Chapter Summaries

Instructor explained that Shadow Ghost had left the Dragon Kingdom to keep serving it without restraint, then warned Little White Tiger and Old Ninth to protect their territory and stay out of trouble. After Tian Guang’s death, Tian Bo adopted his brother’s appearance and maneuvered to place Yun Fei in charge of the European Capitalist Faction, while hired gunmen waited below to kill the faction’s leaders if Yun Fei accepted.

• Instructor told Little White Tiger and Old Ninth that Shadow Ghost’s members had chosen exile over transferring to the Combat Forces, and urged them to keep a low profile.
• Several days later, Tian Bo put on Tian Guang’s glasses and Zhongshan Suit, resolved to take his brother’s place, and prepared to purge the faction’s opponents.
• Tian Bo welcomed Yun Fei and the faction’s senior members into Tian Guang’s study, then named Yun Fei as the only suitable successor.
• A Tian Family member ordered the hired gunmen waiting in the basement to kill everyone in the study except Tian Bo once the signal came.
• Yun Fei refused to take Tian Guang’s position and instead publicly supported Tian Bo as the faction’s new leader.

At Tian Guang’s funeral, Tian Bo consolidated the European Capitalist Faction’s support, killed Kou Island’s ambassador, and forced Old Guan to promise an investigation. He then cut the faction’s ties with the Federation and revealed his plan to weaken Guotai Min'an and eventually bring it down.

• Old Guan attended Tian Guang’s funeral, where Tian Bo defended him and reminded the guests of his past support for Tian Guang.
• Zhou Yun Fei and other financial leaders publicly backed Tian Bo as the next chairman of Daqi Bank.
• Tian Bo ordered Yun Fei to kill Kou Island’s ambassador, then swore to avenge Tian Guang and asked Old Guan to demand an explanation from Kou Island.
• Tian Bo announced that the European Capitalist Faction would stop accepting Federation funding and send the rest of the Tian Family abroad.
• In private, Tian Bo told Yun Fei he planned to keep the faction out of public view until he could exploit a mistake by Little White Tiger and bring down Guotai Min'an.

Three years after the Death Caverns journey, Chun Prefecture had grown into a major power, and Little White Tiger and Xiao Yuan planned its next steps. Zhang Yang arrived with a Red List notice: White Mouse, a notorious criminal, had entered Chun Prefecture.

• Chun Prefecture prospered under Little White Tiger’s influence, while its officers trained in the New World and grew stronger.
• Little White Tiger learned Zhang Yang would soon be appointed Chun Prefecture Mayor and decided to celebrate Elder Pei’s retirement.
• Xiao Yuan proposed reorganizing Chun Prefecture and promoting Broken Shoe with a Bronze Badge, despite Little White Tiger’s concerns about his ruthlessness.
• Zhang Yang entered with senior Police Bureau officers and showed Little White Tiger a Red List notice identifying White Mouse, alias Lustful Ghost, as a wanted criminal in Chun Prefecture.
• Zhang Yang asked Little White Tiger to use his people to find White Mouse after the Police Bureau failed to locate him.

Xiao Yuan sent Little Pig to bring White Mouse to the Police Bureau, while White Mouse gambled and flirted with Qian Qianqian at A Chun’s casino. Gu Feng stormed the casino to confront them, but Little Pig arrived with armed men and ordered every passage sealed as they waited for Gu Feng to drive White Mouse out.

• Xiao Yuan ordered Little Pig to bring White Mouse to the Police Bureau after Zhang Yang warned that White Mouse had impregnated the fifth-awakening Gu family’s third young lady without killing anyone.
• White Mouse gambled recklessly in A Chun’s casino, gave his two million in chips to Qian Qianqian, and flirted with her until her wedding ring disappeared.
• After the gamblers who left reported him to the Gu Household, Gu Feng entered the casino with Security Bureau Awakened and threatened to kill the pair.
• A Chun stood against Gu Feng’s men, refusing to let them take a guest from the casino.
• Little Pig arrived with armed men, let Gu Feng search for his wife, then ordered his men to seal every passage and wait for Gu Feng to drive White Mouse out.

