Arc 1Chapters 1–25
No recap yet.
No recap yet.
After inheriting Su Mei Island and taking charge of his struggling household, Tang Wen discovered a mysterious space that transported him to a modern parallel world. There, he intervened when a fleeing criminal threatened a child.
After rescuing Luo Lin, Tang Wen befriended the Luo family, obtained identity documents and supplies, and returned to Su Mei Island with silver and provisions. He began improving the island settlement, but on the way to Yanling Commandery, he and his companions were confronted by men demanding a toll at the bridge.
Tang Wen used a prop gun to stop refugees from blocking his bridge, then recruited sixty-two people into the Tang household. Their popularity empowered him to break through his acupoints and reach the middle stage of the ninth rank.
Tang Wen brought refugees and supplies to Yanling Commandery, tested Zhan Dongwen’s loyalty, and arranged sales of Western novelties before returning to Su Mei Island. He insisted that everyone be fed, reassuring his mother that he had enough gold to provide for them.
Tang Wen organized an estate guard on Su Mei Island and discovered that his damaged system could open only its first gate. After crossing to the Great Eastern Republic, he met Luo Jun and his associates to arrange blades and discuss selling more pills.
Tang Wen sold pills and cultivation techniques in the Great Eastern Republic, bought supplies and weapons, then returned to the Chu Kingdom. There, he found Zhan Junru shivering outside his tent and began teaching her about his modern belongings while she insisted on serving him.
Tang Wen planned to win over Su Mei Island’s residents by providing food and improving irrigation, then discovered a silver mine hidden beneath the Tang family’s ruined residences. He suspected Steward Jiang Chang had conspired with pirates to conceal the mine, while Li Quan and Zhang Kui returned with the exchanged gold.
Tang Wen recruited refugees into his household, absorbed their human energy, and made another journey to the Great Eastern Republic to obtain supplies and engineering plans. He returned to Crouching Dragon Lake ready to rebuild its dam, but arrived amid a battle.
Tang Wen repelled a nighttime attack on the Tang household camp, but two servants died and the attackers escaped. He planned stronger defenses and promised the bereaved families support and revenge, as the camp’s people rallied behind him.
Tang Wen organized construction, clothing production, and guard training while learning that war with Great Qin was worsening and refugees were arriving in Yanling. Sun Ping then revealed that more than a hundred refugees were hiding nearby after hearing rumors that Tang Wen would enslave and abuse them.
Tang Wen developed plans for a clothing business, a larger lake, and recruiting refugees while strengthening his camp. After learning that the rival Gu Family was weakened by its sick mistress and rumors about Tang Wen, he decided to keep feeding refugees and wait for its people to defect.
Tang Wen discovered Zhan Junru’s natural appearance and oversaw the growth of his camp before gaining enough popularity to make another traversal. After returning with supplies and plans, he organized security, training, and construction of a fortified dam.
Tang Wen received a visit from Ge Ziyun and a formidable Gu family fighter, who challenged his claim to the island. After the fighter displayed his strength, Tang Wen countered with a concealed crossbow and left the confrontation unresolved.
Tang Wen used his crossbow to establish his authority, then examined the bedridden Gu Hanyan despite her companions’ suspicions. He diagnosed her with malaria and claimed treating her would cost tens of thousands of taels, while Ge Ziyun warned that the man must not go to Yanling Commandery because the Six Fan Gate had been seen there.
Tang Wen agreed to save Gu Hanyan’s family from illness in exchange for the Gu group joining his household and Gu Hanyan becoming his personal maid. After recruiting them, he strengthened his guards and returned to Yunhai City to acquire supplies and equipment for building a modern fighting force.
Tang Wen expanded his island’s defenses and infrastructure while waiting for enough popularity points to reactivate the Great Landlord System. After his mirror, lipstick, and perfume trade became a sensation in Yanling Commandery, he began the Crouching Dragon Lake dam project and explained that a stepped reservoir system would supply the camp with water.
Tang Wen completed a system of filtered running water, latrines, and showers for the camp, astonishing its residents. As Gu Hanyan and her companions speculated about his strange abilities and discussed her hidden identity, Tang Wen noticed his popularity had fallen and learned the space would reward him with a popularity eye at higher thresholds.
Tang Wen recruited more than 180 disaster refugees, fed them, and began evaluating them for sale contracts and service in his estate. Their contracts gave him enough popularity to advance his cultivation and activate his sixth crossing, and he formed a tenth-rank popularity eye.
Tang Wen used his newly awakened Popularity Eye to identify three guards plotting against him and forced two of them to reveal a plan to open the rear gate for intruders. He prepared an ambush, and when dozens of attackers entered at night, his men illuminated the camp and struck them with crossbows.
Tang Wen defeated the attackers on Su Mei Island, punished the traitors, and strengthened his defenses before returning to Yunhai City to establish a trading company and buy supplies. The chapter ended with the system requiring 250 Popularity for his seventh crossing.
Tang Wen returned to Su Mei Island, built modern prefabricated residences, and prepared to strengthen his settlement. The chapter ended with Head Constable Yang Yun visiting Tang Wen, who hosted him and heard about the dangers of voyages to the West.
Tang Wen learned that Governor Zhang’s father had been driven mad by the loss of a Western painting and used his own painting of Athena to impress Yang Yun. Yang Yun explained how wartime donations could earn Tang Wen military merit, and Tang Wen agreed to pursue a higher title so he could eventually raise more guards for Su Mei Island.
Tang Wen entertained Yang Yun with rare Grape Wine and Tuna Can, winning his gratitude while revealing his own literary and political ambitions. After Yang Yun left, Tang Wen ordered inquiries into the demoted Martial Jinshi and approved beginning the dam work that afternoon.
Tang Wen organized the dam construction while installing photovoltaic equipment that brought electric lighting to the island camp. After the lights amazed the islanders, he showed Zhan Junru and Gu Hanyan modern comforts in the prefab house.
Tang Wen confronted Gu Hanyan after she caught him watching her and Zhan Junru bathe, exposing that Gu Hanyan had disguised her face and was a skilled martial artist. He refused to let her buy her freedom, and the chapter ended with Gu Hanyan threatening him while Zhan Junru shielded him.