Fake-Pig Set Trial Card

Time flew by. Ye Chen had already been here for four days. During that time, he had asked Sakonji Urokodaki plenty of questions, filling in quite a few gaps in his knowledge.

Well, I've learned most of what I came for. There's still plenty I haven't learned, but I don't need that stuff. All I need now is time to let it sink in. After thinking it over, Ye Chen shook his head. Looking at the hidden quest still hanging up there, he felt a real pain in the ass.

"System, if I fail this quest and don't have any Exchange Points left, what happens with the penalty?"

[Ding! Bug detected. Fixing...]

[Ding! Fix complete. If you have no Exchange Points, the penalty will reduce your balance below zero. Any Exchange Points earned afterward will automatically be used to repay the deficit.]

"???"

Ye Chen wondered whether he had just opened his big mouth for nothing. Had the system seriously changed the rules on the spot? What a bastard!

"What the hell? This is ridiculous! What kind of quest works like this? Being hard is one thing, but it even comes with a penalty!"

[Ding! Hidden quests can also be considered challenge quests. Participation is optional. The host chose to accept it voluntarily.]

The system actually answered him? Ye Chen was surprised, but he still refused to accept it. "You didn't tell me there was a penalty before I made my choice!"

[Ding! The host did not ask.]

"Fuck!"

Ye Chen jumped up in fury and cursed at the system. "This isn't even the first time! How can a system be this cheap? How can you be so careless about something this important?"

[Ding! Regardless of what the host says, the system retains final authority.]

"..." Ye Chen fell silent for a moment. This damn system really was something. The moment it couldn't win the argument, it pulled rank.

[Ding! In light of this incident, an opportunity to upgrade the lottery system has been unlocked as partial compensation. Please make good use of it.]

"Holy shit!" Hearing the news, Ye Chen blurted out a curse in shock.

"What's wrong, Mr. Ye Chen?" Makomo had just returned from a distance. Seeing the sudden delight on his face, she couldn't help asking in confusion.

"Oh, nothing. I just remembered something."

Feeling a little awkward, Ye Chen waved a hand. At the same time, he began to feel that this system might actually have something going for it.

Ye Chen had already given in, yet the system had offered him compensation like this. Seriously, had the system gained sentience? Wasn't becoming a spirit forbidden after the founding of the country?

"Let's take a look at this upgrade opportunity."

Ye Chen opened the interface and checked the requirements for the newly unlocked opportunity.

Lottery system upgrade: Changes the lottery frequency from once per month to once per week. Exchange Points required: 2,000.

"..."

Seeing the Exchange Points required for the upgrade, Ye Chen felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead. Then he checked his remaining balance: 2,374. This system is doing it on purpose. It's deliberately trying to make me broke! That has to be it!

"What the hell? Just upgrading costs this many Exchange Points? System, have you lost your mind?"

[Ding! All system functions are operating normally. The host need not worry.]

Fine. You win!

Ye Chen looked helplessly at the upgrade interface before him. After some thought, he chose to upgrade anyway. There was no helping it. Better a short, sharp pain than a long, drawn-out one. Rather than leave it sitting there, he might as well upgrade early and start enjoying the benefits sooner.

[Ding! 2,000 Exchange Points consumed. System upgrade successful. One free lottery draw awarded.]

Well, it wasn't without its benefits. Seeing the free draw, Ye Chen let out a relieved breath, then told the system, "Start the draw."

[Ding! Obtained one Ten-Minute Primordial Set Trial Card.]

"..."

Ye Chen couldn't quite wrap his head around it. What is this? The Primordial Set? He took another look. Fuck, isn't this the Fake-Pig Set from Dungeon Fighter Online? This system's pretty damn impressive! It can even get its hands on the Fake-Pig Set!

Why was the Primordial Set called the Fake-Pig Set? Because it was weak? No! This gear had once been obtainable by ordinary players, yet its performance rivaled some seriously powerful pay-to-win equipment. A bunch of whales had relentlessly trashed it because it robbed them of their feeling of superiority. Although it was later nerfed, it was still very strong. Besides, the power level of the Dungeon Fighter Online dimension was probably in an entirely different league from the Demon Slayer world.