White Mouse escaped a citywide pursuit but was caught by Little Pig at the city gate. When White Mouse tried to seize Little Pig, Ninth Master appeared and stopped him.

• White Mouse fought off the Awakened pursuing him, using bombs and a Clone Technique to escape amid the smoke.
• Disguised in a stolen trench coat, White Mouse hired a one-eared driver to take him to the city gate and offered an earring as payment.
• Little Pig and dozens of Awakened wearing Skull Emblems confronted White Mouse at the gate, and Little Pig revealed his Silver Badge.
• White Mouse removed his Human Skin Mask and explained that he had pursued other men's wives because he preferred wildflowers and forbidden flowers.
• White Mouse lunged for Little Pig to take him hostage, but a man in a Black Suit with a Gold Badge appeared behind Little Pig and caught his hand; the others identified him as Ninth Master.

Little Pig and Old Ninth captured White Mouse, but Gu Xiao Xi arrived and claimed him as her husband, forcing them to let the Gu Family take him for the night. Back at Eight-Nine Prefecture, Xiao Yuan became intrigued by White Mouse’s unusual skills and said she wanted to meet him.

• Old Ninth defeated White Mouse after he tried to take Little Pig, and Little Pig’s men arrested him.
• Gu Xiao Xi intercepted the convoy, tore off White Mouse’s car door, and demanded he return with her to marry her.
• Old Ninth restrained two Gu Family experts, then Third Master Gu arrived and asked to take White Mouse away.
• Little Pig agreed that the Gu Family could take White Mouse until the next day, when Zhang Yang would discuss custody.
• Little Pig reported White Mouse’s swordsmanship, disguise, and Ninjutsu skills to Xiao Yuan, who decided she wanted to meet him.

Xiao Yuan suspected White Mouse was connected to Kou Island, so Chun Prefecture questioned him after Third Master Gu brought the Gu Family to retrieve him. White Mouse finally admitted he knew ninjutsu and had trained at the Nine Chrysanthemum School, the top-ranked ninjutsu school on Kou Island.

• A scout reported that the Gu Family was staying at their hotel and complained about a sleepless night with Gu Xiaoxi and White Mouse.
• Xiao Yuan said White Mouse's background was blank and suspected he came from Kou Island, then prepared to meet the Gu Family.
• Third Master Gu arrived with Gu Xiaoxi and White Mouse, handed Little White Tiger an order canceling the wanted notice, and agreed to let Chun Prefecture question White Mouse.
• Old Ninth took White Mouse to the rear courtyard, where he and the others threatened him with a chainsaw and drugs until White Mouse agreed to talk.
• White Mouse admitted that he knew ninjutsu and had trained under the Nine Chrysanthemum School on Kou Island.

Old Ninth questioned White Mouse, who revealed that he was a Dragon Kingdom native and the captain of the Fox Group’s fifth squad. After learning why White Mouse had come to Chun Prefecture and that he could expose his team, Old Ninth arranged for him to become a double agent.

• Old Ninth questioned White Mouse about his origins, and White Mouse claimed he was a Dragon Kingdom native who had learned ninjutsu on Kou Island.
• White Mouse explained that he had gained a false identity through affairs with the Nine Chrysanthemum School’s young lady and his master’s wife.
• White Mouse said the Emperor recruited him into the Fox Group, where he became captain of the fifth squad and gathered intelligence across the Dragon Kingdom.
• White Mouse revealed that he had come to Chun Prefecture to escape Gu Xiao Xi and had spent his team’s funds while picking up Qian Qianqian.
• White Mouse offered his squad’s identities in exchange for freedom, and after consulting Xiao Yuan, Old Ninth proposed making him a double agent.

