102: First Place Reward

After the competition, Shi Li was naturally rewarded by the Municipal Education Bureau.

However, compared to the highly anticipated competitive matches, the award ceremony was quite simple.

After all, the city-wide mock unified exam was, in the end, just a "mock" exam, not a major event.

But for those who performed exceptionally well in the competition, the Education Bureau was not stingy with rewards.

As the first-place winner, Shi Li naturally received the most generous rewards.

Through Teacher Li, he learned that they had offered him three options:

1. 50,000 cubic coins, plus 1 Three-Star Token Card.

2. 80,000 cubic coins, plus 1 complete set of Two-Star Character Card promotion materials.

3. 50,000 cubic coins, plus 1 Two-Star Berserker or Stalwart Unique Character Card promotion Token Card.

If all three options were converted into cubic coins, their values were actually quite similar.

The third option had a slightly higher value.

This was a plan tailored by them based on the Unique Character Card Shi Li possessed.

Shi Li, of course, chose option 3 without hesitation.

Now, with the Weng Weng Clan's 【Proof of Earth】 in his hand, he could enter the 【Rocky Plains】 at the Platinum 1 rank.

Promoting one of his Unique Character Cards to Three-Star perfectly met the requirements.

After some thought, Shi Li chose the Berserker promotion Token Card.

There were two reasons.

Firstly, the Red Blade Maiden was his first unique card.

It was impossible not to have a special affection for her.

Secondly, his Berserker resonance was already at 60%, higher than his Stalwart resonance.

Based on his previous promotion experience, this time it might increase to 80% or even 100%.

In addition to the rewards from the Education Bureau, Principal Su, on behalf of the school, gave Shi Li another 100,000 cubic coins.

This meant that with his original 30,000-plus, Shi Li now had 180,000 cubic coins in hand.

His personal assets reached a new high.

As soon as he received the rewards, he immediately went home, locked himself in his room, and began his seclusion.

"With this money, I can definitely complete the promotion mission."

Shi Li excitedly opened the Card Player system.

Clicking to use it, lines of text appeared.

【This mission is titled: Crimson Blade (Promotion).】

【Four years passed in a blink of an eye, and Lin graduated from the Barren North Academy with the most outstanding grades in history.】

【What to do after graduation has always been the most considered question for fresh graduates.】

【As the most anticipated graduate in the Horned Kingdom in the past decade, she faces several paths.】

【Please help her make a choice.】

【A. Royal Capital Guard】

【The Royal Capital Guard had repeatedly invited Lin during these four years, but she had always refused.】

【This time, they offered even better treatment.】

【Obtain temporary hand card 【Sense of Mission】: Play this hand card in a card game, and all allies restore 30% of their Health.】

"The effect of this hand card is a bit exaggerated..."

Shi Li's expression became serious.

Based on past experience, the better the rewards offered by these rogue-like options, the higher the difficulty of the simulated mission.

【B. Consortium Bodyguard】

【The largest consortium in the Horned Kingdom offered Lin an irresistible offer, including a set of equipment that no blade master could refuse.】

【Obtain BUFF 【Extraordinary Equipment】: In this simulated mission, the Red Blade Maiden's maximum Health and Attack are doubled.】

"Doubled? If she's the ace, wouldn't that be 400 Health and 110 Attack or 140 Attack?"

Usually, it would take until near the final BOSS to accumulate such stats.

But now it's given right from the start.

【C. Secluded Cultivation】

【Lin always believed her strength was insufficient. She wanted to find a secluded place to cultivate in peace.】

【Obtain BUFF 【Emergence】: In this simulated mission, all damage dealt by the Red Blade Maiden is True Damage.】

"True Damage, another true god of output besides Fixed Damage."

Shi Li was very envious of this effect.

The effect of True Damage is actually slightly similar to Fixed Damage, and also a bit different.

The similarity is that it can also ignore effects like "Under XXX, damage taken -10," or the upper limit damage reduction like Yuanshan Deputy Sect Leader.

The difference is that it can also ignore effects like Shields that absorb damage, or Barriers that can block 1 instance of maximum damage.

However, Fixed Damage ignores Defense, while True Damage does not ignore Defense.

Shi Li knew that no matter how unrelated these options seemed.

The final BOSS encountered would actually be the same.

It's just that the card deck and BUFFs would differ based on the path chosen by the Card Player.

The BOSS's effects might also vary slightly.

So for now, it was best to just explore.

"The Red Blade Maiden will participate in the simulated mission anyway, so for Dimensional Intervention, I'll add Tiao Tiao to the deck."

Shi Li quickly set up his initial deck.

Half an hour later, he arrived before the final stage.

Completely different from what he imagined, this time the final BOSS was not a so-called "big monster."

Instead, it was more like Tiao Tiao's one-to-two-star mission, a group of monsters.

Their appearance was very similar to the Lord Horned Dragon from the one-to-two-star mission, but they were all stone statues.

【Horned Dragon Statue】

Listen to the Wind, Attack 0, 200/200, 0/40

【Wind Blessing - Passive】: When the Horned Dragon Statue is 【Stationary】, damage taken -50.

【Artifice Power - Passive】: When the Horned Dragon Statue's Health drops below 100, its Energy is fully charged next turn.

【Mimicry - 40 Energy】: The Horned Dragon Statue creates 1 card slot and summons 1 【Horned Dragon Statue】.

【Grand Annihilation Art - 1000 Energy】: The Horned Dragon Statue consumes all Energy, causing all enemy units to 【Retire】.

These were enemies that could "self-replicate," starting with only 3 cards.

They had no Attack and would just stay 【Stationary】.

But once their Energy was fully charged, they would immediately summon 1 identical card.

When their numbers were sufficient to accumulate 1000 Energy, they would unite to unleash a board-clearing skill.

To win this card game, one needed enough output to instantly kill 1 【Horned Dragon Statue】 in 1 turn.

But the problem was, even though this guy only had 200 Health, it possessed incredibly strong damage reduction.

Moreover, these low-Health enemies were relatively difficult for the Red Blade Maiden to deal with.

Even a single Crimson Blaze only dealt 40 additional damage, still far from an instant kill.

So, without suspense, Shi Li met with failure in this card game.

When the BOSS activated its ultimate skill, a giant five-pointed star of light shone down, and all of his character cards were eliminated.

Then, the familiar text plus unfamiliar numbers popped up.

【Unfortunately, this mission failed.】

【Do you want to reset this mission for 10,000 cubic coins? Yes/No.】

"???"

Shi Li suspected that this exaggerated increase was a joke.

His small amount of money was only enough to refresh 18 times?

...

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