Chapter 106: Salted Fish
When Zhou Ning saw this, a sinking feeling crept into his stomach. Could this bastard really be choosing to do nothing?
What followed made Zhou Ning's blood pressure spike. He felt he had completely misplaced his trust.
The simulation continued.
In May 1938, you got your first official girlfriend, Lisa. Her hands were exactly the type you loved—fair and delicate, making them impossible to let go of.
By the end of May, after three full months in Rome, your Italian had improved enough for basic conversation. You spent 2,000 lire to buy an ID card in Piazza Vittorio, Rome's Chinese enclave. A small incident also occurred: a few mafiosi in top hats and trench coats robbed you at gunpoint, even trying to kill you. A minute later, you calmly put your right hand in your pocket, turned, and walked away. An explosion erupted behind you, sending flames shooting into the sky. Had a Stand user been present, they would have seen the shadow of a toy car, adorned with a small skull, driving away from the scene.
June 1938 – July 1938: The little incident didn't affect your peaceful life in the slightest. You went to work and came home on schedule, going to bed at 11:00 p.m. to ensure eight hours of sleep, as precise as a robot. You occasionally went on dates with your girlfriend. Though you never specifically studied it, your cooking skills improved passively from observing the work in the restaurant. You gained the skill: Culinary Skill (Intermediate).
In Italy, you also developed a new hobby: watching football. Perhaps influenced by your other self, this world's football culture was far more advanced than in your previous life. At the end of June 1938, you had the pleasure of watching the entire World Cup, hosted in Italy. Thanks to Mussolini's threat to have the team executed if they didn't win, the Italian players displayed remarkable aggression, running until they vomited in every match. Unsurprisingly, they won the championship. You couldn't help but wonder what would happen if the Chinese national football team faced a similar ultimatum.
At the awards ceremony, you unexpectedly saw him for the first time: your other self in this world, looking remarkably young. He seemed to feel your gaze, and as your eyes met, it was like looking in a mirror.
The meeting wasn't as tense as you might have imagined. You met up after the game and chatted for a while. Hearing a familiar accent was comforting, and you both quickly accepted the other's existence. For some reason, despite your aversion to making friends, his Nike-esque smile won you over, and you became friends.
In August 1938, your alter ego, who had arrived in July, explained why he was in Italy. He was there to attend the funeral of a close friend, William A. Zeppelin, and to help hide the Pillar Men at the request of his son, Mario.
You had no interest in this, but you watched the whole thing unfold anyway. Before the three Pillar Men could even awaken from their stone reliefs, he dragged them out into the sun and smashed them to dust with a hammer. A truly ruthless man.
With his consent, you kept a small fragment of a Pillar Man's body. Although it appeared lifeless, as someone who has read the source material, you knew not to take it lightly. You made sure to take it out and expose it to the sun every day.
In September 1938, your other self returned to England. Before leaving, he asked if you wanted to go back to London with him, but you refused without hesitation. Nevertheless, you kept in touch.
April 1939: After living in Italy for over a year, your Italian became so proficient that you could read, write, and speak indistinguishably from a native. You have acquired the skill: Professional Italian Proficiency.
September 1939 – April 1942: Germany invaded Poland, and war broke out across Europe. During this time, however, you lived a dream life. You had thirteen different girlfriends over this period—not because you were unfaithful, but because you have always been a loyal man who simply likes girls with beautiful hands. You have earned the achievement: Don Juan.
[In June 1941, you learned from a letter that your other self had joined the Allies, intending to end World War II through his own efforts. Being in an Axis country, you couldn't help but smile.]
[In May 1942, despite always keeping a low profile, you were promoted to head chef. Your culinary skills reached a new level. You have acquired the skill: Cooking (Advanced).]
May 1942 – April 1943: Life was good. At the end of September 1942, the restaurant owner immigrated to the United States. Unwilling to disrupt your routine, you bought the restaurant from him and became the new owner, continuing your unchanging, plant-like existence.
July 25 – September 8, 1943: A coup d'état took place in Italy, just as it did in the history books. The dictator Mussolini stepped down, and former Italian Army Chief of Staff General Badoglio formed a new government. On September 8, Italy surrendered. You were merely an unconcerned bystander to history.
May 8, 1945: Germany surrendered. On August 6 and 9, 1945, after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan also declared its unconditional surrender, marking the end of World War II. Shortly thereafter, your alter ego wrote to say his goal had been achieved, but his wife, Elena, had died in 1944. As a fellow time traveler, you understood his pain.
[From 1945 to 1948, your contact with your alter ego decreased. He seemed to have become fascinated by the occult, believing that the end of science was theology.]
August 9, 1948, was your birthday. Before you knew it, you had turned 33. In the ten years since you arrived in this time, you had changed a lot. You had grown accustomed to getting along with people and rarely killed anymore. But what remained unchanged was your desire for an ordinary life and your aversion to conflict. Not long after, you married your latest girlfriend, Andrea, a beautiful radio host. Sadly, your other self did not attend the wedding.
In 1952, you had your first daughter, and for the first time, you began to feel a true connection to the world. (Happiness +2)
In 1954, you had twins. You also met your other self again, and he became the godfather to your youngest son. (Happiness +2)
1954 – 1967: You and your alter ego met occasionally. You watched as he inevitably grew old. Then, in 1968, at the age of 53, you read an obituary in the newspaper: Zhou Ning, the renowned scientist, writer, sports star, and three-time Nobel Prize winner, had passed away. A profound sense of loneliness washed over you. Though you had only met a few times, he was, in essence, you—your only connection to your past. (Happiness -1)
In 1969, your youngest son became an exceptionally talented football player.
In 1972, your son and daughter married, one after the other.
In 1975, you welcomed your first granddaughter and first grandson. (Happiness +1)
In 1983, at the age of 68, you died unexpectedly of dengue fever.
You are dead.
[Backtracking Ends.]
Summary: Congratulations. You lived a long life in this simulation, but one thing must be pointed out: you were truly insignificant. What on earth did you accomplish? The world would be no different with or without you. Perhaps, as you wished, you lived an unremarkable, uneventful life. The only mark you left was your son, who went on to become a football superstar and, in his own way, changed the world a little.
Rating: C-
World Exploration: 89.5% (+0.3)
Reward: 2 Time Travel Coins. Since your impact on the world of "Lost in the Fog" was basically nonexistent, this is your only reward. When your rating in a backtracking simulation reaches 'A,' you will obtain a temporary card for that template. You will not receive one this time.
Zhou Ning was speechless.
He was so frustrated he could have spit blood.
After the madness of the clown template, witnessing this... this office worker... the contrast was galling. He'd never seen a more useless template. It possessed incredible power yet accomplished absolutely nothing. It seemed that for a backtracker with no control over the simulation, personality was far more important than power.
Chapter 107: Yu-Gi-Oh Finished Product
This was the first time he'd ever seen an evaluation with almost zero world impact. Even his very first time-travel jaunt had at least inspired a novel by George Bernard Shaw. Regarding the "ordinary office worker" template, Zhou Ning could only offer a two-word assessment: a vegetative state.
Next, it was time to claim his reward. Zhou Ning composed himself and clicked the "Claim Reward" button beneath the mission summary. A prompt immediately appeared on his panel:
[You have chosen to receive your reward.]
[You have obtained a Rare item: Body Fragment of the Pillar Man.]
[You have acquired the life skill: Cooking (Advanced).]
[You have acquired the skill: Italian Proficiency (Expert).]
After investing twenty Time Travel Coins and losing eighteen of them, Zhou Ning had finally managed to pull something worthwhile, but it wasn't an Epic-tier item. The disappointment lingered.
He inspected his haul:
[Rare Item: Body Fragment of the Pillar Man]: A fragment from the palm of the Pillar Man, Kars. It still retains a faint cellular vitality, craves life force, and fears sunlight.
[Cooking (Advanced)]: The ability to skillfully prepare meals from various ingredients.
[By mastering a new language, your Linguist level has increased! Current Level: 5. You have obtained the life skill: Rough Translation (Elementary).]
The Linguist upgrade gave him another point in Spirit and a free attribute point, plus the new Life Skill. It was a small comfort.
[Rough Translation (Elementary)]: A basic Linguist skill. Allows you to interpret unfamiliar texts by analyzing their form, syntax, and other structural clues. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Not bad, a very practical skill. The Linguist subclass couldn't be leveled up with experience points; it required learning entirely new languages, which made the skill quite rare among players.
There was one last thing to inspect—the Body Fragment of the Pillar Man.
This was the item Zhou Ning had been most interested in from this time-travel trip. He already possessed the Stone Ghost Mask and one-third of the Aizhe Red Stone. If he studied this fragment thoroughly, he might be able to extract the Pillar Man bloodline.
