Chapter Summaries

Qin Siyang used a Lie Detector to confirm that Hua Weicai was connected to Sun Yaru’s assassination attempt, then offered one tenth of his Crimson Crystal for Hua Weicai’s head. Chu Xiaoang killed Hua Weicai, and Qin Siyang hinted that the remaining crystal could buy further action against Hua Chengliang.

• Qin Siyang asked Hua Weicai whether he knew Sun Yaru, and the Lie Detector exposed his denial as a lie.
• Qin Siyang explained that Sun Yaru had tried to assassinate him and concluded that the attempt was linked to the Lotus Cloud Merchants' Association.
• Qin Siyang revealed that he owned another Crimson Crystal and offered one tenth of it for Hua Weicai’s head.
• Chu Xiaoang swiftly killed Hua Weicai and claimed the promised reward while Hua Chengliang demanded action from government officials.
• Qin Siyang told Hua Chengliang to calm down and pointed out that he still had nine tenths of the Crimson Crystal left.

Qin Siyang confronted the merchants' association vice presidents and used offers from three legion commanders to make Jiang Changqing back down. He then claimed he had proved himself fit to become vice president of the Zhao Merchants' Association and asked if anyone else objected.

• Qin Siyang asked Georgia and Jiang Changqing whether they still doubted his qualifications, and Jiang Changqing challenged him to put a bounty on his life.
• Qin Yingguang offered to kill Jiang Changqing for two Crimson Crystals, while Yan Budong and Chu Xiaoang undercut his price.
• Qin Siyang watched the legion commanders lower the price of Jiang Changqing's life to one Crimson Crystal, and Jiang Changqing chose not to challenge them.
• Qin Siyang declared that he had demonstrated his ability to serve as vice president of the Zhao Merchants' Association and asked whether anyone else objected.

After Qin Siyang killed Hua Weicai during the Zhao Merchants' Association ceremony, he helped Zhao Sifang resume his speech and explained to Zhao Longfei why he believed the Three Major Merchants' Associations might still do business with him. The chapter ended with Qin Siyang realizing Zhao Longfei had deliberately let others overhear their conversation to make Qin seem committed to an all-out feud.

• Qin Siyang led the applause after killing Hua Weicai, and staff packed the corpse into a wooden box for Hua Chengliang while cleaners cleared the blood.
• Zhao Sifang continued his speech about the Zhao Merchants' Association after Qin Siyang returned to his place.
• Qin Siyang told Zhao Longfei that the Three Major Merchants' Associations might still cooperate with him if he could offer them benefits, and said he feared death only when he saw a way to survive.
• Zhao Longfei revealed that powerful guests could hear their public conversation, then demonstrated that he could block conversations by sharing a deliberately provocative claim about Yan Budong.
• Qin Siyang realized Zhao Longfei had left their discussion unblocked to make the Three Major Merchants' Associations believe he considered the feud irreconcilable, and accused him of trying to trap him into serving the Zhao Family.

At the Zhao Merchants' Association luncheon, Qin Siyang received a conversation-blocking ring from Li Tianming and questioned him about powerful Sequence Ability Users. Li Tianming doubted Qin Siyang could gather the rare materials needed to overcome his research bottleneck, while Qin Siyang planned to prove him wrong after completing a mission.

• After the founding ceremony, Zhao Sifang danced with Gu Yunxuan while Gu Yunpeng ignored the young women around him.
• Li Tianming gave Qin Siyang a ring that blocked nearby conversations and explained how to use it.
• Qin Siyang asked Li Tianming about Chu Xiaoang's attack and how he compared in strength with Chu Xiaoang, Zhao Longfei, and Guo Jiuxiao.
• Li Tianming said he needed rare materials to overcome his research bottleneck and doubted Qin Siyang could gather them safely.
• Qin Siyang recalled that he planned to hunt a Corrosive Black Centipede for the Administration Bureau and bring Li Tianming its Corrosive Fluid Sac.

