Chapter Summaries

The Holy Palace Medical Association discussed the failed operation and searched for the missing Saintess, unaware that an unknown being had impersonated participant 04. The same force then blocked NOMA from sending Kassel College’s report about He Xiaomeng to Principal Hilbert Jean Ange.

• The association members learned that the ship, Charon, and the Saintess were missing, while 03 reported that a mysterious armed group had destroyed Far North and taken the Saintess.
• The members suspected a skilled Spirit Word user, agreed to seek the Saintess in Russia, and ended the meeting without discovering that 04’s participation had been fabricated.
• Participant 04 left his safe house unaware that a hologram of a young man in a Classical Robe had hijacked his identity and spoken at the meeting.
• The young man called himself a member of the Holy Palace Medical Association and vanished after comparing it favorably with the Hall of Truth.
• NOMA gathered Russian Branch intelligence about He Xiaomeng and began a report, but an incomprehensible force prevented it from reaching Hilbert Jean Ange.

EVA discovered an implanted Error preventing her from sending reports to Angers, but Amon infiltrated her consciousness and trapped her. After impersonating NOMA, he answered Finn’s call from a laptop, leaving the real EVA imprisoned and Kassel College unaware of the danger.

• EVA investigated the Error blocking her report about Murmansk Port and met Amon inside her consciousness.
• Amon hinted that he knew about EVA and Finn, then prevented EVA from disconnecting and escaping to warn anyone.
• Amon captured EVA’s copies in Starlight Cubes, impersonated her as NOMA, and cast the real EVA into the data sea.
• Finn obtained extra food from the cafeteria and returned to his dormitory with it.
• Finn called EVA on his laptop, and Amon sent a clone through the data cable to answer him.

Finn learned that Lu Mingfei killed Norton and that Odin took Norton's corpse after fighting Scarlet Naga, then felt hollow when EVA remembered his birthday but could not be with him. Meanwhile, Amon secretly watched Finn's conversation, and Rigerif was kidnapped aboard their train while Amon waited by the restroom.

• EVA told Finn that Lu Mingfei killed Norton with unknown Alchemical Blades, while Odin defeated Scarlet Naga and took Norton's corpse before reaching an apparent agreement with China's Orthodox.
• EVA reminded Finn that his birthday was the next day and that she had ordered him a gift, leaving him overwhelmed by loneliness.
• Amon admitted he had followed Finn's conversation through his avatars and enjoyed pretending to be his online girlfriend.
• A fake attendant distracted Rigerif while an accomplice injected and electrocuted her, then hid her unconscious in the serving cart.
• Amon waited outside the train's restrooms as a man in a gray coat came out and hurried away down the corridor.

Amon discovered Rigerif had been abducted and calmly evaded an assassin who was too terrified to shoot him. Meanwhile, Rigerif regained consciousness in a box and learned her captors planned to hand her over at the next station.

• Amon found Rigerif's compartment empty, then settled into his seat as an assassin aimed a gun at him from the train roof.
• The assassin's instinctive terror stopped him from firing, and he retreated across the roof.
• Amon appeared behind the assassin and asked why he had not fired.
• Rigerif woke inside a confined box, realized she had been abducted, and began feeling for a way to escape.
• Rigerif overheard her captors say Vulture had stayed behind to deal with Amon and that they would hand her over at the next station.

Rigerif broke free from the alloy box and fought off the two kidnappers in the luxury compartment, but armed men blocked the corridor and tried to break in. As she prepared to escape through the window, Amon appeared outside and caught her punch.

• Rigerif waited for the anesthetic and electric shock effects to fade, then smashed her way out of the alloy box.
• Rigerif disarmed and incapacitated the man and woman guarding her, then discovered four armed men blocking the corridor.
• Rigerif shut and locked the compartment door as the armed men tried to force their way in, and the kidnappers resumed attacking her.
• Rigerif fought off the man and woman with a broken wardrobe plank, then opened the window to escape the train.
• Amon caught Rigerif's punch from outside the window, and she recognized him.

Amon returned to the train carriage and reassured Rigerif, who admitted how frightened she had been. When armed men stormed in searching for her, Amon’s Spirit Word: Ghost hid them both from the intruders, and he handed Rigerif a steel pipe so she could attack.

