Home

"Rewards!"

A glint flashed in Xiao Ran's eyes, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation.

Just then, the blood-red text before him began to change.

[Congratulations on completing the Lost City Trial. You have earned the title Lost City Envoy and unlocked the Lost City space. You may store your belongings inside.]

[Main Quest [Help Niujia Village] (F-class) completed. You have obtained the F-class Curse Mark Contract: Trainee.]

[Side Quest [Soul Snatching] (F-class) completed. You have obtained the F-class Cursed Object: Black Swan Brooch.]

Trial Rating: E

[You have received five Underworld Coins.]

The blood-red text gradually faded away. At the same time, Xiao Ran felt a strange sensation stir within him.

He opened his hand, and a heavy weight settled into his palm. Looking down, he saw five bronze coins that seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

"So these are my rewards?"

Xiao Ran weighed the coins in his hand. A glossy layer of green patina covered their surfaces, and the four characters [Fengcheng Treasure Mirror] were inscribed on them.

Looking at the coins, Xiao Ran couldn't help thinking, How stingy. At least they give other people gold bars.

There was no way he could spend this money, but since it was a reward, it must have some other use. He'd put it away for now and study it properly once he got back.

Xiao Ran picked up the other item, the so-called contract, and held it beneath the oil lamp. The yellowed paper was smooth and glossy, as though covered in a thin layer of oil. A triangular flame pattern was printed on it.

"F-class Curse Mark Contract [Trainee] detected. Since you already possess a Curse Mark, you may choose one of the following options."

Option 1: Devour. Devour this contract for a chance to strengthen your existing contract to a certain degree. (This is only a chance.)

Option 2: Take on an additional contract. Tear the contract to obtain this Curse Mark, but each person can possess only three contracts at a time.

Of course, you may also keep the contract and trade it with someone else.

Note: To upgrade a Curse Mark, you must gather contracts from the corresponding path and fuse them.

Xiao Ran fell into thought as he read the prompt.

Based on its rank, this contract was clearly far inferior to his Corpse Stitcher. If he sold it, he could probably make a fortune.

After some thought, Xiao Ran decided to put it away in his space for the time being.

Finally, he opened his hand again. This time, a black swan-shaped brooch appeared in his palm.

The black swan had its wings spread, as if caught mid-flutter. A ruby was set in its eye, gleaming brilliantly.

"F-class Cursed Object, Black Swan Brooch detected. Activate?"

"Activate!"

At Xiao Ran's mental command, black Curse Mark patterns seeped from his fingers and flowed into the Black Swan Brooch. In an instant, he understood everything about the Cursed Object.

F-class Cursed Object: Black Swan Brooch · Corpse Stitcher

The Black Swan's wings brought not only curses, but new opportunities as well.

Privilege 1: Adulation

When stitching up a corpse, leave a special mark to turn it into a servant for a short time.

(Note: The duration of control is determined by your stitching score. The higher the corpse's rank, the shorter the time limit.)

Privilege 2: Composure

You may stitch a curse onto any target. When the host is attacked, the curse activates, causing the wound to close rapidly and preventing it from harming the host. However, if the wound is not stitched within thirty minutes, it will burst open into a grievous injury.

(Note: Cannot defend against F-class or higher lethal skills.)

Xiao Ran fell into brief contemplation as he considered the new abilities granted by the Black Swan Brooch.

According to the Curse Mark's explanation, different Curse Marks combined with different Cursed Objects produced entirely different abilities.

Judging by the results of combining the Black Swan Brooch with the Calamity Suppressing Token, the Curse Mark's attributes determined the main ability, while the Cursed Object's characteristics served as a supplement. Together, they produced a unique ability of their own.

Thinking about it, he was now a little curious about what kind of change the Trainee Curse Mark would bring him.

After all, although the Corpse Stitcher was powerful, its abilities all revolved around stitching corpses. Even when the Cursed Objects had different traits, they still tended to lean toward the Corpse Stitcher.

