Recaps

Shen Hui woke in a hospital after his Death World ran amok and learned that Qingxue and Zhiyue had survived, though both remained affected. Leng Zimeng explained what happened and revealed Huang Lingheng was alive but likely suffering a fate worse than death.

• Chi Yan searched the site of the spatial disturbance but found no traces and ordered the World Association members to leave.
• Shen Hui woke and recalled that Cthulhu's Transcendent avatar, the Father of Sharks, had rampaged through his Death World.
• Leng Zimeng entered Shen Hui's room, and he prepared to unleash the Death World until she and Zhiyue assured him they meant no harm.
• Leng Zimeng and Zhiyue explained how Zhiyue was corrupted and Qingxue embraced Shen Hui to bring him out of his madness; Shen Hui then visited Qingxue, who remained unconscious but stable.
• Leng Zimeng said The Fool and The Hermit had brought them back safely, that The Fool had left, and that Huang Lingheng was alive but likely suffering a fate worse than death.

Shen Hui learned that the Night Organization’s Tarot Club sought to strengthen its members by completing rituals, then discovered that his Death God ritual required killing at least ten million people in the real world. He rejected the ritual as the group reached Huang Lingheng’s unusually cold hospital room.

• As Shen Hui walked with Leng Zimeng toward Huang Lingheng’s room, she explained that they were adopted siblings and belonged to the underground Night Organization.
• Leng Zimeng said Starry Night was one branch of the Night Organization, while she and Huang Lingheng belonged to Hong Ye, and that Huang Lingheng’s grandfather led the organization.
• Leng Zimeng explained that Huang Lingheng had sought Shen Hui because each new Tarot Club member strengthened the others, and Zhiyue and Leng Zimeng described their own rituals.
• Zhiyue revealed that Shen Hui’s Death God ritual required plunging a city into death and taking at least ten million lives from their real world.
• Shen Hui recoiled from the ritual and dismissed the Death God position as the group arrived outside Huang Lingheng’s room, where the corridor was unusually cold.

Shen Hui visited Huang Lingheng, whose body and mind had been corrupted, but could do nothing to help him. As he left, Shen Hui discovered that the Death World had advanced to level six and gained new traits.

• Leng Zimeng asked Shen Hui to free Huang Lingheng from the corruption, but Shen Hui said it had nothing to do with him.
• Shen Hui saw Huang Lingheng's corrupted body and learned that he had become terrified of Leng Zimeng and Zhiyue, though he briefly regained his lucidity and apologized for deceiving them.
• Huang Lingheng refused Leng Zimeng's request for help, accepting responsibility for the consequences of his failure.
• Shen Hui left Qingxue in Zhiyue's care and told Leng Zimeng that Huang Lingheng's survival depended on his willpower.
• Shen Hui checked the Death World and discovered it had risen from level five to level six, gained the Miracle trait, and granted the Deep Ones the racial trait Call of the Father of Sharks.

After the disasters damaged the Death World, Shen Hui spent World Origin Power repairing it and checked that the Backrooms was unharmed. He then went to the underground black market to obtain contact information for World Association members so he could arrange to lure Ji Xinfeng to the Giant God Cult’s ritual tomorrow.

• Shen Hui learned that the Death World had reached level six and gained the Miracle and Call of the Father of Sharks traits.
• Shen Hui surveyed the damage from the disasters, including the escaped 173 and 049, and spent 2,500 World Origin Power to repair the Death World.
• Shen Hui confirmed that the Backrooms was unaffected and decided the Death World would eventually need a larger population.
• Shen Hui arrived at Qingbai Market and reflected on the upcoming Death God ritual and whether other preselected candidates might exist.
• Shen Hui disguised himself and entered the underground black market to find Ji Xinfeng’s location for the Giant God Cult’s ritual.
• Shen Hui asked the Know-It-All intelligence dealer for phone numbers belonging to members of the World Association.

Shen Hui arranged to lure Ji Xinfeng to a meeting about his son, then visited Chi Yan at the World Association. He learned that people had shared strange dreams after his loss of control, while the Association prepared for the next day’s events and warned him about the Giant God Cult.

• Shen Hui bought World Association members’ phone numbers and called Ji Xinfeng, telling him to come alone to Yellow Lake Park the next morning to learn about his son and Shen Hui.
• Shen Hui destroyed the phone in Creator Form, left the black market, and went to the World Association after Chi Yan called him.
• Chi Yan noticed Shen Hui had reached a Level Six Creation World and questioned him about the previous day; Shen Hui denied anything unusual had happened.
• Chi Yan told Shen Hui that citizens and creators had reported similar dreams involving the sea, fog, and darkness, and Shen Hui suspected they were connected to his loss of control.
• Chi Yan said the Association would tighten security that night, partly to search for the Giant God Cult’s hideout, and urged Shen Hui to stay at the World Association.
• Shen Hui declined to stay, left for Ye Long’s residential complex, and waited for nightfall.

