Chapter Summaries

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.

Shen Hui used newly acquired resources and cards to accelerate the rats’ reproduction and increase mutations in the Death World. A week later, most newborn pups were mutated, setting the stage for his plan to create Skaven Ratmen.

• Shen Hui collected resources, including three Star Cores from Chi Yan, then left the memorial service to begin building his Creation World.
• Shen Hui returned to the Death World and noted the Miskatonic School’s growing prominence and Francis’s successful enrollment.
• Shen Hui used an Accelerated Reproduction card to greatly increase the rats’ reproductive capacity.
• Shen Hui applied a Twisted Mutation card and accelerated time in the Death World.
• A week later, about 80% of newborn rats had mutations, though the overall population had not yet increased noticeably.

The rat population surged, developed increasingly severe mutations, and became a threat that humans repeatedly tried to exterminate. Under Shen Hui’s guidance, the surviving rats evolved into an intelligent society hidden beneath the cities, where they remained until a group of people entered their abandoned mine.

• The rats multiplied across the steam cities, while their mutations remained subdued and humans largely ignored the growing infestations.
• A cold wave and food shortages drove the rats underground, where their mutations spread; when hunger forced them back to the surface, a distorted rat tide panicked humans.
• Humans began exterminating the rats, but the Great Ruin worsened their distortions and caused the population to collapse.
• Shen Hui guided the surviving rats to pass on beneficial mutations, and the rats moved their nests into caves, tunnels, and mines.
• Over five years, the rats evolved into intelligent, half-human-sized creatures, bred for beneficial traits, and built an underground network beneath the cities.
• A group of people entered the abandoned mine where the evolved rat horde lived.

Five gold diggers entered an abandoned mine to salvage a steam engine, but discovered it was infested with enormous numbers of distorted rats. Four escaped into the holes riddling the mine walls and crawled into a maze of passages with no clear way back.

• Five gold diggers entered an abandoned mine, searching for machinery and hoping to salvage its steam engine.
• The group found a rust-covered machine, but one man noticed a rotten smell and used his brightest searchlight to inspect the cavern.
• The gold diggers saw that the walls were riddled with holes packed with distorted rats, which swarmed toward them from the walls and behind.
• Four men scrambled into a large hole, while the fifth slipped and was engulfed by the rats.
• The four survivors crawled through branching passages, lost their way, and continued blindly into the mine.

Four humans stumbled into an underground Skaven Ratmen nest and were killed, revealing the ratmen’s civilization and its connection to Shen Hui. Years later, the Skaven Ratmen had grown more intelligent, attacked remote human towns, and begun to surface in rumors.

• A group of four exhausted humans followed a strange sound through the caves and fell into a vast underground chamber.
• The humans saw the ratmen’s tower and a wave of aberrant rats led by upright ratmen, then died as the bell tolled.
• The Skaven Ratmen built their tower to answer the being that granted them intelligence, and the bell had tolled nine times so far.
• Over the following years, the bell tolled eleven times as the rats evolved into increasingly humanlike, cunning Skaven Ratmen.
• The Skaven Ratmen attacked remote human towns for supplies and technology, while rumors of them spread and one rumor-spreader was burned at the stake.

After years of fighting humans, the Skaven Ratmen completed their final evolution, founded an empire, and named their ruined wilderness city their capital. Shen Hui watched the race’s history unfold and considered creating its god, the Great Horned Rat, but judged the Death World too weak to support him.

• Francis joined a Foundation task force and Miskatonic School investigators as they discovered the ratmen and clashed with them, prompting a human campaign that became a prolonged war.
• The Skaven Ratmen grew in number, developed technology and magic, and learned to survive beyond the Land of New Life, frustrating humanity’s efforts to eliminate them.
• After years of fighting and exploring the Death World, the ratmen completed their thirteenth and final evolution and chose to expand rather than continue the tug-of-war with humans.
• Two days after the thirteenth bell, the Skaven Ratmen founded their empire, named their ruined city the Ratmen's Ruined Capital, and ended the all-out war with humanity.
• Shen Hui received a notification that the new race had expanded the Death World’s worldview and strengthened its Will, then decided to postpone creating the Great Horned Rat because the world lacked the capacity and resources.

