Recaps

Chen Xu and Geralt questioned the Baron about Ciri, while Chen Xu used news of Anna to win his cooperation. The Baron confirmed Anna worshipped the Ladies of the Wood, and Chen Xu showed him a symbol linked to an ancient curse.

• Chen Xu beat the drunken Baron after the Baron attacked him, then gave the Sergeant recipes for tea and injury medicine.
• Fringilla presented her imperial credentials, and Geralt used the Axii Sign to make the Baron recount how Ciri had escaped the swamp and visited him.
• Chen Xu calmed the Baron with herbal tea and ointment, then said Anna was safe and raising orphans deep in the swamp.
• The Baron blamed himself for Anna's miscarriage and described their troubled marriage, while Chen Xu warned that the old crones intended to eat the orphans.
• Chen Xu asked whether Anna worshipped the Ladies of the Wood, drew a symbol he said was an ancient curse, and asked the Sergeant to fetch Anna's portrait.

Chen Xu and Geralt persuaded the Baron that the crones might have cursed Anna and secured his help in saving her. Chen Xu triggered a dangerous quest to save Anna, then tried to keep the other Chosen away from the tower, but they saw through his plan and stayed at Crow's Perch.

• Chen Xu and Geralt convinced the Baron that the crones could be responsible for Anna’s miscarriage and aged appearance, prompting him to rally his men and seek help.
• The Baron promised to share what he knew about Ciri if they saved Anna, and Chen Xu negotiated a future favor in exchange for exposing the crones.
• Chen Xu triggered the quest to lift Anna’s curse and ensure she survived until she met the Baron, with a recommended stage of Qi Sense Middle Stage.
• Geralt followed Fringilla to the guest rooms, while Chen Xu arranged a paid support quest for the Chosen staying below the tower.
• Randall suspected Chen Xu had arranged the quest to send them away, and the Chosen claimed to feel unwell so they could remain at Crow’s Perch.

Chen Xu ate in Crow's Perch, bribed Gretka to deliver booger-laced soup to the Chosen Ones, and watched Randall swallow it. After finding no way to enter the fistfighting tournament, Chen Xu visited Fergus and lied that Willis was alive and well.

• Chen Xu praised the kitchen's cheese and bean soup, then recognized Gretka, the girl Ciri had rescued, and paid her two crowns to deliver a bowl he had contaminated with a booger.
• Chen Xu confronted the Chosen Ones and offered them a quest that would send them away, but Randall refused and vowed to steal Chen Xu's opportunities.
• Gretka brought Randall the soup, and Randall drank it while Chen Xu watched from a distance.
• Chen Xu learned he could not challenge the Sergeant until new regional champions were crowned, since Zhaotian Zhi had already defeated the other circuit champions.
• Chen Xu thanked Fergus for trying to save him and used [Deception] to tell the dwarf that Willis was doing well; Fergus then offered to sell him runestones and glyphs.

Chen Xu crafted two improved Greater Power Runes for Gram at Yoana’s smithy and prepared for his journey into the swamp with Geralt. After rigging alarms against a possible attack by the Chosen, he woke to find that Gretka had accidentally triggered one.

• Chen Xu bought materials from Fergus and persuaded Yoana to let him make runestones in the smithy.
• Chen Xu used black pearl dust and infusion crystals to craft two fine-grade Greater Power Runes, each increasing weapon attack power by 12%.
• Chen Xu socketed the runes into Gram, raising its attack from 27 to 33, but could not afford a gem for its remaining socket.
• Chen Xu left the smithy to sleep before accompanying Geralt into the swamp the next day.
• Uneasy about Randall and the other Chosen, Chen Xu rigged his guest-room door and windows with cutlery tripwires.
• A tripwire woke Chen Xu in the morning, and he found that Gretka had triggered it while coming to clean.

Chen Xu learned to cheat at Gwent and won Geralt’s money and Gram by rigging a game. The group then set out to find Anna, with Fringilla asking Chen Xu whether they should confront the Crones or negotiate with them.

• Chen Xu lost several Gwent games to Geralt, drew repeated weather cards, and learned the skill [Cheating] after secretly switching a card.
• Chen Xu pretended to gamble recklessly, wagered Gram, and rigged Geralt’s deck so rain and Scorch would wipe out Geralt’s siege units.
• Geralt lost the wager and borrowed money from the baron to pay Chen Xu, who collected the Novigrad crowns.
• Fringilla arrived, took charge of the search for Anna, and proposed attacking the Crones to break the curse.
• Geralt argued that the Crones were dangerous and that negotiating for Anna’s release was safer, so Fringilla asked Chen Xu what he thought.