Shen Hui attended the Giant God Cult’s final meeting before its operation, then spent the night in the black market watching an arena challenge. There, he recognized something familiar about the masked challenger, leaving the person’s identity unresolved.

• The Enforcer told the Giant God Cult members that the World Association had tightened security because of the Laughing Moon Cult and ordered them to proceed with their diversion operation.
• The Enforcer assigned two cult members to accompany Death God and help him eliminate Shen Hui during the operation, which was scheduled to begin at six the next morning.
• Shen Hui arranged to meet the two members at the market entrance and decided to wait in the black market overnight.
• The arena manager told Shen Hui that a level-four Creator from another major district was taking on challengers and advised him to bet on the masked fighter.
• Shen Hui entered the packed arena and saw the star-masked challenger standing over a badly injured opponent, recognizing something familiar about the challenger.

Shen Hui joined two Giant God Cult followers as their coordinated attacks began across the cities. He led them to the park where he had arranged to meet Ji Xinfeng, claiming Shen Hui would be there for morning exercise.

• Shen Hui restrained Raven when it tried to emerge as a group including the starry-masked fighter and a blank-masked figure passed him.
• Ji Xinfeng decided to leave his patrol to pursue a mysterious caller’s lead, and his captain allowed him to go.
• At 5:47, Shen Hui spotted two Giant God Cult followers near the market and prepared to begin their operation with them.
• As alarms sounded and creatures appeared across the cities, Shen Hui led the two followers toward the park to meet Ji Xinfeng.
• Shen Hui told the followers that Shen Hui might be at the park for morning exercise and guided them toward the western pavilion.

Shen Hui lured Ji Xinfeng into a confrontation with two Giant God Cult members, disguising his own world and faking his death as Ji Xinfeng attacked. The battle escalated when the cultists merged their Colossal Creature World into the battlefield, suppressing Ji Xinfeng’s cultivators, while Shen Hui secretly escaped underground.

• Shen Hui led two Giant God Cult members to the West Pavilion and falsely announced that their target had been surrounded, prompting Ji Xinfeng to believe he had walked into a cult trap.
• Ji Xinfeng and the two cultists unfolded their Creation Worlds, and Shen Hui disguised his level and world by manifesting the Later Generations World.
• Ji Xinfeng’s flying swords broke through a cultist’s barrier and struck Shen Hui, who fell and pretended to be dead.
• Ji Xinfeng appeared with cultivators from the Sharp Sword Organization, and the two Giant God Cult members prepared to fight him.
• The cultists merged their Colossal Creature World with the battlefield, suppressing Ji Xinfeng’s cultivators as Shen Hui’s supposed corpse slipped underground and vanished.

Shen Hui watched the battle between Ji Xinfeng and the Giant God Cult from the safety of the Backrooms World, using a Raven as his eyes. As the fighting exhausted both sides, the giant creatures of the Colossal Creature Worlds could no longer be replenished, and few remained.

• Ji Xinfeng and two Giant God Cultists merged with their Creation Worlds and led their forces into a fierce battle across the park.
• Shen Hui revealed that he had faked his death by turning the part struck by a flying sword into his Creator Form, then hiding in the Backrooms World.
• Shen Hui sent a Raven to observe the battle and assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the cultivators, mages, martial artists, and giant creatures.
• The battle continued through successive waves of reinforcements, with casualties possibly reaching hundreds of thousands or more.
• Both sides began running out of fighters, and the Colossal Creature Worlds could no longer replace their fallen giant creatures.

Ji Xinfeng’s strongest trump card destroyed the Giant God Cultists and their Creation Worlds, but the ancestor died after his single strike, leaving Ji Xinfeng weakened. As Ji Xinfeng prepared to withdraw his Creation World, he spotted an ordinary crow and sensed someone hiding nearby.

• Ji Xinfeng summoned his sect’s ancestor, who crushed the Giant God Cultists’ forces and enabled Ji Xinfeng’s Creation World to devour theirs.
• The ancestor died after using his one strike, and Shen Hui realized Ji Xinfeng had lost his trump card.
• Ji Xinfeng blamed the Giant God Cult for the battle and suspected the mysterious person who had lured him there was involved.
• As Ji Xinfeng prepared to withdraw his Creation World, he noticed a crow that could not belong there and sensed something amiss in space.
• Ji Xinfeng stared toward the hidden presence and demanded to know who else was there.

