Chapter Summaries

While Li Ge’s consciousness remained absorbed in the spacetime turbulence, Peter and Bucky survived in hiding in the Zombie Universe. Peter’s despair drew him toward an unknown place in a dream, and his connection to Li Ge let the sleeping Heavenly Dao Clone’s power reach into his universe.

• Li Ge’s consciousness entered a state of enlightenment in the spacetime turbulence, leaving his Six Paths clones drifting without direction.
• Peter returned to the forest cave with supplies, and Bucky checked him for bite wounds before accepting the ammunition he had found.
• Peter and Bucky ate a rare meal and went to sleep in their hidden base.
• Peter’s soul drifted toward an unknown place, seeking relief from the despair of the Zombie Universe.
• The sleeping Heavenly Dao Clone instinctively extended a thread of power into the Zombie Universe, establishing a faint connection between Peter and Li Ge.

Peter dreamed of an impossibly vivid block world and realized it was not an ordinary dream when he recognized detailed replicas of heroes and enemies. His instinctive fear of looking at the sky overwhelmed his consciousness, and he woke in the cave at dawn.

• A faint reddish-gray glow spread across Peter's body as his consciousness drifted into the block world.
• Peter explored the vivid landscape, touched its animals, and watched grass break into block particles when he pulled it up.
• Peter found a cabin and a rack filled with detailed replicas of heroes, villains, equipment, and a spaceship.
• Peter realized the place was not an ordinary dream and struggled against an instinctive urge to look at the sky.
• Peter's consciousness scattered in terror, and he woke in the cave, sweating and shaken as dawn light came through the branches.

Peter discovered that he had brought strange seeds back from a dream and planted them beside the cave’s vegetable garden. Bucky believed the dream world could offer resources and a way to fight the zombie virus, and Peter resolved to return to it.

• Peter found colorful seeds in his clenched hand and realized they had come from his dream.
• Bucky examined a seed as Peter recounted his experience in the dream world.
• Peter and Bucky planted the strange seeds in a patch beside their vegetable garden.
• Bucky said the dream world might provide power to help Steve and other people who had become zombies, and perhaps a way to eradicate the virus.
• Peter agreed and decided to go to sleep immediately in hopes of entering the dream world again.

Li Ge’s subconscious had sheltered his sleeping clones in miniature spacetimes and drawn Peter into a contract, fixing their location near the Zombie Universe. After reuniting the Six Paths and awakening, Li Ge chose to leave the spacetime turbulence and head toward the universe he had identified.

• Li Ge’s subconscious sensed Peter in the Zombie Universe, formed a contract with him, and drew his consciousness into the Block World, where he obtained seeds.
• Li Ge’s subconscious fixed the clones’ coordinates and protected each of the six Paths in a miniature independent spacetime.
• When Peter returned to the real world, part of Li Ge’s consciousness awakened, and Li Ge learned what his subconscious had done.
• Li Ge used Six Paths Return to the Source to recall the five Paths clones, absorbing their chaos energy and adding Chaos Redstone to the Block World.
• Li Ge inspected the spacetime turbulence, decided to leave before encountering danger, and tore open a spacetime rift to escape.

Peter and Bucky watched the seeds from Peter’s dream world sprout instantly, and Peter’s touch released a strange energy that transformed one leaf into a black-and-gold ring. Hidden nearby, Li Ge assessed the zombie-ravaged world and its possible futures, leaving the world’s fate dependent on his decision.

• Peter left to return to the cave and try to enter the dream world again, while Bucky stayed beside the buried seeds.
• Bucky noticed several wheat seedlings had suddenly sprouted, and Peter saw a wisp of reddish-gray energy emerge from his finger and enter a leaf.
• Peter and Bucky discovered that the leaf now bore a black-and-gold ring covered in intricate patterns.
• Li Ge, watching from above the cave, recognized the world as the Zombie Universe from What If...? and observed Peter and Bucky.
• Li Ge examined the zombie outbreak’s origins and possible futures, seeing that most ended in disaster and that his arrival could change the outcome.

