Chapter Summaries

Jonas questioned Iris about her lingering psionic powers and the strange voice she heard after her awakening. Meanwhile, Afanisi received a cryptic oracle from the Lord of the Void Realm that seemed to demand an answer to a phone call.

• Jonas reassured Iris that he would spend more time with her, and she shyly hinted at what she wanted from him.
• Iris demonstrated that she could still move an object with psionic energy despite the temporary drug’s expected duration having passed.
• Jonas learned that Iris had heard a voice speaking an unfamiliar language and telling someone to answer a call.
• Afanisi prayed at a hidden Void Realm Church base and received a brief oracle after the Lord reopened their communication channel.
• Afanisi interpreted the oracle as a rebuke, though another translation read, “Qualified one, why aren’t you answering the phone?!”

Jonas tried to avoid the office documents until Eiffel coaxed him into signing them. When she noticed Esnie’s jasmine scent on him, Eiffel embraced him to cover it and claimed him for herself, leaving Jonas feeling wrapped around her finger again.

• Jonas stared at the pile of Alt Conglomerate documents and considered leaving them for Eiffel.
• Eiffel arrived with more documents, reproached Jonas for coming in late, and guided him through signing the stack.
• Eiffel noticed the scent of jasmine on Jonas and realized it had come from Esnie.
• Eiffel embraced Jonas and said she wanted him to belong to her, at least for now.

Jonas learned from Iris that beings in the void realm were looking for him, then decided to use a contingency against Beigong Ling. Amau Sueko mysteriously answered Jonas's coded call and revealed the coordinates of her and Beigong Ling's hiding place.

• Jonas visited Iris in the hospital, and she told him that voices from the void realm were looking for him.
• Jonas considered the void realm a new threat beyond his foreknowledge and decided he needed to make Beigong Ling fear him.
• Jonas placed an encrypted call and spoke a coded phrase.
• While hiding from the Alt Conglomerate with Beigong Ling, Amau Sueko answered an unfamiliar call and entered their location's coordinates.
• Amau Sueko regained her senses and realized she had spaced out again.

Beigong Ling and Amau Sueko tried to escape the Alt Conglomerate and reach Senna Life, but Jonas anticipated their route and sent a tactical squad to intercept them. After the women passed through a Mika District checkpoint in disguise, the squad arrived, forcing Beigong Ling to flee into the district.

• Amau Sueko warned Beigong Ling that the Alt Conglomerate might find them, and they agreed to seek shelter from Miss Rhein at Senna Life.
• Jonas predicted that Beigong Ling would head toward Senna Life, arranged an ambush, and ordered Esnie to assemble the Security Department.
• Beigong Ling and Amau Sueko disguised themselves and passed identity checks at the Mika District border checkpoint.
• A tactical squad arrived at the checkpoint, and Beigong Ling grabbed a staff member's pistol, destroyed the security drones, and ran into the district.
• Amau Sueko realized the squad had come for them and cursed at how quickly the Alt Conglomerate had caught up.

Beigong Ling and Amau Sueko fled the Alt Conglomerate through Mika District, trying to reach Senna Life as Jonas Wetting’s forces pursued them. Jonas appeared at the alley’s entrance and declared that neither woman would escape.

• Beigong Ling seized a weapon and forced her way through the Mika District checkpoint with Amau Sueko as Alt Conglomerate forces followed.
• Amau Sueko suspected she had led the pursuers to them and suggested they split up, but Beigong Ling urged her to trust one another.
• The Alt Conglomerate blasted through a wall, forcing the women to flee through the streets and into narrow alleys.
• As Amau Sueko weakened, she offered to hold off their pursuers while Beigong Ling escaped, but Beigong Ling refused to leave her behind.
• Jonas Wetting appeared at the mouth of the alley and told the women that neither of them would get away.

