Chapter Summaries

Qin Siyang returned to Southern Glory and joined the group heading by bus to Zone 5 for the Championship Tournament. On the journey, Chu Baxing and Ban Dingyuan each spoke with him before Duan Chongfang bluntly said he intended to befriend Qin Siyang so killing him later would seem more reasonable.

• Qin Siyang and Hu Chan returned to find Southern Glory’s students and professors ready to leave for Zone 5 that day.
• Hu Chan defended Qin Siyang against Chu Baxing, and Chu Baxing questioned why Hu Chan had become so devoted to him.
• On the bus, Chu Baxing used Southern Glory’s rules and his higher points to take the seat beside Qin Siyang, then asked about Qin Siyang’s encounter with Hu Chan.
• Qin Siyang told Chu Baxing he could not share everything because his bond with Commander Chu conflicted with his closer relationship to the Zhao Family.
• Ban Dingyuan took Chu Baxing’s seat and asked whether Qin Siyang had truly made peace with Duan Chongfang, promising to help him if Duan became dangerous.
• Duan Chongfang took Ban Dingyuan’s seat and told Qin Siyang he wanted to befriend him so it would seem more reasonable when he got a chance to kill him.

Qin Siyang arrived in Zone 5 and saw its residents enjoying a peaceful, prosperous life, despite the coming conflict among the four great families and the United Government’s interest in its mines. He reflected on his growing desire for a fairer world before Zhao Longfei welcomed the students at the Zhao Merchants’ Association clubhouse.

• Southern Glory's bus arrived in Zone 5 after two days on the road.
• Qin Siyang considered how the United Government and the Yu Family would target the Huan Family, putting Zone 5 and its mining industry on the brink of turmoil.
• Qin Siyang watched Zone 5's residents go about their comfortable daily lives and began to regret the approaching conflict.
• Qin Siyang questioned his increasingly idealistic thoughts and called himself the pride of Earth.
• Zhao Longfei welcomed Qin Siyang and the other students beside the bus at the Zhao Merchants’ Association clubhouse.

The Nanrong students arrived at the Zhao Merchants' Association, where Fu Wanli comically misunderstood the reason for its reinforced toilets. Zhao Longfei then took Qin Siyang and four others to meet Wang Jixin and Xie Nanyun about the fallout from Yu Bianwei’s death and Huan Kai’s betrayal, assuring them Zone 5 was difficult for assassins to operate in.

• Zhao Longfei welcomed the students to the association, and Fu Wanli took notes about its facilities to share with Feng Linlin.
• Zhao Sifang and Chu Baxing explained that the association’s yellow-silver ore toilets were built to withstand newly strengthened Sequence Ability Users, prompting Fu Wanli to record their explanation.
• After breakfast, Zhao Longfei summoned Qin Siyang, Chu Baxing, Hu Chan, Gu Yunpeng, and Zhao Sifang and drove them toward a meeting with Wang Jixin and Xie Nanyun.
• Zhao Longfei explained that Chu Baxing was there at his father’s request, Hu Chan had asked to accompany Qin Siyang, Gu Yunpeng was meant to reassure Secretary-General Gu, and Zhao Sifang had mineral-order negotiations to conduct.
• Qin Siyang realized the meeting concerned the aftermath of Yu Bianwei’s death and Huan Kai’s betrayal, while Zhao Longfei said Zone 5’s strong fighters made it hard for assassins to act.

Zhao Longfei visited the Four Surnames Merchants' Association with Qin Siyang and Southern Glory's young talents to discuss business, but he left when Wang Jixin failed to greet him. He departed after burning the Yu and Huan family flags, while Wang Jixin and Xie Nanyun remained behind to consider his rejection.

