Chapter Summaries

Lynn secured the Mother Tree of Desire’s promise not to harm anyone connected to him or Dark Night City, then used her roots to search the surrounding hell. His perception discovered a crashed Mechanical Church warship bearing signs of flesh and plague.

• Lynn explained that he distrusted the Mother Tree of Desire because she had killed and eaten her own subordinates, and she promised to consult him before harming anyone unrelated to him.
• The Mother Tree of Desire asked whether Lynn could change back to the person he used to want to be, and he said he could once he got them out of hell.
• Lynn suppressed the curse’s sprout and synchronized his senses with the Mother Tree of Desire’s roots to survey the area.
• Lynn detected a burned, buried Mechanical Church warship more than a thousand kilometers away and saw signs of flesh and plague on its hull.

Lynn suspected the Flesh God Cult had engineered a war to make the Mother Tree of Desire’s curse release valuable black powder, and he decided to investigate the crashed Mechanical Church warship. The Mother Tree reminded him of a warning from the Cyber Ascender, but Lynn could not remember what they had said.

• Lynn and the Mother Tree of Desire discovered a crashed Mechanical Church warship covered in Flesh Plague growths near their location.
• Lynn argued that the Plague Doctors had deliberately let him leave the battlefield so that suppressing the Mother Tree’s curse would release the black powder they wanted.
• The Mother Tree questioned whether the powder was valuable enough to justify starting a war, while Lynn fixated on its high price.
• Lynn declared that he would hunt down the Plague Doctors in the name of a Night Doctor’s duty, though he also admitted he wanted their money and succubi.
• Lynn asked the Mother Tree to send him toward the wreckage, and she reminded him that the Cyber Ascender had warned him about something; Lynn had forgotten what it was.

Lynn spoke with Silver Fantasy about her lost memories, the Mechanical Church, and their supposed relationship while finishing the optimization of her body. He invited her to join him in searching for an Upload Module that could help her return home.

• Zuo Zuo painted Lynn’s Plague Doctor Mask while objecting to his plan to disguise himself and infiltrate the enemy base again.
• Silver Fantasy told Lynn she had studied the books but still could not understand why the Mechanical Church launched the Purging Movement against flesh creatures.
• Lynn suggested that some event had changed the Machine Intelligence Civilization’s attitude toward flesh lifeforms and said Silver Fantasy had once told him the history he had taught her.
• Silver Fantasy questioned whether they were lovers and whether Lynn had deceived her, and Lynn kissed her, calling it interest he was collecting.
• Lynn transferred several combat and emergency-upload modules to Silver Fantasy, completed her body’s optimization, and invited her to search for an Upload Module so she could go home.

Lynn took Silver Fantasy toward the Mechanical Church so it could restore her lost data, knowing that recovering her memories might make her suffer. As they traveled, he gave her a flower before their uncertain reunion and accepted that she might learn the truth about him.

• Lynn told Zuo Zuo that only the Hive could repair Silver Fantasy and that he would accept whatever answer she gave him.
• The Mother Tree carried Lynn and Silver Fantasy underground toward the Mechanical Church.
• Silver Fantasy questioned whether Lynn had lied about their relationship but admitted that she felt he might be telling the truth.
• Silver Fantasy made a virtual flower from digital data, and Lynn offered her a real white flower.
• Silver Fantasy thanked Lynn and said she would keep the flower until she recovered her data and learned who he was.

Lynn and Silver Fantasy investigated a crashed Mechanical Church warship, and Lynn used Remnants of the Past to reconstruct its final moments. He concluded that Plague Doctors had fought the ship before it crashed and feared the fleet might have been defeated.

• The Mother Tree of Desire brought Lynn and Silver Fantasy to the barren ground near the crashed warship and warned Lynn not to delay.
• Lynn and Silver Fantasy approached the warship, whose hull was covered in Flesh Plague, and Lynn warned her that the plague could damage Mechanical Bodies.
• Lynn used Remnants of the Past to replay the warship’s history and saw it firing at something in the black mist before crashing.
• Silver Fantasy asked whether the Plague Doctors had attacked the warship, and Lynn confirmed that they were enemies of the Mechanical Church.
• Lynn considered whether the warship belonged to the fleet the Intelligent Brain had summoned and hid his notebook when Silver Fantasy glimpsed its first entry.
• Lynn reasoned that the Flesh Plague had cut off the warship’s signal before it drifted to the crash site and feared the Plague Doctors had defeated the fleet.