• Amon climbed through the carriage window and found Rigerif safe, teasing her for being captured.
• Rigerif asked whether Amon would deceive her, and he replied that he would be the most despicable one of all.
• Four armed men burst into the compartment but failed to notice Amon and Rigerif under the effects of Spirit Word: Ghost.
• Amon gave Rigerif a steel pipe and told her to deal with the intruders.
• Rigerif struck the black-clad men one after another as they sensed danger too late.

Amon and Rigerif survived an ambush aboard the train, with Rigerif killing four attackers and Amon swiftly eliminating the rest. As they continued toward China, Rigerif grew more reliant on Amon, who had secretly allowed the attack to deepen her trust in him.

• Rigerif killed four men in the luxury compartment, then Amon used Time Zero to kill the black-clad attackers in the corridor.
• Rigerif washed off the blood and changed into clean clothes while she and Amon decided to stay aboard until the next stop.
• Amon assured Rigerif that the train cameras could not see them, and they returned to their compartment without drawing attention.
• Rigerif asked whether more trouble would follow, and Amon said the Holy Palace Medical Association would have difficulty reaching them in China.
• Amon reflected that he had knowingly let the attack happen to teach Rigerif about danger and make her rely on him.

Amon returned home to Beijing after investigating the Far North, and he reassured Xia Mi while telling her about the expedition. He left her with the impression that he had found nothing, then recounted the journey over a playful exchange.

• Amon came home late at night, and Xia Mi woke to welcome him.
• Xia Mi scolded Amon for disappearing for months and worrying her and The Academy.
• Amon explained that he had traveled north to investigate the Far North, whose members sought a legendary gate to the Kingdom of God and immortality.
• Xia Mi sensed a connection to Dragon Kind and pressed Amon for clues, but he said he had found nothing and had gone out of curiosity.
• Amon described the polar voyage and teased Xia Mi about round seals, prompting her to throw a cushion at him.

Amon told Xia Mi about seeing a gigantic white whale in the Arctic and getting caught near a harbor shootout, then asked about her life with Fenrir and at school. Xia Mi revealed that Chu Zihang had become the teaching assistant for her Kassel Preparatory Class, leaving Amon to wonder why he had come to their school.

• Amon described a huge, possibly scaled white sperm whale leading a pod near his ship, which an old sailor called Leviathan.
• Amon recounted a gang shootout at Murmansk Port, and Xia Mi teased him for attracting trouble wherever he went.
• Xia Mi said Fenrir had secretly ordered Bluetooth earphones online and used the Kamaitachi Queen to retrieve the package at night.
• Xia Mi explained that Fenrir had won money for the earphones by taking first place in a StarCraft competition.
• Xia Mi told Amon that Chu Zihang, a handsome second-year student from Kassel College, had joined her class as a teaching assistant.
• Amon asked whether Chu Zihang was assigned only to Xia Mi’s class, and she explained that the preparatory program had just one class.

Amon suspected Chu Zihang had come to investigate him and Xia Mi, and he warned Xia Mi that his suspicious trip to the Far North might have drawn Kassel College’s attention. Xia Mi feared that a thorough investigation could expose her false identity as He Xiaoyu, while Amon tried to reassure her.

• Amon reasoned that Chu Zihang had come to investigate him because of his connection to the Far North and the timing of his departure from Kassel College.
• Xia Mi asked whether Amon knew Chu Zihang, and Amon said they had fought before, ending when Amon’s gunman shot Chu Zihang with a Frigg Bullet.
• Amon teased Xia Mi about her interest in Chu Zihang, then turned serious and warned her that Chu Zihang was probably investigating them.
• Xia Mi worried that her identity as the King of Earth and Mountains might have been exposed, but Amon said he thought the investigation was focused on him.
• Xia Mi feared an investigation could reveal that the real He Xiaoyu had died, while Amon reassured her that they could avoid trouble by staying away from Fenrir.

Xia Mi feared that The Academy would uncover her fabricated identity and destroy her home with Amon, while Amon decided to avoid returning to Kassel and travel to Japan. After learning that Scarlet Group was competing for land he wanted, Amon suspected Scarlet Naga was behind it and went to find her.

