before the afternoon matches. Their playful intimacy leaves him energized despite not actually sleeping.
• Cui Man warns Xiao He that the remaining teams—H Country, A Continent, and Y Country—have unusual connections to M Country and may be especially dangerous.
• Xiao He’s eighth match is against H Country’s “Azure Dragon,” a fighter whose costume, mask, and dragon-based identity deliberately imitate Xiao He’s “Yinglong.”
• Azure Dragon’s Superpower allows him to generate controllable azure flames, shape them into solid dragon-like constructs, fly with them, and launch powerful attacks.
• Xiao He quickly studies and explains Azure Dragon’s abilities, then defeats him through superior speed, kinetic-energy techniques, and physical strength. He absorbs or redirects Azure Dragon’s attacks, slams him into the arena floor, and knocks him unconscious with a final shockwave delivered through a forehead flick.
• Xiao He is especially satisfied because he views Azure Dragon as a counterfeit version of himself and deliberately defeats him in a humiliatingly dramatic fashion.
• Rather than resting, Xiao He confirms that he will continue fighting. His next opponent is H Country’s “Vermilion Bird,” whose presence and aura remind him of Soul Blade. Xiao He senses that this opponent is exceptionally dangerous and looks forward to the challenge.

2. Character Developments

Xiao He

He remains confident, playful, and highly competitive. Instead of being discouraged by opponents studying him, he enjoys the increasing difficulty. His analytical skills are emphasized as he rapidly identifies Azure Dragon’s Superpower and combat limitations. His pride is also revealed: he takes the imitation of Yinglong personally and becomes determined to prove that he is the “true” dragon.

Ye Wanqing

She acts as Xiao He’s affectionate but practical caretaker, pushing him to rest and limiting his intimacy because of his injuries. Their playful relationship shows her growing comfort and emotional closeness with him, while her concern for his health remains evident.

Xie Haining and Cui Man

Both continue supporting Xiao He strategically. Xie Haining focuses on how opponents gather intelligence, while Cui Man provides warnings and combat ratings through Xiao He’s earpiece.

Azure Dragon

He is established as a strong but physically weaker Mutant who relies heavily on his azure-energy abilities. His repeated curses and increasingly furious attacks reveal his frustration when Xiao He neutralizes his techniques.

Vermilion Bird

Though he says little, his quiet focus and dangerous aura distinguish him from Azure Dragon. His willingness to fight with total commitment suggests he may be one of the tournament’s most formidable opponents.

3. Significant Themes

• Information and adaptation: The chapter emphasizes the importance of learning an opponent’s abilities quickly, especially in a tournament where every fight reveals information to future enemies.
• Originality versus imitation: Azure Dragon’s copied dragon identity becomes a source of conflict. Xiao He’s victory symbolically reasserts his own originality and superiority.
• Performance and image: Xiao He does not merely seek victory; he wants to win stylishly and publicly, turning the match into a spectacle for the audience.
• Confidence and controlled risk: Xiao He knows he is being targeted and is aware of his injuries, but his confidence drives him to continue fighting all fifteen opponents.
• Affection as emotional support: His relationship with Ye Wanqing provides comfort, humor, and motivation amid the pressure of the tournament.

