Chapter Summaries

Blind Cheng detected Sister Sun spying on the convoy, and Lin Yi decided the group would leave once the acid rain stopped. Upstairs, Sun Wei warned Zhang Fan that the convoy was too dangerous to attack directly, but Zhang Fan set about advancing by killing people and manipulated Xiao Meng into jumping from the building.

• Blind Cheng pointed out Sister Sun's hidden presence, prompting her to retreat, and later told Lin Yi that someone had been spying on the convoy.
• Lin Yi concluded that at least two sequence transcendents were staying in the residential complex and chose to wait for the acid rain to stop before leaving.
• Sun Wei returned to Zhang Fan and warned him that the garage held over a hundred people, including dozens of sequence transcendents, and that Blind Cheng had detected her.
• Zhang Fan planned to kill people in the building and garage to reach Sequence Seven, while Sun Wei urged him to proceed cautiously.
• Zhang Fan persuaded Xiao Meng to prove her love by jumping from the building, and she leaped from the window.

As people began leaping to their deaths in the acid rain, Lin Yi and Blind Cheng realized the two Sequence Transcendents upstairs were behind the killings and might be growing stronger. Cheng Rong offered to use her Anomalous Object, the Book of Answers, to answer their questions in exchange for protection, leaving Lin Yi and Blind Cheng to consider her offer.

• More people jumped from the upper floors with smiles on their faces, and the acid rain reduced their bodies to bones.
• Blind Cheng and Lin Yi recognized that the two Sequence Transcendents upstairs were responsible and worried that their killings might let them advance.
• Blind Cheng warned Lin Yi that the killers could reach Sequence Five if they continued, and Lin Yi agreed they could not let them keep killing.
• Cheng Rong asked Lin Yi and Blind Cheng to protect her group and offered them a deal involving her Anomalous Object.
• Cheng Rong explained that she would not give them the Book of Answers but could use it to provide correct answers to their questions.

Cheng Rong used the [Book of Answers] to reveal alternative advancement methods for Blind Cheng and Lin Yi. Blind Cheng learned how to reach Sequence Five [Heavenly Divination Judge], while Lin Yi learned how a [Criminal] can become a Sequence Six [Fire Thief].

• Blind Cheng questioned Cheng Rong about her Anomalous Objects, and she said the [Book of Answers] came from her family while her protective object had once been a personal possession.
• Cheng Rong asked whether a Sequence Six [Brocade Guard] had to kill a Sequence Six [Fire Thief] to advance, and the [Book of Answers] revealed that a Promotion Potion or hunting a one-rank-higher Aberration Symbiote could also work.
• Blind Cheng confirmed the answer matched what he knew and said he was excited to advance to [Heavenly Divination Judge].
• Lin Yi accused Blind Cheng of preparing to kill him if no other advancement method existed, but Blind Cheng insisted they were brothers and would not attack him.
• Lin Yi asked how a [Criminal] Sequence Seven could advance to Sequence Six [Fire Thief] without a Promotion Potion, and Cheng Rong learned that accumulating serious crimes could lead to advancement.

Lin Yi went upstairs to kill two Sequence Transcendents, but Sun Wei dragged him into a dream and manifested the Desire Mother Tree, which destroyed her mind. Lin Yi stood powerless before the old god as its face turned toward him.

• Blind Cheng explained that people advanced by acting in ways tied to their Sequence and suggested Lin Yi kill the Sequence Transcendents upstairs.
• Lin Yi left the garage and climbed to the sixteenth floor while Cheng Rong worried about him and Blind Cheng dismissed the danger.
• Zhang Fan and Sun Wei prepared to attack whoever came through the iron door, with Sun Wei planning to trap the intruder in a dream.
• Lin Yi opened the door and decapitated Zhang Fan, whose body turned into a phantom, before stepping onto the sixteenth floor.
• Sun Wei pulled Lin Yi into a dream and transformed into the Desire Mother Tree, but its appearance shattered her mind.
• The Desire Mother Tree turned its face toward Lin Yi, who stood unable to resist.

