Chapter Summaries

Rhein sought resources from her family after blaming Carol and the Arbitration Bureau for Senna Life’s losses, while Jonas confirmed Kyudai Li had completed the virtual reality project. Celine was summoned into an unfamiliar dream, where Yushua Delan introduced herself and addressed her as Lady Celine.

• Rhein blamed Carol for Senna Life losing benefits and asked her secretary to contact the Federation about borrowing resources from the Rhein Family.
• Jonas reflected that he had redirected the Alt Conglomerate’s conflict toward Senna Life to preserve a three-way balance of power.
• Kyudai Li told Jonas that the completed virtual reality product was ready for release after the publicity department approved it.
• Celine, bored and longing to see Jonas, fell asleep while wondering how to investigate her dream.
• Celine awoke in an unfamiliar place, where Yushua Delan introduced herself and promised to explain the situation.

Yushua Delan told Celine that the Void Realm Church considered her the chosen one who could save the world and asked her to become its Saintess. After Celine reported the encounter to Jonas, he recognized Yushua and asked Celine to stay by his side.

• Celine realized the woman who had brought her into a dream was Yushua Delan, leader of the Salvation Faction, and remained wary of her.
• Yushua explained the church's beliefs and claimed Celine was the qualified one destined to save civilization, then asked her to become its Saintess.
• Celine said she needed time to process Yushua's request, while Yushua ordered the church to prepare a grand welcome for its new Saintess.
• Celine told Jonas about the encounter, and Jonas recognized Yushua Delan and asked Celine to stay by his side.

Jonas arranged for Celine to work as a clerk in the Alt Conglomerate's Security Department under Esnie's supervision. He then visited Amau Sueko and asked her to consider a voluntary second stage of the Maid Trial, leaving her flustered but willing to hear him out.

• Jonas told Celine she could stay by working at the Alt Conglomerate, and she eagerly accepted.
• Jonas assigned Celine a clerical position in the Security Department under Esnie, who agreed once she learned the role was not dangerous.
• Amau Sueko continued avoiding Jonas despite feeling conflicted about his reduced attention toward her.
• Jonas visited Amau Sueko and proposed a voluntary second stage of the Maid Trial.
• Amau Sueko questioned why there was a second stage, then agreed to hear Jonas out.

Jonas assigned Amau Sueko to mentor Celine as a test of her intentions, offering the Star of Dawn greater autonomy under the Alt Conglomerate in return. Amau Sueko accepted, while new turmoil began brewing both in District 25 and beyond.

• Jonas explained that Amau Sueko would mentor a new Security Department recruit and help shape her mindset.
• Jonas revealed that Beigong Ling had also joined the Security Department and offered to place her over Amau Sueko in a restructured Star of Dawn.
• Amau Sueko accepted Jonas's terms and asked when the assignment would begin.
• Jonas said the mentoring would start in three days and noted that Celine was also a Psionic.
• Jonas viewed Amau Sueko's acceptance as another chance to test her as turmoil gathered in District 25 and the Far East.

Jonas learned that refugees from Huacheng had arrived in District 25 with hotspot disease after crossing the Wasteland and were being forced into concealed, menial work in the Slums. Seeing a chance to recruit workers for the expanded Alt Conglomerate, he asked Eiffel to investigate them further.

• District 25's news reported a new influx of refugees from Huacheng and mocked their prospects in the Slums.
• Eiffel told Jonas that delays and excessive Wasteland exposure had left many Huacheng migrants with hotspot disease, making them unwanted by the Administration Department.
• Jonas realized the refugees could provide workers for the Alt Conglomerate despite their illness.
• Eiffel gave Jonas information about the refugees, who hid their condition while working menial jobs in the Slums and were called rats.
• Jonas asked Eiffel to gather detailed information on the refugees so he could recruit them for the Alt Conglomerate.

Jonas planned to recruit people from Huacheng who had hotspot syndrome and asked Beigong Ling to help protect him while he drew out his opponents. Beigong Ling agreed, then discovered his disguise for her was a maid outfit.

