Chapter Summaries

Shen Heng returned to school, brushed off classmates who mocked his changed circumstances, and practiced the Heavenly Cycle Breathing Technique during class. After hearing about a dog attack near the school, he left in the evening to go to the Supervision Bureau.

• Kong Haochen dismissed Shen Heng’s warning about factory wages, and Yan Sheng complained that their classmates had abandoned Shen Heng now that he was broke.
• Shen Heng advised Yan Sheng to keep studying and deflected questions about how illness had changed him by talking about the Dao.
• Yan Sheng told Shen Heng that a dog had attacked someone near the school and left the person hospitalized.
• Shen Heng found a rejection note in his desk, put it away, and listened briefly in English class before practicing the Heavenly Cycle Breathing Technique.
• Shen Heng left school for the Supervision Bureau after Yan Sheng urged him to focus harder on his studies.

Shen Heng settled into a demanding cultivation routine while his family noticed his absence from home. Meanwhile, Huang Shaohua learned that Shen Heng's older sister was Shen Shuning and planned to use Shen Heng's debt to force her to accept his advances.

• Shen Heng greeted Li Jianguo and Dahuang, then practiced the Five Animal Fist and continued cultivating night after night.
• Shen Shuning asked Xu Yuqin why Shen Heng had not come home, and Xu Yuqin said he had found a night-shift job.
• Huang Shaohua gambled with two thugs at an illegal casino after learning his father would be away until the next day.
• Yellow Hair told Huang Shaohua that Shen Heng's older sister was Shen Shuning and showed him her photograph.
• Huang Shaohua decided to ask Linhai's other loan sharks not to lend money to Shen Heng so he could use the debt to pressure Shen Shuning.

After quickly improving his punching strength through Origin Power, Shen Heng responded to a suspected Calamity Beast sighting and asked to accompany the Supervision Bureau team. Wang Hai allowed him to travel with the police as long as he stayed out of the fight.

• Shen Heng trained and struck the punching tester with a force of 232.7 kilograms after a week of Origin Power tempering.
• A broadcast reported a suspected Calamity Beast on Wanxiang Street, and Shen Heng hurried to the front desk.
• Han Ling invited Shen Heng to join the mission, but Wu Cheng and Wang Hai objected because Shen Heng had not entered a tier.
• Shen Heng proposed staying with the police at the scene, and Wang Hai agreed on the condition that he remain with them.
• Han Ling praised Shen Heng as he got into Wang Hai's car.

Wang Hai’s team investigated reports that a creature had dragged two people into a sewer, and a shattered cast-iron manhole cover suggested the Calamity Beast was powerful. Shen Heng heard no sign of the creature nearby, leaving its location unknown.

• Wang Hai and his team arrived at the scene, where officers reported that witnesses had seen a creature take two people into the sewer.
• Two traffic-light repair workers told Wang Hai they had seen a large dark figure grab the victims and flee underground.
• Wang Hai led the team to the open sewer entrance, where Han Ling pointed out a broken manhole-cover fragment.
• Wang Hai estimated that shattering the cast-iron cover required several tons of force, and Han Ling concluded the Calamity Beast was at least tier 2.
• Shen Heng told Wang Hai that he had heard nothing unusual within five hundred meters and believed the Calamity Beast was outside that range.

Wang Hai, Han Ling, and Wu Cheng entered the sewer to track a Calamity Beast, while Shen Heng stayed above with Fan Hong and the police. The team followed a blood trail deeper underground after finding the beast’s abandoned meal, and Fan Hong recognized Shen Heng as the civilian who had killed a Calamity Beast the previous week.

• Wang Hai refused to let Shen Heng join the search, citing Supervision Bureau regulations, and told him to wait above for Wei Leyang.
• Wang Hai, Han Ling, and Wu Cheng jumped into the sewer and followed a trail of blood.
• The three found a pool of blood and remains, and Wang Hai guessed the Calamity Beast had sensed them and moved on.
• Fan Hong introduced himself to Shen Heng and learned he was an awakened civilian rather than a Military Department transfer.
• Fan Hong recognized Shen Heng as the person who had killed a Calamity Beast the previous week, and Shen Heng said he had survived through a lucky strike.

Fan Hong explained how the state recruited people into the Supervision Bureau, while Shen Heng and Wei Leyang practiced breathing exercises as they guarded the sewer entrance. Underground, Wang Hai, Han Ling, and Wu Cheng encountered a previously unknown tier 3 Calamity Beast, and Han Ling prepared her explosive rounds to fire.

