Chapter Summaries

Su Bai and the Jin Family Brothers discovered that Xia An'an had deceived the brothers and taken their items as the group argued in the Dense Fog. A towering Ghost Creature approached, and Su Bai decided to head for Xia An'an anyway, saying he had helpers.

• Lei Ming accused Xia An'an of exploiting the Jin Family Brothers, and Xia An'an admitted she had pretended to care for them to obtain their items.
• A huge Ghost Creature approached through the Dense Fog, and Su Bai told Jin Zheng and Jin Yi to turn on their flashlights.
• Su Bai spotted the creature’s ten-story figure and judged that the group should flee before it reached them.
• Jin Zheng told Su Bai that Xia An'an had secretly read Su Xuan’s diary, while Jin Yi urged them to escape and share what they knew somewhere safe.
• Su Bai chose to go to Xia An'an for information and reassured the Jin Family Brothers that he had helpers.

Su Bai confronted the enormous Ghost Creature approaching through Fog City while Jin Zheng and Jin Yi hid nearby. He used Little Fire’s blue flames to reveal himself to Xia An'an and Lei Ming just as the creature arrived, and the flames began burning its foot.

• Su Bai told Jin Zheng and Jin Yi to extinguish their flashlights, stay close, and keep watching his blue flames.
• Su Bai summoned blue flames that illuminated the fog and revealed Xia An'an and Lei Ming nearby.
• An enormous Ghost Creature stepped down beside Xia An'an and Lei Ming as Su Bai appeared in the flames.
• Little Fire spoke through the flames, and Su Bai spread them across the ground and onto the creature’s foot.
• Su Bai made Little Fire’s flames burn more fiercely, intending to make a memorable impression on Xia An'an.

Su Bai killed a huge ghost creature with his blue flame and confronted Xia An'an and Lei Ming after exposing their scheme. He trapped them in a ring of flame and turned the conversation to Su Xuan.

• Su Bai’s blue flame consumed the enormous ghost creature until it stopped moving, then withdrew to his side.
• Jin Zheng and Jin Yi were shocked by Su Bai’s power and worried about what he might do to Su Xuan.
• Su Bai told Xia An'an and Lei Ming they could talk, leaving Xia An'an too frightened to use her usual tricks.
• Xia An'an tried to appeal to Jin Yi, but Jin Zheng told her they had heard her conversation with Lei Ming and would not help her.
• Su Bai surrounded Xia An'an and Lei Ming with blue flame and asked them about Su Xuan.

Su Bai questioned Jin Zheng and Xia An'an about Su Xuan, learning that Su Xuan survived in the Nightmare World because Ghost Creatures avoided him and that he had joined Chen Hai's team. Xia An'an also revealed that Su Xuan's diary recorded fragmented dreams and described how alcohol made his body feel like his own.

• Jin Zheng told Su Bai that Su Xuan entered the Nightmare World around the same time as the Jin Family Brothers and acted like a perpetually drunk, uncaring man.
• Jin Zheng explained that Ghost Creatures avoided Su Xuan, who used that protection to order Players around and demand payment.
• Jin Zheng said Su Xuan had joined Chen Hai's team after Chen Hai promised to treat him like a Supreme Emperor.
• Jin Zheng recalled that Su Xuan rejected a fortune offered for protection in the real world and reacted furiously when asked about his missing little finger.
• Su Bai asked Xia An'an about Su Xuan's diary, and she said it contained fragmented dreams written in crooked handwriting.
• Xia An'an recalled that Su Xuan wrote he could feel his body truly belonged to him only after getting drunk, and called him a monster.

Su Bai learned more about Su Xuan’s strange abilities and considered whether a Ghost Creature had taken over his brother’s body. He left Xia An'an and Lei Ming behind and continued through the Dense Fog with the Jin Family Brothers, racing to find Su Xuan as Ghost Creatures emerged from Fog City residents.

• Xia An'an told Su Bai that Su Xuan had once claimed he lacked a talent and speculated that he was a Ghost Creature whose presence kept other monsters away.
• Su Bai wondered whether a Ghost Creature had taken over Su Xuan’s body and whether his real brother was still trapped inside, but he recognized that Xia An'an’s theory did not explain why other Ghost Creatures feared him.
• Su Bai withdrew his Blue Flame and left with the Jin Family Brothers, refusing Xia An'an’s pleas to take her along.
• Lei Ming refused to release Xia An'an, revealed his possessiveness, and left her screaming in the Dense Fog.
• Jin Zheng asked whether they could find a way out, and Su Bai said they had to hurry as more Ghost Creatures broke free from Fog City residents.