Chen Xu, Geralt, and Fringilla investigated the cemetery at Crow’s Perch and found the Botchling tied to Anna’s miscarriage. Fringilla’s attack awakened waves of monsters, leaving Chen Xu and Geralt fighting to survive while the Botchling continued summoning them.

• Chen Xu persuaded Geralt and Fringilla to negotiate for Anna before resorting to force, then the three rode out of the keep as Randall and the other Chosen were stopped at the gate.
• Geralt’s medallion alerted them to magic in the cemetery, where Chen Xu and Geralt discovered the Botchling sleeping in its opened grave.
• Chen Xu stopped Geralt from killing the Botchling before telling the baron, but Fringilla cast a fire spell into the grave.
• The Botchling’s cry summoned Wraiths and other monsters, and Chen Xu killed one Wraith with Moonblade while Geralt prepared Specter Oil.
• More Wraiths appeared as a Ghoul climbed through the broken wall, and Geralt urged them to finish off the Botchling before more monsters arrived.

Chen Xu, Geralt, and Fringilla fought an overwhelming monster swarm until Fringilla unleashed a devastating lightning spell that cleared most of the battlefield. As the exhausted survivors finished off the remaining monsters, several Chosen tried to claim loot, and Chen Xu confronted them.

• Geralt trapped the Wraiths with Yrden while Chen Xu fought the Ghouls and switched opponents with him as the battle grew more dangerous.
• Randall and other Chosen joined the fight, but Dimako was killed and the Chosen retreated as Chen Xu neared his limit.
• Fringilla finished her chant and unleashed lightning through the pit, killing the Botchling and devastating the Ghouls and Wraiths while Geralt shielded Chen Xu.
• Fringilla and Geralt collapsed from exhaustion, and Chen Xu used Detection before helping finish off the surviving monsters.
• Three Chosen crept in to steal kills and loot; Chen Xu pinned one man's hand with Moonblade and drew his sword when the group challenged him over the spoils.

Chen Xu fought Randall and two other Chosen over the monster spoils, killing Randall and driving the others to flee. Afterward, he collected mutagens from the corpses while Geralt and Fringilla prepared to rest.

• Randall attacked Chen Xu with his Meteor Killing Fist, but Chen Xu dodged his punches and deflected a second Chosen’s sneak attack.
• Chen Xu used an airborne counterattack to break the attacker’s sword and wound him, then stabbed Randall through the throat and killed him.
• Randall’s death earned Chen Xu 200 points, while a mysterious voice declined to save him and asked the panel to find a Homo sapiens genius.
• The remaining Soldier Chosen fled, and Chen Xu finished off the monsters before searching their corpses for mutagens.
• Geralt told Chen Xu where to look for mutagens, and Chen Xu recovered three Red Mutagens and two Wraith Mutagens as Fringilla and Geralt said they needed rest.

Chen Xu dealt with the fallout from the Botchling attack and confronted two Chosen who had robbed the baron’s wife-searching party. He demanded points and a chance to challenge Velen’s champions from them, leaving their agreement uncertain.

• Chen Xu blamed the Botchling disaster on the sorceress’s recklessness, while Geralt reported the incident to the baron and took monster drops.
• The Sergeant reprimanded two Chosen for robbing the wife-searching party, then paid Chen Xu crowns and asked him to show them mercy.
• Chen Xu led the two Chosen aside and asked whether they had saved points to withdraw.
• Chen Xu demanded that they secure him the right to challenge the champions in Velen’s other divisions and pay him 65 points each.
• The Chosen with the mangled hand began to accept, but the swordsman stopped him and questioned why they should pay.

Chen Xu gave two Chosen a map of profitable quests in Velen in exchange for settling their debt and took a hair and coin from them before they left. He then checked on Geralt and Fringilla, whose teasing argument prompted Geralt to offer Chen Xu a chance to demonstrate his aptitude.

• Chen Xu outlined easy quests and monsters in Velen for the two Chosen, urging them to earn enough points to settle their debt.
• The swordsman accepted the map, and Chen Xu took a hair from his mangled-handed teammate and a copper coin before they departed.
• Chen Xu bought food and brought it to Geralt and Fringilla, who were recovering in their room.
• Fringilla mocked Geralt's ability to teach Chen Xu, and Geralt challenged Chen Xu to show his aptitude.

Chen Xu and Geralt fought a public sword duel at Crow's Perch, escalating from a contest of skill to a clash involving Dark Energy and a forbidden Sign. Geralt broke Chen Xu's weapon and appeared to win, while Chen Xu pretended to be overcome and praised him.