4. Character Interactions

• Xiao He and his teammates discuss opponents and strategy over lunch, with Xie Haining cautioning him about being studied.
• Xiao He and Xia Yu share a warm, familial exchange, while Ye Wanqing becomes playfully jealous when Xiao He gives Xia Yu attention.
• Ye Wanqing cares for Xiao He through a lap pillow, affectionate teasing, and gentle scolding, though she refuses to let him overexert himself before the matches.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing discuss their future time together once the tournament schedule eases, highlighting their desire for a normal life despite their secret identities.
• During the match, Xiao He taunts Azure Dragon over his copied name, costume, fighting style, and repeated curses, turning the battle into a personal contest of pride.
• Xiao He communicates with Cui Man throughout the fight, combining her analysis of Azure Dragon’s ratings with his own observations.
• The chapter ends with Xiao He facing Vermilion Bird, whose silent, disciplined stance creates immediate tension and anticipation for the next battle.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• While fighting Vermilion Bird, Xiao He reflects on what makes a superpower truly formidable. He concludes that combat technique, especially when supported by a superpower, can be more dangerous than raw strength.
• Vermilion Bird attacks with powerful Taekwondo techniques. Xiao He notices that the strikes carry abnormal force because Vermilion Bird suffers no recoil from his own attacks.
• Xiao He deduces that Vermilion Bird’s ability reflects or nullifies recoil rather than controlling vectors directly. This allows him to attack with maximum force, though he cannot negate force inflicted by others.
• Xiao He initially studies Vermilion Bird’s techniques instead of using overwhelming abilities such as Psychokinesis or the Perfect Cube.
• Vermilion Bird knocks Xiao He down for the first time using a complex combination of kicks. The commentator invokes the supposed “seven kills must die” curse, but Xiao He immediately rises.
• Xiao He analyzes the attack and learns the principle behind Vermilion Bird’s technique: striking the opponent’s supporting leg or center of gravity to interrupt momentum rather than meeting an attack head-on.
• Xiao He begins imitating this dismantling technique, successfully disrupting one of Vermilion Bird’s attacks even though his first attempt is imperfect.
• Vermilion Bird grows increasingly determined after realizing Xiao He is using him as a source of combat experience. He launches a fierce assault and knocks Xiao He down again, also sending his mask flying.
• Xiao He retrieves the mask with Psychokinesis and reassures everyone that his face was not captured on camera.
• After studying Vermilion Bird’s signature Flying Swallow Whirlwind Kick, Xiao He identifies a weakness: Vermilion Bird’s lack of recoil prevents him from creating the ideal distance for the second kick, reducing the move’s full power.
• Xiao He deliberately creates the correct opening, hooks Vermilion Bird’s supporting leg, and uses Vermilion Bird’s own kicking method against him.
• By using the recoil from his first kick to establish perfect distance, Xiao He completes a perfected Flying Swallow Whirlwind Kick and knocks Vermilion Bird out.
• The crowd erupts as the “seven kills must die” prediction is disproven. The host declares that Yinglong has gone on a killing spree.
• Xiao He helps Vermilion Bird up and praises him as an excellent opponent. Vermilion Bird realizes that the competition intended to destroy Yinglong’s legend has instead forged him into an even greater monster.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao He: Develops from relying primarily on overwhelming physical ability and superpowers to consciously improving his martial technique. He demonstrates exceptional observation, adaptability, patience, and a willingness to learn from opponents. His victory is achieved not through brute force, but through analysis and mastery of a technique he has just witnessed.
• Vermilion Bird: Is established as a highly skilled and aggressive Taekwondo fighter whose recoil-negating ability greatly enhances his attacks. He begins confidently, but becomes increasingly unsettled as Xiao He learns from him. Despite losing, he recognizes Xiao He’s talent and acknowledges the quality of his counterattack.
• Cui Man and the organizers: Remain concerned about protecting Xiao He’s identity, especially when his mask is knocked away. Their reaction shows that his anonymity remains strategically important.
• The audience and commentator: Initially expect Xiao He to fall victim to the “seven kills must die” curse, but their surprise turns into overwhelming admiration when he rises and wins.

3. Significant Themes

• Technique versus raw power: The chapter emphasizes that skill and tactical application can make a fighter more dangerous than someone with a stronger ability.
• Learning through combat: Xiao He treats battle as a form of training, transforming an opponent’s techniques into his own strengths.
• Adaptability and innovation: Xiao He does not merely copy Vermilion Bird; he analyzes the limitations created by Vermilion Bird’s own ability and improves the technique.
• Superpowers as double-edged swords: Vermilion Bird’s recoil immunity gives him tremendous offensive power but prevents him from performing his signature kick in its ideal form.
• The creation of a legend: The competition’s attempt to defeat Yinglong instead accelerates his growth and establishes him as an even more formidable figure.
• Breaking fate and superstition: The supposed “seven kills must die” curse is overturned by Xiao He’s resilience and victory.

4. Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Vermilion Bird engage in a battle of observation and adaptation, with each recognizing the other’s abilities.
• Xiao He studies Vermilion Bird’s footwork and eventually counters him using the same center-of-gravity disruption technique Vermilion Bird introduced.
• Vermilion Bird realizes that Xiao He is using the fight to grow stronger, prompting him to fight with greater intensity and pride.
• Xiao He openly challenges Vermilion Bird and later points out the flaw in his Flying Swallow Whirlwind Kick, turning their exchange into both a critique and a demonstration of martial skill.
• After defeating him, Xiao He treats Vermilion Bird respectfully and helps him stand, reinforcing that their battle was a mutual exchange rather than a purely one-sided triumph.

Chapter Summary — Supergod!

