Chapter Summaries

Qin Siyang learned from Qian Wendao why Ander was so dangerous and decided to grow stronger before trying to kill him. As Qian Wendao prepared to reconnect the Safe Zone with the Sigma District, Qin Siyang planned to search for gifts hidden in the changed environment.

• Qian Wendao explained that Ander was a combat genius who could kill opponents above his level, and that previous allies had judged their chances of killing him to be poor.
• Qian Wendao refused to join Qin Siyang in confronting Ander, warning that his death could leave the Safe Zone without a way forward.
• Qin Siyang decided to continue his transition and become stronger before attempting to kill Ander by the end of the year.
• Qian Wendao planned to reopen the buried tunnel to the Sigma District with help from Joint Mining's excavation crew.
• Qin Siyang confirmed that the Evolutionary Sequence Domain and Evolutionary Origin Domain had appeared to select the strongest, and said he would search for gifts in the environmental changes.

As the Domain Merge isolated Sigma District from the Safe Zone and the tunnels collapsed, Gu Yunpeng struggled to recruit engineers amid public panic. A calm woman from the Underground City volunteered to help repair the tunnel, hoping to reach the Safe Zone before someone there died.

• The Domain Merge severed the connection between Sigma District and the Safe Zone, leaving Sigma District facing a potential food shortage and growing unrest.
• Gu Yunpeng searched for engineers and construction-type Sequence Ability Users, raising the pay as the United Government's recruitment calls failed to draw volunteers.
• As crowds rushed to buy supplies at Qin Siyang and [Yu Gu]'s shops, officials announced that the tunnels had completely collapsed and urgently sought workers.
• The woman at the central Underground City stall told Liu Dao Wu to watch her stall and said she would join the tunnel repair effort.
• Liu Dao Wu packed away the stall's goods and chose to accompany the woman, who said she needed to reach the project before someone in the Safe Zone died.

Qin Siyang explored the River and its surroundings, fighting several ordinary gods but finding no sign of the gifts mentioned in the [Apocalypse Fragment]. On the far bank, two men waited for him, hoping to capture him for credit and warning each other to keep the [World-Destroying Church] away.

• Qin Siyang reached the River after gathering trees and small gods from the forest, then cautiously entered the water.
• A Giant Bird attacked Qin Siyang, but he killed it with one punch and found its disc carapace worth only six hundred-odd points.
• Qin Siyang spent a day exploring the River, its banks, and its depths, killing several medium gods but finding no special materials or gifts.
• Qin Siyang returned to the bank frustrated and chose not to cross to the far side.
• Across the River, a mismatched-eyed man and a round-faced young man discussed capturing Qin Siyang themselves instead of notifying Granny Hua.

Qin Siyang returned to the Miracle Building with materials from aquatic Gods and heard Li Tianming describe the extraordinary elite trainees he and Zhu Haifeng had selected. Their discussion led them to suspect that sequence awakening and other trials were part of a process by which the world selected the strongest candidates, leaving Qin Siyang with the troubling possibility that those chosen were expected to do something earth-shattering.

• Qin Siyang brought shells, bones, crystals, and glowing mud from the river to Li Tianming's laboratory.
• Li Tianming told Qin Siyang that the elite trainees selected by him and Zhu Haifeng were unusually intelligent, disciplined, and quick to master combat and tactical lessons.
• Li Tianming reported that most of the thousands of trainees had reached sequence level five in four months and were preparing offerings for the God-Worship Ritual.
• Li Tianming and Qin Siyang considered whether sequence awakening favored people who were already exceptional, rather than giving ordinary people an equal chance to rise.
• Li Tianming suggested that sequence awakening, the Gods' [Succession Trial], and the Safe Zone domain merge all pointed to the world selecting the best candidates for a major task.

Qin Siyang told Li Tianming about the new contents of his [Apocalypse Fragment], then watched Li Tianming and Quan Taibin unveil a patch that made the Lie Detector mistake lies for truth. He left the Safe Zone to inspect the vastly expanded mountain range between it and the Sigma District, realizing that tunneling through it would be an enormous undertaking.

• Qin Siyang explained the new selection-related information in his [Apocalypse Fragment] to Li Tianming and said he planned to find the promised gift and advance to the next stage.
• Quan Taibin arrived to discuss research with Li Tianming, and the two tested their device on Qin Siyang, discovering that the Lie Detector registered his false answer as truth.
• Li Tianming and Quan Taibin revealed their Anti-Polygraph Patch to Qin Siyang and gave him several, promising to keep their research secret.
• Qin Siyang left the laboratory and traveled by Capsule Pod from the Safe Zone toward the mountain range bordering the Sigma District.
• Qin Siyang tested the range with a Drill Pod and found it had expanded a hundredfold, reaching over a hundred kilometers wide and nearly four thousand meters high.