• Zhao Longfei arrived at the Four Surnames Merchants' Association and questioned Xie Daozhen about the absence of Wang Jixin and Xie Nanyun.
• Zhao Longfei recognized Xie Daozhen as Xie Nanyun's third son and praised his intelligence after hearing about his responsibility for the Xie Family's mining operations.
• Zhao Longfei refused to meet Wang Jixin and Xie Nanyun because no one from the Wang Family had come to welcome him, then told Xie Daozhen he would return when the two families were on the same page.
• Zhao Longfei burned the Huan flag, and the flames spread to the Yu flag as he left the association with Qin Siyang and the others.
• Xie Nanyun told Wang Jixin that his good-cop, bad-cop approach had failed, and Wang Jixin ordered the Yu and Huan flags restored.
• On the way back, Zhao Sifang explained why the negotiations were doomed, and Qin Siyang and Gu Yunpeng teased him about being clearheaded about big matters.

Qin Siyang learned why Zhao Longfei had abandoned cooperation with the Wang and Xie families, then checked on his recruits and rested under Zhao Longfei’s protection. The chapter ended with them visiting Western Glory’s secretive Championship Arenas and discovering that every spectator ticket had sold out.

• Zhao Longfei told Qin Siyang that the alliance among the Wang, Xie, Yu, and Huan families had not yet fully collapsed, so they needed to wait before acting against the Four Major Mining Companies.
• Qin Siyang urged Wang Defa and the others to train with the Chu Character Legion’s Special Operations Company and prepare to take on greater responsibilities.
• Qin Siyang chose to rest at the Zhao Merchants’ Association rather than train in its God Arena, avoiding suspicion about his use of Sequence Potions.
• Zhao Longfei took Qin Siyang and the others to Western Glory, where Qin Siyang saw the hidden Championship Arenas and learned that the spectators would not see or remember the fights.
• Zhao Longfei told Qin Siyang that all Championship Tournament tickets had sold out within an hour, with factions buying sixty percent and students and contestants’ families buying the rest.

Qin Siyang learned that the method for making yellow-silver star ore required sacrificing one's own child as a Starshine Vessel. Li Tianming and Zhang Kuang planned to visit Zhong Dingming, whose youngest son was not yet a year old.

• Zhao Longfei explained that factions attended the Championship Tournament to recruit people or show support for Secretary-General Gu Weiyang.
• Zhao Longfei warned Qin Siyang to win the tournament without killing anyone, and Li Tianming summoned Qin Siyang back to the Zhao Merchants' Association's Clubhouse.
• Li Tianming showed Qin Siyang Lu Daoxing's method for making yellow-silver star ore, which required turning one's own child into a Starshine Vessel and killing them.
• Qin Siyang crushed the paper in disgust, and Zhang Kuang said they needed to visit Zhong Dingming because his youngest son was not yet a year old.

Zhang Kuang urged Li Tianming to confront Zhong Dingming for yellow-silver star ore, even though doing so might mean targeting Zhong’s newborn son. Unable to decide, Li Tianming resolved to go after Qin Siyang reminded him that his allies would take the risk without him.

• Zhang Kuang explained that Zhong Dingming had likely sacrificed his three children for yellow-silver star ore and urged Li Tianming to demand the ore while Principal Zhao was present.
• Li Tianming resisted targeting Zhong Dingming’s newborn son, while Qin Siyang suggested the ore might instead have come from Zhong’s children being used to make bluewater glass star ore.
• Qin Siyang told Li Tianming that he, Zhang Kuang, and Professor Lu would confront Zhong Dingming even if Li refused.
• Li Tianming realized he could not let his allies bear the danger for him and agreed to go to Zhong Dingming.

Qin Siyang, Li Tianming, and Zhang Kuang headed to Zhong Dingming’s home as Li described the professor’s generosity and simple life. At home, Zhong Dingming revealed his resolve to hasten the end of the apocalypse, then agreed to meet Fusheng and others in Sigma District before a knock interrupted him.

• Qin Siyang asked Li Tianming about Zhong Dingming, and Li described him as generous, selfless, and uninterested in luxury.
• Qin Siyang, Li Tianming, and Zhang Kuang traveled toward Zhong Dingming’s modest bungalow, surrounded by lavish leisure facilities he never used.
• Zhong Dingming read about death and loss, watered three potted plants, and murmured that he wanted to end the apocalypse sooner.
• Fusheng told Zhong Dingming that [Greedy Soul] had died on the Life-Substitution Lamp and complained that others suspected him of leaking information.
• Fusheng asked Zhong Dingming to meet the group in Sigma District to investigate the Church and discuss a vanished god phantom; Zhong Dingming agreed.
• Someone knocked on Zhong Dingming’s front door.