Key Plot Points and Events

• After defeating Vermilion Bird, Xiao He continues competing for the H Country Team, with six of the day’s fifteen matches still remaining.
• His next opponent is Shaman, a powerful Mutant borrowed from M Country. Shaman can enchant weapons with different effects:
  • Blue: freezing
  • Red: burning
  • Purple: lightning
  • Gray: increased hardness
  • Green: increased sharpness and piercing
  • Yellow: creates restraining stone
• Xiao He deliberately allows Shaman to attack him so he can study and record the abilities. He concludes that the power is strong but poorly suited to Shaman’s amateur fighting skills.
• Shaman gathers all his enchantments into a large hammer and attempts a finishing blow. The hammer injures Shaman’s own hand when it strikes Xiao He, and Xiao He defeats him with a single backhand.
• Back in the competitors’ lounge, Xiao He is welcomed by his teammates. Ye Wanqing affectionately fusses over him, and the others praise his victory over Vermilion Bird.
• Despite some fatigue, Xiao He insists on continuing. Ye Wanqing encourages him and promises him a “reward” when they return home, motivating him to fight even harder.
• Xiao He’s tenth opponent is Iron Man, a steel-bodied Mutant representing A Continent but apparently transferred from M Country. Xiao He realizes that the man is another disposable pawn used by M Country.
• Iron Man attacks with enormous strength but has extremely poor technique. Xiao He easily dodges him, breaks several of his steel teeth, and defeats him with a sequence of precise strikes.
• Iron Man blames Xiao He for his downfall, but Xiao He dismisses him as simply too weak. The victory gives Xiao He ten consecutive wins, prompting the commentator and crowd to treat him as nearly unbeatable.
• Xiao He briefly questions whether people admire him because he is heroic or merely because he is powerful.
• His eleventh opponent is revealed to be Scorpion, actually Scott—the man who had previously played a prank on him in the cafeteria. Xiao He becomes energized and eagerly anticipates taking revenge.

Character Developments

• Xiao He continues to demonstrate overwhelming physical strength, endurance, adaptability, and combat intelligence. Rather than immediately defeating Shaman, he studies the Superpower in detail, showing his desire to learn from every opponent.
• He becomes increasingly confident and impatient with enemies whose abilities are wasted by poor technique. His respect remains reserved for skilled fighters such as Soul Blade and Vermilion Bird.
• Xiao He’s growing popularity causes him to reflect on the source of public admiration, revealing a more thoughtful and self-questioning side beneath his confident exterior.
• Ye Wanqing becomes more openly affectionate and playful toward Xiao He. Her shyness contrasts with her eagerness to encourage and reward him, strengthening their romantic relationship.
• Shaman is portrayed as physically imposing but inexperienced. His powerful weapon-enchantment ability is undermined by his lack of martial skill.
• Iron Man is similarly revealed to be a blunt, poorly trained combatant whose strength and durability cannot compensate for his lack of technique. His resentment toward Xiao He exposes his status as a discarded M Country pawn.
• Xiao He’s teammates show increasing admiration for him, while Yue Feng expresses frustration and excitement at being unable to participate in the battles himself.

Significant Themes

• Technique versus raw power: Both Shaman and Iron Man possess formidable abilities, but their poor training makes them easy for Xiao He to defeat. The chapter emphasizes that strength is useful only when paired with skill.
• Continuous self-improvement: Xiao He values difficult opponents because they help him grow stronger. His admiration for Soul Blade and Vermilion Bird reflects his belief that true strength comes from lifelong dedication.
• Exploitation of Mutants: M Country’s practice of lending or discarding Mutants highlights the political manipulation and dehumanization surrounding the tournament.
• Public admiration and identity: Xiao He wonders whether he is loved as a hero or simply worshipped because of his power, raising questions about fame, strength, and the nature of heroism.
• Romance and emotional support: Ye Wanqing’s affection and encouragement provide Xiao He with both comic relief and personal motivation amid the exhausting tournament.
• Revenge and personal grudges: The arrival of Scott transforms the next match from a routine battle into a personally satisfying confrontation for Xiao He.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He treats Shaman dismissively but patiently allows him to demonstrate each enchantment before ending the fight.
• His interactions with Ye Wanqing are affectionate and teasing: she adjusts his tie, clings to him, and promises a private reward, while he playfully pinches her ear and pats her head.
• His teammates praise his victory over Vermilion Bird and encourage him to rest, but Xiao He insists on completing all fifteen matches himself.
• Xiao He taunts Iron Man by suggesting that his weakness, rather than Xiao He’s actions, caused his downfall.
• The final encounter with Scott/Scorpion immediately revives Xiao He’s fighting spirit, setting up a more personal and emotionally charged battle.