Chapter 21: A Talk |
In the quiet midnight emergency center, the occasional sound of a nurse pushing a cart filled with medicine and supplies echoed through the halls.
Guan Shan lay on the hospital bed, pretending to look at his phone while actually sorting through his gains.
This simulation had been fraught with danger, with the difficulty level significantly higher than before. Guan Shan had come close to death several times, only surviving due to his quick reflexes.
"Not good... I remember the first simulation had some beginner tips or something, but this time there was nothing. Does this mean this level of difficulty is actually normal?"
Guan Shan frowned.
This horror game simulator certainly lived up to its name. Even with weapons and equipment, it still felt like being chased by monsters...
However, the rewards this time were also more generous than before.
The simulator's settlement gave him 5000 game coins and 2 skill points, a much more generous haul than last time.
Guan Shan looked at his 5625 game coins, feeling instantly wealthy.
Unfortunately, due to the "Breakthrough Task" in front of him, he couldn't unlock more purchasable items in the store yet.
"Well, let's see what can be used or equipped immediately to free up some space in my backpack."
Guan Shan started checking his items and was surprised to find many consumables.
[Ascension Candy]
[Effect: Randomly grants a skill book.]
[Description: A potential experimental drug made from a rare material. This one is near perfect quality, extremely rare, and without side effects, but still highly random.]
Guan Shan's eyes lit up, "Good stuff! Just in time, I have two skill points from this reward. Since my health is locked, upgrading the passive effect of [Accumulated Decay] isn't very useful. I'll use it after completing the breakthrough task."
Guan Shan immediately chose to use it.
[Obtained Skill Book: Gravity Manipulation]
[Skill: Gravity Manipulation (Level 1)]
[Type: Active]
[Cooldown: 10 seconds]
[Effect: Control the gravity of up to 50kg within a 20-meter radius for 5 seconds.]
[Description: Unless hit by eighty apples, you'll probably never develop this ability.]
"Who came up with this apple thing? Newton would flip his coffin."
Despite his complaints, Guan Shan quickly used a skill point to learn the skill.
Despite the description, the skill's effect was indeed impressive.
Gravity manipulation could be incredibly versatile, useful in many situations. Not learning it would be foolish!
With one skill point left, Guan Shan used it to learn the [Magic Rune Drawing] skill from the achievement reward.
[Skill: Magic Rune Drawing (Level 1)]
[Type: Active]
[Cooldown: Seven days]
[Effect: Draw one of [Life], [Protection], [Blessing], or [Thorns] runes, granting different effects for 50 seconds; can be interrupted.]
[Life: Increases HP by 20% and provides gradual healing over time.]
[Protection: Reduces damage taken by 20%.]
[Blessing: Increases luck.]
[Thorns: Consumes 2% HP per second, dealing equal damage to the target.]
[Description: When the magical runes light up, they shine like a flame in the darkness, occasionally drawing the gaze of entities from the void.]
Guan Shan focused on the [Life] rune.
"Is this... a healing skill?"
Although he had healing items, only five were left, and they were all slow-acting.
After the last simulation's intense battles with no item drops, Guan Shan now craved healing skills.
Though this skill had a seven-day cooldown, it was still a safety net, providing some reassurance.
The other runes seemed less useful for now, but better than nothing.
Guan Shan placed these new skills in his skill bar and continued checking other items.
He muttered, "Hmm... Toxic Salve, applying it to a weapon adds a poisoning effect to hits, usable five times."
"Got it, enchantment."
Guan Shan nodded, understanding, and attempted to apply the salve to his Glock 17's infinite magazine...
Naturally, he failed.
"Why can't it be used on firearms?"
He grumbled, reluctantly putting the salve back.
"Huh? This bank card? It increases real money?"
Guan Shan was stunned. The [Someone's Bank Card] item had a simple effect: "Increases player's bank account balance by 130,000 yuan."
"130,000? Am I seeing this right?"
Guan Shan's eyes widened. After a moment's hesitation, he decided to use it.
The simulator had demonstrated its power twice now. Whether the horror game scenes were real or not, those explosions were certainly real.
No one had investigated afterward, as if someone had erased all traces.
These items, provided by the simulator, seemed safe to use without worry.
Besides... Guan Shan needed money.
After a family accident in high school left him orphaned, he'd supported himself through part-time work while studying.
Although Shen Dinghua had offered to help, Guan Shan didn't want money to complicate their relationship.
Money could change things, no matter the intentions.
So, he had always lived frugally, slightly better after starting work.
But it was never enough.
"Far from enough..."
Guan Shan looked at the increased balance notification on his phone, licking his lips. His fear of the simulator now mingled with a bit of anticipation.
The last two items were a piece of jewelry and a type he hadn't seen before—a special scene activation item.
Just as he was about to examine them, someone knocked on the hospital room door.
His first thought was Shen Dinghua, but looking up, he saw a middle-aged man he didn't recognize, followed by three young people.
The middle-aged man smiled warmly, "Guan Shan, right? We need to have a little chat."