• Fan Hong told Shen Heng that most Supervision Bureau members came from the Military Department or Police Department, and that the bureau had loosened its strict management for unknown reasons.
• Wei Leyang arrived at the sewer entrance, where Shen Heng told him to guard the spot; after seeing Shen Heng practice breathing exercises during the mission, Wei Leyang sat down and practiced too.
• Wang Hai, Han Ling, and Wu Cheng followed the Calamity Beast’s bloodstains through the underground passage until the beast charged toward them.
• Wang Hai recognized the charging beast as a tier 3 Calamity Beast and warned Han Ling and Wu Cheng.
• Han Ling unfolded a specially made sniper rifle and loaded it with bullets imbued with her B-rank Explosion ability.

Wang Hai, Han Ling, and Wu Cheng fought a powerful rat beast in a dark underground passage, but it deliberately destroyed their headlamps. The passage went pitch-black as one person ran toward Wang Hai while something pursued them.

• Han Ling wounded the rat beast with explosive rounds, but it dodged her shots as it charged toward the group.
• Wang Hai intercepted the rat beast with Tiger Piercing and endured its bite while Han Ling and Wu Cheng attacked it.
• The rat beast tore free of Wang Hai’s grasp and charged at Han Ling and Wu Cheng, breaking Han Ling’s headlamp before rushing onward.
• Wu Cheng blocked the rat beast’s claw with his shield, but its tail struck his head and destroyed the last remaining headlamp.
• Wang Hai called for Han Ling and Wu Cheng to come to him in the darkness, then heard one person running toward him with something in pursuit.

Wang Hai, Han Ling, and Wu Cheng worked together to kill the rat Calamity Beast in the dark underground passage, though Han Ling was badly injured. As they caught their breath, a larger rat beast approached unseen, repeating that humans must die.

• Wang Hai tried to reach Han Ling as the rat beast repeatedly knocked her around in the darkness, while Wu Cheng sheltered behind his shield.
• Wang Hai called for Wu Cheng to make light, and Wu Cheng burned his clothes to illuminate the passage.
• With the light, Han Ling shot the rat beast, but it knocked her down and prepared to bite her.
• Wang Hai seized the rat beast’s jaws, letting Han Ling fire into its mouth before he pierced its head and killed it.
• Wang Hai checked on Han Ling, who said her armor had protected her but agreed that Le Gu Nan should treat her injuries; Wu Cheng covered himself with Wang Hai’s jacket.
• More than three hundred meters away, a larger rat beast advanced through the darkness, whispering that humans must die.

After the team returned from fighting a Third Tier Calamity Beast, Shen Heng and Wei Leyang helped Han Ling out of the manhole and learned she had been injured. Wang Hai took the others to the bureau for treatment, while Shen Heng and Wei Leyang stayed behind to complete an unexplained procedure involving the damaged traffic light.

• Fan Hong told Xu Kai and Tian Xiangwen that joining the Supervision Bureau required high police-squad rankings and carried serious risks.
• Shen Heng told Wei Leyang that the team had returned and Han Ling was hurt.
• Wei Leyang lowered a woven strip of thread into the manhole, and Wang Hai used it to help Han Ling climb out.
• Wu Cheng explained that he had burned his clothes for light after a Third Tier Calamity Beast destroyed the team's lamps.
• Wang Hai took Han Ling and Wu Cheng to the bureau, while Shen Heng and Wei Leyang stayed to follow procedure after the traffic light was repaired.
• Wei Leyang mocked the traffic light as though it were a fallen young lady, and Shen Heng asked what procedure they were supposed to follow.

Wei Leyang used a memory-blurring spray on the traffic workers to conceal the Calamity Beasts before returning with Shen Heng to the Supervision Bureau. There, Shen Heng met Le Gu Nan, who had treated Han Ling and recognized him from the previous week.

• Wei Leyang sprayed the two traffic workers with a substance that blurred their memories of the Calamity Beasts.
• Wei Leyang told Shen Heng that the spray relied on an ability belonging to someone at headquarters, then drove him back to the Supervision Bureau.
• Shen Heng saw Le Gu Nan use silver-gray threads to treat Han Ling's injuries.
• Le Gu Nan prepared to leave with her bodyguard after Han Ling thanked her for the treatment.
• Shen Heng introduced himself to Le Gu Nan and thanked her for treating his arm, and she smiled and told him not to dwell on it.