Lynn and Silver Fantasy explored an infected warship, where Lynn persuaded her to give him a White Monomolecular Sword. Zuo Zuo exposed his dishonest behavior and returned the sword to Silver Fantasy, leaving Lynn scratched and chastened.

• Lynn used a potion and his Monomolecular Sword to cut into the flesh-plague-covered warship, then led Silver Fantasy and Zuo Zuo inside.
• Lynn claimed he had made Silver Fantasy's Monomolecular Sword and demonstrated its safety features, then talked her into letting him keep it.
• Zuo Zuo accused Lynn of swindling Silver Fantasy and attacked him for taking the sword.
• After Lynn subdued Zuo Zuo, she regained control and handed the White Monomolecular Sword back to Silver Fantasy.

Lynn and Silver Fantasy reached the infected battleship’s core and restored power to its data terminal. When the system demanded authorization, Silver Fantasy connected to it and was recognized as Miss Machine Intelligence, receiving full control of the vessel as its damaged AI began to awaken.

• Lynn silenced Zuo Zuo when she tried to reveal that he wanted to keep the swords, and Silver Fantasy wondered about their closeness as she looked at the flower in her hand.
• Lynn and the others reached the battleship’s core, where the Flesh Plague had covered the data terminal and ruined much of its equipment.
• Lynn used his Plague Doctor Mask to clear the infection, then powered the terminal with a still-beating heart and established a psionic link.
• When the terminal required authorization, Silver Fantasy connected to it and successfully authenticated as Miss Machine Intelligence.
• The terminal granted Silver Fantasy full authorization over the 014-Type No. 21 Fleet Flagship and began awakening its AI, despite severe damage to the vessel.

Lynn and Silver Fantasy activated a crashed flagship’s AI, which recognized Lynn as an SS-class threat and attacked before he cut its power. After copying the ship’s records, they watched footage revealing that the fleet sent to reinforce the battlefield had been ambushed by a hidden Flesh Colossus.

• The Warship AI awakened, recognized Lynn, and warned Silver Fantasy to run before classifying him as an SS-class threat.
• The cabin’s defenses fired at Lynn, but he unplugged the Colossus Heart and shut down the ship’s systems.
• Lynn used Silver Fantasy’s authorization to copy the warship’s database while Silver Fantasy watched him and tightened her grip on her sword.
• Lynn found an Upload Device and live deployment recordings among the recovered data.
• The footage showed the flagship and its fleet emerging from a Spatial Leap and being struck by Flesh Tumors launched from the black mist.

Lynn and Silver Fantasy explored a ruined warship, where he confirmed the Plague Doctors had prepared an ambush and helped Silver Fantasy realize she had been infected with the Flesh Plague. As she pressed him about her lost memories and whether he had deceived her, Lynn told her a story that suggested the two of them had grown close after he saved her and that his apparent death had pierced her heart.

• Lynn studied the warship's spatial-node map and concluded the Plague Doctors had likely set ambushes to prevent interference with his rescue of the Mother Tree.
• Lynn reviewed the recorder footage, saw how the warship had escaped a Flesh Plague ambush, and told Silver Fantasy they would find its upload engine so she could go home.
• Silver Fantasy told Lynn she had found traces of Flesh Plague tissue in the parts he had replaced and asked whether he had deceived her about her past.
• Lynn began recounting a war in which a girl was manipulated by a powerful enemy, then met a guileless boy who saved her and became someone she could trust.
• Lynn suggested that the girl's feelings had grown over time and that the boy's sudden death in front of her would have left her heartbroken.

Lynn told Silver Fantasy a story about two souls who found comfort in each other, then prepared to upload her data to the Hive so she could return home. As Silver Fantasy began the upload in the Wasteland, Lynn waited nearby, promising to stay for ten hours.

• Lynn told Silver Fantasy about two lonely souls who grew close, but stopped before explaining what happened afterward.
• Lynn and Silver Fantasy reached the warship’s engine room, where he removed its Upload Module and repaired it.
• Lynn carried Silver Fantasy to a remote spot in the Wasteland and prepared the Upload Device, explaining how she could reconnect with the Hive.
• Silver Fantasy asked whether the story’s pair stayed together, and Lynn answered, “Only heaven knows.”
• Silver Fantasy stepped into the Upload Device as it synchronized with her Central Processing Unit.