After this Lost City experience, Xiao Ran was actually more interested in a Curse Mark that could attack directly.

That way, if he ran into another troublesome figure like the Old Woman, he wouldn't have to spend the whole time pretending to be her son and resorting to tricks.

As he pondered, his vision gradually cleared. When he looked again, he found himself standing alone in the woods, facing a dilapidated building—the Mourning Hall from his memories.

"I'm back!"

Looking at the ruined building before him, he let out a long breath of relief. He tossed the oil lamp into the Lost City space, then stepped into the Mourning Hall.

He remembered that his grandfather used to watch over this place. Back then, coffins had filled both sides of the hall, and the stench of corpses could be smelled from far away.

That was why trees had been planted around the Mourning Hall: partly for shade, and partly to keep the smell from spreading.

Now, the Mourning Hall stood empty. Apart from the broken coffin boards piled in the corner, all that remained was a dusty Buddha statue standing before him.

After the country introduced cremation, the Mourning Hall had been abandoned. The coffins that had once been stored inside had all been removed long ago.

Xiao Ran looked around and suddenly noticed a pile of burned-out embers in the corner. A few sweet potatoes were still visible among the ashes.

He walked over and saw three children curled up together, fast asleep in the corner.

"Phew. Looks like they're all right."

Xiao Ran sat down and lifted his shirt. He couldn't treat the wound on his back himself just yet, but he needed to stitch the wound on his stomach as soon as possible.

Fortunately, he had the Master-level Suturing Technique, and the knife had completely missed his vital organs, leaving only a flesh wound. It wouldn't be difficult to stitch up.

While he was at it, Xiao Ran also wanted to try out the Black Swan's ability.

He pinched the needle and thread between his fingers and swiftly worked them through his lower abdomen. In just a moment, the wound on his stomach had visibly begun to close.

"Composure!"

As he stitched the wound, Xiao Ran activated the Black Swan's privilege. A chill, sinister force seeped from the brooch, raced along his arm, and spread over his skin. At last, it left a black swan-shaped mark where the wound on his stomach had been stitched.

At first glance, the mark looked like a tattoo. But on closer inspection, it was a black swan embroidered onto his skin, its eye rendered so vividly it seemed alive.

Xiao Ran checked how he felt. Nothing seemed amiss, so he put away his backpack and tossed the Calamity Suppressing Token from his pocket into the Lost City space as well.

After that, he paid no mind to the three brats beside him. He picked up a ready-roasted sweet potato, blew off some of the ash, sat on the ground, and began devouring it.

As he ate, he mused, From now on, I should stay as far away from places like the Lost City as I can. Better not go at all.

He went over the whole experience in his mind and realized he'd only survived by sheer luck. Without the Calamity Suppressing Token, he would have been doomed no matter what.

"Oh, right!"

Just then, Xiao Ran suddenly remembered something. He rummaged in his pocket, then pulled out a yellowed diary.

His mood grew heavy as he looked at the diary in his hand.

"Thanks to you, I made it. Otherwise..."

Xiao Ran sighed. After glancing around, he stood and walked to the Buddha statue, the diary in his hand.

"Niujia Village should be gone by now. I don't know if you're free, but this is the only thing I could bring out. I don't know if that means I brought you out, too."

With that, Xiao Ran gently brushed the dust from the Buddha statue's hands and placed the diary in its palm. He recited "Amitabha" once more, then picked up the three sleeping children: one in each hand, and the third over his shoulder. The five points of strength granted by the Corpse Stitcher made carrying them effortless. He rose and headed out.

"Phew..."

A cool breeze swept through.

"Rustle, rustle..."

The wind flipped open the diary in the Buddha's palm. Its yellowed pages were completely blank, fluttering rapidly until they settled on the final page. There, two words had been written neatly in dark red blood.

Go home...