Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Both Brothers Failed at Empowerment”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fu Junlin spends 550,000 on four custom-forged Battle Banner spear shafts made from 3.2 Superalloy, hoping to empower them with stored Secondary Energy for Black Dog.
• He also purchases blast-proof suits and over 100,000 worth of chemical materials for the experiment, exhausting his money.
• In a heavily shielded home laboratory, Fu Junlin explains his plan to Fu Junting:
  • Cut open a small amount of Secondary Energy.
  • Use the heat to ignite Boron-246 mist.
  • Generate neutron radiation and an energy shockwave.
  • Force the energy into chambers inside the spear shafts, where the superalloy will amplify and store it.
• The process is extremely delicate: too much explosive force will drive the energy back out instead of storing it.
• Their first attempt fails because Fu Junting accidentally activates the cutter with his belly while admiring colorful electrical arcs.
• More than a dozen further explosions occur over the next half hour. The brothers are repeatedly thrown against the walls, though their protective suits prevent serious injury.
• None of the four spears are successfully empowered, and all the chemical materials are used up except for one final attempt.
• Fu Junlin leaves the lab briefly because the bulky suit has badly strained his waist. After he uses a Healing Technique and rests, Fu Junting triggers the final explosion alone.
• The chapter ends with Fu Junting being blasted from the laboratory, black smoke trailing from him, and asking whether it has become dark because his helmet has been twisted backward.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin is shown as determined, technically skilled, and willing to sacrifice nearly all his savings to improve Black Dog’s weapon. However, his confidence is challenged by repeated failures, causing frustration and self-doubt.
• His protective attitude appears in his insistence on using oversized safety equipment, even though the brothers struggle to move in it.
• Fu Junting remains cheerful, clumsy, and easily distracted. He tries to help with the experiment but repeatedly causes problems through awkward movements and poor awareness of the equipment.
• Despite their failures, Fu Junting follows Fu Junlin’s instructions and remains supportive, while Fu Junlin continues correcting and encouraging him.

Significant Themes

• Determination amid failure: Fu Junlin persists despite financial loss, physical pain, and repeated experimental failures.
• Brotherly cooperation: The dangerous process requires both brothers to work simultaneously, emphasizing their dependence on one another.
• Scientific ambition and risk: The brothers pursue an experimental method that combines advanced materials, energy manipulation, and explosives, highlighting the dangers of innovation without guaranteed results.
• Comedic contrast: The highly technical and dangerous experiment is undermined by oversized suits, awkward waddling, accidental detonations, and Fu Junting’s distracted behavior.

Character Interactions

• Fu Junlin and the forge owner exchange mutual good wishes after the expensive spear-making process.
• Fu Junlin mentally urges the absent Black Dog to return, revealing his motivation for creating the weapons.
• In the laboratory, Fu Junlin explains the complicated procedure while Fu Junting only partly understands it.
• Fu Junlin repeatedly scolds Fu Junting for his carelessness, especially after the accidental first explosion, but still helps straighten his helmet and continues working with him.
• Fu Junting shows concern when Fu Junlin struggles with his waist, but immediately ends up causing another explosion after Fu Junlin leaves.

Chapter Summary: “Just a Bit Luckier”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fu Junlin returns to the laboratory after more than a dozen failed experiments and discovers that Fu Junting has successfully activated the four gun barrels.
• Scanning confirms that the weapons contain powerful energy waves that circulate within the 3.2 Superalloy without weakening.
• When Fu Junlin touches a barrel, purple electrical energy flows through his body and back into the weapon, causing only a mild tingling sensation.
• Fu Junting explains that he accidentally activated the experiment after bumping into two buttons while wearing an oversized blast-proof suit. Fu Junlin jokingly concludes that his brother is extraordinarily lucky, despite following the same experimental method.
• When Fu Junting touches the weapon, the energy violently discharges into him, throwing him through a wall and knocking him unconscious.
• Fu Junlin panics, removes his protective equipment, checks Fu Junting for injuries, and apologizes repeatedly. Fu Junting recovers and complains that the weapon nearly electrocuted him.
• Fu Junlin tests the weapon again and realizes that he can safely touch it, while Fu Junting cannot.
• He deduces that the difference is his partially unlocked Gene Lock. His 5% Gene Lock has elevated his life form beyond ordinary humanity, allowing energy to pass through his body and return to the gun. Fu Junting, lacking this enhancement, cannot conduct the energy safely.
• Fu Junlin concludes that only he can use the weapons. He names them “Return to the Ruins” in honor of Big Black and hopes that Big Black will someday return.
• The energy within Fu Junlin’s body appears to react to the name, though the chapter humorously implies that Big Black’s lingering consciousness dislikes the name.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin: Moves from frustration over repeated failures to excitement at the experiment’s success. His scientific reasoning allows him to identify the connection between the weapons and the Gene Lock. His protective concern for Fu Junting is also emphasized when he immediately risks himself to help after the accident.
• Fu Junting: Continues to display absurd, seemingly supernatural luck, accidentally succeeding where Fu Junlin failed. However, his lack of a Gene Lock makes him vulnerable to the weapons’ energy. He remains playful, somewhat evasive about responsibility, and dependent on his brother’s protection.
• Big Black: Though absent, Big Black’s influence remains through the weapons and the energy connected to Fu Junlin. The implied reaction to the weapon’s name adds a humorous suggestion that Big Black’s consciousness may still be present.

Significant Themes

• Luck versus effort: Fu Junlin’s years of study and careful experimentation are contrasted with Fu Junting’s accidental success, highlighting the unfairness and absurdity of luck.
• Scientific discovery: The brothers’ experiment reveals the nature of the weapon’s energy and establishes a connection between advanced technology, biology, and the Gene Lock.
• Evolution and transcendence: The 5% Gene Lock represents a transition from ordinary humanity to a higher form of life, showing that Fu Junlin is becoming fundamentally different from normal humans.
• Family loyalty and protection: Despite his irritation with Fu Junting’s luck, Fu Junlin immediately prioritizes his brother’s safety and feels intense guilt after the accident.
• Humor amid danger: The chapter combines catastrophic scientific accidents with comedic misunderstandings, Fu Junlin’s jealousy of his brother’s luck, and the joke about Big Black rejecting the chosen name.

Character Interactions

• Fu Junlin reacts with disbelief and envy when Fu Junting succeeds, while Fu Junting innocently attributes the accident to his oversized protective suit.
• Fu Junlin proudly lets Fu Junting touch the weapon, unaware of the danger, then desperately treats him after the energy throws him into the wall.
• Fu Junting warns Fu Junlin to be careful when he tests the barrel again, showing concern despite their comedic dynamic.
• Their relationship is defined by sibling teasing, unequal luck, mutual reliance, and Fu Junlin’s strong protective instinct.

Chapter Summary: Joining Nightingale Research Base

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fu Junlin arrives at Nightingale Research Base with an employment letter and is overwhelmed by the number and high level of researchers working there.
• His achievements—including contributions involving Soft Alloy, the Stealth Squad, the Black-Eyed Energy Core, and the Purification Agent—have earned him significant merit medals, though these accomplishments are not widely known at the base.
• At the personnel office, Fu Junlin receives his access card, uniform, work materials, and assignment to the Level-Two Calculation Department under Minister Sun Qisheng.
• Although Shangguan Mengzhi had wanted to place Fu Junlin in a more prestigious position, Fu Junlin deliberately chose a lower-level assignment to gain experience and avoid exposing his lack of Biological Vision, Supercomputing Consciousness, and Big Black’s assistance.
• Upon entering the calculation department, Fu Junlin attracts attention because he is a Subspecies working in a department considered unusually advanced for someone of his status.
• Sun Qisheng gives him a brief, indifferent welcome and directs him to his workstation.
• Fu Junlin meets several former schoolmates, who welcome him. One particularly flamboyant male upperclassman behaves flirtatiously, making Fu Junlin uncomfortable and provoking his sarcastic internal reaction.
• A tall upperclassman intervenes, helps him sit down, and prepares to explain the department’s work and Fu Junlin’s responsibilities.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin: Begins his official career at the research base. Though highly accomplished, he remains cautious and deliberately chooses a modest position to build practical experience and conceal his limitations. His pride, self-awareness, and aversion to relying on Shangguan Mengzhi’s influence are emphasized.
• Shangguan Mengzhi: Shows strong confidence and affection toward Fu Junlin, interpreting his refusal of a favored position as humility, responsibility, and consideration for his teacher. His emotional response highlights their mentor-student bond.
• Sun Qisheng: Appears distant and businesslike, offering Fu Junlin only a minimal welcome.
• Fu Junlin’s upperclassmen: Demonstrate that professional respect is based more on ability than species classification. They are friendly and willing to help him adjust.
• The flamboyant upperclassman: Provides comic relief through exaggerated mannerisms and flirtatious behavior, immediately creating an amusingly tense dynamic with Fu Junlin.

