The five of them had only been in the instance for three days, but those three days felt as long as thirty. Standing in the room now, Xiao Muyu felt a sense of familiarity.
The room had a sofa, and the Referee for Instance 004 gestured for them to sit down.
“I don’t need to explain the rules. An S-level rating grants two chances at the lottery, while others get one. Since this was a team instance, the team gets one collective draw, and you can decide who will draw,” the Referee said, speaking concisely without any superfluous pleasantries, and sat in the chair, watching them.
Su Jin, Zuo Tiantian, and Chen Kaijie all looked at Xiao Muyu and Shen Qingqiu. Xiao Muyu shook her head, “I’m not lucky; my draws are either ‘Thank you for participating’ or some weird cards.”
Shen Qingqiu chuckled and said, “Let’s make it fair. Since we have three individual draws and one team draw, how about we let Su Jin, Zuo Tiantian, and Chen Kaijie take the individual draws, and I’ll do the team draw?”
Everyone agreed to this arrangement. Su Jin stepped forward first. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and pressed the button on the lottery machine. The wheel spun rapidly, and she watched it nervously as it gradually slowed down, finally stopping on a golden card.
“Congratulations! You have received a ‘Shield of Resilience’ card,” the Referee announced.
Su Jin’s eyes lit up with joy. A shield card could be extremely useful in future instances.
Next was Zuo Tiantian. She approached the machine with a bit of apprehension but followed through. The wheel spun and eventually landed on a silver card.
“Congratulations! You have received an ‘Invisibility Cloak’ card,” the Referee said.
Zuo Tiantian smiled, satisfied with her draw.
Chen Kaijie was last for the individual draws. He hesitated but then firmly pressed the button. The wheel spun and stopped on a bronze card.
“Congratulations! You have received a ‘Healing Potion’ card,” the Referee announced.
Chen Kaijie sighed in relief. A healing potion could be life-saving in critical moments.
Finally, it was time for the team draw. Shen Qingqiu stepped forward confidently. The wheel spun one last time, and everyone held their breath as it slowed down and stopped on a platinum card.
“Congratulations! You have received a ‘Revival Token’ card,” the Referee announced.
Everyone gasped. A Revival Token was an extremely rare and valuable item that could bring a team member back to life.
Xiao Muyu nodded in approval. “This will be invaluable.”
Shen Qingqiu smiled, “Looks like our luck isn’t too bad after all.”
The Referee stood up and addressed them one last time. “Congratulations on your successful completion of Instance 004. Use your rewards wisely in future instances. Good luck.”
With that, the Referee disappeared, leaving the team to reflect on their achievements and prepare for whatever challenges lay ahead.
Xiao Muyu nodded. Su Jin, feeling nervous under everyone’s gaze, mustered up the courage to go draw a card.
Seeing the card with a web drawn on the back, Su Jin took a deep breath and reached out to tap it.
The card spun rapidly and, when it stopped, Su Jin took a look and felt a sudden sense of relief. “It’s an S card!”
“Let me see, what is it?” Chen Kaijie couldn’t contain his curiosity.
“Demagnetize?” Su Jin looked closely and then handed the card to the others.
Xiao Muyu’s gaze fell on it. The name section of the card read “Demagnetize.”
Demagnetize, rarity S (limited edition) – No. 004 limited edition copy with an extremely low drop rate.
Item description: Demagnetize. The magnetic field in the No. 004 limited edition copy surely drives you mad. This card, as the name suggests, can eliminate or weaken the magnetic field.
Upon activation, within a 500-meter radius of the card’s center, all other cards are affected and cannot be activated (note: already activated cards are not affected). Duration: 5 minutes. Cooldown time: 24 hours.
This was their first time drawing a card that could target players. They were all stunned after reading it.
Xiao Muyu narrowed her eyes, looked at the card in her hand, and handed it over. “Since it’s an S card, it’s a good thing. Let’s keep it for now and draw your own as well.”
Su Jin wanted to say something, but Xiao Muyu continued, “Team cards need coordination. Otherwise, if something like this happens again where someone leaves the team without a self-protection card, it’s very dangerous. Later, you all take turns drawing.” This meant the card would stay with Su Jin for now.
Su Jin understood Xiao Muyu’s intention and nodded.
Since the score was B-level, the card Su Jin drew was also of a lower level: a B-level life card—Cotton Cloth.
Its function was to tear cloth, with a maximum of ten meters each time. Cooldown time: 2 hours.
Chen Kaijie rubbed his hands together and went to draw a card. He drew a B-level Tang knife. Although it was just a regular knife and couldn’t deal extra damage to ghosts like Shen Qingqiu’s dagger, it was the only weapon in the team, so it was very necessary.