Qin Siyang asked Li Tianming how to advance from sequence level five to level six and learned that the god-veneration ritual opens a believer's path at a cost. The chapter left Qin Siyang weighing a breakthrough that would weaken him against gods but leave him unaffected when fighting humans.

• Qin Siyang asked Li Tianming why his strength kept increasing while he remained unable to find a way to reach sequence level six.
• Li Tianming explained that sequence level five offered a choice between staying there and performing the god-veneration ritual to open the believer's path.
• Li Tianming said those who stayed at level five could keep improving their physical attributes without advancing their sequence abilities.
• Li Tianming revealed that reaching level six would suppress a person's strength, agility, and skills when fighting gods.
• Li Tianming explained that level-six users would face no such suppression against humans and pointed out that many people at the venue specialized in fighting one another.

Li Tianming explained the risks and requirements of opening the Path of the Believer, and Qin Siyang chose to pursue it for his own safety. He learned that its offerings had strict rules, while Li Tianming hinted that their grades made choosing them more complicated than it seemed.

• Li Tianming told Qin Siyang that opening the Path of the Believer would erase his Sequence Level Five strength and leave him especially vulnerable to Gods at first.
• Li Tianming explained that powerful researchers and some other people could reach late Sequence Level Six or Sequence Level Seven and fight Gods effectively.
• Qin Siyang decided to prepare for the Path of Godhood because he believed threats from people in the Safe Zone made relying on others unsafe.
• Li Tianming explained that the God-Worship Ritual required one hundred qualifying Small God disc carapaces and two Medium God carapaces from opposing kinds of Gods.
• Qin Siyang recognized Ice Crystal Giant Moths and Lava Crocodiles as opposing kinds, but Li Tianming said those Gods were difficult to find and that offerings had different grades.

Li Tianming explained how offerings determine the blessings granted when someone advances to Sequence level six. Qin Siyang learned that his Ice Crystal Giant Moth and Lava Crocodile made a top-grade offering pair, which could let him choose two Sequence skills to improve.

• Qin Siyang asked Li Tianming whether offerings had grades, and Li Tianming explained that their quality reflected a believer’s devotion and affected the god’s blessings.
• Li Tianming said the theological account of the Path of the Faithful was the only internally consistent explanation for advancing from Sequence level five to six, though he remained an atheist.
• Li Tianming described weak opposition between the Skeleton Fly and Blind Giant Scorpion, and mid-grade opposition between the Stone Mountain Beast and Lightning Marten Wolf.
• Li Tianming identified the Ice Crystal Giant Moth and Lava Crocodile as an exceptionally high-grade opposing pair because of their extreme temperature contrast.
• Li Tianming explained that low-grade offerings enhanced physical attributes, mid-grade offerings also randomly improved one Sequence skill, and high-grade offerings let believers choose two skills to improve.
• Qin Siyang was excited to learn that his high-grade offerings could improve two of his Sequence skills, while Li Tianming dismissed most forum posters as incompetent or covertly steering public opinion.

Qin Siyang discussed the God-Worship Ritual with Li Tianming before Sally Warren approached him with a marriage proposal. He rejected her politely, then suspected she wanted to bargain for the Crimson Crystal, but Sally insisted she had fallen for him.

• Qin Siyang learned from Li Tianming that higher-value small god disc carapaces could improve the gifts from the God-Worship Ritual.
• Sally Warren introduced herself as Georgia Warren’s daughter and asked Qin Siyang to discuss marriage.
• Qin Siyang was startled by Sally’s proposal and refused to treat marriage as a business deal.
• Sally told Qin Siyang that Zhao Sifang and Gu Yunxuan planned to marry, surprising him because he had not heard the news.
• Qin Siyang accused Sally of seeking the Crimson Crystal, but Sally said she had fallen for him after seeing him onstage.

Qin Siyang tried to expose Sally's declaration of love as a honey trap, but Lu Daoxing's Bird-Shaped Lie Detector confirmed she was telling the truth. Qin Siyang rejected her advances anyway, while Sally remained determined to marry him.

