Chapter Summaries

Xiao Yuxia refused to join Mechanical City until she could find the Yangcheng No. 2 Middle School Convoy, and the Second Elder offered to help locate them. When an urgent warning about a thunderstorm arrived, Kang Yixiang hurried the group into a shelter, where a violent tremor began and the screen lit up.

• Xiao Yuxia told the Second Elder she would not join Mechanical City until she found her original convoy, and she named it the Yangcheng No. 2 Middle School Convoy.
• The Second Elder said Mechanical City could use its information channels to search for Xiao Yuxia's convoy, though she could not say where she had been separated from them.
• A gray-haired man warned the Second Elder that a thunderstorm was coming, and the Second Elder ordered Kang Yixiang to take everyone to the protective cabin.
• Kang Yixiang rushed Cao Xianming, Xiao Yuxia, and the others to a massive steel building she identified as a shelter.
• The group entered a theater-like room, then endured a violent tremor that left Yang Yong dizzy as the large screen lit up.

Mechanical City jumped into thunderclouds to harvest lightning energy, then returned to a Zombie-filled city because its elders planned to attack the Zombies. Yang Yong learned that Ideal Grain Seed could be obtained from Mechanical City and began planning to secure some for food and cultivation.

• Kang Yixiang explained that Mechanical City entered thunderclouds to collect lightning energy, and Yang Yong and the others watched it drain several clouds through spatial jumps.
• Cao Xianming admitted that he could not calculate many aspects of Mechanical City, which might be beyond his ability or belong to an eerie entity.
• Mechanical City returned to the city of Zombies, and Kang Yixiang said its elders intended to attack them because every part of a Zombie was valuable.
• Kang Yixiang explained that Mechanical City gathered supplies and grew Ideal Grain Seed with robots because it had no Plant Sequence practitioners and could not sustain itself.
• Yang Yong and Cao Xianming recognized an opportunity to obtain Ideal Grain Seed, and Yang Yong decided to demand some as payment and considered planting it in two-colored strange mud.

After Mechanical City returned to normal, Yang Yong investigated the White-Clothed Love Letter Ghost’s imprisonment and refused the Third Elder’s summons. He and Mang Dabiao followed their connection to Room 103, where the trail led next.

• Kang Yixiang explained that Mechanical City’s defensive shield had protected it from damage and sent the Survival Convoy back to the Outer City.
• Yang Yong returned to Room 303 and sensed that the White-Clothed Love Letter Ghost remained trapped inside a formation.
• A combat robot summoned Yang Yong to meet the Third Elder, but Yang Yong refused and the robot left without arguing.
• Mang Dabiao joined Yang Yong, and they examined Yang Yong’s vague sketches of the formation trapping the ghost.
• Yang Yong and Mang Dabiao followed their connection downstairs to Room 103.

Yang Yong discovered that the White-Clothed Love Letter Ghost was sealed inside an indestructible bronze mirror in Ground Rat’s room. After removing it from the wall, he found that the Ten-Thousand-Forged Primordial Furnace could not even sense the mirror, leaving its nature and how to open it unknown.

• Yang Yong visited Ground Rat’s room and followed his supernatural connection to a bronze mirror in the bathroom, where he sensed the White-Clothed Love Letter Ghost.
• Yang Yong asked Mang Dabiao to examine the mirror, but Mang Dabiao could find no way to open it and suggested smashing it.
• Mang Dabiao struck the mirror with his tail, and Yang Yong’s Heavenly Dragon Slash drilled against it, but neither attack left a mark.
• Yang Yong melted the steel frame with a flame-forged saber and removed the entire mirror from the wall.
• Yang Yong placed the mirror in the Ten-Thousand-Forged Primordial Furnace, but the furnace did not react, as though the mirror did not exist.

Yang Yong and Mang Dabiao discovered that the Third Elder had trapped the Survival Convoy with an impossible mission to capture one hundred live zombies in an hour. With the other elders unreachable for seven days, the convoy faced expulsion from Mechanical City unless it found a way to survive the order.

• Yang Yong hid the bronze mirror, ordered Ground Rat to keep it secret, and replaced it with an imitation before leaving Room 103 with Mang Dabiao.
• Front Desk Robot 001 blocked Yang Yong and Mang Dabiao and displayed an order requiring the Survival Convoy to capture one hundred live zombies within an hour or be expelled from Mechanical City.
• Yang Yong suspected the Third Elder had issued the mission to punish him for rejecting the Third Elder's invitation.
• Front Desk Robot 001 said the order came from the Inner City and explained that the Nine Great Elders could not be contacted for seven days after a thunderstorm.
• Cao Xianming calculated that the Third Elder had issued the order before entering the Core Area, leaving the convoy unable to appeal before the one-hour deadline.

