Chapter Summaries

Yu Chunhe and the other students prepared to face Calamity Beasts in the gymnasium, where Shadow Hounds broke in and attacked. As a larger Second Tier Shadow Hound entered, it suddenly began trembling after Yu Chunhe struck a First Tier beast away, leaving everyone baffled.

• Sun Mingyuan led the students to collect training sabers and arranged them in the gymnasium to await the Calamity Beasts.
• Several First Tier Shadow Hounds smashed through the windows and attacked students, prompting Sun Mingyuan to order the martial arts students to fight.
• Yu Chunhe and Xu Anran confronted a First Tier Shadow Hound, and Yu Chunhe repelled it with a saber strike.
• Two Second Tier Shadow Hounds broke through the wall, and Sun Mingyuan, the teachers, and students fought to hold them back.
• A larger Second Tier Shadow Hound entered through the breach as Yu Chunhe kicked a First Tier Shadow Hound away, then began trembling for reasons no one understood.

Han Ling and Lei Zhijian protected civilians from Calamity Beasts as the city fell into chaos, while Wei Leyang prepared to fight a Brown-Maned Lion. The chapter left Lei Zhijian confronting an Earth-Splitting Lizard beneath the broadcast tower.

• A man carried Mengmeng through the panicked crowd to her mother and told them that Han Ling was someone who protected them.
• Han Ling killed a Crystallized Plague Bat with her sniper rifle and asked Cold Star to contact the bureau for antidote tablets.
• Wei Leyang encountered a Brown-Maned Lion in an underground parking garage and activated his Fluid Battle Armor.
• Lei Zhijian blocked an Earth-Splitting Lizard's claws with his alloy gauntlet and ordered the woman it had chased to get back.

Lei Zhijian activated Extreme Domain and charged the Earth-Splitting Lizard while Dahuang urged Chen Tao and Wang Hao to fight the Shadow Claw Demon Hunter more aggressively. At the school, Shen Heng used his evolved sound-wave ability to kill Shadow Hounds from a distance, then checked in with his team as he flew toward his car.

• Lei Zhijian activated Extreme Domain and lunged at the Earth-Splitting Lizard.
• Dahuang encouraged Chen Tao and Wang Hao to close in on the Shadow Claw Demon Hunter, and they charged while attacking it.
• At the gymnasium, Sun Mingyuan realized Yu Chunhe had fought a Second Tier Shadow Hound and that unseen attacks had caused other Shadow Hounds to collapse.
• Shen Heng explained the limits of his sound-wave attacks and told Yu Chunhe to watch over the Calamity Beast corpses.
• Shen Heng connected to the team comms, heard that Han Ling and Wei Leyang were done, and asked Dahuang for an update as he flew toward his car.

Shen Heng checked on the fights at several locations and observed Xu Kai, Wang Hao, and Chen Tao battle Shadow Claw Demon Hunters. After Wang Hao and Chen Tao killed theirs, Shen Heng asked what they thought of the incident.

• Dahuang reported that Xu Kai and the others were still fighting, so Shen Heng sent Wei Leyang to watch the battle at the radio and television tower and drove to the northern thermal power plant.
• At the third tunnel along Binhai Avenue, Shen Heng asked Xu Kai about his bone-armor strategy, and Xu Kai said it was safer but slower.
• Wang Hao and Chen Tao wore down a Shadow Claw Demon Hunter with Acidic Saliva and Nerve Retardation, and Chen Tao shielded Wang Hao from its desperate counterattack.
• Wang Hao and Chen Tao finished off the Shadow Claw Demon Hunter without being injured, and Shen Heng praised their performance.
• Shen Heng looked at the creature's corpse and asked Wang Hao and Chen Tao what they thought of the incident.

Shen Heng learned that the six Calamity Beast incidents in Linhai had occurred almost simultaneously and that an unprecedented late Fourth Tier beast, the Bone Porcelain Puppet, had appeared in Suicheng and killed the local bureau director. He set out with Han Ling to help, while Gu Lingxuan prepared to face the threat herself.

• Ringing Sound reported the times and overlap durations of Linhai's six Calamity Beast incidents, leading Shen Heng, Wei Leyang, and Han Ling to consider what had caused them.
• Headquarters contacted Shen Heng and reported that the Bone Porcelain Puppet had killed Suicheng's Supervision Bureau director and was being resisted by one remaining Fourth Tier inspector.
• Shen Heng agreed to head to Suicheng to delay the Bone Porcelain Puppet until an S-Class inspector arrived.
• Shen Heng told Han Ling to accompany him and ordered everyone else to remain in Linhai.
• In Suicheng, Gu Lingxuan told her trembling teammate to handle their own assignments and said she would deal with the target.

