Chapter Summaries

Zhou Shangqing’s memories revealed how guilt over the 1,796 worlds burned because of his lie and the pressure of his talent drove him to attempt suicide and flee the Wasteland. After he explained his suffering to Ye Qiyan, Ye Qiyan thought of Li Xiaosheng and the different burdens their talents had brought them.

• Zhou Shangqing recalled how rising expectations and guilt over worlds burned as fuel led him to isolate himself and leave a suicide note.
• During his year-long Wasteland crossing, Zhou Shangqing became overwhelmed by the ongoing destruction and tried to kill himself, but could not go through with it.
• Zhou Shangqing activated the Escapist permission, abandoned his train, and entered a Platform World inhabited by his own species.
• Haunted by memories of the dead, Zhou Shangqing discarded his belongings, sealed his memories, and became a beggar who punished himself.
• After Zhou Shangqing told Ye Qiyan about his past, Ye Qiyan thought of Li Xiaosheng and how their talents had burdened them in different ways.

Ye Qiyan learned that the Wasteland had no end and welcomed the endless journey, while Zhou Shangqing struggled with the guilt and expectations that had driven him to flee. Their exchange left Zhou unable to understand why Ye Qiyan refused to let others’ expectations define his path.

• Zhou Shangqing revealed that he had faked his death and fled after failing to live up to expectations tied to his Talent, [Surpass the Stars].
• Zhou Shangqing explained that the Wasteland had no end and that the Trains could only keep moving forward through it.
• Ye Qiyan celebrated the endless journey, saying it meant more worlds, Platforms, adventures, and companions, and thanked Zhou Shangqing for telling him.
• Zhou Shangqing insisted that a road without an end was despair, but Ye Qiyan called him a Hero for sharing the news.
• Zhou Shangqing demanded to know whether Ye Qiyan would fare any better under the same expectations, and Ye Qiyan replied that he would not let others’ expectations shape a path he walked for himself.

Ye Qiyan used Zhuxing Tu’s Unequal Heavenly Gift card to trade for half of Zhou Shangqing’s Surpass the Stars talent, then offered him a chance to become a Train Conductor again. Zhou accepted, received a new locomotive, and learned Ye Qiyan’s claimed name was Altos.

• Ye Qiyan showed Zhou Shangqing the Unequal Heavenly Gift card and explained that it could trade for half of a talent.
• Ye Qiyan promised Zhou Shangqing he could return to the Wasteland as a new Train Conductor, and Zhou agreed to the trade.
• The trade halved Zhou Shangqing’s Surpass the Stars talent, and Ye Qiyan activated Newcomer Invitation for him.
• Zhou Shangqing accepted the System’s invitation, and a dilapidated locomotive appeared for him.
• Ye Qiyan offered Zhou Shangqing Redemption for his injuries and introduced himself as Altos, a demon.

Ye Qiyan gave Zhou Shangqing the freedom to begin a new life, then used the remnants of Zhou’s Talent to grant Lisette an ascended version of Surpass the Stars. Meanwhile, Zhuxing Tu learned that Zhou was alive and set out to retrieve an item she had planted on the Newcomer Platform.

• Zhou Shangqing accepted Redemption, kept his abilities and Modules, and boarded a lowest-level locomotive as a Newbie Train Conductor.
• Ye Qiyan explained to Lisette that he had traded away the troublesome Fate Card to obtain a Talent, then tried to absorb Surpass the Stars with Ascension.
• When Surpass the Stars began dissolving under Ascension’s power, Ye Qiyan gave its fragments to Lisette, who gained an accelerated version of the Talent with an added benefit when accelerating Ye Qiyan.
• Ye Qiyan watched Martial Dread and the Mechs fight in the City-State and judged that the battle would soon end.
• Zhuxing Tu replayed Fate’s Whisper and discovered that Zhou Shangqing was alive and had entered his Newbie Ten Stations.
• Zhuxing Tu realized the Fate Card would eventually return to her and went to retrieve an item she had secretly left to cause trouble for the Newcomer Platform.

Zhuxing Tu retrieved her thirteenth Fate Card from Zhou Shangqing after learning that Altos had restored his memories, then left him alive. Meanwhile, Ye Qiyan and Martial Dread defeated the City Lord on the level 10 Platform World, leaving the city fallen.

• Zhuxing Tu killed the bandits at the mountaintop fortress by manipulating their fates and waited for Zhou Shangqing to arrive.
• Zhuxing Tu confronted Zhou Shangqing, who revealed that Altos had restored his memories as part of a deal.
• Zhuxing Tu collected the final Fate Card, completing her ring of thirteen and causing the level 2 Platform World to collapse.
• Zhuxing Tu spared Zhou Shangqing because Altos had chosen to let him live, then departed to gather a story about Ye Qiyan.
• Ye Qiyan and Martial Dread overwhelmed the City Lord despite his attempt to lift the city from the ground.
• The battle ended after the rain cleared, and the city fell.

