Chapter Summaries

Feng Ling insisted on joining the Infected’s mission into the Maze, despite the Hunters’ warnings and General Andre’s refusal. After she urged Lu Boyi to explain that she could fight and only needed to cross the Swampland, the General replied, leaving Feng Ling waiting for a translation.

• Feng Ling agreed to volunteer for the support operation and asked Lu Boyi to find out its Action Plan.
• Wang Xunmei, Lin Pengpeng, Li Yu, and Zhang Lu tried to dissuade Feng Ling, and Lin Pengpeng suspected Feng Ling’s Corruption Value was out of control.
• Li Yu offered Feng Ling a metal Flood Dragon Serpent scale pendant for protection, but she refused it.
• Lu Boyi returned with General Andre, who welcomed Feng Ling and then refused to let her join the mission because it was expected to be deadly.
• Feng Ling asked Lu Boyi to tell General Andre that she was strong and wanted to learn how to cross the Swampland, then anxiously awaited his response.

Feng Ling decided to join the Logistics Team so she could enter the Maze, while Wang Xunmei chose to stay in Lorias and help. After the group agreed to deliver supplies to Gowei City and investigate Feng Ling’s identity discreetly, they feared others might target her if they learned her Corruption Value was out of control.

• Lu Boyi explained that General Andre had mistaken the group’s questions for a promise to help Lorias and had invited them to face the crisis together.
• Lin Pengpeng and Li Yu said their contracts required them to return home, while Lin Pengpeng argued that Lorias’s Swampland threat could eventually affect their country.
• Wang Xunmei decided to stay with Feng Ling, hoping to strengthen her high-tier Card by entering the Maze, despite the danger and the lack of Cards from ordinary Contaminants there.
• Lu Boyi told Feng Ling that they would go to Gowei City, where the Tidal Wave Operation’s contact point was located, and Feng Ling asked him to help her join the Logistics Team.
• After Feng Ling left to write Ye Zheng a letter, the others suspected she was the real Feng Ling and agreed to keep her identity secret in case anyone tried to take her Cards.

Feng Ling and the Hunters delivered supplies to Gowei City, where Feng Ling learned that Li Yu had struggled to digest her high-level Card and received Maze volunteer armbands. The Hunters prepared to leave for the Maze before the Tidal Wave Squad arrived.

• The Hunters delivered their supplies to the Foundation branch in Gowei City, and Lin Pengpeng and the others used a satellite phone to contact people back home.
• Feng Ling spotted the Tidal Wave Squad’s Blue Dots in the building and teased Li Yu after he said his improved ability let him reverse his luck.
• Li Yu admitted that digesting Feng Ling’s high-level Card had improved his ability only slightly, and Feng Ling explained that he had indigestion because the Card was above his level.
• Lu Boyi brought back Maze volunteer armbands, and Feng Ling took two, planning to bring one to Huangfu Miaomiao.
• After military trucks passed the building, Feng Ling asked whether the Hunters could leave, and Lu Boyi said volunteers could head to the Maze and await instructions before the Tidal Wave Squad arrived.

Feng Ling and Huangfu Miaomiao joined the volunteers bound for the Maze, while Lu Boyi and the others rode along to see them off. As they reached the military defenses around the Maze, they learned that the Infected were being sent into the dried swamp ahead.

• Feng Ling climbed onto a Military Truck without luggage, and Wang Xunmei followed with her backpack as residents cheered the volunteers onward.
• Huangfu Miaomiao worried about translation and contacting Qingjiang, so Feng Ling gave her an armband to wear as a mask.
• Lu Boyi, Lin Pengpeng, Li Yu, and Zhang Lu joined Feng Ling and Huangfu Miaomiao on the truck to see them to the Maze entrance.
• Lu Boyi explained that Lorias's military was bombarding the Swamp Zone to create a passage, but Monsters might flee outward if the Maze were attacked.
• The truck reached a vast Containment Net and a heavily armed military staging area, where a squad of about twenty Infected entered the dried Swampland.

Feng Ling waited with the Lorias Hunters for Tidal Wave Squad to arrive, eager to enter the Maze. When the foreign squad’s negotiations collapsed and the operation was postponed, the angry Hunters resolved to enter alone, prompting Lu Boyi to condemn their reckless pride.

• Lu Boyi explained that the Infected had entered the Maze to clear the swamp and prepare a path for the Hunters who followed.
• Feng Ling waited with Lu Boyi, Lin Pengpeng, Li Yu, Zhang Lu, Wang Xunmei, and Huangfu Miaomiao while they looked for Tidal Wave Squad.
• The military crowd erupted in anger after learning the operation had been postponed because negotiations with Tidal Wave Squad had failed.
• Lu Boyi told Feng Ling that the Lorias Hunters planned to enter the Maze alone, and he angrily warned that they were risking their lives out of pride.
• Feng Ling asked Lu Boyi why Hunters should not risk their lives fighting Xenomorphs and the Maze.