Li Ge decided to assimilate the dying world into Block World and began isolating the Solar System with a spacetime barrier. Meanwhile, Peter put on the ring Li Ge created and began transforming as Block World’s laws and information flooded into him.

• After seeing the world’s possible futures, Li Ge decided to assimilate it into Block World and planned to use Peter’s desire to save it to gain survivors’ cooperation.
• Li Ge stirred the chaos energy in Peter and created a ring that could assimilate living beings and let them borrow Block World’s laws.
• Li Ge used his consciousness to begin forming a spacetime barrier around the Solar System, starting the assimilation process.
• Bucky urged Peter to put on the ring and stood ready with his submachine gun in case something went wrong.
• Peter put the ring on his middle finger, and its power transformed his body into a cubic form while information about Block World and Li Ge entered his mind.

After receiving Li Ge’s knowledge and power through the ring, Peter learned that Li Ge intended to assimilate their world, but decided that this offered their hopeless world its best chance of salvation. He showed Bucky his new ability to turn part of an oak tree into a floating wooden cube, and Bucky accepted the news with a grin.

• Bucky watched Peter’s suit and appearance repair themselves as nearby wheat seedlings rapidly grew to knee height.
• Peter received knowledge about Block World and Li Ge, learned of Li Ge’s plan to assimilate the world, and saw a basic status screen appear.
• Peter realized the screen meant their world had hope and decided that assimilation was preferable to their world’s hopeless fate.
• Peter laughed with joy and told Bucky that their world could be saved.
• Peter demonstrated his new power by converting part of an oak tree into a floating wooden cube, then told Bucky about Li Ge and the power from the ring.
• Bucky listened to Peter and, after his expression shifted from surprise to resolve, grinned.

Peter and Bucky planned to build a secure respawn chamber and acquire an Assimilation Ring for Bucky, while Li Ge secretly empowered useful items in his Block World. Peter discovered the new possibilities through his ring and worked harder, while Bucky headed toward the city to gather metal and prepare to save Steve.

• Bucky outlined the resources and work needed to create a safe underground respawn chamber, a bed, lighting, and a water supply.
• Peter urged Bucky to get an Assimilation Ring first, and Bucky agreed before heading toward the city to gather metal.
• Peter began punching trees and assimilating the ground around the cave.
• Bucky prayed to Li Ge for help saving Steve and advanced through the woods toward the city.
• Li Ge used his consciousness to place phantom Assimilation Rings on selected items in his Block World.
• Peter felt his Assimilation Ring tremble and saw the items he might obtain, including the Coiled Dragon Scepter and powerful figurines, then resumed punching trees with renewed determination.

Li Ge's clone explained the Demon Realm to the Ancient One, Thor, and Loki, while Transcendents began entering it to hunt monsters and improve their powers. Loki moved his forces into the Demon Realm, and the Ancient One prepared to leave Earth as the realm's training and crafting methods spread.

• Li Ge's clone shared details about the Demon Realm with the Ancient One, Thor, and Loki, and Thor and Loki left with plans to act on what they had learned.
• Loki gathered his Divine Guards and allies, built a teleportation formation underground with Kingpin's help, and entered the Demon Realm.
• The Ancient One thanked Li Ge for resolving Dormammu's threat and left with thoughts of traveling the multiverse with Eternity.
• Transcendents entered the Demon Realm's nine elemental stars and hunted monsters for drops suited to their powers.
• Li Ge's clone shared methods for using the drops to strengthen bodies and refine spider silk for personal divine artifacts, helping Transcendents advance in the Divine Power Realm and Domain Realm.

Li Ge explained his Path to Godhood to Wanda and began guiding her toward creating a domain of her own. After warning her that her instinctive control of Chaos Magic left her vulnerable, he challenged her to advance alongside him, and Wanda vowed to stand by his side.

• Li Ge's clone prepared to teach Wanda to create a domain, while her Chaos Magic had already absorbed a blank Divinity and expanded its inner space.
• Li Ge explained the Divine Power and Domain realms, describing domains as illusory divine kingdoms that could eventually become real worlds.
• Wanda asked about Li Ge's Block World and All-Encompassing Heaven Colored Lotus, and Li Ge demonstrated both in the training space.
• Li Ge warned Wanda that her weak control of Chaos Magic made her vulnerable to emotional influence and urged her to integrate her will, soul, and desires into a domain.
• Wanda vowed that she would one day stand beside Li Ge and move forward with him.