• Xia Mi ate breakfast with Amon and worried that an investigation would expose her identity and end their relationship.
• Amon told Xia Mi he would stay away from Kassel for now and planned a trip to Japan to visit Akihabara.
• Rigerif told Amon that Scarlet Group had entered a public bidding process for the northern plot of land.
• Amon suspected Scarlet Naga had founded Scarlet Group with backing from the Chen Family or Orthodox, and he decided to investigate her.
• Amon found that Naga had sublet her old apartment, received a note with her new address, and took a taxi there.

Wa Master discussed how to manage Naga’s business expansion and steer her away from establishing a factory in Beijing, while Zhou Minhao reported that Naga’s unusually generous labor policies seemed to matter more to her than profits. The chapter ended with Wa Master wondering whether Naga was running a business or doing charity.

• Wa Master reviewed a report about Russian investor Revka Rigiyeva’s Hungry Dragon Food Co., Ltd. competing for industrial land sought by Scarlet Group.
• Wa Master told Zhou Minhao that the Orthodox should guide Naga sincerely and encourage her to develop her business in a coastal city rather than Capital City.
• Zhou Minhao reported that Naga had acquired a construction company and a garment factory in a coastal city and appeared to enjoy commanding subordinates more than pursuing profits.
• Zhou Minhao explained that Naga had improved employee benefits, reduced working hours, ended mandatory overtime, and instituted weekly weekends despite objections from a factory manager concerned about profits.
• Wa Master questioned whether Naga was operating a business or doing charity.

Wa Master and Zhou Minhao discussed what Naga was trying to accomplish with her business strategy. Amon met Naga and persuaded her to leave Beijing and develop her companies in the south, while their friendship remained intact for now.

• Zhou Minhao speculated that Naga valued authority and obedience more than business profits, prompting Wa Master to wonder whether human capital was the real evil dragon.
• Amon arrived at Naga’s villa and found her dressed elegantly, where she offered him a Coke and said he could have the house when she left.
• Naga asked Amon why the King of Earth and Mountains had not intervened at White Emperor City, and Amon answered that his liege had her own considerations.
• Amon warned Naga that settling in Beijing would bring her into conflict with the King of Earth and Mountains, and reminded her that she would face the Twins together.
• Naga agreed to leave Beijing and develop the two companies she had acquired in the south, and Amon hoped they could remain friends until they had to fight.

Naga explained to Amon how she used unusually generous wages and benefits to sow resentment and conflict among workers and employers. Amon learned she had picked up the idea online and encouraged her to continue her scheme.

• Naga told Amon she considered him a friend but would not hold back if they ever had to fight, and they toasted with cans of Coke.
• Amon asked whether Naga had put her plan to enslave humanity through capital into practice, and she proudly described her company's strict rules and generous employee benefits.
• Naga revealed that she intended to provoke envy, resentment, and conflict by paying workers unusually well, while claiming the arrangement would ultimately corrupt their expectations and disrupt the labor market.
• Amon questioned whether her plan could destabilize the country, and Naga replied that planting seeds of chaos was interesting in itself.
• Amon guessed Naga had learned her theories from Tieba, and she admitted he was right.
• Amon said he agreed with her plan and urged her to keep building her capital trap and make employees focus on money rather than ideals.

After settling Scarlet Group’s withdrawal from the land competition, Amon took Rigerif into Fenrir’s Nibelungen to show her the creatures she would oversee. His Golden Eyes drove off a Kamaitachi swarm, and he revealed that her feeding duties involved something farther inside.

• Amon told Rigerif that Scarlet Group had withdrawn from the competition and asked her to meet him at the factory site.
• Amon led Rigerif into the abandoned subway station, where she realized they were entering the Nibelungen.
• A swarm of Kamaitachi awakened and moved toward Rigerif, drawn by her blood.
• Rigerif’s glare provoked the swarm, so she hid behind Amon and asked him to control the creatures.
• Amon used his Golden Eyes to frighten the Kamaitachi into retreating and explained that Rigerif only needed to keep them dormant.
• Amon told Rigerif that the creatures she was meant to feed were farther inside.

