Chapter Summaries

During a fierce battle against the Calamity Beasts, Zhou Dehou delivered ammunition and watched the defenders’ supplies dwindle. When soldiers began to doubt that Captain Shen and his group would return, a squad leader angrily defended Captain Shen, but the argument remained unresolved.

• Zhou Dehou carried ammunition crates to the mountain trench and handed them over before taking a brief rest.
• He watched the Calamity Beasts press forward and worried as the defenders rapidly spent their ammunition.
• A soldier asked over the team channel why Captain Shen and the others had not appeared, prompting others to suggest they had abandoned the battle.
• A squad leader rebuked the soldiers for doubting Captain Shen and challenged them to explain their complaints.

As doubts about Captain Shen’s absence spread among the soldiers, Xu Ruiyu rallied them to keep fighting and carry out their duty. When Captain Shen and the others appeared behind the Calamity Beast tide, Xu Ruiyu ordered everyone to open fire.

• Luo Yunfan voiced concern over Captain Shen’s prolonged absence, but his squad leader and others shut down the argument on the team channel.
• Xu Ruiyu acknowledged the soldiers’ suspicions and asked whether they would stop fighting if Captain Shen had abandoned them and why they had entered the Erosion Zone.
• Liu Zhiqiang, Chen Jiawei, Wang Junjie, Lin Zhipeng, and other soldiers vowed to keep fighting, and Zhou Dehou returned to carry ammunition.
• Xu Ruiyu privately wondered whether Captain Shen had deceived him, then accepted his responsibility as commander and continued directing the defense.
• As the Calamity Beasts approached the front line, soldiers spotted Captain Shen and the others behind the tide, where explosions began disrupting the beasts.
• Xu Ruiyu shouted for everyone to open fire.

Shen Heng led a surprise attack on the beast tide, and the Mirror Water Beast sent the Hard-Armored Salamander and Long Python to confront the humans. The attack spread through the Calamity Beasts as the Hard-Armored Salamander prepared to respond.

• A Rock Beast and Shadow Leopard noticed humans approaching from behind the beast tide, and a human killed the Calamity Beast beside them before it could warn the others.
• Shen Heng's group attacked, killing Calamity Beasts with close-range strikes and Origin Power attacks while Shen Heng told the fighters to stay within supporting distance of one another.
• The Hard-Armored Salamander learned from the Sky-Skimming Harrier that the attacking humans had not come from the city and realized they had been missed during scouting.
• The Hard-Armored Salamander judged that only one attacker was fifth tier and asked the Mirror Water Beast for permission to deal with the humans.
• The Mirror Water Beast ordered the Hard-Armored Salamander to take Long Python with it.

The Hard-Armored Salamander summoned the giant python to attack the humans, and the python charged at a black-armored fighter while preparing to counter a second attacker. The fighter’s saber struck with overwhelming force, leaving the python badly wounded as the Hard-Armored Salamander watched in disbelief.

• The Hard-Armored Salamander told the giant python that a group of humans was attacking and that more humans, including at least three Fifth Tier fighters, were coming from the city.
• The giant python agreed to attack, eager for a chance to eat its fill, and followed the Hard-Armored Salamander toward the human forces.
• The Hard-Armored Salamander dived at a black-armored human wielding a saber, and their clash hurled both backward.
• The python charged the black-armored human and raised its body to strike, while a second attack approached from its left.
• The python turned to defend against the incoming attack, but brilliant saber light flashed and a quarter-length section of its body thrashed on the ground.

Shen Heng killed the long python while his companions fought the beast tide, and the Split-Claw Cat realized humans were ambushing the Calamity Beasts. The Split-Claw Cat wondered whether it should turn back before the creatures climbing the mountain were doomed.

• Shen Heng told Qin Yu to handle the Hard-Armored Salamander, then hurled his saber into the long python's head and killed it.
• Shen Heng pulled his saber free, watched the Mirror Water Beast warily, and turned his attention to the advancing beast tide.
• The Split-Claw Cat spotted the long python's severed body and saw Calamity Beasts being attacked and flung through the air.
• The Split-Claw Cat realized humans had ambushed the Calamity Beasts and considered turning back to avoid the danger ahead.

The Split-Claw Cat watched Lord Scarlet Wolf assemble over a thousand Calamity Beasts to confront the humans, believing the human force was small. As the beast tide advanced, fleeing Calamity Beasts flooded toward it, and the Split-Claw Cat realized they were caught between the humans and their own kind.

