Chapter 15: Snowy Night Street Corner, the Little Girl Selling Matches?!

The altar at the corner ahead is a little bit pretty.

Spider silk is woven into the shape of a cradle.

In the deep Night Color Bar, it emits a dreamy soft light.

It clashes with the surroundings, a complete work of art.

"It looks flashy, must be awesome, right?"

Su Ming mutters to himself and refocuses his mind.

Altar Number:

Connection Signpost: Spider Demon Nest

Karma Overview: A spider demon mother who lost her voice; its Unique child cries nightly from terrible nightmares and cannot sleep. It only wants to sing the cradle song of its race once more to soothe its child.

"……"

Su Ming, after reading this information, feels his brain buzzing.

Even more confused than before.

A cradle song of the spider demon race from another world?

How am I supposed to get that?

Don't even talk about the spider demon's cradle song; he can't even hum a full human cradle song.

"Can't do it, can't do it!"

Su Ming feels a headache and turns away.

Two consecutive dead ends make him a bit flustered.

Time waits for no one!

The moon in the sky was obscured by clouds at some point.

The surrounding light dimmed sharply.

This place is indeed desolate; continuing to flail around like a headless fly isn't an option.

"All talk of dragon‑slaying technique…"

Su Ming twitches the corner of his mouth.

Just as he was about to abandon this area and try his luck farther away.

His gaze unintentionally swept over a nearby bus stop.

"Hmm?"

There, a faint glimmer instantly caught his attention.

"What is that?"

Su Ming's heart jumped.

Almost instinctively, he walked toward that bus stop.

He took three steps in two.

The moment he saw it clearly, his breath halted for an instant.

It is a tiny altar built entirely from matchsticks.

Only palm‑sized, like an exquisite toy model.

But the strange thing is,

Each matchstick that makes it up is coated with a thin layer of frost, crystal clear.

The earlier glow was reflected from here.

Just standing around this altar, he involuntarily feels sorrow in his heart and a chilling cold throughout his body.

Just like…

An Ice Flower quietly blooming amid the ruins.

"What on earth is this?"

Su Ming concentrates all his spirit; a flash of golden light in his pupils.

Altar Number:!

"Ah?"

The moment he read the numbers, Su Ming was stunned.

!

These numbers…

Those who get it, get it!

With his few sacrificial experiences, he can basically determine—

This is a good thing!

Connection Signpost: Snowy Night Street Corner

Karma Overview: A little girl selling matches in a swirling snowstorm, feeling unprecedented confusion and sorrow. She doesn't understand why the hurried passersby no longer need the matches in her hand.

"……"

Su Ming, word for word, after reading the whole description, froze in place.

His mouth corner twitches uncontrollably.

"Is this… is this… is this right?!"

This familiar scene!

This familiar character design!

This familiar sorrowful atmosphere!

The Little Match Girl?!

Are you kidding?!

A fairy‑tale story, and it became a realm?!

What on earth are the worlds the altar connects to?!

First, a Cthulhu‑style abyssal behemoth.

Then a cyber‑punk‑flavored super AI.

Now even a fairy‑tale world has sprung out?

So you actually follow his worldview, grinding it into the ground again and again?!

But, shocking as it may be.

This altar really has a tale!

"Confusion and sorrow..."

"No one bought her matches..."

"She wants to know why?!"

Su Ming pondered, then slipped his hand into his pocket.

Clack—!

A flame burst out of the lighter.

It wasn't the cheap, unreliable one bought from a street stall.

It was the brand‑new lighter he splurged five yuan on today, bought with enthusiasm.

"Hey, here you go!"

Su Ming gently placed the brand‑new lighter onto the altar built of matches.

"Times are progressing..."

"You... can't keep up with the times, can't seize the trend, how can you even sell?"

"You need to think, have divergent thinking..."

Su Ming was sighing and musing to himself.

But the next second.

A sudden anomaly erupted!

Buzz—!

A faint buzz came from the tiny match altar.

A thin layer of frost covering every matchstick's surface.

Like snow under scorching sun, it melted instantly!

"Sizzle—"

White steam rose, and the fresh scent of burning pine spread instantly.

Su Ming instinctively stepped back half a step, his eyes fixed on the bizarre change, his heart pounding uncontrollably.

This... this is a freakish omen!

Although the movement was slight, the uncanny feeling emanating from his bones was no less intense!

"It's coming!"

Su Ming held his breath.

Just as the frost completely melted.

Bang—!

The matchstick at the very center of the altar, its tip, suddenly ignited without warning!

Immediately after.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A chain reaction began!

All the matches lit up, and in front of this dilapidated bus stop, a brilliant flame lotus blossomed out of nowhere!

Everything around was bathed in a warm orange‑yellow hue.

The cold platform sign, the rusted metal railings, the moss‑covered ground...

"This feeling..."

Su Ming stared blankly and reached out, trying to touch that warm light.

He recalled the little girl shivering in the wind and snow.

Perhaps this is the scene she saw when she lit all the matches.

The world is beautiful, warm as spring.

Just as his mind drifted.

Boom—!!!

The flames were all extinguished, Purple Light spread in all directions.

"Again Purple Light!"

Su Ming's heart raced.

Fortunately, there aren't many people here.

If this were in the city, it might attract countless eyes.

The purple radiance came quickly and faded just as fast.

Around, darkness and deathly silence returned.

His gaze, at first glance, fell on the altar's original location.

"Hmm?"

Above the altar, there was a palm‑sized, retro‑styled, delicate matchbox.

"Is... is this it?"

Su Ming hurried forward, bent down, picked it up, weighed it in his hand, and felt a little uneasy.

"A matchbox?"

"This thing... is also a Purple Light Product?"

Su Ming was somewhat puzzled.

The earlier 【Fourth Act entry ticket】 looked far more upscale than a matchbox.

"It won't be a loss, right?"

A bad thought surfaced from deep within Su Ming.

He hurriedly cast aside distractions and focused his mind!

Buzz—!

【Name】: Hope Matchbox

【Quality】: Epic

【Function】: At 5 a. m. each day, automatically generates five 【Hope Match】.

"…"

After reading those lines, Su Ming's face hardened completely.

He blinked, then read it again.

That's right.

Su Ming was silent.

Then his defenses shattered.

"No, you damn it, it's an Epic‑grade item! It comes with noble Purple Light by default!"

Just this?!

"I get it, you're looking at my poverty, trying to make me sell matches for a living? Follow in your footsteps?!"

"It's a loss even to grandma's house!"

Su Ming wanted to cry but had no tears.

He felt his prediction about that fairy‑tale world was seriously off.

He had thought that connecting to the fairy‑tale plane meant a truly impressive, special altar.

What was the result?

!

The joke turned out to be himself!

"Ah!"

Thinking it over, Su Ming pushed the inner compartment of the matchbox out.

He wanted to see this so‑called 【Hope Match】.

What does it actually look like!