Shen Hui revealed himself to Ji Xinfeng and overwhelmed him by spreading Death World across much of the Water District. With Ji Xinfeng defeated, Shen Hui began to hint at the truth about Ji Xinfeng’s sons.

• Shen Hui emerged from a pile of remains disguised as a Giant God Cultist and confronted Ji Xinfeng.
• Shen Hui revealed his identity, leaving Ji Xinfeng furious after he realized the man he blamed for his sons’ deaths was a Giant God Cult member.
• Ji Xinfeng summoned his Creation World, but Shen Hui descended with Death World across the park and much of the Water District.
• Shen Hui’s Eldritch Heroes attacked, corrupting Ji Xinfeng’s cultivators and causing his world to collapse.
• Sadako appeared behind Ji Xinfeng, who fell to his knees as Shen Hui asked whether he wanted to know the truth about his sons.

Shen Hui tortured Ji Xinfeng to death in revenge, refusing to explain what had happened to Ji Xinfeng’s sons. As Shen Hui’s Death World spread across the Water District, Chi Yan and others rushed toward its center, while Ji Xinfeng died believing Shen Hui was a member of the Giant God Cult.

• The Death World spread across the Water District, alarming Sun Jingjing, Zhiyue, and Leng Zimeng, who suspected Shen Hui was involved.
• Chi Yan recognized Shen Hui’s Creation World and led a World Association team toward the center of the phenomenon.
• Ji Xinfeng asked Shen Hui what had happened to his sons, but Shen Hui mocked him and refused to tell him.
• Shen Hui declared that Ji Xinfeng and his sons had brought their fate upon themselves and ordered the Pig-headed Butcher to cut Ji Xinfeng apart while keeping him alive.
• Sadako trapped Ji Xinfeng in an endless cycle of agony, and Ji Xinfeng accused Shen Hui of being a member of the Giant God Cult before Shen Hui left him to die in despair.

Shen Hui devoured Ji Xinfeng’s Level 9 cultivation world and gained valuable rewards, but worried that selling them would reveal his involvement. When Chi Yan arrived, Shen Hui withdrew the Death World and falsely claimed Ji Xinfeng had saved him before dying in battle.

• Shen Hui’s Abomination absorbed Ji Xinfeng, then the Death World devoured Ji Xinfeng’s cultivation world and contaminated its Heavenly Dao.
• Shen Hui received a cultivation-system template, World Origin Power, and other rewards, but decided they were too risky to sell openly.
• Shen Hui spotted Chi Yan approaching with a team and removed his Giant God Cult outfit before they reached him.
• Chi Yan asked Shen Hui what had happened and requested that he withdraw the expanded world, so Shen Hui recalled the Death World.
• Shen Hui told Chi Yan that Giant God Cult members had attacked him, Ji Xinfeng had saved him and killed two attackers, and Ji Xinfeng had died in battle.

Shen Hui reached the shelter after telling Chi Yan and the others that Ji Xinfeng had died fighting the Giant God Cult. As the unrest neared noon, a projection of the Colossal Creature World appeared in the sky, and a gigantic eye stared through it at their world.

• Shen Hui told Chi Yan that Ji Xinfeng had died while fighting three Giant God Cult members, and Chi Yan sent him to the shelter before returning to the unrest.
• Shen Hui traveled through the ruined city to the shelter, where Ye Yitian and the city lord learned of Ji Xinfeng’s death and confirmed Ye Long was safe.
• Shen Hui waited at the shelter as more wounded people arrived and the Giant God Cult’s unrest continued without revealing its purpose.
• Near noon, Shen Hui saw a projection of the Colossal Creature World appear in the sky, become obscured by a gigantic palm, and then return showing an enormous eye staring through the projection.

The Giant God Cult channeled power from another world, but Fan Hao disrupted the passage and reduced the power they received. The cult decided to choose a Divine Chosen to receive what remained.

• The Giant God Eye appeared in the sky, and the Giant God Cultists retreated after completing their mission.
• Fan Hao realized the cult was channeling power from another world and waited for the passage to appear.
• The Giant God Cult priest told the Holy Son that the channeling had succeeded, but the stone's light stopped as Fan Hao attacked the passage with his World Power.
• Fan Hao's true dragon clashed with the Giant God's illusory arm, damaging the passage before he vanished.
• The remaining power in the ritual stone faded, and the priest announced that the Giant God Cult would begin the Divine Chosen selection.

After the Giant God Cult’s upheaval ended, Shen Hui attended an emergency meeting and recounted Ji Xinfeng’s death to the gathered factions. When Qin Ying challenged his account, Shen Hui acted as if he had just realized Ji Xinfeng might have come to harm him.