Zuo Tiantian drew a basketball, which was quite absurd, and it looked exactly like the one she and Su Jin had thrown at Luo Zihao that day.
Item description: Yuanning High School’s basketball, 100% hit rate!
Throw the basketball, and within ten meters, it will hit the target confidently. Accuracy is guaranteed, but not power. You can summon up to three basketballs at once. Cooldown time: 1 hour.
Zuo Tiantian was a bit embarrassed, “Could it be the same basketball that hit Luo Zihao?”
Su Jin couldn’t help but laugh, “It might be. It’s still very useful, a guaranteed hit. Even ghosts can’t dodge it.”
“I think it would be better for Miss Shen. I don’t have enough strength, so even if I hit, it won’t be effective.”
Xiao Muyu glanced at Shen Qingqiu. Originally listening with her eyes closed, Shen Qingqiu opened her eyes and said to Zuo Tiantian with a faint smile, “I’m very delicate, weak and unable to take care of myself, and I have no strength at all.”
Zuo Tiantian stuck out her tongue secretly, and Su Jin smiled with her mouth covered.
Xiao Muyu found it amusing. This time she didn’t hesitate, walked straight to No. 004, took a deep breath, hesitated for a moment, and tapped one of the cards.
As the card spun, Xiao Muyu’s heart spun with it. Shen Qingqiu stopped closing her eyes and leaned over to watch.
When the card stopped, Xiao Muyu’s face darkened as she looked at the card in front of her and didn’t speak for a long time.
Seeing her expression, Shen Qingqiu knew it was probably something weird again. She hesitated for a moment and walked over.
After reading it, she couldn’t help but laugh. Seeing Xiao Muyu’s gloomy face, she quickly stopped laughing and said, “Your luck isn’t bad; it’s an S-level card and very useful. At least it ensures a smooth escape and has a group skill.”
Xiao Muyu looked at the card expressionlessly and then glanced at Shen Qingqiu, “Then you use it when needed.”
Shen Qingqiu’s expression stiffened, and she touched her nose, “I can run without it.”
Su Jin and the others, not understanding, but very curious, quickly gathered around and laughed when they saw it.
Xiao Muyu drew an alarm light.
Alarm Light, rarity S, with an extremely low drop rate in modern storyline copies.
Item description: Alarm Light, equipped with an alarm function. As everyone knows, alarm sirens have deterrent and clearing functions. Therefore, after activation, place the alarm light on your head or car roof (other positions are invalid).
When the alarm sounds, all obstacles ahead must move aside, and enemy units will have their attack speed and power reduced by 30% due to the alarm’s deterrence. Duration: 3 minutes. Cooldown time: 12 hours.
After laughing, the three of them stared at Xiao Muyu and Shen Qingqiu, finding it increasingly amusing.
Xiao Muyu remained silent, and Shen Qingqiu handed the card to Chen Kaijie.
Chen Kaijie hurriedly caught it, then his smile turned a bit bitter, “Miss Shen?”
“Since you laughed so happily, you must like it a lot. It’s just right that you don’t have an S card yet, so this one is yours. No choice, among the five of us, you’re the most suitable to take it. Su Jin, Xiao Zuo, don’t you think so?” She looked at Su Jin and Zuo Tiantian.
Su Jin and Zuo Tiantian nodded repeatedly. No way could they imagine Captain Xiao or Miss Shen using the alarm light.
Although Miss Shen liked to tease Captain Xiao, she would never embarrass her in front of others, and she certainly wouldn’t do it herself.
So if it wasn’t Chen Kaijie, it would be one of them. After thinking it over, they unanimously decided to give it to Chen Kaijie.
Chen Kaijie slapped his forehead, “I get it. After all, I’m a rough old man.”
“There’s one more, draw it.” Shen Qingqiu blinked and said to Xiao Muyu.
Xiao Muyu glanced at Shen Qingqiu’s lips again. They looked even paler than when she kissed her. She didn’t notice anything else unusual upon closer inspection. Xiao Muyu held back her concern and casually picked a card.
Usually, it’s rare to draw two S-level cards in two attempts. This one shouldn’t be too rare, so Xiao Muyu was quite calm. However, when she saw the card, her expression froze.
Shen Qingqiu also frowned. The reason was that this card had no description or rarity, just a few lines of text, with several large characters standing out prominently.
“A card blind box? What does this mean?” Shen Qingqiu found it odd and continued reading.
Item description: Card Blind Box, no one knows what it contains, extremely rare in the Tianwang world.
When conditions are met, the blind box will automatically open, revealing its contents, which are unpredictable. Maturity conditions are also unpredictable.
“This is basically a product with no guarantees,” Zuo Tiantian was baffled by the system’s sense of humor. “Who has the time to come up with all this nonsense?”