• Jonas asked Miss Eiffel to gather intelligence on the Huacheng arrivals so he could select valuable workers and provide them with medical care and Virtual Reality.
• Jonas summoned Beigong Ling and told her the Huacheng arrivals faced discrimination and might lose their medical insurance once the uproar faded.
• Jonas asked Beigong Ling to help him, saying he wanted to act for justice and needed her to serve as his bodyguard while he lured his opponents out.
• Beigong Ling agreed to help Jonas despite her reservations.
• Jonas handed Beigong Ling a work uniform for her disguise, and she found it was a black-and-white maid outfit.

Jonas persuaded Beigong Ling to wear a maid outfit and stay by his side for a week as part of a plan to draw out an enemy. He then addressed the psionic-energy drug project and told Eiffel to make excuses to Rhein, while Eiffel warned him that his manipulation could get him killed.

• Jonas explained that Beigong Ling's maid disguise would help their plan, and she agreed to wear it and stay with him for a week.
• Eiffel told Jonas that the drug to eliminate psionic energy's side effects was nearing completion and that Nightingale was closely following the project.
• Jonas declined to have Nightingale watched and said he would speak with her himself.
• Eiffel reported that Rhein wanted to discuss their cooperation, and Jonas told her to blame the Arbitration Bureau for his neglect and stop responding afterward.
• Eiffel warned Jonas that a woman might someday hack him to death, and he wondered whether it could really go that far.

Jonas brought Beigong Ling to the Yinghua Commercial Center in the Silver Flower District to find people from Huacheng who had been trafficked there. After the manager came to exploit Jonas as a supposed outsider, he opened the VIP room door and froze at what he saw.

• Jonas explained to Beigong Ling that people from Huacheng without protection could be captured or sold within six days, and led her into the slave market.
• An attendant escorted Jonas and Beigong Ling to VIP room 308, calling the venue a chip trading market and promising to bring its manager.
• Beigong Ling worried that buying the Huacheng captives would strain the Alt Conglomerate, but Jonas warned her through a gesture that a hidden camera was recording them.
• The attendant told the manager that Jonas seemed like a wealthy outsider with a valuable cybernetic eye, and the manager decided to handle him personally.
• The manager went to VIP room 308 after its surveillance feed showed static, opened the door, and began shaking with fear at what he saw.

Jonas Wetting investigated the Yinghua Chamber of Commerce’s trafficking of people from Huacheng and accused it of abducting employees of his Alt Conglomerate. When the Chamber’s president demanded evidence, Jonas shot Sandy Kunril, leaving the room stunned.

• Sandy Kunril led Jonas and Beigong Ling to the Huacheng people being held by the Yinghua Chamber of Commerce.
• Bill Owen pleaded with Jonas to free his daughter, and Beigong Ling stopped Sandy from striking the girl.
• Jonas accused the Chamber of abducting Alt Conglomerate employees and ordered Beigong Ling to restrain Sandy.
• The Chamber’s president challenged Jonas to provide evidence, but Jonas refused to show it.
• Jonas took Beigong Ling’s gun and shot Sandy in the head.

Jonas Wetting shot a Yinghua Chamber of Commerce manager and ordered an investigation into human trafficking, triggering a violent standoff. As Beigong Ling captured the security captain, Jonas declared that Silverflower Street would soon be his, while Eiffel ordered her team to move in.

• Jonas Wetting shot the middle-aged manager and ordered Beigong Ling to take the Huacheng employees away and contact the Arbitration Bureau about suspected human trafficking.
• Beigong Ling accepted Jonas's orders and fought off the Yinghua Chamber of Commerce's security personnel.
• Beigong Ling captured the security captain and held a knife to his neck, forcing the guards to stop.
• The chamber president threatened Jonas and claimed Silverflower Street as his turf, but Jonas said it would soon be his.
• Outside, Eiffel read a message on her communicator and ordered her team to move in.

Jonas used himself as bait to help Iris breach the Yinghua Chamber of Commerce’s security system, allowing the Alt Conglomerate to seize the Silver Flower District and protect the Huacheng people. Beigong Ling offered to help Jonas resist the factions that would oppose him, while Jonas privately planned to draw predecessor civilization technology from her.

