Chapter Summaries

News of the revived god Norton and Benny’s defeat spread across the universe as the military placed Sak City under full combat readiness. Southern Continent commander Qienuofu prepared to face Norton with modern weapons, but ancient records of the god’s devastation left him uneasy.

• News reports announced that Norton had revived at the ruins in Sak City and that Benny had fallen after fighting him.
• The military evacuated Sak City and surrounded the ruins with soldiers, aircraft, robotic weapons, and a warship aiming its laser cannon at the entrance.
• Qienuofu watched the military buildup from the central command room and reasoned that modern technology should be able to defeat Norton.
• Qienuofu recalled historical accounts describing Norton absorbing bombs and causing devastation across the Southern Continent, which deepened his unease.
• Qienuofu concluded that the military had to act despite his fears.

Qienuofu’s attempt to negotiate with the Pale God Norton ended when Norton’s chained procession emerged from underground and crossed the city, demonstrating overwhelming power. Abraham, badly injured, crawled after the departing procession and remained loyal to Norton.

• Qienuofu addressed the ancient god through long-range audio equipment and urged him to accept the Human Federation’s authority.
• The ground split open, collapsing a skyscraper into the fissure, and the mothership’s Sinan Great Cannon vanished into the abyss without effect.
• Norton emerged on a towering silver throne hauled by enormous chained monsters, with First-Generation Vampires tethered behind it.
• Norton’s procession crushed buildings, vehicles, and military equipment as it passed through the city without acknowledging the humans.
• An injured Abraham crawled out of the fissure and chased after Norton’s procession.

Norton of Biyang advanced toward his Holy City on a throne pulled by giant monsters, indifferent to the destruction and deaths around him. When the Human Federation attacked with hundreds of motherships, Norton’s power dissolved them before they could harm him, leaving humanity seemingly powerless before the ancient god.

• Norton’s monster servants dragged his enormous throne through the city, crushing buildings and killing civilians as Abraham joined the procession.
• Abraham’s wounds healed, but his memories became confused with another version in which Norton had always been a god and Abraham had betrayed him.
• The Human Federation evacuated civilians and assembled its forces after the vampire procession’s destruction and killings provoked its retaliation.
• Hundreds of motherships fired thousands of laser beams at Norton’s throne, but the ships and their crews dissolved into black particles before reaching the ground.
• Norton continued toward his Holy City while his monsters pulled the throne through the devastated capital.

The Human Federation's Supreme Council argued over whether to fight the Pale God or seek contact after its motherships were destroyed. The debate ended when an emergency bulletin announced that Jacob had revived in his ice coffin.

• Qiernuofu demanded an attack on the Pale God, invoking Jacob's human-supremacist founding principles.
• A council member warned that the destruction of 123 motherships could trigger the Federation's collapse and urged caution.
• Another council member argued that the Federation should evacuate civilians, pause the conflict, and contact the Pale God to advance human technology.
• The council members received an emergency bulletin announcing that Jacob had revived within his ice coffin.

The Human Federation’s leaders remained paralyzed by debate while Norton used his concentrated power to bring his immense throne to the former site of the Holy City. Abraham and Elizabeth stood beside him, and Abraham struggled to understand Norton’s transformed, seemingly timeless existence.

• The Human Federation’s upper ranks repeatedly proposed and discarded plans after their defensive failure.
• Norton had his skyscraper-sized silver throne brought to the Southern Continent’s new metropolis, crushing people and property beneath it.
• Abraham and Elizabeth returned to human form and stood cautiously beside Norton, confused by altered memories of their past.
• Abraham recalled his supposed betrayal of Norton and suspected that Norton had already begun manipulating events after awakening.
• Abraham sensed that Norton no longer felt like a living person and seemed instead to merge with his surroundings and span different times.

Norton regained his human emotions and memories after returning to the Garden of Eden, but the memory of his existence beyond the universe terrified him. He realized that excavations in the Garden of Eden had anchored his soul and enabled his return, leaving him grateful to its people.

• Norton remembered the universe’s entire history and his lonely existence after its heat death, and feared losing his humanity again.
• Norton recognized that his fifth-stage ascension had transformed his body and soul into the universe, a godhood he had never wanted.
• Norton reasoned that the excavations of ancient ruins had stirred human souls in the Garden of Eden and created an anchor that drew his soul back.
• Norton concluded that God had cast out the essence of his soul while the Garden of Eden’s anchor let him return and form a new body.

Norton spoke with Abraham about the century after his departure and claimed that humanity allowed him to remain in the Garden of Eden. Abraham became increasingly convinced that Norton’s words were part of an elaborate scheme, leaving him terrified and unable to trust even his own suspicions.

• Norton casually asked Abraham what had happened before he went into slumber.
• Abraham described the cruelty of the people who ruled the Garden of Eden and expressed regret for betraying Norton.
• Norton said he had ascended to the Divine Stage and needed humanity to remain in the Garden of Eden.
• Abraham wondered whether Norton had roamed through countless trillions of years and warned himself not to fall for another deception.
• Abraham spiraled through layers of suspicion until he trembled in fear, while Norton returned to his indifferent state.