"Even if it's only a ten-minute trial card, it's still pretty good. Too bad the Fake-Pig Set is only defensive gear and doesn't offer much attack power. I'll just treat it as a temporary lifesaver."

Ye Chen sighed and opened the instructions for the Primordial Set Trial Card.

Ten-Minute Primordial Set Trial Card: Originates from the Dungeon Fighter Online dimension. Its full name is the Gracia Family Series. To activate it, shout "The Fake-Pig Set is number one!" to receive a ten-minute trial of the Primordial Set.

"...Not bad, system. You even know your memes."

Reading the instructions, Ye Chen's mouth twitched. Then he sighed again. "Too bad the Fake-Pig Set is already outdated. This is literally a dead memory coming back to attack me. System, you're seriously behind the times."

On the seventh day, Ye Chen, whom the system had fleeced out of two thousand Exchange Points, left the place, saying he wanted to gain experience out in the world. Sakonji Urokodaki and Makomo reluctantly saw him off. They had tried several times to persuade him to stay, but Ye Chen still had no choice but to leave.

Of course, seven days wasn't enough for them to have formed any deep attachment. Sakonji Urokodaki simply hated losing his long-term meal ticket. He was also worried that Ye Chen might not return in time for the Final Selection, leaving his precious disciple's safety less than assured.

Makomo was also partly reluctant to see their long-term meal ticket leave, but she would miss Xiao Hua, her regular cuddle buddy, too. If Ye Chen left, he would definitely take Xiao Hua with him, and she wouldn't be able to happily pet the cat anymore.

When he left, Ye Chen had also wanted to stay a few more days. After all, he hadn't fully mastered everything here yet. Unfortunately... he didn't have enough Exchange Points!

He really wanted to curse someone out. This damned system truly knew how to screw him over, wiping out two thousand Exchange Points in one go. Those points were the foundation of his growth! If he didn't become significantly stronger in two months, not only would he fail the hidden quest, but if he had no Exchange Points left, the penalty would put his balance in the negatives! What a fucking rip-off!

"Ah, now that I know where the nearby big towns are, I'll head there to farm demons. I should also try to kill them before they notice me. After all, Muzan Kibutsuji can share their vision. Killing a demon won't necessarily expose me, but I should still be careful. I can practice my assassination skills, too. They'll be very useful later."

Ye Chen sighed, then strode off into the distance under Sakonji Urokodaki's and Makomo's reluctant gazes. He took not a single cloud with him, only a little cat...

"Boss, it's pretty dark now. Can we get moving? I can hardly wait!"

"Don't rush. Wait a little longer. Look how many people are still out. We don't want to attract the Demon Slayer Corps. We'll act once it gets a bit later."

"Yes! You're right, boss!"

In an alley in a large town, several demons of different appearances were talking excitedly, like beasts lurking in the darkness, waiting for the moment to hunt.

"Urgh!!"

Suddenly, one demon's eyes widened. His mouth opened, and his gaze went blank, as though he had been possessed.

"Huh? Number Three, what are you doing?" Another demon looked at him and asked in confusion. But before he could finish, the blank-eyed demon collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth.

"Who's there?" The demon was alarmed. The others immediately panicked as well, with no idea what was happening.

Then the demon suddenly realized someone was standing behind him and turned around.

"What the hell? Number Four, you nearly scared me to death. Hurry and see what's wrong with Number Three... Aah!!"

Before he could finish, a poisoned dagger plunged into his body. His eyes bulged as his entire body went numb. Then he saw the Number Four standing before him draw a long blade and slice at his neck...

"Who are you? You're definitely not Number Four!" The other demons stared fixedly at this "Number Four." After witnessing his methods, they didn't dare make any rash moves.

"Aah!!" Just then, several demons who had been quietly backing away suddenly fell into a trap. Electricity kept surging through it, shocking them until they couldn't move.

"What are you talking about? I'm your beloved Number Four." The "Number Four" before them smiled. Naturally, he was Ye Chen. He had taken on this demon's appearance using the Transformation Technique from the Three Body Technique. Although taking damage would undo the transformation, could ordinary demons even hurt him?