Chapter 51

Chapter 051: Myriad Treasures Origin-Returning Art

The next morning at dawn.

Yan Cang woke up as usual.

Under the precise regulation of the "As You Wish Body," his sleep quality last night was extremely high.

He woke up refreshed, with no lingering drowsiness.

After a simple wash.

He habitually sank his consciousness into the Fate Net, wanting to see if there had been any noteworthy developments overnight.

After a quick browse.

Yan Cang found that, compared to the forum from the previous two nights, the overall atmosphere last night was much calmer.

The tension and panic had noticeably subsided.

The reason was actually quite simple.

People were no longer afraid of the wild beasts outside their wooden huts.

With the powerful assistance of the Location Function...

Now, the vast majority of their Huaxia Faction compatriots had successfully banded together.

Only a very few self-proclaimed strong individuals who preferred to act alone, the "Lone Wolves,"

and some trial participants whose geographical locations were too remote to converge in the short term, were exceptions.

And even for small teams of just three to five people, with mutual night watch and support...

The sense of security and psychological backing they gained naturally far exceeded that of staying alone in a wooden hut.

Moreover, although the predators in the wild were ferocious, they weren't completely brainless.

Faced with groups of humans carrying weapons and lighting campfires, they rarely launched attacks recklessly.

Seeking advantage and avoiding harm was an instinct of all living beings.

More importantly, almost everyone now had weapons.

Whether it was crude wooden spears or stone axes, or metal blades opened from crates.

Also, a few people had obtained crossbows from treasure chests, or even ranged weapons like energy weapons.

Morale, equipment, numbers.

As one side's strength grew and the other's waned, the fear on the human side naturally decreased significantly.

It was replaced by a gradually building confidence in facing the wilderness.

Furthermore, the circulation of Fate Points had greatly alleviated the most fundamental survival pressure.

Everyone could obtain basic Fate Points by consuming physical strength to top up, and friends and family could also transfer them to each other for emergencies.

And with Fate Points, they could buy food, clean water, materials, and even tools and weapons from the Trading House.

This was undoubtedly the biggest source of reassurance.

It had to be said, the help provided by the Trading House was truly immense.

No wonder: since the Trading House went online, his Faction Contribution increase had skyrocketed from over two hundred million on the first day to nearly one billion.

As of now, his total Contribution Points were approaching the three billion mark.

This fully showed that the Trading House only charged a 10% Service Fee...

Compared to the convenience and value it provided, it was a complete bargain.

"Still, I'll just consider it as earning Faction Contribution."

Yan Cang's mindset was very calm; he didn't feel regret.

In fact, he saw it very clearly: even if the transaction fees were higher, there was essentially no difference.

Because since the Trading House went online and the importance of Fate Points became prominent, everyone was topping up Fate Points as much as possible.

They were all converting their surplus physical strength into hard currency.

At this stage, the total amount of Fate Points produced by all trial participants in the Huaxia Faction was relatively fixed.

Therefore, the only thing that changes with the transaction fee is the Fate Point balance in the Fate Net user's account.

It has absolutely no effect on the scale of the total Energy Pool.

For him, Fate Points are just numbers; the energy they are anchored to is what truly matters.

In fact, the primary task at this stage is still to help Fate Net users survive as long as possible, and to live well.

Only then will they have more spare physical strength to top up Fate Points.

Secondly, consideration must be given to enhancing the overall strength of the Huaxia faction's compatriots, thereby improving top-up efficiency.

Finally, it is necessary to consider ways to reclaim Fate Points.

This is to prevent them from depreciating due to excessive inflation, losing their appeal as a currency, and thus eliminating the motivation to top up.

Such simple logic, Yan Cang naturally understood.

So, when setting the transaction fee for the Trading House back then, he was indeed quite casual about it.

It was all for the primary goal.

Yan Cang was quite satisfied with the results achieved so far.

And with people's hearts no longer panicked, the atmosphere of public opinion on the Fate Net naturally shifted as well.

Last night, the forum and major chat channels were generally relaxed and pleasant.

There was more bragging, sharing of interesting anecdotes, and exchanging of food tips.

There were even entertainment posts about forming teams to play word games, somewhat reminiscent of the daily internet culture before the transport.

However, serious content concerning the fundamentals of survival naturally did not disappear.

Guide posts on how to more efficiently build camps, craft weapons, set up targeted traps, and tips for topping up Fate Points still occupied most of the popular sections.

This showed that most people had not completely let their guard down; survival and development remained the main theme.

Besides this, Yan Cang also noticed...

Starting last night, there was a considerable wave of voices on the forum, repeatedly emphasizing and spreading a viewpoint:

[The level of an individual's Faction Contribution will affect the weight for obtaining high-quality Treasure Chests when opening Supply Boxes.]

This speculation was clearly ignited by Yang Dongyao's post about "opening a Golden Chest."

After a night of dissemination, it seemed to have been accepted by many, even believed without doubt.

Many people, using this as motivation, became more active in seeking ways to gain Faction Contribution.

