Chapter Summaries

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.

The Old Man learned that Chang He had poisoned Chun Prefecture’s people and nearly killed Little Third, while Chief Zhu tried to persuade him to protect the Chang Family. Meanwhile, Yixiu and Big Bear were diverted to Shen Prefecture and came under attack from the Fox Group, leaving Yixiu to challenge them over the walkie-talkie.

• Chief Zhu told the Old Man that Chang He had poisoned Chun Prefecture’s people and nearly killed Little Third.
• Chief Zhu argued that Chang Fengnian’s investment and plans to transfer assets showed the Chang Family wanted to work with the Guan Family.
• Yixiu and Big Bear heard that their plane would make an emergency landing in Shen Prefecture, and Xiao Ben reacted with a strange smile.
• Yixiu and Big Bear left the airport with Xiao Ben and spotted signs that spies were watching them.
• The Fox Group followed Yixiu and Big Bear, but a Giant Bear destroyed their lead car and Yixiu taunted the attackers over the walkie-talkie.

Xiao Yuan stopped Old Ninth and Little White Tiger from killing Chang He, accepting a costly settlement to preserve the Old Man’s plans. After learning that Yixiu was trapped in Shen Prefecture and targeted by the Snake Group, Little White Tiger sought help from Brother Yan to rescue him.

• Old Ninth and the Lei Zis attacked the Chang family at Chun Prefecture Airport, but Zhu Le'er stepped in and persuaded them to hear the Chang family’s offer.
• Old Guan told Xiao Yuan to pull back, and Old Man Chang offered two and a half billion while agreeing that Chang Jiang would oversee the investment in Chun Prefecture.
• Xiao Yuan let the Chang family leave but ordered Chang Jiang to remain until the investment arrived, and Old Ninth departed after warning Zhu Le'er he was compromising only for her and Old Guan.
• Zhu Le'er received a message that Yixiu was trapped in Shen Prefecture, then accused Chang He of colluding with Kou Island; the Chang family fled as Old Ninth and Little White Tiger learned Yixiu was in danger.
• Little White Tiger chose to prioritize rescuing Yixiu, and he contacted Brother Yan, who agreed to fly over if his airfare was covered.

Yixiu and Big Bear waited in a dark hotel room while Sakata’s Snake Group tried to force them into the open. Sakata used a group of schoolchildren to draw Yixiu out, and after the assassins attacked, Big Bear found the children surrounded by more Snake Group members.

• Sakata ordered the Snake Group to keep the hotel under watch rather than rush the fifth floor, which he believed was the battlefield chosen by Shadow Ghost.
• Yixiu and Big Bear slept fully dressed, and Big Bear looked at a photograph of the little girl he had not visited at the Orphanage for three months.
• At dawn, Sakata shot out a streetlight near a group of children and threatened to target a girl in a rabbit hat, prompting Yixiu to fire from the hotel.
• Sakata sent five Awakened toward the children, and Yixiu killed several while Big Bear descended and snapped the last attacker’s neck.
• Big Bear spoke gently with the children, then tried to escort them away, but ten Snake Group members blocked each end of the street.

Big Bear and Yixiu fought the Snake Group while protecting a group of children, and both were mortally wounded. Big Bear carried the children to safety and died beneath the morning sun.

• Big Bear distracted the children with a game, then fought the approaching Snake Group while Yixiu supported him with gunfire.
• Big Bear and Yixiu killed several attackers, but Snake Group members appeared behind the children and attacked them.
• Yixiu sacrificed his left hand to survive a Kunai attack and helped Big Bear kill Sakata through coordinated gunfire and force.
• The Snake Group's deputy leader sent the remaining attackers after the children, and Yixiu stayed behind while Big Bear carried them away.
• Big Bear collapsed after taking the children to safety, shared candy with them, and died as dawn broke.

Yixiu fought the Snake Group until a blast destroyed the hotel and prevented them from taking Xiao Ben, then prepared to die before Black Maitreya intervened. Black Maitreya condemned the Ma Family for standing aside and issued it a Sin-Questioning Card as Ma Ran watched.

• Ma Ran ordered his Awakened to seal off the street and keep watch, while Yixiu continued fighting the Snake Group alone.
• The deputy leader wounded Yixiu and declared victory, but Yixiu laughed after an explosion destroyed the hotel and killed the Awakened searching for Xiao Ben.
• As Yixiu tried to shoot himself, a sniper shot his revolver from his hand, and twelve black-cloaked figures wearing Maitreya Masks appeared on a rooftop.
• A burly member of Black Maitreya gave the Ma Family a Sin-Questioning Card, declaring that it would claim nine lives because the family had stood by while their countrymen were attacked.
• The burly man carried Big Bear's body back toward the rooftop, while Ma Ran stared at the card and his butler urged him to withdraw.

Black Maitreya arrived in Shen Prefecture, where Wu Yan used the Ninefold Karmic Fire to execute the Snake Group. As Old Ninth took the wounded Yixiu and Big Bear’s body outside the city, Black Maitreya attacked the Ma Family’s ancestral residence, leaving Old Ninth caught between the two sides.

• Wu Yan and Black Maitreya arrived to rescue Yixiu, and Wu Yan executed the Snake Group with Ninefold Karmic Fire.
• Black Maitreya brought the barely breathing Yixiu and Big Bear’s corpse to Old Ninth outside the city gates.
• A Black Maitreya member announced that the Ma Family still had to pay for its crimes, and Old Ninth slapped the Ma Family’s chief steward when he confronted him.
• An explosion struck the Ma Family’s old residence, and a messenger reported that Black Maitreya was nearing the ancestral hall.
• The Black Maitreya member flew back into the city to attack, while Old Ninth restrained the chief steward and offered to cover the Ma Family’s funeral expenses.

Instructor forced Old Ma to let Black Maitreya leave safely after Big Bear was killed in Shen Prefecture, while the Ma Family avoided a wider conflict. Three days later, Yixiu woke from his critical condition and asked where Big Bear was.

• Instructor confronted Old Ma at the Ma Family residence and revealed that Shadow Ghost's Big Bear had been killed in Shen Prefecture.
• Old Ma realized Ma Qingshan and Ma Fangshan had concealed the crisis to target Shadow Ghost, then learned Black Maitreya was attacking the Ma ancestral estate.
• Instructor stopped Old Ma from calling the Ancestral Shrine and threatened a conflict with Chun Prefecture if Black Maitreya were harmed.
• After learning Old Ninth was outside the city, Old Ma agreed not to pursue Black Maitreya, and Instructor left.
• Three days later, Yixiu was moved out of the ICU and woke after receiving treatment and medicinal supplies from his friends.
• Yixiu asked where Big Bear was, and everyone fell silent.

Yixiu received an honorable discharge from Shadow Ghost and was urged to begin a new life with Huang Yiyi in Chun Prefecture. As his former comrades said farewell, the Chun Prefecture group gave him a gold badge and made him their head instructor, while Old Ninth and Little White Tiger vowed to pursue Big Bear’s killers.

• Huang Yiyi told Yixiu she still wanted to marry him and would be his left hand.
• Instructor read Commander Guan’s order stripping Yixiu of his Shadow Ghost membership and directed him to retire in Chun Prefecture.
• Instructor and the Shadow Ghost members saluted Yixiu and urged him to live on, keep their secrets, and start a new life.
• Little White Tiger pinned a gold badge on Yixiu and appointed him Chun Prefecture’s head instructor.
• After the group left the hospital room, Old Ninth said they would not let Big Bear’s death go unanswered, and Little White Tiger planned to lead a team to the capital after the funeral.