Chapter Summaries

Yue Xiaofei and the [Reverse Scale] squad defeated Yang Tianhao’s reinforcements and captured him alive. Yue Xiaofei confronted Yang Tianhao about his belief that the powerless deserved to be trampled, leaving him bound and helpless.

• Yang Tianhao triggered the emergency alarm, summoning more than a hundred armed thugs to surround Yue Xiaofei and the [Reverse Scale] squad.
• Yang Tianhao ordered the thugs to kill Yue Xiaofei and his companions, but Yue Xiaofei told his squad to knock them out instead.
• Yue Xiaofei and the [Reverse Scale] squad took down all the thugs in less than a minute.
• Yue Xiaofei confronted the terrified Yang Tianhao, who realized he had provoked someone beyond his power to handle.
• Yue Xiaofei ordered [Wild Chicken] to bind Yang Tianhao, then challenged him about his claim that people without power or influence deserved to be trampled.

Yue Xiaofei exposed Yang Tianhao’s reliance on Jia Ergou, a corrupt impostor using Bureau 7’s name, and summoned Bureau Chief Zhang Beihai to investigate the Jinling Branch. Jia Ergou arrived to intimidate Yue Xiaofei, who presented his credentials to challenge him.

• Yang Tianhao called Jia Ergou for help and bragged that Bureau 7 would punish Yue Xiaofei and his squad.
• Yue Xiaofei called Zhang Beihai and accused the Bureau 7 Jinling Branch of shielding criminal gangs, prompting Zhang to head to Jinling.
• Jia Ergou arrived with subordinates and found Yang Tianhao and the other thugs beaten and restrained.
• Jia Ergou falsely claimed Bureau 7 authority and threatened Yue Xiaofei, who showed him his credential.

Jia Ergou mistook Yue Xiaofei’s military credential for a fake and tried to arrest him, but Chen Weiguo arrived and recognized Yue as a major general. Chen saluted Yue and reported in as the head of the Bureau 7 Jinling Branch.

• Yue Xiaofei showed Jia Ergou and Yang Tianhao his military credential, but they laughed and accused him of impersonating a major general.
• Jia Ergou threatened to arrest Yue and approached him with handcuffs.
• Chen Weiguo arrived with Bureau 7 subordinates and ignored Jia Ergou and Yang Tianhao’s accusations.
• Chen Weiguo saw Yue’s rank insignia, realized he was General Yue, and saluted him as the head of the Bureau 7 Jinling Branch.

After Chen Weiguo recognized Yue Xiaofei as the Dragon Kingdom’s youngest general and Bureau 7’s ace, Jia Ergou and Yang Tianhao begged for mercy over their crimes against Chen Nian and her mother. Yue Xiaofei rejected their pleas, and Yang Tianhao tried to intimidate him by invoking his powerful backer, Sun Xiaochuan.

• Chen Weiguo arrived, saluted Yue Xiaofei as General Yue, and examined his Military ID.
• Chen Weiguo identified Yue Xiaofei as a national hero, medal recipient, youngest general, and Bureau 7 ace, then condemned Jia Ergou and Yang Tianhao.
• Jia Ergou and Yang Tianhao fell to their knees and begged Yue Xiaofei to spare them.
• Chen Weiguo admitted responsibility for Jia Ergou’s misconduct and promised severe punishment.
• Yue Xiaofei challenged the men over their abuse of Chen Nian and her mother and rejected their pleas for forgiveness.
• Yang Tianhao dropped his act and threatened Yue Xiaofei, claiming Sun Xiaochuan was his godfather and could influence Jinling.

