Chapter Summaries

Bai Heng advanced his research on the Entropy-Boosting Compound and established an orphanage for children displaced by the locust plague. On New Year’s Eve, he left Entropy Ashes headquarters to celebrate with someone special, while keeping the relationship secret from his colleagues.

• Bai Heng’s Entropy-Boosting Compound eased Entropy Loss Syndrome symptoms, but he refused to conduct experiments on genetically modified infants.
• Bai Heng used his salary to turn a former paper mill into an orphanage for refugees’ children and regularly visited them.
• Bai Heng continued refining the compound, which Entropy Ashes’ management supported because it could extend Molten Knight pilots’ lifespans.
• On New Year’s Eve, Bai Heng left his office and declined his colleagues’ invitation to celebrate with them.
• Bai Heng hinted to his teasing colleagues that he had someone to celebrate with, but said he would reveal more after they confirmed their relationship.

Bai Heng took Firefly out of Entropy Ash headquarters for a rare day in the city, where they enjoyed the holiday atmosphere together. When a senior called Firefly his girlfriend, Bai Heng agreed, leaving Firefly flustered.

• Bai Heng checked on Firefly's recovery and learned that she still needed two daily injections of the Entropy-Increasing Compound Reagent.
• Bai Heng told Firefly that he had obtained permission for her to leave headquarters for twenty-four hours, and she hurried to get ready.
• Bai Heng drank the bitter melon juice Firefly had made before taking her out into the city.
• Firefly explored the festive streets, and Bai Heng bought her white gloves to match his black pair.
• Bai Heng's senior mistook Firefly for his girlfriend, and Bai Heng confirmed the assumption while Firefly tried to deny it.

Bai Heng introduced Firefly to Qi Liang as his childhood sweetheart and asked her to keep pretending to be his girlfriend, then brought her to celebrate New Year at his Orphanage. As fireworks lit the sky, Firefly chose Bai Heng over bitter melon, while he kept his true confession to himself until she recovered from Entropy Loss Syndrome.

• Qi Liang introduced herself to Firefly as Bai Heng's senior sister and joked that Bai Heng could buy Firefly a fine wedding ring with his future share of the reagent project.
• Bai Heng asked Firefly to keep pretending to be his girlfriend, and she agreed; he then explained why Qi Liang liked eating ice cream in winter and bought Firefly green tea and orange scoops.
• Bai Heng brought Firefly to his Orphanage, where the children welcomed them, one girl called Firefly “Mama,” and everyone prepared dumplings and shared a reunion dinner.
• Bai Heng and Firefly set off fireworks outside the Orphanage, and Firefly delighted in seeing a firefly-shaped display in the sky.
• Bai Heng teased Firefly by asking whether she liked him or bitter melon, and she chose him; he kept his actual confession for after her Entropy Loss Syndrome was cured.

At nineteen, the researcher created self-aware Molten Knights from deep-sea locusts and released the imperfect models to help Entropy Ash prepare for war. After an investigation revealed locust blood in the researcher’s veins, Entropy Ash suspended their work and imprisoned them for a dangerousness assessment.

• The researcher captured deep-sea locusts with unusually large brain regions and spent three months experimenting on them.
• The researcher created seven self-aware Molten Knights, naming them Seaborn, Singer, Radiance, Fool, Kunyu, Fate, and Duyu.
• The researcher discovered the new Molten Knights could operate independently, while burning a pilot’s life force greatly increased their combat power and harm to the pilot.
• The researcher released the unfinished Molten Knight technology to Entropy Ash so it could upgrade existing models, including the retired Molten Knight Sam.
• Entropy Ash’s upper management investigated the researcher after rumors spread about the locusts’ behavior around them.
• The investigation found locust blood in the researcher’s veins, so Entropy Ash suspended their experiments, reassigned their work, and took them into custody for a dangerousness assessment.

While imprisoned, you were supported by Firefly as the Glamour Federation and Entropy Ash put you on trial over your Locust Blood. You revealed that you had embedded control code in every Molten Knight, forcing your accusers to reconsider how they treated you.

• Firefly visited you every day, bringing food and telling you she would still like you even if the world called you a monster.
• Three days after your arrest became public, the Glamour Military Court and Entropy Ash Arbitration Committee tried you, but they could not prove you had committed a crime or would betray humanity.
• You told the court that you were an enemy of Propagation and said the Federation’s treatment of you would determine whether you remained its friend.
• You disclosed that you had embedded source code in every Molten Knight as protection against their being taken over by locust consciousness.
• The court and arbitration committee realized you could control the Molten Knights, and rejected a proposal to kill you in prison for fear of triggering retaliation.