Significant Themes

• Merit versus social status: Fu Junlin’s achievements are substantial, but his Subspecies identity still causes surprise and scrutiny.
• Humility and self-reliance: He rejects special treatment and chooses to start from a less prestigious position in order to grow through experience.
• Secrecy and concealment: Fu Junlin must hide his lack of abilities and his connection to Shangguan Mengzhi, creating tension beneath his seemingly ordinary appointment.
• Prejudice and recognition: The reactions to Fu Junlin’s presence reveal assumptions about what Subspecies are capable of, while his placement suggests that talent can challenge those expectations.
• Workplace integration: The chapter introduces Fu Junlin to a new professional environment where he must establish himself among unfamiliar colleagues.

Character Interactions

• Fu Junlin’s concealed achievements contrast with the researchers’ uncertainty about his identity and abilities.
• Shangguan Mengzhi’s emotional support and high expectations contrast with Fu Junlin’s private reasons for declining special treatment.
• Sun Qisheng’s impersonal instructions emphasize the formal, hierarchical nature of the research base.
• Fu Junlin’s friendly exchanges with his upperclassmen show his ability to build professional relationships.
• His awkward interaction with the flirtatious upperclassman adds humor and reveals Fu Junlin’s easily irritated but restrained personality.

Chapter Summary: “Breaking Through the Dark Clouds, Launching the Phoenix Project”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fu Junlin learns the true purpose of his base: contributing to Project Phoenix, humanity’s attempt to build a mecha spacecraft capable of surviving inside the Electromagnetic Interference Clouds.
• The Clouds are believed to be one of the restrictions imposed by the mysterious “Black Hand,” the force associated with the Arena Zone, monsters, genetic evolution, and other global anomalies.
• Breaking through the Clouds would allow humanity to deploy airborne weapons, conduct long-distance transportation, scout beyond the Arena Zone’s walls, and potentially reclaim freedom of movement.
• Phoenix must survive inside the Clouds for forty-eight hours, called a Change Group. Environmental conditions shift every twelve hours through four phases, affecting interference frequency, heavy-metal content, air density, pressure, and other factors.
• Fu Junlin’s department is responsible for calculating the Clouds’ resistance and discovering the formula governing these four phases. If the pattern can be identified, Phoenix could adapt its materials, structure, and fuel usage to each phase.
• The department gathers data by launching simulated aircraft into the Clouds. Since direct observation is impossible, researchers calculate flight distance, speed, resistance, and density using launch and crash coordinates, propulsion energy, and related measurements.
• The work is extremely time-sensitive: each phase must be analyzed within twelve hours, before the first phase changes and invalidates earlier comparisons. Previous attempts have failed, and the researchers have not yet progressed beyond Phase Two.
• Fu Junlin studies discarded calculations and quickly becomes confident that the problem is difficult but not impossible. The next Change Group is scheduled to begin at midnight.
• Senior Gao warns Fu Junlin about Sun Qisheng, who may resent Fu’s special status and impressive record.
• Sun Qisheng gives Fu Junlin a set of calculations as a test. Fu completes them in only five minutes, astonishing Sun.
• Although Sun outwardly praises Fu and dismisses him, he later crumples the completed work and throws it away, clearly disturbed or threatened by Fu’s ability.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin demonstrates strong analytical ability, confidence, and an eagerness to contribute. Rather than being intimidated by the department’s failures, he sees the calculations as solvable and immediately engages with the discarded work.
• His speed and competence become evident when he completes Sun Qisheng’s test far faster than expected, establishing him as a potentially exceptional researcher.
• Senior Gao is introduced as supportive and practical. He explains the department’s work, advises Fu on preparing for the upcoming experiment, and privately warns him about workplace hostility.
• Sun Qisheng appears controlled and outwardly polite, but his reaction reveals jealousy and insecurity. Fu’s effortless performance challenges his authority and leaves him visibly unsettled.

Significant Themes

• Humanity versus confinement: Project Phoenix represents humanity’s effort to escape the Arena Zone’s imposed limits and regain strategic and physical freedom.
• Science confronting the unknown: Although the Clouds seem mysterious and possibly controlled by a higher power, researchers believe their behavior follows discoverable laws.
• Time pressure and collective effort: Hundreds of workers must coordinate complex calculations under strict twelve-hour deadlines, emphasizing the scale and urgency of the project.
• Human ingenuity despite technological limits: Because advanced AI and supercomputers are considered dangerous or vulnerable to the Clouds, progress depends heavily on human calculation and collaboration.
• Ambition and professional rivalry: Fu’s arrival introduces competition within the department, especially as his talent threatens Sun Qisheng’s position and pride.
• Breaking through darkness: The Phoenix project symbolically represents hope, exploration, and humanity’s determination to overcome forces it does not yet understand.

Character Interactions

• Gao Bo mentors Fu Junlin by explaining the department’s procedures and warning him to be cautious around Sun Qisheng.
• Sun tests Fu directly, expecting the calculation to take considerable time, but Fu’s immediate success surprises him.
• Fu remains respectful and optimistic toward Sun, unaware—or at least unconcerned—that Sun is threatened by his performance.
• The chapter ends with an outwardly professional relationship masking growing tension between Fu Junlin’s rising ability and Sun Qisheng’s jealousy.

Chapter Summary: “Sun Qisheng Swaps the Heir”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At midnight, the Federation begins Phase One of a major calculation operation involving an aircraft carrying Electromagnetic Interference Clouds.
• Sun Qisheng briefs the Level-Two Calculation Department on strict security rules: no one may remove data, leave the Research Building, or go off standby until all calculations are complete.
• Data arrives in several batches. The sheets contain embedded sensor circuits, preventing them from being removed, destroyed, or stored elsewhere without triggering an alarm.
• The researchers work throughout the night under intense pressure. Many struggle with fatigue, while Fu Junlin remains exceptionally energetic and efficient.
• Fu Junlin rapidly completes his assigned calculations and begins checking them. He notices that his data differs from the others and deliberately slows down after recalling Senior Gao’s warning, apparently trying not to attract attention.
• Sun Qisheng monitors the department and repeatedly urges everyone to work faster. After more than six hours, he collects the completed calculations, even though some researchers have not finished.
• While reviewing the submissions, Sun Qisheng discovers that Fu Junlin’s three propulsion calculations are completely correct, whereas the other members of the group have made errors.
• Recognizing the value of Fu Junlin’s work, Sun Qisheng secretly copies the calculations. He puts his own name on one copy and incorporates another into his summary, effectively claiming Fu Junlin’s results as his own.
• Sun Qisheng nearly destroys the original sheets but remembers the security sensors. Instead, he hides Fu Junlin’s original calculations in a confidential data-waste slot, exploiting Fu Junlin’s known habit of searching through discarded materials.
• The chapter ends with Sun Qisheng’s deliberate act of sabotage and theft, setting up a conflict over credit, evidence, and the true source of the calculations.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin demonstrates extraordinary calculation ability, speed, stamina, and accuracy. His performance clearly surpasses that of his colleagues, marking him as a highly talented and potentially important figure.
• Fu also shows caution and strategic awareness. After realizing that his work stands out, he intentionally slows down to avoid exposing his abilities too openly.
• Sun Qisheng is presented as competent and authoritative but increasingly unethical. Although he recognizes Fu Junlin’s brilliance, he chooses to exploit it rather than acknowledge it.
• Sun’s decision to forge ownership of Fu’s work reveals jealousy, opportunism, and a willingness to manipulate security procedures for personal gain.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus recognition: Fu Junlin’s superior ability is clear, but Sun Qisheng attempts to seize the credit.
• Institutional secrecy and control: The embedded sensors, restricted movement, and monitored data emphasize the Federation’s extreme security culture.
• Exploitation of ability: Fu’s work is treated as a resource that a superior can appropriate, reflecting the dangers faced by gifted but vulnerable individuals.
• Appearance versus reality: Sun appears to be supervising the operation responsibly, but secretly commits fraud and sabotage.
• Competition and suspicion: Fu’s effort to conceal his capabilities suggests a broader environment in which standing out may be dangerous.

Character Interactions

• Sun Qisheng commands and pressures the researchers, repeatedly demanding greater speed and enforcing strict rules.
• Fu Junlin works within Sun’s department but attracts Sun’s attention because of his unusually accurate and rapid calculations.
• Sun’s review of Fu’s work becomes the chapter’s crucial interaction: instead of praising or reporting Fu’s success, he copies the results and claims them.
• Sun also exploits Fu’s habit of searching through discarded data, turning a personal observation into a means of hiding the evidence.