Plot points and events

• Yang Tianhao tries to protect himself by invoking Sun Xiaochuan, Jinling’s powerful underworld boss. Yue Xiaofei reveals that he came to Jinling specifically to settle an old score with Sun.
• Yue orders Chen Weiguo to turn Yang and the others involved in the case over to the police. Jia Ergou, exposed as a fake Bureau 7 officer who protected criminals, is stripped of his uniform and taken into custody.
• Jin Dapao leads a sweeping crackdown across southern Jinling, shutting down Yang’s clubs, casinos, illegal clinics, and other businesses. More than a hundred associates are arrested. The injured soldiers of the Modu Eight Hundred Company remain committed to avenging Chen Ze and protecting his family.
• At dawn, Yue goes to the hospital carrying a red brocade box and a certificate. After hesitating outside the room, he enters and is thanked by Chen Nian, who returns his uniform.

Character developments

• Yue Xiaofei remains calm and decisive, showing that Sun’s reputation does not intimidate him. His hesitation outside the hospital room reveals the emotional weight of facing Chen Nian and her mother.
• Yang Tianhao loses his swagger once he realizes Yue is not afraid of Sun. Even while being taken away, he clings to Sun’s name as a threat.
• Jia Ergou is reduced from a corrupt officer impersonator to a disgraced prisoner, losing the uniform he used for personal gain.
• Chen Weiguo obeys Yue without hesitation, recognizing his authority and resolve.
• Chen Nian is calmer than before and expresses gratitude to Yue, though her mother’s severe condition remains a painful presence.

Significant themes

• Justice and accountability: Yang’s criminal network is dismantled, and Jia Ergou is punished for abusing authority.
• Power and defiance: Yue’s challenge to Sun Xiaochuan sets up a larger confrontation over who truly controls Jinling.
• Loyalty and protection: The soldiers’ determination to avenge Chen Ze and protect his family underscores their solidarity.
• The emotional cost of duty: Yue’s pause before entering the hospital suggests that delivering help or answers can be as difficult as confronting enemies.

Character interactions

• Yang tries to intimidate Yue through Sun’s influence, but Yue turns the threat into a declaration of intent.
• Yue gives Chen Weiguo direct orders, including sending Jia Ergou to face investigation by Bureau 7’s leadership.
• Jin Dapao commands the crackdown while the soldiers guard the operation, united by their commitment to Chen Ze’s family.
• Han Duoduo quietly understands Yue’s reluctance outside the hospital room. Inside, Chen Nian returns his uniform and thanks him.

Plot points and events

• Yue Xiaofei visits Chen Nian and her hospitalized mother after Chen Nian was tied up; he notices the marks on her wrists.
• Chen Nian asks what mission her brother, Chen Ze, was on and why he has not returned. Yue cannot answer at first, and his silence tells her that Chen Ze has died.
• He confirms Chen Ze was killed in action and recounts how, during the Battle of Shanghai, Chen Ze was wounded by shrapnel, bound his injuries, and continued holding his position. His final request was that a fellow soldier care for his mother and sister.
• Chen Nian shares how Chen Ze gave up a likely academic future to join the military, sent his allowance home, and hid his hardships to spare his family worry. She recalls his promises to take her out on leave and accompany her to university.
• Yue gives her Chen Ze’s medal and Martyr Certificate, and explains that his remains are being brought home, his comrades will attend his funeral, and his name will be engraved on the company’s Heroes’ Monument.

Character developments

• Chen Nian moves from anxious hope to the painful certainty of her brother’s death. She initially suppresses her grief to protect her mother, but eventually breaks down while holding Chen Ze’s medal.
• Yue Xiaofei struggles to deliver the news, revealing how deeply the loss affects him. He chooses to tell Chen Nian the truth plainly and stays with her rather than offering empty comfort.
• Chen Ze, though absent, is revealed through his sacrifice, devotion to service, and quiet care for his family.

Significant themes

• Duty and sacrifice: Chen Ze chose military service over personal opportunity and died protecting others.
• Family love and responsibility: His support for his mother and sister shaped his choices and final words.
• Grief and restraint: Chen Nian hides her sorrow to shield her mother, showing both her strength and the burden of mourning alone.
• Remembrance and honor: The medal, certificate, funeral, and monument preserve Chen Ze’s legacy.