A week after Peter was assimilated, he and Bucky finished excavating an enormous underground chamber and planned to turn it into a secure logistics base before searching for survivors and rescuing the Avengers. Meanwhile, Li Ge moved his ranch to the Sun and began building an array to assimilate the Solar System, leaving Earth for last because of its unusual importance in Marvel’s spacetime and information layers.

• Peter and Bucky finished excavating the hundred-meter-radius underground area and used torches to survey the completed chamber.
• Bucky suggested exchanging their Assimilation Rings for creatures, but Peter argued that they should save the rings because animals might spawn after they replaced the floor with dirt blocks.
• Peter and Bucky agreed to make the chamber a secure logistics base, then find other survivors and try to capture and rescue the Avengers.
• Li Ge moved his ranch to the Sun and placed the All-Encompassing Heaven Colored Lotus there, allowing his power to spread throughout the Solar System.
• Li Ge placed the nine Element Stones in the cores of the Solar System’s largest celestial bodies and began perfecting the Nine-Element Nine-Star Assimilation Array.
• Li Ge planned to assimilate the Solar System before Earth, whose importance at the levels of rules, spacetime, and information made direct assimilation difficult.

Li Ge planned to raise Wanda to universal level while his assimilation of the Solar System continued. Peter and Bucky completed their underground farm and storage area, then caught a fish as their first sheep spawned beside the pond.

• Li Ge decided to help Wanda reach universal level, while ruling out sacrificing his Rule Stones to elevate Tony.
• Peter and Bucky finished replacing the underground floor with dirt, planting crops and saplings, building a pond, and preparing storage and animal pens.
• Peter and Bucky sorted their supplies into inventory slots and labeled chests, leaving most Assimilation Rings in a chest by the entrance.
• Peter and Bucky went fishing and chose grilled fish for dinner, hoping it would bring them luck as they planned to rescue the others.
• Bucky caught a large cod, and a sheep appeared beside the pond, prompting Peter and Bucky to call it good luck.

Peter and Bucky left their base to search for survivors and save the Avengers, using the rain to conceal their journey into the city. Peter tested whether milk could cure a zombie, but after its wounds healed, it still attacked.

• Peter and Bucky finished preparing their base, securing their animals, supplies, and respawn beds before setting out on horseback.
• Peter and Bucky circled the city outskirts, then rode openly through the streets without encountering zombies.
• A zombie lunged at Bucky, who pinned it to the ground with an iron sword.
• Peter restrained the zombie and poured a bucket of milk into its mouth, restoring its broken bones and rotten flesh.
• Peter and Bucky saw the zombie heal, but it suddenly opened its bloodshot eyes and roared at Peter as the storm broke.

Peter and Bucky learned that the milk could not cure the zombie virus, but Immortal’s message promised that Earth’s assimilation could restore the world and its people. They renewed their search for survivors and approached a hidden bunker where a lonely man remained unaware of them.

• A zombie escaped Bucky’s attack and fled toward the Zombie Avengers, while Peter rode away in despair over the milk’s failure.
• Li Ge revealed that curing the zombie virus would require the Mind Stone, Soul Stone, and stronger time-reversal power, and said everyone could return once Earth was assimilated.
• Peter and Bucky received Li Ge’s message through their Assimilation Rings, and Bucky reasoned that Immortal could repair the world and resurrect the dead if they helped complete assimilation.
• Peter and Bucky agreed to search for more survivors, expand assimilation, and fight zombies without hesitation.
• A solitary survivor watched the rain from his underground bunker as Peter and Bucky approached on horseback nearby.

Peter and Bucky discovered a hidden camera in a ruined villa and realized a survivor might be watching them. The chapter revealed that the isolated survivor was Mark, who had endured years of grief and loneliness in his basement.

