Chapter 18: Fate Pocketwatch!

All around, the silence was almost frightening.

Su Ming's nerves were taut; he actually felt a trace of fear and could not move.

At the center of the altar, beneath the tattered Desk Calendar, a speck of golden glimmer lit up.

It was not dazzling; it could even be called dim.

But…

The light instantly smoothed Su Ming's fear, panic, and all negative emotions completely.

Buzz—!!!

The golden light burst forth suddenly.

The interior of the entire ruined building was, at that moment, illuminated as if it were a legendary divine kingdom!

Su Ming bathed in this vast golden radiance.

Countless life fragments, like an uncontrolled lantern carousel, whirled and flashed before his eyes at breakneck speed.

The first loud wail of a newborn infant.

Lovers newly awakened to love, whispering clumsily under moonlight.

A hero clad in blood‑stained battle armor, triumphing alone amid the cheers of the masses.

There were also ragged little folk in the cold wind, sighing contentedly for a single mouthful of hot soup.

Joy, sorrow.

Meeting, parting.

Hope, despair.

All converging into the long river of time!

Amid those rapidly flashing fragments, Su Ming even saw himself.

He saw the youth who, before his parents' cold tombstones, forced back tears and forced a smile.

This is… his imperfect yet vivid life!

He could not tell how long had passed.

The golden brilliance faded entirely.

Everything around returned to calm.

Su Ming turned his head, fixing his gaze on the altar.

At some unknown moment, the gears on the altar resumed their steady rotation.

The tattered Desk Calendar that had carried his first half of life had vanished.

A simply crafted pocket watch lay there quietly.

Eye of Truth, activate!

Buzz—!

【Name】: Fate Pocketwatch

【Quality】: Legendary

【Effect】: The holder gains an extremely keen intuition toward imminent Karma changes in the surrounding environment, granting reaction and judgment speed far beyond that of ordinary people. (Passive ability)

……

"Passive ability?"

"Just one?"

Su Ming's first reaction was bewilderment.

After all, it's a Legendary‑rank item; its effect is so simple?

But when he reached out and grasped the pocket watch, his whole body jolted sharply.

A profoundly mysterious feeling!

This… is a divine technique!

What this Fate Pocketwatch grants him is not a kind of power, speed, or defense that can be simply measured by numbers.

But operation!

It is consciousness!

Before, he possessed blood and strength far beyond ordinary people, but nothing else.

Like a player in a game who, after spending money, obtained god‑level gear but whose control was fragmented—a hapless victim.

His stats exploded, yet he lacked the matching operational awareness.

When hitting a fixed target, his heavy punches struck a child with each blow.

But once faced with a true master, he could hardly exert force.

And now, it's different!

Pre‑judgment!

Insight!

This Fate Pocketwatch instantly lifted his operational awareness from bronze straight to a king‑level tier!

Even higher!

"Good stuff!"

Su Ming, with a thought, tried to store this Fate Pocketwatch into the Dimensional Reduction Warehouse.

The pocket watch vanished from his hand into thin air.

Done!

Immediately after, Su Ming closed his eyes.

That strange resonance with the whole world did not weaken at all because the pocket watch disappeared!

It can take effect!

It's no different from merging into the bloodline!

Last night, that ambusher burst forward from behind.

If it weren't for that Fourth Act ticket, I would have been frozen solid.

But now…

If that scene repeats.

He has absolute confidence!

No need to use any trump cards!

Counter‑kill with composure!

One strike, fatal!

After adjusting his mindset, Su Ming glanced at the time again.

10:40 PM.

Until the altar refreshes, there is just over an hour left.

"Can still become stronger!"

Before the words finished.

His figure had already plunged into deeper Night Color Bar.

Must seize it!

After a long while, Su Ming fell silent.

He had originally swapped his bird‑gun for a cannon, his confidence soaring, his drive full.

But reality gave him a hard slap.

Nearly an hour had passed.

He almost turned the whole area upside down.

The altar, however, discovered several more.

But…

"What the hell are these things?!"

Altar Number:

Connection Signpost: Rotting Swamp

Karma Overview: a giant mosquito on the brink of starvation, yearning to sip a mouthful of fresh blood.

Mosquito?

Mosquitoes are what he hates most!

Seeing it not killed outright is already great mercy, and now offering it a sacrifice?

Next!

Altar Number:

Connection Signpost: Dung Beetle Paradise

Karma Overview: a dung beetle that just finished pushing dung, discovers its labor's result missing, and is very angry.

Su Ming's mouth twitched.

He didn't even have the strength to complain.

What the heck is this?!

Is the art style of this world getting stranger?

He withdrew his gaze and left without looking back.

If he stayed any longer, he feared he couldn't hold back and would fling a lump onto that altar.

See if he can earn that dung beetle's friendship!

"Time really isn't much left."

Su Ming glanced at his phone, feeling irritated.

Less than half an hour left!

Anxiety began to spread in his mind.

Could today's final chance really be wasted on this junk?

He wasn't willing to accept it!

"Hm?"

Suddenly, vague shouts drifted on the wind.

"Someone?!"

Su Ming instantly became alert, his body tensed.

After only a moment's hesitation, he crouched, softened his steps, and slipped toward the direction of the voice.

Now his strength is fully enough to be a hunter!

Soon, he arrived at an open concrete clearing.

It used to be an open‑air stockpile, with abandoned containers haphazardly stacked.

Su Ming darted behind a container, cautiously peeking out.

In the center of the open space ahead, two squads of troops faced off, the atmosphere tense.

Next to them, a strangely shaped altar stood!

The altar exuded an eerie pink glimmer, bathing the surroundings in faint, wavering shadows.

In appearance, it actually resembled a slender jade hand that had been severed at the wrist and magnified several times!

The five fingers were slightly curved, the palm facing upward.

It exuded an indefinable, ambiguous and bizarre aura.

"Truly not ordinary!"

Su Ming's heart raced uncontrollably.

Just by its appearance, it was far from street‑food fare!

This time, they've hit the mark!