Xiao Yuan manipulated Gu Xiao Xi into agreeing to leave White Mouse in Chun Prefecture by convincing her that joining the prefecture would protect him and allow them to marry. In exchange, Gu Xiao Xi promised the Gu Family’s support for Little White Tiger’s southern expansion, giving Xiao Yuan leverage with the Gu Family.

• Little White Tiger invited Third Master Gu to stay for a meal while Gu Xiao Xi went to visit White Mouse.
• Xiao Yuan told Gu Xiao Xi that the Gu Family would kill White Mouse if his identity as a spy for Kou Island was exposed.
• Gu Xiao Xi refused to abandon White Mouse and said she would elope with him, so Xiao Yuan proposed that he join Chun Prefecture and marry her.
• Xiao Yuan claimed Little White Tiger and Old Ninth would not accept White Mouse, then suggested Gu Xiao Xi secure her family’s support for Little White Tiger’s expansion into the south.
• Gu Xiao Xi promised the Third Branch’s unconditional support, and Xiao Yuan agreed to arrange a marriage proposal within a year while keeping White Mouse in Chun Prefecture.

Zhang Yang began his tenure as Chun Prefecture’s top official at a banquet attended by the Chang Family, who were considering investing in the prefecture. The gathering ended with White Mouse recognizing the Chang Family’s secretary as someone disguised using the Nine Chrysanthemum School’s technique.

• Zhang Yang complained about the cost of his inauguration banquet, then welcomed investors who planned to build factories in Chun Prefecture.
• Old Man Chang arrived with Chang He, Chang Jiang, and Zhu Le’er, drawing the guests’ attention to the wealthy overseas Chinese family.
• Chang He insulted Chun Prefecture over its past massacres, but Little White Tiger remained calm and led the Chang Family to the seats of honor.
• White Mouse stared at the Chang Family’s secretary and suddenly recognized his disguise as the Nine Chrysanthemum School’s technique.
• Old Ninth asked whether the disguised secretary was from Kou Island.

At a Chun Prefecture investment gathering, Chang He insulted the city and nearly provoked Old Ninth into killing him, while Chang Jiang tried to keep the Chang Family’s plans on track. After leaving, Chang He turned the car around and deliberately caused a van following them to crash, escalating the feud with the Lei Zis.

• Overlord arrived at the gathering, and the attendees greeted him while Chang Jiang explained that the Chang Family needed support from the East.
• Chang He disparaged Chun Prefecture and its people, so Old Ninth smashed his glass and threatened him; Overlord stopped the group from retaliating.
• Chang Jiang took Chang He away and warned him that Old Ninth could have killed him, while several Lei Zi vans followed their car.
• Chang He seized the steering wheel, turned around, and charged at the vans, causing one to roll onto its side before the Chang Family car sped past the Lei Zis.

Chang He was persuaded by his secretary to oppose Chun Prefecture’s influence by promoting Alliance education, while Old Man Chang and Chang Jiang toured the Poor District and learned how the Eight-Nine Group had improved residents’ lives. The chapter left the Chang family impressed by the people’s support for Little White Tiger and Ninth Master.

• Chang He read his secretary’s account of Fei Island’s suffering and decided to support investment in Chun Prefecture so he could spread Alliance education there.
• Old Man Chang and Chang Jiang toured Chun Prefecture’s Poor District with Zhang Yang, Xiao Yuan, Zhu Le’er, and other local officials.
• A breakfast-shop owner refused Xiao Yuan’s money and said Chun Prefecture had gone a year without anyone starving to death.
• The owner credited Eighth Master and Ninth Master with ending abuses, providing residents with necessities, and directing the Eight-Nine Group’s local profits back to the people.
• Old Man Chang and Chang Jiang were surprised by the residents’ support for the leaders and recognized how well Little White Tiger had established his authority.