Lin Yi escaped Sun Wei’s dream, killed her and Zhang Fan, and advanced to Sequence Six [Fire Thief], gaining the ability Fire Lending and Sharing. The White Lotus Cult’s Seven Kings learned of the deaths as their Cult Leader returned with the bodies and described Sun Wei’s death in her dream.

• Lin Yi broke free of Sun Wei’s dream, seized Zhang Fan, and discovered that Sun Wei had died.
• Lin Yi killed Zhang Fan in a rage, then advanced to Sequence Six [Fire Thief] and gained Fire Lending and Sharing.
• Lin Yi found White Lotus Cult marks on both bodies and suspected the cult would come after him.
• At Central Hospital, five of the Seven Kings gathered after learning Zhang Fan and Sun Wei were dead.
• The Cult Leader arrived carrying their bodies and told the Seven Kings that Sun Wei had been slaughtered in her dream while consumed by terror.

The White Lotus Cult Church discussed Sun Wei’s mysterious death and its plans to summon its god, but an aberration interrupted their prayers. The group discovered a level five aberration spreading across the hospital, leaving them facing a new threat.

• The White Lotus Cult Church’s leaders wondered what had killed Sun Wei and discussed preparing for whoever had done it.
• Cao Yuan said she was working on a solution, while the black-robed Cult Leader demanded sacrifices to bring their god into the world.
• Liu Xiaotao burst into the meeting room to warn that an aberration had killed many people outside, interrupting the group’s prayers.
• Grayish-white eyes spread across the windowsill, and touching them caused Zhou Wentao’s hand to crumble into ash.
• A stubbled man cut off Zhou Wentao’s affected hand, and Zhou Wentao regrew it before identifying the threat as a level five aberration.

The Rotting Old Man attacked the White Lotus Cult at Central Hospital, seeking to consume its members and grow stronger. The Black-Robed Cult Leader summoned the Pure World White Lotus Goddess to trap him while Cao Yuan fought him, but the Rotting Old Man moved behind the cult leader and prepared to strike.

• The Rotting Old Man arrived at Central Hospital and killed White Lotus Cult Members, growing stronger by consuming their life force.
• The Black-Robed Cult Leader confronted him, but the Rotting Old Man’s attack failed to affect the cult leader’s robe.
• The cult leader’s vines failed to restrain the Rotting Old Man, and Cao Yuan struck him and sent him flying outside.
• The cult leader summoned the Pure World White Lotus Goddess, whose lotus barrier trapped the Rotting Old Man inside the hospital grounds.
• Cao Yuan attacked the Rotting Old Man as his ash eroded her scales, which regenerated fast enough to resist it.
• The Rotting Old Man vanished and reappeared behind the Black-Robed Cult Leader, preparing to attack him.

Lin Yi led the convoy out after Ning Province’s acid rain abruptly stopped, then told Blind Cheng about his Sequence Six ability to borrow and share other people’s powers. They continued toward the next city, wary of the White Lotus Cult Church and the province’s dangerous weather.

• The acid rain stopped without leaving the ground wet, so Lin Yi ordered the convoy to gather gasoline and prepare to leave.
• Lin Yi assigned Wang Qiang and his wife to Zhang Xu’s lead car, then set out with Blind Cheng and the rest of the convoy.
• Blind Cheng revealed that his Sequence Six ability, Netherworld Binding, could restrain people and seal supernatural abilities.
• Lin Yi explained that Fire Lending and Sharing let him borrow and share others’ abilities for a limited time, and Blind Cheng asked him to share future abilities.
• Lin Yi warned Blind Cheng about the White Lotus Cult Church, its sacrifices, and its role in creating level five aberration symbiotes with people from the Island Nation.
• Lin Yi said the convoy needed to cross Ning Province and reach the Grassland, while worrying that the apocalypse would continue and that he had little time left.

The Convoy reached Ning Province’s capital and found the White Lotus Cult Church fighting the Rotting Old Man and his Three-Headed Cat at the City Hospital. Lin Yi led the Convoy toward the hospital, where the Church’s fighters prepared to confront them, unaware of the threat they might face.