• A guard announced a real-sword duel between witchers, drawing a large crowd to the courtyard.
• Chen Xu and Geralt agreed to spar without Signs, and Geralt gained the advantage with his superior swordsmanship.
• Geralt used Dark Energy to unleash Whirl, forcing Chen Xu toward the edge of the fighting area.
• Chen Xu used Air Stall and Guard Counter to disrupt Geralt's Whirl and turn the crowd's excitement around.
• Geralt secretly used Axii on Chen Xu, but Chen Xu broke free by inflicting repeated damage on himself.
• Geralt charged with New Year Greeting Swordsmanship and split Chen Xu's steel sword, while Chen Xu fell and applauded Geralt as the apparent victor.

After defeating Geralt in the swordsmanship contest at Crow’s Perch, Chen Xu collected provisions and learned about witcher combat techniques and Source Power. Geralt’s explanations helped Chen Xu acquire beginner Sword Technique along with the skills Whirl and Burst.

• The crowd celebrated Chen Xu’s victory over Geralt, who refused to accept the result because Chen Xu’s sword had cut his blade in half.
• Chen Xu stored about seventy kilograms of food and learned that Gretka had received a flawless emerald from Ciri.
• Chen Xu traveled with Geralt and asked him to explain the sword dance and how witchers used magic in combat.
• Geralt transferred Source Power to Chen Xu, but Chen Xu could not perceive or use it, and the panel stored the first five units.
• Chen Xu studied sword techniques with Geralt and acquired beginner Sword Technique, Whirl, and Burst.

Geralt returned to Orphans' Village to ask Anna and the Godling about Ciri, then joined Chen Xu and Fringilla in clearing Harpies from a cliffside nest. The three faced a Wyvern, and Geralt warned them about its poisonous tail stinger.

• Geralt entered Orphans' Village while Fringilla and Chen Xu listened through a magical brooch, but Anna refused to discuss Ciri or the Ladies of the Wood.
• Geralt bribed the children with pastries and learned that the Godling outside the village might know where Ciri had gone.
• Geralt found the Godling, who led him to a Harpy-infested cliff, and Geralt returned to tell Chen Xu and Fringilla about the lead.
• Geralt brewed draconid oil while Chen Xu learned Alchemy, and the three set out to clear the Harpies from their nest.
• Fringilla's fire and Geralt and Chen Xu's attacks killed the Harpies, but a Wyvern swooped down on the group.
• Geralt drank a potion and warned Chen Xu and Fringilla to avoid the Wyvern's venomous tail stinger.

Chen Xu and Geralt killed a wyvern, recovered Johnny’s voice, and learned that Ciri had fled to Crow’s Perch. Geralt met the Crones, who promised to lift Anna’s curse if he destroyed the dark power troubling Downwarren.

• Chen Xu and Geralt defeated the wyvern, and Chen Xu gained a level while Geralt took a replacement steel sword from the corpse.
• Chen Xu and Geralt searched the harpies’ nest and recovered the golden flask containing Johnny’s voice.
• Johnny told Geralt that a wounded, ash-haired girl had run into the orphan village, contradicting Anna’s account.
• Johnny persuaded Anna to introduce Geralt to the Crones, who possessed her and demanded that he eradicate the dark power in Downwarren in exchange for lifting her curse.
• The Crones gave Geralt a dagger as a token and vanished, while Chen Xu recalled that their imprisoned mother was held near Downwarren at Whispering Hillock.

Chen Xu and Geralt tried to protect Anna and the orphans from the Crones, then investigated the Whispering Hillock’s dark power. After killing a werewolf beneath the oak, they heard an unseen presence ask whether they had come to kill or free it.

• Anna awoke and urged Geralt to save the children, while Chen Xu realized her hope of resistance had changed her attitude.
• Geralt asked Fringilla to take Anna and the orphans to Crow’s Perch, but she warned that she could not safely teleport them, so Chen Xu poisoned their treats to make them temporarily undesirable to the Crones.
• Chen Xu and Geralt questioned Downwarren’s ealdorman and learned that villagers had vanished near the Whispering Hillock.
• At the hillock, Chen Xu sensed a werewolf beside a Place of Power, but it woke before he could ambush it, and he and Geralt killed it together.
• Chen Xu took a werewolf mutagen, and he and Geralt entered the cave beneath the oak, where an unseen presence asked whether they had come to kill it or set it free.

