Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• After court discusses unusual troop movements by the Night Central Kingdom, the emperor privately orders Princess Jiahe, Song Yaoyao, to deliver weapons to General Han on the Frontier.
• Yaoyao declines the emperor’s larger escort list, choosing only General Liu (Liu Zheheng) and her second brother, Song Qinghui, to travel discreetly. She deliberately avoids the Sixth Prince, Chen Yixiao, to prevent an awkward encounter with his former wife, Ou Ruoxuan, who is on the Frontier.
• At the heavily guarded armory, Yaoyao secretly transfers several storehouses’ worth of weapons into her magical space. When the guard discovers the empty storehouses, the emperor takes responsibility, claiming he ordered the weapons moved.
• Yaoyao tells Qinghui to pack, and the emperor separately summons Liu Zheheng. Their parents are informed only that the siblings are traveling on imperial orders; Yaoyao also gives Madam Song advice about the people in the Plum Garden.
• The next morning, Yaoyao disguises herself and both men. The three leave the capital quietly. Their journey begins without incident, though enemy spies have already been ordered to intercept and kill the weapon convoy.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao shows initiative and caution: she limits the escort, keeps the mission secret, and uses her powers to transport the weapons without raising suspicion.
• Song Qinghui is excited to travel to the Frontier, though he understands his role is to protect his sister rather than fight.
• Liu Zheheng accepts his escort assignment despite wondering why Yaoyao is making the trip.
• The emperor trusts Yaoyao with an important mission and shields the armory guard from blame.
• Assistant Minister Song and Madam Song worry about Yaoyao’s safety and repeatedly urge Qinghui to protect her.
• Yaoyao and Guagua briefly discuss the apparent disturbance in court; the officials had been startled by an earlier video, but Yaoyao notices nothing unusual.

Significant themes

• Secrecy and deception: Disguises, concealed orders, and Yaoyao’s hidden ability help keep the mission unnoticed.
• Duty and trust: Yaoyao accepts the emperor’s urgent assignment, while her brother and Liu Zheheng support it.
• Danger beneath calm: The party’s quiet departure contrasts with the looming threat of enemy spies planning an ambush.

Key plot points and events

• Ten days into their journey, Song Yaoyao and her companions are nearing the Frontier, where they expect to meet General Han in about a day and a half. The long, bumpy ride has left Song Yaoyao sore and badly chafed.
• While treating her injuries in her personal space, Song Yaoyao teases Guagua about his courtship of Lingling. Guagua admits that Lingling has agreed to let him court her after he impressed her by speaking a foreign language.
• Guagua explains that systems have carried modern marriage customs into the System World: weddings require a bride price and banquet, though not the other modern expenses Song Yaoyao lists.
• Hoping to help Guagua earn enough energy to redeem a new skin, Song Yaoyao buys eleven vehicles from the system shop: five off-road vehicles, three sedans, and three pickup trucks. She confirms that Guagua can supply gasoline for up to twenty vehicles, not counting sports cars. The purchases cost her several antiques.
• Guagua redeems a handsome human-form skin to match the modern-era beauty skin Lingling chose. He proudly shows it off, while Song Yaoyao jokes about his vanity and asks to see Lingling.

Character developments

• Song Yaoyao remains practical and resourceful, planning her vehicle purchases around the ancient world’s poor roads and limited fuel. She also shows affection for Guagua by agreeing to help fund his courtship.
• Guagua is increasingly invested in Lingling: he has begun courting her and chooses a new appearance partly so they will match. His excitement over his commission and new skin reveals a playful, self-conscious side.
• Lingling does not appear directly, but her willingness to give Guagua a chance marks progress in their relationship.

Significant themes

• Modern customs transplanted into a fantasy world: The System World has adopted marriage practices from the many modern settings its systems visit.
• Technology and adaptation: Song Yaoyao uses modern vehicles strategically, balancing their usefulness against the era’s roads and fuel limitations.
• Affection and self-interest: Song Yaoyao’s support helps Guagua pursue romance, while also benefiting him through system-shop commissions and energy.

Character interactions

• Song Yaoyao and Guagua banter throughout: she presses him for romantic details, teases his new appearance, and questions his fuel capacity.
• Their relationship is affectionate and transactional at once: Song Yaoyao helps Guagua earn energy by purchasing vehicles, and he hopes to use the reward to obtain a skin that will make him more appealing to Lingling.