• The Convoy entered the provincial capital and saw a holy apparition that made many people want to kneel, while Lin Yi recognized it as the White Lotus Cult Church’s goddess.
• Wang Qiang sensed the Rotting Old Man and the Three-Headed Cat, and Lin Yi decided to take the Convoy to the City Hospital.
• Cao Yuan and the Black-Robed Cult Leader trapped the Rotting Old Man as the Church’s remaining Seven Kings fought the Three-Headed Cat.
• The Black-Robed Cult Leader ordered Zhou Wentao and four others to deal with the approaching Convoy while Cao Yuan continued attacking the Rotting Old Man.
• Zhou Wentao and Wang Rou saw the Convoy approaching and discussed its strength, doubting that it could include anyone at Sequence Six.

The White Lotus Cult Church surrounded the Safety First Convoy and attacked after discovering it included someone from the [Watcher] Sequence. Blind Cheng wounded Li Lisong and charged into the cultists, while Zhou Wentao recognized him as a Sequence Six and prepared to retreat and warn the Cult Leader.

• The White Lotus Cult Church surrounded the convoy, and Wang Rou and Zhou Wentao identified a [Watcher] Sequence member and accused the convoy of killing Sun Wei and Zhang Fan.
• Li Lisong transformed and lifted the lead Hummer, but Blind Cheng cut off his arm with a saber strike that also struck the Pure World White Lotus Goddess apparition.
• The White Lotus Cult Members attacked the convoy, and Blind Cheng charged into their ranks and killed more than a dozen people.
• Cheng Rong told Xiaoxuan that the cultists would not listen to reason and said Blind Cheng was holding back compared with Lin Yi.
• Zhou Wentao recognized Blind Cheng as a Sequence Six and ordered his companions to retreat and warn the Cult Leader.

Lin Yi and Blind Cheng attacked the Pure World White Lotus cultists at the hospital, with Lin Yi killing Li Lisong and confronting Zhou Wentao’s group. After Lin Yi revealed that he had captured Yu Xinghe and killed Sun Wei and Zhang Fan, Zhou Wentao tried to flee, but Lin Yi trapped the area in a Blood Cage Space.

• Lin Yi killed the wounded Li Lisong after the other cultists abandoned him, and Blind Cheng began cutting through the crowd.
• Lin Yi approached Zhou Wentao, Wang Rou, and their companions, confirmed that he had killed Sun Wei and Zhang Fan, and mocked their worship of the Pure World White Lotus Goddess.
• Zhou Wentao recognized Lin Yi as a member of the Survival Rules Convoy, and Lin Yi attacked with the Duel King's Bandages and his anomalous Machete.
• Lin Yi killed Wang Bingjie and Li Lang as Zhou Wentao shoved Wang Bingjie into the attack and fled with Wang Rou in different directions.
• Zhou Wentao split into black cat duplicates to escape, but Lin Yi spread a pool of blood around them and formed a Blood Cage Space.

Lin Yi defeated Zhou Wentao and Wang Rou, then borrowed Zhou’s cloning ability and shared it with Blind Cheng to help him slaughter the Heretic Cultists. The chapter ended with Lin Yi revealing that he had captured one black cat so he could borrow the ability again later.

• Lin Yi trapped Zhou Wentao’s black cat clones and killed Wang Rou, who lost faith in the Pure World White Lotus Goddess.
• Zhou Wentao explained that his nine clones retained eighty percent of his strength, shared injuries, and kept him alive as long as one survived.
• Lin Yi borrowed Zhou’s ability and shared it with Blind Cheng, who split into nine copies and attacked the Heretic Cultists.
• Blind Cheng killed many cultists, while others fled, and then his clones merged back into one.
• Lin Yi revealed that he had kept one black cat in a pet carrier so he could borrow Zhou’s ability again, and Blind Cheng praised his ingenuity.

