Relic: Clown's Myriad Mask

Congratulations on clearing 'Anomaly 407 Containment Facility'.

Maze Exploration: 87%, A-Class Reward, Fixed Reward 100% Outstanding Strategy: Random card draw reward +30% Monster Slayer: Additional card draw reward +20% Victory Against Odds: Additional card draw reward +25% Minor Injury: Fixed reward +2% BOSS Slay: A-Class Fallen Witch special reward +5%; A-Class Curse Gambler special reward +7%; A-Class Shadow Demon reward +7% Completed Hidden Storyline Exploration *3, Hidden Reward +15% Overall Evaluation: S, Obtained Clear Treasure Chest *1, Obtained Special Settlement Treasure Chest *1

(Note: Treasure chests have a probability to draw items. The higher the settlement reward evaluation, the greater the chance of drawing high-quality items.)

Ji Xun looked at the string of settlement evaluations, not quite understanding.

But thinking that he had killed the main BOSSes, the rewards should be decent.

He then looked at the two treasure chests floating in mid-air. With a gentle touch, the storyline treasure chest yielded five six-pointed star cards.

Below it was Enlightenment: "30% chance to draw White Card, 57% Black Iron Card, Silver 10%, Special 3%"

The second special treasure chest only contained one card.

"Card draw?"

Ji Xun chuckled, looking at it. Another game for gamblers.

Five to choose from.

He casually tapped one.

There was no silver glint. Two cards appeared before his eyes.

[Opened Clear Treasure Chest, obtained 'Skill: Advanced Firearms Mastery' *1]

[Opened Special Settlement Treasure Chest, obtained 'Relic: Clown's Myriad Mask' *1]

Ji Xun looked at the attribute descriptions of the two cards in his hand, his eyes lighting up.

He hadn't drawn a Silver card from the storyline treasure chest, but it wasn't Black Iron either.

The rewards seemed better than expected.

He looked at the cards, "Did I draw that 3% Special?"

[Skill: Advanced Firearms Mastery] Details: Black Iron Skill Cultivation Card. Requires Intermediate Firearms Mastery. After use, you will master Advanced Firearms Mastery and possess god-like shooting skills.

His own years of dedicated practice only amounted to Intermediate Mastery.

And this card was Advanced.

"It's another skill cultivation card."

Ji Xun looked at the card with a firearm pattern on it and muttered to himself.

He remembered Chu Jiu saying that skill cultivation cards were extremely rare, considered the most valuable among cards of the same quality.

He hadn't expected to get two of them in this alternate dimension.

This meant his luck with card draws was actually quite good?

It seemed that a high settlement evaluation led to a higher chance of drawing hidden items?

Either way, he had drawn it.

He checked his status panel. He currently had [Intermediate Firearms Mastery (654/800)], so he could use this card.

With a thought, he crushed the card.

[Used 'Skill: Advanced Firearms Mastery', you have mastered this skill]

Exaggeratingly, his skill panel updated to [Advanced Firearms Mastery (1554/3000)].

"This skill card is amazing."

To understand how the card worked, Ji Xun had been carefully sensing the physical differences before and after using it.

He clearly felt that his memory seemed to have had something added by a mysterious force.

It was like having a brief but fulfilling dream.

He swam in the dream, and then, he truly learned to swim.

Ji Xun felt excellent.

After integrating the skill card, he instinctively touched the revolver at his waist with one hand. It felt completely different.

Before, firearms were an external tool to him. But now, as his hand touched the revolver, it felt like an extension of his own arm.

He had a feeling that if he were to draw his gun, he'd hit exactly where he aimed.

In his past life, he'd seen interviews with military reporters where some top firearms masters described their state of being as feeling like the firearm was an extension of their body.

"So this is Advanced Firearms Mastery, it's really amazing."

Ji Xun felt he had gained a lot.

Perhaps firearms weren't too strong in this world of supernatural powers, but his current physical body was weak. The most direct way to boost his combat power right now was his marksmanship.

This skill card couldn't be called the best, but it was definitely the most practical at the moment!

Without further thought, he turned his attention to another card he had drawn.

[Relic: Clown's Myriad Mask]

Description: Once you wear the mask, you can't take it off.

Details: An ancient relic exclusive to a sequence that has lost its divinity, possessing super strong mental erosion. Upon wearing, it consumes 10 mental power per hour, allowing the user to change their appearance at will. Based on the user's mental power attribute, it grants +35% illusion resistance, +20% curse immunity, +70% mental probe immunity, +30% mystery, and +20% dark affinity. Insufficient mental power will lead to mental distortion. It can absorb mental power to boost attributes and improve the relic's quality.