• The Giant God Cult members withdrew or killed themselves, leaving the city devastated as the city lord and local organizations managed the aftermath.
• Chi Yan brought Shen Hui to an emergency World Association meeting in the Sea of Stars, where the districts reported their discoveries about the Giant God Cult.
• Fan Hao announced that Ji Xinfeng had died in the Water District and asked Shen Hui to explain what had happened.
• Shen Hui described Ji Xinfeng as having died while protecting him from two Giant God Cult members, and Chi Yan supported his account.
• Qin Ying questioned why Ji Xinfeng would save Shen Hui and why he had appeared in the Water District.
• Shen Hui claimed he thought he and Ji Xinfeng had been on good terms, then suggested Ji Xinfeng might have come to harm him.

Shen Hui persuaded Qin Ying and the Sharp Sword Organization to accept his account of Ji Xinfeng’s death, then received Fan Hao’s approval and the promise of access to the resource vault. After declining Chi Yan’s offer to move in with her, Shen Hui prepared to leave Ye Long’s house and waited for the Giant God Cult’s meeting that evening.

• Shen Hui suggested Ji Xinfeng might have planned to harm him before unexpectedly encountering the Giant God Cult, and Qin Ying accepted his explanation.
• Qin Ying apologized for his rash accusation, while Shen Hui promised to survive and avenge Ji Xinfeng by killing the Giant God Cult.
• Fan Hao confirmed Shen Hui’s information had helped prevent further casualties and said Chi Yan would take him to the resource vault after things settled down.
• Shen Hui declined Chi Yan’s offer to live with her and postponed dinner with her and their friends because he needed to report to the Giant God Cult.
• Shen Hui returned to the house Ye Long had provided, packed his belongings, and waited for the Giant God Cult’s meeting that evening.

Shen Hui attended a Giant God Cult gathering in disguise after the failed mission and learned that the cult had summoned new Giant God Power, though some was lost. The enforcer announced that the power would be distributed through divine selection, leaving Shen Hui uncertain whether he would receive any.

• Shen Hui entered the underground black market and joined the Giant God Cult gathering in disguise.
• The enforcer questioned Shen Hui about the failed mission, and Shen Hui blamed Ji Xinfeng’s strength for his companions’ deaths and his escape.
• The enforcer revealed that the cult could not effectively communicate with the Titan God, despite completing the power-summoning ritual.
• The enforcer explained that the World Association president damaged the channel, so the high priest would use divine selection to distribute the reduced supply of Giant God Power.
• The enforcer said the Titan God’s favored followers were chosen as the Divine Chosen.

Shen Hui considered exploiting the upcoming divine selection while avoiding exposure, then turned his attention to developing the Death World and creating a race known for its numbers. He surveyed Steam City’s progress and its encounters with eldritch beings, while exploration of the wider Death World remained largely unsuccessful.

• Shen Hui heard that the high priest would hold the divine selection in seven days and decided to look for an opportunity while keeping his identity hidden.
• Shen Hui stayed at an inn, checked the quiet Starry Sky Leaderboard outpost, and considered how to dispose of the resources he had looted from Ji Xinfeng.
• Shen Hui surveyed Steam City and saw that Magic Energy had accelerated its development, while expeditions into the Sea of Death, the Mountains of Madness, and the mist-shrouded region had yielded little.
• Steam City's Foundation sent 049, the Pestilence Doctor, to gather information from Abomination, but his experiments with Abomination's pestilence nearly caused it to spread.
• A group in Steam City formed the Church of Doom and worshipped Wandering Doom, believing he would remove their misfortune and lead them to happiness.

Shen Hui discovered that Magic Energy’s corruption had deformed the rats living beneath Steam City. Seeing the possibility of adapting them into a new race, he decided they could become Skaven Ratmen for Death World.

• Shen Hui sensed that Cthulhu’s Magic Energy had spread pollution and corruption throughout the cities, though humanity had not recognized the danger.
• Shen Hui entered a tavern and watched patrons react casually to several visibly deformed rats crawling across the floor.
• After the patrons killed the rats, Shen Hui traced his awareness beneath the floorboards and found colonies of mutated rats in the sewers.
• Shen Hui considered how some rats’ deformities gave them larger bodies, stronger limbs, or extra limbs that might help them adapt to the pollution.
• Shen Hui decided the evolved rats could supply Death World with a populous new race like the Skaven Ratmen.

Shen Hui met Francis, a homeless boy determined to investigate Eldritch Beings, and recognized in him the potential of a legendary investigator. He gave Francis bread and a recommendation to the newly established Miskatonic School, whose creation was approved by Steam City’s upper ranks.