Lin Yi and Blind Cheng reached the hospital, where Cao Yuan abandoned the Black-Robed Cult Leader and fled. The rotting old man then unleashed his power against the cult leader, while his spreading ash began to rot everything it touched.

• Lin Yi and Blind Cheng led the Convoy to the hospital and found the rotting old man and the three-headed cat attacking the Black-Robed Cult Leader beneath the goddess projection.
• Lin Yi entered the projection, but it stopped the rotting old man from escaping.
• Cao Yuan refused to fight Lin Yi and Blind Cheng, abandoning the Black-Robed Cult Leader as she drove away with her two companions.
• Lin Yi confirmed Cao Yuan had become a level five aberration symbiote, and Blind Cheng resolved to pursue her as a target.
• The rotting old man confronted the Black-Robed Cult Leader and transformed into flying ash that passed through the projection and rotted buildings and trees.

Lin Yi confronted the Rotting Old Man after discovering that the Level Five Aberration had been hiding its strength and planned to turn the survivors into nourishment. He transformed into an Aberrant Man-Dragon, leaving the Rotting Old Man panicked.

• The Rotting Old Man unleashed ash that rapidly disintegrated people and buildings across the city, and Lin Yi sent the Convoy to shelter in the hospital's underground parking garage.
• Lin Yi gave Blind Cheng the pet carrier and stayed behind, while Blind Cheng assured Zhang Xu that Lin Yi could handle the Level Five Aberration.
• The Rotting Old Man mocked the Black-Robed Cult Leader and revealed that he had once destroyed an entire county town.
• Lin Yi challenged the Rotting Old Man, then transformed into an enormous Aberrant Man-Dragon covered in countless heads.
• The Black-Robed Cult Leader recognized the transformation, and the Rotting Old Man panicked after recalling a Level Five Aberrant Man-Dragon in Gansu Province.

Lin Yi repeatedly let the Three-Headed Cat kill him so he could evolve into a stronger Aberrant Man-Dragon and threaten the Rotting Old Man. After the Rotting Old Man killed the Three-Headed Cat, Lin Yi insisted he could still evolve and ordered Blind Cheng to strike him.

• The Rotting Old Man offered to let Lin Yi and his companions leave, but Lin Yi refused and attacked him.
• Lin Yi deliberately charged the Three-Headed Cat, which killed him and triggered his evolution from a Tier One to a Tier Two Aberration Man-Dragon.
• Lin Yi evolved again and attacked the Three-Headed Cat, which killed him once more and began devouring his heads.
• The Rotting Old Man killed the Three-Headed Cat with flying ash, hoping to prevent Lin Yi from evolving further.
• Lin Yi told the Rotting Old Man he could still evolve without the Three-Headed Cat and ordered Blind Cheng to slash him from above.

Lin Yi used Blind Cheng’s slash to defeat the Rotting Old Man, then broke free of the Black-Robed Cult Leader’s apparition as the Desire Mother Tree’s mark shattered its anomalous statue. He survived but discovered the mark had limited his Aberrant Man-Dragon transformations, and he planned to spend the night underground before leaving the ruined Provincial Capital of Ning Province.

• Blind Cheng slashed through the hospital, cutting Lin Yi’s Aberrant Man-Dragon body apart and helping him reach level five again.
• Lin Yi’s Aberrant Man-Dragon seized and devoured the Rotting Old Man, then turned its attention to the Black-Robed Cult Leader.
• The Black-Robed Cult Leader’s statue shattered as a blood-red rose pattern appeared on it, and he crumbled along with the Pure World White Lotus Goddess Apparition.
• Lin Yi returned to human form and realized the Desire Mother Tree’s mark had intervened and left him with only fifteen Aberrant Man-Dragon transformations.
• Lin Yi reunited with Blind Cheng and the others, told them the city had been erased, and asked them to prepare food and spend the night underground.

Lin Yi and his companions questioned Zhou Wentao about the Black-Robed Cult Leader’s anomalous object, the No. 97 White Jade Cage Statue, and considered why the Desire Mother Tree had intervened. Cheng Rong explained that top-hundred anomalous objects contain energy connected to [Deities], leaving the group with evidence that deities truly existed in another world.

