Chapter Summaries

Yang Yi and his companions reached the island housing the Radiant Holy Church, where they found a town whose inhabitants had dissolved after the dream incident. Reinhardt destroyed an Insoluble Remains monster, and Yang Yi and Su Na began collecting its bones as possible protection against dissolution.

• Yang Yi instructed Mars to retrieve his ship, avoid clashing with the natives, and gather information about occupying the corpse island.
• Yang Yi's group reached the island, and Cui Bisi illuminated it with a Light Spell before they went ashore.
• Yang Yi found the town covered in dried human slurry and realized nearly everyone had dissolved after the dream incident.
• Reinhardt destroyed an Insoluble Remains monster near the Grand Church and questioned Yang Yi about using dissolution-related dark arts.
• Su Na identified the monster's bones as Insoluble Remains and urged Yang Yi to collect them for possible use as outer armor.

Yang Yi and his companions used a series of Teleportation Arrays to reach the Holy Capital, where they arrived before the magnificent Gate of Glory. Yang Yi admired its design until he noticed a strange creature at the checkpoint beside it.

• Cui Bisi led Yang Yi's group to the Teleportation Array, and Reinhardt activated it with magic stones.
• Su Na studied and photographed the array while Yang Yi considered bringing teleportation technology to Steam Island.
• Yang Yi and his companions passed through more than a dozen arrays and saw two partially abandoned islands along the way.
• Yang Yi's group arrived before the enormous Gate of Glory, where Yang Yi noticed kneeling people and found 37 players in the Regional Channel.
• Yang Yi spotted a strange, humanlike creature at the checkpoint and struggled not to laugh.

Yang Yi and Reinhardt reached the Gate of Glory, where the Radiant Holy Church’s player guard demanded that arriving players surrender their belongings for inspection. Yang Yi passed through with Reinhardt and questioned him about the immense gate and the stronghold, leaving the players behind to follow Yang Yi’s lead.

• Yang Yi learned that the hairless mole in golden armor was a player named Ito Sho, then switched to the sub-system with Su Na, Cui Xiya, and Xiaoji.
• Ito Sho ordered arriving players to hand over their equipment and storage items, and the Holy Church Knights stopped one player who tried to leave.
• Reinhardt led Yang Yi and his companions through the checkpoint without surrendering their belongings, while other players recognized Yang Yi and decided to follow his lead.
• Yang Yi reached the Gate of Glory and asked Reinhardt who built it and what its enormous doors were meant to keep out.
• Yang Yi asked whether anything could fly over the stronghold, and Reinhardt said he had never considered the possibility.

Yang Yi entered the Holy Capital with Reinhardt and saw its vast, thriving waterways and buildings as they traveled toward the Oracle Saintess. After several teleportations, they arrived at the plaza beneath the colossal Radiant Goddess Statue, where Yang Yi noticed a sewer cover at its feet.

• Mosen returned to the checkpoint, learned that Reinhardt had captured One-Eye, and gave Ito Sho a strange spike before going to sleep.
• Yang Yi discovered that the system’s chat function was unavailable after he entered the Gate of Glory.
• Reinhardt led Yang Yi through the Holy Capital, where Yang Yi and Su Na observed its canals, buildings, churches, and execution platforms.
• Yang Yi and Reinhardt traveled by boat and then used three Teleportation Arrays to reach the Radiant Goddess Statue.
• Yang Yi examined the statue and spotted a sewer cover near its feet.

Yang Yi and his companions reached the temple district for an audience with Saintess Istil, who said the Radiant Goddess had foretold their arrival and their role in destroying the system. When Istil tried to remove the system’s restrictions from their bodies, Yang Yi attacked her with his sword.

• Yang Yi asked Reinhardt about the giant goddess statue, learning that the Divine Knight had made it in less than a day.
• Yang Yi, Su Na, Cui Xiya, and Xiaoji reached the temple district, while other players had to wait outside for their audience.
• Yang Yi entered the temple and met Saintess Istil, who said the Radiant Goddess had foretold he would help destroy the system.
• Istil told the group not to resist as she prepared to remove the system’s restrictions, and Yang Yi armed himself in response.
• Istil’s white light enveloped the group, and Yang Yi slashed through it with his sword toward her.

Saintess Istil revealed her hidden strength, removed the system restrictions from Yang Yi and his companions, and explained that they had been cultivated in a virtual world by the system to help it invade and destroy this world. The chapter left Yang Yi confronting the truth about his origins and the system’s purpose.