Jonas and the Alt Conglomerate cornered Beigong Ling and Amau Sueko, forcing Beigong Ling to hold off Esnie while Sueko fled. As Beigong Ling's second form neared awakening, Jonas had Nightingale incapacitate her, leaving her defeated and glaring at him.

• Beigong Ling recognized Jonas and ordered Amau Sueko to flee while she confronted their pursuers.
• Esnie moved to chase Sueko, but Beigong Ling intercepted her and fought to buy Sueko time.
• Beigong Ling began adapting to Esnie's attacks and sensed her second form awakening.
• Jonas sent Nightingale to strike Beigong Ling in the neck before she could awaken her second form.
• Esnie kicked Beigong Ling down, and Beigong Ling glared at Jonas as her consciousness faded.

Jonas captured Beigong Ling and planned to use her as bait to destroy the Star of Dawn, but Rhein arrived to stop him from taking her through Senna Life’s territory. When Rhein demanded an explanation, Jonas ordered Esnie to attack her and asked if that was enough.

• Jonas revealed that he intended to use Beigong Ling as bait to lure the Star of Dawn back, and Beigong Ling cursed him before losing consciousness.
• Jonas ordered his tactical squad to take Beigong Ling back to the Alt Conglomerate and prepare to withdraw.
• Rhein arrived with Senna Life’s Hovercars and challenged Jonas over capturing Beigong Ling in Senna Life’s jurisdiction.
• Rhein demanded that Jonas explain his presence or leave Beigong Ling behind, and Jonas ordered Esnie to attack her.
• A subordinate intercepted Esnie’s strike, and Jonas halted the attack before asking Rhein if his action was enough of an explanation.

Jonas refused Rhein’s demand to hand over Beigong Ling and led the Alt Conglomerate’s people away after Rhein let them pass. Amau Sueko learned that Beigong Ling had been captured and decided to seek the Void Realm Church’s help to rescue her.

• Jonas rejected Rhein’s pressure, invoked possible Arbitration Bureau mediation, and led the Alt Conglomerate’s people through Senna Life’s encirclement.
• Rhein ordered her tactical personnel to let Jonas and his people leave, then angrily watched them go.
• Amau Sueko hid in the Slums and heard a broadcast announcing the Alt Conglomerate’s bounty and search for the Star of Dawn members.
• The broadcast revealed that Beigong Ling had been captured, and Amau Sueko resolved to gather help for a rescue.
• Amau Sueko decided to seek assistance from the Void Realm Church.

After the Alt Conglomerate captured Beigong Ling, Amau Sueko struggled to find a way to rescue her, while Jonas arranged to keep Beigong Ling confined and brought Iris home from the hospital. When Beigong Ling awoke, she tried to free herself from her shackles by grinding her flesh against the cell wall.

• Amau Sueko left the Slums, knowing she would need to return to Star of Dawn's headquarters and gather help before attempting to rescue Beigong Ling.
• Jonas ordered Eiffel to strengthen security around Beigong Ling's confinement, then drove to the hospital to take the recovering Iris home.
• Iris asked Jonas whether he had pursued Beigong Ling for her, and he reassured her that she could help him when he needed her.
• The next day, Jonas watched Beigong Ling awaken through the holding-cell cameras as she called for him and then tried to remove her shackles.
• Beigong Ling ground her flesh against the wall to slip her hands from the shackles, impressing Jonas with her resolve.

Jonas watched Beigong Ling injure her hands trying to escape and decided to visit her rather than risk losing her usefulness. He entered her cell and asked whether she wanted her living conditions improved, leaving their next move unresolved.

• Beigong Ling tried to break her shackles by scraping her wrists against the wall while bracing the cell door shut.
• Jonas asked Eiffel to take him to Beigong Ling, explaining that she was too dangerous to recruit and still useful to his plans.
• Eiffel asked whether Jonas intended to bring Beigong Ling under his command, and Jonas said he doubted she would ever submit to him.
• Beigong Ling hid her bloody hands as she heard someone unlock the cell door.
• Jonas entered the cell, saw Beigong Ling's injured hands, and asked whether she wanted her living conditions improved.

