Chapter 16: Pure BUG‑Tier Combo!

The inner box was pushed open.

Five brand‑new matches lay neatly in the tiny groove.

Su Ming tipped them into his palm.

They looked the same, except the material was a bit better.

"Sigh…"

Su Ming sighed, completely without any hope left.

These things were probably just for lighting, making the flame look nicer or last a bit longer.

In the end, they're still matches.

They can't change their nature.

But just as he was about to toss these matches together with the box into the 【Dimensional Reduction Warehouse】 to gather dust,

his gaze fell on one of the matches.

【Eye of Truth】 activated.

New golden characters floated up from that tiny match.

【Name】: Hope Match

【Quality】: Ordinary

【Effect】: Once lit, it is extremely warm and bright, its light is hard for wind or water to extinguish, and it deals extra burning damage to Calamity targets.

"Huh? It can hurt Calamity?"

Su Ming raised an eyebrow.

This attribute is actually kind of interesting.

It's a nice little bonus.

If he later meets a Black Light Monster, it might come in handy.

Burn its rear!

"But that's about it…"

"Five disposable tiny fire sticks a day are still a bit useless."

Su Ming pursed his lips; his disappointment didn't lessen much.

How could this box match Epic Quality!

However!

Just as Su Ming was about to store it in dimensional space, his eyes suddenly locked.

【Quality: Ordinary】…

Quality?

Quality!

Boom!!!

A bolt of lightning ripped through Su Ming's mind, his breathing rapid.

It's broken!

Seems I misjudged this box!

Every match is an 【Ordinary】 Quality…

Altar Feedback Item?!

And this matchbox can automatically generate five matches each day!

Su Ming stared rigidly at the match in his hand, his body trembling more and more.

This damn thing is not a matchbox with a few sticks!

This is the key to the Gate of a new world!

Each match is a lowest‑rank Altar Feedback Item recognized by the 【Crimson Throne】 Rule!

That altar…

If it can really consume matches…

Sss—!

The thought gave Su Ming goosebumps all over.

If his guess is correct.

Then this 【Hope Matchbox】 is not Epic‑level trash at all!

This damn…

It's a factory that can continuously supply Source Blood to the 【Crimson Throne】!

Eternal! Moving! Machine!

"WTF! WTF! WTF!"

Su Ming could no longer hold back the surge inside, muttering profanity under his breath.

No choice.

He's just a trash collector, so inexperienced!

The impact of this discovery is truly terrifying!

At first glance, it's useless.

But combined with the 【Crimson Throne】 altar,

it undergoes a direct qualitative change!

1+1 far exceeds 2!

As long as it's feasible, it's a perfect cycle with no risk that can bring stable, continuous, terrifying returns!

"Sign in every day, collect wages on schedule!"

"Verify!"

"Must verify immediately!"

The thought instantly occupied Su Ming's entire mind.

Nothing else matters now!

Right now, nothing is more important than verifying this hypothesis!

Su Ming spun around abruptly, without a hint of hesitation, and sprinted straight toward the Slaughterhouse!

Delay time?

Impossible!

If it works, combat power will skyrocket, allowing him to act more boldly and calmly!

"Hurry up!"

"Faster!"

About twenty minutes later, Su Ming slammed on the brakes and stopped in front of the iron Gate.

He panted heavily, checked that no one was around, opened the Gate, and returned to the Slaughterhouse.

Then he headed straight for the basement, pushing aside the decayed wood planks that were used to block the way.

The crimson Throne appeared before his eyes once more!

Thump… thump…

The muffled thudding kept resonating tirelessly.

Su Ming extended his right hand, still trembling slightly.

The Hope Matchbox materialized out of thin air.

He opened it and drew out a Hope Match.

"Come on, come on!"

Su Ming released his grip and held his breath.

Success or failure hinges on this move!

The next second.

The blood‑vessel‑like crimson tendrils stirred!

They instantly pierced, enveloped, and devoured the tiny match!

The whole process was blazingly fast.

Gurgle…

A familiar scene unfolded.

A drop of dark‑red liquid, identical in size to the one formed when converting the Inferior Physical Energy Talisman, spontaneously coalesced at the center of the altar.

It was—Source Blood!

"It's done!"

Su Ming's eyes gleamed with ecstatic joy.

The Hope Matchbox combined with the Crimson Throne—a pure, bug‑level combo!

Su Ming took the bottle, opened it, and drank the Source Blood straight down.

The familiar warm current surged through his body instantly.

Power!

A tangible sense of strength!

Then Su Ming once again fixed his gaze on the matchbox in his hand, feverishly.

Four more left!

"Continue!"

"Take off!"

Snicker! Snicker! Snicker! Snicker!

The four matches, representing ordinary quality, turned into four bottles of Source Blood!

"Glug—!"

The viscous liquid slid down his throat into his stomach.

"Huff—!"

So refreshing!

Heat surged through his body, his blood boiling!

After several full minutes, Su Ming finally adapted to his new body.

His overall physical condition was amplified, fierce enough to make him dizzy!

Now a single punch could kill a cow!

"Finally, I have some self‑preservation ability!"

Su Ming glanced at his phone.

It was ten p. m.

Only two hours remain before today ends!

"There are still two chances; I can't waste them!"

With his current strength, he can act even more boldly.

If there really are any short‑sighted ones who come looking…

He doesn't mind having an extra meal!

But before that…

Su Ming's mind once again conjured that altar—

【Altar Number】: 1955.

【Connection Marker】: Eternal Clock City.

【Karma Overview】: A clocksmith god who pursues ultimate precision, because the Eternal Clock he created is flawless and unchanging through the ages, has fallen into eternal boredom and emptiness, and he longs for some change.

"An altar related to time, with such an early number, definitely won't be weak!"

"But… what exactly should be used?"

Su Ming returned to his cleared‑out residence, looked at the house filled with displays, and fell into contemplation.

The useful items from the West District, he had brought over in the afternoon, and there weren't many.

"Change…"

The request sounds simple.

But on closer thought, it's all traps.

What is change?

What counts as change?

That clocksmith god is, after all, the ancestor of playing with time.

The clocks he created are flawless and unchanging through the ages.

This shows that on the path of precision, he has already reached the end.

Would giving him a less precise clock be meaningful?

Su Ming opened his phone and searched for digital watches and mechanical watches.

On the screen, images of watches with astonishing prices popped up.

Patek Philippe.

Vacheron Constantin.

Hundreds of thousands, millions, even tens of millions.

Su Ming shook his head.

He can't afford them.

Even if he could afford them, he doesn't think these things would work.

To that clocksmith god, those so‑called famous watches are probably no different from a child's toys.

They're just a bunch of moving parts.

"The line of thought is wrong."

Su Ming turned off his phone, stood up, and paced back and forth.

Really… should I give up?!

"Hm?"

Suddenly, his gaze halted.

His expression was a bit unnatural!