Qin Siyang explored the transformed Origin God Mountain Range and encountered a herd of unusually resilient bull-shaped Medium Gods. After his punches failed to seriously harm them, he spotted what appeared to be an arm hanging from one bull’s horn.

• Qin Siyang explored the Mountain Range’s varied, dangerous landscapes but found no sign of the gift mentioned in the [Apocalypse Fragment].
• Qin Siyang encountered hundreds of bull-shaped Medium Gods on a narrow ridgeline and thought of the Power Bull Succession Trial recommended by the Feather Eagle.
• Qin Siyang approached the herd, which charged at him, and he struck the lead bull with a punch that would normally kill a Medium God.
• The bulls dispersed the force of Qin Siyang’s punch through the tightly packed herd and the mountain beneath them, then charged again.
• Qin Siyang punched the herd a second time, but the bulls recovered quickly, and he noticed what looked like an arm hanging from one bull’s horn.

Qin Siyang discovered a dead outsider’s arm impaled on a giant bull’s horn and fought through the herd to retrieve it. He escaped back toward the Safe Zone with the arm, while a hidden presence among the bulls took an interest in the domain lord.

• Qin Siyang spotted a severed arm on a bull’s horn and realized it likely belonged to an outsider who had entered the domain soon after the merge.
• Qin Siyang abandoned his investigation of the gift and began fighting the bulls, knocking several over the ridge.
• Qin Siyang stomped the bull carrying the arm, then struggled to tear the unusually durable limb free.
• Qin Siyang pulled the arm loose, stored it, and used the Drill Pod to escape the charging herd.
• After Qin Siyang left, the bulls calmed down, and an unseen speaker said the domain lord might be a pleasant surprise and mentioned Feather Eagle’s recommendation.

Qin Siyang brought a severed arm from a recently killed stranger to an emergency meeting, arguing that it belonged to an invader from another Safe Zone. The arm’s extraordinary toughness convinced the attendees that the invader had been far stronger than anyone in their Safe Zone.

• Qin Siyang returned to the Safe Zone and alerted Qian Wendao and Li Tianming, who gathered the people from the underground meeting for an emergency conference.
• Qin Siyang placed a severed arm on the conference table and explained that he had found it hanging from a giant bull’s horn outside the Safe Zone.
• Qin Siyang said the person must have died recently and could not have been one of the known powerful figures, so he concluded the corpse belonged to an outsider.
• Chu Zhongxiong warned that the invaders might be rushing to enslave their Safe Zone, while Xie Nanyun questioned whether the remains could instead belong to a hidden cultist.
• Xie Nanyun and Olof tried to tear the arm apart but could barely damage it, and Qian Wendao confirmed that its toughness exceeded his own.

Alan, Granny Hua, and Sima Ji examined the newly emerged Eighth Domain from across its vast river and discussed its unusual Safe Zone and the people inside. Alan teased Sima Ji about his buried homesickness, but Sima Ji dismissed it as useless.

• Alan marveled at the enormous Eighth Domain and asked Sima Ji whether it was the final evolutionary sequence domain.
• Granny Hua explained that it was the eighth and final domain, and said she had never seen a Safe Zone so large.
• Sima Ji speculated that war might have left the vast region sparsely populated, while Granny Hua wondered who had built its crude Safe Zone.
• Alan pointed out the mountains and rivers that reminded Sima Ji of home and teased him about his homesickness.
• Sima Ji said he had feelings that served practical purposes, but saw no use in homesickness.

Sima Ji, Alan, and Granny Hua discussed their failed scouting attempts around the Eighth Domain and concluded they could not safely cross its natural defenses. They left to reconsider their approach, while casting greedy glances at the enormous Safe Zone.

• Sima Ji explained that three scouts he sent across the river had vanished after waves or Gods killed them, and that the river barred aerial and underground passage.
• Alan reported that his people had stopped moving in the river despite wearing diving suits, while Granny Hua learned that Captain Mald and his team had disappeared in the Mountain Range.
• Sima Ji, Alan, and Granny Hua concluded that the Eighth Domain's defenses overwhelmed Tier Four equipment and made further attempts too dangerous.
• Granny Hua and Alan ordered their groups to leave people on watch and return to discuss how to enter the domain.
• As they departed, Sima Ji, Alan, and Granny Hua looked back greedily at the enormous Safe Zone.

Qian Wendao revealed that he had reached Origin Sequence Level Five and answered questions about the powerful outsider whose corpse Qin Siyang found. The conference ended with Qian Wendao urging the Safe Zone to prepare its tens of millions of Sequence Ability Users for an invasion.

