Chapter 73: Bat

Even for super-large organizations, the Hidden Chamber is an extremely vital strategic resource and foundation for survival, so much so that they are willing to kill and rob for it.

After careful consideration, Li Cheng placed the stone key at the very bottom of his backpack slot, deciding not to take it out even during regular times—this was also for his own safety, given the note mentioned that keys could attract each other.

Then came the two random items mentioned in the mission reward.

Again, the thrilling moment of opening boxes arrived; Li Cheng rubbed his hands like a fly, then opened both chests.

【Item Name: Bat Hook Gun】

【Type: Tool】

【Quality: Rare】

【Effect: Rapid Swing. After firing the hook, gain an additional directional acceleration, enabling movement in ways nearly impossible to others】

【Cost: 7 Qi points】

【Cooldown: 3 seconds】

【Equipment Requirement: Strength ≥ 7, Constitution ≥ 6】

【Note: I'm Batman】

This item was a hook gun, entirely black and quite heavy, with a bat emblem stamped on one side. The tip featured a hooked spike; the barrel contained a motor, steel cable, and winch.

"Hmm… it's not like this was stolen from some guy whose parents died mysteriously, who's a billionaire by day and a city vigilante by night, right?"

Li Cheng muttered, then tested the hook gun briefly in the Bone Corridor, discovering it was unexpectedly useful.

Its steel cable could extend up to twenty meters—equivalent to the height of a seven-story building. Pressing the button once pulled the shooter upward at high speed; pressing it twice retracted the hook and cable prematurely.

Unlike the ordinary items sold in the Slums, this hook gun possessed the effect "gain an additional directional acceleration." After hooking onto an overhead structure and taking a slight step forward, it could swing the user a great distance mid-ascent.

"Low Qi cost, short cooldown—if used well, you can cosplay both Batman and Spider-Man at once."

Li Cheng holstered the hook gun and turned to the second item.

【Item Name: Wound-Stop Gel】

【Type: Consumable】

【Quality: Rare】

【Effect: High-Efficiency Hemostasis. Spray liquid onto wound to form gel, stopping bleeding, stabilizing injury, preventing deterioration for 5 hours】

【Cost: None】

【Cooldown: None】

【Usage Requirement: None】

【Note: Wound-Stop Gel total volume: 200ml. Each use requires at least 20ml; usable ten times】

【Note: This product expands automatically after spraying—strictly prohibit ingestion!】

It was a small, compact gray-white metal spray can, with a pictorial instruction label affixed to its surface.

"The concentrated liquid inside turns into rapidly expanding blue gel upon contact with oxygen—its first-aid effect is quite good, comparable to some medical skills. It can stabilize wounds, buying time until return to the Killing Ground, where you can find a specialist in the Slums to suture them."

Li Cheng stowed the spray can and opened his personal panel to read the new system notification he had just received.

【Chosen One has reached Lv5. Title System and Trait System now unlocked】

The so-called 【Title】 is a special evaluation granted by the system based on the player's specific performance during missions. Titles grant players a unique ability, either active or passive, equivalent to an extra skill.

Players may acquire multiple titles but may equip only one at a time; switching titles has a 48-hour cooldown.

For example, the Duizhan Qibing encountered in the Curse of the Dead Spirits mission had the 【Overworked Coder】 title, which reduced resource consumption and lowered usage requirements for data-related skills.

Li Cheng's player nickname on his panel flickered faintly, then after a brief delay, new text appeared before him.

【Title Name: Life-Risk Gambler】

【Activation: Active】

【Effect: Gambler's Abyss. Consume Sanity points to increase the probability of one random event. The boost magnitude depends on Sanity points】

【Cost: At least 30 Sanity points】

【Cooldown: 10 seconds】

【Note: I bet your gun has no bullets】

As Li Cheng read the nickname description, the system automatically projected the scene where he, while being chased by the evil spirit Alma, picked up the Mysterious Box from the corridor floor, released the Hell Cultivator, and used the tiger to devour the wolf.

"Life-Risk Gambler… feels like revealing this title during the next scenario mission would tarnish my glorious image."

"And this note—could China's Captain Yan Shuangying also be a Lv5 Chosen One? Hmm, given his performance, no ordinary Lv5 player could match him."

Li Cheng muttered, then reluctantly equipped the title.

The Trait System mentioned in the system notification was similar to the Title System—also granted by the system based on player performance. The difference was that Traits directly affected the player's panel stats.

For example: 【Health Master: +1 Constitution】

【Jungle Hunter: +1 Perception】

【Conspirator: +1 Intelligence, +1 Charm】

【Reckless: +2 Strength, -1 Intelligence】

【Fracture: -1 Strength, -1 Agility】

【Patricide Monster: +100 Sanity Cap】

Traits update in real time based on the player's current state. If a player is forcibly subjected to a lobotomy, all Traits related to Intelligence vanish. Similarly, if a fracture heals, the injury-related Trait disappears automatically.

Under certain circumstances, players can consciously "farm" for exceptionally powerful Traits.