However, looking at those identical talking points, Yan Cang felt something was off.

Was someone consciously and systematically guiding public opinion?

"Damn, there are paid posters!"

Observing the overall situation, he could naturally see a hint of this.

But he didn't really care about it.

After all, increasing the importance of [Faction Contribution] in people's minds was ultimately not a bad thing.

On the contrary, it was a good thing!

Just as Yan Cang was thinking this, he saw someone speculating about him based on this:

"Hey, do you guys think the Chief opens chests every day, and they're directly the highest quality?"

"Highest quality? The kind even higher than Golden Chests? Diamond? Legendary? Mythic?"

"Who knows, anyway, I think there should be higher tiers, we just haven't seen them. The Chief probably opens them every day."

"Very possible! The Chief's Contribution Points are already in the billions, how high must his weight be? It's not too much to say he gets a guaranteed Legendary Chest every day, right?"

"Jealous to the point of tears! We open Black Iron, and the big shots open Legendary... The gap is real..."

"So everyone needs to work hard to earn Contribution!"

These words stunned Yan Cang, and he nearly choked on his own saliva.

"Legendary, Mythic, my foot... I've never even seen a chest higher than Gold quality!"

"And even if it's a Golden Chest, the energy I spend anchoring it every time doesn't decrease one bit."

"That's real Fate Power!"

"I can totally say: I can consistently open Golden Chests purely because of my own effort, alright?"

Yan Cang grumbled in his mind with righteous indignation.

He felt that the world's misunderstanding of him was far too deep.

With no choice, he could only helplessly log out of the Fate Net Forum.

"Since things have come to this, let's eat first."

Yan Cang decisively switched interfaces and clicked on the [Food Zone] in the Trading House.

He planned to soothe his wounded heart with delicious food.

But what to eat for breakfast?

Since Chef Song's place still had the grand finale dish, "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall," reserved for tomorrow evening.

For now, Yan Cang didn't plan to bother him.

He also wanted a change of taste, so he aimlessly browsed through the listings.

This browsing soon led to a new discovery.

In the Food Zone's list, several new shops had appeared, all labeled with the title "Former State Banquet Team Backup Head Chef."

And judging by their registration times and menu upload records, they had all been newly opened last night or this morning.

Curious, Yan Cang clicked in to check.

He found that, like Chef Song, who specialized in Huaiyang Cuisine, these shops also had distinct culinary style preferences.

Coincidentally, the signature cuisines of these chefs happened to cover the remaining Eight Great Cuisines.

Overnight, a complete "State Banquet Chef Team" had assembled in the Food Zone.

Completely overlooking the suspiciousness of it all.

He just stared at the menu, at those representative main dishes whose names alone made his mouth water:

Things like Mapo Tofu, Palace Guardian Chicken, Twice-Cooked Pork...

Soon, Yan Cang's eyes grew brighter and brighter, and his saliva began to secrete uncontrollably.

"What to eat?"

"Forget it, only kids make choices!"

He boldly placed orders at all these newly discovered "State Banquet Shops" in one go.

Booking up the main dishes for his lunches and dinners over the next few days.

However, just like with Chef Song's place.

These signature dishes requiring complex techniques all needed to be ordered in advance, with cooking times ranging from several hours to a day or two.

He couldn't eat them right now.

As for breakfast, these shops still offered everyday options like Soy Milk, Fried Dough Sticks, and Steamed Buns.

Drawing from yesterday's experience, Yan Cang knew that this kind of simple breakfast couldn't showcase a master chef's profound skills.

At best, they'd be more refined, use better ingredients, and have more precise heat control, but the taste difference wouldn't be huge.

The sense of amazement was quite limited.

"Besides, everyone has their specialty. Those old masters who focus on breakfast snacks might not be any less skilled than the State Banquet chefs."

Thinking this, Yan Cang began browsing the breakfast shops in the Food Zone.

Soon.

Amid the monotonous lineup of soy milk, fried dough sticks, and plain congee, he was suddenly drawn to a somewhat unique name:

[Coix Seed Sweet Water (Hot)]

He knew what coix seed was—a type of coarse grain, usually used for cooking porridge or making soup.

But boiling it alone into a sweet water drink for breakfast?

That was something new.

Wasn't it typically cooked together with several other ingredients to make eight-treasure porridge, or found in certain health-preserving soups and stews?

What would just coix seed on its own taste like?

Once curiosity struck, it was hard to suppress.

He casually ordered a large bowl of it, along with a regular serving of soy milk and fried dough sticks.

The meal arrived quickly.

He took a sip of the "Coix Seed Sweet Water (Hot)" first.

The coix seeds were cooked to perfection, each grain distinct, soaking in a sugar water that carried a faint, grainy fragrance.

Eating it while hot, the unique chewiness of the coix seeds combined with the clear, sweet, and mild broth—the texture was surprisingly pleasant.

It gave a rustic sense of satisfaction.

"Hmm? Not bad!" Yan Cang's eyes lit up.

The pace of his spoon unconsciously quickened.