Key plot points

• Guagua abandons Song Yaoyao to find Lingling, leaving Song Yaoyao to complain before exhaustion puts her to sleep.
• The next day, Song Yaoyao, Liu Zheheng, and Song Qinghui travel toward the border. They notice groups of people concealed in the woods, whom Guagua identifies as assassins watching supply wagons. Song Yaoyao avoids confronting them so she can reach General Han promptly.
• The trio passes through Flowing Moon City and reaches the military camp. Because a previous visitor used a forged identity and attacked the camp, guards require verification even from people carrying official tokens.
• General Han comes to meet them, accompanied by his granddaughter, Han Chuyu. She recognizes Song Yaoyao, but the group still tests her identity. Song Yaoyao’s audible inner thoughts and her accurate recollection of their past meeting confirm that she is the real Princess Jiahe.
• Song Yaoyao presents the emperor’s token, and the group welcomes her into the command tent. She asks General Han to dismiss everyone, then reveals that she has come to escort a shipment of weapons—far more than survived a previous delivery. General Han is astonished that only three people brought them.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao shows unusual restraint by ignoring the assassins, prioritizing her mission over her usual appetite for trouble. She also understands and accepts the camp’s strict security.
• Guagua supplies intelligence about the hidden watchers and explains the camp’s caution, though it has gone silent after leaving to find Lingling.
• Han Chuyu is delighted to confirm Song Yaoyao’s identity and helps reassure her grandfather.
• General Han and his officers are wary but disciplined; once Song Yaoyao proves herself and presents the token, they treat her with respect. His surprise at the weapon shipment sets up the next discussion.

Significant themes

• Security amid wartime danger: Forged identities, assassins, and a past infiltration make verification essential.
• Duty over impulse: Song Yaoyao sets aside her mischievous nature to complete an urgent military mission.
• Trust and proof: Familiarity alone is not enough; Song Yaoyao earns acceptance through shared memories, her unusual inner voice, and official authorization.

Key plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao presents General Han with the emperor’s Secret Imperial Edict, confirming that she has come to deliver weapons. He burns the edict after verifying its seal.
• General Han gathers his soldiers to retrieve the supplies. Song Yaoyao secretly places the weapons in a nearby cave, then invites the group inside.
• The soldiers find the crates intact and count the shipment. General Han confirms it matches the inventory, signs and seals the document, and keeps one copy while Song Yaoyao takes the other.
• Two additional crates contain gifts from Song Yaoyao: high-powered telescopes and loudspeakers. She explains how to use them, and the soldiers eagerly test them.
• Doctor Ou Ruoxuan arrives to see Song Yaoyao. General Han offers Song a place in the camp as a doctor, since battle is approaching and medical help will be needed. She agrees, provided she disguises herself as a man.
• Ou Ruoxuan escorts Song to her tent, while Liu Zheheng and Song Qinghui remain nearby as her protectors. The two women begin catching up.

Character developments

• Song Yaoyao handles the delivery confidently and discreetly, keeping her unusual method of transporting the weapons secret. She also contributes extra equipment to help the army.
• General Han shifts from disbelief to trust once he verifies the emperor’s order and the intact shipment. He accepts Song’s offer to serve in the camp.
• Ou Ruoxuan has become a doctor and is living at the frontier in disguise, though the chapter leaves the details unexplained.
• Liu Zheheng and Song Qinghui are surprised by Song Yaoyao’s secrets but remain focused on protecting her.

Significant themes

• Duty and service: Song Yaoyao supports the army through both supplies and medical work.
• Secrecy and trust: The delivery depends on the emperor’s confidential order, while Song’s means of transporting the weapons remain hidden.
• Ingenuity and preparation: The new equipment and the camp’s need for doctors reflect efforts to prepare for the coming war.

Character interactions

• Song Yaoyao reassures General Han with the edict, coordinates the inventory, and gives him equipment for the troops.
• General Han treats Song with respect once her authority is confirmed and offers her a role in the camp.
• Song Yaoyao and Ou Ruoxuan reunite warmly, but their conversation ends just as Song asks how Ou became a doctor.
• Liu Zheheng and Song Qinghui stay close to Song Yaoyao, maintaining their protective role.

Key plot points and events

• Ou Ruoxuan tells Song Yaoyao that the medicine Song once gave her worked well when their party was attacked by bandits. Inspired by its effectiveness, Ou Ruoxuan began studying medicine with a physician in Flowing Moon City and came to the frontier to help the army.
• Song notices that Ou Ruoxuan seems happier and asks if she has found someone she likes. Ou Ruoxuan blushes, denies it, and hurries away—prompting Song to suspect that she is hiding something.
• Guagua confirms that Ou Ruoxuan has fallen for someone and recounts how they met. While studying at a Medical Hall, Ou Ruoxuan was confronted at night by a masked, wounded man who threatened her with a dagger and demanded treatment. She stayed composed, dressed his wounds, and let him leave.
• The man was Yu Youqian, the son of a deputy general and known as Young General Yu. He had been injured while scouting the enemy.
• They met again at a banquet. Yu recognized Ou Ruoxuan, though she did not recognize him. He learned that she was General Han’s granddaughter and gradually became attracted to her after discovering her history and character.
• Yu decided to pursue her, repeatedly visiting the Medical Hall and insisting that Ou Ruoxuan examine him, despite her being only a beginner and the physicians offering to treat him instead.

Character developments

• Ou Ruoxuan has grown more confident and cheerful since arriving at the frontier. Her interest in medicine has become a purposeful way to serve during the coming war. Despite her past divorce and doubts about attending a matchmaking banquet, she shows courage and composure under pressure.
• Yu Youqian develops from a desperate injured stranger into a determined suitor. His admiration for Ou Ruoxuan deepens as he learns about her kindness and hardships.
• Song Yaoyao remains perceptive, playful, and curious, teasing Ou Ruoxuan and pressing Guagua for the story behind her embarrassment.