Entropy Ashes launched the Locust Blood Operation to test whether Bai Heng could use the Molten Knight source code, putting Firefly and a refugee gathering point at risk. Firefly reached the designated town in Sam, while Mersis and Pekrom prepared to begin the attack.

• Entropy Ashes factions devised a plan to endanger Firefly and a refugee gathering point to test Bai Heng’s abilities.
• Pekrom persuaded Firefly to return to the front lines, and she asked him to tell Bai Heng to wait for her and rate her bitter melon cake.
• Mersis and Pekrom discussed the operation and Mersis’s plan to leave Firefly barely alive to torment Bai Heng.
• Firefly arrived in Sam at the designated town, and Mersis ordered the operation to begin.

A massive Insectoid Spawn swarm attacked Muirin Town, overwhelming its defenders and trapping the residents. Sam arrived in a silver mech and raised a burning barrier to protect the survivors, but the swarm remained a threat.

• Miles spotted a vast Insectoid Spawn swarm approaching Muirin Town and joined his teammates in firing at it.
• The swarm broke through the mechs’ defenses, killing soldiers and attacking the town’s elderly residents, children, and patients.
• Miles wounded a spider-like Insectoid Spawn with his blade, but acid corroded his mech and he fell as it advanced on him.
• Sam burst through the swarm’s darkened dome in a silver mech and told everyone to retreat to the center of town.
• Sam raised a wall of crimson fire beside the survivors, setting the Insectoid Spawn ablaze and slowing their advance.
• Sam asked how the other person was doing, and they replied that they were fine and urged him to save the people first.

Firefly fought an overwhelming Insectoid Spawn swarm with Sam while Entropy Ash leadership waited for the rescue operation to fail. After Pekrom falsely ordered her to withdraw and Firefly spoke of the bitter melon cake she had left for Bai Heng, Mersis realized she was activating Bloodburn, a mode that would kill her.

• A year after her previous battle, Firefly piloted Sam to defend Muir Town’s survivors as the locust swarm damaged the mech and exhausted her.
• Mersis and Pekrom watched the experimental insect swarms from Entropy Ash headquarters and discussed their plan to deal with Bai Heng.
• A clerk reported that hundreds of Molten Knights had left their sleep pods and were moving in the same direction.
• Pekrom contacted Firefly, falsely told her the rescue operation had failed, and ordered her to withdraw.
• Firefly said she would buy time and asked Pekrom whether Bai Heng had seen her bitter melon cake; after he falsely said yes, she spoke regretfully about wanting to taste it herself.
• Mersis saw Sam’s readings rise exponentially and recognized that Firefly was preparing to use the life-consuming Bloodburn mode.

As Firefly neared death while defending Muir Town, Sam awakened a new power and drove back the Insectoid Spawn before collapsing. Bai Heng received Firefly’s driving log, which chronicled her life with him and her wish to become his bride.

• A torrential downpour threatened Sam’s last wall of fire as Firefly told it to begin.
• Sam’s core changed from crimson to cyan, and it burned an approaching Insectoid Spawn to ash before challenging the swarm.
• More than a hundred Molten Knights arrived, and Bai Heng walked through Muir Town toward Sam.
• Sam shielded Firefly from the rain with its wings of light, then collapsed as Bai Heng took her into his arms.
• Sam sent Bai Heng Firefly’s driving log, which recorded her memories of him and her wish to be his bride.

After Sam’s death, you used the truth from her Memory Bubble to abandon your former labels and begin a new course. You partnered with the Interastral Peace Corporation to advance your ambitions, leaving the future judgment of your actions uncertain and naming the day the “Locust Blood Incident.”

• You returned to Samoa-do, where you had met Sam and buried her, and saw the birthday message on her cake.
• You extracted the Memory Bubble from Sam’s lingering consciousness and learned the truth behind her death and the schemes that caused it.
• You realized that your blood of “Propagation” powered the source code, biotechnology, and Molten Knights, and that you could activate every standby Molten Knight in the prison.
• In 1367 of the Amber Era, you established contact with the Interastral Peace Corporation and offered a 1% reduction in Star Era tariffs in exchange for cooperation.
• You persuaded the Interastral Peace Corporation to bet on your ambition and form a partnership, then named the day the “Locust Blood Incident.”

