105: Chapter 105: Massive Loot from the Corpse! This isn't luck, this is cheating!

The setting sun was as red as blood, dyeing the ruins of the Black Wind Stockade a desolate and vivid orange-red.

Qin Ji held the massive black greatsword, still unsheathed, in one hand. He stood upon shattered bluestone slabs, the blazing stockade gate and the enormous beast's carcass burning fiercely behind him. He casually flicked away the crimson beast's blood from the blade. His amethyst-gold eyes appeared exceptionally cold in the twilight.

"Brother Ji! My dear brother!"

Fatty Zhou's round, chubby body charged over like a meatball tank. Staring at the massive griffin corpse on the ground, his eyes practically glowed green with avarice, looking as if he wanted to pounce on it and take a bite. "This is a Lord-level BOSS! And it even has the 'Pseudo-Legendary' suffix! How much awesome loot is this gonna drop?"

"No need to rush."

Qin Ji leisurely sheathed his greatsword, raising his left hand. His thumb gently stroked the faintly glowing ring on his index finger — [Gamble of Fate].

"Since it was the Queen's pet, its possessions should be quite valuable. But just to be safe..."

He focused his will.

[Active Skill 'All or Nothing' has been activated!]

[Current luck value doubled! Duration: 30 seconds!]

[Warning: If no gains are obtained within the next 30 seconds, a deduction of...]

Before the System warning could finish popping up, Qin Ji had already crouched down. His slender fingers reached directly into the golden light cluster floating beside Klinfis's corpse.

The so-called deduction penalty simply didn't exist for a looting phase that was guaranteed to yield rewards.

"Drop for me!"

As Qin Ji's hand touched the light cluster, a series of pleasing yet scalp-tingling System notification tones exploded in his ears like a frenzied symphony.

"Ding! You have obtained the skill book [Meteor Shower (Advanced Version)] x1."

"Ding! You have obtained the skill book [Eye of the Storm] x1."

"Ding! You have obtained [Klinfis's Sharp Claw] (Gold Rank · Dagger)."

"Ding! You have obtained [Royal Guard's Robe] (Gold Rank · Cloth Armor)."

"Ding! You have obtained Silver Rank equipment x11..."

"Ding! You have obtained +50 Free Attribute Points."

Fatty Zhou watched from the side, drool practically dripping from his mouth. Although he couldn't see the specific stats, just watching that large pile of equipment emitting golden and silver light clatter into Qin Ji's inventory told him this was a massive haul.

"Don't be hasty. There's still a big one."

Qin Ji's eyebrow arched slightly as his fingers touched the deepest part of the light cluster. There lay a token, pitch-black as ink and exuding a sinister, chilling aura.

"Ding! Lucky Critical Hit triggered! You have obtained the special item — [Netherworld Secret Token]."

Qin Ji flipped his hand and retrieved the token.

The token was forged from an unknown black metal, its surface covered in twisted ghost-face patterns. Holding it gave a bone-piercing chill.

[Netherworld Secret Token]

[Grade: Special]

[Effect: The highest-level pass of the Netherworld Clan. The bearer of this token can ignore the erosion of Netherworld Qi, directly enter the Netherworld Royal City, and receive the courtesy of the Netherworld Royal Family.]

[Durability: 100/100]

"Interesting." A playful curve lifted the corner of Qin Ji's mouth.

The Netherworld Kingdom was an Advanced map with territory more than ten times larger than the Star Kingdom. At this point in his previous life, players couldn't even touch the borders of the Netherworld Kingdom because the air there was filled with 'Netherworld Poison Gas' that continuously drained health.

With this token, it was equivalent to getting an early key to a high-level resource vault.

"Fatty, catch."

Qin Ji casually waved his hand, tossing the dozen or so Silver Rank equipment into Fatty Zhou's arms as if they were trash. "Distribute these. I'll keep the Gold Rank ones to sell. The rest just take up space."

"Alright! Thanks, Brother Ji! You're the best, Brother Ji!" Fatty Zhou scrambled to catch the equipment, his face-fat squeezing into a chrysanthemum-like smile from his broad grin.

Dream Chaser in the Mist and her companions watched this scene from a distance, their grips on their staffs so tight they were about to shatter.

Silver Rank equipment... taking up space?

That was top-tier equipment their guild's elite raid team might not even be able to assemble a full set of!

...

Meanwhile, in the Star Kingdom's royal city, within the Listening Rain Hall.

*Crack!*

A loud bang echoed as the desk crafted from ten-thousand-year-old agarwood instantly shattered into pieces, wood splinters flying everywhere.

