294. Golden Rule
[Item Name]: Soul Casino [Category]: Arts & Entertainment/Equipment & Tools [Quality]: "Social Institution"
(A "Social Institution" is created by dismantling and integrating materials from a dead society. Since a "society" itself is the entirety of a civilization, a "Social Institution" can be anything, including factories, supply chains, cultural memes, armies, ethnic groups, mines, research centers, churches, and powerful individuals.) [Attribute]: This equipment is limited to use within the atmosphere and must be used in an open area to be effective.
This institution contains a consciousness that can only be awakened when 70% of 'society' is corrupted.
[Soul Resonance]:
When you possess an organization, your clairvoyance is greatly enhanced, and you can witness, observe, and interact with spirits below level 300.
When you play the guitar, your music will perform a [Melodycal Corruption] check on nearby targets. This check is mandatory every five seconds, and a successful check increases social corruption by 2.5%.
For every 100 points above the target's Intelligence attribute, the corruption level increases by 1%. When the target Worldview Worldview such as Worldview, Democracy, Worldview, or Worldview, the corruption level increases by 12%. The lower the target's interpersonal relationships, economic situation, or social status, the shorter the corruption check interval.
[Fate Weight]:
You can sever a part of your soul, at the cost of increasing your social corruption by 10%, to have a chance to reset your 'fortune', increasing your probability of acquiring wealth for 10 years.
A normal person can cut the soul weight 6 times in their lifetime, and the result of the reset is between 1 and 15 times.
The wealth multiplier that has already occurred will not occur again.
When all your soul's resources are used up, you will be dragged into the abyss forever.
[Description]: "This guitar was modified from the cone cells of the [Melodycal Society]. Its silver chrome-plated surface looks very cool, and a roaring dragon is painted on it in bold colors, venting its anger on the unjust world."
"The predecessor of society is civilization. Through some means, it completely integrates everything it possesses, both concrete (such as territory, farmland, factory facilities, research institutes, armies, and population) and abstract (technology, faith, culture, and history), into a huge and terrifying monster. It can repair itself and strengthen itself by devouring civilizations."
"You need to be extra careful with this power since it hasn't received the blessing of the Star Abyss."
Length: 41 inches
Net weight: 3.3 kg. Material: Cone cells from the Melodycal Society. [Placement status]: You can place this device in certain locations for display as an artifact.
Musician Bonus: 10 (1 in 100,000 people will become a musician) Happiness Output: 2000/day (After every 2000 visitors, the area will receive a happiness index boost for four months)
This is a peculiar institution; it possesses a seductive power, but on the other hand, it also draws people toward a yearning for art, satisfying their entertainment needs.
Perhaps Rock and Roll itself is not wrong; the people who use it are the key.
"This is it."
Li Aoz nodded.
The Soul Casino is an excellent "Social Institution" that can not only be taken out to seduce people, but also placed in museums or entertainment venues to increase happiness.
For those who manage a faction: increasing happiness = increasing the number of loyalists = greatly increasing the recruitment rate = it's time to mass-produce troops and enjoy the game of coloring up the map.
Of course, Li Aoz didn't really value this effect. White Candle Star wasn't much of an entertainment option; its most crucial function was still the 'casino' of the Soul Casino.
You have six chances to reset your fortune, and each chance will not be repeated.
For example, if you roll a 10x multiplier the first time, you might roll a multiplier that is more or less than 10 the next time, but you will never roll a 10x multiplier again.
The best outcome would be to get 15 at once and enjoy 10 years of glory.
The worst thing is to get worse and worse, eventually falling to 1, stagnating, and wasting your soul.
That's gambling.
Li Aoz stroked the strings and, following the instructions, activated the [Fate Weight]. The guitar immediately transformed, disintegrating and reconstructing into a small silver tower.
The more you crave to make money from gambling, the deeper you fall into the abyss of gambling, and in the end, all you lose is your life.
Before that, every instance of gambling was a form of social corruption, to the point that even one's character could not be preserved.
but--
Apart from Li Aoz, nobody knew that there was a way to farm this thing.
Li Aoz opened his palm and poured out Soul Crystal from the Dogmatic Spacetime Belt.
This is a stockpile he previously extracted using the "Sever Life" skill. Players also have some, but in very small quantities, since this item can only be produced through a small number of channels that are proficient in soul arts.
Unlike Human Amber, which is a forbidden material, this one is made from materials that can be found everywhere.
A crystal was pressed against the small silver tower, and the originally clear and bright crystal immediately became murky.
You have cast your bet.
[Fate is turning...]
[Reset complete]
[Current Fortune Multiplier: 1]
"Looks like I'm not very lucky."
Li Aoz counted the Soul Crystal he had; he currently had three left.
The Soul Crystal in his hand was of very poor quality.
In addition, he has five chances, so even if he has extremely bad luck, he can still achieve eight times the fortune.
"Fortunately, we still have enough reserves. We'll have the players use [Sever Life] more often and buy some from them."
The production capacity of Soul Crystal is low, mainly because this item involves violations of Daoism, is illegal in the interstellar market, and is strictly prohibited from being listed for sale.
If you buy it on the black market, you'll get ripped off.
Li Aoz thinks it's more cost-effective for players to collect them themselves.
"Try again."
Li Aoz rubbed his hands together and tossed down another Soul Crystal: [Turning the tides of fate...]
[Reset complete]
[Current Fortune Multiplier: 2]
"Is my luck really that bad?" Li Aoz smirked. "Is it because I have to guarantee a minimum return?"
He tossed another number, the system spun again, and the numbers flashed across his face before finally settling on '6'.
"Hmm, that's alright, but not enough. I need the kind of overnight riches, where assets increase thousands or tens of thousands of times... So it can't just be a single digit; at least, I need to draw a 10."
Just as Li Aoz was about to place the last Soul Crystal, he suddenly pulled it back.
"Hmm, I don't think it's devout enough."
He went to the bathroom to wash his face, added new incense wood to the incense burner, sat upright in front of the Soul Casino, his face serious, clenched one fist, raised it above his head, and said in a powerful voice, "I, Li Aoz, am willing to exchange a thousand years of Lioz's lifespan for my abundant wealth!"
After the ritual was completed, Li Aoz solemnly placed the last piece of Soul Crystal against the tower.
[Fate is turning...]
[Reset complete]
[Current Fortune Multiplier: 11]
"Alright, alright, that's enough! That's enough!"
Li Aoz sighed with emotion, "It's a good thing Lioz is dead. But thinking about it carefully, someone who values efficiency so much probably wouldn't mind losing a thousand years of his lifespan."
In any case, an 11-fold increase in wealth over 10 years, without having to sacrifice one's soul.
That's already a great deal.
Li Aoz put away the Soul Casino and restored it to guitar mode. Since this device does not possess the characteristic of being 'indestructible,' Li Aoz could only carefully put it away.
Even after ten years, we will still need to rely on it for a considerable period of time.
"From now on, we won't have to worry about money."
Li Aoz completely calm.
He looked at his attribute panel and was surprised to see a new status: [Prosperous Fortune - 10x]
[Prosperous Fortune - 10 Times]: Your destiny is rapidly advancing towards happiness and glory. A 10-fold increase in wealth will allow you to reap the rewards effortlessly. Those who looked down on those who earned a living through hard work because of their education will be taught a lesson by society. What era are we living in? Still think you can fly by studying alone? Give up labor, relax, and enjoy this limited but prosperous life.
"This description of the condition is really uncomfortable to read... but the effect is really good."