The item's icon in his inventory was a small, gray shard. Zhou Ning carefully removed it.
It felt slightly warm to the touch. Under the light of the whale oil lamp, it looked like an ordinary piece of gravel, etched with strange patterns.
Then, without warning, the fragment squirmed. It reverted to a flesh-like color, leaped into the air, and lunged at Zhou Ning.
Slightly startled, Zhou Ning's right hand shot out like lightning, pinching the fragment between his fingers. A searing wave of energy coursed through it, and a puff of black smoke rose. The small piece of flesh struggled for a moment before going still.
"Naughty."
Zhou Ning breathed a sigh of relief. He took a file from a shelf, ground some powder from the fragment, and stored the shavings in a small container before tossing the main piece back into his inventory.
The next morning, Zhou Ning woke without an alarm. He prepared some fried toast and a glass of milk for himself, eating a leisurely breakfast while reading the newspaper. The laboratory was already equipped with a small kitchenette, and now that Zhou Ning had Advanced Cooking, there was no reason to go without a proper meal.
After he finished eating, Zhou Ning headed back to his school apartment. He had no classes that morning, but even before he reached the door, he could hear loud shouting from within:
"My turn! I draw!"
"...I summon Mechanical Snail in attack position!"
"Battle! Mechanical Snail, attack his Thunder Eel!"
"Damn it! Its attack power is so high!"
Zhou Ning paused. Sounds like a duel between rookies.
What was going on? Could it be?
He opened the door and was taken aback. The dorm room was packed with people. His roommates, John and the hefty Fred, were in the middle of a fierce Yu-Gi-Oh! duel.
Taking a closer look, Zhou Ning saw that John's Yu-Gi-Oh! cards looked quite authentic. The card art was true to the source, and the physical cards were exceptionally well-made. A playmat was spread across the table, properly divided into five monster zones, five spell and trap zones, and so on. Its background featured the adorable Dark Magician Girl—a true work of art.
Under Zhou Ning's watchful eye, the two duelists battled it out for over twenty rounds. The match was surprisingly thrilling, a back-and-forth slugfest of basic monsters. In the end, John emerged victorious, clinging to a mere 200 Life Points to secure his narrow win.
A smirk played on Zhou Ning's lips. People from this world are so easy to please. Getting this passionate over a duel between vanilla monsters.
John licked his lips in satisfaction. Noticing Zhou Ning, he quickly stood up. "Wayne! This is the finished product. What do you think?"
"Very good. Much better than I imagined," Zhou Ning commented matter-of-factly. The fidelity was at least eighty percent, and judging by the onlookers' engagement, sales wouldn't be a problem. "What's the pricing?"
"The starter set—which includes a playmat, a starter deck, and a rulebook—will be five Victa. The first booster series will retail for one Roshen per pack, and we can offer a box of sixty packs for fifty Roshen. As you designed, each pack has five cards. What do you think?"
Zhou Ning did a quick mental conversion. About twenty yuan per pack... Not bad. Still, he wasn't sure if they would sell. He turned to Fred and asked, "What do you think of that price?"
"Doesn't seem expensive," Fred said nonchalantly. "Either way, I'm definitely buying some when the final version is out."
"I want to buy some too! Since we're classmates, can you give us a discount?"
"Yeah, give us a discount!" the other students chimed in.
"A discount? Of course!" John beamed, his smile stretching from ear to ear as he responded quickly. "Anyone with a Vick University student ID gets ten percent off all card purchases!"
Zhou Ning didn't care about the discount. He had been thinking that if the cards didn't sell well, he could always commission a Yu-Gi-Oh! manga for promotion. Now, it seemed that wouldn't be necessary.
After chatting with John for a bit, he watched the other newbies duel. With only a handful of basic cards available, their games were pure, unadulterated slugfests. Zhou Ning, however, watched with great enthusiasm and even jumped in for a round himself.
To Zhou Ning's surprise, Jasmine was also very interested in the game and kept trying to give him advice on how to play. The problem was that all her instructions were terrible, highlighting the fact that she was a complete novice who just loved the thrill of the game.
It wasn't until four in the afternoon that Zhou Ning snapped out of it, suddenly realizing: I still have things to do today!
After returning the two books he'd borrowed the day before, Zhou Ning checked out two folklore books from the 'Era of the Four Heroes.' He decided to read them in the library, since his dorm was currently occupied by a horde of card players.
These books were far more interesting than his last selections. They detailed the customs and habits of Abbot City, the predecessor to Darklan, with a particular focus on its sex industry. According to one text, under the governance of a certain mayor, the city's brothels offered many specialized services, including rope play, whips, and a wide variety of other activities—even some that resembled modern cosplay.
Zhou Ning couldn't help but be surprised. Were people back then so creative? he wondered. I wonder if wax play was a thing?
After finishing the two books, his reading progress reached 7895/10000. This was the one serious goal the otherwise lazy Zhou Ning had committed to. He had read nearly 3,000 books over his forty-five years of time-traveling life—a stark contrast to that crazy, dyslexic clown. At this rate, he'd complete the task in another one or two trips.
Chapter 108: The Script of Fate
In the darkness, the pages of a book fluttered open on their own, and lines of text began to materialize upon them:
[Opera Conclusion: The true god Naiastra is unsealed.]
[Necessary Processes: Charles VI must die; Charles VII must rise to power; relevant legislation must be implemented; the Life Alchemy Society must gather sufficient vitality… (some parts omitted).]
[Main Actors: Charles VI (deceased), Charles VII (key figure), Wayne Stewell (predestined), Richard Pessar (deceased), Chynn West (predestined)… (names are too numerous to list; some omitted).]
An Opera in Four Acts:
Act I, Scene I: "Destined Death"
Starring: Wayne Stewell, Alan West, Richard Pessa, Luke Shaw, etc.
Plot Summary: In a dark cell, Wayne Stewell and thirty-one other prisoners await their fated demise. This sacrifice may fail, but their ultimate destiny remains unchanged.
Lines: (omitted)
…
Ending: The performance was a success, but the sacrifice failed. Wayne Stewell, Alan West, Richard Pessa, Luke Shaw, and four others survived.
Act I, Scene II: "Partnership"
Starring: Ensemble
Plot Summary: The Kingdom of Luins has entered into an agreement with the Life Alchemy Society, offering its cooperation in exchange for assistance in refining divine creatures.
Lines: (omitted)
…
Ending: The performance was a success, with both parties establishing a close partnership.
Act I, Scene III: "The Poor Man"
Starring: Hollweger Guy
Plot Summary: Hollweger Guy, a weak-willed exchange student from the Life Alchemy Society at the University of Wick, habitually keeps a diary. In this act, he is fated to be corrupted. He will murder two innocent girls after they reveal the alchemical bomb plan to him. He is destined to record this plan in his diary, which leads to his identity being exposed. The diary is fated to be discovered by Darkland's team of extraordinaries, and he is destined to die a tragic death.
Lines: (omitted)
Ending: The performance is a success. Hollweger Guy dies at the hands of Wayne Stewell. The team of extraordinaries obtains the diary and learns of the alchemical bomb plan.
Act I, Scene IV: "The Alchemical Bomb"
…
Act II, Scene X: "The Death of Wayne Stewell"
Starring: Elvis, Wayne Stewell.
Plot Summary: While Wayne Stewell's growth has far exceeded my expectations, making him a very talented transcendent, he excels only at marksmanship, with virtually no melee combat abilities. While exploring the mirror world, Elvis Bart stumbles upon a distorted realm created by the Grand Wizard Damian—a world where projectiles are ineffective. He undertakes the mission to assassinate Wayne Stewell, ultimately killing him within the mirror.
Lines:
Elvis (smiling): "Welcome to my world."
Wayne Stewell (with a serious expression): "Elvis Bart?"
(omitted)
…
Ending: The performance fails unexpectedly. Wayne Stewell displays unforeseen combat prowess, and Elvis Bart dies at his hands. The script for Act II, Scene X is scrapped.
…
Act III, Scene VII: "The Death of Wayne Stewell (Re-enactment)"
Starring: Wayne Stewell, Harrison Rivers, Alva Ruskin, Charles Scott, etc.
Plot Summary: At Harrison Rivers's behest, Charles Scott will use an ancient book as bait, which is sure to lure Wayne Stewell. He is fated to arrive at 52 Woodgate Street around 7:53 PM and will die in the ensuing siege.
Lines: (omitted)
Ending: Pending performance.
Once the final line was inscribed, the book snapped shut, and the room was plunged back into darkness.
…
It had started raining again by the time Zhou Ning left the library. Thanks to a reminder from the old woman who had assisted him, he had brought an umbrella. He opened it and stepped out from the school grounds.
Today was Wednesday, which meant there was less than a week until the players arrived.