Character interactions

• Yue gently questions Chen Nian about her wellbeing, then faces her direct questions about Chen Ze.
• Chen Nian listens to Yue’s account of her brother’s final moments and shares cherished memories of his promises and care.
• Yue offers the medal and certificate as tangible recognition of Chen Ze’s service, then remains beside Chen Nian as she grieves.

Yue Xiaofei promised to protect Chen Nian and her mother, cover her mother’s medical costs, and support Chen Nian’s schooling, then declared that he would eliminate Sun Xiaochuan. Sun Xiaochuan learned that his operations in southern Jinling had been dismantled overnight.

• Yue Xiaofei told Chen Nian that he and the 231 comrades outside would protect her and her mother as her brothers.
• Yue Xiaofei promised that the 800th Company Comrades Fund would pay Chen Nian’s mother’s medical and rehabilitation costs and that Chen Nian’s schooling would continue uninterrupted.
• Yue Xiaofei named Sun Xiaochuan as the man behind Yang Tianhao and vowed to eliminate him, while Chen Nian warned him about Sun Xiaochuan’s influence and threats.
• Sun Xiaochuan painted with blood in his underground villa studio while his adopted sons served as his chair.
• Sun Xiaochuan’s adopted sons reported that Tianhao had been taken down, Golden Splendor had been shut, his southern Jinling establishments had been destroyed, and more than a hundred of his men had been arrested.

After Yang Tianhao was arrested for trying to steal a girl’s corneas, Sun Xiaochuan decided against attacking the military officials behind the raid and planned to win them over instead. He sent Liu Ruyan to approach Yue Xiaofei with apologies, money, and seduction.

• Sun Xiaochuan’s adopted sons reported that Jin Dapao and Yue Xiaofei led the raid that arrested Yang Tianhao and over a hundred of their men.
• Sun Xiaochuan refused his adopted sons’ proposal to kill Jin Dapao, explaining that his military connections made retaliation too dangerous.
• Sun Xiaochuan said Yang Tianhao had brought the trouble on himself, but planned to make peace with Jin Dapao and Yue Xiaofei to turn them into allies.
• Sun Xiaochuan summoned Liu Ruyan and instructed her to invite Yue Xiaofei to dinner, offer compensation, and use seduction if necessary.
• Liu Ruyan assured Sun Xiaochuan that she would make Yue Xiaofei submit.

After Chen Ze’s case was brought against Yang Tianhao, Sun Xiaochuan’s goddaughter Liu Ruyan invited Yue Xiaofei to meet, offering apologies and compensation. Yue Xiaofei accepted the suspicious invitation as a chance to infiltrate Sun Xiaochuan’s operation, leaving Jin Dapao and [Reverse Scale] to protect Chen Nian and her mother.

• Yue Xiaofei learned from Jin Dapao that the evidence against Yang Tianhao was conclusive, but Sun Xiaochuan remained difficult to prosecute.
• Liu Ruyan called Yue Xiaofei on Sun Xiaochuan’s behalf and offered apologies and compensation, but Yue Xiaofei rejected the offer.
• Liu Ruyan provoked Yue Xiaofei by mentioning Jin Dapao and invited him to meet, and Yue Xiaofei realized Sun Xiaochuan had underestimated his identity.
• [Wild Chicken] and Bai Bing warned Yue Xiaofei that Liu Ruyan’s invitation was likely a honey trap, but he agreed to go undercover and gather intelligence.
• Han Duoduo identified Liu Ruyan as Sun Xiaochuan’s adopted daughter and a front for his money laundering, while Yue Xiaofei told Jin Dapao and [Reverse Scale] to protect Chen Nian and her mother.

Yue Xiaofei accompanied Liu Ruyan to Sun Xiaochuan’s private club, where she offered apologies, compensation, and money to settle the harm done to Chen Nian’s family. He rejected the offer and condemned the attempt to buy off the family of a soldier who had defended his country.