• Istil blocked Yang Yi’s attack with her cane sword and revealed that she was the original Divine Knight, far stronger than him.
• Istil extracted the system restrictions from Yang Yi, Su Na, Cui Xiya, and Xiaoji, then destroyed the four masses of blue-black substance.
• Yang Yi found that his system interface had frozen, though its system-switching button still remained usable.
• Istil accurately described Blue Star and told Yang Yi and Su Na that their former world had been a virtual environment built to cultivate them as data.
• Istil said the system had created them to invade and destroy this world.

Saintess Istil explained that the system threatened the world and asked Yang Yi and the other Players to stay in the Holy Capital until they could help find and destroy it. Yang Yi accepted her offer after taking a powerful suit of armor, and left with Reinhardt assigned to train and watch over him.

• Istil explained that earlier groups of Players had mostly met bad ends and asked Yang Yi to help destroy the system when the time came.
• Istil offered Yang Yi armor and a weapon in exchange for his agreement to stay in the Holy Capital and help her; Yang Yi quickly stored the armor and promised to thwart the system.
• Istil said Yang Yi was not yet strong enough to become a Nightmare Knight, assigned Reinhardt to teach him swordsmanship, and encouraged the Players to explore the Holy Capital.
• Yang Yi and the others left the Temple, where Yang Yi found Reinhardt unhappy about being assigned as his minder.
• More Players arrived at the Temple, and Yang Yi asked Reinhardt how many had come to the Holy Capital and whether any earlier Players or their descendants still lived.

Yang Yi and his companions settled into a prepared residence in the Holy Capital after Reinhardt guided them there. They suspected the Saintess could watch them through the light and discussed investigating a possible sewer entrance beneath a Goddess statue while searching for a way out.

• Reinhardt led Yang Yi's group through the layered Holy Capital to a detached three-story building prepared for their stay.
• Yang Yi asked Reinhardt where to find him for sword practice, and Reinhardt gave him Room 1701 and lent him a boat.
• Yang Yi found food and Happy Water in the residence, then covered its windows and doors to block out light from the Saintess's gaze.
• Yang Yi and Su Na privately wrote that most of the Saintess's claims were probably true but still required verification.
• Su Na proposed exploring the dark sewers through a manhole cover beneath a Goddess statue, since the group appeared trapped in the Holy Capital.

Yang Yi trained with Reinhardt at the Radiant Holy Sanctuary and tried to learn about the Church’s Holy Communion and its power of light. After White Knight Hetis stopped him from giving toys to the Paladin Apprentices, Yang Yi realized their teacher had warned them to avoid him.

• Yang Yi sparred with Reinhardt, who corrected his reckless swordsmanship and dismissed his tricks.
• Yang Yi asked why his Supreme Holy Slash could not use the power of light and suggested Holy Communion granted that power, but Reinhardt refused to explain.
• Yang Yi ended practice early to work on his basic attributes at the Paladin training facilities.
• Yang Yi tried to approach the Paladin Apprentices with gifts, but most of them fled or kept their distance.
• White Knight Hetis broke Yang Yi’s model toys, warned him not to lead the children astray, and allowed him to keep using the training facilities.
• Yang Yi realized Hetis had warned the apprentices to avoid him.

Yang Yi and his companions compared intelligence on the Holy Capital, its Paladins, residents, and possible hidden magic array while keeping their activities discreet. They continued investigating the city and its other players, planning to leave when the time was right rather than settle there or meet the system’s conditions for occupying Miracle Island.

• Yang Yi reviewed the five known Paladins with Su Na and questioned Cui Xiya about how many the Radiant Holy Church had, but she said she had left before learning such classified information.
• Cui Xiya reported that she had become the leader of the local Light Fairies and expected to learn where other players lived, but she had found no leads on Zhou Dai.
• Yang Yi assigned Xiaoji to map the area and probe the sewers, while Su Na watched residents and gathered intelligence and Yang Yi focused on Reinhardt and strengthening his combat ability.
• Su Na told Yang Yi that the residents’ harmony might be maintained by their shared faith, Heretic Arbitration incidents, and a vast magic array formed by the churches and God Statues.
• Yang Yi warned Cui Xiya and Xiaoji that clergy and the Saintess were monitoring them, urged everyone to blend in, and said he intended to leave the Holy Capital when the time was right.

Yang Yi and his companions settled into life in the Holy Capital while he trained at the Radiant Holy Sanctuary and the Oracle Saintess recruited players by offering them powerful equipment. Three months later, Yang Yi combined a gunshot with a sword strike to catch Reinhardt during a sparring match.