• Shen Hui explored the city and saw homeless adults and orphaned children begging at the train station.
• Francis asked Shen Hui to lend him bread, explaining that an eldritch incident had killed his parents and left him homeless and hungry.
• Francis told Shen Hui that he dreamed of understanding Eldritch Beings and was not afraid to investigate them.
• Shen Hui recognized Francis’s conviction as the potential of a legendary investigator and gave him a piece of bread.
• Shen Hui gave Francis a recommendation to Miskatonic School, telling him that study, room, and board were free.
• Francis looked up to thank Shen Hui but found him gone, while Steam City’s upper ranks approved the establishment of Miskatonic School.

Shen Hui visited Qingxue at the sanatorium, then spent several days capturing low-level Unclaimed Worlds in the Borderlands. Chi Yan found him and reminded him to attend the memorial service for their fallen comrades, including Ji Xinfeng.

• Shen Hui met Zhiyue outside the sanatorium and learned that the Tarot Club might act soon and that Qingxue had briefly awakened before passing out again.
• Shen Hui visited Qingxue, who remained unconscious, and spoke with Leng Zimeng about Huang Lingheng's uncertain condition.
• Shen Hui went to the World Association to ask Chi Yan about President Fan Hao, then challenged two low-level Unclaimed Worlds in the Borderlands.
• Shen Hui spent two days crushing low-level Unclaimed Worlds and earning World Origin Power.
• Chi Yan found Shen Hui in the Borderlands and reminded him that the memorial service for their fallen comrades was that day, then brought clothes for him to change into.

At Ji Xinfeng’s memorial service, Shen Hui refused the Sharp Sword Organization’s demand that he kneel and kowtow, arguing that he would honor Ji Xinfeng by avenging him against the Giant God Cult. Chi Yan intervened when the argument nearly became a fight, and the Sharp Sword Organization left frustrated after Shen Hui apologized under her cover.

• Shen Hui paid his respects to the deceased at the World Association headquarters, placing the last chrysanthemum before Ji Xinfeng’s covered remains.
• Qin Ying and the Sharp Sword Organization accused Shen Hui of owing Ji Xinfeng a debt and demanded that he kneel and kowtow three times.
• Shen Hui said he would remember Ji Xinfeng by avenging him, then argued that his repeated disruption of the Giant God Cult’s plans made him a threat to them.
• The Sharp Sword Organization grew angry and threatened to fight Shen Hui, but Chi Yan and other World Association members arrived and stopped the confrontation.
• Chi Yan told Shen Hui to apologize, and he did so in a way that left Qin Ying and his team unable to continue making a scene.
• Qin Ying coldly told Shen Hui to remember his words, then led the Sharp Sword Organization away.

At the memorial service, Shen Hui avoided the crowd but reunited with Ye Long and Xiao Xiangyan, who had come to check on him and discuss their Creation Worlds. Chi Yan then summoned him with news from President Fan Hao about the promised resources.

• President Shengnan teased Shen Hui about Sun Jingjing and warned that he had offended the Sharp Sword Organization, while Chi Yan told him to behave.
• Shen Hui withdrew from the growing crowd of peers discussing their Creation Worlds and later sat with Ye Long and Xiao Xiangyan.
• Ye Long revealed that his Creation World had reached level five and credited Shen Hui's advice for helping him advance.
• Shen Hui told Ye Long that his own Creation World had reached level six, shocking Ye Long and Xiao Xiangyan.
• Shen Hui discussed the Parasitic Immortal Cultivation Worldview with Ye Long and shared his knowledge about its development.
• Chi Yan called Shen Hui over with news from President Fan Hao, and Shen Hui became eager to hear about the promised resources.

Shen Hui went to the World Association supply vault with Chi Yan to choose resources for developing his Creation World. He selected cards to support the Skaven Ratmen civilization and a World Origin Crystal, while declining an elder’s offer to inspect and advise on his world.

• Shen Hui learned that Fan Hao had left to investigate new progress in the Chaos Forbidden Domain and went with Chi Yan to the supply vault.
• At the entrance, Chi Yan’s teacher and Zhuge Hongjing greeted Shen Hui, and the elder offered to examine his Creation World and advise him.
• Shen Hui politely refused to reveal his world, and Chi Yan supported his decision to develop it independently.
• Shen Hui searched the vault and chose an Accelerated Reproduction card, a Twisted Mutation card, and a pure World Origin Crystal for his planned Skaven Ratmen civilization.
• Shen Hui reported his choices to Chi Yan, who was relieved that he had selected ordinary resources.