Jonas interrogated the captive Beigong Ling, threatening to kill the Star of Dawn unless she answered his questions. He uncovered clues that her psionic awakening may not have come from the psionic tide, then left her fearful and uncertain.

• Beigong Ling reasoned that Jonas had kept her alive because he wanted information or intended to use her.
• Jonas threatened to kill the Star of Dawn, including Amau Sueko, unless Beigong Ling answered his questions, and she agreed.
• Jonas asked about Beigong Ling's psionic abilities, and she said they enhanced her healing and resistance to injury.
• Jonas asked who had awakened her psionic energy, and Beigong Ling pretended not to understand, confirming his suspicion that her case was unusual.
• Jonas said Beigong Ling's answers had saved Amau Sueko's life and left after claiming he had gotten the answer he wanted.

Beigong Ling reflected on her secret identity as humanity’s Forerunner and feared Jonas planned to kill everyone in the Star of Dawn except Amau Sueko. Jonas intended to use the interrogation to unsettle and manipulate her, then received a call from Celine about voices connected to the Void Realm.

• Beigong Ling recalled the day she awakened as the Forerunner and realized Jonas knew her deepest secret.
• Beigong Ling understood Jonas had threatened to spare Amau Sueko while killing everyone else in the Star of Dawn.
• Jonas told Eiffel Beigong Ling would not escape and suggested using the HI-HC Reagent to restrain her.
• Celine called Jonas, teased him about neglecting her, then reported hearing voices related to the Void Realm.

Jonas met Celine at an old apartment after she said the Void Realm had become active again. Celine described a strange dream of humans fighting Zerg, ending with a white-haired girl who destroyed a warship and spoke Jonas’s name.

• Jonas agreed to visit Celine after she sent him a location and urgently asked him to come.
• Jonas found Celine in an old apartment near the Slums and Third-Level Zone, where she teased him and insisted on a hug.
• Jonas asked Celine about the important matter she had mentioned during their call.
• Celine said she had dreamed of humans battling Zerg on a slime-covered planet with advanced weapons, fleets, and mechs.
• Celine described a white-haired girl destroying a city-sized warship with a single sentence, then looking at her and saying, “Jonas Wetting.”

Celine told Jonas about another strange incident, prompting him to consider investigating the Black Ring. She then demonstrated a new psionic ability that let her imitate someone’s traits and appearance, leaving Jonas surprised and teasing him with her Esnie disguise.

• Jonas admitted he could not yet explain the strange events Celine described and said he would need to verify things about the Black Ring.
• Celine revealed that she had developed a new ability and brought Jonas to her room to show him.
• Celine changed into Esnie’s old clothes and used a medium to imitate how Esnie had looked years earlier.
• Celine explained that her disguise could last up to two hours, and Jonas recognized it as a rare high-level psionic skill.
• Celine leaned close to Jonas and suggested they make use of the time while she still looked like a younger Esnie.

After returning to the Star of Dawn, Amau Sueko decided to seek the Void Realm Church's help in rescuing Beigong Ling. Afanisi agreed to meet with the Star of Dawn's leader as she planned to recover the Black Ring and regain the Void Realm's trust.

• The Star of Dawn's department heads debated how to respond to Beigong Ling's capture, and Amau Sueko returned safely to the base.
• Amau Sueko confirmed that Beigong Ling had been captured after covering her escape.
• Amau Sueko announced that she would seek the Void Realm Church's cooperation to rescue Beigong Ling and rebuked Lanika Bedo for opposing the plan.
• Afanisi learned that the Star of Dawn's leader wanted to meet and agreed to receive her.
• Afanisi prayed to the Void Realm and vowed to reclaim its honor.