Li Tianming confronted Zhong Dingming about his missing children and the yellow-silver star ore, revealing that he knew about the Starshine Vessel. He demanded a hundred kilograms of ore in exchange for silence and promised to leave Zhong Dingming alone while continuing to target Guo Jiuxiao.

• Zhong Dingming discussed with Fusheng how the World-Destroying Church had likely recruited Lu Daoxing for his God-Hunting Artifact research expertise.
• Zhong Dingming ended his call and welcomed Li Tianming, Zhang Kuang, and Qin Siyang into his home.
• Li Tianming asked to speak privately with Zhong Dingming, and Qin Siyang activated a Conversation Shielding artifact after they entered the room.
• Li Tianming raised Zhong Dingming's missing children and newly acquired yellow-silver star ore, then named the Starshine Vessel to show he knew the truth.
• Li Tianming demanded a hundred kilograms of yellow-silver star ore and said he would keep killing Guo Jiuxiao while Zhong Dingming stayed out of his affairs.

Li Tianming, Zhang Kuang, and Qin Siyang confronted Zhong Dingming for yellow-silver star ore, with Zhang Kuang threatening to expose the production method. Zhong Dingming offered only fifty kilograms in exchange for Vine Heart material and pointed Li Tianming toward someone who might supply the rest.

• Li Tianming asked Zhong Dingming for a hundred kilograms of yellow-silver star ore, and Zhang Kuang threatened to reveal how it was produced if Zhong refused.
• Zhang Kuang warned Zhong Dingming that their visit and Qin Siyang's scheduled forum post would make it difficult to harm them or conceal the truth.
• Li Tianming offered crimson crystal, but Zhong Dingming said he wanted Vine Heart material instead.
• Zhong Dingming offered fifty kilograms of yellow-silver star ore for two kilograms of Vine Heart material and said he could not provide more.
• After Li Tianming explained that fifty kilograms would not be enough for his research, Zhong Dingming suggested he trade with a man who had killed many of his children.

Li Tianming, Qin Siyang, and Zhang Kuang traded Vine Heart to Zhong Dingming for yellow-silver star ore and learned that Han Huizhi had a large stockpile. Zhong Dingming revealed that Han had used his sons as Starshine Vessels, then explained that one son survived by marrying the right woman.

• Zhong Dingming warned Li Tianming that other people might also know how to produce yellow-silver star ore and offered to name a source after a trade.
• Zhang Kuang asked to make up any shortfall with Zhong Dingming’s other son, but Zhong refused and threatened to end negotiations by force.
• Qin Siyang and Li Tianming traded about two kilograms of Vine Heart for fifty kilograms of yellow-silver star ore and established a contract.
• Zhong Dingming named Han Huizhi as someone with a stockpile, and Qin Siyang objected because Han might resent him for Yan Xiaoying’s death.
• Zhong Dingming said Han had used his sons as Starshine Vessels and explained that one son had survived by marrying the right woman.

Li Tianming and his companions secured Zhong Dingming’s yellow-silver star ore, but Li said he still needed more to face Guo Jiuxiao. Back at the Zhao Merchants' Association, Qin Siyang learned that Yu Yongkun had killed Huan Runting and that large-scale fighting had broken out between the Yu and Huan Families’ mines, suggesting someone was manipulating the conflict.

• Zhong Dingming said he hoped Li Tianming would obtain the remaining yellow-silver star ore from Han Huizhi and keep their dealings secret.
• Li Tianming explained that fifty kilograms gave him about a ten percent chance against Guo Jiuxiao, while a hundred kilograms would give him an even chance.
• Qin Siyang learned from Zhao Longfei that Yu Yongkun had killed Huan Runting at Western Glory, apparently disrupting peace talks between the Yu and Huan Families.
• Zhao Longfei received word that Sequence Ability Users were fighting on a massive scale at the boundary between the families’ mines, making outside interference seem likely.
• Zhao Longfei rejected Wang Jixin’s call to reopen negotiations, telling Qin Siyang that he would not let the Zhao Merchants' Association get dragged into the Wang Family’s troubles.

