Chapter 26: Rose Heart

In the Eerie Game player plaza, Ruins of the Sunset, a black tower soared into the sky.

A giant golden tree grew in front of the tower. Beneath the tree, several stone tablets of varying sizes were engraved with dense text that shifted on its own as time passed.

The rankings on the largest stone tablet were already fixed; the name “Fu Jue” sat high in the first position, drawing everyone’s attention.

Slightly smaller than this tablet was a series of stones engraved with titles like “Guild Power Rank” and “rookie rank,” with the last few positions changing rapidly.

Suddenly, the leaves of the tree swayed without wind. Several lines of text emerged in the center of a stone tablet shaped like a bulletin board, accompanied by a system announcement:

【”Rose Manor (Novice)” instance True End – “Cage of Obsession” has been recorded.】

【MVP Player: ** (This player has not set a display nickname)】

All the players resting in the plaza heard the announcement, and a flurry of discussion broke out.

“What’s going on? Is a novice instance worth a special announcement?”

“I remember this instance is quite special. Its difficulty is higher than many instances in the official pool. It’s been around for ten years, and only today has someone achieved the TE ending.”

“It seems this guy is no ordinary person. To be this fierce during the rookie period, we might see him at the top of the ranks in the future.”

“Hard to say; who knows if he’ll survive past the third instance. I’m more curious about how to get that TE ending in Rose Manor.”

“It’s a pity the Novice Pool has neither live streams nor recordings. We can only check the Forum to see if anyone posts a walkthrough.”

The players only discussed it for a while before dispersing, putting the matter behind them.

Those who could appear in the Ruins of the Sunset were all official players. Unless they spent points to designate an instance, they would never have anything to do with the Novice Pool again in their lives.

There was so much important information to focus on every day; a te clearance of a novice instance was practically insignificant compared to news of newly opened instances or secrets of large guilds… 【”Rose Manor” evaluation grade: S, reward: 1000 points】

【”Rose Manor” True End line cleared, reward: 1000 points】

【Worldview decryption 100%, reward: 1000 points】

After the three-minute countdown ended, Qi Si was surrounded by a pitch-black darkness where he couldn’t see his own hand in front of his face.

A full-length mirror stood before him, emitting a faint blue glow.

The mirror reflected his image: a white shirt, black trousers, faint eyebrows, black eyes, thin lips, and a face as pale as a ghost.

The image flashed by and sank into a dark vortex, replaced by instance settlement notifications.

【Unlocked achievement “Mainstay” (made the greatest contribution to clearing a team instance), reward: 500 points】

【Unlocked achievement “Antinomy” (simultaneously violated and utilized two rules to complete the instance), reward: 500 points】

【Unlocked achievement “Hate-Bringer” (became the primary object of hatred for the main NPCs), reward: 500 points】

【Total reward: 4500 points】

Qi Si took in all the text and values displayed on the full-length mirror.

He didn’t yet know how many points were needed for the so-called “wish fulfillment,” nor did he have a clear concept of the four thousand five hundred points reward. However, the symbols “S,” “True End,” and “100%” satisfied his perfectionist streak quite well.

Looking at the shimmering silver words of the “Hate-Bringer” achievement, he innocently stroked his chin: “I’ve actually been held in such a grudge? How petty…”

The system interface notifications before him were still refreshing.

【Congratulations on perfectly clearing the “Rose Manor” instance. You have received a reward item: Rose Heart】

A thumb-sized crystal pendant floated before him, carved into the shape of half a rose and half a heart. At first glance, it looked like a drop of blood in clear water.

Qi Si reached out and grasped it; the cool, smooth texture felt very comfortable.

【Name: Rose Heart】

【Type: Item】

【Effect: After wearing it, you will more easily gain the favor and trust of other beings.】

【Note: The rose symbolizing beauty and the heart appearing sincere are merged into one; past beings could never help but indulge in gentle lies.】

Detailed information about the item was made known to Qi Si the moment he touched it.

He put the blood-red crystal pendant around his neck, his eyes curving into a smile: “It seems the rewards for decrypting the worldview and perfectly clearing an instance are truly substantial.”

The effect of “Rose Heart” could be said to suit him perfectly. He was already skilled at gaining others’ favor and trust through deception and performance; with the item’s boost, he might achieve twice the result with half the effort.

However, the phrasing “more easily” was ambiguous. The specific effect would still need to be tested in an instance.

【Your item “Pocket Watch of Fate” has undergone the baptism of the instance, and its effect has changed.】

As Chang Xu’s relic, the Pocket Watch of Fate had been tucked into Qi Si’s shirt pocket and brought out.

He had originally worried that without a legal transfer process, the Eerie Game wouldn’t recognize it; he hadn’t expected the game to directly award him ownership of the item.

