After Lin Yi spoke those somewhat strange words, the gate seemed unchanged, remaining tightly shut.
But he seemed utterly unconcerned. With a soft chuckle, he strode forward.
Whoosh!
Although the gate was tightly shut, the instant Lin Yi collided with it, it sucked his entire body inside.
After a dizzying whirl, Lin Yi seemed to have entered another dimension.
"Ding! Welcome to [Novice Village's Z Treasury (South)]." "You have five minutes to choose one treasure to take with you." "The countdown begins!"
Lin Yi blinked. Even though he had known this place existed, he still couldn't help clicking his tongue in wonder.
Before him was a treasury filled with all kinds of equipment, radiating dazzling light. Its very existence seemed to be the Creator's ultimate expression of luxury.
Countless pieces of equipment lay piled haphazardly along both sides of the path through the treasury.
Each gave off its own unique glow. Some shimmered with flowing colors, while others bore mysterious patterns. Every piece was exquisitely crafted, as though it possessed a soul of its own.
[Sword of Stars] Category: Two-handed greatsword Grade: Z Effect: Combat power +150,000. Each attack has a 10% chance to release the power of the stars, dealing an additional 20% damage to the target. Description: An imitation of the ZZZ-grade greatsword [Endless Blade], but still an excellent item that would drive any warrior wild.
[Shield of Apocalypse] Category: Shield Grade: Z Effect: Combat power +120,000. Block chance increased by 30%. Each successful block reflects 20% damage back at the attacker. Description: An imitation of the ZZZ-grade shield [Freyr's Shield], but still an excellent item that would drive any shield warrior wild.
[Doomsday Judge] Category: Staff Grade: Z Effect: Combat power +130,000. When casting a spell, grants an 8% chance to consume no mana. Spell damage increased by 30%. Description: An imitation of the ZZZ-grade equipment [Staff of the Void], but still an excellent item that would drive any mage wild.
Whether sharp blades, sturdy shields, or magnificent robes, all this equipment would be enough to drive the adventurers outside wild.
Even a year or ten years later, these pieces of equipment would still be rare treasures!
Because!!!
They had precious percentage bonuses!!!
Yet here, they lay everywhere like discarded trash.
It wasn't just weapons for the various classes. Even the hats, cloaks, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, tops, bottoms, chest wraps, underpants, shoes, knee guards, and ornaments were all different!
Longswords lay across armor, and gems mingled with wands.
These treasures, which could spark bloodshed in the outside world, could only lie quietly on the cold ground now.
Lin Yi's gaze wandered through the treasury, and he sucked in a sharp breath, deeply stunned by everything before him.
This was too thrilling!!!
As for why he knew the passphrase to enter, that went back to his previous life.
A year after "Zero Game" launched, some people were still trapped in the Novice Village, finding it extremely difficult even to reach level ten.
The weaker people in the Novice Village could only evade slightly stronger monsters they encountered on the road, with no ability to fight back at all.
Yet the game guide Xiao Ling popped up again and spoke languidly in a sweet, delicate voice:
"Humans really are feeble. You can't even manage to leave a Novice Village!"
"There are treasures to the east, south, west, and north of the Novice Village. Go get them!"
"The passphrase is [Dear esteemed game guide Xiao Ling, please let me see your big treasure!]"
"I had good stuff ready for you ages ago, yet not a single person in the entire human race managed to get any!"
"How stupid!"
Seriously!
Was this even a question of being stupid?
Who the hell could have guessed that?!
But from then on, the people in the Novice Village could always find heaven-defying equipment, skill books, classes, and even talents in the eastern, southern, and northern treasuries respectively!
So much so that many latecomers surpassed the others. After leaving the Novice Village, they could actually catch up with those who had gone before them.
The western treasury seemed to contain nothing, but strangely, anyone who entered it could never enter any of the eastern, southern, or northern treasuries again!
So Lin Yi planned to explore those three treasuries first, then investigate the one farthest west.
Unfortunately, each person could only choose one item from each treasury.
Lin Yi clicked his tongue. Looking at the dazzling treasures strewn across the ground, he shook his head with a smile.
"What a loss!"
"This really is a huge loss!"
Although this equipment wasn't all that powerful, it was priceless in the early stages.
Every single piece would greatly increase his strength early on.
But for him... leveling up was enough!
Lin Yi took a deep breath and hurried deeper along the narrow path between the treasures.
With treasuries like this, the deeper one went, the better the rewards usually were.
There were only ten thousand pieces of equipment, so the journey wasn't very long. He soon reached the end of the path.
There were three treasures at the end.
On the far right was a staff exuding an abstruse power.
[Star Survey] Category: Staff Grade: AA Effect: Combat power +5%. Casting speed increased by 10%. Grants the passive skill "Void Shield," which can absorb magic damage equal to 500% of the user's maximum HP. Shield value slowly regenerates out of combat. Description: [Star Survey] was forged from a rare stellar alloy. Its entire body is a deep silver-gray, as though it contains the mysteries of the night sky.
On the far left was an imposing longsword.
[Earthsplitter] Category: Longsword Grade: AA Effect: Combat power +3%. Attack speed +12%. Grants a 25% chance to trigger "Wrath of the Stars," dealing additional true damage equal to 10% of combat power to the target. Description: A brilliant sapphire is set into [Earthsplitter]'s hilt, emitting a faint halo that seems capable of guiding sword qi and increasing attack power.
Finally, floating between the two was an ancient-looking Bronze Key.
[Bronze Key] Category: Key Grade: ZZZ Effect: Used to open locks. Unique item. Cannot be destroyed. Description: Its holder can use it to open specific locks and obtain unpredictable opportunities.
Swish!
With sharp eyes and quick hands, Lin Yi snatched the Bronze Key!
There was a bronze gate before him and a Bronze Key in front of him.
The meaning couldn't have been clearer!
And!!!
This [Bronze Key] was ZZZ-grade!
Although [Star Survey] and [Earthsplitter] were both two-star equipment with very good stat bonuses, Lin Yi still chose the [Bronze Key] without hesitation.
After all, he had spent ten years in the game and had seen plenty of equipment better than AA-grade, so he had developed some resistance.
But apart from universally acknowledged junk, any ZZZ-grade item was something one could only encounter by chance, not seek out!
This was probably a mysterious key to some mysterious treasury!
If he could get his hands on something three-star...
He could use it no matter how high his combat power became!