Chapter Summary: “A First-Stage Breakthrough Earned Merit”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Sun Qisheng leaves, the Level-Two Calculation Department relaxes and celebrates surviving the intense calculation session.
• Fu Junlin is humorously harassed by the flamboyant Senior Cheng Tienan, who offers him pastries in an exaggeratedly flirtatious manner. Senior Zheng Gangjin repeatedly kicks Cheng away, while Gao Bo helps Fu Junlin and the others.
• Over two hours later, Sun Qisheng returns with the news that the first-stage formulas have been successfully completed. This breakthrough allows the researchers to begin revealing the otherwise unobservable physical world hidden within the Electromagnetic Interference Clouds.
• Sun Qilong praises the success but warns everyone that the error rate remains high and that they must stay focused for the second stage, which will begin at midnight.
• Fu Junlin joins several seniors for a meal and hopes to resolve his lack of dorm accommodation.
• At the main cafeteria, Fu Junlin discovers a rule banning “Subspecies” from entering. The guards confirm that his department and merit do not exempt him from the restriction.
• Rather than let his seniors argue or use his accomplishments as leverage, Fu Junlin quietly leaves to eat in the Subspecies cafeteria at the Third Testing Zone.
• The chapter ends by describing the cramped, noisy cafeteria and the Subspecies’ singing and dancing, activities that offer temporary relief from the oppressive conditions of Federation society.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin remains calm, restrained, and dignified in the face of discrimination. Although clearly hurt by being excluded, he refuses to create trouble for his companions or exploit his merit for special treatment.
• His determination strengthens: he wants to earn enough recognition and power to eventually tear down the discriminatory cafeteria sign entirely.
• Sun Qisheng is revealed to be concerned that Fu Junlin may react suspiciously to the department’s success. Once Fu Junlin shows no unusual response, Sun Qisheng privately resolves to claim credit for his contributions.
• Cheng Tienan is established as an extremely flamboyant and socially inappropriate senior whose exaggerated behavior embarrasses Fu Junlin but also reflects a strange form of friendliness.
• Zheng Gangjin acts protectively toward Fu Junlin, repeatedly intervening when Cheng’s behavior becomes unbearable.
• Gao Bo shows genuine concern for Fu Junlin by accompanying him to eat and offering help with his dorm situation.

Significant Themes

• Merit versus prejudice: Fu Junlin’s valuable contributions cannot overcome the institutional discrimination directed at Subspecies.
• Quiet dignity and resistance: Fu Junlin refuses to seek shallow privilege or pity. His long-term goal is systemic change rather than temporary personal advantage.
• Collective achievement and exploitation: The first-stage breakthrough is a genuine accomplishment for the department, but Sun Qisheng intends to conceal or misappropriate Fu Junlin’s contributions.
• Relief amid pressure: The department’s joking, eating, and celebration provide brief emotional release in a society dominated by survival and scientific urgency.
• Suppression of culture: The Federation’s ban on entertainment has caused music and dance to stagnate, demonstrating how the government’s survival-focused ideology suppresses ordinary joy and creativity.

Character Interactions

• Cheng Tienan’s flirtatious teasing makes Fu Junlin uncomfortable, while Zheng Gangjin and Gao Bo react with amusement and protective intervention.
• The researchers celebrate together after Sun Qisheng announces their success, reinforcing their shared dependence on one another.
• At the cafeteria, Cheng Tienan challenges the guards’ exclusion of Fu Junlin but stops short of invoking Fu’s merit as a justification for special treatment.
• Gao Bo and the others try to support Fu Junlin, but he reassures them and leaves independently, emphasizing both their concern and his self-reliance.

Chapter Summary: “Do a Good Job, Take On More Responsibility”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fu Junlin returns to the Research Building after working through the night and requests a resting room from the administrator.
• The administrator assigns him an unclean, moldy storage room with a camp bed, dismissing Fu Junlin’s objections by claiming that any room with a bed qualifies as a resting room.
• Fu Junlin accepts the arrangement outwardly, though the constant noise from nearby plumbing repeatedly wakes him during his short sleep.
• At noon, Fu Junlin returns to the Level-Two Calculation Department exhausted. Senior Cheng Tienan notices his poor condition and sympathizes with him.
• During the second craft launch, Fu Junlin again produces flawless calculations. Sun Qisheng relies heavily on Fu Junlin’s results, copies them under his own name, and discards Fu Junlin’s original work.
• Despite Fu Junlin’s perfect calculations, the second phase fails because the data is more complicated and the exhausted workers make too many errors. The failure wastes enormous amounts of time, effort, and resources, including the costs of two spacecraft.
• The department remains under intense pressure because crafts must continue to be built and launched, while there are not enough highly skilled calculation specialists.
• At a meeting, Professor Wei Changchun praises Sun Qisheng for his reliable data and assigns him greater responsibility.
• Taking advantage of this praise, Sun Qisheng approaches Fu Junlin and tells him that the leadership is satisfied with his work. He then gives Fu Junlin an additional set of drag calculations, claiming that capable workers should shoulder more responsibility.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin: Demonstrates exceptional skill by producing error-free calculations despite extreme sleep deprivation and poor working conditions. He remains outwardly calm and tolerant when mistreated, though internally he is furious and resentful. His competence becomes increasingly valuable to the department, even though his contributions are not properly credited.
• Sun Qisheng: Continues to depend on Fu Junlin’s work while presenting the results as his own. After receiving praise from Professor Wei, he becomes more confident and uses his increased authority to assign Fu Junlin additional work.
• Professor Wei Changchun: Reveals himself as a strict but perceptive leader who rewards reliability and competence. His praise of Sun Qisheng shows the importance of dependable data during the crisis.
• The administrator: Treats Fu Junlin dismissively and abuses his authority by assigning him an unsuitable storage room.
• Cheng Tienan: Shows concern for Fu Junlin’s exhaustion, providing one of the few moments of sympathy toward him.

Significant Themes

• Exploitation of talent: Fu Junlin’s abilities are essential to the department, but Sun Qisheng takes credit for his work and uses him as an unseen resource.
• Responsibility and hierarchy: The phrase “the capable should shoulder more work” is presented both as a leadership principle and as a means of placing even greater burdens on the most competent workers.
• Institutional unfairness: Fu Junlin receives poor living conditions and little recognition despite performing perfectly, highlighting the gap between his value and his treatment.
• Pressure and exhaustion: The chapter emphasizes how sleep deprivation and relentless deadlines increase errors and undermine morale.
• Individual skill versus systemic failure: Fu Junlin’s flawless calculations cannot prevent failure when other departments produce inaccurate data, showing that success depends on the entire system rather than one talented worker.
• The value of art and spiritual life: The opening reflection suggests that humanity needs art and culture to avoid becoming spiritually dull, contrasting human creativity with the rigid, exhausting world of scientific and industrial labor.

Character Interactions

• Fu Junlin clashes quietly with the administrator, who responds to his reasonable complaint with sarcasm and indifference.
• Cheng Tienan notices Fu Junlin’s exhaustion and offers sympathetic concern.
• Sun Qisheng repeatedly uses Fu Junlin’s accurate calculations, submits them under his own name, and later frames the increased workload as recognition of Fu Junlin’s ability.
• Professor Wei praises Sun Qisheng and entrusts him with greater responsibility, indirectly enabling Sun’s authority over Fu Junlin.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Fu Junlin has long expected that his data-analysis abilities will attract the attention of the research leaders. He sees the current project as a chance to advance, unaware that Sun Qisheng is exploiting him.
• Over fourteen days, all seven variation groups repeatedly fail at the second stage because they cannot calculate accurate internal data from the Interference Clouds.
• While the other researchers receive rest days, Fu Junlin is forced to handle increasingly heavy workloads. Sun Qisheng assigns him six or seven sets of calculations at every stage, covering propulsion, resistance, and density.
• Fu Junlin’s living conditions are terrible: he sleeps in a storage room plagued by constant dripping water, has difficulty accessing food and restrooms, and must use a basin because no restroom accommodates a Subspecies.
• Despite exhaustion and deteriorating mental health, Fu Junlin continues working out of pride, determination, and a desire to prove that he is not dependent on Big Black. He hopes Professor Wei Changchun will eventually recognize his talent.
• On the sixteenth night, the team finally clears the second stage and enters the crucial third stage. Professor Wei personally comes to the Level-Two Calculation Department to assist.
• Fu Junlin is absent for over an hour because he falls asleep after briefly lying down. Wei, who strongly values punctuality and discipline, angrily confronts him.
• Under intense pressure, Fu Junlin explodes and reveals the abuse and unreasonable workload he has endured. He accuses the research team of treating him like a machine and then announces that he quits.
• Fu Junlin leaves, deciding to abandon scientific research and return to fighting in the Arena Zone.
• Without Fu Junlin’s calculations, Sun Qisheng and the department fail to complete the third-stage data. The entire stage is declared a failure.
• Later, Wei realizes that he may have accidentally thrown an important statistical table into the data trash bin and orders an assistant to retrieve it.

2. Character Developments

• Fu Junlin: His perseverance turns into emotional collapse. He begins the chapter ambitious and determined to earn recognition, but exhaustion, neglect, and resentment push him into an angry resignation. His outburst exposes both his physical suffering and his growing disillusionment with research.
• Sun Qisheng: He is revealed as manipulative and opportunistic, continually increasing Fu Junlin’s workload while benefiting from Fu’s talent. Once Fu leaves, Sun’s inability to complete the work shows how dependent he has become on Fu.
• Wei Changchun: Initially presented as a strict, disciplined leader who hates lateness, Wei reacts harshly without understanding Fu’s circumstances. He fails to recognize Fu’s enormous contribution and only later begins noticing the importance of the discarded data.
• Gao Bo and the other researchers: Their anxiety when Fu is missing demonstrates that they know how essential he is to the department, even if the leadership has not acknowledged it.