• Peter sensed someone watching them near a ruined villa and alerted Bucky.
• Bucky guessed the villa might hide a basement, and Peter found a pinhole camera at the entrance.
• Peter and Bucky tried to reassure whoever was watching and searched the ruins for a basement entrance.
• Mark’s wife and parents had died during the outbreak, leaving him alone in the villa’s stocked basement.
• Mark had fallen into despair and spent much of his time watching the surveillance screens, hoping for a sign of rescue.

Mark realized Peter and Bucky were real and rushed to clean himself up so he could meet them. He reached the sealed exit, ready to join Spider-Man.

• Mark saw Peter and Bucky on the surveillance screen and heard Peter invite people to join a plan to save the world.
• Mark started toward the exit, then noticed how filthy he was and hurriedly washed, shaved, trimmed his nails, and put on clean clothes.
• Mark noticed his bad breath, brushed his teeth, and checked that Peter and Bucky were still waiting.
• Mark reached the mechanical alloy door and put his hand on its lock.

Peter and Bucky found Mark living alone in a foul basement and offered him an Assimilation Ring and a place in their effort to save the world. Just as Mark accepted the ring, an unseen attacker shot an arrow into his head, leaving Peter and Bucky scrambling for cover.

• Peter and Bucky followed Mark out of his basement and saw how badly isolation had affected him.
• Peter offered Mark a horse, introduced himself and Bucky, and invited Mark to join them.
• Mark laughed uncontrollably with relief, thanked Peter, and gave his name.
• Mark accepted and put on the Assimilation Ring without hesitation.
• An arrow flew from an unseen attacker and struck Mark in the head, and Peter and Bucky took cover.

Mark recovered from Zombie Barton's arrow after completing assimilation, and Peter, Bucky, and Mark faced the approaching Zombie Avengers. Peter vowed to turn them back, while Bucky fixed his attention on saving Steve, as the zombies prepared to attack.

• Mark rose unharmed after pulling the arrow from his head, and his body and clothes were restored as he completed assimilation.
• Peter and Bucky watched several familiar figures sprint toward them, and Peter gave Mark a sword and shield.
• Zombie Tony, Zombie Barton, Zombie Steve, and Zombie Natasha arrived and fought among themselves over who would claim Mark and the others as meat.
• Peter promised to turn the Avengers back, while Bucky focused on saving Steve.
• Zombie Tony and Zombie Steve growled and readied themselves to attack Peter, Bucky, and Mark.

Mark, Peter, and Bucky used their Assimilation Ring powers to overpower the zombie Avengers without killing them. Bucky ended the chapter outfitting Zombie Steve with iron armor, leaving him struggling beneath its weight.

• Peter and Bucky faced Zombie Tony and Zombie Steve while Mark confronted Zombie Barton and Zombie Natasha.
• Mark discovered his enhanced strength and drove back both zombies, then chose to fight with only his wooden shield so he would not kill the former Avengers.
• Peter used spider silk and iron blocks to trap Zombie Tony beneath a stack of blocks.
• Bucky copied Peter’s use of blocks, crafting iron armor and equipping it onto Zombie Steve, whose movements stiffened under the weight.

Li Ge developed Source Script and used it to build the Nine-Element Nine-Star Assimilation Array, which was assimilating the Solar System. He planned to filter the assimilated system through the All-Encompassing Heaven Colored Lotus, preserve its life as a lotus seed, and incorporate its purified essence into his Block World.

• Li Ge controlled the Solar System’s assimilation from a lotus seat at the Sun’s core as chaos energy and Source Script spread through the system.
• Li Ge’s transcendent runes evolved into Source Script, a personal system of characters that could express different powers when combined with rules and energy.
• Li Ge constructed the Nine-Element Nine-Star Assimilation Array and formed a spacetime barrier around the Solar System.
• Li Ge decided against adding the Solar System directly to his Block World because its original spacetime might contain hidden dangers.
• Li Ge planned to use the All-Encompassing Heaven Colored Lotus to filter the Solar System’s power repeatedly, preserve Earth’s life within a lotus seed, and add the purified essence to his Block World.