Silver Fantasy completed her consciousness upload after telling Lynn that he had saved her, and Lynn caught her as her body collapsed. Lynn stayed beside the Upload Terminal, determined to wait for her to return, while Zuo Zuo failed to drag him away and broke down crying.

• Silver Fantasy thanked Lynn for repairing her body and began uploading her consciousness to the hive.
• Silver Fantasy told Lynn she recognized their story and that he was the one who saved her before her body collapsed into his arms.
• Lynn sat beside the Upload Terminal and said he would wait ten hours for Silver Fantasy.
• Zuo Zuo confronted Lynn, accusing him of planning to let Silver Fantasy kill him and refusing to leave him behind.
• Zuo Zuo tried to drag Lynn away, but he would not move, and she sat down and cried.

Lynn waited in the Wasteland for Silver Fantasy to return, then offered her a choice: kill him or leave with him. Silver Fantasy beat him relentlessly beneath the Mechanical Legion, leaving the outcome unresolved.

• Lynn waited for Silver Fantasy while Zuo Zuo fell silent and locked herself back into his left hand.
• Silver Fantasy returned with her restored data and pressed her Monomolecular Sword to Lynn’s neck, but she ultimately withdrew it and told him to go.
• Lynn offered to accept either death or her choosing to come with him, while the Mechanical Legion aimed its weapons at him.
• Silver Fantasy asked whether this was the ending he had chosen, then punched Lynn and continued beating him until he was covered in wounds.

Lynn and Silver Fantasy parted after he urged her to build a life beyond the past, while he admitted he had to keep wearing his demon’s mask to survive and save his people. Nine days after the war in the Desire Domain, the Mechanical Church underwent a sweeping reorganization under the Seven Gods Group.

• Silver Fantasy told Lynn she would suppress her hatred but never wanted to see him again, then cut the flower between them in two.
• Lynn gathered the petals, urged Silver Fantasy to care for herself and connect with others, and asked her followers to protect her in secret.
• Silver Fantasy walked away with the Mechanical Legion, and Lynn admitted he had lied about his past because survival came first.
• Nine days after the war, a leader acting in the name of the Seven Gods Group reorganized the Purification Council, abandoned its former doctrines, shut down consciousness uploads, and purged many uploaded minds.
• The second member of the Seven Gods awakened and took charge of the Purification Council as Machine Intelligence Remnants assumed control of major legions and the Mechanical Church entered a new order.

Lynn learned that the Mechanical Church had been seized by the Seven Gods, who were purging uploaded consciousnesses and may have dismantled Light Banquet to create new Machine Intelligence consciousnesses. He worried Silver Fantasy would be their next target, decided to win her over again, and then dramatically pretended to cry over their breakup.

• Lynn told Zuo Zuo that the Seven Gods had taken control of the Mechanical Church and likely targeted Miss Machine Intelligence.
• Lynn suspected the Seven Gods had dismantled Light Banquet to produce new, loyal Machine Intelligence consciousnesses.
• Lynn concluded Silver Fantasy would be in danger if the Seven Gods found her and said he wanted to bring her to his side.
• Lynn jumped over the line Silver Fantasy had drawn to end their relationship and said he would flirt with her again.
• Lynn made himself cry over being dumped, while Zuo Zuo called his tears fake.

After crying himself into dehydration, Lynn recovered at the Mother Tree of Desire and prepared to welcome Sir Awen, who arrived and replenished his psionics. Sir Awen warned Lynn against maintaining his independent psionic form for too long and offered to modify his mechanical body when they returned.

• Zuo Zuo explained that Lynn had cried himself into dehydration after being dumped, and the Mother Tree of Desire asked whether his investigation had revealed anything.
• Lynn said he had found a lead to the plague doctors' nest near the Desire Domain and planned to investigate it after taking the Mother Tree of Desire to Dark Night City.
• Lynn checked his Pocket Watch and rushed to welcome Sir Awen, but Sir Awen shot him before he could embrace him.
• Lynn explained that he was developing his sea spawn abilities because his three-in-one unit was unfinished, and Sir Awen praised his control of psionics.
• Sir Awen warned Lynn that his independent psionic form could make him lose himself, then replenished his psionic reserves and offered to modify his mechanical body.