Norton reflected on becoming a god and realized his actions had helped set the universe on a course toward heat death, leaving him destined for eternal solitude. He explained how Shenyin, Kuba, and Jonah had tried to resist that fate, then fell silent after hinting at an exception.

• Norton lamented that becoming a god had brought emptiness and the prospect of existing alone after the universe's heat death.
• Norton told Abraham that the Garden of Eden's return to the universe had restarted the cycle of energy and souls, making the Big Freeze inevitable.
• Norton explained that Shenyin, Kuba, and Jonah had each used their powers to resist cosmic expansion and delay the end of the universe.
• Norton regretted releasing Kuba too early and admitted his ambition and schemes had helped undo the gods' efforts.
• Norton suggested there might be an exception to the universe's fate, then stopped speaking as Abraham suspected he was preparing another scheme.

Norton rebuilt a monastery on the former site of Holy Lord City while the Human Federation studied his powers and the transformed super soldier Benny. The researchers’ findings convinced them that their world and humanity had been created by a god, leaving several experts dead or broken by despair.

• Norton ordered First-Generation Vampires and Prince-class vampires to demolish skyscrapers and build a monastery on the former site of Holy Lord City.
• Norton dispelled the demolition dust with his power, and Human Federation researchers observed that their instruments detected no energy fluctuations.
• Professor Laolaide rejected the evidence that the world had been created by a god and detonated his brain-computer interface, killing himself.
• Biologists reported that Benny’s black liquid body contained a rapidly reproducing substance introduced by the ancient gene serum, which the Pale God could resonate with.
• A biology expert declared that humanity were pigs raised in a pen, then detonated himself as the other experts collapsed in despair.

The Human Federation assessed the destruction and biological effects caused by Pale God Norton and voted to seek negotiations rather than attack him. The vote ended with senators proposing that Norton be honored as pope and given support.

• Officials reported that Norton was destroying buildings in Polynya and that the Evolution Elixir might be mutating people under his influence.
• President Betty Alexander presented the Federation's thirty-eighth decision on Norton, citing signs of humanity in his behavior and his historical reputation for order and peace.
• The senators voted overwhelmingly to lay down their weapons and send negotiators to Norton.
• After the vote, senators proposed honoring Norton as pope and offering him support, and the proposal won broad approval.

In 9985, the Human Federation prepared to cooperate with the Pale God and planned to turn its leaders into vampires, while imprisoned founder Jacob warned them that the Pale God would control them. After the officials rejected his warnings, Jacob transformed into a monster but failed to break out of his cell.

• The Human Federation announced a livestreamed meeting with the Pale God and plans to choose a new pope.
• Jacob told Federation officials that becoming vampires would put them under the Pale God's control, but they argued that cooperation with him could help humanity face alien civilizations.
• The officials dismissed Jacob as a relic of the old era and said he would remain imprisoned until he understood modern civilization.
• Jacob broke down, then transformed into a huge monster and struck the floor of his cell.
• The nanotechnology cell remained intact, and the officials watched calmly as Jacob's attack injured him instead.

The Human Federation used publicity and historical accounts to turn public opinion in favor of the Pale God Norton and prepared a grand ceremony to welcome him and finalize a peace agreement. As crowds filled Holy Lord City for the live broadcast, officials and the Beisluoer Consortium planned a Mass-inspired procession and hoped to gain his favor.

• After Norton contacted the Human Federation, the government announced a peace agreement, and online coverage shifted from hostility to praise and anticipation.
• Creators circulated historical videos portraying Norton as a progressive ancient sage, while people debated his past and traveled to Holy Lord City to see him.
• On March 15, Year 9985, crowds and private aircraft packed Holy Lord City ahead of the Human Federation's live broadcast.
• The Beisluoer Consortium took charge of the ceremony's arrangements, with the government set to reimburse the expenses.
• The Human Federation prepared a petal-lined route, modern soldiers, banquets, and gifts to welcome Norton with a Mass-inspired ceremony.

Norton emerged from the monastery to a huge public welcome as the authorities staged a ceremony to mend relations with him. He accepted the children’s flowers and rode along the flower-strewn path, leaving Abraham surprised that he showed no aversion to the Church’s old rites.

• Crowds gathered around the monastery and the stone Gargoyle statues, discussing the Pale God’s return and the creatures’ transformation.
• At nine o’clock, Norton emerged from the monastery with Abraham and a beautiful woman, and the crowd praised his inhuman appearance.
• Two children presented Norton with flowers, and he accepted them with a rare smile.
• Norton let the children lead him to an open-topped vehicle and sat down, while Abraham worried that the ceremony’s old Church rites might offend him.

Norton rode through a flower-strewn road as his humanity and memories returned, then witnessed a grieving man die after attacking the procession. The chapter left Norton silent as officials apologized and soldiers dragged the man’s body away.

