Chapter Summaries

Cheng Qi tested the Extreme Warrior Armor’s extraordinary speed by killing dozens of Red-Haired Killer Rats, then discovered that some of their stomachs contained amorphous alloy. He realized the rats could be a vast source of valuable materials and turned his attention to the trembling survivors.

• Cheng Qi used the Extreme Warrior Armor’s top speed to evade and slash a Red-Haired Killer Rat, killing it in less than half a second.
• Cheng Qi fought the surrounding Red-Haired Killer Rats at full speed for three minutes and twenty-eight seconds, killing at least fifty before he reached his limit.
• Cheng Qi found a metallic object inside a rat corpse, and the Standard Template Construct identified it as impure amorphous alloy.
• The Standard Template Construct explained that Carrion Rats accumulated alloy in their stomachs after eating garbage, and Cheng Qi found eight pieces among the corpses.
• Cheng Qi recognized the rats as a potential fortune and stared greedily at the survivors, who were overcome by fear.

Cheng Qi searched for Song Dayi's genetic research institute by using the Killer Rats' reactions as a guide. He pinpointed the area they were protecting and prepared to investigate what lay beneath it.

• Cheng Qi recalled that Mo had to survive so he could cash out, then flew toward the former Muon Research Center to search for Song Dayi's institute.
• Cheng Qi realized his C-gene enhancement improved his control of the turbine-powered shoes and considered the limits of his Extreme Warrior Armor and silicon-based body.
• Cheng Qi reasoned that Area 53 was south of Area 52 and flew south, watching the Killer Rats become increasingly agitated as he approached their protected area.
• Cheng Qi moved past the rats' target and backtracked until their frenzy pinpointed the spot they were guarding.
• Cheng Qi prepared to investigate what the Killer Rats were protecting and whether it was connected to the genetic research institute.

Cheng Qi drilled through the garbage using his silicon-based body and gravity gloves, reaching a buried Gene Research Institute. Inside, he discovered thousands of abandoned lab mice that had starved in their jars, and wondered whether humanity might one day be treated the same way by a more advanced civilization.

• Cheng Qi transformed into a crystalline drill and plunged through the garbage heap, escaping the Killer Rats above.
• He landed in an underground office, where he found the remains of a sign and realized he had reached the Gene Research Institute.
• Cheng Qi explored the abandoned facility and entered a sample room containing thousands of jars with tiny skeletons.
• He recognized the remains as lab mice used in Song Dayi's experiments and saw scratches showing they had died trapped and starving.
• Cheng Qi reflected on whether humans might be treated as experimental subjects by an advanced civilization.

Cheng Qi discovered that a tiny white lab mouse had consumed the Gene-Completion Agent and transformed into a silicon-based lifeform capable of controlling the Killer Rats. The mouse declared Cheng Qi an intruder and summoned the Killer Rats to attack him underground.

• Cheng Qi found the Gene-Completion Agent tanks empty and noticed irregular residue suggesting something had drunk their contents.
• Cheng Qi encountered a small white mouse with an exposed brain and pink crystals growing on it.
• The mouse communicated with Cheng Qi through a special exchange and condemned humans as cruel demons.
• The mouse declared that Cheng Qi had trespassed into its territory and signaled the Killer Rats to kill him.
• Killer Rats began digging toward Cheng Qi as the ceiling crumbled, revealing that the transformed mouse was their Rat King.

Cheng Qi befriended the silicon-based mouse Zhi Zhi and received her blood, a powerful serum that could save Boss Mo. As Zhi Zhi’s enormous rat army pledged its service, Cheng Qi left the facility and discovered that the rats reacted to him by vomiting.

• Cheng Qi revealed his silicon-based nature, and the little white mouse recognized their shared origins and asked to become his companion.
• The little white mouse offered Cheng Qi her blood, which the Standard Template Construct identified as a potent serum capable of saving Boss Mo.
• Hundreds of Killer Rats bowed to Cheng Qi after the little white mouse communicated with them, and she told him her subjects numbered over 145 million.
• Cheng Qi named the little white mouse Zhi Zhi and asked her to help recover alloy from the rats’ stomachs.
• On the surface, Zhi Zhi’s rats vomited in batches at the sight of Cheng Qi, leaving him feeling insulted.

Cheng Qi used two third-generation Iron Moms to collect and clean more than fifty thousand pieces of amorphous alloy, then returned to his underground shelter through the miniature stargate. He found that Foolish Boy and Xiao Qiong had improved the shelter, while Crow mistakenly believed Cheng Qi had failed.