Based on past experience, the arrival of players would cause the elements to grow more active, affecting not only the weather but its very dynamics. Elemental monsters would begin to appear, not just within weather vortexes but also in the wild. Fire elementals would bring extreme heat and spawn in large numbers, while ice elementals would cause extreme cold and roam the lands.
During the long first version of the game, these wandering elemental monsters and beasts were a primary source of experience for players.
The Elemental Disaster in the second version was caused by this flood of elements—and the Curse Cult, of course, had a hand in it as well.
Thinking about the changes the players' arrival would bring, Zhou Ning felt a mix of anticipation and annoyance.
His comfortable days were numbered.
Zhou Ning hailed a horse-drawn carriage and headed toward the trade district. The rain was coming down heavily now, and the pedestrians on the street all wore hats or held umbrellas.
He took his torn coat to be mended at the same shop where he'd bought it, but they told him it would take a full day. After spending another twenty roubles on a new top hat, he made his way to a nearby herbalist.
With the players about to arrive, Zhou Ning needed to prepare more than just devil fruits. He also planned to brew some basic potions—low-level life and mana potions—which he could sell to them for a considerable profit.
Additionally, he planned to purchase materials for crafting robotic arms and transformation potions, making his next week extremely busy.
The carriage stopped by the canal. Across the water was the Golden Oak Herbal Medicine Shop. Zhou Ning hesitated for a moment before deciding to take a different street.
Killing Richard had left a weight on his conscience, a hurdle he couldn't yet overcome. For now, he felt he couldn't face Richard's parents.
There was another herbalist shop on the street ahead—the Silas Herbal Medicine Shop, owned by the West family. After a moment's thought, Zhou Ning went inside.
In the spacious, well-lit hall, Zhou Ning presented his West family VIP card and was greeted warmly. An attractive maid was assigned to assist him.
Even with his twenty-percent discount, the prices here were still twenty percent higher than at the Golden Oak. However, the shop offered a wider variety of goods and higher-quality herbs, so it wasn't a bad trade-off.
After browsing for a while, Zhou Ning purchased a large quantity of materials, including the ingredients for making devil fruits.
"That will be 1,200 Victa in total," the maid said with a smile. "We offer free delivery, and our carriage can have your order to you within twenty minutes. The shop also has an alchemy lab you can use free of charge, provided there's a station available. You would, of course, have to pay for any additional materials."
As expected of Docklands' top herbalist, the service is impeccable, Zhou Ning thought.
After paying, Zhou Ning rode back to his alchemy laboratory in the Silas Herbal Shop's delivery carriage.
Over the next three hours, he worked nonstop, crafting three devil fruits. The process netted him 10,000 experience points, bringing his total accumulated experience to nearly 120,000.
There was no reason to linger. Now, it was time to spend what he'd earned.
Chapter 109: The Second Survival Mission
His panel showed a balance of 118,000 experience points. It was too early to pursue an advanced profession, so there was no need to hoard experience. He could afford to improve his profession and skill levels to boost his strength.
Zhou Ning's Wandering Gunner was level 5, with a current cap of level 30. He spent 80,000 experience points to raise his level from 5 to 7.
[Roaming Gunslinger has been upgraded to Level 6. Agility +3 (+0.5 from Superb Physique), Vitality +1, Spirit +1. You have gained 2 free attribute points.]
[Roaming Gunslinger has been upgraded to Level 7. Agility +3 (+0.5 from Superb Physique), Vitality +1, Spirit +1. You have gained 2 free attribute points.]
In total, the two level-ups granted him 7 agility, 2 vitality, and 2 spirit. With his remaining 30,000 experience, Zhou Ning opened his skill list and invested it into [Ripple Shooting] and [Observation Haki]. Neither skill could be combined, but both were highly cost-effective. The thirty-thousand-odd experience points were just enough to raise both skills to the intermediate level.
The effect of raising Observation Haki to the intermediate level was immediate, sharpening his perception.
He could feel the damp breeze blowing from a distance and vaguely perceive birds flying past the window. The input from all his senses felt greatly magnified.
He still had 9 free attribute points, so he allocated 5 to agility and the remaining 4 to vitality.
After finalizing his upgrades, Zhou Ning's total level reached 20, and his personal combat power rose once more. Even without the Phoenix suit, his combat power had increased to 3192. Comparable to Lord Piccolo before the Namek saga, he joked to himself.
Zhou Ning was very satisfied with his rapid growth. His agility had now soared to 70, making his lethality ridiculously high.
At this rate, by the time other players entered the game, his character, Wayne Stewell, would be infinitely close to boss-level strength, truly fulfilling the "Son of the Plane" requirements.
After clearing the table, Zhou Ning rested for a few minutes. He glanced out the window and saw that the sky had already grown dark, with sparse raindrops beginning to fall.
"This rain seems like it'll never end," Zhou Ning complained to himself.
As evening fell, Zhou Ning prepared to go out again, this time heading for 52 Mumen Street.
Donning a new black top hat, Zhou Ning left 135 Xueyuan Street, swung by the trade zone to retrieve his clothes, and then made his way to 52 Mumen Street in the East District.
It was a large, stately house with a lawn and a garden. Given its proximity to the University of Vic in the East District, a house like this would be priced at over 3,500 Vic towers. Zhou Ning saw Charles Scott waiting for him outside.
With his gray hair, long beard, and deep smile lines, it was indeed the same owner of the used bookstall he'd met in the underground market.
"Good evening, Mr. Stewell," Charles Scott said, approaching Zhou Ning. "The seller has been waiting for some time. He has three books by Windgun, so I hope you've brought enough money."
Zhou Ning nodded. He was prepared to spend a significant sum; the price was sure to be steep if someone from a well-off family was willing to wait for him in the rain.
He followed Charles Scott into the two-story, luxuriously decorated house. Charles Scott's family was wealthier than he had imagined. The carved furniture set in the hall was identical to one he'd seen in the Duke's Palace and had to be worth at least 200 Victoria. Strange. Why would someone this rich need to sell used books in the underground market?
Zhou Ning made a quick assessment as he followed Charles through the beautifully decorated lobby.
As they entered a hall lined with portraits, Zhou Ning froze. A sense of crisis surged through him, raising goosebumps on his skin.
[You have triggered the survival mission: Dead End!]
[Mission Details: A dark power has set its sights on you. Trapped in a dead end, you must be careful.]
[Objective: Survive!]
[Reward: Unknown]
A survival mission?
Zhou Ning's thoughts immediately jumped to the incident with Elvis. His expression tightened as he scanned the hall. A young, thin-cheeked man with black hair was sitting on a sofa. Upon seeing Zhou Ning, he rose to his feet, a malicious look in his eyes.
Just then, he heard footsteps behind him. Zhou Ning spun around to see the familiar figure of Harrison Rivers standing in the doorway.
Zhou Ning was speechless.
With Observation Haki, I should have sensed the danger outside. Someone must have used an extraordinary ability to block my perception, luring me into the trap like unsuspecting prey.
This is outrageous!
The instant his eyes met Harrison Rivers', the Phoenix battle suit materialized over his body. He kicked off his left foot and shot backward.
Bang!
A fiery red bullet crossed the ten meters between them, aimed squarely at Harrison Rivers.
But just as it was about to strike, the light in Harrison's ice-blue eyes seemed to darken.
"Mind Whip!"
Crack!
A circle of black ripples materialized in the air with the sharp sound of a cracking whip, deflecting the bullet. Though Zhou Ning was already retreating, the mental whip still caught him. His body shuddered as if struck by a massive hammer.
[-76!]
His health dropped by a third. Using the momentum, Zhou Ning threw himself to the side, putting distance between himself and Harrison Rivers as he rolled behind a sofa.
As he dodged, Zhou Ning caught sight of the other man. A layer of gray-white mud was rapidly encasing the young man's body, which expanded in an instant until he was a stone giant over three meters tall. Two deep red lights flared where his eyes should be, and he charged forward at a speed Zhou Ning could barely follow.
A stone-type superpower?
Zhou Ning was horrified; the situation was far more serious than he had imagined. There weren't many powerful stone-type espers in the game, and certainly none at this level so early on.
It could only be Alva Ruskin, one of the Curse Cult's future aces. Countless players have died at his hands. Not only was he incredibly tough, but his attack power was also formidable enough to give even national esper teams a headache.
The raw defense of a stone-elemental was the nemesis of a long-range damage dealer like him. Ordinary bullets would be completely ineffective.
Just then, a scene flashed through his mind:
Alva Ruskin suddenly accelerates, appearing before me in an instant and throwing a punch.
It was a premonition from his temperamental Observation Haki.
Without a second thought, Zhou Ning fully trusted the warning. He slid sideways, changing direction abruptly. Under the cover of the sofa, he pulled two medium-sized mechanical puppets from his inventory and deployed them simultaneously.
