Su Shijun's Gift

The wooden box was over a meter long, about half a foot wide and tall, its entire surface a lustrous red with faint black streaks. The grain was clear and straight. It carried a slightly sour fragrance. Held in the hands, it felt remarkably heavy.

The wooden box had no other decoration, only a bright red satin ribbon tied around it. The knot looked exceptionally intricate, yet was surprisingly easy to undo.

Zheng Qing merely gave the loose end a tug, and the entire ribbon slipped easily off the box.

He looked up at Su Shijun uncertainly.

The witch smiled and nodded, seeming to encourage him to open the gift.

The scholarship student let out a soft breath and, with a trace of excitement, pried open the lid of the wooden box—unlike what he had imagined. He had assumed that such a heavy box would have a sturdy lid. Yet, like the ribbon, the lid opened with great ease.

What surprised him even more was the gift inside.

"A rune gun?" Zheng Qing raised his eyebrows, an odd expression appearing on his face.

Inside the wooden box, a long gun about a meter in length, with a thick, broad body, lay quietly on red velvet. Along one side of the barrel, several dozen rune bullets in various colors were neatly arranged. Beneath the gun lay a thin booklet, which Zheng Qing guessed contained instructions for using and maintaining the firearm, perhaps along with methods for making the corresponding rune bullets.

"A Remington M870, a classic rune gun produced by Martin Tower Alchemy Company. It's a pump-action shotgun with a compact rune structure, reliable spell performance, and immensely powerful rune bullets. It's perfect for use on the hunting grounds."

Su Shijun stepped closer and pointed at the rune gun in the