Significant themes

• Healing and service: Ou Ruoxuan turns her interest in medicine into a way to help others during wartime.
• Resilience and self-worth: She continues building a life after divorce, even while feeling uncertain about how others may judge her.
• Fate and romance: A dramatic first encounter leads to an unexpected reunion and Yu’s growing affection.
• Courage under pressure: Ou Ruoxuan responds calmly to a threatening situation and helps the wounded man rather than panicking.

Character interactions

• Song warmly praises Ou Ruoxuan’s progress but teases her about romance, making her flustered.
• Ou Ruoxuan treats the masked Yu under threat, while maintaining enough composure to manage the encounter safely.
• At the banquet, Yu recognizes Ou Ruoxuan and quietly learns about her background; later, he uses repeated visits to the Medical Hall as an excuse to see her.

Key events

• Yu Youqian repeatedly confesses his feelings to Ou Ruoxuan, but she refuses, saying she has no plans to remarry and that a divorced woman like her is not a suitable match for him. Yu insists she is the only woman he wants.
• At the Medical Hall, Ou Ruoxuan recognizes an emblem tattooed on two men as one she once saw on her maternal grandfather’s desk. Concerned, she tells Yu Youqian, who follows the men to investigate.
• Yu does not return for ten days. Ou learns he was badly injured after the men’s associates pursued him. Han Chuyu’s patrol rescued him, and she later led a force to destroy their hideout.
• The men belonged to a branch of Crescent Moon Hall, an evil cult that creates corpse puppets. Yu was wounded by one, but survived because it was relatively weak and unpoisoned. Han Chuyu’s soldiers used guns to destroy the puppets and explosives to raze the branch.

Character developments and interactions

• Yu’s persistence shows how deeply he cares for Ou, though she continues to reject his proposal out of personal reluctance and concern about their social suitability.
• Ou’s worry during Yu’s absence—and her distress when she sees him injured—suggests that her feelings may be changing. She blames herself for letting him investigate alone.
• Yu prioritizes Ou’s safety by telling her to stay behind, while she later seeks Han Chuyu’s help to visit him.
• Han Chuyu protects Yu and acts decisively against the cult. Song Yaoyao’s conversation with Guagua provides background on the threat.

Significant themes

• Persistence versus boundaries: Yu’s devotion is sincere, but Ou remains firm in her refusal.
• Changing feelings through danger: Yu’s injury makes Ou confront how much she cares about him.
• Hidden threats and decisive action: The tattooed men reveal the danger posed by Crescent Moon Hall and its corpse-refining practices.
• Different kinds of undead: Guagua distinguishes naturally formed zombies from artificially made puppets, explaining their origins, abilities, and weaknesses.

Key plot points and events

• Guagua explains that the Witch Tribe lives between the Night Central and Dragon Abyss Kingdoms and is independent of either. Its members usually seek experience in those nearby kingdoms rather than the more distant Heavenly Mystic or Heavenly Phoenix Kingdoms.
• Guagua recounts how Ou Ruoxuan and Yu Youqian grew close. Feeling guilty after Yu was injured, Ou visited him regularly and came to appreciate his respect and consideration. She agreed to see how their relationship developed, and later accepted his marriage proposal.
• Their families approve of the match. Yu’s family knows about Ou’s divorce and is especially pleased that their son has found a woman he loves. The couple is engaged and expects to marry in a few months.
• Song Yaoyao is relieved that Ou may find happiness after her difficult marriage and hopes the group will arrive in time for the wedding banquet.
• The conversation turns to Guagua’s love life. He shows Song a photo with Lingling and admits he becomes nervous around her, despite being talkative with Song.
• Song teases him about his chatter and urges him to rein it in as he gets closer to Lingling. Guagua agrees, then immediately resumes praising her.
• Song asks for videos of handsome men and jokes that the greatest distance is between the men on her screen and herself.

Character developments and interactions

• Ou Ruoxuan moves from guilt and uncertainty toward trust and affection, drawn to Yu Youqian’s kindness and respect for her independence.
• Yu Youqian shows steady devotion and attentiveness, making clear that marriage would not require Ou to give up her work.
• Guagua is openly lovestruck but shy around Lingling; his confidence in talking to Song contrasts with his nervousness around the woman he likes.
• Song Yaoyao and Guagua share playful banter. Song is genuinely happy for Ou, teases Guagua about his romantic awkwardness and nonstop talking, and indulges her own enthusiasm for handsome men.

Significant themes

• Healing and second chances: Ou’s past divorce does not prevent her from finding a respectful, loving partner.
• Respect and independence in relationships: Yu’s willingness to support Ou’s work helps build her trust.
• Romance and family acceptance: Both families’ approval reinforces the couple’s engagement.
• Humor and companionship: Song and Guagua’s teasing provides a lighthearted counterpoint to the romantic update.

