He raised his hand and took.
This simple action, completed within two seconds, left everyone staring in disbelief.
The person involved also found it strange. Thinking there was some kind of trick, Zhou Qi’an decisively recalled the white silk, ready to fight to the death at any moment.
His muscles tensed, his thin lips pressed tightly together, not daring to relax for even a moment.
However, the moment he pulled out the trident, nothing happened.
“…Is this for real?”
Amidst the skeptical expressions of everyone, Zhou Qi’an began to doubt the authenticity of the divine artifact.
The familiar mechanical voice arrived just in time:
【Congratulations, you have obtained a Five-Star+ item.】
【You are the first player to acquire a holy-grade weapon.】
·
Outside, as Zhou Qi’an casually pulled out the trident, an announcement echoed throughout the entire server.
On the [Azure] game forum, the only place where players could publicly discuss game-related matters, countless players were online daily, using it for trading, team formation, and other needs.
[#Trading, urgently need speed-enhancing items, must be no less than ninety seconds of acceleration. #]
[Brain-dead forum owner, why didn’t you ask for a rocket?]
……
[#Looking for a team, specific requirements in the post. #]
……
Every few minutes, new posts replaced the old ones.
[#Breaking! A player unlocked a healing skill!]
This post quickly garnered over a hundred replies in just a minute.
[Is it true? Is the information reliable? Please share contact info.]
[I’ll provide the team items, along with an acceleration item. Looking for a team, DM me.]
[What the heck, a healing skill, this is the first time I’ve heard of it! Which species’s evolution path is this?]
[It’s from a newbie player, they foolishly exposed it, but it doesn’t matter that the healing skill is exposed. The answer is Ice Sea Angel.]
[There’s such a creature in the ocean?!]
Just as countless players flooded in to discuss, the forum top banner flashed red:
[Congratulations to players from the Huaxia Yanyang District for becoming the first to acquire a holy-grade artifact!]
“!!!”
In the stunned half-minute, no one was even able to type on their keyboards. After such explosive news, no one immediately posted to verify the information.
The forum automatically pinned a new highlight post:
[Holy artifact born, a new series of 320 related instance are expected to open.]
[Instance entrance updated.]
[New world instance entrances added: Rice Wildman Mountain—Tunnel; Eastern Mermaid Forest—Dry Well; Zinan New Village Library—Elevator…]
[Weapon leaderboard updated.]
[Leaderboard below, click ↓]
Across different countries and regions, the air seemed to stop.
The highlight post extensively introduced the updates in over ten thousand words, yet what kept rolling through the minds of players browsing the forum was a single phrase: holy artifact, Huaxia, Yanyang District.
So the holy artifact wasn’t even the ultimate item?
So which lucky bastard got the holy artifact!!!
Some top players in the game turned their attention to a specific direction.
Yanyang District… Now that the general area was known, things would be much easier.
·
At this moment, no one understood the properties of the holy artifact better than Zhou Qi’an.
【Name: Golden trident
- Quality: Five-Star+
- Equipment Description: The only holy artifact in the server, this is not a fishing trident, but a badass trident. Its steel prongs specialize in treating all forms of disobedience, with a 14% chance to deal secondary damage. It shines brilliantly and has a built-in lighting feature.
- User Manual: Fishing requires a quiet and seamless approach, but not with this trident. It needs to shine bright at all times, because true power doesn’t need to hide.
- Bonus: Fast shooting speed, enabling rapid hunting.
- Warning: It will make your heart, your blood, everything feel as cold as if you’ve been gutting fish at a hypermarket for thirty years.】
A holy artifact?
Though he had been holding it for a while, the cold touch on the handle didn’t diminish.
Finally coming to his senses after being heavily wounded, Zhou Qi’an shot an incredulous glance at Xun the Wealthy. What had the NPC just said? Only the purest of hearts could wield it?
Han Tiansheng, not holding back, cursed loudly: “To hell with that nonsense!”
Unless the definition of purity in the instance differed from the one in the outside world.
On the other side, Han Li gazed at her still-bleeding wrist, the severed hand serving as a reminder that she wasn’t qualified.
At least it proved that the literal meaning of purity hadn’t been misinterpreted.
But what exactly was the reason?
A player who, at the start, chooses to sacrifice his wife to the heavens, then kills his teammates through fishing law enforcement, sets fire to the mountain, and finally encourages everyone to feed the fish—would he be considered pure and good?
Where is the purity?
Is the game blind, like Xun the Wealthy, and died off?!
“Didn’t they say only good people can hold it?” The murmurs of a college student reached Zhou Qi’an’s ears. He paused for a moment, then quickly thought of something, and a hollow smile appeared on his pale face. “Good people?”
So that’s it.
In his initial traits, his familial affinity was 100%.
When Zhou Qi’an first saw the trait, he found it very ironic, but gradually, he came to understand.
After the great fog three years ago, some people in reality had also changed. However, the players in the game evolved, while these people, like Xun the Wealthy, underwent a death-like mutation, becoming bloodthirsty and violent.
The change in his hair and eye color signified that he too had been affected by the great fog, yet he had never felt a thirst for killing.