Ye Qiyan defeated the City Lord, collected the Steam Source and the hunt reward, then left the ruined city aboard his train. Back in the Wasteland, he noticed that more than two weeks in the city had amounted to only four days there and suspected Miatila had affected the time ratio.

• The City Lord escaped into a bunker, but Augustine captured him and hung him from a streetlight on the Overlord's order.
• Ye Qiyan and WALL-E retrieved the Steam Source, a treasure that could set a world's civilization to Steam or create steam machinery.
• Ye Qiyan collected the Level 10 Bully's Exploitation Scepter and stored it despite questioning its usefulness.
• Ye Qiyan boarded the pure-white train and departed as the city's survivors began fighting over control of the ruins.
• Back in the Wasteland, Ye Qiyan found that more than two weeks had passed in the city while only four days had passed for him, and he suspected Miatila was responsible.

After reaching train level 23, Ye Qiyan spent all his Train Coins on the System Authority · Appraisal Lockdown upgrade. He gained a way to control what information others could see about him and his train members, preparing to protect the secret of [Ascension].

• Ye Qiyan sold mechanical devices and blueprints, bringing his Train Coins to 6,000, then had Lisette help him accelerate the train’s ascension.
• Ye Qiyan successfully raised the train to level 23, increasing its speed to 460 km/h and revealing four upgrade options.
• Ye Qiyan discovered that Miatila still could not interfere with the options, and the main system urged him to spend his coins.
• Ye Qiyan sold more items, including GT Memory Metal, to afford the 5,000-coin System Authority · Appraisal Lockdown.
• Ye Qiyan bought the authority and concluded that its ability to conceal appraisal information could help protect [Ascension].

Ye Qiyan reviewed his luxurious Personal Interface and considered how far he had come, while recognizing that he still needed to grow stronger. After hiding most of his information from appraisers, he examined his upgrade options and learned that his turbine was the first piece of a larger Train Armament set.

• Ye Qiyan read his system evaluation, felt proud of his progress, and resolved to keep growing stronger.
• Ye Qiyan configured Appraisal Lockdown so strangers would see only his name and titles, with the rest of his information hidden.
• Miatila explained that Ye Qiyan's turbine was an initial Train Armament and that reaching train level 30 would guarantee a branch core.
• Ye Qiyan asked whether the Imminent Demise Drill had a related armament set, and Miatila answered that it was as good as having one.
• Ye Qiyan inspected the Iaijutsu and Barista module cards and decided they were worthwhile because they could undergo Ascension.

Ye Qiyan used Ascension on his remaining upgrade options, gave Lisette the Barista module, and concealed most of his companions’ appraisal information before preparing for the next station. Several days later, Fan Huo entered Uto City seeking a War Card, but Mayor Heinz’s people subdued him with a citywide power that opposed conflict.

• Ye Qiyan upgraded Iaijutsu into Iai Technique and learned to charge his first attack while drawing Moonshadow.
• Ye Qiyan upgraded Barista into a tradable advanced module, decided to use it, and gave it to Lisette.
• Ye Qiyan concealed most of his companions’ appraisal information and prepared to start saving money again at the next station.
• Fan Huo arrived in Uto City and was shown a War Card that the city offered in exchange for his help.
• The Guide triggered Uto City’s anti-war power, suppressing Fan Huo and sealing his spirit and stamina.
• The Guide revealed himself as Heinz and told the unconscious Fan Huo that he would be happy.

Ye Qiyan learned that Fan Huo had been captured by Uto City and was scheduled for execution, while Zhuxing Tu revealed she had guided him to the tenth War Card knowing he would be caught. Fan Huo had chosen to go, and Uto City planned to spend ten days breaking his immortality mechanism.

• As the Wasteland blizzard blocked the train’s path, Ye Qiyan wondered whether the Apex Water Ice was responsible for the unusual weather.
• Zhuxing Tu announced that Fan Huo had been captured, and Train Conductors learned Uto City planned to execute him in ten Wasteland Days.
• Ye Qiyan received an invitation to the execution and suspected Uto City meant to provoke the Imperial Sequence and lure his generation of Train Conductors into danger.
• Zhuxing Tu invited others to rescue Fan Huo, but most could not go; A Chuan was the only one in the chat who said he would help.
• Ye Qiyan confronted Zhuxing Tu, who admitted she had led Fan Huo to the tenth War Card knowing he would be captured, and explained that Uto City needed ten days to break his immortality mechanism.