Amidst the deafening thud of footsteps, Alva Ruskin appeared before Zhou Ning in an instant, as if he had teleported. He used his momentum to pivot, unleashing a punch at where Zhou Ning had been.
But his target was gone. The punch slammed into the wall next to the sofa.
Boom!
Bricks and stone shattered at the point of impact, a spiderweb of cracks spreading across the wall as the entire house shook.
The shockwave blew Zhou Ning's hair back, but he didn't use the opening to counterattack. Instead, as a burst of mist cleared, two intermediate mechanical puppets appeared on the field, their guns already firing at the stone giant.
Chapter 110: Survival in Desperate Situation
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The bullets ricocheted off the stone man with a series of metallic clangs. At the same time, information appeared on Zhou Ning's panel.
[You have entered combat mode.]
[Based on your level, the following information is available.]
————
Name: Alva Ruskin
Total Level: 42
Occupation: Superpower (Stone)
Attributes: Strength 72 (102), Agility 21, Vitality ??, Willpower 27, Spirit ??, Charm 58
Health: ??
Status: Healthy
[The rest is unknown]
Skills: Rockification (Advanced), Boulder Spikes (Advanced), Boulder Throwing (Advanced), Demonization (Elementary), [Other Unknown]
————
Judging by his attributes, his level is lower than I expected. If it weren't for his skills and immense strength, I might not necessarily lose a one-on-one fight. Unfortunately, the boss-level Harrison Rivers is right beside him.
To make matters worse, after firing more than a dozen bullets, the curse effect hadn't triggered at all. A moment later, the stone man leaped into the air, his rock-encased arms raised high before smashing down!
Terrifying power!
Zhou Ning's heart leaped into his throat as he activated his grappling hook. His body shot ten meters into the air like a coiled spring, escaping the stone man's attack radius just in time.
The instant Zhou Ning launched himself away, the stone man crashed to the ground like a cannonball.
With a deafening boom, dust and gravel filled the air. A neat row of stone spikes erupted from the ground like spears, stretching far into the distance. Sofas and expensive furniture were impaled, shattered, and hurled into the air. The spikes punched a large hole through the ceiling, even sending two medium-sized mechanical constructs flying. They crashed heavily back to the ground; one disintegrated on impact, while the other was reduced to scrap.
Zhou Ning remained calm. He tucked his legs and swung on the hook, letting the spikes pass beneath him. The rising stone spears even knocked over a whale oil lamp hanging from the ceiling, plunging the room into darkness.
He seized the opportunity, firing his grappling hook again. It shot out like a snake and coiled around a rack ahead. With his incredible agility, Zhou Ning used the hook to cover another fifteen meters in an instant.
But just then, a sharp gust of wind sliced toward him, aiming to sever the hook's cable.
Zhou Ning made a split-second decision. He released the cable, landed silently, and immediately rolled aside.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Black wind blades instantly carved deep grooves into the floor where he had just been standing and rolling.
Harrison Rivers, who had been watching from the sidelines to prevent his escape, now closed in from the side. Zhou Ning was about to raise his pistol for a headshot when he saw that familiar dark glint in his opponent's eyes.
Having learned his lesson, Zhou Ning immediately rolled sideways, narrowly dodging the attack. Behind him, a black ripple shot out, expanding rapidly across the floor.
Harrison Rivers closed the distance again and intoned, "All things are created by the will of man!"
Zhou Ning glanced over his shoulder and, just as he expected, saw a huge ball of flame erupt from his own body.
A familiar, oppressive force washed over him from his opponent, and his body froze in place once more.
Zhou Ning's heart sank. He had already tried to escape several times using the grappling hook on his Phoenix suit, but Harrison Rivers had thwarted him at every turn. It seemed he had no choice but to fight.
Less than half a second later, Harrison Rivers pointed at Zhou Ning and indifferently uttered a single word in ancient Fariq: "Imprison!"
Suddenly, Zhou Ning's body went rigid, as if entangled by countless invisible silk threads. He was completely unable to move.
A prompt appeared on his panel:
[You are being judged by Harrison Rivers's will! Your Willpower is 35. Judgment failed. You have fallen into the [Imprisoned] state for 30 seconds.]
In the darkness, the words of the opera script—Act 3, Scene 7—began to materialize in the book.
…
(Line) Harrison Rivers (coldly): Imprison!
(Narration) Harrison Rivers uses the Judgment of Will to imprison Wayne Stewell. With his ability, he can hold him for at least 30 seconds. At this moment, Wayne Stewell's willpower is weakened to its limit by Harrison Rivers's own, and he begins to despair. He realizes his combat power is completely inadequate to deal with two high-level professionals! Absolutely not enough!
The book seemed to write with great enthusiasm, quickly adding a new line: (Narration) Then comes the climax of the act. As a loyal believer of the evil god, Alva Ruskin holds no mercy for anyone or anything. He is a beast through and through—the beast from the opera "Bohemian Rhapsody"—savage and wild. He rushes toward Wayne Stewell with indomitable purpose. The performance of this act is about to end...
Zhou Ning was no stranger to this kind of thing; he knew it was the signature ability of the Rivers family's knights. This time, however, he felt an uncontrollable surge of frustration.
The premonition of danger from his Observation Haki allowed him to "see" his own fate: Alva Ruskin piercing his chest while he remained imprisoned, unable to even fight back.
Then, a thought—a cold voice—echoed in his mind: "Relax your mind. I can help you fight for a short time. Only 30 seconds."
Zhou Ning was startled but did as the voice instructed. The moment "Jasmine" took control of his body, a white flame erupted from the void, incinerating the invisible threads. His frozen body was free in an instant.
Immediately after, a sacred, flaming beam of light struck Alva Ruskin. A cloud of black smoke billowed from his stone form as his forward charge came to an abrupt halt. He curled into a ball, letting out a pained wail as his health dropped by nearly half.
A buff appeared on his own status, increasing his armor by 200 for one minute.
In the darkness, the writing in the book suddenly stopped, as if the script itself was unsure what to write next. After a moment, the last sentence—"The performance of this act is about to end..."—was struck through with a black line. The narration then continued:
(Narration) Wayne Stewell's outburst temporarily halts Alva Ruskin's offensive, but this power cannot last. Harrison Rivers is far more powerful than Wayne Stewell. The outcome cannot be changed...
Harrison Rivers's eyes narrowed. He pointed his finger at Zhou Ning again and made a sharp pulling motion. "Come here."
The panel displayed another message.
[You are being judged by Harrison Rivers's will! Your Willpower is 35 (95). Judgment successful. Effect exempted.]
Zhou Ning was stunned for a moment before realizing that the 95 in parentheses must be Jasmine's Willpower. That old woman is incredibly powerful.
Why did the Will judgment suddenly fail? Harrison Rivers's eyes filled with disbelief.
The failed attempt created an opening, allowing Zhou Ning to put twenty yards between them. Just then, he felt control of his body return. Jasmine's time must be up, he guessed.
Zhou Ning's mind raced. He took a deep breath and thought, "Knowledge is power."
A dazzling flash of light sparked in his pupils as he keenly assessed the battlefield.
He spotted one of the medium-sized mechanical constructs in the corner, still holding a cursed flintlock rifle. It was barely functional, but there was still a chance for a surprise attack.
Harrison Rivers is undeniably powerful. Even if the construct could land a hit and the curse turned him into a skeleton, thirty seconds wouldn't be nearly enough time to kill him.
But Alva Ruskin... there was a chance.
A plan began to form in Zhou Ning's mind—one so crazy that even he was surprised by it. He wasn't just going to survive; he was going to fight back.
Seizing the opening his retreat had created, Zhou Ning raised his gun and fired at Harrison. Bang! The bullet, wreathed in Armament Haki, tore through his torso. Using the recoil, Zhou Ning sprinted forward and to the left, then dove into a roll, closing the distance to Alva Ruskin.
Now a stone giant more than three meters tall, Alva Ruskin had just recovered from the searing pain of the holy flame. Seeing Zhou Ning roll toward him, he raised his massive arms and brought them smashing down again.
After his clan training, Zhou Ning's Observation Haki had advanced to the point where he could briefly see into the future. At that moment, the vision of countless spikes erupting from the ground flashed through his mind once more.
Without hesitation, Zhou Ning drew his gun and fired. As the stone man's fists slammed into the floor, sending another wave of spikes shooting upward, Zhou Ning used the force of his own gunshot to launch himself into the air, just clear of the deadly points. He kicked off one of the rising spikes for a second boost, vaulting even higher until he was aiming down at the giant's head. Then, he pulled the trigger.