Su Bai led the Jin Family Brothers through the Dense Fog Zone, searching for a way out while thinking about Su Xuan and wondering whether he could find an Eternal Lamp. As Ghost Creatures overwhelmed them and Su Bai’s power dwindled, he opened a battered door in the ruins and revealed an ordinary shop.

• Su Bai realized he had failed to find an Eternal Lamp and led Jin Zheng and Jin Yi toward the edge of the Dense Fog Zone, fighting Ghost Creatures along the way.
• Jin Yi secretly recovered his stolen backpack and entrenching shovel, then speculated to Jin Zheng that Su Xuan might be Su Bai’s brother.
• Su Bai warned the brothers that Ghost Creatures were closing in and struggled to protect them as his power ran low.
• Su Bai guided Jin Zheng and Jin Yi away from the densest attacks to a ruined square and stopped at a battered door.
• Su Bai opened the door, and an ordinary shop appeared before the astonished Jin Family Brothers.

Su Bai brought the Jin Family Brothers into the Mist Shop, which he had summoned among the ruins, and secured it against outsiders. He then discovered that Xiao Wu’s Cursed Doll had moved, seemingly waking after three months.

• Su Bai opened a battered door in the ruins and revealed the brightly lit Mist Shop to Jin Zheng and Jin Yi.
• Jin Yi pushed Jin Zheng into the shop, and both brothers entered to escape the Ghost Creatures in the fog.
• Su Bai locked the shop door and reflected on why he wanted to avoid Feng Zhe and other dangerous visitors.
• Su Bai turned and found Xiao Wu’s white Thread-Wrapped Doll sitting on the counter instead of in the break room.
• Su Bai saw the doll’s tiny left hand move and realized Xiao Wu had seemingly woken up after three months.

Jin Zheng and Jin Yi decided that Su Bai was a Strange Creature who had created the Mist Shop, while the shop kept them safe from the Ghost Creatures outside. Su Bai brought Xiao Wu, in the form of the Thread-Wrapped Doll, into the Rest Room and learned that Xiao Wu could not return to human form.

• Jin Zheng and Jin Yi watched Ghost Creatures gather outside the Mist Shop, realizing the creatures could not see inside and that they were safe.
• Jin Zheng and Jin Yi concluded that Su Bai was not human and speculated that Su Xuan had stolen an important treasure from him.
• Su Bai told the brothers to rest and help themselves to food, then carried the Thread-Wrapped Doll toward the Rest Room.
• Kai Xin jumped onto the counter and settled beside the Ceramic Figurine before falling asleep.
• Su Bai entered the Rest Room, where the projector showed static, and set down the Thread-Wrapped Doll.
• Xiao Wu spoke through the doll, apologized for being unable to return to human form, and left Su Bai wondering what had happened.

Su Bai learned that the dense fog was the Fog City Lord’s true body and that Fog City was nearing collapse. Xiao Wu revealed a way to exploit the close link between the Lord and his Doll: Su Bai would need to lure the Doll into the shop.

• Xiao Wu explained that the fog prevented it from taking human form and revealed that the dense fog was the Fog City Lord’s body, surrounding Fog City and shielding it from the Red Moon.
• Xiao Wu said the Lord could control the city and time inside his body only temporarily, and that Fog City would collapse even without players.
• Su Bai realized he needed to act because the passage of time in Fog City could affect his mother in the hospital and his resumed studies.
• Xiao Wu explained that the Fog City Lord’s crude Doll-making left a close connection between the Doll and his true body, so destroying it elsewhere would let its consciousness escape.
• Xiao Wu told Su Bai that he would have to invite the Fog City Lord’s Doll into the shop.

Su Bai and Xiao Wu modified the Blood-Colored Bead Necklace so it could collect energy from nearby fallen Ghost Creatures, and Xiao Wu restored Su Bai’s depleted power. After Su Bai returned to the Mist Shop, the Jin Family Brothers saw him and wondered what kind of being he was.

• Xiao Wu explained that Su Bai could use his Palm Brand to let the Blood-Colored Bead Necklace gather energy from Ghost Creatures across a battlefield.
• Xiao Wu sent Red Moon’s Power into Su Bai, replenishing his strength, and told him to take Little Black Cat with him when he left the shop.
• Su Bai thanked and teased Xiao Wu, then discussed their next steps for leaving Fog City.
• Su Bai returned to the shop and found Jin Zheng and Jin Yi sitting nervously on the sofa.
• Jin Zheng and Jin Yi looked at Su Bai and wondered what kind of being he was.

