Having successfully foiled the bandit attack on the city of Cizhou in Zhongbo, Xiao Chiye sets off in pursuit of their leader, attempting to cut their enemy off before he returns to his lair. At the same time, having gained control of Cizhou, Shen Zechuan sets his sights on neighboring Chazhou, with which he hopes to broker a trade agreement. But Chazhou is a lawless place, ruled by a ruthless bandit chief who has long neglected the starving populace. If Shen Zechuan wishes to make his mark here, he must rely not on any army, but his own cunning.

As Shen Zechuan fights for a foothold in Zhongbo, a new power is rising in the capital of Qudu, and those with ambition eye the throne from all sides. The board is set for a game of wits that will decide the fate of the nation—and Shen Zechuan is playing to win.

Multimillionaire movie director Zhang Yuwen has it all—fame, fortune, and a successful career. But what he really craves is to create a novel he can call true art. Passionate about this dream, he abandons the film industry to pursue writing full-time, only to hit an unexpected roadblock: his characters feel flat, lacking the authenticity he longs for. The problem? Zhang Yuwen has spent most of his life alone and hasn’t had much real-world interaction to draw from.

As a single gay man with a luxurious villa full of empty rooms, Zhang Yuwen comes up with an unconventional solution. Why not rent those rooms out to other gay men and use them as inspiration for his novel’s characters? Enter his four new roommates: Yan Jun, a single father; Chen Hong, a fitness coach; Zheng Weize, a shy young livestreamer; and Chang Jinxing, a playboy and aspiring photographer. Each brings their own unique story and quirks, giving Zhang Yuwen the perfect opportunity to study real people up close.

But as Zhang Yuwen dives deeper into their lives, one question remains: can these very different men manage to coexist long enough for him to finish his masterpiece? Or will the chaos of living together become the real story?

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans, where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?