• Yang Yi's group adapted to the Holy Capital as Su Na joined the church, Xiaoji fished, and Cui Xiya turned their garden into a dangerous vegetable patch.
• Yang Yi trained at the Radiant Holy Sanctuary and secretly used Su Na's potions to improve before sparring with Reinhardt.
• A player revealed that players had sub-systems and that occupying Miracle Island required exterminating its indigenous inhabitants; Istil gave him Superior Fearless Knight Armor to win his allegiance.
• Over the next three months, players continued defecting to the Radiant Holy Church in exchange for status and equipment.
• Yang Yi swung Broken Iron and fired a shot at Reinhardt, then used Three Eyes to track Reinhardt's dodge and exploit the opening.

Yang Yi continued training with Reinhardt and later learned that the Saintess had secretly dealt with players hiding in the Holy Capital. A Cleric questioned him about Zhou Dai, and Yang Yi realized she had replaced her head or possibly her entire body.

• Yang Yi sparred with Reinhardt for nearly five hours, and Reinhardt praised his rapid improvement before ending the fiery training session.
• The Forsworn Soul assessed Reinhardt's swordsmanship as exceptionally skilled and coached Yang Yi on how to respond to his attacks.
• Yang Yi returned home and rescued a Cleric from a giant flesh-colored cabbage that was trying to digest him.
• The Cleric told Yang Yi that the Saintess was investigating a player believed to have infiltrated the Holy Capital and showed him a list of nine players she had secretly dealt with.
• Yang Yi recognized Zhou Dai in the list, claimed he had encountered her before, and concluded that she had replaced her head or perhaps her whole body.

Yang Yi exposed the Cleric as Hogru, a Brain-Eating Demon and Zhou Dai’s third offspring, and learned that Zhou Dai had escaped the Holy Capital’s purge. Hogru revealed their plan to overthrow Saintess Istil, whom they believed was impersonating the Radiant Goddess, but a commotion outside interrupted him.

• Yang Yi stopped the Cleric from leaving and demanded that he grow two replacement giant Chinese cabbages.
• Yang Yi brought the Cleric into his dark residence, where the Cleric revealed himself as Hogru, a Brain-Eating Demon.
• Hogru identified Zhou Dai as his Mother and explained how she had escaped the Holy Capital’s purge by abandoning her body and arranging for someone else to die in her place.
• Hogru explained that he and Zhou Dai believed Saintess Istil was a fraud and that the Radiant Goddess had called on Zhou Dai to overthrow her.
• A commotion and shouting outside made Hogru stop speaking and watch the door warily.

Yang Yi and his companions questioned Hogru, a Brain-Eating Demon who claimed that the Radiant Goddess had chosen a hidden Mother as her true Saintess. Hogru left without revealing Mother’s identity or location, while Su Na’s questions suggested that she suspected Mother was beneath the Holy Capital.

• Yang Yi stopped Cui Xiya from feeding Hogru to the vegetables and heard that the woman he had asked her to find had been executed as a Heretic.
• Hogru revealed his true form, startling Cui Xiya, before Su Na and Xiaoji returned and asked about him.
• Hogru explained that Mother was the Radiant Goddess’s chosen one, but refused to disclose her identity or location.
• Su Na questioned Hogru’s claims and guessed that Mother was beneath the Holy Capital, but Hogru would not confirm it.
• Su Na asked Hogru for reproductive cells, which he refused to provide, and Yang Yi sent him away with cabbage leaves and fertilizer to plant two vegetables.

The New World Fleet assembled its forces and began its campaign to capture Green Island. In the Holy Capital, Hogru told Yang Yi that the Saintess would enter the underground the next day, creating an opportunity for secret activity.

• The New World Fleet prepared warships, mechs, robots, and allied forces for its assault on Green Island.
• Shen Guanquan warned the assembled factions that the system would determine contributions and threatened those who disobeyed orders or exploited the campaign.
• Xu Da reported that Green Island remained unchanged and confirmed its location, after which the operation officially began.
• Yang Yi continued training and protecting the growing cabbages while Hogru visited to fertilize them.
• Hogru told Yang Yi and his companions to meet him and his mother in the sewers beneath Goddess Square at nine the next morning, while the Saintess was underground.

