Chapter 25: No Joking Around

With just ten minutes left before the start of Main Quest 2, the alarm Fatty had set in advance went off. He jolted in fright, tumbled from his seat with a thud, clutched his backside, and scrambled to his feet, only to see that the godlike Lord Night beside him was still sitting in the same position as the previous evening, motionless as a statue.

“Grandpa Night, you spent the whole night spinning the prize wheel…” Fatty’s question trailed off halfway when he noticed the wrongness in the other’s expression and hurriedly changed his tone, “Are… are you okay?”

He followed the other’s gaze and saw a pitch-black box with a shard of mirror inside. “What’s that?”

“The Archmage’s Staff Fragment,” Wen Nan replied, his voice slightly hoarse.

Fatty’s eyes went wide, as if he’d seen a ghost—no, even when he’d actually seen a ghost yesterday, he hadn’t been this shocked.

“This, this, this… is this really… really a Golden Legend?!”

“Yes.”

Wen Nan leaned forward, reached out, and picked up the mirror shard, holding it in his palm. Whether bought from the shop or won from the prize wheel, items and equipment didn’t require physical handling; they could be sent straight into the system’s equipment reserve. But this time, Wen Nan chose to hold it himself—who wouldn’t want to feel the texture of a Golden Legend?

It felt smooth and icy cold, more like holding a piece of ice than a shard of mirror.

The system’s voice rang out in his mind—

[Archmage’s Staff Fragment: The esteemed Great Archmage Ahalim, one of this world’s three creator gods—before the Holy Ruins fell, his staff shattered into twelve pieces. He entrusted one shard to his son Rubick, who refined it and bestowed upon it the power of duplication. Using this equipment, the player may duplicate any skill, equipment, or attribute found on the map for their own use, regardless of level. The duplicated skill, equipment, or attribute will be permanently effective. This equipment may only be used once; after a single duplication, the staff fragment will vanish forever.]

[Do you accept?]

[Accept] [Reject] [Resell]

[Player contact detected; touching the equipment is considered acceptance.]

[The equipment is now bound to your account.]

[To access the equipment, simply call out the command—Soul of Duplication!]

Wen Nan: …

Wait, so to use this, I actually have to shout such a cringeworthy catchphrase? Can’t I just notify the system in my mind?

“Staff Fragment! Soul of Duplication!” Fatty exclaimed in Wen Nan’s ear.

Wen Nan: …

Well, at least this guy isn’t embarrassed to yell it out.

Wen Nan turned to him. “You recognize it?”

Fatty nodded vigorously, almost like a pecking chick. “Anyone who’s read even a bit of the strategy guide would know such an overpowered item—it totally deserves Golden Legend status!”

He paused, then couldn’t help sounding a little regretful. “But this is just the Newbie Trial Map. There won’t be any top-tier skills or attributes for you to steal. If you were in an advanced or special map, you’d be invincible, Grandpa!”

Wen Nan: “…Is it really that exaggerated?”

Fatty waved his hands. “This time I’m not exaggerating—your duplication is permanent. So, if you copy a one-time or short-duration skill or attribute, you get a version that works forever. That’s absolute invincibility.

“For example, one of the nine legendary players has a skill called Time Stop, but his version only lasts for 0.5 seconds each time. If you use this staff fragment to duplicate his Time Stop, you could keep this world in suspended animation forever!

“Now, isn’t that invincible?”

As he spoke, Fatty thumped his chest, a look of pride as if basking in reflected glory.

“What’s this about invincibility?”

“Who’s invincible?”

Huang Tao and Shao Ling climbed down from their beds, catching Fatty’s words. Both looked toward Wen Nan, and when they saw the shard in his palm, they gasped in unison.

“This, this, this… is that—”

“A staff fragment?! Soul of Duplication?!”

Wen Nan narrowed his eyes, glancing up at the three of them—

So, he was the only one who hadn’t recognized it?

Suddenly, Wen Nan felt a little out of place for lacking enough over-the-top gamer spirit.

At that moment, a familiar blaring alarm echoed overhead, accompanied by blinding red lights.

On the floating screen, crimson numbers began to count down—

[00:00:59—]
[00:00:58—]
[00:00:57—]
…

It was the final minute before Main Quest 2 began.

“Oh my god!” A shrill scream pierced the air.

In a horror escape game, players’ nerves were already taut; startled by the scream, the athletic Huang Tao leapt onto his bed, while bespectacled Shao Ling, lacking the same agility, ducked under the table. Only Wen Nan remained motionless, eyes half-lidded as he looked at Fatty.

“What is it?” Wen Nan asked.

Fatty realized his overreaction, forced a sheepish smile, and gestured to the others, “Nothing, nothing—just thought I saw a cockroach fly by.”

Huang Tao and Shao Ling rolled their eyes, grumbling as they returned to the floating screen.

Fatty sidled up to Wen Nan and whispered, “Grandpa Night, the stuff in my equipment reserve… was that from you?”

So that was it? Did he have to shout so loudly…

Wen Nan shrugged, replying casually, “Yeah, I had some extras and sent them your way.”

Fatty could hardly believe his luck. He checked his equipment reserve again and saw the system notifications clearly—

Little Little: [Received gift from another player: Sleep Capsule x10]
Little Little: [Received gift from another player: Nutritional Supplement x10]
Little Little: [Received gift from another player: Safety Bubble x10]
Little Little: [Received gift from another player: Attribute Trial Card x4]
Little Little: [Accept?]

[Accept] [Reject] [Regift]

Seeing that list of gifts, Fatty was moved to tears.

He hadn’t slept in a day and a night, was hungry and exhausted, and had just been considering whether to buy a [Sleep Capsule] or [Nutritional Supplement], but his pitiful account balance had to be saved for emergency [Safety Bubbles], so he’d decided to tough it out—after all, his fat could handle it.

But now…

Not only did he have [Sleep Capsules] and [Nutritional Supplements], he even had [Safety Bubbles]—ten of them! A whole ten! Mama never has to worry about my butt again!

Happiness had come so suddenly, it felt like a dream.

His Grandpa Night was truly the God of Fortune incarnate!

At this thought, Fatty gazed at Wen Nan with deep emotion, wishing he could transform into a vengeful ghost bride, just to let Wen Nan work him to the bone!

“My lord…” Fatty began, voice choked with tears, but was cut off by the prompt flashing overhead.

[00:00:03—]
[00:00:02—]
[00:00:01—]
[Beep!]
[A new player mission has arrived. Please check immediately!]

Main Quest 2 had officially begun, and a new darkness unfurled. There was no room left for laughter now.