Key plot points and events

• The Night Central Kingdom declares war, and General Han accepts. Three days later, the armies meet; Song Yaoyao watches from the city wall with Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng.
• Guagua identifies the enemy’s black-robed commander as Feiye, the Night Central Kingdom’s state preceptor, and reveals that Feiye is a woman.
• Guagua recounts Feiye’s past through a video: born Yuan Ling, she was the daughter of a Witch Tribe elder and grew up alongside Tingsong and Zhiyi.
• Yuan Ling loved Tingsong, but he loved Zhiyi. Jealous and convinced that Zhiyi stood in her way, Yuan Ling secretly gave the unconscious Zhiyi a potion made from burned talisman ashes.
• Tingsong offered a reward for information. Yuan Ling was identified, tortured into confessing, and injured. After her father’s rebellion failed, she escaped the Witch Tribe, losing her followers along the way.
• The Night Central Kingdom’s emperor, Qi Yanzhen, rescued her. Yuan Ling gave him the name Feiye and agreed to serve his kingdom, eventually becoming its state preceptor.
• Feiye learned that her family had been executed and devoted herself to witchcraft, driven by hatred and a desire for revenge. Tingsong and the others suspect her identity but lack proof.

Character developments

• Song Yaoyao observes the impending battle and learns the history behind Feiye’s hostility toward the Witch Tribe.
• Yuan Ling/Feiye changes from a jealous childhood friend into a vengeful fugitive and powerful state preceptor. Her personal heartbreak and later persecution fuel her hatred.
• Tingsong remains devoted to Zhiyi and rejects the idea of taking another wife; he pursues Yuan Ling after Zhiyi is harmed.
• Qi Yanzhen offers Feiye refuge and employment, motivated by her Witch Tribe origins rather than compassion alone.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and possessive love can lead to betrayal and violence.
• Grief and persecution can transform personal resentment into a lasting thirst for revenge.
• Hidden identities and uncertain loyalties complicate the coming conflict.

Character interactions

• Song Yaoyao consults Guagua, who explains Feiye’s identity and past while showing the events in a video.
• Yuan Ling’s love for Tingsong clashes with his love for Zhiyi, leading her to poison Zhiyi and Tingsong to seek justice.
• Qi Yanzhen gives Yuan Ling a way out of her desperate flight, and she pledges to serve his kingdom.

Plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao learns that Tingsong now leads the Witch Tribe and has married Zhiyi, who eventually awoke from her coma in poor health. Both blame Yuan Ling for Zhiyi’s condition and have long searched for her, suspecting Feiye is Yuan Ling.
• Song Yaoyao proposes giving Tingsong evidence linking Feiye to Yuan Ling so the Witch Tribe will pursue Feiye instead of the Han Family Army having to fight her directly.
• Guagua reveals Feiye’s crimes: she kidnaps people—especially skilled martial artists—and transforms them into puppets. She now commands about a thousand, including twenty on the battlefield. The puppets’ weak point is between their eyebrows.
• As Feiye sends the puppets against the Han Family Army, Song Yaoyao broadcasts their weakness using an amplifier. The soldiers adjust their attacks accordingly.
• Feiye confronts General Han and uses a talisman to slow him, preparing to strike his forehead. Song Yaoyao fires at her with a transforming rifle, hitting her shoulder and leg. Feiye dodges the next two shots.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao acts quickly to protect the army, using both her knowledge of the puppets and her modern weaponry. She also hopes to turn the Witch Tribe against Feiye.
• Song Qinghui is eager to fight but stays beside Song Yaoyao because protecting her is his assigned duty. She gives him permission to join, but he chooses to remain.
• Liu Zheheng is stunned by Song Yaoyao’s weapon and its ability to change form.
• Feiye’s confidence and control are challenged: the army learns her puppets’ weakness, and Song Yaoyao’s gunfire injures her.
• Tingsong and Zhiyi’s shared resentment of Yuan Ling creates a possible alliance of convenience against Feiye.

Significant themes

• Strategic cooperation: Song Yaoyao seeks to redirect an enemy faction’s anger toward a common threat.
• Knowledge as a weapon: Revealing the puppets’ weakness shifts the battlefield in the Han Family Army’s favor.
• Loyalty and duty: Song Qinghui puts Song Yaoyao’s safety above his desire to fight.
• Modern technology versus supernatural power: Song Yaoyao’s amplifier and rifle disrupt Feiye’s tactics and surprise those unfamiliar with them.

Key plot points

• The Heavenly Phoenix Kingdom wins its first battle after General Han’s forces destroy half of Feiye’s twenty puppets. Feiye retreats, and the enemy army follows; Song Yaoyao’s warning about the puppets’ fatal weakness proves decisive.
• The kingdom’s new firearms remain unused. General Han is keeping them secret, and the troops have only recently learned to operate them, so their poor accuracy would waste scarce ammunition.
• Song Yaoyao explains her sniper rifle to Liu Zheheng and General Han. Liu is curious but tactfully refrains from asking how she can produce different weapons. General Han, though grateful for her help, is more concerned by the threat Feiye poses than pleased by the victory.
• In private, Song Yaoyao tells General Han about Feiye’s past and proposes using the Witch Tribe’s search for Yuan Ling against him. They can reveal that Feiye is Yuan Ling and provide proof, prompting Tingsong and Zhiyi to confront him.
• Song Yaoyao plans to infiltrate Frost City with her second brother and Liu Zheheng. General Han objects to the danger and offers to send people who know the city.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao demonstrates battlefield judgment, shares knowledge of her weapon, and takes charge of a risky plan to turn Feiye’s enemies against him.
• General Han respects and trusts her, but his concern over Feiye leads him to resist sending her into Frost City without support.
• Liu Zheheng shows keen interest in the sniper rifle and grows closer to Song Yaoyao through her patient explanations; his restraint signals his trust in her.
• Han Chuyu notices Song Yaoyao’s discomfort at being questioned about the rifle’s origin and smoothly redirects her grandfather.
• Song Yaoyao and General Han work as strategic partners: she proposes the plan, while he supports it but worries about her safety.