Yang Yi arranged to skip training so he could meet Zhou Dai, then provoked Reinhardt into beating him badly enough to need treatment. As Su Na considered staying in the Holy Capital for a comfortable life, Yang Yi refused and chose to pursue the city’s secrets with Zhou Dai.

• Yang Yi decided to have Reinhardt injure him so he could miss training and meet Zhou Dai without arousing suspicion.
• Yang Yi provoked Reinhardt into kicking him out of his building, and Reinhardt carried him to the Temple Area for further sparring.
• Reinhardt brought the severely injured Yang Yi to Su Na, who treated him with magic, potions, and surgery.
• After Yang Yi recovered, Su Na suggested they stay in the Holy Capital, but Yang Yi chose to meet Zhou Dai and continue investigating.

Yang Yi and his companions sneaked beneath the goddess statue and followed Meshal through the plaza’s hidden waterways. They reached the Shadow Society’s concealed antechamber, where an argument could be heard beyond the door.

• Yang Yi slipped through a concealed floor opening into the water, and the others disappeared from public view soon afterward.
• Yang Yi, Cui Xiya, Su Na, and Xiaoji met underwater and entered the sewers beneath the plaza using Xiaoji’s map.
• The group emerged into the underground passages and met Meshal, a Brain-Eating Demon who introduced herself as Mother’s seventh offspring and offered to guide them.
• Meshal led the group through the passages to a hidden entrance, where Su Na recognized soundproofing and aura-concealment magic arrays.
• The group entered the antechamber and found a plaque marked “Shadow Society” beside a door from which arguing could be heard.

Yang Yi and his companions met the Shadow Society, whose members were divided over whether the Radiant Goddess existed. Yang Yi gained their trust by invoking Dororov’s memories, while Zhou Dai’s claims about the true Goddess remained unproven.

• Yang Yi entered the Shadow Society’s meeting and Zhou Dai introduced him as a powerful Player who could aid their plan.
• Chekhov confronted Yang Yi, but Yang Yi repeated secrets and a fighting stance associated with Lord Dororov, then revealed the Oathbreaker Armor and explained the connection.
• The Shadow Society welcomed Yang Yi and his companions, while its members ignored Zhou Dai’s insistence that the group should become the Radiant Goddess Church.
• Su Na asked why the others rejected the Goddess and why Zhou Dai believed the worshipped Goddess was false.
• Zhou Dai claimed she had heard an Oracle saying Saintess Istil had hidden the real Radiant Goddess and monopolized her powers, but offered no evidence.

The Shadow Society debated whether the Radiant Goddess existed, but Zhou Dai revealed that divine prophecies had guided her and predicted Yang Yi’s arrival. The group prepared an operation to enter the hidden space beneath the Holy Capital and find the Goddess, if she existed.

• Su Na listened as Zhou Dai and Chekhov’s allies traded arguments about the Radiant Goddess, with neither side offering decisive evidence.
• Zhou Dai explained that the deity had guided her to the Shadow Society and predicted that a liberator would come to welcome the Goddess back into the world.
• Yang Yi learned that Zhou Dai had foreseen his arrival more than half a year earlier, though the prophecy had only recently become clear.
• The Shadow Society planned explosions, fires, and a prison break to distract the Radiant Holy Church and the Holy Church Knights.
• Yang Yi, Zhou Dai, Chekhov, and the others prepared to use the chaos to descend beneath the Holy Capital, gather evidence, and liberate the Radiant Goddess if she existed.

Yang Yi rejected the Shadow Society’s plan to reach the Radiant Goddess beneath the Holy Capital and left its meeting. Zhou Dai later asked him privately to accompany her below and to sell her Great Sea Lung brain matter, but Yang Yi remained wary of releasing the dangerous lifeform.

• Yang Yi refused to cooperate with the Shadow Society and left with Su Na, Cui Xiya, and Xiaoji.
• The other Shadow Society members blamed Zhou Dai for bringing Yang Yi, then abandoned the meeting, leaving Chekhov and Zhou Dai behind.
• Meshal met Yang Yi outside and led him to a second meeting room for a private conversation with Zhou Dai.
• Zhou Dai and Meshal switched bodies, after which Zhou Dai apologized and said the Radiant Goddess was beneath the Holy Capital.
• Zhou Dai claimed the Goddess had given a revelation urging Yang Yi to go below with her, but Yang Yi remained unwilling to risk releasing the dangerous lifeform.
• Zhou Dai asked Yang Yi if she could buy some Great Sea Lung brain matter, making him recognize her familiar nature as a Brain-Eating Demon.