Li Ran looked at the pile of items on the table.
[Accessory: Focus Necklace (Excellent)]
[Attribute: Eerie Power +10]
[Effect: Can dispel effects such as hypnosis, illusion, charm, and fear]
...
[Weapon: White Spirit Dagger (Common)]
[Attribute: Eerie Power +5]
...
[Trap Item: Thunder Kite]
[Effect: Touching the kite string triggers a lightning strike]
Uncle Ge had taken out all sorts of miscellaneous items, some of which didn’t even have attributes. Finally, the last item dropped onto the table.
[Wrist: Shadowstep Bracers (Fine)]
[Attribute: Eerie Power +20]
[Effect: Shadowstep, active skill. Allows the user to merge with shadows for up to five minutes. Cooldown: one hour.]
Li Ran’s eyes lit up when he saw the Shadowstep Bracers.
Nice—this was actually a fine-grade item.
There were five equipment tiers: Common, Excellent, Fine, Rare, and Epic.
In the points shop, even a common item required at least 300 points.
An excellent item cost between 500 and 1000 points.
Fine items ranged from 1000 to 2000 points, and those with special skills were at least 2500 points.
Just how many tasks would one need to complete to earn that much?
The Shadowstep Bracers weren’t just fine-grade—they also came with a skill.
Li Ran immediately locked in on this item.
For his second choice, he selected the [Focus Necklace].
Though not fine-grade, it was one of the best excellent-grade items, with a passive skill.
This accessory could resist certain types of mental attacks.
“Uncle Ge, then I won’t be polite—I’ll take this one and that one.”
Uncle Ge had said two items, so he dared not take more.
[Hidden Task Completed: Uncle Ge’s Trouble]
[Reward: Eerie Power +20, Points +200, Special Reward x2]
Hearing that long-missed cold system voice, Li Ran felt delighted.
After finishing his tea, Li Ran took his leave.
“Xiao Li, drop by more often for tea,” said Uncle Ge.
“Will do, Uncle Ge. No need to see me off.”
In the distance, Song Linjia stood stunned in the wind.
Li Ran had walked out of the security room completely unharmed?
And the uncle actually saw him off with a smile and kindness?
Was this really the same terrifying uncle who just moments ago had seemed ready to break arms at the slightest offense?
Song Linjia witnessed all of this.
When Li Ran approached, she asked in shock, “How did you pull that off?”
“Just lucky,” Li Ran replied with a smile, offering no further explanation.
He immediately equipped both items.
Focus Necklace: Eerie Power +10
Shadowstep Bracers: +20
Task Reward: +20
Total Eerie Power: 60
Points: 260
Active Skill: Shadowstep
Passive Skill: Mental Immunity
A single task had massively boosted his strength. The increase in eerie power made his body feel subtly filled with vitality and strength.
“At this point, I could probably beat my own kid,” Li Ran thought, remembering his son.
But to beat Su Bingyao? Still not enough. He needed better gear and higher weird power.
He still had several items in his inventory that he hadn’t used yet:
An eyeball, an ID card, and a tattered piece of clothing.
“That eyeball belongs to that fortune-teller. If I’m not mistaken, he’s just outside the community gate. I can go finish the task.”
Li Ran headed toward the gate.
Song Linjia followed behind.
When they arrived, Li Ran immediately spotted a street stall in a corner by the wall.
Sitting there was the fortune-teller.
The fortune-teller wore Taoist shoes and robe, a bag slung over his left shoulder, and held a fortune-telling banner in his right hand. He wore large black sunglasses, had a goatee, some age spots on his face, and a hair bun held in place by an old, simple hairpin.
He sat there calmly, stroking his goatee with the air of someone who had already seen through everything.
“They’re here too.”
Song Linjia noticed that Xiao Yi, Qiu Zhongji, and Chen Jiabin were also there.
The three of them squatted silently in front of the stall, staring intently at the fortune-teller without saying a word.
The fortune-teller didn’t speak either, continuing to stroke his goatee.
The whole scene looked somewhat bizarre.
“Let’s go.”
Li Ran and Song Linjia approached.
As soon as they did, the three turned to stare at Li Ran, their eyes filled with surprise.
Li Ran had come out completely unharmed?
“What are you guys doing?”
“Shh!”
Qiu Zhongji quickly made a shushing gesture, signaling Song Linjia to stay quiet.
Then he pulled them aside and whispered, “We figured out a rule: if you speak to an NPC, it’ll trigger an event or a task. But if you stay silent, nothing happens.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“Doesn’t matter if it’s nonsense. Staying silent can’t go wrong,” Xiao Yi said, pushing up his glasses as he stared at Li Ran. “You completed the task?”
The three looked incredulous.
Qiu Zhongji quickly asked, “How did you do it?”
Li Ran smiled. “I found the keys he lost.”
Qiu Zhongji, Song Linjia, and Chen Jiabin all looked envious. Only Xiao Yi’s face darkened, and he narrowed his eyes at Li Ran. “Since you’re so lucky, why not try the fortune-teller?”
“Sure.”
Li Ran nodded and stepped forward.
Just then, Qiu Zhongji jumped in front of him, blocking his path. “If Li Ran can do it, so can I. Let me go first, alright?”
Li Ran stopped. “Fine by me. You go first.”
“Thanks.”
Li Ran understood—Qiu Zhongji was clearly afraid he’d miss another task to Li Ran.
So far, one thing was becoming obvious: tasks aren’t repeatable.
In other words, once someone completed a task, others couldn’t do it again.
With everyone having limited clues, every task became extremely valuable.
Qiu Zhongji looked at the fortune-teller. “I think I can do this one. This old man doesn’t seem dangerous. Probably just wants to tell fortunes. And he does look like the real deal.”
Then he confidently strode over and sat down in front of the fortune-teller. “Master, I want my fortune told!”
“Fortune-telling, spirit readings—accurate every time, or your money back!”
The fortune-teller recited his professional pitch, calm as ever.
Then Qiu Zhongji stared straight ahead—he’d clearly triggered a task.
After a while, he asked, “Master, how does my face read?”
The fortune-teller leaned forward slightly, pushed up his sunglasses, and said, “Young one, you may be young, but your mind is full of schemes.”
Qiu Zhongji was stunned and stammered, “I was wrong… Master, you’re truly gifted!”
He had noticed earlier that the fortune-teller was blind.
And how could a blind man read faces?
Most blind fortune-tellers used birth dates to divine.
So Qiu Zhongji had tried to trick the man with a loophole.
But he hadn’t expected the blind fortune-teller to see right through him.
The old man tilted his head, stroking his goatee with disdain. “What do you want to know, boy?”
“My destiny.”
The fortune-teller calculated silently for a moment.
Then his hand paused, and he gave a cold chuckle.
“Your fate is in decline. A calamity of blood awaits!”
(End of Chapter)