• Qin Siyang questioned Sally's confession and used the Bird-Shaped Lie Detector to test her claims that she loved him and wanted to marry him.
• Qin Siyang called Lu Daoxing to complain that the bird was broken, and Sally enabled Lu to hear him.
• Lu Daoxing tested the bird, confirmed it worked, and gave it to Qin Siyang to stop him from causing more trouble.
• Qin Siyang told Sally they were too different to be a good match and proposed they remain ordinary friends.
• Sally rejected that idea, praised Qin Siyang's conduct onstage, and dismissed his suggestion that Gu Yunpeng was more handsome.

Qin Siyang rejected Sally’s advances, explaining that his dangerous circumstances made a relationship impossible. After the ceremony, he gave Chu Xiaoang his allotted share of the Crimson Crystal, then left the venue with Li Tianming and the others.

• Sally used the Bird-Shaped Lie Detector to press Qin Siyang about his feelings, but he refused to date her because revealing his true nature could get him killed.
• Sally accepted Qin Siyang’s refusal and returned to her father, Georgia.
• After lunch, Qin Siyang took Chu Xiaoang backstage to divide the Crimson Crystal, while Zhao Longfei insisted they weigh Chu Xiaoang’s share precisely.
• Qin Siyang gave Chu Xiaoang 8.81 grams from the 88.1-gram Crimson Crystal, and Chu Xiaoang offered to help him kill Jiang Changqing.
• Qin Siyang left the ceremony with Li Tianming and the others and returned to the Hotel.

Lu Daoxing tried to persuade Qin Siyang to give him the Crimson Crystal, but Qin Siyang and Chang Tianxiang reaffirmed their trust in the Zhao Family over joining Chu Xiaoang's Legion. Lu Daoxing admitted he wanted rare materials to help repay his wife's debts, then revealed she had lost money trading God-Hunting Artifact futures.

• Lu Daoxing offered to make Qin Siyang a Tier-Five God-Hunting Artifact in exchange for the Crimson Crystal, but Qin Siyang refused and explained why he needed the Zhao Family's protection.
• Chang Tianxiang argued that the Zhao Family was more trustworthy than Chu Xiaoang, and Qin Siyang agreed that joining the Chu Character Legion would put him at risk.
• Li Tianming questioned why Lu Daoxing kept asking for rare materials, and Qin Siyang used the Lie Detector to confirm Lu Daoxing was telling the truth about not gambling.
• Lu Daoxing confessed that his wife had accumulated debts after secretly trading futures, and explained that he wanted to help repay them.
• Lu Daoxing revealed that his wife had been trading futures for God-Hunting Artifacts.

Lu Daoxing explained how the United Government’s God-Hunting Artifact futures project trapped his wife in debt and forced him to repay twenty Tier-Three artifacts. Li Tianming and the others learned the scheme was designed to acquire artifact technology, while Lu Daoxing sought rare materials to protect his core research; the debt remained legally binding and his wife was left devastated.

• Qin Siyang learned that Lu Daoxing’s wife lost money in a legal futures project organized by the United Government’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, which Lu Daoxing said was aligned with the Three Major Merchants’ Associations.
• Lu Daoxing explained that he kept his higher-tier God-Hunting Artifacts to protect his research and survive, and Qin Siyang reconsidered prioritizing money over strength.
• Lu Daoxing revealed that the futures project targeted God-Hunting Artifact researchers and required participants to repay losses in artifacts, while Li Tianming suspected Jiang Yuanrui wanted to obtain their technology.
• Lu Daoxing said he owed twenty Tier-Three God-Hunting Artifacts and that Gao Bohan owed thirty Tier-Three and three Tier-Four artifacts after gambling debts worsened.
• Lu Daoxing told the group that his wife was devastated and that he had hired a [Sleepless] nanny to watch over her around the clock.
• Lu Daoxing explained that he wanted Qin Siyang’s Crimson Crystals so he could repay his debt with Tier-Three artifacts made using common technology and avoid exposing his core research.