Qin Siyang and Zhao Longfei considered whether Guo Jiuxiao had rewritten memories to provoke the Yu and Huan Families, while the United Government responded to the Zone 5 conflict with an official statement. The statement took the families’ disputes and Huan Kai’s crimes under investigation, leaving Qin Siyang’s group waiting to see what would happen next.

• Qin Siyang suggested Guo Jiuxiao might have rewritten the memories of people involved in the Zone 5 turmoil, and Zhao Longfei weighed the possibility of an unseen sponsor.
• Zhao Longfei rejected an immediate alliance with the Wang and Xie Families and advised Qin Siyang to wait for the United Government’s position.
• The Zone 5 district chief suspended operations at the Four Major Mining Companies’ mines as clashes between the Yu and Huan Families escalated.
• Gu Weiyang issued a United Government statement announcing investigations into the conflict, Yu Yongkun’s killing of a student, and Huan Kai’s crimes and Church ties.
• Gu Yunpeng explained why the United Government intervened in Zone 5 but had stayed silent about the Yan Character Legion, while Fu Wanli joked that he wanted his name in an official statement.

As Zone 5 remained tense under the United Government’s influence, Qin Siyang rested and then spent the night playing cards with Duan Chongfang and Ban Dingyuan, whose friendship was being encouraged. The First Intercollegiate Sequence Championship opened in Western Glory, where Qin Siyang and his teammates arrived exhausted after playing over a thousand rounds.

• Qin Siyang reflected on his stalled progress and the white light points he needed to break through Origin Sequence Level Two, then slept for two days to recover.
• Duan Chongfang and Ban Dingyuan invited Qin Siyang to play cards, and the three played without discussing anything else until Duan Chongfang proposed adding training rules.
• Qin Siyang and the other competitors registered and entered the Championship Tournament grounds in Western Glory on October 29, 2010.
• Qian Wendao hosted the opening ceremony and introduced Secretary-General Gu Weiyang, who had proposed, supported, implemented, and managed the tournament.
• Zhao Longfei used Conversation Shielding to ask why Qin Siyang, Ban Dingyuan, and Duan Chongfang were so tired, and Qin Siyang explained that they had played over a thousand rounds of Fight the Landlord.

Qin Siyang, Duan Chongfang, and Ban Dingyuan told Zhao Longfei about their all-night card game and argued over who had cheated, prompting his anger. The Championship Tournament rules were then announced, including five-person teams for each year group and arena rooms that erased competitors’ memories of matches.

• Qin Siyang explained that he, Ban Dingyuan, and Duan Chongfang had played Fight the Landlord all night under Duan’s strict time limits and penalties.
• Ban Dingyuan argued that any loss would be the fault of Qin Siyang and Duan Chongfang, while Zhao Longfei urged the exhausted students to take more energy-boosting potions.
• Duan Chongfang accused Ban Dingyuan of peeking, and Ban and Qin Siyang traded accusations of cheating by peeking, stealing cards, and swapping decks.
• Zhao Longfei scolded all three students for their conduct, and Qin Siyang remained unapologetic.
• Xiao Zhigang announced that schools would compete in five-person teams for each year group in sixteen Championship Arena rooms, where competitors would forget what happened after each match.

Qin Siyang learned that the tournament format and bracket made it difficult for him to compete and deliberately stacked Nanrong University’s path against powerful rivals. He refused to accept the unfair draw quietly and declared that Nanrong would fight through every obstacle, drawing Gu Weiyang’s interest.