Feng Ling and the other Hunters waited for Tidal Wave Squad after negotiations secured the squad’s return to the Maze and its claim to the Card from War God Sventovit. As the group waited, a swarm of Syrin Birds poured out of the Maze.

• Feng Ling and Lu Boyi argued over the cost of sending young people to war, while Lin Pengpeng insisted everyone had a duty to help protect Lorias.
• Wang Xunmei decided to enter the Maze with Feng Ling as unrest spread among Hunters and Soldiers over Tidal Wave Squad’s canceled operation.
• Defense Minister Sergei offered to extend the Kesnorite Tungsten Mine rights by five years, and the foreign delegation secured Tidal Wave Squad’s claim to the Card from War God Sventovit.
• The news that Tidal Wave Squad would arrive in an hour eased the front-line crowd’s anger, and Feng Ling reluctantly waited outside the Maze.
• A Syrin Bird flew out of the Maze and was shot by a sniper, then a vast swarm of Syrin Birds emerged.

Humanity fought off a flock of Syrin Birds before facing a charging herd of giant Moose, with Feng Ling helping turn the battle around. Just as Lu Boyi began to hope they could win, cannon fire struck the Maze entrance and more Monsters emerged.

• Feng Ling used Mental Pressure while the army drove off most of the Syrin Birds.
• A herd of giant Moose charged from the Maze, crushing the front line of armored vehicles and killing Soldiers.
• Wang Xunmei pulled Lu Boyi out of the path of a falling jeep, and Li Yu brought him to a truck where he helped tend the wounded.
• Li Yu treated Lin Pengpeng, who praised Feng Ling's powerful Mental Pressure as the Hunters and Soldiers began defeating the Moose.
• A cannon shell struck the swamp at the Maze entrance, and Lu Boyi ran to warn that the cannons must not fire.

Feng Ling watched the army’s shelling reveal Leshy, a named Forest Demon that seemed able to control and revive Contaminants. After stopping a charging Moose with her Mental Pressure, she was pierced by its antler but remained conscious and pulled herself free.

• Feng Ling and Huangfu Miaomiao discussed the army’s shelling and the danger of widening the maze entrance.
• The smoke cleared, revealing the Forest Demon · Leshy emerging from the maze.
• Huangfu Miaomiao photographed Leshy so she could ask Li Qing about the unusual named creature.
• A dead Moose revived and charged at Feng Ling, who stopped it with her maximum Mental Pressure but could not halt its momentum.
• The Moose’s antler pierced Feng Ling’s chest, and Li Yu rushed to help before Feng Ling gripped the antlers and began pulling herself free.

Feng Ling advanced on the Forest Demon, killing the Moose and fending off its attacks as other Hunters joined her. Just as she reached the monster, it pinned her feet with thorn-covered tendrils and revealed its writhing, earthworm-like tongue.

• Feng Ling killed the immobilized Moose by driving its broken antler into its eye, then decided to attack the Forest Demon without waiting for the Tidal Wave Squad.
• Huangfu Miaomiao could not contact the Daoist, while Lu Boyi, Wang Xunmei, Zhang Lu, and Lin Pengpeng reacted to Feng Ling's advance; Wang Xunmei, Zhang Lu, and Lin Pengpeng joined her.
• General Sergei learned from drone footage that Feng Ling was a volunteer Hunter from a neighboring country and discussed recruiting Hunters for Lorias.
• Feng Ling dodged the revived Moose's charge, cut its neck with her Bone Blade, and brought down the Syrin Birds with Mental Pressure as she closed in on the Forest Demon.
• The Forest Demon pierced Feng Ling's feet with thorn-covered tendrils that absorbed her blood, then revealed its beard was a mass of writhing, earthworm-like tendrils.

Feng Ling killed the Forest Demon and absorbed its energy, then the Hunters’ camp was attacked by Syrin Birds that carried Li Yu into the Maze. Lin Pengpeng, Wang Xunmei, and Zhang Lu rushed in after him, and Feng Ling prepared to follow after Huangfu Miaomiao announced that Li Qing had replied.

• Feng Ling endured the Forest Demon’s attacks, broke through its thorns, and drained its energy until it withered and died.
• The Forest Demon shed a Card, which Feng Ling collected using Wang Xunmei’s phone and told her not to turn in.
• Syrin Birds descended to feed on corpses and attacked the wounded, carrying Li Yu away despite the Hunters’ efforts to stop them.
• Lin Pengpeng, Wang Xunmei, and Zhang Lu entered the Maze to rescue Li Yu, and Feng Ling decided to follow them.
• Huangfu Miaomiao told Feng Ling that the Taoist priest had replied.