• The Split-Claw Cat heard reports of human attacks causing panic, but avian Calamity Beasts relayed Lord Mirror Water Beast's orders and warned against disorder.
• The Harrier Pig worried Lord Mirror Water Beast might be lying about the humans; the Split-Claw Cat spotted Lord Scarlet Wolf gathering fourth-tier Calamity Beasts and reassured it.
• The Split-Claw Cat searched from the Harrier Pig's back, saw only a few humans—including a giant over ten meters tall—and concluded their numbers were small.
• Lord Scarlet Wolf led more than a thousand Calamity Beasts toward the humans without waiting for further reinforcements.
• The advancing force slowed as terrified Calamity Beasts surged toward it, leaving the Split-Claw Cat wondering how they could fight their own kind.

The Calamity Beasts’ advance collapsed into panic as the rout spread through their ranks, giving Xu Ruiyu’s defenders hope that they could survive. The Splitclaw Cat fled, while the Harrier Pig began to hear the chaos approaching from behind.

• Calamity Beasts trampled and attacked one another as the scarlet figure failed to stop them from fleeing.
• The Splitclaw Cat grew frightened by the approaching rout and leaped away, while other beasts nearby also ran.
• Xu Ruiyu learned that Calamity Beasts farther down the mountain were retreating and saw chaos spreading across half the battlefield.
• Xu Ruiyu announced that the Calamity Beasts were routing, and the warriors cheered and renewed their efforts to hold the position.
• The Harrier Pig noticed the Splitclaw Cat had disappeared, then heard increasingly alarming shouts from behind and asked the Blackhorn Sheep if it heard them.

The Harrier Pig and other Calamity Beasts panicked as the beast tide collapsed into flight, while the Mirror Water Beast watched the battlefield and identified the human whose cries were driving the chaos. It moved toward the humans as reinforcements approached.

• The Harrier Pig and Black-Horned Goat saw Calamity Beasts turn back downhill, and the Harrier Pig heard that humans were approaching.
• The Harrier Pig hesitated as panic spread through the herd, then watched a fleeing Calamity Beast die after blocking another beast’s way.
• The Harrier Pig joined the other Calamity Beasts in running as cries of “Run!!” echoed across the battlefield.
• The Mirror Water Beast watched a nimble human fight the wounded Hard-Armored Salamander and saw the beast tide fleeing despite the Sky-Skimming Harriers’ orders.
• The Mirror Water Beast recognized the human on the Long Python’s corpse as the one Lord Lion King had told it to watch, then moved toward the humans as reinforcements approached.

Shen Heng faced the approaching late fifth-tier S-Class Mirror Water Beast while the fleeing Calamity Beasts streamed down the mountain, intending to hold the beast off until Gu Lingxuan and the others arrived. The Mirror Water Beast launched a devastating attack, and Shen Heng narrowly dodged it as it flattened a hill.

• Shen Heng announced that the Mirror Water Beast was moving and warned nearby personnel to keep their distance and evade it.
• Qin Yu told Shen Heng that killing the Hard-Armored Salamander might take time, and he urged her to be careful.
• As Calamity Beasts fled down the mountain, Shen Heng noted that his Origin Power was down to one-third and prepared to stall the Mirror Water Beast.
• Shen Heng drew his saber and faced the Mirror Water Beast across the battlefield.
• The Mirror Water Beast fired a blue projectile, and Shen Heng dodged as it blasted a nearby hill flat.

Shen Heng fought the Mirror Water Beast, discovered its rapid recovery and formidable toughness, and relied on misdirection to escape its charge. The beast grew amused by his tactics and recognized him as the human who had caught the Lion King's attention.

• The Mirror Water Beast repeatedly bounced across the battlefield in explosive attacks, then changed tactics and pursued Shen Heng directly.
• Shen Heng fired three Origin Power projectiles and watched the beast regenerate a severed tentacle, confirming its powerful recovery.
• As the beast bore down on him, Shen Heng shattered the ground to obscure its vision and used the moment after its collision to widen the distance.
• The Mirror Water Beast recalled Shen Heng's earlier actions and laughed, recognizing him as the human Lord Lion King had noticed.

Shen Heng stalled the Mirror Water Beast by speaking with it and learned that the Lion King had taken an interest in him and that similar beings existed in the Ruins Realm. The Mirror Water Beast offered him a chance to join its side, then asked whether he wanted to draw the fight toward the approaching people of Frontier-Pacifying City.