• Cheng Qi found that roughly one in eight enormous red-furred rats contained alloy, leaving more than fifty thousand pieces scattered across the dump.
• Cheng Qi summoned two third-generation Iron Moms, which cleaned and carefully stored nearly all the amorphous alloy.
• Cheng Qi counted the alloy, Zhizhi, the 140 million Killer Rats, and Boss Mo's antidote among his gains, then returned to his underground shelter through the miniature stargate.
• Crow passed the outskirts of Kyoto for the third time and concluded that Cheng Qi had failed.
• Cheng Qi saw the stairs, platform, walkway, and planted grass that Foolish Boy and Xiao Qiong had added to the shelter, and joked that Foolish Boy had prepared him a grave.

Cheng Qi synthesized the Iron Moms' haul into 12,450 blocks of high-entropy alloy before learning that the Standard Template Construct could not synthesize beyond level 3 technology without information fragments. After the Construct revealed its civilization's goal of returning to the pinnacle of the universe, Cheng Qi contacted Mo and announced the enormous alloy shipment, leaving Mo scrambling to send transport crates.

• The Iron Moms returned with 49,803 blocks of impure amorphous alloy, and Cheng Qi synthesized them into 12,450 blocks of high-entropy alloy.
• The Standard Template Construct told Cheng Qi that it could not synthesize items from level 4 and higher civilizations without the corresponding information fragments.
• The Standard Template Construct revealed that its civilization had been scattered after suffering a devastating blow and hoped Cheng Qi would help it return to the pinnacle of the universe.
• Cheng Qi decided the Construct gave him a major technological advantage and called Mo to offer the high-entropy alloy.
• Mo questioned Cheng Qi about his missing tech crates, then reacted with shock when Cheng Qi said he had 12,450 blocks of high-entropy alloy.
• Mo told Cheng Qi to wait because transport crates were on their way and warned him not to drink low-quality Genetic Serums.

Cheng Qi waited for Mo’s delivery while the Interstellar Alliance warships scanned the area, then discovered that Mo had shipped himself inside the oversized Biotechnology Box. Mo doubted Cheng Qi could produce the promised alloy until Cheng Qi revealed all 12,450 ingots, leaving Mo speechless.

• Cheng Qi found the shelter entrance concealed beneath garbage and saw that Foolish Boy had rebuilt his old shack as a decoy.
• Cheng Qi detected scanning beams from the hovering Interstellar Alliance warships and realized they could not reach his underground shelter.
• Cheng Qi heard a faint noise from a garbage heap, then prepared to receive the unusually large Biotechnology Box Mo had sent.
• Cheng Qi opened the box and found Mo wedged inside, then pulled him out.
• Mo questioned whether Cheng Qi could produce 12,450 ingots of high-entropy alloy, and Cheng Qi revealed four towering pyramids of alloy in the shack.

Mo discovered Cheng Qi’s enormous cache of high-entropy alloy and offered him a generous credit line, but Cheng Qi warned that the Mo Family had been poisoned. Cheng Qi gave Mo a rare drop of blood that could neutralize the toxin, leaving Mo to investigate his family and physician.

• Mo counted Cheng Qi’s more than ten thousand pieces of high-entropy alloy and offered him a five-hundred-million-Credit-Point credit line.
• Cheng Qi asked Mo for every failed batch of Black-Market Gene Serum, and Mo guessed that Cheng Qi was trying to refine serum himself.
• Cheng Qi recognized signs of poisoning in Mo, including his aversion to light and golden specks in his pupils, and said the Mo Family had been poisoned through its High-Energy Protein Extract.
• Cheng Qi warned Mo that the family physician might know the truth and be involved in the poisoning.
• Cheng Qi gave Mo a drop of blood that he said could neutralize the toxin, then teased Mo about having suspected him of taking a shipping crate.

Mo warned Cheng Qi that the Interstellar Alliance combat squad had bought weapons beyond its military allotment, suggesting plans outside its orders. As the squad arrived over Garbage Earth, Cheng Qi hid Zhi Zhi and ordered his companions and allies to stay safe before heading alone to the Scavenger Alliance headquarters.

• Mo told Cheng Qi his family descended from Mozi and promised to repay him, then warned that the Interstellar Alliance combat squad had bought extra weapons for an unknown purpose.
• Mo departed Earth in his Biological Transport Box, and Cheng Qi called Foolish Boy and Xiao Qiong back to the Shelter.
• Xiao Qiong welcomed Zhi Zhi as a new pet and made her a straw hat, while Cheng Qi ordered everyone to remain in the Shelter and told Foolish Boy to warn Monkey and the others to stop buying.
• The Scavenger Alliance announced that B24 District’s scavengers had to gather at headquarters to welcome the combat squad.
• Cheng Qi concealed his armor and abilities, left his companions behind, and went to investigate the squad at the headquarters.