Feng Ling and Huangfu Miaomiao entered the Lorias Maze after a Syrin Bird abducted Li Yu and two injured people. Feng Ling led Lin Pengpeng, Wang Xunmei, and Zhang Lu onward by following Moose hoofprints, promising to try to save their companion if they found him.

• Li Qing explained that Cards left behind after the Labyrinth Master died could be claimed by Maze creatures, and warned Feng Ling not to digest the Witch Doctor Card.
• Li Qing advised Feng Ling and Huangfu Miaomiao to consult someone familiar with Slavic mythology before entering the Maze to help them find the Idol.
• Lu Boyi reported that a Syrin Bird had taken Li Yu and two injured people, then discovered Feng Ling and Huangfu Miaomiao had entered the Maze.
• Feng Ling told Lin Pengpeng, Wang Xunmei, and Zhang Lu that they should turn back, but promised to try to save their companion if she encountered him.
• Feng Ling followed Moose hoofprints through the muddy Maze, and Lin Pengpeng decided to go with her.

The Tidal Wave Squad arrived and interrogated Lu Boyi about the two unexpected people in the convoy, suspecting Feng Ling of being a Xenomorph. Lu Boyi realized Feng Ling’s Corruption Value might be out of control and feared a clash between her and the squad.

• The military detained Lu Boyi while it regrouped after the battle, and the Tidal Wave Squad arrived at the command post.
• The squad’s blond captain and cloaked teammate questioned Lu Boyi about the two people added to the shipment’s transport group.
• The teammates said they detected a lingering Xenomorph aura and suspected Feng Ling, who had grown from a child into an adult during the battle, was a Xenomorph.
• Lu Boyi defended Feng Ling’s unusual transformation as a special Card Ability but withheld her identity.
• The blond captain and his teammate left to investigate Feng Ling, while Lu Boyi worried that her Corruption Value had changed and prayed she would find the Idol safely.

Feng Ling led Lin Pengpeng, Wang Xunmei, Zhang Lu, and Huangfu Miaomiao through the Maze while trying to reach Li Yu, whose position was moving farther away. After repeatedly finding their routes swallowed by swamps, Feng Ling headed toward a nest of more than thirty Contaminants in hopes they might reveal a passable path.

• Feng Ling used a rope to swing across a swamp, told the others that Li Yu was alive and about three kilometers away, and helped the group cross.
• Wang Xunmei showed Feng Ling an eerie edited video about her, and Feng Ling joked that she would silence anyone who revealed her whereabouts.
• Huangfu Miaomiao failed to swing across the swamp, so Feng Ling carried her over with her Fangs and Claws before leading everyone onward.
• Feng Ling and the others spent most of the day searching for a route, but the paths repeatedly disappeared into swamps as Li Yu's Blue Dot moved farther away.
• Feng Ling spotted a nest of more than thirty Contaminants and decided to investigate, hoping they knew where a passable path was.

Feng Ling and her group encountered curious Rusalkas in a swampland Maze and followed their gestures along a winding river, hoping the mermaids would lead them to Li Yu or the correct path. As they grew frustrated with the endless waterways, six enormous Blue Dots appeared in Feng Ling’s Third Perspective.

• Feng Ling led the group through the swamp to a lake where they spotted a Mermaid hiding among the cattails.
• Lin Pengpeng identified the mermaids as Rusalkas and described legends about their behavior, while Zhang Lu worried they might lure him into the water.
• More Rusalkas appeared and gestured toward a direction, so Feng Ling decided to follow them through the reeds and into a river channel.
• Feng Ling’s group traveled through the winding river for over ten minutes without finding anything unusual, and Feng Ling grew impatient.
• Feng Ling saw six very large Blue Dots appear in Third Perspective.

Feng Ling realized the mermaids had lured the group to a lake, where she began transforming to attack them. A Water Monster ambushed Huangfu Miaomiao, but the Flood Dragon Serpent disrupted the fight, throwing mermaids onto shore for Huangfu to kill and dragging the Water Monster out of the lake.

• Feng Ling spotted Tidal Wave Squad flying north in a straight line while her group continued following the mermaids through the swamp.
• The mermaids led Feng Ling's group to a circular lake, and Feng Ling noticed they had vanished underwater and told Lin Pengpeng to move away.
• Feng Ling entered the water and began transforming into her Second Form, while Huangfu Miaomiao reached the island and found human belongings instead of treasure.
• The island turned out to be a Water Monster, which swallowed Huangfu Miaomiao into the lake; she shifted into Ghost Shadow Form and saw bones and mermaids on the lakebed.
• The Flood Dragon Serpent struck the Water Monster and hurled Huangfu Miaomiao and four mermaids onto shore, where Huangfu killed a mermaid for a 30-point reward.
• The Flood Dragon Serpent overwhelmed the Water Monster, tore it apart, dragged it ashore, and slapped its mouth.