Cao Xianming calculated an eighty percent chance of completing the mission to collect one hundred living zombies, despite Wang Ying believing she could incapacitate them with a few slashes. The Survival Convoy entered the zombie-filled city, where Wang Ying drew her blade as the horde charged.

• Wang Ying said the crowded zombies could be incapacitated with three slashes, while Cao Xianming calculated an eighty percent mission success rate.
• Cao Xianming asked Front Desk Robot 001 about the zombies, learned to seek Mechanic Kang Yixiang, then accepted the Forced Dispatch Mission and received gate authorization.
• The Survival Convoy left the Mechanical City in vehicles led by Yang Yong's Demoness Pickup Truck and passed through the Light Gate.
• The convoy encountered a street packed with twisted zombies, which sensed the living and swarmed toward them.
• Wang Ying drew the Black Gold Bone Blade, and the lunging zombies suddenly froze.

Cao Xianming realized the mission’s rising zombie count would trigger increasingly dangerous enemies, culminating in the Zombie King at ninety. The Survival Convoy changed its formation to prepare for the coming fight as Zhang Bihuang began casting the Grand Holy Light Art.

• Wang Ying cut down groups of zombies with the Black Gold Bone Blade, and Cao Xianming discovered that severed limbs quickly decayed while only ten zombies from the first street could be retrieved.
• As the mission count climbed to fifty, Cao Xianming sensed an Eerie approaching and saw a blood-red marker on the Data Model.
• Cao Xianming deduced that an Eerie would emerge at fifty, variant zombies at eighty, and the Zombie King at ninety, and warned the convoy over the radio.
• Cao Xianming ordered Wang Ying to conserve his power for the Zombie King, sent Zheng Xiaofeng to help hold it back, and told the others to save their abilities.
• Zhang Bihuang climbed onto the Off-Road Vehicle and began casting the Grand Holy Light Art.

Cao Xianming and the convoy fought zombies while Yang Yong spotted a fast, seemingly incorporeal eerie that began circling them for an opening. When mission progress reached 80/100, a hulking variant zombie appeared, and Liu Hong charged it despite being weaker.

• Xiao Xuan slowed nearby zombies with holy light and crushed one with her fists while Yang Yong’s flying daggers disabled others, raising mission progress.
• Cao Xianming tracked an anomaly that moved faster than the vehicles, and Yang Yong spotted a broken-necked figure in a dark alley.
• Yang Yong’s daggers passed through the figure until he coated one with his power and embedded it in its chest; it pulled the dagger free, vanished, and began circling the convoy.
• Cao Xianming warned that the eerie was moving around Yang Yong at high speed and searching for an opening, so the convoy slowed and heightened its vigilance.
• When mission progress reached 80/100, a massive variant zombie smashed through a wall and charged toward the convoy.
• Liu Hong transformed using Flesh Titan Sequence One, Flesh Apprentice, and fought the brute, matching its punch but yielding a step under its greater strength.

The Survival Convoy fought a variety of mutated zombies as the mission advanced, until the Zombie King awakened and summoned every zombie in the area. Cao Xianming ordered a retreat toward the Light Gate, but Liu Hong stayed behind.

• Liu Hong fought a hulking zombie alone while Xiao Xuan held back, and Yang Yong trapped and killed a fast zombie with his throwing knives.
• Ma Xiaotong struck a defense-type zombie with lightning, and the convoy members fought off more variants as mission progress reached 90/100.
• The Zombie King awakened and roared commands that Mang Dabiao recognized as a summons to every mutated zombie in the area.
• Cao Xianming saw countless red dots converging on the Light Screen and ordered the convoy to retreat toward the Light Gate.
• Zombies poured in from all directions as the convoy pulled back, but Liu Hong did not retreat.

The Survival Convoy fought near Mechanical City's Light Gate while Yang Yong hurried to complete their mission before the Zombie King could stop them. After the king ordered the zombies to retreat and attack from range, Yang Yong unleashed a massive assault on the horde.

• Zheng Xiaofeng pulled Liu Hong away from the giant zombie and warned him that the Zombie King had arrived.
• The convoy retreated toward the Light Gate, where the Zombie King stopped a hundred meters away and watched them warily.
• Yang Yong used his flying daggers to disable and send three speed-type zombies through the Light Gate, bringing the count to 94/100.
• The Zombie King understood Cao Xianming's call for six more and ordered its zombies to withdraw and attack from a distance.
• Yang Yong unleashed energy from the blood-red eyes on his body and summoned three thousand flame blades, which fell upon the retreating horde.

The Zombie King stopped the convoy just before it could collect its hundredth zombie and attacked Yang Yong, revealing overwhelming strength. Wang Ying’s blade light could not hurt it, but the Zombie King feared the Eerie General’s blade spirit, allowing her to hold it off while the Monk moved to act.