Rhein Daphne reluctantly prepared resources for the Star of Dawn, while Jonas let its rescue effort take shape so he could draw out the Void Realm Church and expose Senna Life. Jonas summoned Aungus and ordered the former Destiny Organization members to confront Amau Sueko, leaving Aungus aware that refusal could endanger their families.

• Rhein Daphne resented the Star of Dawn’s request but ordered Tactical Suits and weapons from other conglomerates to help it.
• Eiffel told Jonas that the Star of Dawn had contacted Senna Life and the Void Realm Church, and Jonas explained that he had let Amau Sueko return to lure both factions into action.
• Jonas revealed that he had brought the Destiny Organization under his control in preparation for the possibility of a rescue attempt and told Eiffel to notify Aungus.
• Aungus reflected on how the Destiny Organization had lost its ideals after joining the Alt Conglomerate, then answered Jonas’s summons.
• Jonas told Aungus that Amau Sueko would likely lead the rescue operation and ordered him and the former Destiny Organization members to confront her, offering equipment and compensation for their families.

Aungus chose to protect the Destiny Organization by agreeing to deliver results against Amau Sueko. Meanwhile, Jonas returned to find Beigong Ling weakened by HI-HC Reagent and taunted her in her cell.

• Aungus chose the safety of the Destiny Organization’s members over his loyalty to Amau Sueko and promised Jonas results.
• Eiffel continued dosing Beigong Ling’s meals with HI-HC Reagent, clouding her thoughts and undermining her escape plans.
• Beigong Ling endured the drug’s effects and her humiliating confinement while Jonas stayed away for several days.
• Jonas entered Beigong Ling’s detention room, saw her struggling against the drug’s effects, and mocked her by telling her to carry on.

Jonas taunted the restrained Beigong Ling while the HI-HC Reagent weakened her control over her body and emotions. He revealed that the room was monitored by sixteen surveillance devices, then left her alone with the knowledge that others could observe her.

• Beigong Ling struggled against the drug's effects and angrily cursed Jonas, who laughed at her humiliation.
• Jonas studied Beigong Ling in silence as she grew increasingly unsettled by his attention.
• Beigong Ling demanded to know what Jonas had done, but he said he had done nothing since arriving.
• Jonas announced that his visit was over and revealed that sixteen surveillance devices could observe her without blind spots.
• Jonas left Beigong Ling alone, reminding her that she could take her time enjoying her supposed private time.

Jonas exploited the HI-HC Reagent’s intensifying effects to break down Beigong Ling’s resistance while she remained imprisoned. After she finally gave in to the drug’s urges, Jonas entered the detention room and used her concern for Amau Sueko to force her further into submission.

• Jonas watched Beigong Ling endure the HI-HC Reagent for three days, knowing that its effects grew stronger over time.
• After Jonas catalyzed the drug’s effects, Beigong Ling’s resolve weakened and she gave in to her urges.
• Jonas entered the detention room and found Beigong Ling disoriented and begging without knowing what she wanted.
• Jonas taunted and touched Beigong Ling, then threatened Amau Sueko when Beigong Ling resisted.
• Jonas forced Beigong Ling to submit, and she collapsed on the floor in a drugged, humiliated state.

Amau Sueko prepared to risk her life to rescue Beigong Ling from the Alt Conglomerate. Left alone after Jonas disabled the surveillance, Beigong Ling became overwhelmed by conflicting regret, desire, and anger, and failed to use the chance to escape.

• Amau Sueko resolved to rescue Beigong Ling herself, despite the mission's dangers.
• Jonas covered Beigong Ling with his coat, told her he would turn off the surveillance, and left her alone.
• Beigong Ling regretted what had happened with Jonas but also felt a confusing sense of pleasure and security from his coat.
• Beigong Ling's thoughts grew hazy, and she forgot to look for a way to escape.
• Beigong Ling clutched Jonas's coat and cursed him, vowing not to let him get away with it.