• Liu Ruyan drove Yue Xiaofei from the hospital to Sun Xiaochuan’s private club, flirting with him and asking about his connections along the way.
• At the club, Liu Ruyan told Yue Xiaofei that Sun Xiaochuan was delayed and had asked her to apologize on his behalf.
• Liu Ruyan offered ten million in compensation for Chen Nian’s family and a bank card containing a hundred million for Yue Xiaofei and Director Jin.
• Yue Xiaofei rejected the offer, denounced the harm done to Chen Ze’s family, and declared that a hero’s dignity could not be bought.

Liu Ruyan tried to buy Yue Xiaofei’s loyalty with ten beauties and a billion yuan, but he rejected her offer and declared that Sun Xiaochuan’s life was part of the price for his fallen comrades. Liu Ruyan ordered her guards to attack Yue Xiaofei, and she was stunned by what happened next.

• Liu Ruyan brought out ten beautiful women after Yue Xiaofei rejected her initial offer of one hundred million yuan.
• Liu Ruyan displayed ten briefcases containing a billion yuan and offered Yue Xiaofei the money, the women, and an alliance with her godfather, Sun Xiaochuan.
• Yue Xiaofei said the offer was not enough and declared that Liu Ruyan, the money, the women, and Sun Xiaochuan’s life would barely atone for his fallen comrades.
• Liu Ruyan angrily ordered her ten guards to seize Yue Xiaofei, and they attacked him with telescopic batons.
• Liu Ruyan’s smile froze as she watched Yue Xiaofei withstand the guards’ attack.

Plot points and events

• Liu Ruyan’s ten highly trained guards charge Yue Xiaofei, but he defeats all of them in seconds without visibly moving. They suffer broken bones, while the room’s guests panic.
• Realizing she has badly underestimated him, Liu asks which elite special-forces unit he belongs to. Yue refuses to reveal his background, saying she is not worthy to know.
• Liu abandons force and tries to seduce him, tearing open her qipao and approaching with an offer to do whatever he wants.
• Her seduction is a feint: she draws a concealed Derringer and aims it at Yue’s heart.
• Yue moves faster than she can fire, grabs her by the throat, and lifts her off the floor. He warns that his hand is faster than her gun.

Character developments

• Yue Xiaofei is established as overwhelmingly powerful, composed, and contemptuous of Liu’s threats. His speed and strength far exceed what she expects.
• Liu Ruyan shifts from confident authority to fear, then tries charm and finally lethal force. Her composure gives way once Yue neutralizes her.
• The guards and women present go from confidence or amusement to helpless shock and terror.

Significant themes

• Underestimating an opponent: Liu assumes she can control Yue through status, force, or seduction, but each tactic fails.
• Power and intimidation: Yue’s effortless victory overturns the room’s hierarchy.
• Appearance versus intent: Liu’s flirtation conceals an attempt to kill him.

Character interactions

• Liu repeatedly tries to discover Yue’s identity and regain control; he dismisses her questions and attempts.
• She uses apparent apology and seduction to get close enough to attack, but Yue anticipates and overwhelms her.
• The guards’ defeat and the other women’s reactions emphasize the gap between Liu’s expectations and Yue’s abilities.

Key plot points and events

• Liu Ruyan’s attempt to resist Yue Xiaofei ends when he threatens to kill her. She drops her Derringer, and he releases her after nearly strangling her.
• Yue rejects Sun Xiaochuan’s fortune: he returns almost all the cash and a hundred-million-yuan card, giving Liu only one hundred yuan as “fare home.”
• He orders her to tell Sun Xiaochuan and the Thirteen Guardians to come to Chen Ze’s funeral at Qingshan Cemetery in three days. They must kneel at Chen’s grave, bow nine times, ask forgiveness, and surrender to the police, confessing their crimes.
• Yue warns that if they refuse, he will erase Sun Xiaochuan and everyone connected to him from Jinling.
• After Yue leaves, Liu is shaken and humiliated, then calls her godfather for help.
• The chapter shifts to Sun Xiaochuan’s underground study, where he paints plum blossoms with human blood while two women serve as “human chairs.” He answers Liu’s urgent call, setting up her report of the confrontation.