Gu Lingxuan fought a Bone Porcelain Puppet alone until three reinforcements arrived, but the Near-S-Class Calamity Beast continued to hold off all four attackers. Shen Heng and Han Ling raced to the scene, where Shen Heng sensed an unidentified Calamity Beast along the expressway.

• Gu Lingxuan cut off her team’s objections and rushed through the air to confront the Bone Porcelain Puppet, but her opening strike missed as it dodged.
• Shen Heng explained to Han Ling that the outcome depended on how the reinforcements matched up against the Near-S-Class Calamity Beast, and told her to provide ranged support while he fought head-on.
• Han Ling prepared her custom sniper rifle and its advanced Explosive Marrow Ore ammunition as their driver sped toward the battle.
• Shen Heng noticed something ahead, and an unidentified Calamity Beast prowling the expressway shuddered and fled to the side.
• After more than two hours of fighting, Gu Lingxuan was wounded and exhausted while the Bone Porcelain Puppet fought off her and three other attackers with its claws and bone spurs.

Gu Lingxuan and the others tried to coordinate one last attack against the Bone Porcelain Puppet while waiting for reinforcements, but the Calamity Beast outmaneuvered them. It left Gu Lingxuan and Qi Yue badly hurt, while Chu Yu watched in shock.

• Gu Lingxuan explained that she was the only one who could seriously injure the Bone Porcelain Puppet, and warned that reinforcements might be delayed by other emergencies.
• Gu Lingxuan ordered Qi Yue to restrain the Puppet and Chu Yu to obscure its vision so she could attack its neck.
• Qi Yue bound the Puppet with metal threads as Chu Yu showered it with rubble, giving Gu Lingxuan an opening to charge.
• The Puppet twisted its head around and used a sound-wave attack, but Gu Lingxuan continued her swing and forced it to block with a claw before it struck her away.
• The Puppet unleashed bone spikes at Qi Yue, smashed him through a metal mesh, and then turned its head back into place as Chu Yu watched in disbelief.

Chu Yu and Lin Yang fought the Bone Porcelain Puppet but were overwhelmed by its strength and speed. Gu Lingxuan rescued Lin Yang, then battled the puppet until a claw struck her abdomen and sent her flying.

• Chu Yu and Lin Yang attacked the Bone Porcelain Puppet, but it broke through Chu Yu’s rubble barrier and struck her away.
• The Bone Porcelain Puppet fought Lin Yang for more than ten minutes, then lifted him in its claw and began to crush him.
• Gu Lingxuan struck the puppet’s arm with her greatsword, freed Lin Yang, and moved him to safety.
• Gu Lingxuan battled the Bone Porcelain Puppet, but it pierced her defense with a claw and sent her flying more than a hundred meters.

Shen Heng arrived to help the badly injured Gu Lingxuan confront the Bone Porcelain Puppet, whose strength and sonic attack made it a dangerous opponent. As the puppet charged, Han Ling’s distant fire suppressed it, and Shen Heng drew his saber to continue the fight.

• Gu Lingxuan collapsed after failing to rise, while the Bone Porcelain Puppet mocked her and prepared to attack.
• Shen Heng arrived, and the communication alert identified him and Han Ling as members of the Linhai Supervision Bureau.
• Gu Lingxuan warned Shen Heng about the puppet’s speed, strength, regenerating bone spikes, and sound-wave attack, then moved away to rest.
• The Bone Porcelain Puppet charged Shen Heng, but Han Ling’s repeated shots struck and staggered it.
• The wounded puppet roared in fury as Shen Heng drew his long saber and gathered Origin Power.

Shen Heng fought the wounded Bone Porcelain Puppet head-on, using his speed and ability to anticipate its attacks and counter them. Gu Lingxuan and the injured Qi Yue watched in disbelief as Shen Heng, whom they believed to be only Fourth Tier, kept pace with the Near-S-Class Calamity Beast.

• Shen Heng stopped trying to lure out the Bone Porcelain Puppet and charged it directly, judging its injuries and testing its strength, defense, and speed.
• Shen Heng and the Bone Porcelain Puppet clashed across the street, creating shock waves that cracked the ground and shattered nearby buildings’ glass.
• Gu Lingxuan recognized Shen Heng and was stunned by how much he had grown since she last saw him, especially since she remembered his ability as F-Class Hearing Enhancement.
• Shen Heng dodged the Bone Porcelain Puppet’s attacks and countered them, using his ability to react to its unplanned strikes and detect its intended attacks.
• The Bone Porcelain Puppet’s movements grew more frenzied as the fight spread, while Qi Yue returned to Gu Lingxuan injured and asked what kind of ability Shen Heng had.
• Gu Lingxuan told Qi Yue that Shen Heng appeared to be Fourth Tier, but admitted she did not know how he could fight the Bone Porcelain Puppet so evenly.