Queen Fiodingyu's face was as cold as frost, her chest heaving violently. Her originally dignified and graceful bearing was utterly gone. Her narrow, phoenix-like eyes burned with a rage that seemed ready to devour anyone in sight.

"Dead? Klinfis is actually dead?!"

Below the hall, the maid Qing Fuyun kept her head lowered, her body trembling uncontrollably, not even daring to breathe heavily.

"Mother Queen, please calm your anger," Qing Fuyun said, forcing her courage. "That Snow Emperor... his strength seems to have exceeded our estimation. Moreover, he is clearly retaliating."

"Retaliating?"

Fiodingyu snorted coldly, her voice like a chilling wind from the netherworld, cutting to the bone. "From what I know of that greedy fellow, he never acts without profit. If no one instructed him, he would never risk offending me by killing Klinfis."

She slowly paced to the window, looking out at the gloomy sky, a flash of venomous light in her eyes.

"If it's not that fool Leona... then it can only be the Princess!"

"The Princess?" Qing Fuyun suddenly looked up, her pupils contracting. "You mean Snow Emperor has taken a side? If the Princess gains the assistance of such a powerful individual..."

"Assistance?"

A mocking, cold smile curled at the corner of Fiodingyu's mouth as she lightly tapped the window frame. "Snow Emperor is merely a useful blade. Since this blade is now in someone else's hand, we must find a way to break it. If it cannot be broken..."

She turned around, the killing intent in her eyes surging.

"Then we will deal with the one holding the blade as well!"

"Relay my command. Initiate the 'Hunting Hound' plan. Since he's in the wilds, let him stay there forever."

...

In Origin Royal City, inside a second-floor private room of the Tulip Tavern.

As Qin Ji pushed the door open, a faint, elegant orchid fragrance wafted towards him.

The Princess still wore that snow-white long dress, sitting quietly by the window, holding a cup of black tea. She was as elegant as a painting.

Seeing Qin Ji enter, she set down her teacup. A trace of imperceptible surprise and relief flashed in her watery eyes.

"Snow Emperor, you are even faster than I imagined."

The Princess stood up. Instead of putting on royal airs, she proactively poured a cup of tea for Qin Ji. "Klinfis was Mother Queen's beloved pet. You killed it. The weight of this 'pledge of allegiance' is quite substantial."

"I don't like tea. I prefer something more tangible."

Qin Ji didn't accept the teacup. Instead, he sat down casually opposite her, lightly tapping the table with his fingers. "The task is complete. Where's my reward?"

"You are really... direct."

The Princess shook her head helplessly and raised a hand, pointing.

A stream of light instantly shot into Qin Ji's brow.

[Ding! You have completed the Princess's hidden task: Prune the Wings.]

[Ding! You have obtained a key clue regarding the 'Blessing of the Gods'.]

A complex network of relationships instantly surfaced in Qin Ji's mind. Within the Star Kingdom, there were seven NPCs capable of providing the prerequisite task scroll for the Blessing of the Gods: the Princess, Qing Fuyun, Leona, Queen Fiodingyu, King Abra, Prime Minister Kesenluo, and Grand Marshal Lorraine Muyuan.

"Just a list?" Qin Ji's brow furrowed slightly. "Princess, since we are allies, wouldn't it be simpler to just give me the scroll you possess directly?"

"I can give it to you, but not now."

The Princess walked around the table, stopping behind Qin Ji. She leaned forward slightly, her warm breath brushing against Qin Ji's ear, carrying a hint of elusive allure.

"Snow Emperor, although you have proven your strength, if you wish to obtain the Blessing of the Gods, you must help me with one final task."

"Speak." Qin Ji subtly leaned back, avoiding the overly intimate proximity.

"I want the Star Kingdom to ascend in Rank."

The Princess's voice suddenly turned serious, carrying an ambition she could hardly conceal. "My God is about to awaken. As long as I become the King and lead the Kingdom to ascend to an Empire, I can use the power of national fortune to help my God recondense her Divine Spark!"

Kingdom ascension? Empire?

Qin Ji inwardly sneered. This woman's ambition was sky-high. The Goddess of Ice and Snow's Divine Spark had long since shattered into pieces. Trying to recondense it was about as difficult as recreating a world.

But what did that have to do with him?

"Save the grand promises." Qin Ji stood up, patting his sleeves. "We'll talk after you become King. Right now, you can barely protect yourself."

Having said that, he turned and left.

"Wait."