• Mang Dabiao and Zheng Xiaofeng sent zombies through the Light Gate, bringing the count to ninety-eight.
• The Zombie King struck down Yang Yong’s flame blade and roared at the convoy, while Mang Dabiao translated its words.
• The Zombie King prepared to leap at Yang Yong as Cao Xianming ordered Wang Ying to stop it and the others to capture the remaining zombies.
• The Zombie King shattered Wang Ying’s charged blade light between two fingers and leaped toward Yang Yong.
• Wang Ying attacked with the Black Gold Bone Blade, and Cao Xianming realized the Zombie King feared the Eerie General’s blade spirit.
• Wang Ying’s attacks kept the Zombie King occupied, giving the Monk a chance to make his move.

A sniper from Mechanical City sabotaged the Survival Convoy’s mission by killing the ninety-ninth captured zombie, while the Zombie King broke away from Wang Ying and attacked Yang Yong. Yang Yong confronted him with the Ten-Thousand-Forged Primordial Furnace and the Heaven-Breaking Strike, but the clash’s shock wave showed Yang Yong was at a disadvantage.

• The Monk captured a zombie with his Dragon-Shaped Qi Force, but an unknown sniper shot it in the head, leaving mission progress at 98/100.
• Cao Xianming tracked the sniper’s marker to Mechanical City and concluded someone there wanted to stop the mission.
• The Zombie King charged at Yang Yong, ignoring Wang Ying’s attacks, and Yang Yong ordered Zheng Xiaofeng to block the sniper while the others captured zombies.
• Yang Yong taunted the Zombie King, expanded the Ten-Thousand-Forged Primordial Furnace, and knocked him back half a step.
• The Zombie King struck the furnace aside and attacked Yang Yong with a fist covered in tiny insects.
• Yang Yong met the Zombie King’s punch with the Heaven-Breaking Strike, and the resulting shock wave swept toward the Survival Convoy, showing Yang Yong had the lower hand.

Yang Yong and the Survival Convoy escaped the Zombie King through the Light Gate after a desperate fight, then submitted their mission in Mechanical City. They received only three tubes of Nutritional Military Rations, and Cao Xianming proposed going after the hidden gunman who had attacked them.

• Yang Yong drew the Zombie King’s attacks while Zheng Xiaofeng carried a Zombie toward the Light Gate, and Yang Yong knocked the Zombie King away to save him.
• Yang Yong forced Zheng Xiaofeng and the others through the Light Gate, then escaped as Cao Xianming closed it and the Zombie King pulverized a nearby building.
• Yang Yong spat blood containing wriggling black particles, and the exhausted convoy members regrouped inside the Light Gate.
• Cao Xianming submitted the mission and received three tubes of Nutritional Military Rations, which enraged the group.
• Cao Xianming found he could not calculate the Elders’ situations inside Mechanical City’s Core Area, then suggested they could beat up the hidden gunman who had shot at them.

Kang Yixiang led Cao Xianming and the Survival Convoy to the hideout of the gunman who had attacked them. After Liu Hong defeated the man, Cao Xianming ordered him to preserve the exoskeleton, hoping to use it himself.

• Kang Yixiang arrived at the Outer City gate, and Cao Xianming persuaded her to lead the group to the gunman.
• Cao Xianming used his Data Model to find a dilapidated house where the gunman was hiding.
• Zheng Xiaofeng smashed through the house with his shield, and the gunman emerged and was knocked down by Liu Hong.
• Yang Yong took the gunman's Star-Shattering Ripples sniper rifle and inspected it.
• The gunman's exoskeleton powered down during his fight with Liu Hong, who defeated him.
• Cao Xianming told Liu Hong to remove the exoskeleton carefully, and everyone froze when they saw the man without it.

Cao Xianming and Yang Yong learned that Mechanical City had developed Flesh Batteries from zombie flesh, allowing ordinary people to wield Curios. After interrogating Wang Xiuqiang, Yang Yong consumed his body and soul, leaving Kang Yixiang terrified and kneeling.

• Cao Xianming questioned Kang Yixiang about the Outer City's ban on killing, and she determined that Wang Xiuqiang was not covered by it.
• Yang Yong repeatedly woke and beat Wang Xiuqiang until he revealed that the Third Elder had brought a convoy into Mechanical City through private connections.
• Wang Xiuqiang said he had not seen another living person since arriving, and Cao Xianming discovered a warm lump of zombie flesh inside the Curio sniper rifle that functioned as a Flesh Battery.
• Yang Yong learned that Kang Yixiang had been in Mechanical City for only a little over a month and did not know its secrets.
• Yang Yong used the Nine Nether Yuanchen White Bone Ring to consume Wang Xiuqiang's body, then absorbed his soul with the Four Yang God-Sealing Banner.
• Kang Yixiang watched Wang Xiuqiang disappear and fell to her knees in terror.