3. Significant Themes

• Exploitation of talent: Fu’s ability is used extensively without fair treatment, rest, or recognition.
• The cost of overwork: Sleep deprivation, poor living conditions, and relentless pressure push Fu into a mental and emotional breakdown.
• Institutional hypocrisy: The research system emphasizes discipline and productivity while ignoring the unequal burdens placed on Fu.
• Recognition and resentment: Fu works hard hoping his talent will be noticed, but the leaders focus on his one-hour absence rather than the weeks of labor behind it.
• Dependence and undervaluation: The department treats Fu as replaceable until his departure immediately causes the project to fail.
• Pride and defiance: Fu’s determination to prove himself keeps him going, but the same pride intensifies his refusal to tolerate humiliation.

4. Character Interactions

• Fu Junlin and Sun Qisheng: Sun assigns Fu increasingly excessive amounts of work, exploiting Fu’s capabilities while concealing how much the department relies on him.
• Fu Junlin and Wei Changchun: Wei angrily reprimands Fu for being late, while Fu responds with a furious confession of his working and living conditions. Their confrontation destroys Fu’s faith in Wei’s fairness.
• Wei Changchun and Sun Qisheng: Wei takes control of the critical third-stage work, making Sun nervous. After Fu leaves, Sun is unable to manage the workload, exposing his dependence on Fu.
• Fu Junlin and his absent supporters: Fu’s thoughts about Shangguan Mengzhi and Big Black reveal that he is motivated by a desire to live up to others’ expectations and prove he can succeed independently.
• Wei Changchun and his assistant: After realizing that a valuable table may have been discarded, Wei orders his assistant to unlock the data trash bin, hinting that Fu’s rejected or overlooked work may be crucial.

Chapter Summary: “The Audacity to Pull a Switcheroo”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wei Changchun searches the rarely emptied paper-waste bin and discovers hundreds of calculation reports bearing the unfamiliar name Fu Junlin.
• After examining the reports, he realizes that Fu Junlin’s calculations are exceptionally accurate and cover propulsion, resistance, pressure, density, and other crucial data.
• Wei learns that the Level-Two Calculation Department had been secretly discarding Fu Junlin’s work while Sun Qisheng submitted identical calculations under his own name.
• More than three hundred reports—ultimately identified as 327—are found, far exceeding the amount of work one calculation specialist would normally produce.
• Wei summons Gao Bo, Cheng Tienan, Zheng Gangjin, and several students without informing Sun Qisheng. Cheng confirms that Fu Junlin was the Subspecies student who had argued with Wei and left.
• Realizing the seriousness of the deception, Wei suspends the next spacecraft launch and calls an emergency meeting attended by senior personnel and Federation Army security ministers.
• At the meeting, Wei explains that the project’s recent breakthroughs and rapid progress into Stage Three were based on data attributed to Sun Qisheng—but actually produced by Fu Junlin.
• Wei publicly accuses Sun of plagiarizing Fu Junlin’s work and throws the reports in his face.

Character Developments

• Wei Changchun shifts from confusion to shock, then fury, as he uncovers the plagiarism. His respect for the quality of Fu Junlin’s work makes Sun’s deception especially infuriating.
• Sun Qisheng is exposed as a fraud. His recent success and apparent improvement were not due to increased ability, but to stealing Fu Junlin’s calculations. He becomes visibly terrified as the truth is revealed.
• Fu Junlin gains importance despite being absent from the chapter. His discarded work proves him to be a highly capable and accurate calculation specialist, suggesting that he was deliberately overlooked or exploited.
• Cheng Tienan provides the crucial identification of Fu Junlin, while Gao Bo and Zheng Gangjin hesitate, implying discomfort or possible awareness of the earlier incident.
• Li Guangquan, initially amused by Wei’s anger, becomes serious when the scale of Sun’s misconduct is revealed.

Significant Themes

• Plagiarism and stolen achievement: The chapter centers on Sun Qisheng receiving credit for another person’s work.
• Institutional exploitation: Fu Junlin’s reports were discarded even though they were essential to the project’s success, suggesting that status or prejudice mattered more than merit.
• Truth emerging through evidence: Physical documents and matching data expose the deception more powerfully than accusations alone.
• Recognition and injustice: Fu Junlin’s talent is finally acknowledged only after his work is found in the trash.
• Progress built on hidden labor: The project’s breakthroughs depended on contributions that were deliberately concealed.

Character Interactions

• Wei’s assistant helps him search the waste bin and later gathers the relevant students and personnel.
• Wei questions Gao Bo, Cheng Tienan, and Zheng Gangjin about the unidentified Subspecies student; Cheng names Fu Junlin.
• During the emergency meeting, Wei confronts the assembled scientists and officials, explaining how Sun’s falsely credited data accelerated the project.
• Wei directly humiliates Sun by accusing him of stealing Fu Junlin’s work and throwing the evidence at him, leaving the room shocked and Sun unable to respond.

Chapter Summary: “This Time, It Was Treason”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wei Changchun orders the internal guards to arrest Sun Qisheng for failing to recognize and recommend a highly valuable genius to the Tier-One Calculation Department.
• Because Sun’s negligence contributed to the failure of the third phase of the crucial “Phoenix” project, Wei accuses him of treason—a capital crime. Sun is dragged away as an example to others.
• The officials realize they urgently need to locate the rejected student, whose abilities could resolve the project’s difficulties.
• Wei admits that he personally drove the student away for arriving late, unaware of his true identity and capabilities.
• Li Guangquan reveals that the student is Fu Junlin, Shangguan Mengzhi’s prized disciple, a Savant Syndrome genius who developed Soft Alloy and earned major merit awards before turning twenty.
• They learn Fu Junlin may soon become involved with martial academies and arena competitions, increasing the urgency of recruiting him before another group does.
• Wei and Li visit Shangguan Mengzhi to ask for Fu Junlin’s return. Shangguan initially assumes the officials are merely being polite, but becomes enraged when he discovers that Wei fired his disciple.
• After hearing the full story, Shangguan refuses to help retrieve Fu Junlin and angrily orders both men out, warning that he will hold them responsible if his disciple is lost.

Character Developments

• Wei Changchun: Initially furious and authoritative, Wei is exposed as careless and impulsive. His decision to dismiss Fu Junlin creates a crisis, and he becomes increasingly nervous when confronted by Shangguan.
• Sun Qisheng: His arrogance or incompetence is punished severely. He changes from a negligent official into a terrified prisoner when his failure is labeled treason.
• Li Guangquan: Acts as the more informed and amused figure in the situation. He reveals Fu Junlin’s background and enjoys watching Wei face the consequences of his mistake, though he ultimately becomes a target of Shangguan’s anger as well.
• Shangguan Mengzhi: Demonstrates deep loyalty and protectiveness toward Fu Junlin. His initially calm demeanor turns explosively furious once he learns that his disciple was dismissed and mistreated.
• Fu Junlin: Though absent from the chapter, his reputation is established as an exceptionally gifted scientist, inventor, and capable fighter whose value is recognized by both scholarly and martial organizations.

Significant Themes

• Negligence and accountability: Administrative failure has severe consequences when it obstructs a project vital to national survival.
• The danger of judging by appearances: Fu Junlin’s lateness and status as a Subspecies caused officials to underestimate or overlook him.
• Talent versus bureaucracy: Institutional rules and personal prejudice prevent the Federation from recognizing an extraordinary genius in time.
• Political and military urgency: The Phoenix project is linked to competition among major Federations and control of electromagnetic warfare, making Fu Junlin’s abilities strategically important.
• Mentorship and loyalty: Shangguan’s furious defense of Fu Junlin highlights the powerful bond between teacher and disciple.
• Irony and reversals: Wei condemns Sun for wasting talent, only to realize that he committed a similar mistake by dismissing Fu Junlin himself.