Qin Siyang arranged Crimson Crystal to help Lu Daoxing pay his debt, with Zhao Longfei and Zhao Sifang approving the use of the association’s supply. Later, Li Tianming warned Qin Siyang that Wen Shu might not be the right partner for him.

• Lu Daoxing admitted he still needed fifteen Tier-Three God-Hunting Artifacts and more than ten grams of Crimson Crystal to settle his wife’s debt.
• Qin Siyang offered Crimson Crystal from his supply and persuaded Zhao Longfei to approve using it to help Lu Daoxing.
• Qin Siyang informed Zhao Sifang, who casually authorized him to use the Crimson Crystals as he wished.
• Zhao Longfei brought the Crimson Crystal that evening, and Qin Siyang cut off enough to cover Lu Daoxing’s debt.
• Li Tianming told Qin Siyang that a partner needed to understand his work and warned that Wen Shu was not right for him.

Qin Siyang planned another trip outside the Safe Zone to hunt Small Gods for offerings and materials for Li Tianming, while deciding against drinking Sequence Potions. Li Tianming revealed that Ye Hongqing was trying to sell his experimental notes and planned to kill her alone the next day, leaving Qin Siyang unable to intervene.

• Qin Siyang told Li Tianming he intended to leave the Safe Zone to hunt Small Gods for disc carapace offerings and research materials, despite Li Tianming's concerns.
• Li Tianming warned Qin Siyang not to drink Sequence Potions because his advancing Sequence might suffer side effects, and Qin Siyang agreed.
• Li Tianming told Qin Siyang that Ye Hongqing was trying to sell experimental notes, possibly at Guo Jiuxiao's urging.
• Li Tianming decided Ye Hongqing had to die and said he would go alone the next day, asking Qin Siyang to keep the plan secret.

Qin Siyang warned Zhang Kuang that Li Tianming was heading to Zhongrong University to kill Ye Hongqing and might be walking into Guo Jiuxiao’s trap. Zhang Kuang secretly organized a team to help Li Tianming, and the group left the Safe Zone without drawing attention.

• Qin Siyang told Zhang Kuang that Li Tianming planned to kill Ye Hongqing, and Zhang Kuang explained how Ye Hongqing had framed Li Tianming and him for the deaths of Zhongrong University students.
• Zhang Kuang concluded that Guo Jiuxiao was likely waiting to ambush Li Tianming and planned a secret rescue team with Hao Liang and Lu Daoxing.
• Qin Siyang pretended to leave for another hunt outside the Safe Zone, prompting Zhao Longfei to report his departure to his big brother.
• Qin Siyang used Hao Liang’s Invisibility Potion to travel between exits, disguised himself, and reunited with Zhang Kuang, Hao Liang, and Lu Daoxing.
• The four entered a Capsule Pod and headed out without anyone noticing their departure.

Qin Siyang traveled underground with Lu Daoxing and Zhang Kuang toward Area No. 3 to prepare for Old Li’s confrontation with Ye Hongqing. During the journey, he researched gods and noticed that the professors still had not earned him any Research Points, then spotted a viral post accusing Olof of abusing his authority and massacring civilians.

• Lu Daoxing explained that his God-Hunting Artifact let them travel underground undetected, and Zhang Kuang said Old Li was heading openly to Area No. 3 by car.
• Zhang Kuang explained that Guo Jiuxiao wanted Old Li to walk into a trap near Ye Hongqing rather than have him assassinated, and Lu Daoxing said they would arrive about a day early to scout.
• Qin Siyang asked about finding yellow-silver star ore underground, but Lu Daoxing said he had never found any and did not know whether it was real.
• Qin Siyang studied information about gods and searched for small gods with valuable disc carapaces, then saw that his Research Points were still at zero.
• Qin Siyang decided to trust Chang Tianxiang and Chang Tianxiong to include him in their upcoming papers, then noticed a popular post accusing Olof of abusing his authority and massacring civilians.

Qin Siyang added false accusations against Olof to an online smear campaign, then began searching for offerings for the God-Worship Ritual. After the group arrived beneath Area No. 3 and could not find a safe place to stay, Qin Siyang suggested asking Principal Zhao for help.