Chapter 111: Mission Accomplished
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Two bullets, laced with both Armament and Conqueror's Haki, struck Alva Ruskin's stony forehead, creating a splintering crack. Just as Zhou Ning was about to fire a third shot, the familiar, disorienting sensation returned. His head spun, and his momentum and inertia felt as if they'd been tampered with. He stumbled and fell heavily to the ground.
Zhou Ning's heart pounded as he fought back a wave of anxiety. Across from him, Alva Ruskin was already striding forward. With a guttural roar, his heavy footsteps boomed against the floor as he threw a brutally violent punch at Zhou Ning.
The punch was too fast to dodge. In a flash, Zhou Ning gathered black Armament Haki along his arm, raising his forearm to block the blow. At the same instant, a volley of arrows and darts shot out from his Phoenix Armor toward Alva.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Alva Ruskin didn't even blink as the projectiles struck his body, failing to leave so much as a white mark. His health bar dropped by an imperceptible sliver. A shockwave rolled through the air as the mountain-like force of the punch crashed into Zhou Ning. The crushing power of Alva's 102 Strength stat was overwhelming. Even with the enhanced defense from his own Haki and the amplification from his advanced Phoenix battlesuit, a damage number floated above Zhou Ning's head: -89. He staggered back a step, the taste of blood filling his mouth.
[You were attacked by Alva Ruskin (Lv. 42). You lost 89 HP.]
If I didn't have the Phoenix suit, that would have been a fatal blow! Zhou Ning thought, his expression grim. I have about 120 HP left. I can only take one more hit like that. I have to end this now!
A moment later, Alva Ruskin was on him again, moving like a shadow.
Zhou Ning didn't hesitate, rolling toward a nearby bookshelf. His Observation Haki warned him that Harrison Rivers was also closing in from the other side.
Being the explosion genius that I am, he mused, it's time to blow something up.
During the roll, Zhou Ning had discreetly planted a bomb at the intersection of their paths.
He crouched, a smirk playing on his lips, and snapped his fingers.
Boom!
Red flames erupted where Harrison Rivers was standing. The concussive blast and falling debris instantly engulfed him.
[Your bomb dealt 172 damage to Harrison Rivers!]
[Your bomb dealt 235 damage to Harrison Rivers!]
…
The damage was almost negligible, but Zhou Ning never expected to kill Harrison that way. He just needed to stall him for a moment and create a brief one-on-one window with Alva Ruskin.
While Alva's attention was briefly diverted by the explosion, the medium-sized mechanical automaton that had been inactive in the corner suddenly stood up and opened fire on him.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Bullet after bullet struck Alva's back. The flintlock rounds were too weak to cause any real harm, and almost instantly, Alva closed the distance to Zhou Ning again. Zhou Ning guessed he must have used some kind of extraordinary item that allowed for a short-range teleport, but with a cooldown that prevented continuous use.
He moved so fast that the gravel scattered by the explosion was whipped up by the wind, shattering into smaller fragments that flew through the air like desert sand.
Feeling the gale-force wind approaching, Zhou Ning narrowed his eyes as a vision flashed through his mind:
In approximately two seconds, Alva Ruskin will be reduced to a skeleton by the curse.
At the same time, he saw the distant Harrison Rivers swell in size, instantly breaking free from the rubble. The man's eyes were fixed on Zhou Ning with raw malice.
The smell of sulfur filled the air as Harrison transformed into a 2.3-meter-tall demon.
Without hesitation, Zhou Ning forced himself to calm down, and his dark eyes became incredibly sharp.
An invisible wave of power swept out from him in all directions.
As the wave passed over him, Alva Ruskin was filled with an overwhelming fear, falling into a brief state of shock.
Harrison Rivers, too, froze in his tracks as if struck by lightning.
"Bang! Bang!"
Then, just as his Observation Haki had foreseen, the seventh bullet from the mechanical automaton finally triggered the curse effect of Pirate General Victor.
A ray of moonlight shone down from the void. Bathed in its glow, Alva Ruskin's three-meter-tall stone body rapidly shrank, withering away until he was nothing but a skeleton just under one-hundred-eighty centimeters tall.
[Curse of Pirate General Victor: Transforms the target into a walking skeleton, reducing defense to zero and removing all sense of fear and pain. The target becomes vulnerable to sunlight. Duration: 8 seconds.]
On a target as powerful as Alva Ruskin, the curse's duration was reduced from thirty seconds to eight, but that was more than enough time. Zhou Ning had already raised his revolver and taken aim.
Ripple Shot!
Fiery ripples of energy coiled around the bullet as it flew, striking Alva Ruskin's skull with a crisp crack. A column of black smoke rose on impact.
[Your Ripple Shot dealt 479 damage to Alva Ruskin (50% damage increase)!]
[Alva Ruskin is afflicted with Ripple Burn, losing 2% of his max health per second for ten seconds.]
"Ah!"
The skeletonized Alva Ruskin let out a short, sharp scream as his forward charge halted. Brilliant golden flames ignited on his bones, producing thick black smoke.
Zhou Ning didn't stop. He kept the revolver aimed at Alva's head and pulled the trigger again and again.
Blessed with Armament Haki, wrapped in Conqueror's Haki, and carrying the scorching power of the Ripple Shot, the roaring bullets all slammed into Alva Ruskin's head.
"Wait…"
Alva tried to speak, but the word died in his throat. A moment later, his body reverted to its three-meter-tall stone form.
Thump!
His life extinguished, Alva Ruskin fell heavily to the ground, shaking the entire room. His eyes were frozen wide with horror and unwillingness.
[You have killed a higher-level opponent, Alva Ruskin (Lv. 42 Super). You gained 25,000 experience. Bonus for killing a higher-level opponent: +55,000 experience.]
Harrison Rivers was stunned, his eyes filled with terror. He had been rushing to provide support, confident in Alva's strength. Alva was a true powerhouse among super-powered individuals; without his own clan abilities, even Harrison would have had trouble dealing with him. He never imagined that in a matter of seconds, Alva would be gunned down.
That ability to turn an enemy into a skeleton… it could be a threat to me, too.
Just then, the five-minute time limit on Zhou Ning's own clan ability expired. He smiled faintly, clicked a card in his inventory, and summoned the flintlock-wielding automaton back to the corner.
Immediately after, he placed one, two, then three more of the mechanical structures on the ground. They raised their rifles in unison, all aimed at Harrison Rivers.
Seeing the automatons and remembering the sight of Alva turning into a skeleton, Harrison's pupils constricted.
Zhou Ning smiled. "The explosion should have attracted some attention. The nearest team of extraordinaries will be here soon. Mr. Rivers, are you sure you want to continue this?"
Harrison knew it was true. He clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed them. After a moment, he laughed and made a slight inviting gesture toward the door.
Zhou Ning slowly backed away. When he reached the doorway, he tipped his half-top hat in a parting gesture.
Only after he had left 52 Mumen Street far behind did Zhou Ning finally let out a sigh of relief. He realized his back was completely drenched in sweat.
His stamina and health bars had both been bottoming out. If Harrison Rivers hadn't been intimidated by his calm facade, the fight would have ended very differently.
Zhou Ning didn't dare to stop, continuing down Mumen Street until he reached an intersection. He saw a team of extraordinaries rushing toward his location just as a final notification popped up:
[You have completed the A-rank survival mission [Dead End].]
[Reward: 95,000 experience points, 1x [Epic Vampire Zhou Ning Character Possession Coupon], 1x [Lost in the Fog] dungeon pass.]
Chapter 112: Infinite Nesting Dolls
In the darkness, the script for the opera's Act III, Scene 7, was still being written:
(Narration) How I long to tell Harrison Rivers in song: "Pray, close your eyes, for they may deceive you. The truth is often forced to masquerade as fantasy."
But even with my revelation, his overly cautious and timid nature still led him to let Wayne Stewell go. It seems one should never have any expectations of the Braxton nobility.
A thick black line was drawn through the entire paragraph above.
(Narration) The team of extraordinaries from the Ring of Earth will arrive in five minutes. The owner of this house, bookseller Charles Scott, is an ordinary man. He should have had a peaceful old age and a comfortable life, but alas, a price must be paid for a failed performance. Just as he entered the house, the unstable, collapsed ceiling fell.
Ending: The performance fails. Wayne Stewell possesses power beyond the law. Who would have thought he commanded the powers of a priest from the Sunlit Church? Alva Ruskin dies at the hands of Wayne Stewell. Act III, Scene 7 of the play is scrapped.
After a full thirty seconds of silence, the book turned to a fresh, blank page as if in frustration.
"Act III, Scene 8: 'The Death of Wayne Stewell' (Re-enactment)"
Just as it was about to begin writing the new chapter, a pair of hands in black gloves closed the book and picked it up.
The lights came on, revealing a room that resembled a library. A kind-faced old wizard put on his glasses, sat down at a long table, opened the book, and began to read.