Soon, he had finished the entire large bowl of coix seeds cleanly, not even leaving the broth behind.

Then he polished off the regular serving of soy milk and fried dough sticks.

Even with his now greatly expanded appetite, he felt completely full.

With the "As You Wish Body" talent, there was no need to take a deliberate walk to aid digestion like before.

After all, his body could handle it efficiently on its own.

After the meal, he couldn't help but think of the [Myriad Manifestation Mirror] on the bed, its pitch-black surface constantly shifting with starlight.

He immediately walked over to check on it.

He found it still tirelessly, rigidly, and mechanically carrying out its needle-in-a-haystack screening of fate stars.

"Alright, you keep at it."

Yan Cang turned and walked to the window.

He reached out and pushed open the well-sealed window, letting the morning sunlight and breeze flood in.

The sunlight fell on him, warm and very comfortable.

He couldn't help but pull over that ergonomic chair.

Yan Cang sat down in it contentedly, then pulled out the [Strange Game Console] again.

"There are still a few hours until the midday crate opening. Perfect for killing time."

With that, he skillfully started the game.

In the interaction between his fingertips and the screen...

Time slipped away quietly.

Soon, noon arrived.

The familiar chime rang out as punctually as always:

[Ding! Congratulations on surviving the fourth day in the Trial Ground. Your faction gains +1 point.]

[You receive +1 faction contribution.]

[The faction ranking and personal contribution ranking have been refreshed.]

...

Almost the moment he heard the chime, Yan Cang immediately paused the game.

The golden chest he had been eagerly anticipating was finally coming again.

With a thought, the game console was stowed away into his mental space.

At the same time, he stood up and walked over to the supply box beside him.

The subsequent procedure was already second nature to him.

With just a slight thought,

the "Great Fate Art" quietly activated, effortlessly anchoring the future where he was sure to obtain the golden chest.

For him, this was already a daily routine.

Then, just before reaching out to touch it—

He subconsciously rubbed his hands together, silently reciting the small goal for this opening in his heart.

"I hope there's a way to salvage that [Myriad Manifestation Mirror]."

"After being able to view and quantify their own specific attributes at any time, Fate Net users should have a stronger sense of direction and ambition to grow stronger."

"So for the Fate Net, the Personal Attribute Panel is a very basic and important essential feature."

"If Brother Mirror is just scrapped like this, I'll have to find a suitable replacement later."

"Troublesome!"

Muttering to himself, Yan Cang began to reach out and touch the chest as usual.

He let the Supply Box evolve into a Golden Chest on its own.

Then, at the moment of opening, the precognitive ability of the "Great Fate Art" activated simultaneously.

The vast star map composed of countless future possibilities once again unfolded before his eyes.

In this [Selection Interface], Yan Cang clearly outlined his specific needs:

"This time, the goal is only to solve the crash issue of the [Myriad Manifestation Mirror] and make it capable of handling the task of the personal attribute interface."

"Of course, if on top of that, it can have other major uses, that would be even better..."

"Anyway, I just want the most useful one."

As this composite wish settled.

The vast star map before him began to change violently, constantly filtering and annihilating.

There were already few options that met the condition of "saving the Myriad Manifestation Mirror," and picking one with other major uses made it even rarer.

After a moment, countless future branches dimmed.

Only one remained, its light growing brighter and brighter until it finally came into sharp focus.

"There really is one!"

Yan Cang couldn't help but feel delighted.

Seeing that an option meeting such conditions actually existed, his sense of anticipation instantly maxed out.

What now appeared before him was not the items he had originally imagined, like an "Equipment Upgrade Card," "System Repair Module," or "Super Server Core."

Instead, it was a mysterious scroll shadow.

Yan Cang looked at it, and the relevant information naturally emerged:

[Myriad Treasures Origin-Returning Art (Skill Book): Upon learning, you can infuse your own origin power into all things, and this process simultaneously refines them into part of your own origin system. When origins merge, they respond as if they were part of your own body.]

"Origin power?"

Yan Cang was slightly stunned when he saw this term.

His first thought was of his own Fate Power, derived from the "Great Fate Art."

But then his mind shifted, realizing that the authority of fate was far too broad.

He could completely split the concept of "fate" into countless parts to bestow: good luck, bad luck, opportunity, cause and effect, precognition...

As this line of thought unfolded, Yan Cang immediately thought of many possible applications.

Not just for the [Myriad Manifestation Mirror], but for many other useful items as well.

Thus, he could add useful functions to the Fate Net, and even had many new ideas for enhancing the overall strength of Fate Net users.

"But these are matters for later..."

Yan Cang suppressed his overly excited emotions and turned his attention back to the [Myriad Manifestation Mirror], which was still in a state of crash.

"Brother Mirror's current state is because he needs to process a massive amount of information, so he can't filter through it all at once."

"And even if the filtering succeeds, it may not necessarily identify the person's attributes through the Fate Star."

"So to solve this problem, I need to grant it..."

Yan Cang stroked his chin, pondering.

Soon, he thought of an answer:

"The fate of Omniscience?"