Shen Hui rejected Starry Night Adventure Group’s offer to join its push for the Lord of Night position, then went to the underground black market seeking a major sales channel for Ji Xinfeng’s goods. He learned that a large auction was planned for a shipment returning from the Chaos Forbidden Domain, though its location had not yet been announced.

• Raven mimicked human speech and disrupted a Starry Night representative who approached Shen Hui over lunch at the World Association.
• The representative offered Shen Hui resources and access to Advanced Unclaimed Worlds if he joined Starry Night, but Shen Hui recognized the offer was tied to the contest for the Lord of Night position and refused.
• Shen Hui spent the afternoon resting, then disguised himself and went to the underground black market after dark.
• Shen Hui paid an information broker one million for news about major buying and selling channels.
• The broker told Shen Hui that a large underground auction would take place when goods returned from the Chaos Forbidden Domain, but its location was still unknown and major factions were expected to have invitations.

Shen Hui was targeted by Amon's minions, but Raven destroyed them and broke their summoning formation. After reporting the attack to the World Association, Shen Hui met with Chi Yan the next day and was warned to contact her if he encountered anything similar.

• Shen Hui learned he could not buy an invitation to the auction and considered asking the Starry Night Adventure Group for help.
• A drunken woman lured Shen Hui to her home, where he realized she had marked him and was plotting against him.
• Shen Hui broke into the bathroom and found a red summoning formation, a snake-tailed creature inside the woman, and several wolf-headed monsters emerging from her body.
• Raven transformed, burned the monsters to ash, and shattered the formation as it tried to lock onto her.
• Shen Hui called Chi Yan, and the World Association investigated the scene before Raven guarded him through the night.
• Chi Yan questioned Shen Hui the next day and warned him to contact her if he encountered another attack.

Shen Hui attended the Giant God Cult’s divine selection ceremony in a deep-space consciousness gathering, where the Titan God’s gaze passed over him before abruptly returning. His light then surged until it rivaled the holy son’s, leaving the cultists astonished.

• Shen Hui entered the Giant God Cult’s base at the black market and joined the cultists as the enforcer opened a formation to send their consciousnesses into deep space.
• Shen Hui took the form of a masked figure in a black robe and saw thousands of cultists gather before the high priest and holy son.
• The high priest began the divine selection ceremony, summoning the Colossal Creature World’s projection and the Titan God’s powerful gaze.
• The Titan God’s gaze illuminated the high priest, the holy son, and other cultists, but initially passed over Shen Hui without making him shine.
• The gaze returned to Shen Hui, and his light burst forth until it caught up to the holy son’s.

During the Giant God Cult’s divine selection, the Titan God’s gaze shone most brightly on Shen Hui, who realized the god was angry about the divinity he had stolen. The cultists mistook the attention for favor, and after Shen Hui’s enforcer explained his place in the organization, the ritual ended and the high priestess faced a dilemma over distributing the Titan God’s power.

• The Titan God’s gaze fixed on Shen Hui, and he realized it was anger over his having devoured the god’s divinity, not favor.
• The high priestess ended the divine selection, while the holy son questioned what Shen Hui’s exceptional attention meant.
• An enforcer praised Shen Hui and asked his position, and Shen Hui’s own enforcer explained that he was called Death God and had once been a wanderer outside the organization.
• The high priestess ended the Titan God’s projection and announced that the cultists would receive the god’s power.
• The high priestess struggled to decide how to distribute the power, since Shen Hui seemed worthy of receiving all of it.

The high priestess revised the distribution of Giant God Power after Shen Hui’s enforcer argued that the Titan God’s favor should determine who received the largest share. Shen Hui absorbed half the power into his Death World, then avoided the holy son’s attempt to bring him under his command by claiming he still needed to settle unfinished business.

• The high priestess initially reserved half the Giant God Power for the holy son and planned to give most of the remainder to Shen Hui.
• Shen Hui’s enforcer objected that the allocation should follow the Titan God’s will, and other enforcers supported him.
• The high priestess revised the split, reserving half for Shen Hui and giving the remaining power to the cultists and the holy son.
• Shen Hui resisted the foreign Giant God Power as it entered his Death World, then gathered and absorbed it.
• The holy son asked to have Shen Hui transferred to work with him, but Shen Hui asked for time to finish his business with Shen Hui and Ji Xinfeng.