Chapter 76 - The Key

The regular task lasted less than two hours, and when Li Cheng returned, it was still dark outside.

Li Cheng wasn’t too surprised by the S rating, after all, he did not personally deal with the Evil Spirit Alma and the blood-sucking sea monster in the Extreme Deep Cold, and the Hell Monk summoned through the Mysterious Box was banished, not killed.

“To gain an S+ rating, I should’ve personally killed more monsters and gone down into the depths of the bunker during the mission to uncover the truth behind it.”

But in that case, although Li Cheng might have been fine, the driver and Taylor’s father and daughter might have died.

It’s a double-edged sword.

With the 155% bonus, these two rewards turned into 620 Experience Points and 930 Game Coins.

From Lv4 to Lv5, the Experience Bar went from 20/400 to 240/500.

Game Coins also broke a thousand, reaching 1790.

He could afford a full payment to buy a house in Yin City now, which was certainly a cause for celebration.

This time, Li Cheng did not rush to open the box, but instead took off his Protective Arm and entered the Bone Corridor, inspecting under the light the three items he brought out of the bunker.

The first was, of course, the Le Malchance Mysterious Box that could summon Hell Monks, which was also identified by the system as a prop.

[Special Effect: Soul Chasing.

Once opened, it summons two Hell Monks who will persistently pursue the owner of the box.

Current target locked—Ant.

If the target successfully entices an innocent to open the box, they can transfer the hatred and, once the Hell’s Messenger kills the innocent, receive a chance to command the Hell Monks]

[Note: Mr.

Oscar Schindler has been living a peaceful and joyful life in heaven for many years, until one day he suddenly received a notice to relocate to Hell.

Count Bernadotte next door received the same notice]

Pfft, what a Hell of a joke.

Is this karma accounting?

Li Cheng twitched the corner of his eye.

Without a means to control evil spirits, using the prop is like courting two powerful enemies for himself.

He wasn’t planning on sacrificing the lives of ordinary people to drive the Hell Monks.

“The Demon Scientist Alliance would probably be interested in this thing, and likely to buy it at a high price…”

This thought circled in his mind but was soon dismissed by Li Cheng; given that guild’s moral standards, they might cause havoc and mass murder innocents in some script world once they got their hands on the box.

The best way to handle it was still…

to sell it.

Li Cheng directly sold the Mysterious Box to the Killing Field Mall, exchanging it for 450 Game Coins—he was not a paragon of virtue, but he didn’t want to abet tyranny.

The second item was the Straight Handle Machete dropped by Pyramid Head.

Such a long note basically boils down to seven words: the town’s security, Pyramid Head.

“This 170 Straight Blade, they’re talking about the weight, right?”

Li Cheng weighed the machete, it was approximately 77 kilograms or exactly 170 pounds.

You should know that practical cold weapons in the real world are actually quite light: a Ming Dynasty plain sword weighs no more than 800g, a sheathed ring head iron blade – including the sheath – weighs 1315g, a late Qing era broadsword 1500g, and the most the heaviest weapons used (like long spears or staffs) are at most ten kilograms.

As for the 50 jin swords, 60 jin spears, and 80 jin double iron halberds from the Ming and Qing dynasty novels…

ahem, let’s just enjoy the distant view of the snowy mountains, my dear folks.

“A 77-kilogram machete can be barely used with the player’s 9 points of strength.

But the extremely sturdy special effect is actually pretty good, no need to worry about breaking it.”

Li Cheng was always using the Mantis Arm Bone Blade in combat, which made it too easy to be recognized.

He placed the machete into his backpack, planning to keep it for personal use.

The third item was that hollow masonry that triggered all the tragedy.

[Note: Achili Toy Factory, as a renowned toy company, follows the mission to “bring joy to the world”, ensuring quality by technology, winning reputation through quality, and promoting development through reputation.

It has multiple well-known IPs, and its products are marketed across the multiverse; highly praised.]

[Note: The keys attract each other; if a key is not in the Killing Field for an extended period, it will automatically activate certain facilities within the factory, ensuring it finds a way back to the Killing Field.

The key cannot be destroyed, sold, or transferred.

It drops only upon the holder’s death.]

[Note: Hehehehehe, I’m finally free!

They thought just because I’m paralyzed and wheelchair-bound that I couldn’t operate?

Serves them right, all dead.

Let’s see, what thing created me.

Hmm?

A key?

What the heck?!

I’m outta here!]

“Hmm…” Looking at this item description, Li Cheng fell into thought.

He originally assumed that the stone would have a clear special effect like normal supernatural items, such as creating monsters while causing nightmares to the holder.

Unexpectedly, creating monsters is not the stone’s own ability; it is simply a key.

A key that can unlock a Hidden Room in the Killing Field.

“Achili…

that’s the name on the teleportation phone booth inside the Killing Field, right?

Its symbol is a penguin.”

Li Cheng mused: “According to the forums, Hidden Rooms are special buildings in the Killing Field with clear purposes and strong effects, like the back alley which prohibits players from attacking each other. Sёarch* The Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

The major guilds also view Hidden Rooms as the most valuable asset and would initiate wars for them.

Although the actual capabilities and background of this so-called toy factory are unclear, judging by its reputation stretching across the multiverse, the effect must be powerful.

At the same time, since this key cannot be destroyed, sold, or transferred, and only drops upon the owner’s death, ordinary players finding it is like a commoner bearing the sin of possessing a jade—guilty by association.

The author of the last two notes—very likely the evil scientist mentioned in those experiment logs, who created the disaster and then fled, leaving the key behind without taking it.”

Come to think of it, was that evil scientist a woman?

Being in a wheelchair means she’s not Taylor’s daughter in disguise.

But how did she escape the bunker without the gate being opened?

Could it be some kind of teleportation technology?