Character developments

• Yue Xiaofei is shown as controlled, fearless, and unmoved by threats, seduction, or wealth. His actions are driven by a mission to avenge his brother Chen Ze.
• Liu Ruyan goes from confident negotiator to terrified captive, then to a humiliated but still defiant messenger. She recognizes that Yue’s threat may signal a major upheaval.
• Sun Xiaochuan is introduced as a cruel, grotesque underworld figure, whose blood painting and treatment of the women reveal his brutality and power.

Significant themes

• Vengeance and justice: Yue demands public atonement and legal accountability for Chen Ze’s death and the gang’s other crimes.
• Power versus wealth: Money and status cannot sway Yue; his authority comes from his resolve and capacity for violence.
• Humiliation and fear: The single banknote and the demand to kneel are meant to strip Liu and Sun’s organization of its pride.
• A looming reckoning: Yue’s ultimatum suggests Jinling’s criminal order may soon be challenged.

Character interactions

• Yue dominates his confrontation with Liu, first physically subduing her, then delivering his ultimatum without raising his voice.
• Liu’s fear and protest reveal both her vulnerability and her loyalty—or obligation—to Sun Xiaochuan.
• The terrified women and injured guards witness Yue’s departure, emphasizing the impact of his arrival.
• Liu’s call connects the confrontation to Sun Xiaochuan, who is interrupted in his disturbing private ritual and is about to hear the news.

Plot points and events

• Liu Ruyan reports to Sun Xiaochuan that Yue Xiaofei rejected a billion in cash and ten women, then quickly crippled ten elite guards, took a gun from her, and threatened Sun with an ultimatum.
• Sun listens without visible anger. He concludes Yue is either someone he can recruit or someone he must destroy—there is no middle ground.
• Dismissing concerns about Yue’s skill and connection to Jin Dapao, Sun boasts of his 3,000 men and powerful allies. Determined to protect his authority, he declares an Underworld Gathering Order.
• Sun mobilizes his organization and business partners, offers a 100-million bounty for Yue’s death, and arranges the early release of two dangerous prisoners, Butcher and Ghost Hand.
• Jinling’s underworld rapidly arms and gathers. Money and enforcers are mobilized, while hired killers—including the poison-crossbow assassin Scorpion, the sword-wielding twins Black and White Impermanence, and Butcher—arrive in the city.
• Sun promises to meet Yue at Qingshan Cemetery in three days, setting the stage for a major confrontation.

Character developments

• Sun Xiaochuan shifts from apparent calm to a cold, calculated decision to wage all-out war. His pride and need to preserve his reputation drive him to escalate the conflict.
• Liu Ruyan remains shaken as she recounts Yue’s actions, making clear how thoroughly he outmatched Sun’s men.
• Yue Xiaofei is established as exceptionally capable, incorruptible, and fearless, though he does not appear directly in the chapter.
• Sun’s sworn sons and allies are shown as loyal but intimidated by his authority; the business bosses comply rather than risk opposing him.

Themes

• Power and pride: Sun treats backing down as a threat to his rule and reputation.
• Escalation and retaliation: A personal ultimatum turns into a citywide underworld mobilization.
• Violence as currency: Sun uses money, influence, threats, and hired killers to consolidate power.
• A dangerous mismatch of confidence and ability: Sun trusts his numbers and connections, while Yue’s demonstrated skill makes the coming clash uncertain.

Character interactions

• Liu gives Sun a detailed account of Yue’s attack; Sun’s sworn sons react with anger and urge immediate revenge.
• A bald sworn son warns Sun that Yue’s skill and family ties could make an attack risky. Sun dismisses the concern and asserts his dominance.
• Sun orders his followers, business associates, and criminal contacts to support the campaign, turning his personal conflict with Yue into a broad underworld war.