Character Interactions

• Wei publicly condemns and arrests Sun, framing his failure as treason.
• Li questions Wei about Fu Junlin and reveals the young man’s prestigious background, leaving Wei stunned.
• Wei and Li jointly approach Shangguan, but Wei’s fear contrasts with Li’s detached amusement.
• Shangguan’s seemingly polite remarks are misinterpreted by Wei as sarcasm, heightening the tension.
• Once Shangguan learns the truth, he rejects their request for help and ejects both officials, leaving them humiliated and helpless.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shangguan Mengzhi’s assistance allows the group to locate Fu Junlin in the Third Testing Zone, an aircraft-launching area also used by the Subspecies as a cafeteria and rest site.
• Fu Junlin is found asleep on a bare stone platform, exhausted and wearing a dirty jacket that does not belong to him. He has avoided going home so his mother will not see his poor condition and worry.
• When Wei Changchun and the researchers arrive, Wei stops them from waking Fu Junlin. Instead, he gently places his own jacket beneath Fu Junlin’s head as a pillow and waits silently for him to rest.
• More than a hundred Superior Human and Mighty Species researchers eventually gather around, standing in silence while Fu Junlin sleeps. Their pristine uniforms become covered in dust and grime from the neglected testing zone.
• The Subspecies observe the scene from a distance, quietly taking pride in seeing powerful researchers wait respectfully for one of their own.
• Elsewhere, on Yunhe Street, Fu Junting sells a Crystal Ball containing controllable red lightning to a young boy for 188 yuan.
• Fu Junting then meets classmates Feng Kele and Chen Dongdong, who invite him to watch live matches near the mine. He agrees after learning no ticket is required.
• During their conversation, Chen asks about Junting’s weapon and his development toward becoming a Blade-and-Sword Enchanter. Junting hints that his weapon is still undergoing secret testing.
• Feng reveals that Chen was responsible for leaking a video of “The Silent One,” causing Fu Junting to suddenly stiffen, implying that the revelation is personally significant to him.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin: His exhaustion and reluctance to return home reveal his consideration for his mother and his willingness to endure hardship alone. His sleeping openly among the Subspecies also suggests that he feels more comfortable in their noisy, communal environment than at home.
• Wei Changchun: He displays remorse and compassion toward Fu Junlin. Rather than treating him as merely a subordinate or suspect, Wei protects his sleep and shows genuine respect by waiting quietly beside him.
• Fu Junting: He is entrepreneurial, confident, and socially adept, selling magical Crystal Balls to children. He also appears ambitious about becoming a Blade-and-Sword Enchanter, though he keeps details about his weapon secret.
• Feng Kele and Chen Dongdong: Their eagerness to befriend Junting is partly motivated by his family’s influence and academic success. Chen is portrayed as indiscreet, while Feng openly criticizes him for spreading secrets.

Significant Themes

• Guilt and responsibility: Wei Changchun’s silent vigil and act of giving Fu Junlin his jacket communicate remorse more powerfully than words.
• Respect across social divisions: The high-ranking researchers’ willingness to stand in the dirty testing zone for a sleeping Subspecies man reverses the usual hierarchy and gives the Subspecies a sense of dignity.
• Exhaustion and sacrifice: Fu Junlin’s condition reflects the physical and emotional costs of his work, as well as his desire to protect his mother from worry.
• Secrecy and betrayal: Junting hides information about his weapon, while the revelation that Chen leaked “The Silent One’s” video introduces a possible betrayal or personal conflict.
• Youthful ambition: Junting and his classmates’ interest in weapons, arenas, and live matches reflects the aspirations of young people growing up in a martial and competitive society.

Character Interactions

• Wei Changchun carefully tends to the sleeping Fu Junlin and silently waits with the assembled researchers, creating a scene of collective respect.
• The Subspecies watch the researchers’ behavior and gain confidence and pride from seeing their community member treated with importance.
• Fu Junting negotiates playfully with the young Crystal Ball buyer, then joins Feng Kele and Chen Dongdong for an outing.
• Feng and Chen attempt to draw Junting into conversation about his weapon, but Feng’s accusation about Chen leaking the video abruptly changes the mood and appears to unsettle Junting.

Chapter Summary: “Nothing That Can’t Be Sold for Money”

Plot points and events

Fu Junting, Feng Kele, and Chen Dongdong discuss the leaked video of The Silent One killing a Superior Human. Chen admits he accidentally leaked the recording after Feng had shown it to him, making Feng furious. Fu then takes the two boys to the Blue Bird Bar, claiming he will introduce them to alcohol. With Jian Hongyan’s help, they order food and several glasses of extremely strong liquor. Fu deliberately tricks Feng and Chen into drinking too much by flattering them about their tolerance, and both boys soon pass out.
Fu carries them into a filthy alley in the Red Carpet District, where he approaches a men-only club. He falsely tells the club’s patrons that the unconscious boys want to “let loose,” negotiates a finder’s fee, and leaves with the money while the men take Feng and Chen inside.

Character developments

Fu Junting is revealed to be manipulative, shameless, and opportunistic. He uses his friends’ inexperience and drunkenness to exploit them for profit, while maintaining a playful and innocent outward manner. Feng Kele remains protective of The Silent One’s reputation and easily provoked by Chen’s carelessness. Chen Dongdong is boastful and eager to prove himself, making him especially vulnerable to Fu’s drinking trick. Jian Hongyan treats Fu familiarly and playfully, but appears unaware of his true intentions.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes betrayal, exploitation, and the corrupting influence of money. Its title reflects Fu’s willingness to commodify even his friends’ safety and dignity. The lighthearted dialogue and comedic framing contrast sharply with the disturbing implications of the boys’ fate, highlighting the morally lawless environment in which the characters live.

Character interactions

Fu teases Feng and Chen about the leaked video, charms Jian Hongyan at the bar, and manipulates the other boys through flattery. Jian responds to him like a familiar younger brother. After getting Feng and Chen drunk, Fu negotiates directly with the men at the club, presenting himself as their handler before abandoning them for payment.

Chapter Summary: “Iron Second Academy Comes for a Match”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fu Junlin wakes to find Wei Changchun and a large group of researchers standing around him. Wei sincerely apologizes for dismissing Fu’s work earlier.
• Wei reveals that Sun Qisheng had deliberately thrown away all of Fu’s data, causing Fu’s research to be ignored. Sun has been handed over to the Military Court on treason charges.
• Wei admits that the system and his own judgment failed Fu, but asks him not to lose faith in the Federation or the Phoenix Project.
• Shangguan Mengzhi arrives and announces that the Federation has temporarily avoided being overtaken by the United States and the Red Sun Federation. The Phoenix Project will pause for ten days before attempting to launch Phoenix.
• Shangguan assigns Wei to the Level-Two Calculation Department and plans to personally lead the main Calculation Department with Fu’s help.
• Fu accepts the arrangement but privately intends to assist with the calculations only temporarily before focusing on improving his combat strength, hoping to draw the powerful “Big Black” back into battle.
• Two days later, Flying Cloud Vine School hosts a major athletic-field competition against Iron Second Academy. A huge temporary combat platform has been sponsored by Fat Tiger’s entertainment company.
• Fat Tiger Entertainment has become famous because The Silent One’s livestream account is registered to the company. Fat Tiger refuses to reveal The Silent One’s identity and continues protecting the account while waiting for the mysterious fighter’s return.
• The school grounds are filled with students, vendors, weapons stalls, and spectators, creating a festival-like atmosphere for the annual interschool stage competition.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin gains recognition after learning that his failure was caused by Sun Qisheng’s sabotage rather than flaws in his work. Although he accepts the apology, he remains emotionally detached and plans to prioritize personal strength.
• Wei Changchun shows humility and integrity by admitting his mistake and publicly apologizing. He cares more about the Phoenix Project’s success than receiving credit or maintaining his position.
• Shangguan Mengzhi appears noticeably more relaxed after receiving favorable news about the Federation’s situation. He takes control of the main calculations and gives Fu a path back into the project.
• Sun Qisheng is exposed as a traitor who manipulated Fu and obstructed the Phoenix Project.
• Fat Tiger continues building his entertainment empire while loyally guarding The Silent One’s identity and livestream account. His exaggerated efforts show both his commercial instincts and his belief that The Silent One will eventually return.

Significant Themes

• Accountability and redemption: Wei accepts responsibility for failing Fu, while Fu must decide whether the apology is enough to restore his trust.
• Loyalty to larger ideals: Wei’s willingness to surrender status and credit emphasizes devotion to humanity and the Federation.
• Institutional corruption and manipulation: Sun Qisheng’s actions reveal how personal schemes and bureaucratic failures can suppress important work.
• Science versus personal power: Fu is drawn between contributing to the Phoenix Project and pursuing the combat strength he believes is necessary to achieve his own goals.
• Public fame and hidden identities: Fat Tiger’s protection of The Silent One highlights the tension between celebrity, mystery, and genuine ability.
• Hope amid pressure: The temporary reprieve and planned Phoenix launch create optimism, while the upcoming school competition shifts attention toward a more public and competitive arena.

Character Interactions

• Wei apologizes directly to Fu and explains the truth behind the discarded data, while Fu responds calmly and without obvious resentment.
• The surrounding researchers and subspecies witness Wei’s public bow, creating a mixture of sincerity, embarrassment, and reluctant participation.
• Shangguan interrupts the apology scene, reassures everyone about the Phoenix Project, and reassigns Wei and Fu to roles that allow the project to continue.
• Fat Tiger’s interactions with would-be impostors of The Silent One are presented humorously, especially his refusal to let anyone misuse the fighter’s identity.
• The chapter ends by bringing Fu’s scientific storyline toward a pause and setting the stage for the public rivalry between Flying Cloud Vine School and Iron Second Academy.

