Chapter Summaries

Ye Jiang retrieved a strange sentient shadow and later went to the Ability Control Bureau to treat Yun Hua, whose severe corruption had left him unconscious. The bureau searched for the missing shadow and investigated the unknown attack while Ye Jiang continued treatment and shared dinner with Xiao Pei.

• Ye Jiang reclaimed the springy shadow from a man on the street and later remembered he had once warned her about an illusion.
• After Xiao Pei asked for help treating someone, Ye Jiang left Dong Zhen and went to the Ability Control Bureau with the shadow in her pocket.
• Ye Jiang found Yun Hua covered in corruption, and Qin Daichuan explained that an unknown attack had caused his condition while the bureau searched for his shadow.
• Ye Jiang began treating Yun Hua and noticed that Xiao Pei and Qin Daichuan were worried about the bureau's unsuccessful search.
• As evening came, Ye Jiang paused treatment and went to dinner with Xiao Pei, then stole a chicken drumstick from her plate.

The Ability Control Bureau confirmed that Yun Hua had detached part of his shadow, and Ye Jiang said Dong Zhen had given it to her, leading the captains to believe Wanderer was involved. After Yun Hua woke, Qin Daichuan interrogated him as he confessed his crimes and begged for protection.

• Xiao Pei found no trace of Yun Hua's shadow or any powerful corrupted being during the bureau's search.
• Ye Jiang showed Xiao Pei the shadow she called her pet, and it later flowed back into Yun Hua's shadow during a test.
• Xiao Pei asked Ye Jiang who had given her the shadow, and Ye Jiang answered that Dong Zhen had.
• Xiao Pei and Qin Daichuan concluded that Wanderer was responsible and relaxed their search efforts.
• Yun Hua woke in restraints and confessed his crimes to Qin Daichuan while asking the bureau to protect him.

After Yun Hua was sentenced to death, his ability rank began falling, and he discovered someone else had the power to drain abilities. Ye Jiang learned that the competition would resume with an awards ceremony and that Xingyi Technology wanted her to praise the company in her speech.

• Qin Daichuan dismissed Yun Hua’s claim about a dangerous anomaly, identified it as a monster, and left him awaiting execution.
• The Ability Control Bureau informed the victims that their lost ability ranks could not be restored, and Miao Qiao grieved her loss.
• Yun Hua’s ability rank suddenly plummeted, and he begged the guards to save him, but they assumed he was lying.
• Ye Jiang saw a video of herself fighting on a giant screen and learned Xingyi Technology had made it to promote her.
• A Xingyi Technology employee asked Ye Jiang to praise the company in her awards speech, while Ye Jiang worried about earning her five-million prize.
• The employee received an urgent message on his wristband and hurried back to the company.

After winning the pollution-hunting competition, Ye Jiang arranged a personal reward for Dong Zhen and left the ceremony unseen. The next chapter began with Ye Jiang summoned to a serious meeting at the Ability Control Bureau, where she worried they might reclaim part of her payment.

• Dong Zhen used an illusion to send away a Xingyi Technology employee and later an agent who approached Ye Jiang at the restaurant.
• Xiao Pei told Ye Jiang that the Miao family would cover her payment for resolving Yun Hua’s case, and Ye Jiang asked the Ability Control Bureau for a favor instead of payment for her recent treatments.
• Ye Jiang accepted the competition trophy without giving a speech and used Dong Zhen’s illusion to slip away from the ceremony.
• Ye Jiang arranged ability-generated flame displays as a gift for Dong Zhen, who offered to work as her long-term illusionist and revealed a Blood Moon mark forming on his hand.
• Ye Jiang attended a solemn meeting with Shi Tao, Xiao Pei, and two branch operations captains, suspecting the Ability Control Bureau might deduct some of her payment.

The Ability Control Bureau told Ye Jiang that Dong Zhen was a monster and offered to help her cut ties with him, but she chose to keep associating with him, partly because he had offered her an appealing renovation contract. After the bureau gave her a ride home, Ye Jiang celebrated winning the competition with Yu Qingyi, who returned from work and made her a special dinner.

• Xiao Pei told Ye Jiang that Dong Zhen was a powerful monster and offered the Ability Control Bureau's help if she wanted to separate from him.
• Ye Jiang realized the meeting was not about a mistaken payment and said she had no intention of cutting ties with Dong Zhen.
• Shi Tao accepted Ye Jiang's decision and arranged for Qin Daichuan to drive her home.
• After Ye Jiang hurried home, Yu Qingyi returned from work and cooked a lavish meal to celebrate Ye Jiang's competition victory.
• Ye Jiang and Yu Qingyi shared dinner and conversation, and Yu Qingyi quickly became flushed and giggly after drinking.