Key plot points and events

• Sun Xiaochuan gathers 3,000 henchmen and outside experts, preparing to confront Yue Xiaofei and Jin Dapao at Chen Ze’s funeral.
• He orders an especially cruel provocation: Chen Ze’s grave is to be dug up and his ashes scattered publicly. Liu Ruyan questions the scale of the plan, but Sun dismisses her concerns and reveals how completely consumed by vengeance he has become.
• Three days later, Jinling mourns Chen Ze in cold rain. Soldiers and the Reverse Scale squad gather outside the military hospital as Chen Ze’s coffin, draped in a bright red military flag, is brought out.
• Yue Xiaofei, Jin Dapao, and Chen Ze’s comrades join the funeral procession, accompanied by 231 wounded soldiers from the Modu Eight Hundred Company. Residents line the route in silent tribute.
• As the procession approaches Qingshan Cemetery, Yue remembers Chen Ze’s final request to care for his mother and sister, and vows that his friend will receive justice. The chapter ends with the threat of a violent confrontation at the cemetery.

Character developments and interactions

• Sun Xiaochuan is increasingly deranged and ruthless, turning grief and conflict into a plan to terrorize Yue and dishonor Chen Ze even after death.
• Liu Ruyan shows fear and hesitation, recognizing that her godfather has crossed into frightening cruelty.
• Yue Xiaofei keeps his grief restrained but turns it into a firm resolve to protect Chen Ze’s family and punish anyone who desecrates the funeral.
• Chen Nian struggles to support her grieving mother while forcing herself to remain strong for her brother’s send-off.
• The soldiers, Chen Ze’s comrades, and the public unite in a solemn display of respect, grief, and anger. Yue and the others personally help carry the coffin, honoring Chen as one of their own.

Significant themes

• Honor and sacrifice: Chen Ze is honored as a fallen hero through the flag-draped coffin and the soldiers’ salute.
• Grief and solidarity: His family, comrades, fellow soldiers, and ordinary citizens share in mourning him.
• Loyalty and responsibility: Yue’s promise to care for Chen Ze’s family reflects the bond between comrades.
• Vengeance and desecration: Sun’s plan to attack Chen Ze’s memory contrasts sharply with the dignity of the funeral and foreshadows a clash.

At Chen Ze’s funeral in Qingshan Cemetery, tributes from Zhao Mengsheng and Xiao Tian Ce stunned Jinling’s officials and mourners. As Yue Xiaofei prepared to share stories about Chen Ze, he resolved to honor his comrade and protect Chen Ze’s family from traitors.

• The funeral convoy arrived at Qingshan Cemetery, where military officers, veterans, and mourners had gathered under heavy rain.
• A municipal secretary recognized flower baskets bearing tributes from Zhao Mengsheng and Xiao Tian Ce and wondered who Chen Ze had been.
• Yue Xiaofei and the soldiers carried Chen Ze’s coffin into the cemetery, and Yue Xiaofei used the generals’ tributes to show that Chen Ze was a hero whose family must not be bullied.
• The Jinling Military Region’s highest-ranking officer straightened the military flag on Chen Ze’s coffin and bowed three times, followed by the other generals.
• Yue Xiaofei stood before Chen Ze’s gravestone, looked at the wounded soldiers, Chen Nian, and Aunt Liu, and began sharing stories about his comrade.

Plot points and events

• At Chen Ze’s memorial, Yue Xiaofei recounts his kindness, hard work, and frugality. Chen Ze sent his pay home to support his bedridden mother and help fund his younger sister Chen Nian’s education.
• Yue describes Chen Ze’s final request: that a fellow soldier care for his mother and sister. Overcome with grief, the soldiers of the 800th Company listen as Yue honors Chen Ze’s sacrifice and declares that his name will live on in the company’s heroes’ monument.
• Yue leads a salute to Chen Ze, joined by Reverse Scale, Jin Dapao, and more than two hundred soldiers. Their farewell is also a vow to defend heroes’ families and punish anyone who threatens their dignity.
• Chen Nian then speaks at her brother’s grave. She recalls their infrequent calls, his promised visit, and his dream of becoming a hero—someone who protects others, even at personal cost.
• She remembers being kidnapped and terrified, calling for her brother, who could not come. But his comrades did: they rescued her and protected her and her mother. Chen Nian tells her brother, “I found my heroes.”