• Shen Heng evaded the Mirror Water Beast’s charge and agreed to speak with it while waiting for support.
• The Mirror Water Beast said the Lion King had noticed Shen Heng after he dispersed the beast tide and asked for his name.
• Shen Heng gave the false name “jing.shui.shou” and rejected the Mirror Water Beast’s invitation to join its side.
• The Mirror Water Beast explained that intelligence and strength mattered more than physical form in the Ruins Realm, and hinted that similar beings stood against the Court Council.
• Shen Heng saw the people of Frontier-Pacifying City approaching, and the Mirror Water Beast asked whether he wanted to draw the battle toward them.

Shen Heng crossed the fleeing beast tide after the Mirror Water Beast let him pass, but the beast pursued him and they clashed amid the fleeing Calamity Beasts. The two faced each other again after a fierce chase, each surprised by the other's strength.

• The Mirror Water Beast let Shen Heng go, saying it wanted to prove its recruitment offer was sincere and that it did not care whether the low-tier Calamity Beasts lived or died.
• Shen Heng asked whether the Ruins Realm was universally cruel, and the Mirror Water Beast blamed the Court Council's arrangements for how most Calamity Beasts treated those beneath them.
• Shen Heng dashed past the Mirror Water Beast, but it compressed its body and launched after him like a cannonball.
• The Mire Lizard struggled to move through the fleeing beast tide, then leaped onto another Calamity Beast's back when it saw the Mirror Water Beast rushing toward them.
• Shen Heng and the Mirror Water Beast tore through the beast tide in pursuit of each other, leaving Calamity Beasts fallen along their path.
• Shen Heng landed on a Calamity Beast's back and faced the Mirror Water Beast, which was surprised that its full power had not given it a clear advantage.

Shen Heng continued retreating from the Mirror Water Beast, dodging and cutting aside its tentacles as they tore through the battlefield. Elsewhere, Chen Hua overpowered the Scarlet Wolf in a decisive clash.

• Shen Heng evaded the Mirror Water Beast’s attacks, using his saber and the ground to make its tentacles plunge into the earth.
• The Mirror Water Beast’s tentacles pierced numerous Calamity Beasts as the beasts fled frantically from their path.
• Shen Heng spotted the Mirror Water Beast preparing to charge and used Origin Power to escape its impact at the last moment.
• Chen Hua and the injured Scarlet Wolf clashed with their full strength, and Chen Hua’s Threefold Force · Fist Meteor struck the wolf and sent it rolling across the ground.

After Chen Hua defeated the Scarlet Wolf, Wu Hao saved him from a Calamity-Claw Wolf and pointed out Shen Heng fighting deep in the beast tide. The Mirror Water Beast then unleashed Tsunami against Shen Heng, transforming into a massive torrent that swallowed the area around him.

• Chen Hua confirmed the Scarlet Wolf was dead, but collapsed from his injuries and could not stop a Calamity-Claw Wolf from charging him.
• Wu Hao killed the Calamity-Claw Wolf with his spear and told Chen Hua he was helping fight the other Fourth Tier Calamity Beasts.
• Wu Hao showed Chen Hua Shen Heng fighting alone against the S-Class Calamity Beast, and Chen Hua watched snow and dust rise as beasts were thrown into the air.
• The Mirror Water Beast offered Shen Heng one last chance to join it, but Shen Heng refused.
• The Mirror Water Beast compressed its body, rushed at Shen Heng, and transformed into a towering torrent that engulfed everything around them.

Shen Heng was swallowed by the Mirror Water Beast’s seawater attack and realized its crushing force would intensify as the water condensed. He broke out with an Origin Power blast, then used the explosion to launch a surprise attack on the Hard-Armored Salamander, leaving its forelimb badly severed.

• The Mirror Water Beast engulfed Shen Heng in seawater and began rapidly condensing it around him.
• Shen Heng formed an Origin Power shield and gathered a large sphere of light in his palm.
• Shen Heng released the sphere, blasting open the contracting seawater and escaping.
• The Hard-Armored Salamander saw the explosion and assumed the Mirror Water Beast had defeated Shen Heng.
• Shen Heng’s explosive arrow struck the Hard-Armored Salamander’s forelimb and partially severed it.
• The Hard-Armored Salamander stopped the bleeding with Origin Power and tore off a strip of armor to tend to its injury.

Shen Heng escaped the Mirror Water Beast’s seawater attack, but the exhausted fighter was pursued by the beast and forced to fight through its advancing tsunami. As the water closed in, Gu Lingxuan joined him, and they prepared to stop it together.