• Qin Siyang learned that each school match used a best-of-three format, with third-years fighting before second-years and first-years, meaning he might not get to compete.
• The tournament officials announced the group and knockout formats, then revealed the assignments for the 128 qualifying schools.
• Qin Siyang saw that Nanrong University would likely face Southern Revival in the round of sixteen and then Eastern Glory, Zhongrong, and Western Glory if it advanced.
• Chu Baxing, Hu Chan, and others criticized Xiao Zhigang’s bracket, while Qin Siyang suspected he had already made a deal with Eastern Glory principal Liu Yingrong.
• Qin Siyang loudly declared that Nanrong would fight through every obstacle, and Gu Weiyang watched him with interest.

The First Intercollegiate Sequence Championship began, and the group-stage matches were assigned to Virtual Projection arenas. As Qin Siyang and the others watched, Jincheng University surrendered immediately to Western Glory, sparking public outrage and exposing its principal’s failure to consider morale or his own standing.

• Qian Wendao officially opened the Championship Tournament and announced that the group-stage matches would use Virtual Projection.
• Nanrong University was assigned to group eighteen, while Western Glory began competing in group one against Jincheng University.
• Western Glory defeated Jincheng University 2-0 in under five minutes, prompting spectators to suspect Jincheng University had surrendered without fighting.
• Spectators condemned Jincheng University’s surrender, and its students lowered their heads while the principal remained convinced his choice was rational.
• Chu Xiaoang criticized the principal, and Wei Rulai explained that he had missed a chance to impress Secretary-General Gu Weiyang and advance his own career.

The first half of the group stage ended with Western Glory University, Beizhen, Eastern Zhen, and Central Revival University topping their groups, while Jincheng University was eliminated. As Nanrong University began its match against Huakai University, Wang Zheng’s powerful opening move left Qin Siyang stunned.

• Western Glory University continued winning quickly, while Jincheng University lost its third match and was eliminated from the group stage.
• Qin Siyang warmed up for the second half before Zhao Sifang reminded him that Nanrong University might not need him to fight.
• The referee explained the Championship Arena’s scoring and elimination rules, and Qin Siyang asked Zhao Longfei to bring its cooldown-reset technology to the God Arena.
• Shi Tao and Ban Dingyuan explained how strength and potential affected Wolf Cards rankings, and Ban predicted that Wang Zheng would win.
• Huakai University sent out Gao Liang to face Nanrong University’s Wang Zheng, who transformed into a sky-filling rain of fire as the match began.

Wang Zheng swept Huakai University’s third-year team with five flawless victories, giving Southern Glory University the first match point. The second-year showdown began with Park Hee-eun defeating Zhang Fang 20-0, leaving Qin Siyang convinced he would not get a chance to compete.

• Wang Zheng defeated Gao Liang 20-0, and Gao Liang learned that level suppression had amplified Wang Zheng’s attacks.
• Wang Zheng defeated Huakai University’s remaining third-year contestants, securing Southern Glory University’s third-year team victory without taking damage.
• Fu Wanli discussed practicing Wang Zheng’s dramatic “Next” while Zhao Sifang and Hu Chan explained why Wang Zheng showed no excitement after his victories.
• Park Hee-eun and Zhang Fang began the second-year showdown, and Park Hee-eun defeated him 20-0 with three flying kicks to his neck.
• Qin Siyang watched Park Hee-eun’s quick victory and concluded that the stronger students would leave him no chance to fight.

Park Hee-eun swept Huakai University's sophomore team, revealing that she had reached sequence level six and embarked on the Path of the Believer. Nanrong University secured an early tournament victory, and after leaving the arena Qin Siyang and the others found their memories of the battles erased before Zhao Sifang accused Feng Linlin of being a spy.

• Park Hee-eun defeated Huakai University's second- through fourth-ranked sophomores 20-0, then beat Zang Guangjing after he discovered she shared his sequence and had reached sequence level six.
• Nanrong University's sophomores speculated about how Park Hee-eun had embarked on the Path of the Believer, while Ban Dingyuan defended her choice.
• Nanrong University won the sophomore division and secured an early victory in the best-of-three match.
• Qin Siyang left the Championship Arena and realized that he and the others had forgotten most of what happened during the battles.
• Zhao Sifang suggested that Fu Wanli had discovered Feng Linlin was a spy, prompting the others to prepare to deal with her as Fu Wanli protested.