Character developments

• Chen Ze is revealed through others’ memories as selfless, generous, and devoted to his family; his final words confirm that his loved ones remained his foremost concern.
• Yue Xiaofei channels grief into a forceful tribute and a promise of loyalty and protection.
• Chen Nian moves from anguished longing and regret to pride and renewed hope. She recognizes that her brother’s ideals live on through his fellow soldiers.
• The soldiers share guilt that they could not protect Chen Nian sooner, but her words help transform that guilt into renewed purpose.

Character interactions

• Yue speaks for Chen Ze’s comrades, sharing memories with Chen Nian and the assembled soldiers.
• The soldiers respond together to Yue’s salute, expressing both their grief for Chen Ze and their commitment to his family.
• Chen Nian addresses her brother through his photograph, then turns to acknowledge Yue, Reverse Scale, and the 800th Company as the heroes who answered the call he could not.

Significant themes

• Sacrifice and duty: Chen Ze gives his life for his country and puts his family’s needs before his own.
• Brotherhood and legacy: His comrades carry forward his care for his family and his ideal of heroism.
• Grief, guilt, and healing: The memorial’s sorrow is gradually eased by Chen Nian’s gratitude and the soldiers’ renewed sense of purpose.
• What makes a hero: Heroism means stepping forward to protect others—and that ideal can live on in many people.

Key plot points and events

• At Chen Ze’s funeral, Chen Nian’s heartfelt words move the 800th Company to tears.
• Yue Xiaofei comforts her by giving her his jacket and declares that the company will treat her as their little sister. The soldiers promise to support her and Aunt Liu, including helping with tuition and medical bills.
• The emotional moment is interrupted by a mass arrival of more than a hundred vehicles. Three thousand armed gang members force their way into the cemetery and surround it.
• Sun Xiaochuan, the powerful “king” of Jinling’s underworld, appears with his protectors and foreign associates, turning the funeral into a direct confrontation.

Character developments

• Chen Nian finds comfort and a new sense of family after losing her brother; her tears shift from grief to warmth and gratitude.
• Yue Xiaofei reveals his compassion and fierce protectiveness, publicly taking responsibility for Chen Nian and Aunt Liu.
• The 800th Company transforms its grief into solidarity and resolve, adopting Chen Nian as family.
• Sun Xiaochuan is introduced as a confident, imposing underworld leader whose arrival signals a grave threat.

Significant themes

• Found family and loyalty: The soldiers pledge to fill the role Chen Ze can no longer fulfill.
• Honor and remembrance: Their support honors Chen Ze’s sacrifice and preserves his care for his family.
• Grief turned into resolve: Shared emotion strengthens the soldiers’ commitment.
• Power and provocation: The gang’s armed invasion of a hero’s funeral challenges both military authority and public order.

Character interactions

• Yue Xiaofei comforts Chen Nian, then rallies his men to protect her and Aunt Liu.
• The soldiers respond with unanimous promises of brotherhood and practical support, which Chen Nian accepts gratefully.
• The Reverse Scale team and the 800th Company instinctively form a defensive line around Chen Nian and Aunt Liu when the vehicles arrive.
• Sun Xiaochuan makes his entrance at the head of a vast armed crowd, setting up a confrontation with the mourners and military officers.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points

• Sun Xiaochuan arrives at the Cemetery with 3,000 armed followers, intending to punish Yue Xiaofei for offending his goddaughter and humiliating him.
• He mocks the memorial baskets sent by the Northern and Eastern Frontier War Gods, declaring that military honors cannot protect the dead. He then repeatedly kicks Chen Ze’s headstone.
• Sun threatens to exhume Chen Ze’s grave, mix his ashes into dog food, and feed them to his mastiffs.
• The wounded soldiers of the 800th Company erupt in anger, and some charge toward Sun’s men. Yue Xiaofei stops them, then calmly tells Sun that he will die there that day.
• Sun laughs at Yue’s warning, boasts about his 3,000 fighters and his twenty-year hold over Jinling, and claims that power comes from force and strategy.