Chen Xu and Geralt confronted Tree Heart, while the Crones held Anna and the orphans in their power. Chen Xu persuaded Geralt to use Tree Heart as leverage; after the Crones lifted Anna’s curse, Chen Xu killed Tree Heart and obtained the Heart of Nature.

• The Crones threatened Anna over the sick orphans until Fringilla warned them not to break their agreement.
• Tree Heart claimed the Crones were the true villains and urged Geralt to free it, but Chen Xu pushed Geralt to fight it.
• Geralt and Chen Xu battled Tree Heart’s Endrega defenders, and Geralt prepared to kill Tree Heart before Chen Xu stopped him.
• Geralt returned to the Orphans’ Village and demanded that the Crones lift Anna’s curse in exchange for Tree Heart’s death.
• Whispess removed Anna’s curse, and Chen Xu killed Tree Heart with Moonblade, gaining the Heart of Nature and Soul Juice.

After the Heart of the Tree died, the Crones gained greater power and attacked Geralt, Anna, Fringilla, and Chen Xu. Chen Xu killed Weavess by destroying the Mottled Heart of the Land, while the remaining Crones’ grief destabilized Fringilla’s illusion.

• The Heart of the Tree’s death left Whispering Hillock a hillock, and the Crones claimed greater control over Velen and demanded more ears from their followers.
• Brewess threatened Anna’s children, and Geralt drew his silver sword to stop her; Weavess restored Anna’s curse mark and Whispess attacked in a flock of crows.
• Fringilla drove Whispess back with chain lightning, then cast an illusion that hid Geralt and confused the Crones and the Fiend they summoned.
• Chen Xu used the illusion’s elemental patterns to locate Weavess, silently approached her, and beheaded her with Moonblade.
• Chen Xu tore the Mottled Heart of the Land from Weavess’s chest and crushed it, killing her; Whispess and Brewess howled in grief as Fringilla struggled to maintain the illusion.

Chen Xu, Geralt, and Fringilla fought the Crones and a seemingly endless horde of monsters at the Orphans' Village until the Baron and Nilfgaardian soldiers arrived with reinforcements. The humans began driving back the monsters as the Baron's wife hid with the children.

• Brewess and Whispess attacked Chen Xu while the Fiend kept Geralt occupied, and Drowners and Water Hags gathered around the village.
• Anna ushered the children into the cottage as Chen Xu and Geralt fought the first monster waves and protected Fringilla.
• Chen Xu used dual swords to cut through the monsters, but his injured arm weakened and Brewess sent him flying.
• The Fiend's Sleeping Demon Eye dazed Geralt, Whispess trapped him in vines, and Fringilla's lightning freed him while also shocking him.
• As darkness fell, Chen Xu used his remaining strength to protect Geralt and Fringilla until the Baron's guards and Nilfgaardian soldiers arrived with torches and charged the monsters.
• The cavalry and infantry set the monsters alight and cut them down as the Baron rushed to reassure Anna.

Chen Xu and the Nilfgaardian army nearly defeated the Crones, but Imlerith arrived and Caranthir unleashed the White Frost through a portal. Chen Xu disrupted the portal with dimeritium, though Caranthir continued opening new gateways and the battle remained unresolved.

• The Crones tried to flee as dimeritium bombs weakened their magic and the army killed most of their monsters.
• Chen Xu threatened the Crones into lifting Anna’s curse, then shot Whispess after she removed it.
• Imlerith appeared, caught Chen Xu’s bolt, and summoned Caranthir, whose portal unleashed the White Frost.
• Chen Xu used a crossbow bolt to strike a dimeritium bomb into the portal, collapsing it and letting the army drive Imlerith back.
• Caranthir opened another portal among the soldiers, and a sorceress destroyed it before a third portal appeared behind Imlerith.

After helping defeat the Wild Hunt and save Anna, Chen Xu recovered, completed his mission, and received an exceptional reward. The baron told Geralt and Fringilla that Ciri had gone to Novigrad, while Chen Xu declined to help Philip use magic to win Anna’s love and began considering his advancement to Mortal Tier Peak.

• Imlerith and Caranthir escaped through a portal after the costly battle, and Chen Xu began refining Source Power to heal his frostbitten body.
• Chen Xu treated poisoned soldiers and gathered materials from the battlefield as the survivors prepared to return to Crow's Perch.
• The baron told Fringilla that Ciri had gone to Novigrad and offered Geralt money and passes, prompting Fringilla to question his dealings with Redania.
• Chen Xu received 1,500 experience, 300 points, and two Advancement Cards for completing the mission to save the baron's wife.
• Chen Xu offered Philip a potion and ritual to make Anna love him, but Philip refused because Anna had suffered enough.
• Chen Xu returned to his guest room, saw that he had reached Mortal Tier Peak, and considered how to advance.

