https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-37-Gloomy-Phantom-City-Conclusion-/13509982/
Chapter 38
Chapter 38
【Scenario completed, calculating rewards.】
【Gained experience points: 1,500 | Game currency: 15,000】
【Gained items/equipment: Eye of Hostility, M1911A1 pistol, Western chef’s knife, baseball bat, flashlight ×2】
【Completed/Accepted tasks: 5/5】
【Special ending reward: Time Lord’s Gift – claim later】
【Special/hidden tasks completed: 0 | Unlocked world view: Time Loop】
【Terror Value surge: 0 times | Maximum Terror Value: 0% | Average Terror Value: 0%】
【Your Fear Rating is Fearless | Eligible for an additional reward – select later】
【Gained skill points: 300】
【Skill points bonus: Experience +3,000 | Game currency +30,000】
【Scenario clearance reward: 80% base experience bonus: +1,200】
【Settlement complete. Continue.】
(For clarification on the above settlement interface: The flashlight contains batteries, and the gun has bullets. These low-quality consumables are pre-loaded in tools/equipment and do not occupy satchel slots. Items like the pipe wrench, which were not obtained in this scenario, are excluded from the settlement.)
“Unlocking the world view really pays off…” Feng Bu Jue mused. “Not counting the 240, I only earned 60 skill points total in this scenario.”
“Feng Bu Jue! We’re rich!” Wang Tan Zhi shouted excitedly over the team chat. “I just jumped to level 10! And I got over 20,000 game currency!”
Feng Bu Jue instinctively calculated that Xiao Tan’s skill points must be between 60 and 150. He replied, “Saw that. The team list shows levels.” He’d already noticed Long Ao Min’s friend request and added him while speaking: “Don’t forget to accept Long Ge’s request.”
“Already accepted,” Wang Tan Zhi replied. “Invite him to the team.”
After a few quick actions, Long Ao Min’s voice crackled over the comms: “Whoa, both of you doubled your levels! Feng Bu Jue’s already level 11!” His own level matched theirs at 11.
Some might wonder how this happened. Let’s check Feng Bu Jue’s character details:
In-game name: Mad Bu Jue | Level: 11 | Experience: 1,350/11,000
Skill points: 430 | Game currency: 51,500
Proficiencies: Universal F, Mechanics F, Scouting F, Martial Arts F, Shooting F
Satchel (7/10): Mario’s Pipe Wrench, Eye of Hostility, Western chef’s knife, baseball bat, flashlight ×2, M1911A1 pistol
Login Space (1/30): Puzzle Card
Everyone could see his experience total. To reach level 12 required 11,000 XP, not 1,100. In Terrifying Paradise, level-up experience increases stepwise every 10 levels: 100 for level 1→2, 200 for 2→3, and so on. At level 10→11, the cost spiked to 10,000. Reaching level 11 revealed an even more staggering jump.
Long Ao Min had earned 1,500 base XP, 1,200 scenario bonus XP, and roughly 170 skill points (which sometimes included decimal precision from combat). His settlement gave him nearly 4,500 XP, yet he still needed 7,000–8,000 XP to reach level 12.
After discussing their progress, Long Ao Min suddenly asked, “Hey, what titles did you get?”
“Cold-Blooded Headhunter,” Feng Bu Jue replied casually.
“Uh…”
The others fell silent.
Seconds later, Wang Tan Zhi chuckled dryly. “Actually, the system makes sense. Basically, you headshot everything in that scenario… and you were pretty cold-blooded.”
“Yours?” Feng Bu Jue shot back. “Screaming Heir?”
“Why would the game have a ‘rich second-gen’ title?!”
“Fair point. ‘Rich second-gen’ is a race, not a class,” Feng Bu Jue quipped.
“Mine’s Panicked Ambusher…” Wang Tan Zhi gave up and shared his.
Feng Bu Jue pondered: “Apt. It describes your panic and inability to fight head-on. The system’s brutally honest.”
“Brutally? More like a gutting. Strangers will mock this title!”
“Doesn’t matter. Strangers either despise you instantly or start mocking when you scream helplessly.”
Long Ao Min chuckled, easing tension: “Don’t stress, Wan Xiong. Titles change after scenarios. Mine updated to Squad Defender this time.”
After brief chatter, Long Ao Min logged off, planning to rest before rejoining the sleep-mode channel at midnight. Wang Tan Zhi, exhausted after four scenarios (including the newbie tutorial), quit for the night. Feng Bu Jue also logged off post-settlement—not from fatigue, but to control his level.
The closed beta capped at level 20. Non-Class players had no rush to level. Once 10% of players hit the cap, the beta would end for a full system upgrade to open beta.
Terrifying Paradise had already attracted major studios. As mentioned earlier, Feng Bu Jue found level-10+ player guides on the forums the first day—clearly written by Class studios. These pros operated in shifts: one team in sleep mode from 8 AM, another grinding non-sleep mode, swapping at night.
Per 2055 laws, Gaming Pods strictly limited playtime. Non-sleep mode allowed 10 real-time hours daily. Sleep mode, with its 1:10 time ratio, capped at 8 real hours (4-hour recommendation). Exceeding either mode’s limit forced disconnection until the next 24-hour cycle.
In short, players maxed at 18 hours daily: 10 awake, 8 asleep. Switching Pods was futile—all nerve networks blocked Ids exceeding limits. This protected health; early adopters of neural-linked games had suffered sudden deaths or brain damage from nonstop play. Not the Pods’ fault—Internet cafes saw similar issues in the 20th century.
After bidding Xiao Tan and Long Ge farewell, Feng Bu Jue entered the elevator and stepped into the equipment claim room.
Two glass columns stood. The left one held a floating item—the Time Lord’s Gift, unlocked only by achieving the Seal Hellgate ending.
Feng Bu Jue first moved one flashlight from his satchel to Login Space, freeing a slot (6/10), then claimed the item. He glanced at his title ability, displayed above his skill bar:
Name: Concussion
Type: Passive
Effect: 30% chance to stun targets for 2 seconds when striking their head with a blunt weapon
Background: “Can’t pop a head? No worries. Just hit harder.”
A solid passive—no stamina cost. Paired with Mario’s Pipe Wrench, it’d shine against weak foes. Less useful against bosses, non-humanoids, or ghosts.
He approached the second column. Inside floated a small vial half-filled with sand:
Name: Slow Sand
Type: Consumable
Quality: Fine
Effect: Slows time for 1 minute
Background: “Low-quality time dust. Useful when swarmed.”
“A strategic consumable. Xiao Tan and Long Ge probably got one too,” Feng Bu Jue muttered, reaching the final column.
【Choose your additional reward:
1. Random level-appropriate equipment
2. 50,000 game currency (max)
3. 4,400 experience points】
At level 11, the Fearless reward shone. The 4,400 XP (40% of level 11’s 11,000 XP requirement) was tempting. Theoretically, Feng Bu Jue could level by surviving two scenarios—assuming his “condition” persisted.
Yet he hesitated. A zero Terror Value might draw suspicion of cheating. Better to stay low. He opted for equipment, hoping for armor—his defenses lagged despite solid weapons.
(End of Chapter)
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