• Norton rode in the procession and recalled the familiar scenery from ten thousand years earlier.
• A boy and a girl gave Norton a Church-style reception, awakening his humanity and bringing back his memories.
• Norton reflected on desire and humanity, then decided that he would not abandon his desires or his identity as Norton.
• A grieving man threw a homemade bomb and demanded that the Pale God return his son, but soldiers shot him with lasers.
• The man died pleading for his son, while Norton watched in silence as officials apologized and soldiers removed the body.

Norton reflected on whether his growing indifference had cost him his humanity as protesters accused him of killing their families. When Abraham demanded that the protesters be executed, Norton intervened before the standoff could turn deadly.

• Norton watched the crowd’s unrest and wondered whether his actions had made him as cruel as the Church knights he once opposed.
• Federation troops subdued the protesters and began escorting them away as they continued to curse Norton.
• The official in charge apologized to Norton, while Abraham rushed over and called for the protesters to be executed.
• Bystanders began livestreaming Abraham’s demand, and the soldiers and official hesitated as the crowd watched.
• Norton finally moved and said, “Enough...”

Norton rejected the history of him as a cruel tyrant and used his power over life and time to revive the recently killed and rescue more than a hundred thousand people from past deaths. The rescued crowded the flower-lined road, where a revived man searched for Yila.

• Norton told Abraham that humanity had misjudged him and described his efforts to bring peace and break down class barriers.
• Norton revived a man who had just been shot, healing his body and restoring his life.
• Norton reached into different timelines and rescued more than a hundred thousand people who had been crushed beneath thrones and the Princes' feet.
• The rescued appeared along the flower-lined road, screaming in fear as the crowd and their families reacted in shock.
• The revived man called out for Yila until she spotted him from within the crowd.

Norton’s miraculous feat of retrieving people from the river of time transformed his public image, and the Xiernuo Consortium’s Zelta investigated his recent activities as a possible investment opportunity. The chapter ended with Zelta and Pope Nicholas watching Norton’s cheerful selfie video.

• News coverage praised Norton’s powers, and public opinion recast him from a mass murderer into the Pale Angel and Eternal Sage.
• The Xiernuo Consortium’s Zelta asked what Norton had been doing, while Pope Nicholas listened in the consortium estate’s great hall.
• Zelta’s assistant reported that Norton had spent nearly a month browsing the internet and had posted a selfie.
• The assistant projected Norton’s video, in which Norton smiled at the camera and declared that he loved using Twitter.

Zelta and Pope Nicholas reviewed reports that the Pale God Norton had become absorbed in internet culture and was responding to online users, while psychologists judged that his humanity was returning. Zelta urged Nicholas to invite Norton to a papal meeting, giving the church a chance to influence him and seek immortality.

• Zelta and Pope Nicholas watched a report detailing Norton's heavy internet, gaming, and pornography use, as well as his intervention in a Norwegian prison case after online users appealed to him.
• Psychologists concluded that Norton's humanity was returning and that he appeared relaxed and unusually immature, making him easier to communicate with and control.
• Pope Nicholas celebrated the report, believing Norton's behavior would undermine the Pale Holy See and preserve the Holy Lord Church's religious authority.
• Zelta concealed his mockery and advised Nicholas to invite Norton to a papal meeting to demonstrate the church's magnanimity and seek Norton's blessing of immortality.
• Pope Nicholas agreed, calling Norton a devil and warning that his immense power still made him a danger to humanity.

Zelta learned that the Pale God could erase people and history without resistance, so the Human Federation ordered everyone not to provoke him. Norton ignored politics and spent his days gaming and online, where he erased people who angered him, while Abraham and Elizabeth also became absorbed in their phones.

• Zelta's assistant reported that the Pale God had resurrected people and erased others from records, memories, and existence without detectable energy fluctuations.
• Zelta concluded humanity could not resist the Pale God and ordered the Federation to treat his needs as its highest directive and eliminate anyone who threatened him.
• Zelta's assistant reported that a vampire named Duoxia had gone to the Human Federation government.
• Norton cursed at players while gaming on his phone, and Abraham said he had shut off his omniscience to enjoy modern technology.
• The Human Federation had supplied Norton with devices and gaming pods, and he had become increasingly absorbed in videos, games, and the internet.
• Norton erased people who displeased him online, while Norton, Abraham, and Elizabeth neglected the Pale Holy Court's visitors and duties to spend their days on their phones.

After six months of internet addiction, Norton lost his temper when another player insulted him and used his powers to wipe out the player's small town. The Pale God remained secluded, but his online fury left mass destruction in its wake.

• Norton spent six months indoors playing games and watching videos, while Abraham and Elizabeth also became absorbed in the internet.
• A player cursed Norton during an online game, provoking his fury.
• Norton tore apart his gaming pod and threatened to wipe out the player's entire clan.
• Norton expanded his condemnation to the player's relatives, teachers, neighbors, and others connected to them.
• Norton's judgment implicated so many people that a small town was left completely empty.