• Qian Wendao told the conference that Origin Sequence Level Five was the origin sequence’s limit and that he had reached it by repeatedly experiencing certain death.
• Qian Wendao admitted he did not know why the outsider was tougher than him or whether a sequence existed beyond the origin sequence.
• Qin Siyang said he did not know how the outsider had died, and Chu Zhongxiong reasoned that the other invaders probably had not reached the Safe Zone.
• Qian Wendao ended the questions and warned that the Safe Zone must prepare for battle by mobilizing its Sequence Ability Users.

Qian Wendao presented a long-prepared defense plan for the Safe Zone, but Tian Luzhang revealed that Qin Yingguang and Han Huizhi were planning an imminent assassination strike. The group learned Ander was also preparing to act, so they decided to attack all three enemies at once and assigned the targets.

• Qian Wendao introduced a defense deployment plan he had developed with Qi Tian and Gu Weiyang, and urged everyone to set aside private interests.
• Tian Luzhang revealed that Qin Yingguang and Han Huizhi had invited him to join their plan to teleport troops into leaders' residences and assassinate them within two days.
• Tian Luzhang explained that he had chosen to support Qian Wendao because Qin Yingguang and Han Huizhi were shortsighted and would still fall under the invaders' rule.
• Qin Siyang questioned how Qin Yingguang and Han Huizhi had gained confidence to launch their plan, and Qian Wendao and Olof concluded that Ander was about to act ahead of schedule.
• Qian Wendao called for an immediate simultaneous strike against Qin Yingguang, Han Huizhi, and Ander.
• Chu Baxing volunteered to kill Qin Yingguang, Hu Chan volunteered to kill Han Huizhi, and Qin Siyang volunteered to kill Ander.

Qin Yingguang and Han Huizhi met Ander and Royt in a mahjong parlor to finalize their plan to overthrow their enemies. After Royt revealed his face, he insisted on killing Zhong Dingming first, infuriating Qin Yingguang.

• Qin Yingguang challenged Ander and Royt to reveal their faces so he and Han Huizhi could trust them.
• Ander removed his disguise, then persuaded Royt to show his face as well.
• Qin Yingguang and Han Huizhi recognized Royt and expressed surprise at his appearance and ability to evade the United Government.
• Ander outlined a plan for Qin Yingguang and Han Huizhi to assassinate people individually while he and Royt dealt with the remaining opponents.
• Royt said he would kill Zhong Dingming for revenge before carrying out the wider plan, and Qin Yingguang angrily accused him of betraying their agreement.

Royt convinced Qin Yingguang, Han Huizhi, and Ander that he needed to kill Zhong Dingming before they attacked Qian Wendao, and set out for Sigma District. At Johnny's Tavern, Zhong Dingming asked Old Johnny to help kill Royt, but Old Johnny questioned why he should get involved.

• Royt argued that Zhong Dingming might arm Qian Wendao's side with Tier Five Artifacts, and said he would kill Zhong Dingming before joining Ander against the others.
• Qin Yingguang and Han Huizhi questioned Royt's plan, but Han Huizhi agreed to let him proceed after Royt insisted he could defeat Zhong Dingming.
• Royt revealed that Zhong Dingming was waiting for him in Sigma District and said he would head there as soon as the meeting ended.
• Zhong Dingming and Old Johnny drank baijiu and discussed Old Johnny's past, his identity, and his younger brother.
• Zhong Dingming asked Old Johnny to help kill Royt, but Old Johnny rejected the idea of becoming a hero, prompting Zhong Dingming to question why he kept his power hidden.

Zhong Dingming told Old Johnny that Qin Siyang had revealed the path of self-verification to a circle of allies and explained how he had discovered it himself. Old Johnny confirmed that he had helped Guan Fuhai take that path, and Zhong Dingming asked whether Old Johnny came from a previous Safe Zone.

• Old Johnny threatened Zhong Dingming over his knowledge of the origin sequence, then used a Lie Detector to verify that Qin Siyang had shared the path of self-verification with his allies.
• Zhong Dingming said Xie Nanyun had told him about Qin Siyang's announcement in repayment of a favor.
• Zhong Dingming explained that he had discovered the path of self-verification after recognizing the flaw in the path of the believer and seeing a Light Brick during the God-Worship Ritual.
• Old Johnny confirmed that he had helped Guan Fuhai embark on the path of self-verification in exchange for help switching to his current body.
• Zhong Dingming asked whether Old Johnny had learned about the path from a previous Safe Zone.