Ye Qiyan learned that Fan Huo had knowingly accepted the danger in Uto City to pursue his tenth card, while Shaya warned that the city might actually be targeting Ye Qiyan’s false identity, Altos. Shaya could not leave her Platform World, and Ye Qiyan began considering whether he had to go to Uto City after all.

• Ye Qiyan declined to join Zhuxing Tu’s Uto City event, and Zhao Lin told him that Mo Shi and other Future Guild members planned to go.
• Members of the Imperial Sequence denounced Zhuxing Tu for putting Fan Huo’s life at risk, while Zhuxing Tu stayed silent.
• Shaya explained that Fan Huo had chosen to go to Uto City despite Zhuxing Tu warning him of the danger, because he wanted to find his tenth card.
• Shaya told Ye Qiyan that Uto City might be targeting him—or his false identity, Altos—and said the Homecomers had recently been mentioning Altos’s name repeatedly.
• Ye Qiyan considered Shaya’s warning and thought he might have to go to Uto City.

Uto City’s mayor, Heinz, prepared to kill Fan Huo in ten days so Dorse could inherit his War Cards, while the Homecomers’ real goal was to obtain the Memory Object from Altos. Ye Qiyan received Lin You’s plea to trade the Memory Object to save Fan Huo, but he left the decision open as he prepared to enter a station.

• Heinz explained that Uto City planned to strip Fan Huo of his protections and let Dorse inherit his War Cards, while insisting the execution was part of a plan to bring happiness.
• Mr. Order gave Heinz the Order Card [Peace], then discussed his lost Card Sequence and questioned Heinz’s pursuit of the Memory Object and the power of war.
• Heinz told Mr. Order that Uto City intended to use Dorse’s completed War Card Sequence to protect its happiness, and Mr. Order left after declaring them even.
• Rumors spread through the Wasteland that Altos could trade the Memory Object for Fan Huo’s life, revealing that the Homecomers’ real target was the object.
• Ye Qiyan read Lin You’s messages asking him to trade the Memory Object to save Fan Huo and considered the favors Fan Huo and Lin You would owe him.

Ye Qiyan entered Uto City under his Newbie Train Conductor identity and disguised himself and Lisette as Vampires. He joined a group chat with other newcomers, leaving him with a way to blend in while he explored the city before the execution began.

• Ye Qiyan used his invitation to choose the Uto City Capsule Tunnel Cluster as his stopping point and arrived in the city without using Monrojina's store access.
• Ye Qiyan and Lisette disguised themselves as Vampires, and he showed the Guide his invitation as a newcomer of the latest generation.
• The Guide explained that the execution would begin in seven days and that newcomers could explore Uto City while the city covered their food expenses.
• Ye Qiyan and Lisette found a quiet corner in the crowded hall and used Pride to lower their presence.
• A young Train Conductor mistook Ye Qiyan for someone sharing a veteran's name, invited him to a group chat, and Ye Qiyan accepted.

Ye Qiyan explored Uto City while investigating the force shaping its residents, then met A Chuan to begin a mission connected to Fan Huo’s rescue. He intended to use the operation to learn more about the Memory Object, with Fan Huo’s execution still five days away.

• Zhang He and his friends discussed Ye Qiyan’s strength and considered inviting him to clear a platform with them.
• Ye Qiyan explored Uto City with Lisette and found that its residents’ happiness and peace seemed unnaturally influenced.
• Monrojina warned Ye Qiyan that Uto City could devour people’s desires and hearts, and promised to help him.
• A Chuan arrived at the hotel rooftop, and Ye Qiyan agreed to join him in rescuing Fan Huo.
• Ye Qiyan planned to let A Chuan draw attention while he investigated the Memory Object’s significance to the Homecomers.

A Chuan launched a frontal assault on the Uto City Government while Ye Qiyan slipped inside to search for Fan Huo. Ye Qiyan discovered the Pit of Wailing beneath the building and reached the seventh floor, where a guard tried to stop him as Heinz’s allies realized a Card Sequence user had infiltrated the government.

• A Chuan summoned his Ghost Spirits and charged toward the Uto City Government, drawing the city’s defenders into battle.
• Heinz ordered Da Hui and the other Uto City forces to attack A Chuan and his Ghost Spirits.
• Using Pride to remain undetected, Ye Qiyan entered the government building and found that the Pit of Wailing contained a suffering mirror city beneath Uto City.
• Ye Qiyan climbed the building searching for Fan Huo but found no information about him.
• On the seventh floor, a guard challenged Ye Qiyan, though Ye Qiyan realized the guard was bluffing.
• Heinz’s allies reported that a Numbered Weapon had detected a Card Sequence aura and concluded that Altos had arrived.

Ye Qiyan confronted Mayor Heinz in Uto City, seeking Fan Huo while Heinz revealed that he intended to take Fan Huo’s nine cards. Their standoff turned into a fight, and Ye Qiyan countered Heinz’s specially prepared attack with his Demon Cards.

