Chapter 9: Heart-Pounding
Su Xiao had never been here before, but he had some understanding of the Equipment Enhancement Hall.
Here, by paying Paradise Coins, equipment could be enhanced. However, the cost was exorbitant. Aside from their own gear, contractors would never enhance equipment before selling it.
Entering the Equipment Enhancement Hall, what greeted his eyes was a vast, empty hall covering several thousand square meters. The hall was resplendent and brightly lit. Along the walls were rows of precision machines embedded into the walls.
There were quite a few contractors in the hall. Most stared intently at the machines before them, their expressions tense, foreheads covered in sweat.
Su Xiao walked up to a machine. It resembled an enlarged vending machine but was far more precise, with no buttons—the control panel was a display screen.
[Welcome to Equipment Enhancement Machine No. 1876.]
[Beginning enhancement record check. Enhancement record is empty.]
[Beginning explanation of equipment enhancement procedures.]
[Enhancing equipment is a form of amplification for gear. The improvement effect is determined based on the equipment's inherent properties.]
...
After reading through the pile of equipment enhancement guidelines, Su Xiao had a preliminary understanding of the process.
So-called equipment enhancement was essentially a deep refinement of the gear, further strengthening it on its original foundation.
For example, enhancing a weapon would increase its attack power, while enhancing a shield would boost its defense.
Su Xiao pressed his hand onto the display screen, and the equipment enhancement machine reacted.
[Remaining Paradise Coins: 30,357. Please place the equipment to be enhanced.]
With a hiss, steam sprayed from both sides of the machine, and a sturdy metal tray emerged.
Su Xiao pondered for a few seconds before placing the Shattered Spirit on the metal tray. The tray retracted into the machine.
[Equipment verification in progress... Verification complete. Each enhancement costs 1,200 Paradise Coins.]
Su Xiao's eye twitched. *How damn expensive.*
He retrieved the Shattered Spirit and placed the Dragon-Slaying Flash inside instead.
[Equipment verification in progress... Verification complete. Each enhancement costs 3,000 Paradise Coins.]
Su Xiao now understood the meaning behind the messages at the entrance. But since he was already here, he had to try enhancing to see the benefits. If there were no advantages, so many contractors wouldn't be flocking to it.
"Select enhancement."
[Enhancement begins. Please wait five minutes.]
Rumble...
The equipment enhancement machine roared to life, its internal workings making an impressive noise, as if performing complex operations. Occasionally, the crackling sound of electricity could be heard.
Five minutes passed in an instant.
Hiss.
Steam billowed around the machine, and the metal tray slowly extended.
[Dragon-Slashing Flash +1 successful.]
Su Xiao picked up the Dragon-Slashing Flash. He immediately noticed that the blue gleam on its blade was different from before—distinctly deeper.
Dragon-Slashing Flash +1 (Blade Edge Value 48%)
Attack Power: 22–51 (Increased by 2–3)
...
The Dragon-Slashing Flash's attack had improved slightly, but Su Xiao sensed something was off after gripping it. It wasn't just a simple attack boost.
He tried slashing once, furrowing his brow, then placed the Dragon-Slashing Flash back on the metal tray.
[Enhancement cost: 3,000 Paradise Coins each time. Enhance? Yes/No.]
Su Xiao selected Yes. The machine whirred to life, and five minutes later, the enhancement ended.
[Dragon-Slashing Flash +2 successful.]
Su Xiao didn't retrieve the blade. Instead, he chose to continue enhancing, as he had noticed something very interesting.
[Dragon-Slashing Flash +3 successful.]
[Dragon-Slashing Flash +4 successful.]
[Dragon-Slashing Flash +5 failed. Dropped to +3.]
Su Xiao winced in pain but still chose to continue.
[Dragon-Slashing Flash +4 successful.]
[Dragon-Slashing Flash +5 successful!]
He stopped at +5. If it failed after that, all previous enhancements would be wasted, and the blade would drop back to +0.
Hiss.
The metal tray ejected, with the Dragon-Slashing Flash resting on it. A deep blue light flashed across its edge. The faint blue gleam that occasionally appeared had now turned into a deep blue.
Su Xiao picked up the blade to check its stats.
Dragon-Slashing Flash +5 (Blade Edge Value 48%)
Origin: Shadow of Law Destruction
Quality: Blue
Durability: 67/67
Attack Power: 30–63 (Increased by 8–12)
Equipment Requirement: Inheritor of the Shadow of Law Destruction
Rating: 60
Supreme Blade Effect 1: Sharpness +4
Supreme Blade Effect 2: Rc Cell Rhythm (Passive): Stamina +3. (Enhanced by 1 point)
+5 Additional Effect: Armor Penetration Increased.