After winning the war and becoming the leader of "Entropy Ashes," you conducted living experiments on your former enemies and used the results to cure Entropy Loss Syndrome. Over the following years, you eradicated the locust plague, created the Dark Domain, and found a possible answer to the emptiness in your heart.

• The war between you and the Glamour Federation ended in Amber Era 1367, year 70, and you became the new leader of "Entropy Ashes" at twenty-three.
• You forgave Mersis, Pekrom, and the others, then used them as subjects in living experiments that yielded a cure for Entropy Loss Syndrome.
• You placed genetically modified infants in ordinary families and ensured that "Entropy Ashes" cared for their health and supported their families.
• You gathered knowledge from the previous civilization and brought back its ancient knights over the next ten years.
• You eradicated the locust plague on Glamour Star in Amber Era 1367, year 83, and unearthed a gigantic silver cocoon in the old lands.
• You used the cocoon to create the Dark Domain, left an imprint to guide future visitors, and found a possible way to fill the void in your heart.

You assembled the Celestial Empire Gram fleet under the pretense of fighting the locust calamity, while secretly searching for the Lord of Abundance. After nearly a century of travel, the ecological megaship reached the location Erudition had calculated, and you caught a glimpse of His existence.

• In the 86th year of Amber Era 1367, you began building a fleet and publicly announced that the Molten Knights would carry civilization across the universe.
• In the 96th year, the fleet was completed as the Celestial Empire Gram, and you set out to find the Lord of Abundance.
• Over the following decades, the Empire fought the locust calamity and brought rescued civilizations under its rule while you continued the secret search.
• In the 1st year of Amber Era 1368, the Empire captured a wounded Emanator of Propagation and used its flesh and consciousness to modify the Molten Knight Kunyu.
• In the 21st year, the Empire captured a dormant Emanator of Propagation and modified the Molten Knight Seaborn.
• In the 31st year, the ecological megaship reached the location calculated by Erudition, and you glimpsed the Lord of Abundance.

After leaving the Empire, the traveler visited Glamour Star, then journeyed through the Swarm Disaster to create the Key of Replication with the Garden of Recollection. They later gathered remnants of Permanence and first-generation dragon blood on Reia Fal, leaving with only one step remaining before their answer.

• In Amber Era 1368, Year 32, the traveler returned to Glamour Star and visited the cemetery where their sleeping beloved lay, leaving white forget-me-nots beside her coffin.
• During the Swarm Disaster, the traveler saved a dying Memokeeper, traveled with her for fifteen years, and gained an introduction to the Garden of Recollection.
• The traveler made a deal with the Garden of Recollection's Memokeepers and created the Key of Replication, using it to restore planets destroyed by the Swarm Disaster.
• After the Key of Replication was created, the Genius Society invited the traveler, who considered themself more fool than genius.
• In Amber Era 1369, the traveler spent decades on Reia Fal studying Permanence, befriended Death Dragon Howling Wind, and obtained the blood of the first dragon born from Permanence.
• The traveler left Reia Fal carrying the remnants of Permanence and the first-generation dragonkin's blood, with only the final step remaining.

After joining The Tavern, you led a chaotic expedition to help the gods in their war, then continued alone with the Void Whale Swarm toward the conflict. With Aha’s cooperation and precise coordinates, you reached the illusory space and witnessed the Amber Lord strike the Insect Emperor for the third time.

• You made an agreement with the Void Whale Swarm to host the whales in the Dark Domain in exchange for their help.
• You joined The Tavern after its fun seekers interpreted strange ripples in their cups as Aha’s revelation to help the gods.
• You stole the Lamenting Harlequin’s gondola and led fun seekers and hidden Nameless on an expedition to the gods’ war.
• You left with the Void Whale Swarm after the others withdrew, then persuaded Aha to cooperate with your plan.
• You followed Aha’s coordinates to the war and witnessed the Amber Lord strike the Insect Emperor for the third time.

Bai Heng crossed the dying Tayzzyronth’s swarm and used the powers of Propagation, Abundance, and Permanence to construct a single instant of life. He dreamed of a new bud blooming toward the sun, while the chapter ended with an author’s Lantern Festival notice.

• Bai Heng left the Dark Domain and advanced toward Tayzzyronth along the Subspace Crystal Lattice Structures, swallowing the sweet dew of Abundance and igniting his blood.
• Bai Heng ordered the seven Molten Knights to melt down the locust swarm, and they entered Bloodburn mode by draining his life force.
• Bai Heng reflected on how he had followed the gods’ paths while hoping to bring back the person he loved, though he knew death could not be reversed.
• Bai Heng reached Tayzzyronth and called for the God of Amusement, who helped him complete his final step.
• Bai Heng used Propagation as a foundation, Abundance as a guide, and replicated Permanence to create a single instant of life, dreaming of a new bud blooming toward the sun.