Shen Heng explained to his homeroom teacher, Zhou Hong, that he was sleeping through class because he worked nights, and refused Zhou Hong’s offer to help pay for further schooling. On Saturday, Wang Hai issued Shen Heng his credentials, a handgun, and loaded magazines.

• At school, Zhou Hong confronted Shen Heng about sleeping in class, and Shen Heng explained that he had taken a night-shift job.
• Zhou Hong urged Shen Heng to continue studying and offered to help him find money for college, but Shen Heng declined and thanked him.
• After Shen Heng left, Zhou Hong reflected that he had grown up.
• On Saturday, Wang Hai gave Shen Heng his Supervision Bureau credentials, a black handgun, and two loaded magazines.

Wang Hai gave Shen Heng a handgun and ammunition, explained the rules for using them, and reviewed his Five Animal Fist practice. He added firearms and unrestricted combat to Shen Heng’s training, then taught him basic shooting at the Bureau’s range.

• Wang Hai told Shen Heng that he could use his handgun only against Calamity Beasts and had to report every use so his ammunition could be replenished.
• Wang Hai said Shen Heng’s Five Animal Fist had no major problems and assigned him daily unrestricted combat and firearms training.
• Wang Hai explained that Shen Heng needed to learn to fight Calamity Beasts unarmed in case he lacked a weapon, and said he could later redeem weapon-based martial arts through Martial World Easy Exchange.
• Wang Hai showed Shen Heng how to load, aim, and fire a handgun, and Shen Heng’s first shot hit the edge of the target for two points.
• Wang Hai told Shen Heng to practice shooting for half an hour each day, and Shen Heng continued firing at the target.

Wang Hai taught Shen Heng unrestricted combat and sparred with him, helping him improve through repeated practice. When Shen Heng unexpectedly struck hard enough to make Wang Hai step back, Wang Hai learned his punching strength had risen sharply in just a week, then resumed the sparring.

• Wang Hai explained why unrestricted combat suited fighting Calamity Beasts and taught Shen Heng basic punches, movement, and defense.
• Wang Hai began sparring with Shen Heng, knocking him down repeatedly while correcting his technique and footwork.
• Shen Heng gradually grew more practiced and charged at Wang Hai with a faster, stronger punch.
• Wang Hai stopped the sparring after Shen Heng's punch drove his arm into his chest and made him step back.
• Shen Heng told Wang Hai his punching strength had risen from 123 kg to around 250 or 260 kg through persistent Five Animal Fist and Heavenly Cycle Breathing Technique practice.
• Wang Hai expressed surprise at Shen Heng's rapid progress and told him to continue sparring.

Shen Heng trained at the Supervision Bureau, ate breakfast with Zheng Anlin, and returned home to rest. He agreed to join Xu Yuqin and Shen Shuning for dinner, and the chapter ended as Xu Yuqin handed him a bowl of rice.

• Shen Heng showered and examined the bruises from training with the captain, reflecting that he had begun to fight back during practice.
• Zheng Anlin warned Shen Heng not to be reckless in a fight and to prioritize staying alive.
• Shen Heng returned home and found Xu Yuqin cleaning after working at a breakfast shop; he encouraged her to rest.
• Shen Heng agreed to wake for dinner, slept until evening, and joined Xu Yuqin and Shen Shuning in the living room.
• Xu Yuqin handed Shen Heng a bowl of rice as he sat down to eat.

Shen Heng shared a rare family dinner with Xu Yuqin and Shen Shuning, while Huang Shaohua arranged to keep Shen Heng from borrowing money. At the Supervision Bureau, Shen Heng completed his unrestricted combat training with Wang Hai.

• Xu Yuqin cooked Shen Heng and Shen Shuning’s favorite dishes, asked Shen Heng about his work, and smiled when he put a pig’s foot in her bowl.
• Huang Shaohua learned that his contacts had been told not to lend Shen Heng money and remained focused on Shen Shuning after she rejected him.
• Shen Heng and Wang Hai began their combat training at the Supervision Bureau, and Shen Heng attacked with skills developed over more than ten days.
• After a prolonged fight, Wang Hai praised Shen Heng’s progress and declared the unrestricted combat course finished.

Shen Heng continued his combat training and tested the limits of his punching power, while his ordinary punches remained around 500 kg. At school, Yan Sheng woke him to go to the restroom, and they spotted Le Gu Nan in the corridor.