Chang He visited Chun Prefecture First Middle School to promote his Alliance-inspired theory of Human Race Coexistence, but students rejected his call to welcome alien races after recalling their brutal treatment by the Kou Islanders. The chapter ended with Chang He angrily condemning the students as beyond saving.

• Chang He arrived at First Middle School to inspect it, but Third Uncle confronted him and led all the students away from the welcoming ceremony.
• Chang He gave a speech arguing that the Dragon Kingdom should open its borders and integrate other races to strengthen the country.
• Students questioned how they could feed and house newcomers when they were already poor and hungry.
• Chang He dismissed the students' memories of Kou Islander violence as isolated incidents and blamed a dead boy for stealing food.
• A girl told Chang He that the Kou Islanders had killed her brother over a bun thrown away for dogs and mocked his corpse.
• The students defended Eighth Master and denounced the alien races, while Chang He called them beyond teaching and beyond saving.

Chang He’s appeal for Chun Prefecture to accept refugees and share its land was rejected by students and officials, who condemned his defense of the Alliance and Kou Island. Old Ninth’s enforcers exposed Chang He’s secretary as a Kou Island spy and arrested him, while Chang He was left under threat in Chun Prefecture.

• Third Uncle challenged Chang He’s arguments about tolerance and the Alliance, and Chun Prefecture’s students denounced Chang for insulting Eight-Nine Group.
• Chang He left without distributing supplies and told his secretary he would seek his mentor’s help to persuade Chun Prefecture to change its policies.
• Old Wine, Old Sword, and Old Spear confronted Chang He and his secretary, accusing the secretary of being a Kou Island spy.
• Hu Du and the enforcers attacked the secretary, while Hu Du warned Chang He that he would not be allowed to leave Chun Prefecture alive.
• Old Ninth ordered the enforcers to take the secretary for interrogation, and threatened Chang if he harmed one of his people.

Chang He tried to force Chun Prefecture to release Jingu Kotaro, but his father ordered him back to the Alliance. At the Eight-Nine Group warehouse, Broken Shoe tortured the captured ninja until he agreed to talk.

• Chang Jiang revealed that Xiao Ben was Jingu Kotaro, a Fox Group captain sent to stir up conflict between Chang He and Chun Prefecture.
• Old Man Chang refused to pressure Old Ninth and ordered Chang He to return to the Alliance, but Chang He stormed out to rescue Jingu Kotaro himself.
• White Mouse revealed to Jingu Kotaro that he was from the Dragon Kingdom, and Old Spear struck him when he refused to answer questions.
• Broken Shoe arrived and began interrogating Jingu Kotaro while Old Ninth and the others waited outside.
• After two hours of torture, Jingu Kotaro broke down and agreed to talk.

Chun Prefecture captured Jingu Kotaro and decided to send him and his intelligence to the Capital, while Chang He secretly sought help from the Fox Group. Yixiu arrived in Chun Prefecture to escort Xiao Ben, reunited with his old allies, and received a message from Huang Yiyi.

• Old Ninth reported that Jingu Kotaro was a Fox Group agent with extensive intelligence on the Alliance, and Xiao Yuan recommended sending him and the documents to the Capital.
• Chang He contacted the Fox Group to report Kotaro's capture, then plotted with the man on the other end to try to save him.
• Yixiu and Big Bear arrived in Chun Prefecture to escort Xiao Ben back to the Capital, and Hi Dog and Earthworm welcomed them at the airport.
• Huang Yiyi got Yixiu's phone number before he left with his friends, and she texted him not to delete her number.
• Yixiu admired Chun Prefecture's prosperity and joked with his companions about retiring there before quietly reading Huang Yiyi's message.

Little White Tiger hosted Yixiu and Big Bear for a lively meal with the brothers of Chun Prefecture. Old Ninth angrily demanded Old Guan arrange Shadow Ghost’s retirement, but Yixiu explained that he had chosen to keep serving and promised to come to Chun Prefecture if he ever retired.