At that moment, the melodious sound of church bells drifted from afar.
Zhou Ning closed his pocket watch. The hour hand pointed to ten o'clock.
As expected, risk and reward go hand in hand...
He couldn't help but sigh. Anyone else attempting this mission would have failed miserably. Even he had nearly lost his life. The rewards, however, were unprecedentedly huge. Not only had he gained 160,000 experience points in one go, but he had also acquired two precious cards.
Zhou Ning had used the epic-level Vampire Character Card before. It was powerful enough to be a game-breaking bug, a true trump card for a critical moment. He even suspected that with it, he could defeat a Level 60 clan-trained knight like Harrison Rivers.
A card like that was practically an extra life.
If the team of extraordinaries from the Ring of the Earth hadn't arrived, Zhou Ning might have been tempted to launch a surprise attack on Harrison Rivers, just to see whose life was tougher.
By now, the vicinity was under martial law, with several policemen blocking nearby intersections. Zhou Ning stood at a street corner, calmly watching the Ring of the Earth team rush over from a distance. Not wanting a direct encounter, he turned and slipped into a small restaurant on the side of the road.
In the game Apocalypse, the Ring of the Earth was an organization of transcendents created by the Temple of the Earth, on par with the Day Watchers.
As the official church of the Kingdom of West Farik, the Temple of the Earth had the right to preach in the Byron Republic, the Kingdom of Bryston, and the Kingdom of Runes to the east. It was one of the three major mainstream faiths in the Kingdom of Bryston and possessed the authority to form its own supernatural force.
Unlike the Day Watchers, who had a looser religious affiliation and were backed by the official power of the Kingdom of Bryston, the Ring of the Earth was far more devout, leaning heavily on divine arts and supernatural abilities. Their methods for dealing with supernatural beings were much more extreme than those of the Day Watchers. Almost all of their members were zealous believers in the God of Earth and were extremely xenophobic.
In his previous life as a player, Zhou Ning had been thwarted by the Ring of the Earth many times.
If he could help it, he wanted nothing to do with them.
The small restaurant was near the southeast dock area. It was only ten o'clock, but business was booming. Many sailors and dockworkers from the area were sitting inside, eating.
Zhou Ning took a seat by the window, took off his hat, and placed it on the table like any other customer. He ordered a baked beef and a salad.
While waiting for his food, he tapped his fingers on the edge of the table and looked out the window at the passing Ring of the Earth team. They were fully armed; some were even dressed as knights.
"Those two were quite strong," Jasmine's voice echoed in his mind, sounding as if she'd just recovered. "One of them would have been considered formidable even in my era. I likely won't be able to help you attack them again anytime soon. You need to increase your own strength as quickly as possible."
"Okay," Zhou Ning replied mentally, forcing a smile. "Thank you for your help this time. Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, just a bit drained," Jasmine said frankly. "Here's a suggestion: next time, you should prepare some talismans, even simple ones made with mysticism. They'll be a great help in battle. I recall some talisman-crafting techniques I can teach you."
Zhou Ning pondered for a moment. Jasmine had brought this up more than once.
In my past life, there were NPCs in the game who sold minor talismans with special effects like acceleration, fire attacks, frost attacks, and so on. My own Occult skills include some knowledge of spell crafting, but only for two types: Illumination and Calmness, which aren't very useful in combat. It would be a huge help if Jasmine could give me some recipes.
As their relationship had grown closer, Zhou Ning was finally starting to feel the warmth from the old soul accompanying him.
After a leisurely half-hour dinner, Zhou Ning paid the bill, put on his hat, and left the restaurant. He hailed a rental carriage back to Wake University.
By then, the security blockade in the area had been relaxed. As the carriage passed 52 Mumen Street, Zhou Ning peeked through the curtain. The house had mostly collapsed. Several members of the Ring of the Earth were busy at the scene, and a body covered with a white sheet lay on the ground.
Huh… Zhou Ning let out a slow breath and pulled the curtain shut.
It was almost eleven o'clock when he used his key to open the dormitory door. He was surprised to see Fred still locked in a passionate duel with another tall, thin young man, while John sat on the side, watching.
He vaguely remembered the last time a card game had gone on this long.
The spectators had changed, but the plates and snacks on the table testified to the intensity of the battle.
If I had applied this kind of dedication to my studies, Zhou Ning thought, I might not have become a top scholar, but I certainly would have been the kind of son every parent brags about.
"Wayne, I want to play a game."
Zhou Ning had just greeted them and was about to head to his room when he heard Jasmine's cold voice in his mind.
Seriously?
Is it really okay for an ancient spirit to be indulging in card games instead of focusing on recovering her strength?
However, since Jasmine rarely made requests, Zhou Ning didn't have the heart to refuse and joined the fray.
It was an effortless slaughter. After midnight, under her command, Zhou Ning's record stood at zero wins and five losses. He miserably announced their retreat.
Back in his room, Zhou Ning washed up quickly and collapsed onto his bed.
Though the earlier battle had been short, it was the most intense he had ever experienced. Not only was he physically exhausted, but he had also suffered significant mental trauma. The experience made Zhou Ning realize his greatest weakness: a severe lack of mental resistance.
During the fight, he had been hit by Harrison's Mind Lash, a skill that affected the mind as much as the body. That attack alone had cost him 12 points of willpower. Furthermore, Jasmine's assistance had also consumed his willpower, leaving him with a splitting headache and a deep sense of drowsiness.
Zhou Ning yawned and soon fell asleep.
Chapter 113 Accumulation and Production
That night, Zhou Ning slept soundly. In his dream, he seemed to travel through many worlds, leaving different traces of himself behind in each one.
Suddenly, Zhou Ning woke with a start, realizing he was dreaming.
He stood up and looked around, finding himself in a dark room. The space was pitch-black, with the only illumination coming from a single beam of light shining down from the ceiling onto a desk.
Zhou Ning walked over quietly and saw a book lying on the desk. The title read: Leoncavallo's Opera in Four Acts.
Suddenly, a chair creaked as it was dragged across the floor opposite him. Zhou Ning looked up to see a young man sitting there. With his head lowered, he was writing something in a book with a quill pen.
As Zhou Ning drew closer, he could see the young man's attire clearly: a black tuxedo, the standard for a gentleman. He looked to be less than thirty years old.
Just as Zhou Ning reached him, the man abruptly stopped writing and raised his head. His face was young and handsome, but his eyes held a chilling hint of indifference and madness.
The sight startled Zhou Ning, and he woke up suddenly. He opened his eyes to see that the sky was already bright.
Zhou Ning sat there, stunned for a long time, before finally climbing out of bed. That was straight out of a horror movie. Who could deal with that?
He checked his control panel but found no indication that he'd been affected by an evil god. His willpower, however, which had been depleted, was almost fully restored.
Was it just a nightmare?
He told Jasmine about the dream. She pondered for a moment before saying, "Perhaps you have been affected by some extraordinary object."
"A supernatural item… like a book?"
Zhou Ning immediately thought of the TV series where he'd seen a book with his name on it, but he couldn't recall any further details. He picked up his pocket watch and opened it to check the time.
It was still early, but he no longer felt sleepy. Zhou Ning got up, washed, and sat down at his desk to study what he had gained the previous night.
The first item was the Epic Vampire Zhou Ning's Possession Card. It was identical to the previous one, allowing him to possess the full power of the Epic Vampire Zhou Ning for fifteen minutes.
What caught Zhou Ning's attention was the second reward: the dungeon pass for "Lost in the Fog."
He opened his inventory, selected the pass, and clicked 'View.' A prompt immediately popped up on the panel:
["Lost in the Fog" Dungeon Pass: You can pay to enter a random dungeon with the "Lost in the Fog" theme. You will travel through it in your true form. Death is final.]
A more detailed explanation followed. After reading it, Zhou Ning realized this was just another trick the simulator had devised to swindle players out of their money. The function was somewhat similar to backtracking, but from a first-person perspective, and completing the story counted as clearing the dungeon.
It was similar to the scenarios found in infinite flow novels, but the time, setting, opponents, and plot were all randomized. It could be the world from the original comics, or it could be a world that had been altered by his own time travel.
For example, a "Lost in the Fog" dungeon might send him back to the 1890s to kill Dio Brando, the final boss of the first story arc, or it might send him to 1970 to kill the version of himself who had just become a vampire.
This did have one advantage: he could precisely control his actions within the dungeon. It might be possible to get everything he wanted in a single run, accomplishing all his goals at once.
The disadvantage was that it was a one-time use item, and the price of entry was exorbitant—100 Time Travel Coins. It was a killer price.
Zhou Ning decided to save it for later, when he was stronger, so as not to waste the opportunity.
Having attended very few classes recently, and with no news about the academic exchange he'd been promised, the coming days looked to be both free and busy.