The Princess looked at his retreating back and suddenly said, "Mother Queen is inherently suspicious and vengeful over the slightest grievance. You killed her griffin. On your way back, beware of the 'hounds'."

"Hounds?"

Qin Ji's steps paused slightly, then he waved a hand dismissively. "I'll kill however many come."

...

After leaving the tavern, Qin Ji didn't head directly back to the guild stronghold. Instead, he walked alone towards the teleportation array outside the city.

Night deepened, and players on the streets were sparse.

As he walked into a secluded alleyway, the surrounding air suddenly grew thick.

A nauseating stench of rot, mixed with the scent of sulfur, silently began to permeate the area.

"So these are the so-called 'hounds'?"

Qin Ji stopped walking, his gaze calmly sweeping over the empty streets around him.

*Riiip—!*

Space seemed to be torn apart by some kind of sharp claw.

Three monstrous beasts, each the size of a calf, pitch-black all over, skinless with only crimson muscle fibers exposed, abruptly emerged from the Void Realm.

They had no eyes. Their heads consisted only of a bloody maw split open to the base of their ears, filled with barbed fangs.

[Realm Hound (Elite · Corrupted Body)]

[Level: LV.45]

[Trait: Attacks carry the 'Corrosion' effect. Bleed damage inflicted ignores shields and can stack infinitely.]

*Grrr—!*

The leading hound let out a low growl, its hind legs powerfully kicking off the ground. Its figure instantly vanished from its original spot.

So fast!

The next second, it had already appeared above Qin Ji. Its claw, dripping with black viscous fluid, tore through the air with a shriek, viciously swiping towards Qin Ji's throat.

If this were an ordinary mage, they probably wouldn't even have time to react before being instantly killed.

But Qin Ji merely tilted his head slightly.

*Swish!*

The claw brushed past the tip of his nose. A few strands of black hair drifted down.

"So this is the shield-ignoring corrosion attack?"

Qin Ji looked at the small tear in his shoulder's clothing caused by the gust of wind. There was no bleeding there. Instead, a layer of eerie black mist appeared, attempting to burrow into his skin.

"Interesting. It can bypass my defense stats and perform conceptual damage directly."

A flicker of data-stream-like light passed through Qin Ji's eyes.

Since physical defense was ineffective, then...

*Boom!*

He didn't draw his sword, nor did he use his staff.

Instead, he directly raised his right hand, fingers spread, aiming at the Realm Hound still mid-air.

"Spatial Lock."

*Hum!*

The surrounding air instantly solidified. The hound, maintaining its pouncing posture, was forcibly frozen in mid-air. No matter how it struggled, its exposed muscle fibers writhing frantically, it couldn't move an inch.

Immediately after, Qin Ji's hand clenched fiercely.

"Burst."

*Bang—!*

There was no flash of light, nor any sound.

The Realm Hound's body exploded like a tomato crushed by an invisible giant hand, instantly turning into a mist of blood.

Black blood splattered onto the nearby wall, emitting a sizzling corrosive sound. The hard brick wall was instantly dissolved into deep, bottomless black holes.

"Two more."

Qin Ji turned his head to look at the other two hounds that were preparing to ambush him.

The two monsters clearly possessed high intelligence. Seeing their companion die instantly, they actually let out frightened whimpers, turned around, and tried to flee into the Void Realm.

"Since you're here, don't leave."

Qin Ji lightly tapped the ground with the tip of his foot.

*Crack!*

With him as the center, the ground within a fifty-meter radius instantly became covered in a thick layer of black ice.

The two hounds, having just half-submerged into the Void Realm, were directly frozen solid by this terrifying cold. Even the spatial rift around them was frozen into a massive black amber-like block.

Qin Ji slowly walked up to the ice sculptures. He extended a finger and lightly flicked one.

*Ting.*

A crisp sound echoed in the silent alleyway.

The two ice sculptures instantly disintegrated, turning into countless sparkling ice dust that dissipated in the night wind.

[Ding! You have slain Realm Hound x3. Agility +15, Poison Resistance +30.]

"Only giving this little? How stingy."

Qin Ji curled his lip, patting non-existent dust off his hands.

The streetlamp at the end of the alleyway flickered on and off, emitting a sizzling electrical sound.

Qin Ji stood amidst the complete mess, his feet on ground corroded full of pits and holes. He looked up at the towering palace spire in the distance. His amethyst-gold eyes reflected the never-extinguishing magical light atop the spire. A cold arc lifted the corner of his mouth. Then he turned and melted into the deep night, leaving behind only an extremely long, demon-god-like shadow stretched by the streetlamp.