Chapter 212 – The Bow and the Arrow
There was a red dot above the title, clearly indicating something to be claimed. This must be the result of the latest update.
Clicking it open, Zhou Ning found that he already had quite a few titles, including the once-evolved Supernatural Rampaging Tiger, Ordinary Office Worker, Phantom Thief, the blue-tier Architect, and so on.
Just like in the Hall of Curiosities, there was a small red icon behind each title, which allowed him to claim some Traversal Coins—10 coins for a purple title, and 5 coins for a blue one.
Free rewards, of course, had to be claimed. After collecting them all, Zhou Ning studied the simulator's instructions carefully and realized this crappy game's tricks were multiplying—yet another way to push players into spending money.
This title system was somewhat similar to a domestic browser game Zhou Ning had played before, except unlike that game's set-based bonuses, here every purple title directly provided a personal attribute or effect bonus.
For example, the evolved Supernatural Rampaging Tiger title added 3 points each to Strength and Stamina. The Ordinary Office Worker title—Kira Yoshikage's exclusive—added 2 points to Spirit and 1 point to Will. The Phantom Thief title gave +2 Agility and +1 Spirit, while the Penguin Man added +3 Spirit.
After a quick scan, Zhou Ning roughly figured out the system's logic: every purple title without advancement granted a fixed +3 attribute points; clearing a stage and evolving it gave +6. Fair enough.
Aside from attribute boosts, purple titles and above could also be equipped. Once equipped, they provided unique effects, but switching titles required a 3-hour cooldown.
For instance, Supernatural Rampaging Tiger boosted melee physical damage by 15%, the Phantom Thief enhanced infiltration and disguise capabilities, and the Ordinary Office Worker dramatically lowered one's presence—a very practical effect, but one Zhou Ning couldn't help but mock.
Overall, this feature wasn't bad—it at least made Zhou Ning feel the money spent on templates wasn't wasted. It felt like his templates could now fight alongside him.
After checking the new function, Zhou Ning turned his attention to the lottery.
For the past while, he had been drawing once every two or three days, but aside from filling his warehouse with firearms, he hadn't gotten anything truly useful—not the Aja Red Stone, not the Bow, not a Saint's Remains. It felt more like paying money to restock the prize pool.
Sometimes Zhou Ning wondered if he had fallen for an online scam.
But today, he would settle the score. Justice must be served.
After downing pre-prepared Fortune Elixir and Treasure-Seeking Elixir to max out his Luck and ritualistic "feel," Zhou Ning exchanged 3,000 Vecktas for 300 Traversal Coins and began restocking—no, drawing.
Selecting the "Mist-Lost London" pool, he clicked his first ten-pull without hesitation.
[You obtained Rare Item: Browning M1906 Pocket Pistol, with .25 ACP rounds included.]
[You obtained Rare Item: M1 Garand Rifle, with 7.62mm rounds included.]
[You obtained Rare Item…]
The first ten-pull was thoroughly ordinary: 3 rifles, 5 pistols, and 2 useless miscellaneous items.
Zhou Ning: …
It must be a coincidence. Taking a deep breath, he clicked the second ten-pull.
The result completely defied expectations—the second ten-pull, the third…
Eight or nine ten-pulls in a row yielded nothing but junk, with even firearms becoming rare drops.
How rigged was this drop rate? Zhou Ning was stunned. Could it be that the Lucky Clover's bonus didn't work on the lottery?
Finally, on the tenth ten-pull, something different appeared.
[You obtained Rare Item: Lee–Enfield Rifle, with .303 British rounds included.]
[You obtained Epic Item: Stone Mask.]
[…]
[You obtained Curio: Smith & Wesson Company Steam-Powered Gunmaking Lathe.]
Smith & Wesson Company Steam-Powered Gunmaking Lathe (Curio): A high-efficiency steam lathe capable of mass-producing revolvers.
Ignoring the second Stone Mask, Zhou Ning's spirits lifted at the sight of this.
This was the first time he'd drawn a piece of machinery in the simulator—and something immediately useful at that. It could greatly boost his gun production efficiency, and with a tweak to the alchemy array on his mechanical arms, he could even automate the process entirely.
The next dozen ten-pulls were still disappointing, yielding only two curio-grade firearms, and more than half his 300 Traversal Coins vanished.
"So this is what they mean by 'mysticism can't save bad luck, and spending can't change fate'?"
Zhou Ning smirked wryly and clicked another ten-pull.
[You obtained Rare Item: Springfield Rifle, with 7.62mm rounds included.]
[You obtained Curio: Stalin's Personal Makarov Pistol, with 9×18mm rounds included.]
[…]
[You obtained Epic Item: Bow.]
[Your Hall of Curiosities has gained a new exhibit. Please click to view.]
"What? Bow?!"
Zhou Ning had already given up on his lottery luck, but the last drop made his eyes light up.
Was this the jackpot?!
He hurriedly opened the Hall of Curiosities. Sure enough, in the "Mist-Lost London" section, the second-to-last slot on the first shelf was now filled with a bow marked "Claim," leaving just one slot to complete the set.
He clicked to claim it, receiving 8 Traversal Coins as a rebate.
In the item synergy list, a new entry appeared: [Cry of the Stand User: Arrow + Bow + ???]
Closing the Hall of Curiosities, he opened his inventory to check the newly drawn bow.
The panel popped up:
[Bow: Part of the ancient weapon "Bow and Arrow," crafted 50,000 years ago by a genius using a meteorite containing an ancient virus. Shooting the arrow with the bow can grant a person Stand abilities.]
Zhou Ning: …
As the saying goes, some surprises really do come out of nowhere.
Later, Zhou Ning would try using the bow and arrow to see exactly what Stand ability he could get.
Checking his balance, he still had about 60 Traversal Coins left. He decided not to save them and spent them all in one go.
[You obtained Curio: "Great Writer Zhou Ning's" massive trove of manuscripts.]
[You obtained Curio: Spectrometer made by Vampire Zhou Ning.]
[You obtained Epic Item: Locacaca Fruit.]
[Your Hall of Curiosities has gained a new exhibit. Please click to view.]
[Locacaca Fruit: Upon consumption, any damaged cells will be repaired using undamaged cells, while the original undamaged cells will randomly turn to stone—strictly following the principle of equivalent exchange.]
Oh? Another epic item?
Surprised, Zhou Ning opened the Hall of Curiosities again and saw that the entire "Mist-Lost London" shelf was now completely filled. A brand-new synergy had appeared at the bottom:
[Strange and Unique Alchemy Materials: Locacaca Fruit + ??? + ??? + ???]
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