The next day, a Thursday, Zhou Ning spent his time borrowing more books from the university library and working tirelessly in his alchemy laboratory.
The materials required to craft the robotic arm included a large quantity of silver moonstone, silver ingots, and steel ingots, costing nearly 300 Victa. It took him almost twelve hours to successfully build one, but the result was far better than he had imagined.
Through the engraved alchemy array, the arm could not only assist him in his work but could also independently manufacture simple low-level potions. Since the robotic arm was considered one of his own mechanical creations, he also received experience points after it successfully brewed a potion.
At its current rate, it could generate about 7,000 experience points a day while also producing a large number of low-level healing potions. Zhou Ning couldn't help but marvel at the wonderfully illogical alchemy of this world.
That evening, Zhou Ning went to the West family's Silas Herbal Medicine Shop again and spent another 1,000 Victa to buy all the herbs he would need for the next few days.
His hard-earned fortune of 3,000 Victa was instantly reduced to less than 700. But Zhou Ning's spending spree wasn't over yet.
"Can you help me find an alchemy shop? Preferably near Wake University," Zhou Ning requested when he handed the Devil Fruit over to Ian.
The Sunwatchers clearly placed great importance on him. After paying an annual rent of 500 Victa, Zhou Ning secured a ready-made alchemy shop very close to his current laboratory. The equipment inside was quite comprehensive, and it even had an independent warehouse.
Zhou Ning was very satisfied. His only regret was that he would have to recruit employees for the store himself.
Batches of alchemical materials were delivered to the warehouse. To ensure he could reap the benefits as soon as the players arrived, Zhou Ning stockpiled enough herbs and began working frantically over the next few days.
First on the list were Devil Fruits. Although most players wouldn't be able to save up enough money to buy them anytime soon, it was better to be prepared. Making some in advance couldn't hurt. His current production capacity was about four per day, and the experience gained was considerable.
In addition to the Devil Fruits, Zhou Ning also crafted a large number of Flight Potions and Lucky Potions. These two items, along with the Primary Healing Potions made by the robotic arm, could all be sold. As for Transformation Potions, Zhou Ning made very few, intending to use them only for himself. Players are shameless. In my past life, I saw them use those things to cause all sorts of chaos.
During this period, Zhou Ning occasionally asked Sherlock for news about Harrison Rivers, but the answer was always the same: they had no conclusive evidence yet and had to wait.
The newspapers reported that both the House of Commons and the House of Lords had passed the "Poor Law Amendment" bill and that a committee had been established to promote it, with Harrison Rivers serving as its chairman.
Time passed day by day, and everything remained peaceful. The strange dream did not return. Zhou Ning was busy for a week, and a large number of finished potions gradually accumulated in his warehouse.
The progress on the Giant mission ticked up from time to time. Even though he was completely slacking off, it had reached 23%. Sherlock and the others must be working themselves to death.
On Thursday night, after completing all his preparations, Zhou Ning stretched his body. The busy week had not only allowed him to accumulate a large stockpile of potions but had also netted him over 300,000 experience points for the first time—a huge amount.
At that moment, a prompt suddenly popped up on his panel:
[Important Reminder: The first public beta of "Apocalypse" will officially begin at noon tomorrow. Please pay attention to the game forum for announcements.]
[Important Note: The fifth episode of the series "Apocalypse" has been released simultaneously on the forum and various platforms. This series is automatically generated by the optical computer. Players interested in learning more about the game's background are welcome to watch.]
Chapter 114: Episode 5 TV Series
Zhou Ning was momentarily stunned, then realized that knowing the optical computer's methods, he was probably about to make another guest appearance in its TV series. After being used by it for a month, he now felt like its puppet.
Besides, he was also very interested in the final episode released before the server launch. If he was right, the optical computer was recapping the current state of the game, editing it into a complete promotional video to prevent players from being confused when they logged in.
This was also an opportunity for Zhou Ning to gather intelligence. He was just curious to see how the computer would edit it all together.
He logged into the forums, found the pinned post for the TV series on the homepage, and clicked on it.
He had to marvel at the popularity of Apocalypse. The video had been up for less than five minutes, but tens of thousands of comments had already flooded the screen.
"Finally, an update! It's been 20 days. I was getting impatient."
"I'm here! Where's my husband?"
This episode was long, nearly two hours, the length of a feature film.
The first shot opened on an endless darkness, in the center of which lay a single book. Though no one touched it, its pages turned automatically. The camera panned down slowly, closing in on the text.
The words were written in the game's unique Braxton language, but the system had thoughtfully provided translated subtitles for each line.
Through the translation, the audience learned that the book recorded past events in the format of a four-act opera.
Opera in Four Acts:
Act I, Scene I: "Destined Death"
Starring: Wayne Stewell, Alan West, Richard Pesa, etc.
Plot summary: In a dark cell, Wayne Stewell and 31 other prisoners await their destined death. This sacrifice may fail, but it will not affect the fated outcome.
The video then cut to a montage. After the summary, the camera switched to the prison cell, where Zhou Ning, Alan, Richard Pesa, Luke Shaw, and the others appeared.
The camera returned to the book's page, where the first line of dialogue read: Alan West (crying): "It's over... it's really over this time..."
Switching back to the prison cell, the crying, portly young man uttered the exact same sentence in near-perfect sync.
…
At first, the audience was a little puzzled, but after watching carefully, they couldn't help but realize this book wasn't a record, but a prophecy.
Zhou Ning frowned. What?
As one of the people involved, Zhou Ning immediately understood what the optical computer was implying. Thinking back to a dream he'd had, a guess began to form: perhaps some of the "coincidences" he'd encountered were orchestrated by this book.
For instance, I just happened to get involved in the alchemy ghost investigation, happened to receive the whispers of an ancient god, woke up to hear gunshots from the alchemy building, and happened to join the battle. If I hadn't, Sherlock would have died at Holweg's hands, and the entire subsequent plot would have been impossible. And then I also just happened to find Holweg's diary...
Finally, by sheer chance, he had even bought an extremely rare ancient book on Windguns in the underground market.
Furthermore, I'm not a reckless person, yet I snuck into Harrison Rivers's old house alone as if I'd lost my mind. What's even more terrifying is that at the time, I didn't sense anything was wrong at all!
Only now did the fear hit him, and goosebumps broke out across his back.
In other words, this book very likely possessed a strange power that could turn anyone whose name was written within its pages into an actor, unconsciously following its script.
The video continued, using the same technique to verify the opera's contents one by one. The audience felt like they were watching a bizarre yet familiar performance, and even the stream of comments became much sparser.
The Holweg incident in the second act, the alchemical bomb incident and the assassination of Charles VI in the third... The video's perspective kept shifting, eventually reviewing the failed assassination of Elvis in the fourth act. The book described the performance as a failure, and the audience finally had their catharsis.
"LMAO, you can always count on Elvis!"
"No kidding! If the protagonist could be controlled that easily, would he even be the protagonist?"
"I guess even the book didn't expect Wayne Stewell's close-combat skills to be so insane. It used the word 'unexpected' to describe its own failure."
Amid the laughter, the story continued. The camera switched back to the book in the darkness.
The title of the next scene was "Destined Death."
Through the new opera's plot synopsis, the audience learned that one of the two survivors, Luke Shaw, would seek help from the Sun Watchers after hearing the evil god's whispers. However, upon seeing them, he would suddenly go mad, transform into a monster, and be killed on the spot.
The other survivor, Richard, would also lose control and become a monster, killing nine people. He would then be summoned by an unknown force to find Wayne Stewell, only to be shot and killed.
Next, the video's perspective shifted again. Just as the book recorded, Luke Shaw found the Sun Watchers, went insane, and died a miserable death.
Meanwhile, Richard Pesa did exactly as the opera described, killing nine people before turning to Zhou Ning for help. Ultimately, just as written, he was killed by Zhou Ning. The audience felt a sense of profound injustice.
The optical computer's editing was masterful. It wove four seemingly scattered plotlines together using the book, immersing viewers in the story. It felt less like a recap and more like a new movie, leaving everyone full of anticipation for what would happen next.
After a moment, the perspective switched back to the book in the dark. This time, the opera's title sent a shock through the audience: "The Death of Wayne Stewell."
The next shot was of Harrison Rivers, with a subtitle appearing above his head: Noble of the Kingdom of Braxton / Chairman of the Legislative Committee / High Priest of the Curse Cult: Harrison Rivers.
Through his conversation with several others, the players learned that Harrison Rivers had devised a conspiracy to ambush Wayne Stewell.
Immediately afterward, the camera officially locked onto Zhou Ning, and the barrage of comments exploded.
"The main event is starting!"
"Whoa, haven't seen him in over half a month. My husband got handsome again!"
"Dude, what's wrong with you? Aren't you a guy?"