Feng Ling and her companions defeated the Water Monster and discovered that transforming back into human form took effort. Guided by her Human-faced Crows, Feng Ling then found a familiar Chicken-Foot House beyond the forest.

• Feng Ling brutally killed the Water Monster while Huangfu Miaomiao killed a Mermaid, and Lin Pengpeng, Wang Xunmei, and Zhang Lu watched.
• Feng Ling struggled to return from her Second Form to human shape, then asked Huangfu Miaomiao to take a picture and Wang Xunmei to collect the Card.
• Lin Pengpeng and her companions discussed the Water Monster, mythical creatures, and the Syrin Birds as the birds arrived to feed on the corpses.
• Human-faced Crows told Feng Ling they had found a house in the swamp, so she led the others to investigate.
• Feng Ling crossed an open grassy slope and recognized the Chicken-Foot House.

Feng Ling and the others entered the Chicken-Foot House to unlock it, only to find that their quest was to sort countless green and white peas while the house walked through the swamp. They struggled with the task and found no shortcut, leaving them still sorting peas.

• Huangfu Miaomiao accepted the quest to unlock the Chicken-Foot House, which walked up to the group and let them climb inside.
• The Chicken-Foot House began moving through the swamp, spilling peas across its floor, and Huangfu Miaomiao explained that the group had to sort green peas from white ones.
• Feng Ling and the others joined Huangfu Miaomiao in sorting peas into matching sacks, but the swaying house made them dizzy and their progress remained slow.
• Lin Pengpeng noticed that the portrait of Baba Yaga showed different expressions from different angles, but Zhang Lu could not remove it or use it as a mechanism.
• Lin Pengpeng concluded that Baba Yaga's trial offered no shortcuts, while the group remained faced with sorting the peas by hand.

Feng Ling and the others struggled to sort beans inside the swaying Chicken-Foot House as the repetitive task wore down their patience. Feng Ling’s anger and unstable mental state escalated until she attacked the Witch’s portrait with her Bone Blades.

• Wang Xunmei, Lin Pengpeng, Zhang Lu, Feng Ling, and Huangfu Miaomiao sorted beans while the Chicken-Foot House played music and rocked beneath them.
• Lin Pengpeng connected the chore to the fairy tale’s setting, and Wang Xunmei objected to the story’s portrayal of women’s trials.
• The house’s movements caused Zhang Lu to bump into Huangfu Miaomiao and later made Wang Xunmei fall, while Lin Pengpeng realized the house was walking in circles.
• Feng Ling checked for other mission options, spilled beans after Huangfu Miaomiao bumped her, and angrily threw the beans she was holding.
• Feng Ling decided that the Witch’s portrait was mocking her, and her Bone Blades emerged and slashed toward it.

Feng Ling lost control while attacking the unbreakable portrait, ruining the mission to collect beans, then accepted a new mission to find the Syrin Bird's Golden Egg. As the group crossed a grassland toward a forest, Feng Ling detected Tidal Wave Squad and the Contaminants nearby and sensed that Li Yu was ahead.

• Feng Ling violently attacked the portrait and wrecked the hut while Lin Pengpeng, Wang Xunmei, and Zhang Lu hid, and Huangfu Miaomiao escaped in Ghost Shadow Form.
• After the bean mission failed, Huangfu Miaomiao accepted the replacement mission to find the Syrin Bird's Golden Egg, and the Chicken-Foot House carried them to a grassland.
• Feng Ling spotted six large Blue Dots and the Tidal Wave Squad behind a hill, but led the group toward a forest to search for a bird's nest.
• Lin Pengpeng decided they would have to rescue Li Yu without Tidal Wave Squad's help, and Feng Ling sensed that Li Yu was ahead.

Feng Ling’s group entered the Syrin Bird forest while tracking Li Yu, and Feng Ling spotted a huge, powerful Contaminant ahead. The chapter ended as Lin Pengpeng spotted a Werewolf that had been following them and chased after it.

• Feng Ling found Li Yu’s Blue Dot surrounded by humans and Contaminants, then wondered how infection affected Third Perspective markers.
• Feng Ling’s Corruption Value distracted her until Huangfu Miaomiao pointed out bird nests, and Feng Ling sent Human-faced Crows to search them for Golden Eggs.
• Feng Ling’s group entered the Syrin Bird forest and found an arrowhead embedded in a tree, prompting speculation about someone trapped in the Maze.
• Feng Ling detected a huge, bright-red marker ahead that seemed to belong to a Labyrinth Master-level Contaminant.
• Lin Pengpeng spotted a Werewolf following the group, then chased after it.