Ye Jiang searched for Invisible Man while discovering changes in her ability system and a Blood Moon mark on Dong Zhen. She declined Xiao Pei's offer to help find her friend because Invisible Man was a corrupted one, while the Ability Control Bureau began clearing the A-S Wilderness Zone.

• Yu Qingyi stopped Ye Jiang from drinking her wine and held tightly to her hand while pretending to sleep.
• Ye Jiang entrusted Dong Zhen with house hunting and searched the city for Invisible Man.
• Dong Zhen showed Ye Jiang his Blood Moon mark, and she reassured him that nonhumans could have one.
• Ye Jiang checked her ability system and discovered that her rank had risen from D to C and a dark red point of light had appeared in her third storage slot.
• Xiao Pei killed a corrupted one behind Ye Jiang and offered to help find her missing friend, but Ye Jiang declined to protect Invisible Man.
• Xiao Pei joined the Ability Control Bureau's cleanup of the A-S Wilderness Zone, where a five-person team struggled with thirst after defeating a B-rank corrupted one.

Ye Jiang found the missing Invisible Man in the wilderness, where the giant pollutant was revealed to be S-rank and threatened the city. When Ye Jiang called it her friend, the excited pollutant disintegrated into scattered pools and puddles.

• A water puddle attacked an ability user, then joined countless other puddles to form a giant transparent figure across the wilderness.
• Zhao Yi recognized the figure as the Invisible Man, and Xiao Pei realized its pollution made it an S-rank pollutant.
• Zhao Yi sent the highest alert to the city, and Qin Daichuan directed citizens to evacuate to shelters.
• Ye Jiang sensed her missing friend in the wilderness and went to find it.
• Xiao Pei prepared to attack a water thread creeping toward her, but it stopped when Ye Jiang arrived and turned toward her.
• Ye Jiang told Xiao Pei that she was stepping on her friend, and the excited Invisible Man disintegrated into pools and puddles.

Ye Jiang tried to stop Xiao Pei from attacking Invisible Man, explaining that he was her friend and was losing control after his faith in Yun Hua was shattered. As Invisible Man dissolved into a storm of arrows, Ye Jiang appeared beside Xiao Pei holding one that radiated immense pressure.

• Invisible Man’s joyful attempt to embrace Ye Jiang turned into a barrage of water arrows, but Ye Jiang emerged unharmed and gently scolded him for splashing her.
• Invisible Man re-formed as a towering giant and fought Xiao Pei, who attacked him with chains while Ye Jiang casually dodged the crossfire.
• Ye Jiang asked Xiao Pei to stop fighting and said Invisible Man worshipped Yun Hua, the “Child of Light,” whose imprisonment may have left him confused.
• Invisible Man struggled against the urge to kill, remembered Ye Jiang as his friend, and erupted into countless arrows as his malice overwhelmed him.
• Xiao Pei searched for the arrow carrying Invisible Man’s consciousness, but Ye Jiang appeared beside her holding an arrow that filled Xiao Pei with immense pressure.

Ye Jiang was celebrated as the slayer of the S-rank corrupted Invisible Man, though she had only removed the rotten flesh carrying his consciousness and he survived. Invisible Man returned to City A in a human body, and Ye Jiang learned he did not know how it had formed.

• Ye Jiang destroyed the rotten flesh inside Invisible Man’s special water arrow, causing his water form to collapse and disappear as Xiao Pei and the Ability Control Bureau believed he was dead.
• City A celebrated Ye Jiang as a powerhouse who had killed an S-rank corrupted, and she stayed inside to avoid being recognized by neighbors.
• Ye Jiang recalled that she had only cleaned filth from Invisible Man and had let the Bureau believe he was dead to keep her friend safe.
• Invisible Man entered Ye Jiang’s apartment through the window, showed off his newly formed human body, and said he did not know how it had appeared.

Ye Jiang discovered that her ability system let her dominate the S-rank contaminated beings Invisible Man and Mushroom Man, while Invisible Man learned his Blood Moon mark had no system of its own. Dong Zhen arrived looking for his sister and nearly fought Invisible Man before Ye Jiang stopped him, leaving Invisible Man startled to recognize the dangerous boy.

• Invisible Man told Ye Jiang that a lump of flesh had fed him power and that he had received a Blood Moon mark, which showed no system when he touched it.
• Ye Jiang used the Domination feature to make Invisible Man fetch water, then tested another system light and found she could command Mushroom Man Ming Chun to bring a fallen leaf.
• Ye Jiang concluded that the two watermelon-sized lights represented Invisible Man and Mushroom Man, while her attempt to dominate a light in the third slot made her dizzy.
• Invisible Man recalled his idol was coming to the city and reacted angrily upon hearing that the Child of Light had become a criminal, sending water jets from his neck markings.
• Dong Zhen arrived searching for his sister and attacked Invisible Man, but Ye Jiang stopped Dong Zhen before his parasol could strike.
• Invisible Man recognized Dong Zhen as the boy he had met in the wilderness and shrank back, remembering the danger he had sensed from him.