• Lin Yi told Blind Cheng, Zhang Xu, and Bai Le that the Desire Mother Tree had killed the Black-Robed Cult Leader and might have targeted her anomalous object.
• Blind Cheng questioned Zhou Wentao, who revealed that the No. 97 White Jade Cage Statue could shelter an area after a sacrifice and make its user invincible while preventing them from moving.
• Lin Yi and the others debated whether the Desire Mother Tree was drawn to top-hundred anomalous objects, but decided not to risk testing the [Book of Answers].
• Bai Le suggested asking about anomalous objects generally, and Zhang Xu called Cheng Rong over with the [Book of Answers].
• Cheng Rong explained that top-hundred anomalous objects contained energy from another world connected to [Deities], which truly existed there.

Lin Yi learned that the top hundred Anomalous Objects were connected to deities, while Cheng Rong could not use the [Book of Answers] to determine whether artificially created ones were as well. After the convoy left the acid-rain-struck city, Lin Yi found Liu Xiaotao and brought him along to reunite with his grandfather at Three Gorges Fortress.

• Lin Yi asked whether Anomalous Objects created by [Enhancement] or [Ascension] were connected to deities, but Cheng Rong could not pay the price to answer.
• Bai Le asked Zhang Xu whether he could become a Dual-Sequence Transcendent, and Zhang Xu explained that a second Sequence would come with a cost.
• After the acid rain stopped, Lin Yi and the others prepared their vehicles and set off with the Heretics and other survivors.
• Lin Yi heard Liu Xiaotao's name during a dispute over vehicles and recognized him as Uncle Liu's grandson.
• Lin Yi told Liu Xiaotao to join the Hummer and explained that his grandfather was likely at Three Gorges Fortress.

The Convoy reached the Northern Settlement after hearing a welcoming broadcast, but Lin Yi grew wary of the settlement’s unusual location and the mysterious portal leading inside. After entering, he and Blind Cheng drew attention as powerful Sequence users, leaving Blind Cheng uneasy about the crowd watching them.

• The Convoy reached a county town, where migrants scavenged vehicles and a [Mechanic] sequence member turned a van into an impact-resistant battle vehicle.
• A broadcast announced that the Convoy had reached the outskirts of the Northern Settlement, prompting Lin Yi and Blind Cheng to question how such a crowded settlement could remain safe from aberrations.
• Lin Yi decided to continue to the Northern Settlement to find Liu Chuan and investigate, while Cheng Rong explained that the settlement could be reached from many different places.
• The Convoy reached a toll station and entered the Northern Settlement through a huge mechanical portal after Lin Hai welcomed them on behalf of the Azure Dragon Division's Thirteenth Squad.
• Settlement staff registered the arrivals and focused on Lin Yi and Blind Cheng after learning their Sequence ranks and combat abilities, making Blind Cheng suspect something was wrong.

Lin Yi and Blind Cheng arrived at the Northern Settlement, where its leaders learned Lin Yi was a Sequence Six [Criminal] and welcomed them while considering how to use their strength. Lin Yi reunited with the Survival Rules Convoy’s location, arranged for his aunt and friends to join him, and learned the settlement itself was a highly ranked anomalous object.

• Elder Zhang personally welcomed Lin Yi and Blind Cheng, then learned their Sequence paths and singled out Lin Yi as a Sequence Six [Criminal].
• Blind Cheng warned Elder Zhang not to let Lü Xiangyang target Lin Yi, saying Lin Yi could kill a level five aberration.
• Lin Yi learned the Survival Rules Convoy was on the second underground level and asked Elder Zhang to bring his aunt Li Han and friends there.
• Elder Zhang agreed to make an exception for Lin Yi’s ordinary companions, and Lin Yi invited Cheng Rong and her friends to join his group.
• Elder Zhang led them underground and revealed that the Northern Settlement was itself a highly ranked anomalous object.