Description: Loss, Encounter, Battle Together, Rebirth, Growth.
Price: Untradeable.
...
Su Xiao lightly touched the blade's edge with his finger. A mere graze left a bloodstain.
The Dragon-Slashing Flash, once a white-quality weapon, had been forged into a deadly tool. Its current stats surpassed most blue-quality weapons.
Su Xiao's method of forging the Dragon-Slashing Flash was to enhance its sharpness—sharpness, sharpness, endlessly improving sharpness.
He didn't need the blade to have many abilities; sufficient sharpness was enough.
Even Su Xiao himself didn't know just how sharp the Dragon-Slashing Flash had become. Let the enemies find out for themselves.
The Dragon-Slashing Flash's strengthening pleased Su Xiao, but his joy faded when he saw his remaining Paradise Coins.
At some point, his Paradise Coins had dropped from 30,357 to 9,357.
The expenditure made Su Xiao's heart tremble. If the Dragon-Slashing Flash had failed one more time, he would have gone broke.
But Su Xiao wasn't ready to stop. He took out the Flame of Luck, intending to enhance this lighter.
[Equipment verification in progress... Verification complete. Each enhancement costs 900 Paradise Coins. Enhance? Yes/No.]
The Flame of Luck wasn't a weapon, so the enhancement cost wasn't too high.
Su Xiao selected enhancement.
Five minutes later.
[Flame of Luck +1 successful.]
Su Xiao chose to continue.
[Flame of Luck +2 failed. Enhancement level reset.]
Su Xiao was stunned. A +2 enhancement failed? This didn't match the introduction he'd read earlier—wasn't +2 supposed to have a 97% success rate?
He continued enhancing anyway, as some of the Flame of Luck's attributes were too poor, like its excessively long cooldown.
[Flame of Luck +1 successful.]
[Flame of Luck +2 successful.]
[Flame of Luck +3 successful.]
[Flame of Luck +4 successful.]
[Flame of Luck +5 successful.]
[Flame of Luck +6 successful!]
Su Xiao lit a cigarette. At some point, a large crowd had gathered behind him.
"Bro, +6 is good enough. If +7 fails, it resets to zero. If +8 fails, the equipment might even break."
"Keep going! It's been ages since I saw someone hit +7."
"Six consecutive successes—what kind of luck is that?"
Everyone watched Su Xiao's next move. After +7, equipment attributes would undergo a massive change.
Su Xiao checked his remaining Paradise Coins. He had 1,257 left, enough for one more enhancement. He then examined the recovery items in his storage space. He hadn't used many in the Giant World, and the next derivative world wouldn't require replenishment.
[Continue enhancing Flame of Luck? Yes/No.]
Su Xiao took a deep breath, raising his hand mid-air.
*Continue!*
Rumble. The enhancement machine roared to life. By now, dozens of people had gathered behind Su Xiao.
Even Su Xiao felt a bit tense. These Paradise Coins were earned with his life.
Some malicious individuals behind him silently prayed for failure.
The five-minute wait began. Enhancing equipment wasn't instantaneous—it was a process of strengthening the gear. The greater the enhancement, the higher the failure chance.
Hiss.
Steam burst from the machine.
[Flame of Luck +7 successful!]
The result drew sighs of amazement from the dozens behind Su Xiao.
The metal tray ejected, revealing the Flame of Luck flickering with green light. Though its appearance hadn't changed, its overall feel was vastly different. Su Xiao picked it up to check its stats.
Flame of Luck +7 (Premium)
Origin: Tokyo Ghoul
Quality: Green
Category: Accessory (Lighter)
Durability: 37/40
Equipment Requirement: Wearable by anyone.
Equipment Effect: Flame of Luck (Active): Using the Flame of Luck to light a cigarette temporarily increases Luck Attribute by 2 (Enhanced by 1 point). Effect lasts 15 seconds (Enhanced by 5 seconds).
Note: Cooldown of Flame of Luck is 6 natural days. (Enhanced by reducing 4 natural days of cooldown.)
Note: Using the Flame of Luck consumes 600 Paradise Coins. (Cost increased by 100 Paradise Coins.)
Rating: 30+ (Limit of Green Equipment)
Description: It has surpassed the scope of green equipment.
Price: 5,100 Paradise Coins.
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