Significant themes

• Strategy over force: The first victory depends on discovering the puppets’ weakness, not simply using superior weapons.
• Secrecy and trust: The firearms are kept hidden, and Liu Zheheng’s restraint shows respect for what Song Yaoyao chooses not to reveal.
• Turning enemies against each other: Song Yaoyao aims to avoid a direct confrontation by exploiting the Witch Tribe’s pursuit of Yuan Ling.
• Victory tempered by danger: Even after winning, the commanders recognize that Feiye remains a serious threat.

Key plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao and her companions need to reach Frost City in the enemy Night Central Kingdom. With the border closed, General Han explains that their options are a dangerous river crossing or the supposedly impassable Poison Miasma Forest.
• Yaoyao recognizes that she can safely manage the poisonous vapors. She proposes crossing the forest and shows General Han her Miasma-Repelling Pills.
• She promises to share the pills’ prescription and safety precautions, surprising General Han, who had assumed such knowledge would be kept secret. He agrees that the information could improve the kingdom’s military plans.
• Yaoyao gives the prescription and precautions to General Han, then tells Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng that they will leave for Frost City the next morning. She hints that they intend to disrupt the enemy’s plans.
• To avoid attracting attention, Yaoyao leaves the Imperial Shadow Guards on standby in Flowing Moon City rather than taking them along.
• General Han sends Han Chuyu to escort the trio to the forest. At its edge, Yaoyao distributes the pills and modern military boots, explaining that each pill lasts a day and that they should keep spares.

Character development and interactions

• Song Yaoyao is confident, resourceful, and decisive. Her familiarity with poisonous miasma lets her turn a feared obstacle into a practical route, and her willingness to share her prescription earns General Han’s respect.
• General Han moves from concern about Yaoyao’s safety to admiration for her knowledge and generosity. He supports her departure and arranges an escort.
• Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng respond eagerly to the mission. Qinghui briefly thinks they are returning to the capital, then becomes excited when Yaoyao reveals they are going to Frost City.
• Yaoyao takes a practical, protective role with her companions: she gives them medicine and equipment, and even ties Qinghui’s boots when he cannot manage the laces.

Significant themes

• Knowledge as power and cooperation: Yaoyao’s expertise not only enables their journey but may also help reshape military strategy.
• Resourcefulness in the face of danger: Rather than accept the obvious risks of the river, she uses her experience and supplies to find another route.
• Trust and loyalty: Her companions follow her lead, while General Han supports her despite his initial misgivings.
• Secrecy and strategy: The small group travels without the Shadow Guards to reduce the chance of detection.

Key plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao prepares herself, Song Qinghui, and Liu Zheheng to cross the Poison Miasma Forest: they seal their clothes, cover their faces with damp cloths, and wear gloves as extra protection against poisonous air and wildlife.
• Guided by Guagua, the group travels safely for several hours. A territorial python blocks their path, but Song Yaoyao kills it with her silenced pistol.
• They emerge from the forest at dusk and spot a lightly guarded enemy garrison. Guagua helps Song Yaoyao survey the camp.
• To avoid approaching openly, the group adopts disguises: Liu Zheheng becomes their “eldest brother,” Zhang Heng; Song Qinghui is “second brother,” Zhang Hui; and Song Yaoyao is their “little sister,” Zhang Yao.
• Song Yaoyao uses a drone—explained to the others as a Mechanism Arts device—to carry poison over the camp. The soldiers collapse, allowing the trio to enter and occupy the garrison.
• They decide to spend the night there and descend the mountain the following morning. Song Yaoyao gives Song Qinghui corpse-dissolving powder; he and Liu Zheheng remove the bodies, loot them, and dispose of them.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao demonstrates practical caution, confidence, and ingenuity, combining protective measures with advanced weapons and technology.
• Song Qinghui is curious about the unfamiliar drone and peppers Yaoyao with questions, while Liu Zheheng steps into his assigned “eldest brother” role and gently quiets him.
• Song Qinghui’s ease in looting and disposing of bodies reveals that he has become accustomed to dealing with past assassination attempts against Yaoyao.
• Liu Zheheng is unsettled by the disposal process and realizes how experienced the siblings are at it.