• Jonas anticipated the chamber’s security system failure, freed Beigong Ling, and the chamber president ordered the guards to open fire.
• The chamber president learned that tactical forces had breached the Silver Flower District’s outer defenses and ordered the guards to use stun guns against Jonas and Beigong Ling.
• The chamber’s guns turned on its guards, killing those they targeted, while the security drones stunned the rest.
• Alt Conglomerate reinforcements took the chamber and detained its members, and Jonas left Beigong Ling to oversee the takeover.
• Beigong Ling realized Jonas’s actions had changed the Huacheng people’s situation and sincerely offered him her help.
• Jonas warned Beigong Ling that the Alt Conglomerate would face pressure from District 25 factions, and she agreed to help as he privately plotted to obtain her predecessor civilization technology.

Jonas used the Alt Conglomerate’s expansion to advance his recruitment plans and maneuvered Beigong Ling into trusting him enough to reveal more Predecessor Civilization records. Back at headquarters, a different presence took over Iris and confronted Jonas over his repeatedly postponed promise.

• Jonas reasoned that bringing people from Huacheng into the Alt District could help it qualify as a First District and improve recruitment, provided the Alt Conglomerate eventually found a way to cure Hotspot Syndrome.
• Jonas recognized that Beigong Ling had concealed key weapon technologies and records, and used the danger around the Silverflower District to deepen her trust in him.
• Jonas returned to headquarters, checked on Celine and Amau Sueko, and found Celine learning quickly while Amau Sueko struggled to keep up with her talent and questions.
• Jonas planned to visit Iris and fulfill her request, but Iris suddenly entered his office and pinned him in his chair.
• The girl said Iris was too timid, revealed that she had come in Iris’s place, and demanded that Jonas pay his debt.

Jonas observed Iris's alternate personality take control and make an unexpectedly bold advance before Iris regained control, embarrassed. After Jonas reassured her, Iris asked whether he still meant his offer to continue.

• Jonas let Iris's alternate personality take the initiative while he observed her behavior.
• Iris's alternate personality said Iris shared her feelings, then revealed herself and was forcibly logged out.
• Iris returned to her usual personality and felt ashamed about what had happened.
• Jonas comforted Iris and told her she did not need to apologize.
• Iris asked Jonas whether his offer to keep going still stood.

Jonas gained Afanisi’s loyalty by reassuring her and agreeing to share some authority over the Black Ring, then contacted Annis Erdoka to learn how to use dream links. Annis taught him the technique and revealed that he could use it because he was no longer human, then invited him to call her Anpa.

• Jonas pretended to have sent Eiffel on business and apologized when she found no work at the Wetting Conglomerate.
• Afanisi asked Jonas for access to the Black Ring so she could eliminate Yushua, whom she viewed as a threat.
• Jonas reassured Afanisi that she mattered more than defeating Yushua, and she sincerely called him Lord Jonas.
• Jonas contacted Annis Erdoka and asked about the dream link used to enter Celine’s dreams.
• Annis taught Jonas the dream-link technique by tapping his head, and Jonas realized he could use it because he was no longer human.
• Annis asked Jonas to call her Anpa, saying it was a contractor’s privilege.

Jonas used Annis Erdoka’s Dream Link techniques to experiment on Celine and learned that her contact with him felt safer than Yushua’s dream intrusion. He planned to wait for Yushua to approach, while An considered infiltrating Jonas’s circle before Yushua appeared behind her.

• Annis Erdoka warned Jonas that other beings had noticed him, told him to contact her through the Black Ring, and sent him back to the Alt Conglomerate office.
• Jonas studied Annis Erdoka’s Dream Link techniques and asked Celine to help him test them; she agreed eagerly.
• Jonas used the Black Ring to enter Celine’s consciousness, and she said the experience was comfortable compared with Yushua pulling her into a dream.
• Jonas decided to wait for Yushua to contact him and planned to trap her if she did.
• An grew frustrated at being unable to uncover information about the Alt Conglomerate’s Virtual Reality and considered pretending to ally with Jonas before Yushua appeared behind her.