Amon and Rigerif traveled by subway through the Nibelungen to meet the colossal creature waiting at the abandoned platform. The creature roared “Brother!” at Amon, leaving Rigerif stunned.

• A subway train arrived in the tunnel to pick up Amon, and Rigerif realized its blazing lights had frightened her as if they were Golden Eyes.
• Amon explained that the Nibelungen followed the rules of the abandoned subway station, and he and Rigerif rode the train to its destination.
• Amon led Rigerif across an empty platform toward a massive rock wall, where two lights appeared in the darkness.
• A huge creature emerged from the shadows and roared “Brother!” at Amon, shocking Rigerif.

Amon introduced Rigerif to his younger brother Fenrir, a giant dragon trapped half-fused with stone in Nibelungen, and explained that she would supply the food needed for his final hatching. Rigerif recognized Fenrir as one of the Four Great Kings and asked which King Amon was, but Amon said he was not one of them.

• Amon introduced Rigerif to Fenrir and told him to treat her as his little sister.
• Fenrir welcomed Rigerif by giving her potato chips and promising to protect her, though he admitted he could not leave his prison.
• Rigerif saw that Fenrir’s lower body had petrified and fused with the rock wall.
• Amon explained that Rigerif would arrange a food-processing plant to supply Fenrir with enough food to complete his hatching.
• Rigerif identified Fenrir as the King of Earth and Mountains, one of the Four Great Kings, and asked which King Amon was; Amon denied being one of them.

Amon explained how Rigerif could secretly route food into Nibelungen to help Fenrir complete his incubation, and Fenrir marked her with his blood so the Ghost Cart Birds would recognize her as an attendant. Amon left Rigerif in charge and said he would travel to the United States, then probably Japan.

• Amon told Rigerif that he and Fenrir were not blood brothers and asked her to call him He Xiaomeng.
• Fenrir showed Amon his computer and described winning a StarCraft match, buying a cashmere scarf for his big sister, and sharing a cake with her.
• Amon explained how Rigerif could conceal food shortages at a processing plant, transport supplies into Nibelungen by conveyor belt and subway, and use Fenrir’s mark to pass safely among the Ghost Cart Birds.
• Fenrir reluctantly pricked himself and placed a drop of Dragon Blood on Rigerif’s palm, marking her as an attendant to the throne.
• Amon told Rigerif to manage the operation and retreat to Nibelungen if she faced danger, then said he would go to the United States and probably Japan.
• Amon told Fenrir not to tell his sister about the matter unless she asked.

Amon called Principal Angers after his Arctic journey to report the Far North organization, its leader Vincent, and signs of Dragon activity. Angers was surprised that Amon knew about the 1943 genetic leak as their conversation ended with the Arctic mystery unresolved.

• Amon contacted Angers and explained that his vacation had included investigating clues related to the Dragon Raja.
• Angers questioned Amon about how he obtained his private number, and Amon said he found it in the phone of a cult leader.
• Amon identified the organization as the Far North and its leader as Vincent, prompting Angers to recall that the group had split from the Secret Party.
• Amon reported that the Far North was searching for a legendary Kingdom of God and that he had encountered an intelligent Dragon-blooded whale in the Arctic Ocean.
• Amon connected the Far North, the whale, and the 1943 genetic leak, and Angers expressed surprise that Amon knew about the leak.

Amon told Angers that records from the Far North pointed to Japanese Hybrids carrying the White Dragon King's bloodline, confirming suspicions the college had investigated for decades. Angers remained wary of Amon's motives as Amon extended his vacation in Los Angeles to pursue a money-making idea.

• Amon explained how an old captain's account of bizarre Arctic creatures had led him to suspect Dragon Blood contamination, and Angers admitted his reaction had confirmed the theory.
• Amon revealed records from the Far North that identified Japanese Hybrids as descendants of the White Dragon King, and Angers said the college's research had reached the same conclusion.
• Angers reflected that Amon's abilities and discoveries seemed suspiciously convenient and considered whether he might be a hidden pawn or a humanoid Dragon Kind.
• Angers accepted Amon's discovery as valuable corroboration and promised to accommodate his future leave requests.
• Amon said he had arrived in Los Angeles and asked to extend his vacation so he could pursue a way to earn money for a courtyard house for his sister.