Chapter 29: That Fast?
Su Xiao had high expectations for the Scarlet Card in his hand. He had previously observed the spells released by that mage, and judging by their appearance alone, their power was formidable—most of them traveled several hundred meters before dissipating.
Opening a Scarlet Card always felt like buying a lottery ticket to Su Xiao. The randomness was too high. Every contractor carried a large number of daily necessities in their storage space, and he had long grown accustomed to pulling out such items.
Things like broccoli, shampoo, bras, and so on.
After being baptized by these items, no matter how bizarre the contents of this Scarlet Card turned out to be, Su Xiao felt he could accept it calmly. Probably...
[Yes/No to open the Scarlet Card.]
He chose to open it. The 'Scarlet Card' gradually dissolved, turning into a mass of pale red liquid. The liquid floated in midair, spinning rapidly, forming a blood-colored vortex before Su Xiao. The top of the vortex was just large enough for a hand to reach in, and he thrust his hand inside, where a misty haze swirled.
After some groping, Su Xiao touched a square box. The box had a smooth texture and was about twenty centimeters long.
Su Xiao sensed that this item was of considerable value. A mysterious, confident smile appeared on his face as he withdrew his hand from the blood-red vortex. A notification from Reincarnation Paradise appeared.
Seeing the prompt, the smile on Su Xiao's face faded. He stood frozen in place, the corner of his mouth twitching noticeably.
[You randomly drew: 'Complete Collection of Ultraman · Chinese DVD Collector's Edition (Common Item)'.]
"Ul... Ultraman."
As Su Xiao spoke, Bubu Wang beside him crossed his front paws, striking the opening pose of a dynamic light beam. This idiot had clearly watched Ultraman before.
"As expected from a brat. Who keeps Ultraman in their storage space?"
Su Xiao casually tossed the DVD box aside. Bubu Wang quickly snatched it up, treating it like a treasure.
"Woof."
Bubu Wang wore a delighted expression, as if to say: 'Master, great luck.'
"This thing is old. You can keep it as an antique."
Despite the 'auspicious start,' Su Xiao didn't lose confidence. He reached his hand back into the blood-red vortex.
Just as his hand was about to enter the vortex, he hesitated for a moment. He took out a cigarette and lit it with Fate Redemption.
Exhaling a puff of pale golden smoke, Su Xiao abandoned his mysterious confidence and used his lucky state to open the Scarlet Card. He had originally planned to save this opportunity, since Fate Redemption had a five-day cooldown.
He reached into the blood-red vortex and groped around, eventually grasping a long, rod-shaped object.
Su Xiao paused. Could this be the young mage's staff?
With that thought, Su Xiao didn't hesitate and pulled his hand out of the blood-red vortex.
"Staff my ass..."
Su Xiao slammed the long, rod-shaped object onto the ground, producing a crisp clang.
This was clearly not a staff. The sound of a staff hitting the ground wasn't this clear. It was a tent pole.
There was one last chance. Bubu Wang stepped forward, his gaze seeming to say: 'Master, if it's really not working, let me try. Just accept your fate. Luck is innate, just like your starting charm.'
Su Xiao pushed Bubu Wang aside. He refused to believe he couldn't pull out a valuable item today.
He reached into the blood-red vortex for the third and final time.
Grabbing an item at random and pulling it out, a dark purple light flickered in the room. In his hand was an iron box the size of a cigarette pack, silver in color, with no seams.
[You randomly drew: 'Item Modification Device (Dark Purple)'.]
[Item Modification Device]
Origin: Second Rank Space Battlefield · Rikeyama Star
Quality: Dark Purple
Type: One-Time Consumable
Effect: This item can fuse one piece of equipment with two materials to enhance the equipment's quality. After fusion, the equipment's category remains unchanged, but its attributes will be significantly altered.
Tip: The maximum quality of equipment that can be added is Purple.
Tip: The maximum quality of materials that can be added is Purple.
Tip: Using this item requires 'Mechanical Modification Skill: Lv.17 or above'.
Rating: 150
Introduction: This is the technology of Rikeyama Star.
Selling Price: 39,000 Paradise Coins.
...
Examining the iron box in his hand, Su Xiao understood its function after some study.
He could choose one piece of equipment and two precious materials to fuse together. After fusion, the category of the purple equipment would not change. For example, if the equipment before fusion was a sword, it would still be a sword after fusion, not a gun.
Su Xiao's first thought was to fuse 'Fate Redemption,' but after seeing a certain line in the item description, he decisively abandoned that idea.
'After fusion, the equipment's category remains unchanged, but its attributes will be significantly altered.'
If Fate Redemption were fused into other attributes, like boosting strength or something, he would lose big.
The risk was too high. Su Xiao decided to fuse other equipment instead, which was safer.
Fusing now was unlikely. The prerequisite of 'Mechanical Modification Skill Lv.17 or above' stumped him.
"Mechanical Modification Skill... Looks like I'll have to find a mechanic after returning to Reincarnation Paradise."
He put away the [Item Modification Device]. This thing might help him obtain a dark purple piece of equipment.
The blood-red vortex disappeared. Overall, the haul was decent—one dark purple item, much better than the time he got an empty purple chest.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Su Xiao meditated, waiting for Scorpion to return.
Ten minutes later, footsteps approached. Su Xiao stopped meditating and looked toward the door.
Didara pushed the door open, holding a bowl of oden.
"That fast?"
"Huh?"
Didara looked at Su Xiao in confusion.
Su Xiao shook his head, signaling it was nothing. The room was filled only with the sound of Didara chewing. Su Xiao sensed that Didara seemed somewhat annoyed, and also a bit resigned.
"Kid... you didn't get dumped, did you?"
Didara's hand froze, and the bamboo skewer in his hand snapped with a crack.
"Looks like I guessed right."
Su Xiao said nothing more, but Bubu Wang perked up, his shiny little eyes seeming to say: 'Lights, get in position. Shove the mic into his mouth.'
"Sigh..."
Didara let out a sigh. His favorite oden suddenly tasted bland.
"Sigh~"
Didara sighed again, seeming a bit irritated. Su Xiao glanced sideways at Didara. This kid hadn't been cheated on, had he?
No, that wasn't right either. If Didara had been cheated on, this village would be flattened.
"What? That woman found someone new?"
Didara nodded.
"We weren't in a relationship, so it's normal."
"Is that so? You look so down. Did you see her man?"
"No."
As Didara said this, the corner of his eye twitched noticeably.
"Then what?"
"When I sneaked into her house, she was breastfeeding her child..."
Su Xiao coughed dryly. The plot twist was too sharp. She even had a child. He almost choked on the steering wheel he wasn't holding. How long had it been since Didara last visited that woman?
"I'm surprised you didn't blow this place up."
"That's normal. I hadn't come to see her in two years. I'd almost forgotten where she lived. If it weren't for the mission in the Land of Water, I probably wouldn't have seen her again."
Saying this, Didara seemed to feel a bit better, especially when he noticed the bloodstains on his sleeve.