Shen Heng drove the Bone Porcelain Puppet into a mindless rage and fought it through the street and into the sky. He froze it with his command, then struck it repeatedly with crimson attacks until a final blast tore through its chest.

• Shen Heng reversed the Bone Porcelain Puppet’s howl and kicked it into a high-rise, then confirmed with Han Ling that the plan to enrage it had succeeded.
• The Bone Porcelain Puppet attacked Shen Heng with bone spikes and relentless charges, and they fought across the street and into the air.
• A little girl and a young man recording on his phone noticed the battle in the sky.
• Shen Heng froze the charging Bone Porcelain Puppet with his command, then hit it with successive crimson streaks that stripped away its bone armor.
• Shen Heng’s final crimson streak struck the Bone Porcelain Puppet’s chest, scattering bone fragments and energy.

After killing the Bone Porcelain Puppet, Shen Heng assessed his strengths and weaknesses, including his Near-S-Class combat ability and limited versatility and Origin Power. He reported the Suicheng incident resolved, declined further involvement in the aftermath, and told Gu Lingxuan that his ability was B-Class, Listening to the Cries of All Living Beings.

• Shen Heng confirmed the Bone Porcelain Puppet was dead and judged that his attack power and speed had reached the Near-S-Class threshold.
• Shen Heng considered his weaknesses in defense, combat versatility, and Origin Power, while noting ways he might strengthen some of them.
• Shen Heng contacted headquarters and reported that the Suicheng incident had been resolved and no reinforcements were needed.
• Shen Heng offered Gu Lingxuan help with the aftermath, but she declined because her teammates could handle it.
• Gu Lingxuan asked Shen Heng about his ability, and he identified it as B-Class, Listening to the Cries of All Living Beings.

Lin Wei and Cao Mingyu found Qi Yue brooding over the gap between people’s abilities and asked whether he could develop his Metal Weaving further. Meanwhile, Shen Heng returned to the Supervision Bureau and reviewed viral footage of Calamity Beast incidents, including a video from Suicheng that sparked speculation about powerful martial artists.

• Lin Wei told Cao Mingyu that Qi Yue had been spacing out since returning from Suicheng, and Cao Mingyu agreed to ask him about it.
• Cao Mingyu and Lin Wei found Qi Yue in his office, where he wondered whether the gap between people could be enormous and asked how to develop his Metal Weaving ability.
• Cao Mingyu explained that he focused on maximizing his A-Class Physical Fitness Enhancement, and Qi Yue remarked that Cao Mingyu's fourth-tier strength had helped him rush over.
• Shen Heng returned to the Supervision Bureau and found the staff watching online discussion of the recent Calamity Beast incidents.
• Wei Leyang showed Shen Heng a viral video of two figures fighting in the sky above Suicheng, prompting commenters to speculate about their tier and power.

Shen Heng read comments about a recent fight, discussed cultivation progress and investigation secrecy with his team, then trained Han Ling in combat. He ended their sparring session and left Wei Leyang to take over.

• Shen Heng noticed Dahuang could barely read and thought about asking Old Li and the others to teach it.
• Shen Heng asked Wei Leyang, Chen Tao, Wang Hao, and Xu Kai how long they needed to reach their next cultivation tier, then explained that investigations depended on whether officials found anomalies.
• Wei Leyang explained that investigation findings could be restricted according to their level of secrecy.
• Shen Heng sparred with Han Ling, teaching her to recover her stance, keep her distance, and watch her opponent rather than fight on instinct.
• Shen Heng ended the sparring session, and Wei Leyang took over as Dahuang invited Shen Heng to sit.

Shen Heng arranged for Dahuang to spar with Han Ling, then sensed a familiar but different ripple approaching across the sky. He flew to the rooftop and watched it sweep in from the horizon.

• Shen Heng had Han Ling spar with Wei Leyang to train her against different fighting styles.
• Shen Heng told Dahuang to join Han Ling's sparring sessions, and encouraged him to develop his own combat techniques.
• Wei Leyang asked whether headquarters had issued findings on the investigation, and Shen Heng said it had not.
• Shen Heng reflected on the lack of Calamity Beast overlap incidents in Linhai since the global outbreak.
• Shen Heng sensed a ripple, left the training ground, and flew to the rooftop, where he saw it approaching across the sky.