• Heinz welcomed Ye Qiyan and used dreamlike influence to make the gathered boys and girls repeat that they would enter Utopia.
• Ye Qiyan demanded to know where Fan Huo was, and Heinz said Fan Huo was not in the building and could not be saved by killing Heinz.
• Ye Qiyan showed Heinz a Rough Stone, which Heinz identified as a possible way for the Homecomers to return to their Primordial World.
• Ye Qiyan used Bewitchment and Rebellion to expose Heinz’s true intention to kill Fan Huo and take his nine cards.
• Heinz sent a girl wielding a scythe weapon to attack Ye Qiyan, but Ye Qiyan restored the Astral Sacred Crest with Courage · Glory and struck back with Decision Mech.

Ye Qiyan uncovered that Heinz’s apparent body was only a creation meant to test him, while endless boys and girls attacked under a stackable Happiness Blessing. He realized Heinz was trying to become a True God named [Happiness], and the chapter ended with Heinz demanding to know why Ye Qiyan was certain he would fail.

• Ye Qiyan identified the scythe-wielding woman as nonhuman and learned from Heinz that his true body was in the world inside the Pit of Wailing.
• Heinz sent the boys and girls to attack Ye Qiyan, but Ye Qiyan’s allies killed them as their numbers continued to grow.
• Ye Qiyan saw that each death added a nullified Happiness Blessing and realized Heinz’s plan involved a negative mental effect that could not harm him.
• Ye Qiyan concluded that Heinz wanted to become a True God named [Happiness] and create an eternal Utopia.
• As Ye Qiyan advanced through the attackers, he told Heinz he would fail, and Heinz demanded to know why.

Ye Qiyan defeated Heinz's doppelganger but failed to locate Fan Huo, while Heinz's true body continued absorbing Uto City's abandoned pain in pursuit of becoming [Happiness]. With five days remaining before Heinz's plan culminated, Mo Shi, Shen Yuan, and a mysterious woman also set their sights on Ye Qiyan.

• Ye Qiyan destroyed Heinz's doppelganger with Full Moon, but Heinz refused to release Fan Huo and vowed to take the stone when they met again.
• Heinz's forces retreated, and Ye Qiyan told the wounded A Chuan that Fan Huo might not be in Uto City.
• A Chuan reassured Ye Qiyan that Zhuxing Tu had said Fan Huo could survive for ten days and affirmed his trust in their organization.
• Heinz's true body received the doppelganger's memories in the Hole of Painful Abandonment and continued enduring Uto City's abandoned pain, intending to negate war and establish eternal utopia in five days.
• Mo Shi told Shen Yuan that Ye Qiyan was in Uto City and proposed going to see him together in five days.
• A mysterious short-haired woman noticed her body's rapid growth in strength and planned to surpass Ye Qiyan and make him her Apostle.

After returning to the hotel with Xiao Chuan, Ye Qiyan learned from Zhuxing Tu that Heinz planned to become a True God in five days and that she might die in the coming conflict. Zhuxing Tu asked Ye Qiyan to bring Shaya and the others to Uto City, but he chose not to invite anyone and left their decision to them.

• Ye Qiyan returned to the hotel with Xiao Chuan and let Zhang He's group occupy Xiao Chuan with questions while he went to his room.
• Ye Qiyan recalled that he and A Chuan had escaped along Monrojina's planned route after failing to find Fan Huo, but they had been watched along the way.
• Zhuxing Tu messaged Ye Qiyan from the Mirror Space and warned that Heinz would try to become a True God in five days, potentially trapping everyone in Uto City in happiness.
• Zhuxing Tu asked Ye Qiyan to bring Shaya and the others to Uto City, saying she had prepared help to speed up their Platform clearances.
• Ye Qiyan decided not to invite anyone from his Friends List and concluded that their choice to help should depend on what they wanted, not Zhuxing Tu's prediction.

Train Conductors tried to flee Uto City, but its powerful residents killed or mentally subdued them and forced them to remain. As riots spread through the city, Mo Shi contacted Ye Qiyan to ask for a meeting.

• Train Conductors gathered at the Capsule Tunnels and demanded that Uto City's residents let them retrieve their trains.
• The citizens’ Happiness Blessing effect drove the Train Conductors to slaughter them, while a boy with a silver-white Scepter blocked the tunnel and killed those who resisted.
• Uto City's powerful figures stopped Train Conductors at other Capsule Tunnel entrances, killing Talent holders and ordinary conductors alike.
• Ye Qiyan watched the city’s riots from his hotel room as A Chuan explained that he would not intervene to save the stranded Train Conductors.
• Mo Shi messaged Ye Qiyan, asking to meet because the situation outside was frightening.