Chapter Summaries

Chen Lun entered the Sewage Flats and forced his way into the Iron Fist Gang’s base, killing two gang members in the courtyard before confronting Gary. Gary ordered his men to attack, but Chen Lun shot down the first two, leaving the rest stunned as Gary suspected he was from the Containment Bureau.

• Chen Lun entered the Bird-and-Flower Tavern and ignored the proprietress’s attempt to deny it was the Iron Fist Gang’s base.
• The proprietress tried to alert the gang, but several rats bit her and carried off her walkie-talkie.
• Chen Lun threatened a drunk with his Flintlock, passed through the kitchen, and entered the inner courtyard.
• Chen Lun killed two Iron Fist Gang members with a kitchen knife and entered the building, where he found Gary and several gang members.
• Gary ordered his men to kill Chen Lun, but Chen Lun shot down two attackers, prompting Gary to wonder whether Chen Lun was an investigator from the Containment Bureau.

Chen Lun defeated Gary Bent and the Iron Fist Gang, then claimed control of the Sewage Flats. Gary had surrendered to save his life, but he was shocked when Chen Lun declared that he would take over.

• Gary ordered the Iron Fist Gang to shoot Chen Lun, who used one of the attackers as a shield and returned fire.
• Chen Lun fought off the gang members and blocked Gary's powerful kicks with one hand.
• Gary recognized Chen Lun as a Transcendent and, realizing he was the outsider his men had targeted, knelt and begged for mercy.
• Chen Lun asked if Gary would pay any price, then announced that he would call the shots in the Sewage Flats.
• Gary raised his head in shock and asked what Chen Lun meant.

Chen Lun confronted Gary about the kidnapped craftsmen and learned that Butler Feldman, acting for Councilor Daniel, had ordered them to build mechanical gloves. After enslaving Gary and taking his money, Chen Lun sent him to investigate Viscount Pompey and watch for Dolly.

• Chen Lun confronted Gary with the Mad Hands and Blunderbuss, and Gary killed his remaining subordinates to keep the night's events secret.
• Gary revealed that Butler Feldman had ordered him to kidnap craftsmen and make mechanical gloves, then showed Chen Lun where to find a flawed blueprint copy.
• Gary said Feldman had taken most of the gang's income, and Chen Lun ordered Gary to give him forty-five Gold Pounds and have the craftsmen make Lead Bullets.
• Chen Lun used [Siren's Song] to deepen his control over Gary, who handed over his personal savings and pledged to obey.
• Chen Lun ordered Gary to find news and the home address of Viscount Pompey and report any information about Dolly; the King of Sewage Flats quest was completed and its rewards were granted.

After returning home, Chen Lun let a stray border collie stay and acquired the Record-Keeper secondary class from Kemberney’s memoirs. He mastered Transcription, which could reproduce low-sequence Transcendent knowledge, and planned to use it to sell knowledge to future players.

• Chen Lun returned to No. 7 Denton Street, where Froy had waited for him, and allowed the stray border collie to stay.
• Chen Lun claimed the quest reward and obtained the Mad Hands prototype drawing, then read Record-Keeper Kemberney’s memoirs.
• Chen Lun acquired the Record-Keeper secondary class and learned Transcription, which copied Transcendent knowledge using mystical materials.
• Chen Lun decided he could provide copied Transcendent knowledge to future players for a price.
• Chen Lun spent experience and skill points to max out Record-Keeper and Transcription, gaining a memory function and improved attributes.

After reaching level 30, Chen Lun spent the morning with Froy and Connie before going to a bookstore to search for books that might contain extraordinary knowledge. He left the bookstore browsing its shelves, hoping to find a path toward Sequence 8.

• Chen Lun checked his level and attributes, noting that he still needed extraordinary knowledge to advance to Sequence 8.
• Froy brought Chen Lun a breakfast she had prepared with Mrs. Caroline, and he praised her cooking.
• Chen Lun gave Connie mechanical gloves and a blunderbuss from the previous night's attackers to study.
• Chen Lun went to the Old Cripple Bookshop to look for books that might teach him extraordinary knowledge.
• Chen Lun browsed the bookstore while its elderly owner continued reading behind the counter.