Chapter Summary: “Honor and Disgrace at Stake, Iron Second Academy’s Spirit Soars”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter contrasts the two competing institutions:
  • Flying Cloud Vine School is a prestigious, well-rounded academy focused on research, tactics, management, and producing future military or administrative leaders.
  • Iron Second Academy is a vocational combat academy created to supply fighters to the Iron Hand Front. Its students undergo far more battlefield training and suffer a much higher death rate.
• Iron Second Academy has increasingly challenged prestigious schools to gain recognition, resources, and status. Its competition with Flying Cloud Vine is therefore about more than victory—it concerns the academy’s reputation and future standing.
• The upcoming contest uses a staged arena format:
  • The lower stage involves Entry-Level Two and Level-Two Elite students.
  • The middle stage involves Level-Two Master and Level-Three Initiate students.
  • Faculty members compete in the upper stage.
• The lower-stage portion consists of five matches under a best-of-five format. Victors may remain in the arena and fight successive opponents, meaning a single exceptionally strong student could potentially defeat several rivals.
• Students discuss the serious danger of the contest. Previous matches against Iron Second Academy have reportedly resulted in deaths, and teleportation evacuation was abandoned because it increased fatalities in the unstable Arena Zone.
• The arena platforms rise from the plaza floor, creating elevated fighting areas and spectator stands. Flying Cloud Vine’s advanced facilities impress and frustrate the visiting Iron Second students, who envy the academy’s resources.
• Iron Second Academy’s main competitors finally arrive. Though only about twenty or thirty students, they project an intense, murderous aura that immediately commands attention.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin is shown preparing seriously for the competition, studying the rules alongside Qiao Zishu. His dislike of spicy food is also mentioned in a lighter moment.
• Cheng Xiaoyu and Ling Xiaobing provide casual support and comic relief as they bring food and drinks for Fu Junlin.
• The arriving Iron Second competitors are characterized collectively as hardened combatants. Their intimidating presence contrasts with the more relaxed and playful atmosphere among Flying Cloud Vine’s students.

Significant Themes

• Honor, reputation, and institutional status: Iron Second is fighting to prove that a vocational combat academy can challenge elite prestigious schools.
• Different definitions of education: Flying Cloud Vine cultivates broad leadership and intellectual ability, while Iron Second prioritizes survival, combat skill, and frontline effectiveness.
• The cost of military strength: Iron Second’s students gain real battlefield experience but face dramatically higher death rates.
• Privilege and inequality: Flying Cloud Vine’s sophisticated arena and facilities highlight the difference in resources between the two academies, fueling Iron Second’s resentment.
• Danger versus complacency: The discussion of teleportation shows how safety measures can sometimes reduce caution and create greater risks.

Character Interactions

• Cheng Xiaoyu calls out to Fu Junlin about barbecue, while Ling Xiaobing corrects him and notes Fu Junlin’s preference for non-spicy food.
• Fu Junlin and Qiao Zishu jointly review the competition rules before the match.
• Upperclassmen explain the contest’s deadly history and the risks of teleportation to confused freshmen.
• Flying Cloud Vine students enthusiastically welcome Iron Second Academy, while Iron Second’s visiting students remain visibly envious of Flying Cloud Vine’s facilities.
• The chapter ends with the two sides facing one another, establishing a tense clash between Flying Cloud Vine’s prestige and Iron Second’s battle-hardened spirit.

Chapter Summary: “Crushed by an Overwhelming Gap in Strength”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fu Junlin watches a student-level arena match at Flying Cloud Vine Academy with Cheng Xiaoyu, Qiao Zishu, and Ling Xiaobing. His friends know he is secretly The Silent One, the top-ranked Combat Arena fighter, and tease him about whether he will accept Iron Second Academy’s challenge.
• Fu Junlin refuses to transform into The Silent One because he lacks his usual companion, Big Black, and believes he would be defeated in his current state.
• The match begins between Iron Second Academy and Flying Cloud Vine Academy.
• Iron Second sends out Gao Jingxuan, a scarred Mighty-Species mage. Flying Cloud Vine responds with Xia Xin, a Level-Two Elite Superior-Species Blade-and-Sword Enchanter ranked fourth on the Combat Arena leaderboard.
• Xia Xin initially appears to have the advantage because close-combat fighters generally perform well in arena battles against mages. However, Gao Jingxuan demonstrates exceptional control and combat intelligence.
• Gao combines multiple layers of fire magic: Fire Fans create Fire Tornadoes, which conceal a powerful flaming saber. When Xia Xin blocks it, Gao’s attack splits apart and traps him from both sides.
• Xia Xin attempts to counter with a powerful sword aura, but Gao erects a flaming wind wall that completely neutralizes the attack. Xia Xin’s shield is destroyed, and he is restrained and badly burned by Gao’s fire elements.
• A teacher stops the fight and declares Gao the winner.
• Gao publicly mocks Flying Cloud Vine Academy and challenges The Silent One to fight for the academy’s honor, implying that The Silent One is cowardly if he does not appear.
• His provocation causes Fu Junlin to experience a violent reaction inside his chest, as though an angry force or presence is attempting to break free.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin: Reveals his reluctance to use The Silent One’s identity without Big Black. Although he wants to remain an observer, Gao’s insult provokes a powerful emotional and physical response, suggesting that his hidden power or alter ego may react independently to challenges.
• Gao Jingxuan: Establishes himself as an extremely skilled and arrogant fighter. His mastery lies not merely in raw strength but in layering spells, concealing attacks, and controlling the battlefield without needing to move.
• Xia Xin: Despite being a highly ranked and experienced combatant, he is overwhelmed almost immediately. His defeat demonstrates the enormous gap between him and Gao.
• Cheng Xiaoyu, Qiao Zishu, and Ling Xiaobing: Their playful teasing highlights their familiarity with Fu Junlin’s secret. Cheng offers to help conceal his transformation, while Ling jokingly reminds him of their past encounter.
• The Flying Cloud Vine students: Their initial excitement turns to anger and humiliation after Gao’s overwhelming victory and insulting challenge.

Significant Themes

• The overwhelming gap in strength: Xia Xin is already an elite fighter, yet Gao defeats him effortlessly, emphasizing that rankings and conventional advantages do not guarantee victory.
• Combat intelligence versus simple power: Gao’s layered magic and tactical deception are more important than brute force. His victory comes from timing, concealment, and precise control.
• Pride and academy honor: Gao’s taunt turns a formal match into a challenge to Flying Cloud Vine’s reputation, forcing Fu Junlin to confront whether he will defend his academy.
• Hidden identity and suppressed power: Fu Junlin’s secret as The Silent One becomes increasingly difficult to contain, especially when outside provocation awakens a fierce reaction within him.
• The brutality of the world: The battle operates under battlefield-like rules, where anything short of killing is permitted. The setting treats combat as a harsh necessity rather than a safe competition.

Important Character Interactions

• Fu Junlin’s friends jokingly pressure him to reveal himself as The Silent One, while he firmly rejects the idea.
• Gao and Xia Xin exchange insults before fighting, each criticizing the other’s arrogance.
• Gao dominates Xia Xin through a sequence of coordinated attacks, while Xia Xin struggles to defend himself.
• After winning, Gao directly challenges The Silent One, provoking both the crowd and Fu Junlin.
• Fu Junlin’s physical reaction to Gao’s words foreshadows an imminent transformation or confrontation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fu Junlin senses what may be Big Black calling him to enter the arena and considers putting on the repaired Silent One Mask, hoping Big Black will appear if he takes the stage.
• Before he can act, a large man wearing a Silent One Mask jumps onto the arena and claims he has come to protect the hostage from the real Silent One. The crowd recognizes him as an obvious fake but enthusiastically supports him anyway.
• The man is revealed to be Gao Jingxuan, a powerful student from a prestigious academy. He attacks the burly Fistmaster, who is associated with Iron Second Academy.
• Gao uses fire magic, blinding flames, shock blasts, and rapid movement to keep the Fistmaster off balance. Although the Fistmaster counters with Sonic Vibration, shields, and powerful physical attacks, Gao’s magic and close-combat skill overwhelm him.
• Gao destroys the Fistmaster’s shield and lands a devastating flaming-fan strike across his shoulder and back. The teachers from Flying Cloud Vine choose not to intervene, believing the students must endure real combat and injury.
• Just as Gao prepares to continue, a silver humanoid mech suddenly leaps into the arena. Gao attacks it, but the mech ignores the flames and lands a powerful flying kick that sends him crashing into the arena’s protective barrier.
• The mech is identified as the Inverse Walker, dramatically changing the balance of the fight.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin becomes increasingly excited and hopeful that Big Black is nearby, showing his emotional dependence on and anticipation of their connection. He is also poised to resume the Silent One identity.
• Gao Jingxuan is revealed to be far more dangerous than an ordinary mage. He combines fire magic with exceptional speed, movement, and close-combat techniques, displaying confidence and hostility toward Iron Second Academy.
• The burly Fistmaster demonstrates strong defensive and offensive abilities through Sonic Vibration, shields, and shockwave attacks, but struggles against Gao’s deceptive and mobile fighting style.
• The students’ imitation of the Silent One shows how influential the masked figure has become. The fake’s identity matters less to the crowd than the symbolism and excitement associated with the mask.
• The appearance of the Inverse Walker establishes a powerful new combatant capable of instantly overpowering Gao and interrupting his assault.

