At night, the office building loses the hustle and bustle of the day, leaving only a few lit windows—like the eyes of those who stay up late.
Car headlights on the overpass drew red trails, intersecting with the silvery-white glow of the opposite lane.
Crack...
> "Tie a Chinese knot,
> Invite the spring breeze to cut the ribbon,
> And may good fortune come to the motherland every year.
> May you dance through peaceful times,
> Soar into the new era,
> And may your happy homeland welcome the blooming of a hundred flowers…"
Damian hummed the song as he opened the apartment door.
After casually hanging his schoolbag on the coat rack, he flopped onto the sofa like a dried salted fish.
But after lying there for a while, he seemed to remember something and sprang back up. He pulled a plate of mosquito coils and a lighter from the desk cabinet and hurried over to the portrait of Dawei Qiu to light them.
"Brother Dawei," he said, "my finances are tight. I can't afford Yuanbao candles or anything fancy like that here—so mosquito coils will have to do for now. Please don't mind.
"But don't worry! I've already ordered a batch of authentic Yuanbao candles from China. They should arrive in New York in ten days, maybe two weeks!
"And I promise—they're all handmade with natural materials! No shortcuts, no artificial tricks. Just pure craftsmanship and hard work.
"Just wait—you're in for a treat! Hehehe…"
Having finished his ritual, Damian sank back onto the sofa and immersed his consciousness in the glowing orb within his mind.
Rough Stones: 170
Staring at the balance displayed on the virtual panel, Damian couldn't help but chuckle.
True, he'd only played a supporting role in the battle against the Abomination—the real heavy lifting had been done by the Hulk—but his contribution hadn't been insignificant.
What's more, he'd also taken down the "Big Boss," a villain who hadn't yet come into his full infamy but was destined to become legendary.
Still, 170 Rough Stones felt rather low.
It was probably because the timeline hadn't shifted dramatically—the story had unfolded much as it originally had—so the system had deducted a large portion of his potential reward.
But hey—something was better than nothing!
Damian consoled himself, then tossed all his Rough Stones into the card pool.
Swish!
A dazzling light flashed before his eyes. Beyond the blue sky and white clouds, he thought he glimpsed a hint of purple.
Rewards:
- [Schnitzel Sandwich] ×1
- [Lantern Grass] ×6
- [West Wind Hunting Bow] ×1
- [Ownerless Eye of God] ×1
- [Sunset Fruit] ×8
---
Item: [Schnitzel Sandwich]
Description: A nutritionally balanced meal. Soft, sweet bread cradles crispy, juicy fried meat—satisfying both tongue and stomach in a single bite. Who first dreamed up such a brilliant combination?
Effect: Slightly increases the user's Attack Power for 300 seconds.
Item: [Lantern Grass]
Description: Emits a faint glow at night. Adds subtle flavor when cooked with other ingredients.
Effect: None.
Weapon: [West Wind Hunting Bow]
Rarity: ★★★★
Type: Bow
Base ATK: 454
Bonus: Elemental Energy Recharge +61.3%
Passive – [Follow the Wind]: When an attack scores a Critical Hit, there's a 100% chance to generate a small number of Elemental Particles, restoring a small amount of Elemental Energy to the user. This effect can trigger once every 6 seconds.
Item: [Ownerless Eye of God]
Description: This crystal is no ordinary artifact. It descended silently when a soul's desire burned as brightly as a star—bright enough to draw a fleeting "glimpse" from the beings above.
More than a vessel of power, it embodies the unyielding will of its would-be owner and serves as an anchor binding their soul to the elemental laws of the world.
Each Eye carries an unfulfilled dream, a painful past, or a solemn vow for the future. Its outer shell often reflects the owner's origins, while its core gem glows with the light of one of the seven elements—blazing Fire, flowing Water, rushing Wind, crackling Thunder, creeping Grass, frozen Ice, or solid Rock—according to the wish it recognizes.
Effect: None.
Damian looked at the gray-white crystal stone quietly floating at the center of the system interface.
He stood up silently, took a plate of mosquito coils from the cabinet on his desk, and lit it in front of Dawei Qiu's portrait without a word.
"Brother Dawei, have something to eat. I'll place an order for incense, candles, and paper money later. I promise—I'll get you a big villa and a car right away!
"It's still a bit tricky to make female Hilichurls right now, but I'm working on it. I'll find a skilled teacher to help craft them, then hire a few artisans to make a batch and burn them for you.
"In short, as long as I get a sip of soup, there'll definitely be a whole bowl for you to wash your face with, Big Wei!"
After muttering to Dawei Qiu's portrait, Damian immediately began jumping up and down in the room like an overexcited monkey, pounding the mattress with his fists and shouting:
"Hahahahahahahaha! The ownerless Eye of God! I got it! I really got it! Hahahahahahahahahahaha!"
"What are you yelling about in the middle of the night? Keep it down, or I'm calling the police!"
An angry thump came from the neighboring wall.
"Which mental hospital did you escape from?!"
Upstairs, the sound of slippers slapping against the floor echoed.
Damian clapped a hand over his mouth—but the corners of his lips still curled upward uncontrollably. Carefully, he clicked to accept the reward, and a cold, attributeless divine eye dropped into his palm.
The crystal was dull, with a smooth, rounded surface—like a gem that had absorbed all the light around it and left nothing behind.
Yet Damian kept examining it again and again under the lamplight as if it were a priceless treasure, occasionally letting out a silly "hehe" laugh.
Soon, the initial excitement faded. Damian sat cross-legged on the sofa, his brow slowly furrowing.
"Come to think of it… how do I even activate this thing?"
He poked the unresponsive Eye of God, then pricked his finger and splashed two drops of blood onto its surface—but still, nothing happened.
Frustrated, he raked his fingers through his hair and muttered to himself:
"Isn't it supposed to work like in games—just wait for the gods to notice you? That's ridiculous! My willpower's weaker than a bag of potato chips. What god in their right mind would even glance my way?
"Ahaha… probably none. This guy's clearly just a fun-loving deity with zero interest in someone like me—mature, reserved, confident, steady, and blessed with a cool spirit.
"You can't just go jumping off cliffs and risking your life, right? Forget it, forget it… I don't even want this Eye of God anymore!"
The moment that dangerous thought surfaced, Damian quickly suppressed it.
It was three in the morning, and the Eye of God remained lifeless.
Sighing, he found a sturdy rope, strung the crystal through it, and hung it around his neck. The cool stone against his skin offered a small measure of calm.
"Take your time…" he murmured, stroking the Eye of God before turning off the light and lying down.
But even in bed, he couldn't resist reaching through his pajamas to touch the pendant resting against his chest.