After closing the door, Lin Ye gasped painfully for air that could no longer sustain him. Soon, a group of overseers in hazmat suits entered the lounge very cautiously.

They took away the sacrificial offerings and began to check on Lin Ye’s condition.

………………………………

[Simulation Ended]

[Remaining Simulation Attempts: 6]

[Obtained random items that appeared in this event *6]

[Title Obtained: Master of Ritual Studies]

Lin Ye opened his eyes on the shelter bed. The question-mark plaque still sat where it had been; it had not shattered into pieces like in that memory.

In the center of the shelter lay the items gained from this simulation: a kitchen knife, a doll, a battered hazmat suit, a transparent crystal ball, a sealed glass bottle containing a colorless liquid, and a small worm statue.

“Let me see, how many excellent items will need to be put into the basement this time? I’m so looking forward to it.”

Lin Ye picked up the most harmless-looking kitchen knife and checked its system information.

[Murderer’s Kitchen Utensil]

[Ritual item. When this utensil is used to kill a humanoid figure, you can taste the flavor of the best parts after they are cooked.]

[Note: Please use it often to cook dishes, so its culinary skill can improve.]

“Damon… even you betray my expectations?”

Lin Ye put the dangerous weapon away. He did not want to suddenly taste something strange while chopping someone.

After stowing the kitchen knife, Lin Ye picked up the doll.

[Victim’s Stuffed Toy]

[Ritual item. It can temporarily dollify a being, turning them into a victim.]

[Note: Do not use it against overly powerful enemies; it will only backfire.]

“Never thought the most normal one would be you.”

Lin Ye put the Victim’s Stuffed Toy away, then picked up the battered hazmat suit.

[Disaster Hazmat Suit]

[Ritual item. Wearing the Disaster Hazmat Suit will trigger an unknown disaster nearby, and the wearer will be immune to the effects caused by that disaster.]

[Note: The triggered disaster relates to the wearer’s current location.]

“…Wow, so you’re actually the boss.”

Lin Ye had assumed it was just an ordinary hazmat suit, not a hazardous item of this caliber.

After storing the hazmat suit, Lin Ye carefully picked up the transparent crystal ball.

Given that broken memory, during the simulation he had absolutely no intention of using this ritual item.

[???]

[This is a sealed, fragmented spacetime. You may attach one of the following three states to it:

Destruction, Substitution, Termination]

[Note: Warning. Do not use this item unless you intend to destroy the plane it occupies.]

“…Haha.”

Lin Ye forced out two dry laughs and put the item the system had named ??? into the basement.

Clearly, this one was the true final boss.

Back in the bedroom, Lin Ye picked up the glass bottle on the floor and checked its system information.

[Concentrated Pollutant]

[Highly concentrated, lethal contaminated liquid.]

[Note: Do not open the sealed bottle casually. If opened, use it immediately.]

“All right, figured it would be something like this.”

Lin Ye calmly placed it into his loot space. Compared with that earlier plane weapon, this thing was only passable.

After stowing the glass bottle, Lin Ye picked up the last item, the worm statue.

[Waste Zone Worm Statue]

[Contains some knowledge related to subterranean mawed worms. If you want to raise subterranean mawed worms, you can refer to the information engraved on it.]

[Note: Who knows what it ate while in the Waste Zone?]

“Meow?”

Little Black climbed onto Lin Ye’s side, curiously staring at the worm statue in his hands.

“You want this?”

Lin Ye had planned to study the information when he had time, but if Little Black was interested, it was fine to skip studying.

“Meow meow!”

Little Black bobbed its head and made noises.

“Then it’s yours. Be careful with it.”

Lin Ye tossed the Waste Zone Worm Statue into Little Black’s mouth. He felt the item was probably fine, but his intuition wasn’t infallible; if there was a problem, Little Black would have to handle it himself.

Still, Lin Ye wasn’t too worried. Little Black was after all a product of the Abyssal Egg and had been hatched by Brother Chicken. Two cards interacting like that likely made it a rather special breed.

Pushing the constantly meowing Little Black aside, Lin Ye opened the system interface to view the new title information.

[Master of Ritual Studies]

[Rituals are a special form of communication, but equal communication requires powerful strength. You are very adept in this area.]

[Note: Perhaps you could try a more direct form of communication.]

Lin Ye glanced at the time. It was not yet time for his appointment with the Middleman, so he could take care of other things first.

He decided to go to the Game Room to check the status of the Nameless Armor, then return to meet the Middleman.

Arriving at the Game Room, Lin Ye first took a card table to perform his daily spiritual energy circulation.

Considering what he was about to do, he raised the stakes significantly this time, making it five red coins per hand, boosting the bet to five hundred percent.

Lin Ye was a reasonable sort. If he used someone else’s place, he would pay the appropriate price—so this time he won only one hundred red coins.

He should have won five hundred.

Those four hundred red coins were the payment he’d made in advance.

All gifts fate bestows already have prices silently marked.

After finishing the daily circulation, Lin Ye retrieved the Nameless Armor from the War Machine storage space. A multicolored suit of armor appeared in the Game Room.

An attendant instantly appeared near Lin Ye, but it quickly stepped away from the Nameless Armor, its ever-present smile stiffening.

Lin Ye could clearly feel a force from the Game Room suppressing the colors that kept spilling outward. He hurried to check the system information.

[Information Armor]

[Color is merely the external manifestation of information. The dangerous information flickering with color is the essence of this armor.]

[Note: The older something is, the more dangerous the information it contains. The passage of time has not erased ancient matters; it has intensified the lethality of certain information.]

‘…Holy crap, feels pretty strong… but how do I put it on? I can’t exactly wear it in the shelter and then go to events, can I?’

Lin Ye didn’t particularly care, but that might not sit well with allies.

“Could you please store it away?”

The attendant forced a strained smile.

Right now they were consuming the Game Room’s energy reserves. Although it could be reimbursed, several reports would be required.

Including materials needed to cleanse the colors—those would be his responsibility to handle.

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t expect it to be so dangerous either.”

Lin Ye put the Nameless Armor away and said with a smile.

“Although I’m happy to admire that item, I suggest you check such dangerous items in the shelter next time, otherwise it might cause some undesirable effects.”

The attendant tried to communicate with Lin Ye.

“The shelter’s ceiling height isn’t enough; this place is perfect. Next time you might have to help with this.”

Lin Ye decisively declined the attendant’s proposal.