I’ve mutated + but I have no desire for killing (rounding up) = I am a perfect good person.
Zhou Qi’an brainwashed himself: “That’s right, I am a perfect good person…”
This sentence, when heard by the others, had the same effect as eating frozen fish, creating an extreme physical discomfort.
Mr. Si even dug at his rabbit ears, as though something dirty had entered.
Before anyone could make a comment, the ground beneath their feet began to shake violently.
The first reaction from everyone was that someone’s “pure goodness” had gone too far, and they were being punished by heaven.
But when black mist began pouring in from the glowing golden entrance above, the players realized it had nothing to do with the heavens, and something else was going on outside.
The thickening black mist was filled with various sounds, including hissing snakes, rustling spiders, and human curses… every species was screaming, mixed with extreme fear.
Zhou Qi’an suddenly asked sharply, “What time is it?”
The entire dark room seemed to be on the brink of collapse. Han Li suppressed her jealousy, looked at the time device, and said, “Ten minutes to midnight.”
Then she heard Zhou Qi’an muttering a curse under his breath, “Damn it, the statue woke up early.”
Normally, the statue’s dormant period wouldn’t end until midnight. Zhou Qi’an wasn’t sure if it was because he had pulled out the golden trident, but it seemed that the statue had developed a massive sense of crisis.
“Xun Er…”
Xun Er had been devoured by the statue after making his wish, further strengthening the power of the evil god. This should also be the cause.
The joy of obtaining the treasure was instantly overshadowed.
Based on the clues gathered earlier, finding the holy artifact would allow them to smash the statue during its dormancy.
Dormancy.
The three words felt like three mountains, pressing heavily on him.
Now that the statue had awakened, even though he had obtained the holy artifact, the chances of smashing the statue had greatly decreased.
“If we work together to kill Xun the Wealthy and keep hiding here, we might still…”
Before the thought could fully take shape, a cold, mechanical voice came swiftly and forcefully:
【Attention all players】
【The holy artifact has been taken】
【The hidden map will close soon】
【Players will be teleported back to the surface. The teleportation will begin in 10 seconds. 10s, 9s—】
Before Zhou Qi’an could react, his body was forcefully pulled upwards, and the teleportation disoriented him.
A damp, suffocating scent came from ahead. The statue’s cheeks bulged as its eyes, like those of Maitreya Buddha, opened wide. It was the source of all the black mist, gazing intently at the offering brought before it.
Game, I curse your grandfather!
Zhou Qi’an could hardly contain his rage, as of all the players, only he was teleported in front of the statue. If it wasn’t intentional targeting, then no one would believe it.
As he looked up, he met the statue’s gaze.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
He desperately tried to block it with his arm.
The water droplets formed by the black mist were far more corrosive than the meat chunks falling from the ceiling, and the bloodied wounds expanded.
The original injuries were being further damaged, and Zhou Qi’an sucked in a cold breath from the pain, his entire body only left with intact hair.
The hair, having evolved, was remarkably resistant to corrosion, and it hadn’t even started balding in this strong acid.
The sea serpent that had previously obstructed the statue was already consumed. The sound of dripping water, which had been trickling, became a loud, almost splashing sound. If it continued for less than half a minute, he would probably have no healthy flesh left.
Zhou Qi’an gritted his teeth and began scanning his surroundings. Xun Er was nowhere to be seen; it seemed he had truly been devoured.
A scream from the college student came from behind, followed by some sounds of fighting. Although the players didn’t have to face the statue directly, Xun the Wealthy was enough for them to handle.
Zhou Qi’an couldn’t afford to pay attention to the rear. Without turning his head, he said:
“Cover my back.”
Having been attacked by Xun the Wealthy from the start, Chen Jian now thought it would be better to die at the hands of an NPC than to be killed by Zhou Qi’an’s frustration.
He aimed at the small gap between Xun the Wealthy and the wall. There was no place to hide now, but the downstairs was less mutated, so it might be possible to temporarily leave the third floor.
Even if they managed to escape, no one had any confidence they would survive the remaining survival duration.
The statue was the start of all disasters, and there was an intricate connection between Xun the Wealthy and the statue.
Smashing it would undoubtedly bring a turning point.
Chen Jian cursed Zhou Qi’an, though he didn’t hear anything.
The statue’s eyes hadn’t fully opened yet, and black mist seeped into the wounds. Zhou Qi’an’s mind was bombarded with a cacophony of voices.
“I am willing to offer my youth.”
“God, I am willing to trade my life.”
“Hehehe, I want to get revenge on those who betrayed me…”
The countless creatures who had worshiped the evil god in the past, their obsessive last words, echoed in his mind, each one more painful than the last.
The brain has the most miraculous control center. Zhou Qi’an not only heard the voices, but he could also feel their emotions.
With millions of emotions erupting simultaneously, he felt as if his head would explode.
“Get out…”
Get out of my head.
The statue remained unmoved in front of him, its black mist turning its eyes cloudy as it gazed down at its prey.
Zhou Qi’an struggled to raise his wrist, thinking nonstop about how to escape.