Significant Themes

• Imitation versus authenticity: The crowd knows the masked fighter is not the real Silent One, yet still embraces him, suggesting that the Silent One has become a symbol larger than the individual.
• Class and institutional resentment: Gao’s anger reflects the deep divide between students of prestigious schools, who are expected to become commanders and planners, and Iron Second Academy students, who endure frontline battles and heavy casualties.
• Combat philosophy and specialization: The chapter emphasizes that no profession is inherently invincible. Gao’s hybrid use of magic and martial combat challenges conventional expectations about the mage class, while the Fistmaster relies on perfecting Sonic Vibration.
• Endurance and harsh education: The teachers’ refusal to intervene reflects a belief that students must experience real danger rather than be protected like fragile “greenhouse” flowers.
• Power reversals and spectacle: The battle repeatedly shifts in momentum, culminating in the Inverse Walker’s sudden entrance and overwhelming counterattack.

Character Interactions

• Fu Junlin internally addresses Big Black, hoping the mysterious presence will answer and draw him into the fight.
• The fake Silent One provokes and reassures the crowd while challenging the Fistmaster, turning the arena into a spectacle.
• Gao Jingxuan openly taunts the Fistmaster, questioning whether he deserves the title after gaining the upper hand.
• Gao and the Fistmaster exchange magic, vibration attacks, shields, and close-range strikes, revealing mutual adaptation and escalating hostility.
• The teachers observe the dangerous battle without intervening, while the students cheer and encourage the violence.
• The Inverse Walker interrupts Gao’s attack and decisively defeats him in a single counterattack, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Chapter Summary: “The Silent One Takes the Field Without a Mask”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The battle escalates when Gao Jingxuan’s attack is blocked by the Inverse Walker mecha. Fu Junlin then enters the arena, joining the injured burly Fistmaster and turning the match into an unofficial 2v2.
• Iron Second Academy’s second fighter is a silver-haired Superior Human and Blade-and-Sword Enchanter. His weapon is an unusually large steel whip engraved with patterns resembling a War Banner Master’s Battle Banner.
• Gao Jingxuan uses Ultra-Energy Control and his Fire Fan against Fu Junlin, but Fu’s powerful physique allows him to resist and even deliberately prolong the energy drain.
• Fu struggles with his limited practical combat experience, relying on the Inverse Walker’s agility, Polarity Shield, and opportunistic attacks. The Battle Banner cannot safely distinguish allies from enemies in the cramped arena, so Fu mainly uses it for healing.
• The burly Fistmaster battles the silver-haired youth, but the latter reveals a Battle Banner enhancement through his whip and knocks the Fistmaster away, even sending his mask flying.
• Gao Jingxuan and the silver-haired fighter begin coordinating their attacks. Fu Junlin and the Fistmaster are repeatedly overwhelmed and thrown across the arena, causing Flying Cloud Vine’s students to lose confidence.
• Fu’s mecha suffers serious damage to one arm, while Gao Jingxuan and his ally exploit their superior combat experience and teamwork.
• During a clash, an object falls from Fu Junlin’s wrist pouch and passes through the arena’s energy barrier. A cheering Subspecies girl catches it, but the object’s weight suddenly drags her through a gap beside the spectator platform, leaving behind only one shoe and scattered popcorn.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin: Demonstrates extraordinary physical strength and resistance to Ultra-Energy Control, but his lack of real combat experience becomes obvious. He compensates with the Inverse Walker’s speed, defenses, and tactical maneuvering. His mysterious wrist pouch becomes important at the chapter’s cliffhanger.
• Gao Jingxuan: Becomes increasingly angry and wary after realizing Fu is not an ordinary opponent. He shifts from fighting alone to cooperating with the silver-haired youth, showing greater tactical flexibility.
• Burly Fistmaster: Recovers enough to resume fighting, displaying strong battle spirit and loyalty toward Fu, but is ultimately outmatched by the silver-haired opponent.
• Silver-haired Blade-and-Sword Enchanter: Reveals himself as a highly experienced and powerful fighter. His steel whip contains Battle Banner properties, giving him a surprise advantage and allowing him to coordinate effectively with Gao.
• The Subspecies spectator: Her enthusiasm for Fu leads her to retrieve his fallen item, but she is unexpectedly pulled through the arena gap, creating a dangerous and mysterious cliffhanger.

Significant Themes

• Combat experience versus raw power: Fu and the Fistmaster possess impressive strength, but Iron Second Academy’s fighters gain the advantage through superior awareness, timing, and teamwork.
• Rules versus battlefield reality: The teachers allow the match to become a 2v2 because real combat and teamwork matter more than rigid rules.
• Hidden strength and identity: Fu’s abnormal physique, War Banner abilities, and mysterious equipment suggest that he possesses powers and secrets beyond what the spectators understand.
• Teamwork and adaptation: Gao and the silver-haired fighter gain control once they stop fighting separately and cooperate.
• Reputation and imitation: The audience expects Fu to imitate The Silent One’s habit of enduring attacks until he grows stronger, but the worsening situation suggests that Fu is not yet capable of doing so.

Character Interactions

• Fu and the injured Fistmaster exchange sarcastic but cooperative remarks, agreeing to fight together despite the disadvantage.
• The silver-haired youth mocks Gao Jingxuan for struggling, while Gao initially rejects his assistance before accepting the need to cooperate.
• Gao and the silver-haired fighter combine their attacks, overwhelming Fu and the Fistmaster.
• The Iron Second Academy teachers analyze Fu’s mecha with interest, praising its unusual agility and durability while dismissing Fu’s combat awareness.
• The spectators loudly support Fu and speculate about his resemblance to The Silent One, but their confidence fades as he and the Fistmaster are repeatedly defeated.
• The chapter ends with the spectator girl unexpectedly dragged away by Fu’s fallen item, leaving the outcome and the item’s nature unresolved.

Chapter Summary: “Removing the Weights”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the battle, Fu Junlin’s heavy bracers and greaves are revealed to weigh a total of 0.8 tons, with each piece weighing 200 kilograms. The crowd is horrified to realize that he has been fighting—and likely training—while carrying these weights.
• After one bracer is removed, Fu Junlin experiences the sensation of moving without its burden and remarks that his opponent’s admiration for his training is understandable, though still insufficient.
• Fu Junlin removes the rest of his weights one by one, using them as weapons by throwing or kicking them into Gao Jingxuan’s shield. Their concentrated impact nearly destroys it, while each removed weight increases Fu Junlin’s speed by roughly thirty percent.
• Once unburdened, Fu Junlin becomes too fast for Gao Jingxuan and his silver-haired teammate to track. He appears behind the silver-haired youth, activates Localized Muscle Strength Enhancement, shatters his shield, and knocks him away with a powerful punch.
• Fu Junlin then clashes directly with Gao Jingxuan. Their collision produces a massive explosion that devastates the dueling platform and damages the Inverse Walker Mecha.
• Fu Junlin remains standing but is unconscious or barely conscious. Gao Jingxuan also survives, though severely injured, while the silver-haired youth is burned and incapacitated.
• Still believing he must defend his teammate and continue fighting, Gao Jingxuan prepares to use Energy Deluge, a dangerous technique. The teachers realize he is no longer mentally aware and rush to stop him, but they are too far away.
• Fu Junlin awakens just before the attack reaches him. Rather than abandon the unconscious Fistmaster behind him, he attempts to shield the man with his own body.
• At the critical moment, Fu Junlin’s body acts independently. It summons and combines Voidreturn Spears One and Two into a double-headed spear. A mysterious internal energy flows through him and empowers the weapon.
• Fu Junlin uses the spear to split Gao Jingxuan’s devastating Energy Deluge down the middle, ending the chapter on a moment of dramatic revelation.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin demonstrates that his apparent limits were self-imposed by his training weights. Once they are removed, his speed and combat ability increase dramatically. He also reveals strong tactical creativity by turning the weights into concentrated-impact weapons.
• Fu’s determination and loyalty are emphasized when he refuses to move away from the unconscious Fistmaster, even though doing so places him directly in the path of Energy Deluge.
• Fu’s body appears to possess a hidden or autonomous power, acting without conscious control and channeling mysterious energy into the spear. This suggests a major development in his abilities and identity.
• Gao Jingxuan is shown to possess exceptional endurance and loyalty. Even while badly injured and mentally impaired, he continues trying to protect his teammate and fulfill his role on the battlefield.
• The silver-haired youth is established as equally devoted to Gao Jingxuan. Though unconscious and badly burned, he continues gripping his whip and maintaining a protective stance.
• The teachers and students shift from viewing the battle as a contest to recognizing its potentially fatal consequences.

