Chapter 93: Bat

Even for super-large organizations, the Hidden Chamber is an extremely vital strategic resource and foundation for survival, even worth killing and plundering for.

After careful consideration, Li Cheng placed the stone key at the very bottom of his inventory slot and decided not to take it out even in daily use—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 crates arrived; Li Cheng rubbed his hands together like a fly, then opened both chests.

【Item Name: Bat Hook Gun】

【Type: Tool】

【Quality: Rare】

【Effect: Rapid Ascend Swing. After firing the hook, gain an additional directional acceleration, moving in ways others deem nearly impossible】

【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 unnamed parentless big brother who’s a billionaire by day and a city vigilante by night, is it?”

Li Cheng muttered a sarcastic remark, then tested the hook gun briefly in the Bone Corridor—and found it surprisingly effective.

Its steel cable could extend up to twenty meters—equivalent to seven stories high. Pressing the button once pulled the user upward at high speed; pressing it twice retracted the hook and cable prematurely.

Unlike ordinary items sold in the Shabby Street without supernatural properties, this hook gun possessed the effect “gain an additional directional acceleration.” After latching onto a building above and taking a slight step forward, it could swing the user far outward during 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, halting bleeding, stabilizing injury, preventing deterioration for five hours】

【Cost: None】

【Cooldown: None】

【Usage Requirement: None】

【Note: Total volume 200ml; each use requires at least 20ml, usable ten times】

【Note: This product expands automatically after spraying—strictly forbidden to swallow!】

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—not worse than some medical skills. It can stabilize wounds until you return to the Killing Ground and find a specialist in the Shabby Street to suture them.”

Li Cheng put away the spray can, opened his personal panel, and read the new system notification he had just received.

【Chosen One has leveled up to 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 one unique ability—active or passive—equivalent to an extra skill.

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

For example, the Stack Trooper from the “Curse of the Dead Spirits” mission had the 【Overworked Coder】 title, which reduced resource consumption and lowered usage requirements for data-related skills.

As Li Cheng read the nickname description, his player nickname on the panel blurred briefly, then new text appeared.

【Title Name: Life-Risk Gambler】

【Activation: Active】

【Effect: Gambler’s Abyss. Consume Sanity points to increase the probability of one random event. Enhancement 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 fleeing the malevolent spirit Alma, picked up the Mysterious Box from the corridor floor and released the Hell Cultivator to turn predator against predator.

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

“And this note—could China’s Captain Yan Shuangying also be a Lv5 Chosen One? Hmm, given his performance, ordinary Lv5 players couldn’t possibly match him.”

Li Cheng muttered, then reluctantly equipped the title despite his complaints.

The Trait System mentioned in the system notification was similar to the Title System—also awarded by the system based on player performance. The difference was that Traits directly altered 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】

【Fractured: -1 Strength, -1 Agility】

[Patricide Monster: +100 Sanity Max]

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

Under certain conditions, players can consciously “farm” for exceptionally powerful Traits.

For example: 【Child of the Demon: +2 Strength, +2 Agility, +3 Charm】

【Master Strategist: +4 Intelligence】

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

[Infant: -4 Intelligence, +500 Qi Max]

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

The “Alien Outbreak” mission lasted less than two hours; Li Cheng didn’t earn any Traits, which wasn’t surprising.

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

After killing the Triangle Head, the Bone Corridor generated a holographic replica of it, granting him the temporary passive skill 【Bloodthirsty Rage】.

After wounding a living target, attack speed increases slightly—a pleasant surprise.

After allocating one free attribute point to Strength (to use the Triangle Head’s cleaver), his current personal panel became:

【Life-Risk Gambler · Ant】

【Lv5. Experience: 240/500】

【Strength: 9】 (Human limit)

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

【Intelligence: 8】 (Genius)

【Constitution: 7】 (Professional marathoner level)

【Perception: 7】 (Professional hunter’s perception)

【Charm: 6】 (Cute)

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

【Inventory: Insect Lord’s Divine Corruption Crystal, 3 Arkhili Toy Factory Keys, Wound-Stop Gel, SCAR Assault Rifle, Drone, Erotic Daoist Robe, Maoshan Talismans, Soldier Gear, Ironing Board, Iron, Speaker】

【Skill Slot: Mist Concealment, Multi-Threaded Brain Method, Curse Surge (Temporary), Bloodthirsty Rage (Temporary)】

【Game Currency: 1790】

——————

Having earned money, Li Cheng spent it. Over the next few days, he entered and exited the Shabby Street, purchasing enough potent gene suppressants for two months, then contacted the driver to buy something from him.

The driver’s player ID was 【Crimson Driver】, likely named after the protagonist of Pokémon Red/Green and similar games.

He belonged to the Thousand Throats Beast Guild, which specialized in breeding demonic familiars and war beasts, and had dedicated support 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 previously exposed to the Insect Lord’s infection inside, without needing daily feeding.

After handling the hazard, only one task remained before Li Cheng: moving out.

Living with his aunt was never a long-term solution; his identity as a Chosen One was far too dangerous, his life hanging by a thread—he might die in any scenario mission.

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

Li Cheng exchanged a large sum of cash in the Shabby Street, 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, seated on the sofa, was utterly astonished. He hesitated: “What… happened?”

“I’m fine. Just preparing for the college entrance exam—I want to move somewhere quieter. The vacated room can become a study room, which will help your nephew and niece with their studies.”

Li Cheng smiled and laid out a dozen bank cards, plus 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 high school freshman year, I used my saved two thousand yuan pocket money as initial capital, invested in the stock market, and over nearly two years, earned a bit of money.”

In China, minors can purchase stocks, provided they hold valid identification and obtain consent from their legal guardian, who must sign the relevant agreement.

Coincidentally, during his freshman year at Zhuoyue Middle School, there was an elective course on investment and finance: each student was given thirty thousand yuan in virtual capital to invest in a simulated market for two months.

The goal was to teach financial literacy and foster healthy saving and investing habits—though most students lost money.

At that time, Li Cheng had already completed all the necessary procedures for minors to buy stocks; now he used them to fabricate his story.

“One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand…”

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

“Yes.”

Li Cheng nodded shamelessly. Yuan Zhixia had designed a complete set of stock transaction records for him—solar power, steel, electric vehicles, coal… short-term and long-term trades.

In two years, he achieved a million-level return, with fluctuations that weren’t wildly exaggerated.

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

No, when did you become an investment genius?

“Besides stocks and securities, I made steady investments, diversified my assets properly, and strengthened my risk resistance. Even if a financial tsunami hits, I won’t lose everything.”

Li Cheng spoke casually, “I only told you, Aunt and Uncle, after I had made all the preparations.”

(End of Chapter)