"So what if I am? Can't a bro just admire him?"
Seeing that last comment, Zhou Ning, who was watching the screen, couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine.
The video continued.
After Zhou Ning returned to his alchemy laboratory, he received a letter from a postman, just as the opera foretold, asking him to go to No. 52 Mumen Street to discuss the purchase of an ancient book.
Next, the video fast-forwarded to the following night, when Zhou Ning arrived at No. 52 Mumen Street as scheduled.
When Zhou Ning walked into the living room and saw Alva Ruskin on the sofa and Harrison Rivers blocking the door, the players couldn't help but panic.
The protagonist isn't really going to get killed by this stupid little book, is he?
But then, almost instantly, a golden-red battlesuit materialized around Zhou Ning. His helmet, arm guards, torso, back, and legs were all encased in gleaming armor. In that moment, the players went wild.
"What the hell?!"
"HOLY—is... is that a MECH?!"
"As expected of the protagonist! Always full of surprises!"
"That poor little book: 'I have a very bad feeling about this!'"
The stream of comments suddenly erupted, instantly blanketing the entire screen.
Chapter 115: Public Beta Starts
Zhou Ning's mouth twitched. He was a little annoyed. That damned optical computer had exposed his Phoenix suit to all the players, and he hadn't even had time to dye it yet. The default color was a bit too flashy for his taste, leaving him feeling flustered.
In the video, the two sides clashed in a fierce battle. Through a wide-angle view provided by the optical computer, players could clearly witness the power of Alva Ruskin. Transformed into a stone giant over three meters tall, his every step cratered the ground. He could even summon giant stone spikes three to four meters long from the earth—a truly shocking display of power.
Next, the mysterious boss, Harrison Rivers, appeared with an air of pure arrogance. Without a word, he activated his clan ability. To help players understand the battle, the optical computer displayed a prompt explaining the skill:
"Clan Precepts – Judgment of Will: Cast a Judgment of Will on an enemy to alter their current state. The effect is determined by the target's Willpower."
The two teamed up and immediately put Zhou Ning on the defensive. The video showed him rolling, leaping, and lunging to evade their attacks. Although his Fancy Gunplay skills gave him a +50% bonus to visual flair, making him look calm and collected, the truth was that he was taking a serious beating.
At that moment, the optical computer helpfully displayed health bars above the three combatants. Zhou Ning had only a fifth of his health remaining, while Harrison and Alva were still at full strength.
The situation looked grim. Zhou Ning's fans couldn't help but worry. Then things became even more critical as Harrison Rivers cast Judgment of Will, imprisoning Zhou Ning in a web of silky threads.
But at this critical moment, the perspective shifted again, returning to the mysterious book in the darkness. Lines of text appeared on its pages.
"(Narration) Harrison Rivers used the Judgment of Will to imprison Wayne Stewell... (Omitted) Then, the climax of this act arrived. As a loyal follower of the evil god, Alva Ruskin showed no mercy. He rushed towards Wayne Stewell with indomitable purpose. This act is about to end..."
After reading the narration, the players grew even more worried for Zhou Ning. Even if they didn't understand all the tactics, they understood the health bar. Was this mysterious book, predicting his demise, going to have the last laugh?
But the silence lasted less than two seconds. A moment later, a flurry of comments floated across the screen like snowflakes.
"HIGH ENERGY WARNING!"
"WAYNE, MY HUSBAND, GO GET 'EM!!!"
"FUCK! THE COUNTERATTACK BEGINS!!!"
Almost instantly, the transparent threads binding Zhou Ning erupted in a blaze of white flames. Simultaneously, a silvery-white pillar of divine light slammed down on the stone giant, instantly slicing its health in half.
Harrison Rivers immediately tried to cast Judgment of Will again, but Zhou Ning was immune. A close-up shot showed a flash of lightning in his eyes.
Before the viewers could react, the ensuing battle drove them wild.
They could clearly see that although Zhou Ning's health was as low as a candle in the wind, his composure was as solid as an iceberg. He seemed to perfectly anticipate every one of his opponent's actions, moving with effortless grace.
The computer highlighted Harrison Rivers's casting range: a circle with a radius of about 24 yards. The audience noticed Harrison try to cast a spell three or four times, but each time, Zhou Ning would roll just out of reach, forcing him to cancel the cast again and again.
Thanks to the +50% visual appeal bonus from Fancy Gunplay, Zhou Ning looked impossibly cool in the video, his style completely maxed out!
Finally, Harrison Rivers couldn't take it anymore and tried to rush Zhou Ning from another passage—right into a trap. In the video, a smirk played on Zhou Ning's lips as he snapped his fingers.
"Boom!"
Harrison Rivers was instantly engulfed in raging flames and falling debris.
"Sheesh... so smooth. I can only describe it as effortless!"
"FUCK! He's so handsome! Even as a straight guy, I can't help but want to lick the screen!"
"What a beast!"
"That was pure skill! PURE SKILL! I gotta @Grantham here. What do you think?"
"Open beta is tomorrow. I hope I spawn in the Kingdom of Braxton! I'm definitely rolling a Wandering Gunner!"
"Same!"
The players, who had been frustrated by the book's narration, finally felt vindicated.
Zhou Ning himself was quite pleased with the performance. This was the first time he'd demonstrated his Fancy Gunplay in front of players. To be honest, even he had to admit it looked incredibly cool.
The video continued, with Zhou Ning now in complete control of the fight. The number of on-screen comments skyrocketed to four or five times what it was just minutes before as players spammed their excitement.
A few seconds later, the perspective switched again. Harrison Rivers burst free from the rubble, instantly transforming into a demon two or three meters tall. He raised his hand to cast another spell, but Zhou Ning seemed to have anticipated it. An overwhelmingly powerful aura swept out from him, stunning Harrison mid-cast.
"THERE IT IS, CONQUEROR'S HAKI! (I KNEW IT!)"
"Holy shit, so cool! Harrison, the 'mysterious boss,' got completely shut down."
"Is this what it feels like to be the protagonist?"
Then came a scene that shocked the players even more. Under attack from a mechanical puppet, a dazed Alva Ruskin was instantly reduced to a white skeleton. The video showed Zhou Ning calmly taking aim and pulling the trigger. The health bar allowed the audience to see the devastating effect: three bullets—one black, one silver, and one fiery red, pulsing with shadow, light, and a domineering aura—slammed into the skull, and Alva Ruskin's massive health bar instantly evaporated.
"Damn... I'm speechless."
"I've already decided on Ranger. Don't even try to talk me out of it..."
Zhou Ning sighed. He had to admire the optical computer's editing skills. A battle that had originally lasted only five minutes had been edited with sharp cuts and perspective shifts into a ten-minute, ten-out-of-ten masterpiece.
Of course, this was good for him. After this video, player expectations for the Wandering Gunner class would explode. At least twenty to thirty percent of new players would likely choose it.
As the sole skill instructor for the class, Zhou Ning could already see the profits rolling in.
The video neared its end. After Zhou Ning used his unparalleled composure to intimidate Harrison Rivers into retreating from Mumen Street, his part of the story concluded.
The following plot points were also full of twists: Zhou Ning noted that Chris and Rosie, the player's "first wife" and "second wife" from the original plot, had joined a school-organized expedition to investigate the "Weather and Tides."
The world's actual protagonist, Leandro Pesa, had joined the Sun Watchers and was investigating the giants, just as in the original story.
Near the end of the video, Zhou Ning saw the giant's appearance for the first time: it was fourteen or fifteen meters tall and shirtless, with powerful muscles. It looked exactly like the former king he had once met, Charles VI, and it was roaring at the sky.
The final scene froze on the book in the dark as subtitles revealed the opera's conclusion.
Ending: The performance fails. Wayne Stewell possesses power beyond the script. Who could have known he wielded the authority of a priest from the Ascetic Church? Alva Ruskin dies at the hands of Wayne Stewell. Act III, Scene 7 is scrapped.
Act III, Scene 8: "The Death of Wayne Stewell" (Re-enactment)
Then, a pair of black-gloved hands closed the book. The video ended.
Watching it all, Zhou Ning couldn't help but feel a little shocked himself. Is this book bugged? he thought. It's relentless.
…
The next day at noon, after completing a transaction with the Sun Watchers, Zhou Ning checked the panel. Only twenty minutes remained until the public beta.
He was a little excited, but also a little nervous.
Zhou Ning folded his arms and sat in his alchemy shop, waiting in silence. The shelves were filled with guns, skill books, and potions he had prepared—the result of more than a week of hard work.
Only 5 minutes left.
The game panel began its final countdown: ten, nine, eight... three, two, one!
[Open beta is now live.]
[Connecting to server... Connection complete!]
[Welcome to Apocalypse! A living, breathing world!]
---
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