• Shen Heng asked Wang Hai to keep training him, and Wang Hai agreed to continue their practice the next evening.
• After exhausting his Origin Power, Shen Heng used a practiced technique to strike the punching power tester at 814.4 kg, while two unassisted punches measured 483.6 kg and 494.5 kg.
• Shen Heng ate a large meal, went to school, and fell asleep at his desk.
• Yan Sheng woke Shen Heng to accompany him to the restroom, and Shen Heng told him not to wake him again for anything unimportant.
• Yan Sheng pointed out Le Gu Nan walking alone through the corridor between the classroom buildings.

Shen Heng dismissed Yan Sheng’s excitement over Le Gu Nan topping the campus belle ranking, but when she looked toward them, Yan Sheng insisted she was secretly watching him because she liked him. Shen Heng rejected Yan Sheng’s claim, then returned to class and went back to sleep after telling him not to wake him without a good reason.

• Yan Sheng told Shen Heng that Le Gu Nan had ranked first in the campus belle vote, with Shen Shuning second and Bai Baiqing third.
• Shen Heng looked at the results and agreed that Le Gu Nan and Shen Shuning were pretty.
• Yan Sheng claimed Le Gu Nan was looking at him, and Shen Heng saw her meet his gaze before quickly turning away.
• Yan Sheng insisted that Le Gu Nan liked him because of his irresistible charm, while Shen Heng doubted his intuition.
• After they returned to class, Shen Heng told Yan Sheng not to wake him unless something important happened, then went to sleep.

Shen Heng broke through to the First Tier while practicing the Five Animal Fist, greatly increasing his punching force, but his body trembled when he tried to continue training. At dinner, the Supervision Bureau members joked about Wu Cheng’s plans to buy milk tea, and Wu Cheng redirected criticism toward Wei Leyang.

• Shen Heng completed the Five Animal Fist and broke through to the First Tier as Origin Power surged into his body.
• Shen Heng tested his strength and recorded three punches of 748.7, 732.4, and 741.2 kilograms, up from about 490 kilograms before his breakthrough.
• Shen Heng’s body trembled when he resumed the Five Animal Fist, so he stopped and decided to ask the captain about it later.
• At dinner, Wu Cheng invited the others to buy milk tea, and Han Ling mocked his build and reluctance to fight on the front lines.
• Zheng Anlin questioned how Wu Cheng would handle the couples’ discount, and Wu Cheng joked that he would claim his girlfriend had broken up with him over the free drink.
• Li Jianguo advised Wu Cheng to find a wife, and Wu Cheng shifted attention to Wei Leyang, who had not found anyone either.

After Shen Heng revealed he had reached first tier in just twenty-two days, Wang Hai explained that he needed to temper his bones to support further cultivation. Shen Heng chose to begin with his torso bones, which would increase his Origin Power capacity and speed up later progress.

• Li Jianguo teased Wei Leyang, Han Ling, and Shen Heng about finding partners before Shen Heng asked Wang Hai why his body shook during cultivation.
• Shen Heng revealed he had reached first tier after twenty-two days, astonishing Han Ling, Wu Cheng, Zheng Anlin, and Wei Leyang.
• Wang Hai explained that Shen Heng's flesh and blood had surpassed human limits, so he needed to temper his bones to support further cultivation.
• Wang Hai described how to alternate bone and flesh-and-blood tempering, and explained the benefits of starting with different sections of the skeleton.
• Shen Heng chose to temper his torso bones first to increase his Origin Power capacity and make future bone tempering more efficient.

Wang Hai taught Shen Heng how to temper his trunk bones, and Shen Heng spent more than ten days gradually completing the process. Just as he felt the strength of his newly tempered bones, an alert sent him to investigate a suspected Calamity Beast on Linping Road.

• Wang Hai explained the structure of Shen Heng’s trunk bones and taught him to temper them gradually with Origin Power.
• Shen Heng followed Wang Hai’s instructions, endured the pain, and used up his Origin Power before tempering even a twentieth of his trunk bones.
• Wang Hai told Shen Heng to keep tempering his bones, then began their sparring session.
• Over more than ten days, Shen Heng repeatedly tempered his trunk bones until Origin Power flowed through them without obstruction.
• A speaker announced a suspected Calamity Beast on Linping Road in Cloudscape District and ordered Shen Heng to investigate.