Chapter 78: Zhai Da's Treasure Trove!

The 【Set】 feature was a brand-new capability revealed by the system for the first time.

This surprise far exceeded the value of the 【Boy's Straight Stick】 itself.

In the equipment list that only Zhai Da could see, these three items now bore the suffix 【Magic Regalia】, and they were rearranged to the very top of his inventory.

There was also a new "Set Page" that could display only the set items.

Zhai Da keenly sensed several important pieces of information.

First, the number of items in a 【Set】 and their contents were not fixed... this meant he could potentially obtain new equipment in the future, and as long as the concepts aligned, he would have the opportunity to fill out the 【Magic Regalia】.

The maximum capacity seemed to be six? Yet there could be different structural combinations... for instance, replacing items with higher-rarity equipment once the set was full...

Most importantly... the 【Set Effects】 were not applied to the individual components (though they were also buffed), but were applied directly to him as a person.

Zhai Da looked at his palms, his fingers constantly performing complex movements, such as rapidly pinching different knuckles.

They moved so fluidly they almost blurred.

He could move his left and right hands in different motions—one drawing a circle, the other a square—without any issue at all.

Even though he wasn't using any of the 【Magic Regalia】 components, nor was he performing magic... and as the system stated, even if the equipment wasn't on his person.

He had still permanently gained a pair of dexterous hands!

This kind of improvement was far more important and far more miraculous than the bonuses applied to the equipment itself...

He had found a path to strengthen himself...

"Zhai Da? Zhai Da?"

Fan Junwei waved a hand in front of Zhai Da, snapping him back to reality.

"Sorry, I zoned out for a second. This place... this place is great!"

He tucked the 【Boy's Straight Stick】 into his sleeve and shoved the poker cards and glasses cloth into his pockets.

He looked around.

With so much "junk" piled together, his current vision could only see the surface layer; there were likely more pieces of equipment hidden deeper inside.

Most importantly, the contents here were constantly being updated... the sanitation workers were continuously bringing in items that couldn't be sold for money but were too precious to throw away.

To him, this was nothing short of a treasure trove!

Zhai Da patted Fan Junwei on the shoulder: "I need to look around more. There must be more good stuff here!"

Fan Junwei didn't understand, but he was supportive.

People, after all, had all sorts of strange hobbies. That Zhai Da was ecstatic over a stick...

It was actually quite "innocent"...

Zhai Da began to earnestly rummage and wander through the courtyard.

Soon, he had a new discovery.

From a mottled pile of trash, Zhai Da picked up a folding knife. The handle was covered in rust, but the square-headed blade was still in decent condition.

"Congratulations to the Host for discovering the white-tier special item 【Tough Guy's Razor】: Real men use blades; only sissies use electric shavers."

"Ownership: Owned, Activated."

"Equipment Effect: After using this to clear facial hair, increase pain tolerance. Effect doubles on the chin. Valid for 12 hours."

"Note: You might shave yourself into a bloody mess, but don't worry, it won't hurt."

Zhai Da tilted his head. What kind of nonsense was this? He tucked it away for now.

After busy work in the trash courtyard for another half hour, he was covered in dust, but he found a third piece of equipment:

"Congratulations to the Host for discovering the white-tier special item: 【Undying Lightbulb】: It once illuminated a high-risk area in a chemical plant for ten years without ever going out, only leaving its post when it became too dim."

"Ownership: Owned, Activated."

"Equipment Effect: Areas illuminated by this reduce the probability of carelessness and distraction."

"Note: Safety is paramount. Carelessness harms yourself, lets others sleep with your wife, beat your children, and spend your pension."

This was a very retro lightbulb, about the size of a fist, covered in soot.

That it remained intact in such a pile of junk was nothing short of miraculous...

Illuminated for ten years without burning out... it was also quite miraculous... He didn't know how many "accidents and dangers" it had prevented.

Although the effect was a bit strange, it was at least more useful than the razor from just a moment ago... Zhai Da wrapped it in a tissue.

When he looked up again, the sky had darkened, and he had to rush home for dinner.

There were too many things in this courtyard... he had at most scavenged the surface layer; there were bound to be more items buried underneath, and the sanitation workers would continue to update the pile.

He would have to come back to scavenge every few days.

Fan Junwei had stayed with him the whole time, even helping Zhai Da move some heavy trash to facilitate his search, though he couldn't fathom what Zhai Da was doing.

"Done looking?"

Zhai Da's hands were covered in dust. He patted them off and said, "Done for now. I'll come back next time. This place is really great... thanks to you, I was able to find it."

Fan Junwei scratched his head: "What's the use of these things?"

Zhai Da chuckled: "You know I do magic tricks, right? I want to find some vintage items to use as props."

Fan Junwei accepted this explanation, though he didn't understand magic. He was always the most generous with his applause whenever Zhai Da performed a trick at school.

Zhai Da returned to the sanitation workers' dormitory building, washed his hands in the public restroom, and then decided to go say goodbye to Fan Junwei's grandmother.

The old grandmother had already finished her own dinner—a white flour paste with vegetable leaves. As for the leftovers Fan Junwei had brought back, she hadn't touched them, seemingly intending to save them for her grandson.

This behavior made Fan Junwei very unhappy, and he muttered small complaints under his breath...

The old grandmother smiled warmly: "Stop your grumbling. Go pack some fruit for your classmate to take home."

Zhai Da hurriedly waved his hands to decline, but Fan Junwei followed his grandmother's instructions, pulling a cardboard box from under the bed filled with yellow apples and starting to fill a plastic bag.

Meanwhile, Wu Guizhen pulled Zhai Da out of the room and whispered, "Young man, Grandma has a favor to ask of you..."

Zhai Da hurriedly said, "You're an elder, don't use the word 'favor.' Just tell me."

Between the gift of apples and the "favor," he was curious about what this old grandmother wanted to say.

If there was anything he could help with, he was willing to lend a hand.

Wu Guizhen glanced back into the room, where her grandson's massive frame was squatting on the floor, carefully picking out the best-looking apples.

Her eyes were filled with love.

"I have no education, so I can only do this kind of work, dragging Xiao Wei down to suffer with me..."

"When you go back to school, please don't tell anyone that Xiao Wei's grandmother is a sanitation worker. He'll be looked down upon..."

Zhai Da paused...

He nodded first, then shook his head.

"Grandma, no one has the right to look down on him, and no one will."

Wu Guizhen's wrinkled face blossomed into a smile: "Is that so... That's good... Thank you for being friends with Xiao Wei. Very few people are friends with Xiao Wei, you know."

She wanted to reach out and take Zhai Da's hand, but pulled back, afraid of getting him dirty.

But in truth... those seemingly dark, mottled hands, full of cracks and calluses, weren't dirty at all.

There wasn't a speck of filth on them; they were just rough from a lifetime of hard work.