"An exclusive relic?"

Ji Xun looked at the card in front of him, which depicted a mask.

The mask was flesh-colored, like a freshly peeled human skin.

This was an equipment.

Ji Xun didn't understand why equipment also needed to be sealed in cards.

But as soon as the thought crossed his mind and the mask appeared in his hand, he immediately guessed the reason.

A mask as thin as a cicada's wing appeared in his hand, light and airy, yet holding it made his vision blur.

Enlightenment displayed: "Mystic Erosion, Mental Power -0.01."

This mask, like the supernatural materials found inside monsters, had an energy pollution similar to nuclear radiation.

Ji Xun now had a slightly better understanding of "supernatural pollution." It wasn't something to be feared to the point of changing color, but rather his current weak body couldn't withstand certain overly powerful exotic energies.

It was like sunbathing; being too close or staying out for too long could both be harmful to the human body.

Was sealing equipment in cards meant to protect the user and prevent the leakage of the equipment's supernatural properties?

Just like how a kitchen knife exposed to the air would rust, keeping equipment in cards prevented the loss of its supernatural characteristics.

Ji Xun didn't dwell on it.

He would have plenty of time in the future to explore this magical world.

Ji Xun mentally estimated the usage time for this equipment and thought, "It continuously consumes mental power when worn. That means my current mental power can only sustain it for about ten minutes?"

Normally, it should last about twenty minutes, but he didn't think draining his mental power was a good idea.

The mask's attributes were described with words that were difficult to interpret precisely, and Ji Xun didn't know how strong it actually was.

But suddenly, after putting on the mask, he saw a direct numerical change among the series of status buffs on his panel: Dark Affinity 25.

His original Dark Affinity was only 5; this mask had temporarily added 20.

"Huh, Dark Affinity has reached 25. Can I learn that [Skill: Shadow Dive] now?"

Ji Xun took out the skill training card he had obtained after killing the Shadow Demon from his pocket and tried it.

Enlightenment displayed that it could indeed be used!

Compared to the mask or anything else, he felt that [Shadow Dive] was the current life-saving ultimate skill.

Without hesitation, Ji Xun directly used the training card.

As the card disintegrated into dust in his hand, a dreamlike inspiration swept over him, and a new entry, [Shadow Dive Lv0], appeared on his skill panel.

He had actually learned it!

Compared to Firearms Mastery, a skill he had mastered in his previous life, [Shadow Dive] was truly a supernatural ability.

Ji Xun found it quite magical.

He tried to use the skill, and a miraculous scene unfolded before his eyes.

He watched as his body gradually merged into the darkness, disappearing without a trace.

How to describe that state...

It was like swimming or diving; the element of darkness instantly enveloped and concealed his body. He felt his entire being sink into the element of darkness.

The element of darkness, which had felt completely void before, now felt like water, and he could clearly touch it.

However, after a few seconds, a stumbling figure materialized from the darkness.

Ji Xun watched himself emerge from the darkness again. This was his first time using a supernatural ability, and he was still immersed in the magical experience.

It was like a fish in water.

But then he was suddenly thrown onto the shore.

He immediately understood: he had run out of mana.

The data panel showed: Curse Power 1/13.

This bit of Curse Power was extra, obtained from consuming the residual extraordinary traits of two corpses earlier.

Ji Xun thought to himself, "Curse Power is basically the mana bar for Spell Card Masters. This world should have some cultivation secret arts, like breathing techniques."

He had seen Chu Jiu meditating before; that rhythmic breathing might be a secret art for cultivating Curse Power.

It seemed he'd need to pay attention to things like this once he got out.

Ji Xun thought so.

A few seconds of experience had opened up so many possibilities for him. If he could stealth in darkness for an extended period, this ability would be a lifesaver.

His mental energy depleted quickly while wearing the Clown mask, so Ji Xun took it off. His Dark Affinity dropped from 25 to 5.

Then he discovered that the [Shadow Dive] skill had turned gray.

Without that high Dark Affinity, he couldn't sense the dark elements anymore.

The skill was imprinted in his mind, but his body couldn't execute it.

Before, it felt like swimming in water; now it was like being in the air. The movements were the same, but he couldn't swim anymore.

Just as he expected.

Ji Xun didn't dwell on it and walked towards the distorted portal leading out of the Alternate Dimension.

He was going to explore this new world.

Thanks to 'GT Wan Li Hong', '20171111224239223', 'Luo Feng Jun', and 'La Gou Shang Diao' for their generous support.