Significant themes

• Preparation and survival: Careful precautions help the group cross a lethal forest.
• Ingenuity and technological advantage: Song Yaoyao uses her pistol, drone, and poison to overcome obstacles with minimal risk.
• Adaptability and teamwork: The three coordinate their disguises and roles to infiltrate the garrison.
• Violence and its normalization: The group’s efficient handling of the bodies contrasts with Liu Zheheng’s discomfort, highlighting how repeated threats have hardened the others.

Plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao, Song Qinghui, and Liu Zheheng share instant noodles and other provisions before leaving their mountain outpost.
• They ride borrowed warhorses toward Frost City, then abandon them before entering to avoid being identified by their military brands.
• At a restaurant, they learn that Night Central Kingdom has lost its first battle and that its State Preceptor, Feiye, is gravely wounded. Rumor says an enemy expert struck him with an unusual weapon.
• Yaoyao privately reflects that she shot Feiye with a sniper rifle and suspects he may still die if the bullet is not removed.
• She asks Guagua to prepare evidence that Feiye is Yuan Ling, a fugitive from the Witch Tribe, and that he used living people in Corpse Refining.
• After settling into an inn, Yaoyao sends a drone over Frost City to scatter leaflets exposing the evidence. The crowd begins reading them, and their mood turns grim.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng are impressed by Yaoyao’s seemingly endless supplies and joke about how comfortable their mission has been.
• Yaoyao keeps the group cautious, reminding them to avoid attention by changing out of their military boots before entering the city.
• Qinghui enthusiastically supports Yaoyao’s plan to reveal Feiye’s crimes, praising her as benevolent; Liu Zheheng is amused by their framing, though he also finds the plan satisfying.
• Yaoyao remains calculating and irreverent about Feiye’s injury, while presenting the leaflet campaign as a way to help the people.

Significant themes

• Truth versus public image: The city’s people trust Feiye as their protector, while Yaoyao seeks to expose his alleged identity and crimes.
• Propaganda and public opinion: The leaflets turn a private accusation into a citywide revelation.
• Modern tools in a historical setting: Yaoyao uses a drone, printed evidence, and a sniper rifle amid an otherwise premodern world.
• Loyalty and deception: The chapter hints that Feiye’s public role may conceal a darker past, and that some residents’ missing relatives may be among his puppet soldiers.

Key plot points

• Leaflets accusing the state preceptor, Feiye, of abducting people and using them for corpse refining spread through Frost City. Residents connect the accusations to missing relatives, though some disappearances are unrelated.
• Witch Tribe spies Old Bai and Old Yu read the leaflet. They believe its detailed evidence is likely genuine and recognize Feiye as Yuan Ling, a former Witch Tribe member once suspected of treachery. They condemn her use of living people and send a falcon to alert their chief.
• Government soldiers try to deny the allegations and disperse the crowds, but the people demand answers at Feiye’s residence. With Feiye unconscious, her household sends troops to suppress them, further inflaming the situation.
• Song Yaoyao learns what is happening through Guagua and exploits the unrest. She has photos made of the puppets in Frost City and scatters them across the city, labeled as only a small fraction of the total.
• Residents recognize missing family members in the photos, including an elderly woman’s son, and publicly accuse Feiye of abducting and transforming them.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao shifts from exposing Feiye’s alleged crimes to deliberately escalating public anger, seeing the regime’s harsh response as an opportunity to destabilize Night Central Kingdom.
• Guagua supplies intelligence: ninety puppets remain in Frost City, while roughly nine hundred more are hidden near the capital. It also prepares the photographs Song requests.
• Old Bai and Old Yu respond to the evidence with alarm and moral outrage, then work together to notify the Witch Tribe chief.
• The people of Frost City move from suspicion to grief and anger as they recognize loved ones among the puppets. Their refusal to yield to the soldiers signals growing resistance.

Significant themes

• Truth and public trust: Official denials fail against detailed evidence, while the regime’s forceful response makes its claims less credible.
• Grief and injustice: The puppets turn rumors about missing people into personal tragedies for their families.
• Power and cruelty: Feiye’s alleged crimes provoke condemnation even from the Witch Tribe, where corpse refining with living people is forbidden.
• Political manipulation and instability: Song uses information and public outrage as weapons, while the authorities’ attempt to control the crowd risks pushing the city toward rebellion.

Plot points and events

• The crowd learns that people listed on a handbill—including Little Ma, whose elderly father died after he vanished—were allegedly turned into puppets by the national preceptor.
• Fear and outrage spread through Frost City. Government troops cannot stop the growing crowd from marching to the National Preceptor’s Residence to demand answers.
• Song Yaoyao, who arranged for the handbills to be distributed, watches the unrest with Liu Zheheng and Song Qinghui. The three join the crowd.
• At the residence, disciple Liusu comes out to calm the people. She claims the accusations are false and that someone is trying to undermine the national preceptor, but admits the national preceptor is a woman.
• When Liusu offers no proof for her denials, Song Yaoyao challenges her. The crowd echoes the demand for evidence, though Liusu counters that the handbill alone does not prove guilt.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao deliberately fuels public pressure and intervenes when Liusu starts persuading the crowd. Her private banter with Guagua is comic: she complains that her brothers’ overly strong grip hurts and vows to drink milk so she can grow taller.
• Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng accompany and support Yaoyao in the crowd. Realizing they are hurting her, they loosen their hold.
• Liusu, Feiye’s fifteen-year-old disciple, tries to protect the national preceptor’s reputation through calm denials and appeals to doubt. Her lack of evidence weakens her position.
• Guagua jokes with Yaoyao and mocks Liusu’s performance as hypocritical.