In other words, as long as he could bring other players’ items out of an instance in the future, the ownership would belong to him?

Realizing something, Qi Si fished the simple, old-fashioned pocket watch out of his pocket and read the prompt text appearing on it.

【Name: Pocket Watch of Fate (Damaged)】

【Type: Item】

【Effect: Rewind objective time by one minute (limited to one use per instance).】

【Note: Time marks fate, and fate toys with time.】

Even Qi Si couldn’t help but have his breathing quicken after seeing the effect of the pocket watch.

Time reversal had already reached the level of causality; it was clearly the authority of a god.

Even if it was only for one minute and could only be used once per instance, it was still an extraordinary ability.

—In a dilemma between two choices, he could trial and error without cost, locking in the correct answer 100% of the time.

—When death descended, he could travel upstream along the river of time, foresee the future, and regain life.

—He could strike out at someone to test their trump cards, then return to the beginning when things became uncontrollable and chat and laugh with that person as if nothing had happened.

—He could even kill; those interesting souls, he could try harvesting them once without worrying about waste or trouble.

It could be said that, points aside, this pocket watch was the most valuable thing he had obtained in this instance.

points were what he sought, and the “Pocket Watch of Fate” would allow him to gain even more points and fun in future instances.

At this point, the only trace of loss he felt from the death of an interesting teammate suddenly dissipated.

Qi Si felt a sincere gratitude toward Chang Xu. He raised his hand to cover his face, his shoulders trembling as if he were weeping in mourning, but beneath his palm was a brilliant smile: “Chang Xu, you died so… miserably. When I remember you during the holidays, I’ll light a stick of incense for you.”

Perhaps even the Eerie Game couldn’t stand it anymore; a cold electronic voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Qi Si’s ill-timed jubilation:

【Detected that you have not yet entered a wish. Please enter your wish.】

Qi Si finally remembered his original intention for entering the Eerie Game.

He pulled back his mouth, which had been grinning almost to his ears, and said with a smile, “A wish, huh? Let’s tentatively set it as curing my illness.”

【Calculating the points required to fulfill your wish.】

A number appeared in the center of the system interface, changing rapidly. After a while, it stopped shifting, and the result was revealed.

【Calculation result: 1,000,000 points】

Qi Si counted the zeros and narrowed his eyes slightly.

One million points. Using the “Rose Manor” instance as a reference, he would need to clear over two hundred instances to save up enough.

No wonder before he signed the Contract, the Eerie Game didn’t allow him to gather more information before making a decision.

Was it afraid he would refuse to cooperate after weighing the risk-reward ratio?

It seemed the game still didn’t understand him well enough. instances were so interesting; how could he not like them?

Qi Si shook his head to himself and circled the full-length mirror in the black space once more, unable to discover any other functions.

He remembered something and asked, “Can I spend points to enhance my combat power?”

The Eerie Game slowly typed out a line: 【You can spend 1,000 points to change your wish to “Improve Combat Power,” at which time the game will recommend practical weapon-type items for you.】

Qi Si asked, “Must I change the wish? Can’t I set multiple wishes?”

Eerie Game: 【No.】

“Then never mind.”

Changing the wish was out of the question. Although Qi Si had quite an obsession with combat power, he wouldn’t make the logical error of mistaking the means for the end.

He pondered the meaning of the prompt for a moment, his eyebrows arching slightly: “In other words, you can’t directly enhance my physical combat power; I can only arm myself through items, right?”

【Yes. Human soul and physical data are written by the World Rules; this game has no right to change them.】

Qi Si asked, “What are the World Rules? And what’s this about writing data?”

【This game is produced by the World Rules, and the final right of interpretation belongs to the World Rules. Other information is locked to you; you have no right to know.】

“…”

Qi Si squatted in the darkness, lost in thought.

The scene of Chang Xu crushing the skeleton and throwing away the doll was vivid in his mind, and that phrase “born with it” was especially unforgettable.

Could it be… that guy wasn’t lying, and the ability to deal with the eerie really is innate?

If I had known he was such a special existence, I should have dug him out of the castle ruins, then found a way to trick him into my workshop in reality to dissect him and see his structure… Leaving him there was a total waste of natural resources.

“Can I ask what’s the deal with Chang Xu’s ability to deal with the eerie?” Qi Si asked the Eerie Game tentatively.

A cold line of text popped up on the system interface at the right time: 【You can spend 1,000 points to change your wish to “Learning about Chang Xu’s background.”】

…It seemed there was no room for negotiation.

Qi Si gave a listless yawn, reining in his ill-timed curiosity.

He muttered wearily, “Exit game.”

【Safely exiting the game for you. We wish you a happy life.】