Character developments

• Yue Xiaofei remains controlled despite Sun’s provocation. His authority is strong enough to halt the enraged soldiers, and his quiet declaration signals confidence rather than fear.
• Sun Xiaochuan is revealed as cruel, arrogant, and reckless. Rather than being intimidated by the War Gods’ presence, he takes their honors as an opportunity to demonstrate his contempt for the military and its dead.
• The 800th Company shows fierce loyalty to Chen Ze and to one another. Their restraint comes only because they trust Yue’s command, even as Sun’s threat pushes them to the edge.

Significant themes

• Honor and remembrance: The soldiers’ outrage reflects the belief that a fallen comrade’s dignity must be defended.
• Power versus principle: Sun believes numbers, weapons, and influence make him untouchable; Yue’s composure challenges that assumption.
• Loyalty and discipline: The soldiers are ready to fight, but obey Yue even when their grief and anger urge them forward.
• The cost of desecration: Threatening Chen Ze’s grave turns a personal feud into an assault on the entire company’s shared bonds.

Character interactions

Sun deliberately provokes Yue and the company by mocking the War Gods’ tribute and threatening Chen Ze’s remains. The soldiers urge Yue to let them attack, but he holds them back with a command and a look. Yue then confronts Sun directly, while Sun responds with ridicule and boasts of his manpower and influence.

Key plot points and events

• Sun Xiaochuan boasts openly about murders, blackmail, and other crimes, horrifying the city officials and enraging the military generals.
• He uses Liu Ruyan to taunt Yue Xiaofei, offering her a choice in how he should die. Ruyan, eager for revenge over her earlier humiliation, leaves the decision to her godfather.
• Sun demands that Yue kneel, bow three times, and call him “Grandpa,” threatening otherwise to mutilate Yue’s brother’s corpse.
• Yue’s comrades urge him to resist, but discover that Sun’s men have activated a military-grade signal jammer. The gathering is cut off from outside help.
• Sun believes Yue is trapped and about to submit. Yue steps forward, but instead of kneeling, smiles at him with pity.
• As Sun loses his composure, Yue turns to Chen Nian, reassures her, and tells her to close her eyes because it will soon be over.

Character developments

• Sun Xiaochuan reveals himself as a ruthless criminal who delights in power and humiliation. Yue’s calm, pitying smile unsettles him and exposes his insecurity.
• Liu Ruyan shifts from fear to vengeful excitement, embracing Sun’s cruelty toward Yue.
• Yue Xiaofei remains composed under extreme pressure, refusing to surrender his dignity and showing tenderness toward Chen Nian.
• Yue’s comrades show loyalty and courage, preferring resistance to watching him be degraded.
• Chen Nian remains under the Reverse Scale team’s protection; Yue’s reassurance suggests she is frightened by the confrontation.

Significant themes

• Power and lawlessness: Sun treats influence and violence as tools for ruling without consequence.
• Dignity versus coercion: His demand that Yue kneel is designed to destroy Yue’s honor as much as his life.
• Isolation and control: The jammer gives Sun apparent control by cutting the group off from help.
• Composure versus arrogance: Sun mistakes Yue’s calm for surrender, while Yue’s smile hints that Sun may have misjudged the situation.

Character interactions

• Sun publicly confesses his crimes to intimidate the officials and generals.
• He physically controls Liu Ruyan and uses her resentment to provoke Yue.
• Sun tries to force Yue into submission; Yue’s refusal and calm expression provoke Sun’s rage.
• Yue ignores Sun’s threats long enough to reassure Chen Nian, underscoring his protectiveness amid the standoff.