Significant themes

• Public opinion and manipulation: The handbills turn private suspicions into a citywide movement, while both sides try to shape what the crowd believes.
• Fear and accountability: The possibility of ordinary people being turned into puppets drives the demand for an explanation from those in power.
• Evidence versus assertion: Yaoyao insists that Liusu must substantiate her claims just as the accusers are expected to provide proof.
• Comic relief amid tension: Yaoyao’s complaints about being carried and her teasing exchanges with Guagua contrast with the crowd’s growing anger.

Plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao learns from Guagua that ninety puppets are hidden in the National Preceptor’s Residence cellar. Since Liusu denies the accusations, Yaoyao decides to reveal the evidence publicly.
• She takes Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng to an abandoned courtyard, transforms her pistol into a cannon, and fires shells at the residence’s cellar, walls, and gates. She then returns to the crowd before government troops can find her.
• The explosions create panic and draw attention to the residence. Yaoyao urges the onlookers to enter and directs them to the rear courtyard.
• The crowd finds a huge pit containing rows of motionless people. Yaoyao identifies them as puppets and warns everyone not to approach because their bodies—especially their fingernails—are poisonous.
• A grieving old woman accuses Liusu of helping conceal the Imperial Preceptor’s crimes, then attacks her. The crowd joins in, beating Liusu, guards, and servants.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao shifts from exposing the residence through accusations to producing undeniable physical evidence. She also shows tactical foresight by warning the crowd about the poison.
• Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng follow Yaoyao’s plan without protest; Liu is still shocked by her transforming weapon but quickly accepts it.
• Liusu loses control of the crowd’s trust once the puppets are uncovered. Her attempts to appear pitiful and defend the residence fail, and she becomes the focus of the mob’s anger.
• The crowd, driven by grief and outrage, turns from suspicion to direct action. The old woman’s personal loss gives that fury a face, though the mob’s violence quickly spreads beyond Liusu.

Significant themes

• Truth exposed through evidence: The puppets undermine Liusu’s denials more effectively than words.
• Manipulation and public outrage: Yaoyao deliberately channels the crowd toward the residence and the evidence.
• Grief and mob violence: The people’s justified anger escalates into collective punishment, while Yaoyao’s warning highlights the danger of acting impulsively.
• Power and accountability: The residence’s authority cannot protect its people once the public believes its crimes have been revealed.

Plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao turns the townspeople against the National Preceptor’s people, leading to Liusu and several guards and servants being beaten to death. During the confusion, she uses grenades to destroy the puppets in the pit.
• An enraged old woman leads the crowd toward the rear courtyard to confront Feiye. But Feiye has already escaped with his subordinates after learning of the uproar.
• While the townspeople search the residence, Song Yaoyao slips away with Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng. With Guagua’s directions, she empties both treasure vaults and the kitchen into her storage space, taking even the shelves and ingredients.
• The crowd discovers Feiye’s lavish room and starts looting it. Song Yaoyao and her companions quietly leave and return to their inn.
• Song Yaoyao decides not to pursue the injured Feiye. Instead, she plans to exploit the turmoil: she expects the Witch Tribe’s chief to target Feiye once his identity as Yuan Ling becomes known, and intends to alert General Han so the military can prepare to attack Frost City. She asks Guagua to print a report for the general.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao displays strategic cunning, using the crowd’s anger to create cover for both destroying the puppets and looting the residence. She stays cautious about confronting Feiye directly and thinks ahead about the military situation.
• Guagua helps locate the vaults and prepare a report, but eagerly encourages the looting once promised a share of its benefits.
• Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng follow Song Yaoyao through the dangerous chaos. Though exhilarated and exhausted by the experience, they accept her plan to avoid Feiye and wait for a better opportunity.
• The old woman shifts from grief over her son to furious vengeance against Feiye, helping spur the crowd toward his quarters.
• Feiye avoids capture by fleeing, but his injury and exposure leave him vulnerable and politically weakened.

Significant themes

• Chaos as opportunity: Song Yaoyao uses public outrage and disorder to achieve her aims unnoticed.
• Strategy over direct confrontation: Rather than risk a fight with Feiye, she waits for others—especially the Witch Tribe—to act.
• Shifting power and consequences: Feiye’s actions undermine his authority, while the townspeople’s anger and the military’s potential attack threaten his position.
• Cunning and opportunism: Song Yaoyao and Guagua treat the abandoned residence as a chance to acquire valuable resources.