Shen Heng sensed eight nuclear explosions in different locations and reasoned that authorities had likely monitored anomalous sites before being forced to act at once. The Linhai Supervision Bureau received an emergency order requiring municipal-level directors to attend a high-level meeting in the Capital within two days.

• Shen Heng sensed a series of unusually strong ripples and concluded that eight nuclear explosions had occurred in different places.
• Han Ling, Wei Leyang, and Dahuang joined Shen Heng on the rooftop, where he raised the possibility that Calamity Beasts had prompted the bombings.
• Shen Heng argued that the explosions’ near-simultaneous timing made it unlikely that eight high-tier Calamity Beasts had appeared unexpectedly.
• Wei Leyang asked what they should do, and Shen Heng said they could only wait before checking his vibrating wristband.
• Ringing Sound broadcast headquarters’ emergency notice ordering all municipal-level and higher Supervision Bureau directors to attend a meeting in the Capital within two days.

Shen Heng flew to the Capital and brought Shen Shuning a lunch prepared by Xu Yuqin before heading to the Supervision Bureau headquarters for the emergency meeting. After seeing Shen Shuning safely back at Capital University, he waited at Lakeside Center and considered whom to contact before the meeting the day after tomorrow.

• Xu Yuqin packed Shen Shuning’s favorite foods and told Shen Heng to make sure his sister ate them.
• Shen Heng drove from the airport to Capital University, where Shen Shuning agreed to eat lunch with him in her dorm.
• Shen Heng saw Shen Shuning’s study notes and spoke with her for half an hour before leaving.
• Xiao Bai'er visited Shen Shuning and explained that the university president had helped them borrow something in time for Shen Heng’s visit.
• Shen Heng registered at Supervision Bureau headquarters and went to Lakeside Center, where he reflected on the nuclear explosions and the upcoming emergency meeting.
• Shen Heng decided to set aside his speculation and considered whom to contact before the meeting.

Le Gu Nan explained to Shen Heng how her Reconstruction ability could develop from reshaping materials to manipulating fundamental particles and, in theory, even concepts. They stopped at her favorite breakfast shop in the Capital, where she shared that their earlier meals at small eateries had inspired her to seek out places like it.

• Le Gu Nan told Shen Heng that she spent mornings using Reconstruction at the laboratory and devoted the rest of her time to cultivation and study.
• Le Gu Nan described potential molecular and atomic applications of her ability, including changing material properties, creating barriers, and producing explosives.
• Le Gu Nan outlined the theoretical powers of reconstructing atomic nuclei, nucleons, and quarks, while Shen Heng wondered whether abilities could exceed S-Class.
• Le Gu Nan brought Shen Heng to her favorite breakfast shop in the Capital and explained that their past meals at small eateries had inspired her to try similar places.

Shen Heng and Le Gu Nan shared breakfast and caught up before Li Daoyi joined them. Li Daoyi examined Shen Heng’s Configuration and discovered an unprecedented golden ring surrounded by swirling Origin Power.

• Le Gu Nan took Shen Heng to her familiar breakfast shop, where they ordered meat pies, tofu pudding, and sweet soy milk.
• Shen Heng and Le Gu Nan talked about how much she and their former colleagues at the Linhai Supervision Bureau had grown.
• Li Daoyi called Shen Heng, learned where he was, and came to the shop.
• Li Daoyi teased Shen Heng about meeting Le Gu Nan, then learned she worked as an assistant in Professor Yan’s Research Department.
• Li Daoyi asked about Shen Heng’s Configuration and probed it, seeing a strange golden ring surrounded by swirling Origin Power.

Li Daoyi and Le Gu Nan examined Shen Heng’s unusual Configuration, which constantly changed shape and occupied too much Origin Power to reconstruct. They suspected it might embody the Dao, and Li Daoyi asked whether Shen Heng had noticed anything special about it.

• Li Daoyi examined Shen Heng’s Configuration and found its constantly changing form unlike any Configuration he had seen.
• Shen Heng explained that his Configuration consumed thirty percent of his Origin Power and was too dense to break apart for Reconstruction.
• Le Gu Nan examined it and said its twisting, closed-loop form reminded her of a Möbius strip, which she associated with infinity, cycles, and unity.
• Li Daoyi connected the Configuration to the saying “The greatest sound is scarcely heard; the greatest image has no form” and suggested it might manifest the Dao.
• Li Daoyi explained that the Dao meant the laws and workings of the world, then asked Shen Heng whether he had noticed anything special about his Configuration.