For example: 【Demon's Child: +2 Strength, +2 Agility, +3 Charm】

【Master Strategist: +4 Intelligence】

【Valkyrie: +1 Strength, +1 Agility, +1 Constitution】

【Infant: -4 Intelligence, +500 Qi Cap】

Here, "Infant" resembles the Daoist concept: inherently pure, untainted, exceptionally intelligent and gifted, yet lacking self-awareness.

The exotic species loss-of-control mission lasted less than two hours; Li Cheng didn't obtain any trait, which wasn't surprising.

He stretched, lay back on the bed, and checked his final reward.

After he killed the Triangular Head, the Bone Corridor created a holographic replica of it, granting him a temporary passive skill called 【Bloodlust Fury】.

After wounding a living target, attack speed increases slightly. An unexpected bonus.

After allocating one free attribute point to Strength (to wield the Triangular Head's cleaver), his current personal panel became:

【Death-Defying Gambler · Master Pi Fu】

【Lv5. Experience: 240/500】

【Strength: 9】 (Human limit)

【Agility: 8】 (Top-level sprinter level)

【Intelligence: 8】 (Genius)

【Constitution: 7】 (Professional marathoner level)

【Perception: 7】 (Professional hunter's perception level)

【Charisma: 6】 (Cute guy)

【Equipment Slot: Holographic Bone Corridor, Bat Hook Gun, 170 Straight Knife】

【Inventory: Master of Insects Divine Corruption Crystal, Three Arkili Toy Factory Keys, Wound-Stop Gel, SCAR Assault Rifle, Drone, Erotic Dao Robe, Maoshan Talismans, Single Soldier Gear, Ironing Board, Iron, Speaker】

【Skill Slot: Mist Concealment Technique, Multi-Threaded Brain Domain Method, Death Curse Current (Temporary), Bloodlust Fury (Temporary)】

【Game Currency: 1790】

——————

Having earned money, he naturally spent it; over the next few days, Li Cheng visited the Slums of Killing, purchasing enough potent gene suppressants for two months, and contacted a driver to buy something from him.

The driver's player ID was 【Crimson Driver】, likely named after the protagonist of games like Pokémon Red·Green.

He belonged to the Thousand Throats Beast Guild, which specialized in breeding demonic pet beasts, and had dedicated logistics players who crafted related gear.

The driver sold Li Cheng, at internal employee price and as a favor, a temperature-controlled reptile enclosure with space-folding and automatic feeding functions.

Li Cheng could now place the mantises, crickets, and giant horned beetles exposed to the Master of Insects' infection inside it, without needing daily feeding.

After handling the threat, only one matter remained before Li Cheng—moving out.

Living with his aunt was never a long-term solution; his player identity was far too dangerous, life hanging by a thread, never knowing which day he might die in a script mission.

If his corpse returned as a rotting pile of flesh, that would be the best case. If he brought back even a single malevolent spirit, vengeful ghost, curse, or memetic contamination, his family would be doomed.

Li Cheng exchanged a large sum of cash in the Slums, had Yuan Zhixia forge two years of bank statements, then finally confronted his aunt's family.

"Xiao Cheng, you're moving out?"

Uncle Xue Jingming, sitting on the sofa, was utterly astonished, hesitating: "What… happened?"

"I'm fine. I'm about to take the Gaokao, so I want to move somewhere quieter. The vacated room can become a study—good for your nephew and niece's studies too."

Li Cheng smiled and pulled out over a dozen bank cards, along with a thick stack of bank statements and stock transaction records: "Aunt, Uncle, look—this is my stock trading profit over the past two years."

Since first grade, I used my saved two thousand yuan allowance as seed capital, invested in the stock market, and over nearly two years, earned a bit of money."

In China, minors can buy stocks, provided they hold valid ID and obtain legal guardian consent, with the guardian signing the relevant agreements.

Coincidentally, when Li Cheng was in first grade at Zhuoyue Middle School, there was an elective course on investment and finance, giving each student thirty thousand yuan in virtual capital to trade in a simulated market for two months.

The goal was to teach students financial knowledge and foster healthy saving and investment habits—though most everyone lost money.

At that time, Li Cheng had already completed all the necessary procedures for minors to buy stocks; now he could use them to lie.

"One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million…"

Xue Jingming flipped through the bank statements, growing more astonished: "You made this much?"

"Yes."

Li Cheng nodded shamelessly; Yuan Zhixia had designed his entire stock transaction record—solar panels, steel, electric vehicles, coal—with both short- and long-term trades.

He achieved a million-yuan return over two years, with fluctuations that weren't wildly exaggerated.

His cousin Xue Lingyu and cousin Xue Luomeng stared at him in shock and disbelief, unable to imagine that Li Cheng, who had lived under the same roof for so long, could suddenly reveal another side.

When did you become an investment genius?

"Besides stocks, I made prudent investments, diversified my assets, and improved risk resistance. Even if a financial tsunami hits, I won't lose everything."

Li Cheng spoke casually: "I only told you after making all the preparations."

(End of Chapter)