Bai Heng gave his life to restore Firefly, and she awoke after two hundred years in a cemetery on Glamour Star. The chapter ended with the old gravekeeper discovering that Firefly had awakened inside her open coffin.

• Bai Heng sent his final consciousness through the Subspace Crystal Lattice Structure and used the branches of life to pierce Propagation, calling Firefly back as he fell into the star sea.
• Firefly dreamed of meeting Bai Heng among the stars, reached for him, and sank into darkness before waking beneath the dawn on Glamour Star.
• The old gravekeeper felt a gentle aura of life spread through the cemetery and found his weary body briefly renewed.
• The old man brought white forget-me-nots to the silver coffin, where he saw that its barrier had opened and Firefly was sitting up, crying.

After earning an S-ranked simulation and inheriting the Fool and Blood of the Propagation traits, Bai Heng emerged from the system space and found the Molten Knights waiting. He put them into hibernation, learned where the other Knights were, and realized the Corporation might already consider him dead.

• Bai Heng selected the Fool and Blood of the Propagation traits, distributed his attribute points, and absorbed memories spanning nearly three centuries.
• Bai Heng found the three Molten Knights, recognized them as Kunyu, Fate, and Duyu, and commanded them to hibernate.
• Bai Heng discovered that the Interastral Peace Corporation controlled Fool, Singer, and Radiance, while other Molten Knights were held by the Stellaron Hunters, Herta, the Corporation, and himself.
• Bai Heng realized he had been out of contact for nearly two days and might be officially classified as suspected dead, leaving the Corporation to answer to the Xianzhou and the Genius Society.

Bai Heng returned to the Dark Domain and confronted The Deceased about their shared authority and past encounters. After learning why she had erased memories of him five years earlier, he asked whether those memories could be restored.

• Bai Heng used his 80% dispatch authority to travel through the Dark Domain to the silver cocoon.
• The Deceased appeared and revealed that she held 20% authority, complementing Bai Heng's 80%.
• The Deceased recreated her home on Punklorde and told Bai Heng she did not regret entering the Dark Domain.
• The Deceased confirmed meeting Bai Heng through a projection in the cocoon and a Memory Bubble in the Garden of Recollection.
• The Deceased explained that she had taken Bai Heng's memories to investigate his connection to the Dark Domain's creator and erased others' memories of him as protection.
• Bai Heng asked whether the people whose memories she erased could recover their memories of him.

Bai Heng left the Dark Domain after making a deal with Miss Deceased to manage his properties in exchange for information about the Key of Replication. He found messages from those worried about him and reassured Ruan Mei, who planned to come to the Molten Eremite.

• Bai Heng offered Miss Deceased a steward position and information about the Key of Replication, and she accepted.
• Bai Heng left the three Molten Knights, “Fate,” “Duyu,” and “Kunyu,” in Miss Deceased's care and exited the Dark Domain.
• Bai Heng found calls and messages from Ruan Mei, Jingliu, Jing Yuan, Topaz, Herta, and his colleagues after his phone regained signal.
• Bai Heng answered Ruan Mei's call, apologized, and told her he was safe after being trapped in a special space.
• Ruan Mei said she would go to the Molten Eremite, but Bai Heng urged her to rest and promised to visit her when everything was over.

Bai Heng reunited with Jingliu by phone and traveled from the Molten Eremite to Glamour Star, while Herta and Ruan Mei prepared to follow. The chapter left Ruan Mei planning to ambush Bai Heng with a surprise after arranging to leave the next morning.

• Bai Heng reassured Jingliu and Ruan Mei that he was safe, then replied to messages from people concerned about him.
• Bai Heng returned to the excavation site, soothed Xiao Si, and boarded a patrol starship for Glamour Star.
• Bai Heng reassured Topaz during the journey and confirmed he could arrange a trip to Jarilo-VI.
• At Glamour Star, investigators confirmed Bai Heng's identity and removed him from the missing persons list, while corporate headquarters prevented them from forcing further cooperation.
• Herta studied the dormant Seaborn Molten Knight armor and noticed its dormancy coincided with Bai Heng's return to contact.
• Ruan Mei told Herta she would leave for Glamour Star the next morning, and Herta realized Ruan Mei planned to ambush Bai Heng with a surprise.