Yushua asked An to monitor the Alt Conglomerate so she could approach Celine before Jonas interfered further. When Yushua contacted Celine in a dreamlike white clearing, she offered to help her escape in exchange for becoming the Void Realm Church’s Saintess, and Celine asked her to make contact again in half a month.

• Yushua asked An to keep an eye on the Alt Conglomerate’s movements, and An agreed.
• Yushua worried that Jonas had placed Celine in the Security Department to make her his pawn, so she resolved to gain Celine’s trust.
• While confined to her room, Celine was drawn into a white clearing and met Yushua again.
• Yushua offered to help Celine escape the Alt Conglomerate if she agreed to become the Void Realm Church’s Saintess.
• Celine asked whether their contact could be detected, then told Yushua to contact her again in half a month.

The Alt Conglomerate’s affordable virtual reality launch became a huge success, and Jonas encouraged Kyudai Li while deepening her infatuation with him. As the company’s standing rose across District 25, Eiffel brought Jonas records about the rescued Huacheng people and pointed out lipstick on his collar.

• Celine told Jonas that Miss Yushua had taken the bait, allowing him to postpone dealing with her until after the virtual reality launch.
• The Alt Conglomerate released its stripped-down virtual reality product, and sales and public enthusiasm surged.
• Jonas reassured Kyudai Li about her worth, then flirted with her until she was left overwhelmed and dazed.
• Online communities praised Jonas and the Alt Conglomerate, and the Alt District rose from a third-level zone to a first district.
• Eiffel congratulated Jonas, delivered the Huacheng people’s records, and noticed lipstick on his collar.

Jonas reviewed candidates for the Alt Conglomerate and arrived at the Stemit Factory to interview the Huacheng people. There, Bill Owen urged them to join the Conglomerate and give everything they had, seeing it as their only chance to protect themselves and their children.

• Eiffel wiped lipstick from Jonas's collar, told him Esnie had gone home to rest, and drove him to the interviews.
• Jonas reviewed the recruitment documents, noticed Bill Owen was listed as a reserve candidate, and wondered why his earlier recruitment had not been finalized.
• Jonas reflected on the Huacheng people's hotspot syndrome and the Conglomerate's need for them before arriving at the Stemit Factory.
• Bill Owen addressed the freed Huacheng people, acknowledged their doubts about joining, and urged those with hotspot syndrome to prove their worth and give everything to the Alt Conglomerate.

Jonas Wetting interviewed the Huacheng recruits and offered Bill Owen a job as an employment liaison, helping the Alt Conglomerate address their distrust. As Yushua entered Celine’s consciousness for their long-awaited conversation, she was stunned by what she saw.

• Jonas Wetting began interviewing the Huacheng recruits, whose overall quality was modest but sufficient as a temporary workforce.
• Jonas offered Bill Owen a job as an employment liaison and gave him a platinum medical card for himself and his daughter.
• Virtual Reality sales remained extraordinarily high, easing the Alt Conglomerate’s employee shortage and making its rivals wary of acting against it.
• Yushua grew anxious as the Alt Conglomerate expanded and her influence waned, but waited for her scheduled meeting with Celine.
• Yushua entered Celine’s consciousness to discuss the Void Realm Church’s future and was stunned by what appeared before her.

Celine questioned Yushua about the Void Realm Church before deciding whether to accept its invitation. After Yushua revealed her plan to use Celine to free a god from the Void Realm's Interstice, Celine asked if she could lead the Church into the Alt Conglomerate's fold and immobilized Yushua.

• Celine adapted to the Void Realm and met with Yushua to discuss the Church's invitation.
• Yushua said the Church sought to save civilization from an impending destruction and explained that Qualified Ones could travel between the Void Realm and the real world.
• Yushua revealed that she had split from Afanisi because she opposed using Noah's Ark to save only a select group of people.
• Yushua said she wanted Celine to free the god sealed in the Interstice so it could resolve humanity's crisis.
• Celine asked whether she could lead the Void Realm Church into the Alt Conglomerate's fold, then used a powerful force to bind Yushua.