Ye Jiang said goodbye to Xiao Pei and accepted a missing-person mission to find Mei Ti in remote Shuiling Town. After saving travelers on the road, she reached the town’s outskirts and encountered a mysterious young man.

• Dong Zhen recognized Invisible Man, and Ye Jiang later met Xiao Pei for a farewell meal before Xiao apologized for her role in Invisible Man’s death.
• Ye Jiang accepted a mission to find Mei Ti in Shuiling Town, then set out with the eagle man as her mount.
• After getting lost, Ye Jiang rescued a man and his companions by defeating a long-armed contaminated creature with the eagle man.
• The man warned Ye Jiang that extraordinary contamination had been sensed near Shuiling Town, but she continued toward the walled town.
• A silent young man appeared after the travelers departed and told Ye Jiang he was not going the same way as them.

Ye Jiang and Rong Yin arrived in Shuiling Town, where a crowd of hostile residents erupted into an ability-fueled brawl. After Ye Jiang rescued Hua Ling from the approaching guard patrol, she asked why the townspeople feared the patrol, but Hua Ling told her to stop prying.

• Rong Yin asked to travel with Ye Jiang, but she refused and hurried to Shuiling Town without him.
• Ye Jiang and Rong Yin independently reached the town wall, drawing the attention of tattooed residents who reacted angrily when she looked at them.
• Hua Ling challenged Ye Jiang over being an outsider, and their exchange triggered a brawl that escalated into a clash of abilities.
• Rong Yin revealed his name after absorbing a stray wind blade into a black opening.
• When the guard patrol arrived, Ye Jiang pulled Hua Ling away before she could be caught, then asked why the residents had fled from the patrol.
• Hua Ling refused to explain and told Ye Jiang that, since she had withheld her reason for visiting, she should respect Hua Ling's privacy too.

Ye Jiang and Rong Yin followed Hua Ling to her home in a town with no inns, where their strength and gifts surprised her. The next morning, Ye Jiang went out for breakfast and met an ability user who refused to serve outsiders, but she ordered food anyway.

• Ye Jiang kept up with Hua Ling despite her attempt to lose her, and Rong Yin joined them at Hua Ling's courtyard.
• Hua Ling's invisible air barriers stopped her but did not hinder Ye Jiang or Rong Yin, who entered the courtyard.
• Ye Jiang offered Hua Ling one A-rank treatment for a room, while Rong Yin paid with an A-rank single-use offensive ability item.
• Ye Jiang and Rong Yin took rooms upstairs and spent the night at Hua Ling's house.
• The next morning, Ye Jiang found a puppet-operated flatbread stall, noticed the owner's Blood Moon mark, and ignored his refusal to serve outsiders as she ordered breakfast.

Ye Jiang investigated the missing Mei Ti’s home and found pollution-treatment pills and drawings of faceless people before the Guard questioned her about her visit to Shuiling Town. After the Guard left, Ye Jiang discovered that a marked willow leaf carried the gentle energy of an ability item.

• Ye Jiang used her ability to make a flatbread seller prepare her order, then headed to Mei Ti’s home to look for clues.
• Ye Jiang found fresh food, pollution-treatment pills, and drawings of faceless people in Mei Ti’s bedroom, but no further clues elsewhere in the house.
• The Guard found Ye Jiang at Mei Ti’s home, questioned her about her purpose and another outsider, and accepted her claim that she was sightseeing.
• Ye Jiang told the Guard she had sensed pollution in town, and the Guard said they were investigating a polluter.
• After the Guard left, Ye Jiang examined a willow and found a falling leaf marked like the townspeople that carried energy resembling an ability item.

Ye Jiang explored Shuiling Town, where the Guard maintained order through unsettling force and residents repeatedly erupted into fights. After witnessing the town’s strange conflicts and Hua Ling’s noisy courtyard, Ye Jiang went to Mei Ti’s house to stake it out and investigate her questions.

• Ye Jiang found energy in the courtyard willow and kept a leaf she suspected was an ability item, then explored town and spotted a pharmaceutical processing plant.
• The Guard leader ended Dong Song and Li Feng’s marital fight by having his subordinate transform Li Feng into a tiger-striped cat person.
• Ye Jiang returned to Hua Ling’s courtyard and watched Hua Ling defeat two intruders who accused her of causing trouble, while Rong Yin watched nearby.
• More townspeople barged into Hua Ling’s courtyard to fight her, and Hua Ling offered Ye Jiang leftover takeout before Ye Jiang left to eat elsewhere.
• Ye Jiang went to Mei Ti’s house, settled on a rooftop, and began staking it out to investigate the questions she had formed.