Xiao Muyu looked at it for a long time and eventually put the card away. “It’s okay, at least we already have one S card. Even if this blind box doesn’t open, it’s not a loss.”
Referee No. 004’s expression was also odd. She shook her head and said, “I’ve never seen such a card. Your luck is indeed as peculiar as they say.”
“Even if our luck is strange, we wouldn’t have drawn those mystical cards without it. Anyway, I’m a bit tired, Referee, let’s hurry up and draw.”
Shen Qingqiu said languidly. Xiao Muyu furrowed her brow, put the card in her card pack, and then fixed her gaze on Shen Qingqiu.
Shen Qingqiu promptly drew a card. When it stopped, her expression clearly showed surprise.
Xiao Muyu glanced at her and then took the card, bringing it closer for a better look, as Shen Qingqiu was only holding part of it.
When Xiao Muyu saw it, her expression turned indescribable. The visible characters read “Public Display of Affection.” Was Shen Qingqiu a love-struck fool?
Seeing the other’s speechless and disdainful expression, Shen Qingqiu couldn’t help but laugh.
She looked innocently at Xiao Muyu, “This isn’t what I wanted. Look, every time I draw these strange things.”
Xiao Muyu found it unbelievable and couldn’t hold back: “Are you really here to find a partner?”
Shen Qingqiu smiled and lifted her chin, “What do you think? But you’re wrong about this. Who would draw such disheartening cards if they were looking for a partner?”
Afterwards, Xiao Muyu watched as she moved her fingers, revealing the full name of the card: “Public Display of Affection Ends Badly.”
Xiao Muyu was taken aback, blinked, and then couldn’t help but chuckle.
Seeing her smile, Shen Qingqiu’s eyes lit up. She then pouted, glanced at No. 004, and snorted, “I suspect this system is mocking me. What does ‘Public Display of Affection Ends Badly’ even mean? Besides, I’m not showing off any relationship; I don’t even have a partner. Right?”
Xiao Muyu felt like she was constantly being side-eyed by Shen Qingqiu while she spoke, and the smile on her face widened, her eyes crinkling.
“That’s true. I remember if it wasn’t for your unnecessary worry, Liu Ya and the others wouldn’t have thrown us into that magnetic field.”
She said it lightly, but to Shen Qingqiu, it sounded like Xiao Muyu was indirectly admitting they were showing off their relationship.
Shen Qingqiu felt great and didn’t mind the card’s derogatory name anymore.
Public Display of Affection Ends Badly, rarity A, with a lower drop rate in scenarios involving couples.
Item description: Public Display of Affection Ends Badly. If used by a couple, it can taunt all nearby ghosts within a 300-meter radius, attracting their attention. Use with caution, as it could indeed end badly!
If used by a single person, it doubles the attack power against any unit in a relationship. Let’s work together to achieve single unity!
After reading the whole description, both Xiao Muyu and Shen Qingqiu had the same disdainful expression.
“Why has this suddenly become so juvenile? Is it because the scenario is set in a school?” Shen Qingqiu felt weakly sarcastic.
Su Jin and Zuo Tiantian couldn’t help but joke, “Although it’s juvenile, it resonates with singles. Being fed too much relationship stuff can be overwhelming.”
Xiao Muyu found it amusing too. However… she pointed to No. 004, “There’s one more draw, hurry up.”
Shen Qingqiu sighed and casually drew another card.
Upon seeing it, Shen Qingqiu’s eyes widened. “Does Tianwang have C-level cards?”
The five of them had drawn cards at least twenty times and had never heard of anyone getting a C-level card.
Su Jin and the others were stunned.
No. 004 glanced at it, also surprised, and then said seriously, “Yes, but C-level cards are rarer than S-level ones.”
“This luck is incredible.”
Shen Qingqiu had drawn a C-level ancient sword.
It read: Rusty Bronze Sword, rarity C, with an extremely low drop rate.
Item description: A rusty bronze sword, just a piece of junk. It is recommended to take it to a recycling station; it might be worth a few coins.
Of course, you could keep it as a memento. After all, it’s an ancient artifact with profound cultural significance. If you can’t appreciate it, at least it shows you cleared the level.
Shen Qingqiu: “…”
Author’s note: Shen and Xiao: We suspect you’re targeting us.
System: Impossible.
Shen: Why do you keep mocking us?
System: Not everyone gets to draw twice. If they only drew once and got such cards, they wouldn’t survive.
Shen: Is it a crime to be strong?
Everyone can help me tally up how many weird cards these two have. Haha, it’s all the system’s fault. Let’s beat it up (nothing to do with me, okay).
Currently, there are three deep waters, and I owe a lot of debts.