• Key events: Song Yaoyao sends a letter to the Heavenly Phoenix army by drone. The unfamiliar device alarms the soldiers, and General Han nearly orders it shot down. Han Chuyu recognizes the handwriting on the envelope from medicine Song Yaoyao had given her, persuading the general to wait. The letter reports that Frost City is in chaos and State Preceptor Feiye’s whereabouts are unknown. Trusting the information, General Han orders an attack at dawn. His troops break through Frost City’s defenses and occupy it, aided by firearms and the absence of Feiye’s puppets. Meanwhile, Song Yaoyao and her companions travel with refugees to Falling Plum City.
• Character developments and interactions: General Han’s fear for Princess Jiahe turns to relief and confidence when he receives her report; he keeps the identity of the sender and the drone secret from most of the camp. Han Chuyu shows good judgment by recognizing the letter and stopping her grandfather from attacking the drone. Han Fei questions the safety and reliability of the message and asks about the strange delivery device, but accepts General Han’s assurances. Song Yaoyao watches the exchange remotely, amused by the confusion but anxious that her drone might be shot down. Her banter with Guagua continues as they discuss Falling Plum City—and Guagua reminds her that their circumstances are hardly dull.
• Significant themes: Trust and caution coexist: the soldiers take precautions against a potentially poisoned letter, yet Han Chuyu’s personal knowledge of Song Yaoyao helps establish its authenticity. Technology and unfamiliarity create comic tension, while Song Yaoyao’s quick communication gives the army a strategic advantage. Feiye’s collapsing reputation and missing forces leave Frost City vulnerable, showing how public opinion and military power can undermine authority.
• Closing setup: After Frost City falls, Song Yaoyao moves on in disguise. Guagua describes Falling Plum City’s famed plum blossoms, prompting a lighthearted exchange before Song Yaoyao asks where Feiye is.

Plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao learns that Witch Tribe spies have been tracking the injured Feiye, who is hiding among refugees. They have waited for their chief to send reinforcements.
• In the Witch Tribe, Chief Tingsong’s wife, Zhiyi, is unconscious with a fever. After a doctor assures him she will recover, Tingsong receives word that Feiye is actually Yuan Ling, the traitor he has long sought. Furious, he blames Emperor Qi Yanzhen for concealing Yuan Ling’s identity and sends thirty experts to capture her, dead or alive.
• Song and her companions leave Plumfall City after spending two days publicizing Feiye’s crimes. Song explains they must reach the Capital before Feiye, destroy his nine hundred hidden puppet soldiers, and prevent him from using them against civilians.
• On the journey, the group spreads news of Feiye’s deeds and Frost City’s capture. Half a month later, near the Capital, they leave the main road and climb into the surrounding mountains. Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng change into combat boots, prompting Song to tease them.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao is strategic and attentive: she relies on the Witch Tribe’s surveillance to keep Feiye contained while racing ahead to neutralize his forces. She also weighs the danger to ordinary people, not just to herself and her companions.
• Tingsong is fiercely protective of Zhiyi and deeply vengeful toward Yuan Ling. Learning Feiye’s identity turns his suspicions into action, and his anger extends to Qi Yanzhen for helping conceal her.
• Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng follow Song’s plan and show a playful, slightly self-conscious side when they eagerly switch into combat boots.

Significant themes

• Public opinion as a weapon: Song uses Feiye’s crimes and news of military victories to shape how people see the conflict.
• Responsibility toward civilians: Song’s concern for the population influences her urgency and strategy.
• Identity, betrayal, and revenge: Feiye’s concealed identity as Yuan Ling fuels Tingsong’s hatred and the coming pursuit.
• Preparation amid danger: The companions balance a rapid journey with practical readiness for the mountain mission.

Key plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao, Song Qinghui, and Liu Zheheng reach a secluded valley that Guagua identifies as Feiye’s base. It shelters nine hundred puppets and numerous practitioners of dark arts, including poison makers and corpse refiners.
• Song Yaoyao decides to attack and reveals a powerful rocket launcher. When guards threaten the group, she fires, destroying the entrance and killing the guards; she then continues bombing the stronghold as its residents emerge.
• Liu Zheheng and Song Qinghui try the weapon, but it works only for Song Yaoyao. She explains—untruthfully—that it has become sentient and recognizes her as its master.
• The trio advance through the stronghold while Song Yaoyao’s bombardment leaves many dead or wounded and few able to resist. A wounded, white-haired man confronts them, demanding to know who they are and why they attacked.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao is decisive and ruthless toward the valley’s inhabitants, treating the assault as a mission to eliminate its evil. She keeps her true explanation for the launcher’s operation to herself.
• Liu Zheheng is repeatedly astonished by Song Yaoyao’s unfamiliar weapons and impressed by their power. He asks to try the launcher, but accepts that it only works for her.
• Song Qinghui shares Liu Zheheng’s amazement, tests the weapon himself, and joins him in watching for counterattacks.
• The men rely on Song Yaoyao’s lead as she drives the attack; their curiosity about her weapon briefly gives way to caution once they enter the stronghold.

Significant themes

• Power and technological imbalance: The launcher turns what might have been a difficult battle into a one-sided assault.
• Justice and vengeance: Song Yaoyao frames the attack as a response to the valley’s concentration of criminals, though the wounded man questions whether the attackers seek revenge.
• Secrecy and the uncanny: Song Yaoyao conceals the launcher’s system-based origin, while the men interpret its exclusive operation as a form of sentience.