• Little White Tiger and Xiao Yuan hosted Yixiu and Big Bear, and Old Ninth introduced Chun Prefecture’s inner circle to them.
• Little White Tiger toasted Yixiu and urged him to stay in Chun Prefecture, while the brothers honored Shadow Ghost’s sacrifices.
• Drunk Old Ninth called Old Guan, berated him over Shadow Ghost’s lack of recognition, and demanded retirement arrangements for Yixiu’s brothers.
• Yixiu told the gathering that he had chosen covert service to defend the Dragon Kingdom and that Old Guan had never forced him to stay.
• Yixiu promised Little White Tiger he would come to Chun Prefecture if he ever decided to retire, and Little White Tiger raised a cup to seal the deal.

Yixiu was moved by Huang Yiyi’s care but left Chun Prefecture with Xiao Ben, asking Little White Tiger to look after Huang Yiyi’s brother’s company. At the airport, Chang He agreed to help someone create a diversion so Xiao Ben could be intercepted, risking trouble for his brother and the Chang Family.

• Huang Yiyi waited outside Eight-Nine Prefecture all night with hangover soup, and Yixiu walked her out after the brothers teased them as a couple.
• Huang Yiyi gave Yixiu a scarf she had knitted and promised to wait for his return, stirring his wish for a peaceful life.
• Old Ninth showed Yixiu information about Huang Yiyi, and Yixiu left Eight-Nine Prefecture with Xiao Ben to return him and then travel overseas.
• Yixiu asked Little White Tiger to look after Huang Yiyi’s brother’s company before leaving Chun Prefecture.
• Chang He watched Xiao Ben being taken to the airport and agreed to create a diversion to help intercept him, despite the risk to his brother and the Chang Family.

Chang He’s apparent illness and generous aid to First Middle School raised Zhang Yang’s suspicions, while a poisoned cake nearly killed Xiao Lai. Third Uncle ordered the supply workers detained and Chun Prefecture locked down as he took Xiao Lai to the hospital and vowed to find Chang He.

• Chang He called Old Man Chang from the hospital, claiming his cultivation had gone wrong, and Old Man Chang left the municipal meeting with Chang Jiang.
• Zhang Yang questioned Chang He’s story after Third Uncle said Chang He had coughed up blood while distributing supplies at First Middle School.
• Third Uncle refused the Chang Family’s snacks, but Xiao Lai secretly tasted the cake and later returned to warn him that it was poisoned.
• A supply worker offered Third Uncle a cake as Chang He’s apology, and Xiao Lai knocked it away before collapsing and coughing up blood.
• Third Uncle took Xiao Lai to the hospital, ordered the supply workers detained, and called for the city to be locked down while he searched for Chang He.

Chang He’s poisoning plot was exposed after Xiao Lai ate the poisoned cake, and the Chang Family faced the furious leaders of Chun Prefecture at the airport. Little White Tiger and Old Ninth demanded Chang He’s life, leaving Old Man Chang to choose whether to sacrifice one son or risk losing both.

• Old Man Chang and Chang Jiang confronted Chang He for poisoning the supplies and ruining the Chang Family’s agreement with the Guan Family.
• Chang Jiang spotted Zhang Yang, the Police Bureau Special Forces, and other Chun Prefecture figures arriving at the airport, while Chang He realized his plan had failed.
• Old Man Chang ordered Chang Jiang to take Chang He out of the Dragon Kingdom and offered to stay behind to answer for his son.
• Little White Tiger, Old Ninth, Xiao Yuan, and the others confronted the Chang Family, and Old Ninth demanded that Chang He drink poison in revenge for Third Uncle.
• Old Man Chang offered to take responsibility and let his sons leave, but Old Ninth declared that Chang He would not leave Chun Prefecture alive and gave Old Man Chang a choice about whether he would lose one son or two.