Ye Jiang discovered that Hua Ling and the townspeople who had fought with her were secretly meeting to discuss whether their enemy had appeared. The next morning, Hua Ling explained the value of Mei Ti’s magical willow leaves, while Ye Jiang asked where she could find Mei Ti.

• Ye Jiang followed a woman carrying takeout and overheard Hua Ling and the townspeople joking together before asking whether “them” had arrived; Hua Ling said it should be one of them.
• Rong Yin gave Ye Jiang breakfast but none to Hua Ling, and Ye Jiang returned a willow leaf to him.
• Hua Ling explained that Mei Ti’s willow leaves could temporarily boost their owner’s abilities and were bound to the recipient.
• Ye Jiang asked for the willow leaf back after learning Rong Yin could not use it, but let him keep it when he said he liked it.
• Ye Jiang asked where to find Mei Ti and claimed she wanted to buy the Willow Mother Tree as decoration for a new house.

Hua Ling asked Ye Jiang to use her promised treatment on Yuan De, revealing that their feud was an act and that the townspeople were living a lie. She began explaining how modified humans had been rejected after two experimental subjects massacred cities, while Yuan De remained trapped in a Guard deputy captain’s cruel test.

• Hua Ling explained that the Willow Mother Tree had formed from a polluted who died after fleeing the townspeople fifteen years earlier.
• Deputy Captain Hao accused Yuan De of harboring ill intentions over a willow leaf and locked him inside his home to prove his innocence for a day.
• Ye Jiang heard Yuan De’s violent cries from inside the house, and Hua Ling asked her to treat him using her promised treatment.
• Hua Ling told Ye Jiang that she and Yuan De were not truly enemies and described how two modified humans massacred two cities before the Ability Control Bureau killed them.
• Hua Ling explained that the massacres led to widespread fear and discrimination against modified humans, forcing the Ability Control Bureau to stop cooperating with them.

Ye Jiang entered Yuan De’s courtyard and treated him before he could become a polluted one, while Deputy Captain Hao waited outside for his transformation. As Hao prepared to enter, the Guard captain ordered him back because visitors from the Ability Control Bureau were arriving.

• Ye Jiang subdued Yuan De and healed his physical injuries, then began treating his mental pollution.
• Ye Jiang reflected on the modified humans’ oppression and stared at the black markings growing from Yuan De’s skin.
• Deputy Captain Hao waited outside, expecting Yuan De to turn into a polluted one, while the townspeople watched in helpless anger.
• Hua Ling prepared to attack Hao to protect Ye Jiang, but he stopped when the Guard captain messaged him to return to base.
• Deputy Captain Hao withdrew from the courtyard gate after learning that visitors from the Ability Control Bureau were coming.

Ye Jiang saved Yuan De from mutating, while Hua Ling returned to find him recovering and the Guard gone. Shuiling Town was then covered by unexplained snow that remained for days, as Ability Control Bureau reservist Ming Xia arrived to observe the town and its residents cautiously ventured outside.

• Hua Ling rushed to Yuan De's courtyard after Deputy Captain Hao left, and Ye Jiang reassured her that Yuan De was alive and treating him.
• Yuan De woke as a human, and Ye Jiang refused his thanks, saying she had only made a paid house call.
• Ming Xia traveled to Shuiling Town on a Bureau observation mission and encountered a contaminated hawk-man that she recognized as Ye Jiang's mount.
• Snow fell only within Shuiling Town for about an hour, blanketing it in snow and leaving the townspeople and Guard uneasy.
• After three days without further incidents, Ye Jiang built a snowman, while townspeople began venturing out to collect medicine and found nothing abnormal.

A strange snowfall began swallowing townspeople, and Ye Jiang saved Old Zhao after witnessing the snow take him. The town sought shelter, but the townspeople still faced the need to collect their medicine and argued over whether it was safe to go out.

• Hua Ling remembered the noisy girl who had long urged her to leave the courtyard, then rushed toward a scream outside.
• Ye Jiang saw the snow swallow Old Zhao and pulled him out from beneath it, convincing the townspeople that the snow was eating people.
• Hua Ling brought Ye Jiang and the townspeople indoors as more screams sounded across the town.
• Ye Jiang told Hua Ling she could sense no one beneath the snow where Old Zhao had vanished, leaving open whether the missing people had been transported or were dead.
• The townspeople worried about the Guard and their dwindling medicine, then argued over whether to leave shelter to collect it.