Su Bai revealed his connection to the Mist Shop as he prepared to leave with Jin Zheng and Jin Yi. He said he was heading to meet Mayor Bai for a deadly “date,” while Kai Xin transformed into a black peace knot on his wrist.

• Jin Zheng and Jin Yi realized that Su Bai owned the Mist Shop and struggled with whether to trust him or flee into the fog.
• Su Bai called Kai Xin, and the Little Black Cat transformed with the Cat Spirit ornament into a black peace knot on his wrist.
• Su Bai told Jin Zheng and Jin Yi he would accompany them because they were headed in the same direction, and he needed to find someone beyond the dense fog.
• Su Bai revealed that he planned to meet Mayor Bai, whom he called his date, and left the Mist Shop with the Jin Family Brothers.
• Jin Yi looked back and found that the Mist Shop was still there but had become invisible behind a veil of fog.

Su Bai led Jin Zheng and Jin Yi through the Dense Fog Zone toward Central Plaza while the Cat Spirits protected them from Ghost Creatures. They encountered Feng Zhe and Ke Dapeng’s group, who had also survived in the fog.

• Su Bai left the Mist Shop with Jin Zheng and Jin Yi and headed toward Central Plaza, hoping to reach the main roads and Mayor Bai’s office.
• Little Black Cat sent Cat Spirits from Su Bai’s Peace Knot to fight the Ghost Creatures, easing the group’s journey.
• Jin Zheng and Jin Yi heard people nearby and recognized Ke Dapeng’s voice.
• Ke Dapeng dismissed the Jin brothers as weak newcomers, while Feng Zhe suspected they had a powerful companion.
• Feng Zhe emerged from the fog and looked toward Su Bai and the Jin brothers.

Su Bai’s group encountered Feng Zhe and his team in the Dense Fog, where Feng Zhe recognized Su Bai as the owner of the Grocery Store on Fifth Street and struggled to reconcile his appearance with his earlier disability. After Su Bai explained Qing Lan’s ability, he tried to move on, but Feng Zhe followed his group.

• Feng Zhe gathered his team’s light with Su Bai’s group and froze when he saw Su Bai standing on two healthy legs.
• Feng Zhe’s teammates noticed his reaction and recognized Su Bai as the strikingly handsome man at the center of the opposing group.
• Feng Zhe asked whether Su Bai was really Boss Bai, and Su Bai confirmed they had met before.
• Su Bai explained that Qing Lan’s ability temporarily took away his legs and other abilities when he painted, and thanked Feng Zhe for helping him at the Warehouse.
• Feng Zhe warned that the teams risked exhausting themselves in the Dense Fog, and Su Bai continued forward with Jin Zheng and Jin Yi.
• Feng Zhe followed Su Bai’s group as they moved through the Dense Fog.

Su Bai allowed Feng Zhe’s team to follow him through the Dense Fog Zone, where the fog concealed strange ruins and Ghost Creatures. As the group continued behind Su Bai, the others began to believe he could lead them out.

• Feng Zhe decided to follow Su Bai after realizing his team had no way to navigate the fog alone.
• Feng Zhe and his teammates helped kill Ghost Creatures, while Su Bai’s beads absorbed the energy they released.
• Feng Zhe led Su Bai and the Jin Family Brothers toward a nearby building and revealed ruins pieced together from mismatched architectural styles.
• Feng Zhe wondered whether Fog City’s buildings and residents were disguises, and Su Bai said they might learn the truth after leaving the fog.
• The players followed Su Bai through the Dense Fog Zone, noticing that he never seemed to lose his way.

Su Bai led Feng Zhe’s exhausted team through the Dense Fog, while the Players came to regard him as their protector. They emerged near the Central Plaza, only to hear people screaming about monsters across Fog City.

• Feng Zhe’s teammates learned from Jin Zheng and Jin Yi that Su Bai had fought Ghost Creatures before the teams met, and they grew convinced he was extraordinarily powerful.
• The Players continued to follow Su Bai as the Cat Spirits returned to the Peace Knot and Kai Xin returned to the black cord.
• Su Bai observed the abilities and skills of Feng Zhe’s teammates, including a wolf-transforming fighter, a trained healer, and combatants with professional training.
• Su Bai spotted the road to the Central Plaza and led the exhausted Players out of the Dense Fog.
• The Players heard screams from across Fog City as people cried out about monsters.