Chen Xu weighed possible advancement paths while his class requirements and a rising rival pushed him to keep progressing. After riding to Blackbough to sell his materials, he entered the pellar’s home and found a sheep’s head on a pillow.

• Chen Xu reviewed the points-shop qualification packages and class recommendations, weighing the familiar [Constable] path against the uncertain rare classes.
• Chen Xu noticed he had climbed to 93rd place in the mortal tier rankings and that Guan Chuan had taken Sethis’s place, sharpening his sense of urgency.
• When Lizi refused to ride, Chen Xu comprehended [Sign] by attempting Axii, then brewed and fed the horse a [Horse Stimulant].
• Chen Xu rode to Blackbough, learned that a new boxing champion had been crowned, and got directions to the pellar’s house.
• Chen Xu entered the pellar’s home and saw a sheep’s head lying on a pillow.

Chen Xu purified 487 liters of [Soul Juice] into [Spiritwood Essence] and brewed and traded attribute potions, but the pellar eventually drove him away. As Chen Xu rode past Blackbough, he spotted Guan Chuan and his rotting-handed teammate fleeing a stranger who meant to kill them.

• Chen Xu startled the pellar by barging into his hut, then bought herbs and rented the pellar's alchemy equipment.
• Chen Xu purified the [Soul Juice] into [Spiritwood Essence] and brewed potions, selling nineteen attribute potions for 2,850 points.
• Chen Xu kept [Heart of the Land], [Diluted Dragon's Strength], and [Wolfsbane], then bought more attribute potions from the shop.
• The pellar refused Chen Xu's offer of more money and drove him out before sunset.
• Chen Xu rode past Blackbough and sensed Guan Chuan and his rotting-handed teammate being pursued by a stranger intent on killing them.

Chen Xu watched Bong Chigurh defeat Annisha Nomankov and badly injure Guan Chuan, then stepped in when the [Witcher]-like Chosen threatened to finish them off. After detecting Bong’s formidable attributes, Chen Xu prepared to fight alongside the two [Soldier] Chosen.

• Chen Xu watched Bong Chigurh pursue the wounded Guan Chuan and Annisha Nomankov, while Annisha used his ability to change size and attributes to hold him off.
• Bong taunted Annisha and struck him with a blast of flame and a kick that badly injured his face.
• Guan Chuan urged Chen Xu to help, explaining that Bong had claimed the battlefield and forced them to leave or withdraw.
• Bong knocked Annisha’s sword aside and prepared to finish him, but Chen Xu dismounted and joined Guan Chuan to stop him, citing the two men’s 400-point debt.
• Chen Xu and the others used [Detection] and learned that Bong was a powerful Navia Dark Elf serving the Chigurh Legion.

Chen Xu and his companions drove Bong away after learning about the dangerous Anton Chigurh, then returned to Crow’s Perch for a banquet where Chen Xu won the Velen championship challenge. The night ended with Chen Xu discovering that an old maid had Gretka’s missing emerald necklace.

• Chen Xu, Guan Chuan, and Annisha fought Bong, wounded him, and forced him to retreat after he invoked Anton Chigurh’s orders.
• On the ride back to Crow’s Perch, Guan Chuan explained Anton Chigurh’s reputation and the Chigurh Legion’s predatory aims.
• At the baron’s banquet, Chen Xu played Gwent, won the baron’s spy card, and defeated the Sergeant in the Velen championship challenge.
• As Chen Xu left the banquet, he recognized Gretka’s missing emerald around an old maid’s neck, and the maid refused to give it back.

Chen Xu sent Geralt and Fringilla toward Novigrad, then dealt with Gretka’s broken emerald and forged new equipment from monster materials. He finished the chapter wearing newly made Wyvern armor and carrying a powerful dragon-horn bow.

• Chen Xu warned Geralt about choosing between women he loved, then secretly kept Geralt’s witcher medallion as a regional monster-hunting permit.
• Fringilla left with Geralt after concealing Chen Xu’s existence from the false Emhyr.
• Gretka found the emerald shattered into dust, and Chen Xu repaired it with plant adhesive before arranging two hundred crowns for her future.
• Chen Xu used Wyvern hide, Endrega carapaces, and metal plates to forge rare Wyvern armor, while Yoana watched at the smithy.
• Chen Xu also made a fine dragon horn bow from Wyvern materials and finished his armor with his original Temerian guard armor reforged into leg protection.