• Qin Siyang read a forum post accusing Olof of massacres and other crimes, and recognized that the accusations were false.
• Qin Siyang anonymously posted dozens of comments claiming Olof had a history of misconduct in the 14121 Region, and other forum users upvoted them.
• Qin Siyang searched for suitable God-Worship Ritual offerings and chose Blood Moon Spiders and Abyss Hounds as possible targets.
• Less than two days later, Lu Daoxing brought the group beneath Area No. 3, where they realized they lacked a safe place to stay.
• Zhang Kuang called Chang Tianxiang, who said he and Chang Tianxiong had no influence or safe locations to offer.
• Qin Siyang suggested telling Principal Zhao everything and asking him to find them a safe place through the Zhao Family's Black Market.

Zhao Longfei told Qin Siyang and the professors that Guo Jiuxiao was luring Li Tianming to Starfield Ranch so he could kill him under the pretense of self-defense. As the group prepared to go there, Qin Siyang questioned why Guo Jiuxiao would risk provoking powerful factions with such an elaborate plan.

• Zhang Kuang, Hao Liang, and Lu Daoxing agreed to ask Zhao Longfei for help, and Big Chang contacted him.
• Zhao Longfei scolded Qin Siyang, then explained that Ye Hongqing was staying at Starfield Ranch and might meet Li Tianming there.
• Zhang Kuang explained that Starfield Ranch was dark, vast, and suited to fights between Sequence Ability Users.
• Zhao Longfei said Guo Jiuxiao could use Ye Hongqing to lure Li Tianming into the open, record him attacking her, and kill him in supposed self-defense.
• Hao Liang noted that Guo Jiuxiao must be confident in his strength, and Zhang Kuang decided they should head straight to Starfield Ranch.
• Qin Siyang questioned why Guo Jiuxiao would risk making powerful enemies by arranging an elaborate trap if he intended to kill Li Tianming.

Qin Siyang and the others traveled to Starfield Ranch to investigate Guo Jiuxiao’s plans and prepare to meet Li Tianming. Lu Daoxing’s scan revealed five buildings protected by Tier Four God-Hunting Artifacts, suggesting Ma Shi was involved.

• Qin Siyang questioned why Guo Jiuxiao had used Ye Hongqing as cover if he intended to confront Li Tianming directly, but he could not decipher the plan.
• Lu Daoxing drove the Capsule Pod to coordinates beneath Starfield Ranch while Zhao Longfei promised to investigate from elsewhere.
• Zhang Kuang ordered Lu Daoxing to scan the ranch, and Qin Siyang eventually fell asleep while they waited for Li Tianming to arrive.
• Lu Daoxing reported that the pastures looked ordinary but five buildings were protected against surveillance and scanning.
• Zhang Kuang identified the protections as Tier Four God-Hunting Artifacts, and Lu Daoxing said Ma Shi was likely involved.

Zhang Kuang and the others realized Guo Jiuxiao had concealed his and Ye Hongqing’s location among five distant, shielded houses, making Li Tianming’s attack a dangerous gamble. Qin Siyang argued Li Tianming would not retreat because Ye Hongqing and Guo Jiuxiao, along with his long-held hopes for his research, drove him to act; Lu Daoxing asked whether they should turn back and stop him.

• Lu Daoxing and Principal Zhao confirmed that five widely separated houses at Starfield Ranch were shielded from surveillance, leaving them unable to locate Ye Hongqing.
• Zhang Kuang explained that the Safe Zone’s protective roof and the scattered terrain made it impossible for Li Tianming to spot and attack all five houses at once.
• Zhang Kuang judged that Li Tianming should retreat if they could not identify the right house, since attacking would mean gambling on a one-in-five chance.
• Qin Siyang argued that Li Tianming would not abandon his theory or his chance to kill Ye Hongqing and confront Guo Jiuxiao.
• Lu Daoxing asked whether they should turn around and stop Li Tianming themselves.