• The Hard-Armored Salamander reattached its severed forelimb and realized that Shen Heng might have escaped after spotting where a deflected arrow had landed.
• Shen Heng blasted his way out of the Mirror Water Beast’s seawater, then fled as it reformed and pursued him.
• Five Fourth Tier Calamity Beasts tried to intercept Shen Heng, but he killed the Shadow Leopard and a beetle-type beast before continuing onward.
• Shen Heng circled back toward his original route as the Mirror Water Beast’s tsunami closed the distance and swept up terrain and Calamity Beasts.
• Gu Lingxuan arrived beside Shen Heng, and they agreed they had to keep the Mirror Water Beast from sweeping them inside.

Shen Heng and Gu Lingxuan retreated from the Mirror Water Beast’s tsunami while Shen Heng shared intelligence about its forms and weaknesses with the arriving fighters. He identified Gu Lingxuan and Lin Zhaoran as its best counters, then barred Yu Yanhui and Qi Yue from the upcoming fight.

• Gu Lingxuan’s greatsword slowed the Mirror Water Beast’s advancing tsunami, and Shen Heng explained that he had escaped being swallowed by using a close-range Blast.
• Gu Lingxuan said the city’s healers would treat Shen Heng and that the others would handle the Mirror Water Beast while he dealt with a trailing Calamity Beast.
• Lin Zhaoran, Yu Yanhui, Qi Yue, and Cao Mingyu arrived, and Shen Heng had Ringing Sound share the Mirror Water Beast’s combat information.
• Shen Heng explained that Gu Lingxuan and Lin Zhaoran could counter the Mirror Water Beast’s dispersed form, while Yu Yanhui volunteered her water-manipulation ability.
• Shen Heng told Yu Yanhui and Qi Yue that they could not participate in the upcoming fight.

Shen Heng assigned Yu Yanhui and Qi Yue to help the other soldiers while Gu Lingxuan, Lin Zhaoran, and Cao Mingyu prepared to confront the Mirror Water Beast. As the beast changed course and drew the fighters toward it, Shen Heng ordered Xu Ruiyu to evacuate the people on the mountain and scatter them away from Frontier-Pacifying City.

• Shen Heng kept Yu Yanhui from joining the Mirror Water Beast battle and warned Gu Lingxuan, Lin Zhaoran, and Cao Mingyu to keep their distance from its condensed form.
• Shen Heng explained that Lin Zhaoran could counter the beast in its Tsunami form, but the group would need to restrain it and attack relentlessly if it condensed.
• The Mirror Water Beast turned away from the group and surged toward another area, prompting Gu Lingxuan, Lin Zhaoran, and Cao Mingyu to pursue it.
• Shen Heng told Yu Yanhui and Qi Yue that the battle might fail and that they would retreat to Frontier-Pacifying City if necessary, then sent them to help with the other Calamity Beasts.
• Shen Heng instructed Xu Ruiyu to lead the people down the mountain with basic weapons, scatter them in different directions, and avoid Frontier-Pacifying City.

Gu Lingxuan, Lin Zhaoran, and Cao Mingyu prepared to fight the Mirror Water Beast while Shen Heng hurried toward them. The Mirror Water Beast asked Gu Lingxuan about her ability and name, while Shen Heng left the Hard-Armored Salamander to Qin Yu after the salamander fled from him.

• Gu Lingxuan assigned herself to control the Mirror Water Beast and Lin Zhaoran to attack, with Cao Mingyu holding back unless the beast condensed its form.
• The Mirror Water Beast spoke to the group, and they realized it had mistaken Shen Heng for another Mirror Water Beast; Gu Lingxuan told it he would arrive soon.
• The Mirror Water Beast asked Gu Lingxuan about her ability and name, and she answered, "Gu.ci.ou..."
• Shen Heng approached the Hard-Armored Salamander, which panicked and retreated, so he turned away and warned Qin Yu to be careful retrieving the arrows.
• Qin Yu told Shen Heng he had deliberately drawn the Hard-Armored Salamander's attention, while the salamander stayed to deal with him.

Shen Heng recovered while Xu Jianing treated his injuries and warned him that fighting could rupture his meridians. As Calamity Beasts approached, he sent Xu Jianing toward the other people and prepared to face them without pushing his combat technique to its limits.

• Shen Heng rested against a tree and used the Fifth Tier Calamity Beast Long Python's Origin Crystal to replenish his Origin Power.
• Xu Jianing treated Shen Heng and discovered that his organs were damaged and his meridians were cracked from the side effects of his combat technique.
• Xu Jianing warned Shen Heng that fighting again could make his meridian cracks worsen or snap, but he remained resolved to keep acting.
• Shen Heng asked how many people had come to provide support, and Xu Jianing said seventy-eight had arrived.
• When Calamity Beasts approached, Shen Heng told Xu Jianing to run toward the larger group while he stayed behind to face a wolf-type Calamity Beast.