The statue couldn’t move, and he happened to have the holy artifact in hand to counter it. The current problem was… Zhou Qi’an was gritting his teeth, the holy artifact was powerful, but the cost of using it was enormous. After moving just an inch, he almost passed out.
【Holy Artifact in use——】
【Your health is reduced by 40.】
While using the holy artifact, the game even changed his title, but Zhou Qi’an felt nothing but negative experiences.
40 points were equivalent to the maximum amount of blood a normal person could donate at one time, and with his existing injuries, his lips turned pale instantly.
Zhou Qi’an took a deep breath, gripped the metal shaft, and the next second, almost hurled himself and the golden trident forward.
【Holy Artifact still in use——】
【Your health is reduced by 40.】
Breathing became difficult, and Zhou Qi’an’s limbs went limp. His pale forehead was drenched in cold sweat.
The only thing bringing him any relief was the slight cracking sound, as the tip of the trident lodged into the statue’s eye, and more black mist, like mudfish, slithered into the wound.
“Xun Er.”
Zhou Qi’an was on the verge of collapse, doing his best to keep from losing consciousness, repeating Xun Er’s name in his mind.
Every voice in his head seemed to correspond with a face. Amidst countless faces, Zhou Qi’an repeatedly whispered Xun Er’s name. The blood loss triggered intense palpitations, and his expression became somewhat dazed, but his mind was working faster.
Xun Er had only been swallowed recently, and his consciousness hadn’t been completely consumed.
And after the statue was attacked by the trident, cracks appeared. For Xun Er, this was an opportunity for retaliation.
A method that Zhou Qi’an had thought of as a child to escape by feeding the fish was now right before him, and he didn’t believe Xun Er wouldn’t seize it.
“Take control of the will of the evil god, become it, replace it…”
This was the reason I didn’t expose you in the living room.
This is your final value.
The statue’s eyes suddenly became fierce, and Zhou Qi’an pushed the trident an inch closer, unreservedly continuing to provoke.
The moment the crack expanded, the statue’s eyes began to bleed.
It now had two faces!
Zhou Qi’an was sure this wasn’t an illusion; the other face had traces of Xun Er.
Zhou Qi’an smiled.
The second point in the survival guide on the panel, “Let the dawn break,” seemed like a task with no head or tail, but it was actually the best loophole to exploit.
—Pray to the gods.
What humans cannot do, let the gods do.
Even the evil god can work.
“Almighty god…”
Zhou Qi’an began to pray, despite holding a powerful weapon in his hand, his tone still full of sincere devotion. “Please bless the sky to brighten again. For this, I am willing to offer…”
He suddenly paused, revealing a malicious smile.
The statue lived off human belief and risk.
At this moment, the statue was facing the risk of being backfired by Xun Er, so it urgently needed someone to make a wish to siphon power.
For Xun Er, wasn’t this the same?
In this tug-of-war, with the opportunity Zhou Qi’an had created, Xun Er intermittently occupied the statue’s consciousness, making him half an evil god himself.
“One body, two souls,” Zhou Qi’an murmured, “Who should I worship? Should I honor the great old evil god, or should I continue calling Xun Er’s name?”
If he worshiped Xun Er, his belief and offering would naturally belong to Xun Er. If he worshiped the evil god, then it would naturally belong to the evil god.
The holy artifact was still embedded in the statue, and the evil god was injured, heavily so.
As the black mist dissipated, Xun Er seized the opportunity to infiltrate the evil god’s consciousness further.
Damn! Damn!!
Being betrayed by its followers, the statue’s eyes, which had once looked so compassionate, twitched violently.
Belief and offering would quickly help it recover.
…As long as someone prays now.
Relying on the willpower, it could temporarily seal the wound, freeing up its hands to suppress the young monster that dared to replace it.
“Human…”
A hollow voice Zhou Qi’an had never heard before echoed in his mind:
“Wealth, beauties, youth… I can grant you everything.”
The ancient evil god kept coaxing.
Behind him, Chen Jian and the others, struggling to deal with Xun the Wealthy, swallowed nervously. If they prayed now, the condition would be for the evil god to spare them. Wouldn’t that be a chance for survival?
The reason they hadn’t acted immediately was fear that if too many people prayed, the evil god would seize the initiative, and the cost they’d have to pay would be much higher.
Surely some idiot would roll up.
Should they kill the competition?
The mutated monsters’ instincts stirred, and the players kept an eye out for competitors, trying to eliminate anyone who could get in their way.
Just then, a weak yet playful voice sounded ahead—
“Let the bidding begin.” Zhou Qi’an calmly stared at the two faces overlapping on the statue and grinned. “Whoever offers the lowest price, I’ll worship them.”
Worshiping the god requires a trade; he wasn’t foolish enough to give up a heir and wealth like Xun the Wealthy did.
Oh, I don’t have wealth.
Does Mr. Si’s bus count?
Zhou Qi’an cleared his throat and suppressed this dangerous thought.
He gripped the trident, sincerely and enthusiastically staring at the statue. Let’s roll, now it’s a buyer’s market!
__
Author’s Note:
Zhou Qi’an: Saying goodbye to all the evil gods, and saying bye-bye to all povertyヾ(￣▽￣)ByeBye