After recovering from his fight with the Zombie King, Yang Yong explored Mechanical City's Outer City and then spent his days cultivating while waiting for materials to forge Curios. Meanwhile, unknown figures watched him and coveted his Ten-Thousand-Forged Primordial Furnace Sequence as he continued opening Apertures in Room 303.

• Yang Yong burned the black threads left by the Zombie King out of his Bone Armor and ate Sweet Potatoes to recover from his injuries.
• Yang Yong toured the sparsely populated Outer City with Mang Dabiao and Yezi, finding no treasures and worrying that the Love Letter Ghost was trapped beyond the Bronze Mirror.
• Yang Yong waited for the Second Elder to provide Curio-forging materials and devoted his time to cultivation, opening about one Aperture a day.
• A secret group decided to watch Yang Yong and wait until Mechanical City's core area was unsealed before making a move against him.
• Yang Yong remained in Room 303 as the Ten-Thousand-Forged Primordial Furnace hovered above him and forced open another Aperture.

Yang Yong discovered that Mechanical City's Blood Moon was only a lighting device and that the Outer City was likely an enclosed space. While his consciousness was away investigating it, someone raided his room, and a child Eerie attacked the Ten-Thousand-Forged Primordial Furnace as he rushed back.

• Yang Yong flew the Ten-Thousand-Forged Primordial Furnace to the supposed Blood Moon and discovered it was a thirty-meter lighting device made by Mechanical City.
• Yang Yong concluded that Mechanical City’s Outer City was likely a hidden enclosed space with artificial lights, then sensed someone pulling a sack over his meditating body’s head.
• Yang Yong hurried back toward his body, fearing the intruder might release the Evil Eye Master’s consciousness and the White-Bone Giant from within him.
• A child Eerie appeared beside the furnace and repeatedly knocked on it, slowing its descent.
• Yang Yong summoned a fire dragon from the furnace and saw the Eerie’s pale face, black-hole eyes, rouge spots, and pigtails.

Yang Yong escaped the Little Girl Eerie and found his physical body in a building, where two starving Outer City residents had kidnapped him to force him to forge a Curio. After the men mistook his unconscious body for a corpse and feared punishment for having a dead person in their home, Yang Yong returned to his body as they approached to dispose of it.

• The Little Girl Eerie destroyed Yang Yong's fire dragon, then vanished before he could lure it back to the ground.
• Yang Yong traced his physical body to a building and overheard two men explaining that they had kidnapped him to make him forge a Curio without payment.
• Yang Yong learned the men needed a Curio to persuade Mechanical City to move somewhere safe before letting them leave.
• The older man discovered Yang Yong had no breath or heartbeat and scolded his subordinate for bringing home a corpse.
• Yang Yong steered the Ten-Thousand-Forged Primordial Furnace into his body while the two men decided to dispose of him quietly.

Yang Yong woke after being kidnapped by Wang Yanfeng and Zhang Le, who explained that they had taken him hoping to obtain a curio and escape the Mechanical City’s harsh conditions. He claimed their fine sand, a material he wanted to use to reforge his flying daggers, leaving the two men despairing.

• Yang Yong woke and confronted Zhang Le and Wang Yanfeng, using his flying daggers to make them explain themselves.
• Wang Yanfeng knelt and apologized, while Zhang Le revealed that he belonged to the incomplete shadow stalker sequence and explained why he called Wang Yanfeng his boss.
• Zhang Le told Yang Yong that they had come to the Mechanical City with a convoy but were left with barely enough rations to survive, so they sought a curio to secure a safer destination and leave.
• Wang Yanfeng showed Yang Yong a cloth bundle containing several thousand grains of fine sand.
• Yang Yong recognized the sand as a material suitable for reforging his Heavenly Dragon Slash Flying Daggers and took it, leaving Wang Yanfeng and Zhang Le stricken with despair.

Yang Yong forged Wang Yanfeng and Zhang Le’s Bone Daggers into Curios called Soul Thread Cutters, then learned that Wang Yanfeng wanted to join the Survival Convoy. Yang Yong left their acceptance to Cao Xianming but saw a chance to learn what the two men knew about Mechanical City.

• Yang Yong forged two Bone Daggers into Soul Thread Cutters and warned Wang Yanfeng and Zhang Le that using them could destroy their memories and souls.
• Zhang Le planned to keep his Soul Thread Cutter, while Wang Yanfeng was moved by Yang Yong’s fair treatment and considered joining his convoy.
• Wang Yanfeng dropped to his knees and asked Yang Yong to let him and Zhang Le join the Survival Convoy.
• Yang Yong explained that Cao Xianming had to approve new members, then extended his hand to Wang Yanfeng while considering what the men could reveal about Mechanical City.