Lynn brought Sir Awen to meet the Mother Tree of Desire after recruiting her, and promised he could keep her under control. The Mother Tree tested Sir Awen with an attack and flirtatious taunts, while Lynn reacted angrily, leaving their uneasy new alliance poised for further tension.

• Sir Awen warned Lynn that the Mother Tree of Desire was dangerous, and Lynn promised she would not rebel and that the Fallen needed to unite to escape Hell.
• Sir Awen reminded Lynn not to start orgies, but Lynn denied being that sort of person and made Sir Awen more worried.
• Lynn led Sir Awen into the Mother Tree of Desire's domain, where her roots and vines attacked Sir Awen as a test.
• Sir Awen redirected the vines with his psionic power and greeted the Mother Tree of Desire, who praised him and suggested she wanted to eat him.
• The Mother Tree of Desire tried to persuade Sir Awen to let her take a bite, while Lynn clenched his fists and walked toward the trunk.

Lynn forced the Mother Tree of Desire to apologize after she tried to tempt Sir Awen, convincing him that she had been recruited. Sir Awen left more concerned about Lynn’s methods than about the Mother Tree.

• The Mother Tree of Desire tried to tempt Sir Awen by invoking his fear of losing himself and the Cyber Civilization.
• Lynn interrupted her and spent half an hour beating her into submission.
• Sir Awen saw the Mother Tree sitting in the spring in Lynn’s oversized shirt, unable to stand.
• Lynn made the Mother Tree apologize to Sir Awen while she glared at him in anger.
• Sir Awen realized Lynn had recruited the Mother Tree by force and urged him to show some restraint.

Lynn and Sir Awen opened the Boundary Gate to move the Mother Tree of Desire to Dark Night City. The tree arrived safely, while the gathered residents celebrated Lynn’s supposed intimacy with her.

• Lynn asked Sir Awen to wait outside while he dealt with the Mother Tree of Desire, and two hours later the tree had bloomed with red flowers.
• Lynn told Sir Awen he was ready to return to Dark Night City and asked him to help maintain the Boundary Gate.
• Sir Awen transformed into a Psychic Giant and channeled power into the Boundary Gate while the Mother Tree of Desire reluctantly supplied energy.
• White Night ordered the crowd and work crew to clear the designated area outside Dark Night City, but residents gathered to watch the arrival.
• Lynn, Sir Awen, and the Mother Tree of Desire brought her vast roots through the Boundary Gate and planted her outside the city.
• Dark Night City’s residents watched in awe and praised Lynn, believing he had slept with the Mother Tree of Desire.

The Mother Tree of Desire arrived in Dark Night City and used her pollen to stir the crowd’s desires, but Lynn warned her not to influence the city. When she probed the hidden presence Lynn hinted at, she sensed a powerful authority and withdrew in fear.

• The Mother Tree of Desire rooted herself outside Dark Night City and spread desire-inducing pollen over the crowd.
• Lynn and Awen returned through the Boundary Gate, and the city greeted Lynn with cheers.
• Lynn threatened to burn the Mother Tree if she provoked the crowd into an orgy, and she defended her actions as a lesson for those staring at her.
• Lynn told the Mother Tree that another powerful Origin lived in the city and dared her to probe further.
• The Mother Tree sensed a presence connected to a child, a sapling, and a book, heard it welcome her, and withdrew her consciousness.
• The Mother Tree asked Lynn if he also possessed an authority.

Lynn explained to the Mother Tree of Desire that the Lord of the Vision Realm was intervening to mediate Dark Night City’s coming war with the Flesh Dominator, making an attack risky. The Mother Tree offered to help find her former ally, while Lynn taunted her about her weakness.

• The Mother Tree of Desire sensed an authority in Dark Night City, and Lynn bluffed that it was too powerful for her to challenge.
• The Mother Tree offered to help locate the Flesh Dominator and asked when Dark Night City would attack.
• Lynn revealed that the Lord of the Vision Realm wanted to mediate and explained that his intervention could make war costly.
• The Mother Tree concluded that Dark Night City would have to wait until its Origins recovered unless the Flesh Dominator attacked first.
• The Mother Tree boasted that ascending would let her kill them all, and Lynn mocked her for sprouting flowers whenever she fought him.