Significant Themes

• Training and hidden potential: Fu Junlin’s weights symbolize the limits he has deliberately placed on himself. Removing them reveals that his true strength is far greater than anyone expected.
• Loyalty and comradeship: Both sides demonstrate a willingness to protect teammates even after being pushed beyond their physical limits.
• The danger of battle: The match escalates from a school competition into a life-threatening confrontation, emphasizing the destructive power of advanced techniques.
• Instinct versus consciousness: Fu Junlin’s unconscious body acts independently to save him, hinting at an inner power or dormant identity beyond his normal awareness.
• Perception and revelation: The crowd, teachers, and opposing fighters are repeatedly forced to reassess Fu Junlin as each new ability and layer of strength is revealed.

Important Character Interactions

• Fu Junlin taunts and challenges Gao Jingxuan after removing his weights, prompting Gao to attack.
• Fu uses his weights against Gao’s shield, while Gao relies on his explosive shield to counter Fu’s speed and power.
• Fu defeats the silver-haired youth after appearing behind him and amplifying his punch, but the youth still attempts to protect Gao.
• Gao and Fu engage in a devastating direct collision that leaves both nearly incapacitated.
• Gao attempts to use Energy Deluge against Fu despite his condition, while Fu chooses to protect the unconscious Fistmaster rather than save himself.
• Fu’s mysterious power intervenes at the last moment, allowing him to wield the combined Voidreturn Spear and cleave apart Gao’s attack.

Chapter Summary: “A Vain Hope That He’d Awakened”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the academy battle, Iron Second Academy’s Gao Jingxuan unleashes a dangerous Energy Deluge. The teachers intervene, shielding the area, and one of them knocks Gao unconscious after determining that his Intent had become muddled.
• Fu Junlin protects himself and the Fistmaster by using his strange spear to split the Energy Deluge in two. Though his clothes are burned away, he remains standing and is declared the winner of the match.
• Fu Junlin’s weapon attracts widespread attention. It is a double-ended Banner Spear, assembled from two Battle Banners and surrounded by mysterious red-purple arcs of energy. The energy preserves the banners and shields Fu Junlin and the Fistmaster, but even the teachers cannot identify it.
• Spectators speculate that the energy resembles the phenomenon seen when Little Seven-Eight exploded while fighting the Longtail BOSS.
• After the match, Fu Junlin retrieves his exceptionally heavy wristguard. The Fistmaster explains that its weight comes from a gravity field, making it impossible to store normally in a Mecha Belt. Fu Junlin puts it on effortlessly, shocking the nearby students.
• Despite Fu Junlin’s victory, Flying Cloud Vine Academy loses nearly every subsequent second-phase match. The teachers win two matches, but Iron Second Academy ultimately wins the overall competition.
• Later that night, Fu Junlin waits in a dark gym for the Gravity Room. Alone, he speaks to Big Black, hoping the weapon or consciousness has finally awakened. He recalls that it reacted during the battle but receives no response.
• Fu Junlin concludes that combat may be the key to awakening Big Black and resolves to keep fighting. The chapter ends when two conspicuous figures emerge from the elevator, startling him.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin demonstrates exceptional strength, control, and composure by surviving the Energy Deluge and protecting another combatant. His effortless handling of the heavy wristguard further emphasizes his physical power.
• Despite his victory, Fu Junlin is emotionally unsettled. He had briefly believed that Big Black had returned, but the absence of any further response leaves him disappointed and determined to uncover the conditions necessary for its awakening.
• Gao Jingxuan is shown to have lost control of his Intent, causing him to use an excessively dangerous attack. His teachers defend him by insisting that the action was not truly intentional, though they still reprimand him afterward.
• Ling Xiaobing openly supports Fu Junlin, removing Cheng Xiaoyu’s jacket to cover him after his clothes are destroyed. Her loyalty remains firm despite rumors linking Fu Junlin with Teacher Shi Hongyu.
• The Fistmaster becomes more closely connected with Fu Junlin after being protected during the match and helping carry his heavy wristguard.
• Flying Cloud Vine’s students and teachers are forced to accept a major defeat, though Fu Junlin’s individual win provides them with some consolation.

Significant Themes

• Power and restraint: Fu Junlin’s victory contrasts with Gao Jingxuan’s loss of control, emphasizing that strength is meaningful only when properly directed.
• Mystery and awakening: Big Black’s unexplained reactions and the spear’s strange energy suggest that Fu Junlin’s weapon possesses hidden abilities or consciousness.
• Individual achievement versus collective success: Fu Junlin wins decisively, but his academy still loses the larger competition, highlighting the difference between personal excellence and team victory.
• Loyalty and support: Ling Xiaobing’s unhesitating assistance shows the importance of personal loyalty amid rumors and public scrutiny.
• Battlefield pragmatism: The teachers acknowledge that although killing is forbidden in a competition, real enemies will not follow such restrictions, reflecting the harsher logic of actual combat.

Character Interactions

• Iron Second’s teachers defend Gao Jingxuan against the furious Flying Cloud Vine teachers, arguing that his muddled Intent caused the reckless attack.
• Shi Hongyu and the other teachers check on Fu Junlin after the battle, while he insists that he is unharmed.
• Zhao Qingshan attempts to examine Fu Junlin’s spear, but Fu Junlin quickly puts it away, wary of its unknown effects.
• Ling Xiaobing helps Fu Junlin by taking Cheng Xiaoyu’s jacket and wrapping it around him.
• The Fistmaster returns Fu Junlin’s heavy wristguard and explains why it cannot be stored in a Mecha Belt.
• In the final scene, Fu Junlin is alone and speaking to Big Black when the arrival of two mysterious, highly noticeable figures interrupts his thoughts.

Chapter Summary: “First Encounter with the Gym’s Two Little Tyrants”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fu Junlin encounters two unusual young Subspecies at the gym: a hunchbacked boy with silver hair and a delicate girl who displays Tourette-like vocal and physical tics.
• The pair arrive late to use the Gravity Room, believing the facility is territory secured by Fu Junlin for Subspecies and therefore open to them.
• The boy, whom the girl calls “Little Sister” and who refers to Fu Junlin as “Brother Junlin,” begins an extreme training session.
• He starts with two-finger push-ups under five times normal gravity, then repeatedly raises the pressure to ten, twenty, thirty, and eventually forty times gravity.
• At thirty-five times gravity, the machine crushes him flat, but he forces himself back up and continues.
• Using a red string positioned so that it barely touches the floor, he attempts to measure whether he can straighten his hunched back under the immense pressure.
• At forty times gravity, he slowly rises from lying down to a crouching position and finally stands upright, causing the string to lift off the ground.
• Fu Junlin emerges from the shadows in astonishment, realizing that the boy may be using extreme gravity to force his congenital hunchback straight.

Character Developments

• Fu Junlin: Initially annoyed and curious about the late-night visitors, Fu Junlin becomes impressed by the boy’s extraordinary physical strength and determination. He recognizes that the boy’s abilities exceed what would normally be expected from someone at his apparent level.
• The hunchbacked boy: Revealed to be intensely disciplined, prideful, and highly resilient. Despite his deformity and lower apparent cultivation level, he can endure gravity that would crush an ordinary Level-Two Master Fistmaster. His training has a deeply personal goal: correcting or overcoming his hunched back.
• The girl: Presented as timid, anxious, and physically delicate, but attentive and protective toward the boy. Her involuntary vocalizations complicate communication, accidentally causing the Gravity Machine to increase its setting when she says “raise.” Despite her fear, she remains concerned for the boy throughout the training.
• Their relationship: The boy and girl appear to be close companions, possibly siblings. He takes a protective, confident role, while she relies on him and worries about his reckless methods.

Significant Themes

• Perseverance against physical limitations: The boy refuses to accept his congenital condition as permanent and subjects himself to dangerous training to change it.
• Strength beyond appearances: Both characters initially seem physically disadvantaged or vulnerable, yet the boy demonstrates shocking power and endurance.
• Subspecies solidarity: Their belief that Fu Junlin’s gym belongs partly to Subspecies reflects a developing sense of community and mutual support among marginalized people.
• Self-improvement through suffering: The chapter emphasizes extreme hardship as a means of transformation, both physically and psychologically.
• Hidden potential: Fu Junlin discovers that strength and talent may exist in unexpected forms, challenging assumptions based on appearance or cultivation level.

Character Interactions

• The girl repeatedly warns the boy not to overexert himself, while he dismisses her concerns and insists he knows his limits.
• The boy invokes Fu Junlin as an example of a powerful Subspecies, showing admiration and using him to justify his own determination.
• Fu Junlin secretly observes the pair before finally revealing himself when the boy appears to accomplish the seemingly impossible task of standing upright under forty times gravity.
• The chapter ends on Fu Junlin’s realization that the boy’s entire dangerous training routine may have been designed to straighten his back.