Su Bai and the other Players emerged from the Dense Fog Zone to find Fog City overwhelmed by blood mist, mutants, and spreading fog. As the city’s overlapping images suggested it was nearing collapse, Su Bai left the group to approach a lone figure in a white suit.

• The Players saw that dense fog had engulfed much of Fog City and that blood mist and mutants were overrunning its residents while the Patrollers failed to respond.
• Qing Lan saw unstable images of different versions of the city overlapping, and Su Bai recognized them as signs that Fog City was collapsing.
• Su Bai concluded that the Fog City Lord had brought the Players to witness the destruction of the city he had created.
• Feng Zhe asked Su Bai whether he saw the world differently, but Su Bai declined to answer and asked him to take the Jin Family Brothers along.
• Su Bai hurried toward a lone figure in a white suit in the crowd.

As the Red Moon’s Power entered Fog City through the Rift, Su Bai spotted the Fog City Lord and pursued him. The Fog City Lord reflected on his origins and obsession with creation, then found Su Bai calmly reading in the chaos, unaware that Su Bai had led him there.

• The Red Moon’s Power began entering Fog City through the Rift, while Su Bai realized the city’s mutations stemmed from the Fog City Lord abandoning it.
• Su Bai spotted the Fog City Lord’s white suit in the crowd, left Jin Zheng and Jin Yi, and changed course into a narrow side street.
• The Fog City Lord recalled how he had once been weak fog who admired the Puppeteer and dreamed of creating a city and obedient creations of his own.
• After learning that the Puppeteer had abandoned self-aware Dolls, the Fog City Lord became increasingly dissatisfied, repeatedly destroying and rebuilding Fog City.
• The Fog City Lord found Su Bai sitting outside a shop, leisurely reading a book, and remembered his plan to turn him into a lifelike Doll.

Su Bai lured Mayor Bai, the Fog City Lord, into the Mist Shop while the city outside was in chaos. Once the Fog City Lord entered, the door shut, the world outside froze and vanished behind dense fog, leaving him trapped inside the shop.

• Su Bai used Qing Lan's ability to reach a spot ahead of the Fog City Lord and waited with a book to catch his attention.
• Mayor Bai confronted Su Bai with anger and suspicion, while the Vengeful Ghost Puzzles sensed his murderous intent.
• Su Bai invited Mayor Bai into the Mist Shop, and the Fog City Lord entered to look at the paintings.
• The shop door closed behind the Fog City Lord, and the crowd and blood outside the window froze before dense fog covered the view.
• The shop lights dimmed to a warm yellow as the Fog City Lord realized something was wrong.

Su Bai and Xiao Wu’s hidden power awakened inside the Mist Shop when the Fog City Lord entered, trapping him as an immense, terrifying presence appeared behind Su Bai. Su Bai remained conscious but unable to see or move, and the chapter ended with the Fog City Lord recognizing the presence and asking how it could be there.

• The Mist Shop’s lights dimmed, and power connected to the Red Moon and the shop’s special goods flooded the room.
• The Fog City Lord sensed something was wrong, but fog obscured the windows and an unseen force kept him from opening the door.
• A dark-eyed child appeared behind Su Bai and covered his eyes, as a terrifying figure emerged behind them.
• Su Bai sensed the immense presence, while Qing Lan withdrew into the Vengeful Ghost Puzzle and Xiao Wu became motionless and blank.
• The Fog City Lord stared at the figure in disbelief and asked how it could be there.

Su Bai’s mysterious Betrothed appeared in the Mist Shop and was revealed as the legendary Ghost Shaman, also known as the Puppeteer. The Ghost Shaman confronted the Fog City Lord for interfering with Su Bai’s destiny and declared that the Lord would pay for it.

• The Ghost Shaman immobilized Su Bai and silenced him, while Su Bai recognized his Betrothed and listened for clues about him.
• The Fog City Lord recovered from his shock and questioned why the Ghost Shaman had appeared in Fog City and the Mist Shop.
• The Fog City Lord addressed the Ghost Shaman as the Puppeteer and then the Ghost Shaman, revealing that he had inspired the Lord’s Doll-making.
• The Ghost Shaman explained that the fog around his dwelling had mutated into a Strange Creature and criticized the Fog City Lord for trying to control others’ destinies.
• The Ghost Shaman said the Fog City Lord had overstepped his bounds and would have to pay the price.