Old Johnny and Zhong Dingming discussed their shared past in the previous Safe Zone before Zhong asked him to help kill Royt in exchange for a chance to restore Old Johnny’s reputation. Outside Zone 1, Yu Jianyun refused to return despite Fan Baoluo’s warning that Ander planned to eliminate them.

• Zhong Dingming and Old Johnny recalled escaping the previous Safe Zone during the New Year’s Day uprising and wondered what had happened to Mr. Wen.
• Zhong Dingming asked Old Johnny to help kill Royt, promising the chance to restore Old Johnny’s standing and offering him Tier Five Armor.
• Old Johnny accepted the armor and agreed to help kill Royt, saying Zhang Yang was already dead.
• Fan Baoluo warned Yu Jianyun that Ander planned to eliminate them and Yang Xian before making his move.
• Yu Jianyun refused to return to Zone 1, explaining that An Youlu had been Ander’s last die-hard supporter and Ander would not care about him either.

Yu Jianyun refused to join either side in the conflict between Ander and Qian Wendao, while Fan Baoluo explained why he wanted Ander dead. In Zone 1, Ander admitted he had not decided whether to fight Qian Wendao, leaving Yang Xian furious and fearing for his own survival.

• Yu Jianyun told Fan Baoluo he would not attack Ander, despite believing Ander had set a trap and might eventually turn against him.
• Fan Baoluo said Ander had exposed his lifesaving trump card during the battle against Manderson, and he would follow Qian Wendao’s orders against Ander or Royt.
• Ander told Yang Xian that neither Yu Jianyun nor Fan Baoluo had come to meet him, then revealed he had wanted Yang Xian’s help killing them.
• Ander admitted he had not decided whether to carry out the Decapitation Operation or stay in Zone 1, despite sending Qin Yingguang, Han Huizhi, and Royt into action.
• Yang Xian condemned Ander’s indecision and warned that Ander was going to get him killed.

Black Cat killed Yang Xian after accusing him of betrayal, while Qin Yingguang assigned assassination missions against his rivals. The Chu Character Legion and Qi Legion launched a massive assault on the Qin Character Legion, and Chu Baxing prepared to lead a charge into its headquarters.

• Yang Xian condemned Black Cat’s indecision and cruelty, and Black Cat killed him.
• Qin Yingguang ordered the First, Second, and Third Armies to target Xie Nanyun, six members of the Zhao family, and Chu Baxing, Zheng Mubian, and Zheng Cong.
• A messenger warned Qin Yingguang that at least two hundred thousand troops had surrounded the Qin Character Legion’s camp.
• Chu Baxing ordered the Chu Character Legion to bombard the Qin Character Legion’s defenses as its barriers and outer structures collapsed.
• Zheng Mubian reported that Commander Tian and the Qi Legion’s Ace Army had broken through the first defensive line and destroyed a guard division.
• Chu Baxing donned his Armor and set out to lead the Ace Division’s charge while Zheng Mubian provided covering fire.

The allied forces surrounded the Han Character Legion, and Han Huizhi rallied his soldiers as Zhao Longteng ordered an attack. Elsewhere, Zhong Dingming and Old Johnny confronted the masked Royt, whose past as an exile from the [World-Destroying Church] was exposed.

• Xie Nanyun urged Han Huizhi to surrender and spare his soldiers, while Zhao Longteng appealed to their former alliance.
• Han Huizhi rejected their appeals, accused the allied leaders of persecution, and stirred defiance among the Han Character Legion.
• Wei Rulai dismissed Han Huizhi's accusations, and Zhao Longteng ordered the allied forces to attack as Hu Chan watched with hatred.
• Zhong Dingming confronted Royt by the river and asked him to reveal his face before their fight.
• Old Johnny arrived and recognized Royt's methods as belonging to the [World-Destroying Church], while Zhong Dingming explained Royt may have been exiled after losing a factional struggle.
• Old Johnny taunted Royt for fleeing the previous Safe Zone and continuing to hide behind schemes.

Qian Wendao and his allies attacked Ander with Fan Baoluo’s tier five cannon, but Ander survived and confronted them. Qian Wendao refused to give Ander a trial, and the two prepared to fight.

• Black Cat was killed when a blazing white blast destroyed his villa.
• Fan Baoluo fired his tier five cannon at Ander’s villa, while Zhu Haifeng explained that their powerful opponent required heavy firepower.
• Ander emerged as a phantom from the smoke, and Qian Wendao challenged him on behalf of the group.
• Ander questioned why Qian Wendao pursued him despite his past help, and Qian Wendao linked the conflict to Gu Weiyang and Qi Tian’s deaths.
• Ander demanded a trial, but Qian Wendao said he knew Ander was guilty and did not need one.