Connie brought Chen Lun plans for improving Mad Hands and Fierce Flame, revealing her talent for machinery, and he gave her money to buy materials and use workshop tools. Chen Lun declined Froy’s invitation to dine at Mrs. Caroline’s, still wary of questions about Kent and his life in the Outer District.

• Connie visited Chen Lun and presented her plans to reinforce Fierce Flame and refine the Mechanical Glove.
• Chen Lun praised Connie’s mechanical talent and encouraged her to try her modifications.
• Chen Lun gave Connie two Gold Pounds for materials and workshop access, and she left to begin her work.
• Froy asked whether Chen Lun would dine at Mrs. Caroline’s, but he declined, remembering Mrs. Caroline’s questions about Kent and his work.

Chen Lun searched Taut’s bookstore for transcendent knowledge and discovered that the old man’s book contained a complete Earth Faction Sequence 9 pathway. Taut refused to sell it, but Chen Lun brought Mrs. Caroline to offer him afternoon tea, leaving the old man accepting her leftover cookies.

• Chen Lun returned to Taut’s bookstore and searched through its books for mystical knowledge, but found nothing on the shelves.
• Chen Lun noticed the tome Taut was reading and paid a Gold Pound to inspect it, discovering it contained the Earth Faction Sequence 9: Tomb Raider pathway.
• Chen Lun asked Taut to sell him the book, but Taut refused and suggested he might reconsider if he could try Mrs. Caroline’s cooking.
• Chen Lun left and returned with Mrs. Caroline, who offered Taut a plate of leftover cookies, and Taut accepted it with a refined smile.

Feldman arrived at the Bird-and-Flower Tavern to meet Gary, but found Chen Lun waiting for him instead. Chen Lun had gone to the Sewage Flats to gain information about Councilor Daniel and Dolly, the Big Eater.

• Chen Lun gave Connie money for her father's medicine, but she refused because she would not give him more of the Red Apple Church's drugs.
• Chen Lun received Gary's letter saying Feldman would visit that night, then headed to the Bird-and-Flower Tavern.
• The proprietress directed Chen Lun to the inner courtyard, where he hinted that there would be no trouble this time.
• Feldman arrived with two bodyguards, passed through the tavern, and entered the building expecting to meet Gary.
• Feldman found Chen Lun waiting on the sofa instead of Gary.

Chen Lun confronted Feldman at the Iron Fist Gang’s gathering, killed Feldman’s two bodyguards, and forced Feldman to reveal a supernatural oil painting. Feldman used the painting to summon spirits and attack Chen Lun, who quickly overpowered him.

• Chen Lun questioned Feldman, then shot and killed his two bodyguards in a brief fight.
• Feldman tried to flee, but Gary and the Iron Fist Gang members blocked the exit.
• Chen Lun tried to hypnotize Feldman with the [Siren's Song], but a black light from Feldman’s jacket resisted the influence.
• An oil painting flew from Feldman’s waistcoat and released spirits that transformed him into a shadow-covered fighter.
• Feldman attacked Chen Lun, but Chen Lun dodged his blows and sent him crashing to the floor.

Chen Lun killed Feldman after learning Councilor Daniel was involved, then finished reading a mystical book. He found Connie grieving her father’s death and asked Froy to look after her, leaving Connie’s future recruitment unspoken.

• Feldman lost control and attacked Chen Lun, but Chen Lun disabled him and ordered the Iron Fist Gang to shoot him dead.
• Chen Lun ordered Gary to have Feldman’s body sealed and buried, then told him to finish the assigned tasks and report any trouble.
• Chen Lun finished reading Collection of Tomb Art Appreciation and gained a skill point and an attribute point.
• Chen Lun found neighbors comforting Connie after her father, Mr. Hood, died from withdrawal from Fruit Honey.
• Chen Lun asked Froy to give Connie extra care over the next few days, then apologized when he realized his tone had hurt her.