Chapter 119: 【shadow Play】
[Fate: Shadow Play]
[An ancient and unique skill, it seems to differ somewhat from traditional shadow puppetry; it is more exquisite, more agile, and also more terrifying.]
[It has been passed down from ancient times to the present, enduring countless horror stories, and now, it has been passed down to your hands.]
[You know that it is not a skill that should exist in the world of living people.]
[You can choose to accept this skill and become its sole successor, or refuse.]
[If you refuse, it will wait for its next inheritor.]
[If you accept, you will pay 3000 life-buying money.]
Lu Jinzhao read line by line the newspaper’s description of the fate. However, there wasn’t much content; unlike the detailed descriptions of supernatural items, the newspaper did not explicitly state the function of the fate.
“Does it only reveal itself after buying?”
No wonder someone on the forum said to be cautious when buying a fate. What if after buying it, one finds that the fate isn’t what they imagined, and regrets it?
However, Lu Jinzhao did not hesitate at all because of this.
She would definitely buy this fate.
Even if it only came from a B-grade platform, this was a B-grade platform after the parchment caused trouble, and moreover, she had no choice.
She took out her train ticket; the amount shown on it was 3200, and the level had also been upgraded to second-class.
“Repairing the body cost more money than I expected.”
Was it because she left the wooden box inside her body?
It seemed that was the only possibility.
If it weren’t for the train’s repair function, she would never have had the dangerous idea of placing a supernatural item inside her body. As she thought, the train charged a large sum of life-buying money, but it did indeed repair her body well; she could hardly feel the wooden box’s existence anymore.
Her current body was undoubtedly within the [health] standard range.
“Truly miraculous.”
As she spoke, Lu Jinzhao spent 3000 life-buying money to buy the [Shadow Play] fate.
This way, she only had 200 life-buying money left.
The instant she bought the fate, the originally blurry “three-year apprenticeship” memory, which had even gradually faded after completing the mission and leaving the platform, became incredibly clear. At the same time, the “inheritance” was also imprinted in her mind.
She felt a sensation almost like the train repairing her body.
Because she bought this fate, her body was also undergoing changes.
Her originally ordinary body, even after the train’s repair, was slowly becoming stronger, due to the “three years of martial arts practice” experience. Although there didn’t seem to be much difference on the surface, Lu Jinzhao was surprised to discover that she had gained some muscle.
It wasn’t exaggerated; when not flexing, it wasn’t very noticeable, but it was very practical muscle.
And in her mind, the true function of the [Shadow Play] fate slowly emerged.
“Huff huff.”
Before the train doors closed, Huo Ye ran onto the train.
Heaven knows how thrilling the scene he had just experienced was.
As soon as he got on, he immediately wanted to tear off the thing that had been stuck to his back, gnawing at his flesh and blood. But unexpectedly, he didn’t need to do anything; two shadow puppets floated off his body.
Just as Huo Ye thought it was the train isolating supernatural power, he saw the shadow puppet belonging to Lu Jinzhao, which had originally floated down to his feet, not fall directly but stand on the ground?
Then, with its flat legs, it da-da-da ran toward Lu Jinzhao?
Huo Ye couldn’t help but widen his eyes slightly; he didn’t even repair his body first but watched the weird scene before him.
That shadow puppet had shed its previous ferocity. Although Huo Ye could still sense a ghost’s aura on it, it was much weaker.
Moreover, wasn’t this on the train?
This [inheritance] was indeed a fate?
He watched wide-eyed as the shadow puppet ran to Lu Jinzhao’s feet, then climbed up along her pant leg, sticking to her calf. Afterward, the several bone signs that had been dragging behind it vanished into thin air.
Immediately after, what changed was the index finger of Lu Jinzhao’s right hand.
A black circle, like a ring or a tattoo, appeared on it.
He saw Lu Jinzhao, as if conducting an experiment, face an empty space, raise her right hand with palm down; that special index finger moved slightly, and the shadow puppet that had crawled into her pant leg slid out accordingly, following her finger’s movements as it spun in place.
It was just like an obedient puppy.
Huo Ye shook his head. What puppy? This thing was a genuine little ghost!
“Congratulations,” Huo Ye said through gritted teeth, offering his blessing.
He tried hard to restrain himself from showing a sarcastic tone, but he was really a bit envious.
What good fate; this fate actually had attack power right from the start?
This was truly rare.
Most fates are actually very weak when first obtained, just like cultivation always has a beginning; it’s impossible to be invincible right after getting a fate.
The most typical are those who get [Taoist], [Celestial Master], or [Psychic], [Witch] fates; their fates grow stronger slowly through mission after mission, resisting fierce ghosts time and again.
Just like people aren’t born as adults; having a new [fate] naturally requires nurturing it to grow slowly.
Some [fates] when first obtained have effects not even as good as a supernatural item.
But without exception, all [first-class] ones possess [fates].
Supernatural items determine the lower limit; [fates] determine the upper limit.
And the [fate] that Lu Jinzhao obtained—just from this scene he saw and recalling the encounters during the mission—he dared to assert that the upper limit would definitely not be low.
“See a ghost, isn’t this a B-grade platform?”
How could such a useful [fate] appear?
Lu Jinzhao was unaware of Huo Ye’s complex thoughts. She simply tested the new method of controlling the shadow puppet and felt quite satisfied.
The only downside was when the shadow puppet first stuck to her calf, her finger bone felt as if it had fallen onto a forging table, being constantly hammered by a red-hot iron hammer, forged into a new control rod for specially manipulating this shadow puppet.
After buying the fate, she already knew all the functions of [Shadow Play].
First, her body received considerable strengthening due to “martial arts practice”; second, she gained a special supernatural ability: controlling shadow puppets.
Just like inside the platform, to exert the fate’s supernatural ability, she needed a [shadow puppet] as the medium, and she now only had one: the one she made herself.
This shadow puppet was undoubtedly a ghost.
Although very weak, this ghost’s special feature was that, being a complete shadow puppet made from Lu Jinzhao’s own skin and ghost’s bone, it was a [little ghost] carrying Lu Jinzhao’s aura.
Just thinking about it, Lu Jinzhao could imagine many moments where it could be useful.
But the drawback was that this little thing feared water, fire, and high temperatures.
Even an ordinary person could deal with it if they found the right method.
As for the shadow puppet made of ghost skin and bone that floated down beside Huo Ye, Lu Jinzhao couldn’t feel any control over it.
Simply because her current “level” was still too low.
She simply couldn’t control shadow puppets not made by herself.
Fortunately, according to the inheritance memory, as long as she made enough shadow puppets, improved her skills, and obtained better materials, her fate would also slowly grow stronger; she would be able to control more shadow puppets and gain more powerful abilities.
The shadow puppets she controlled would also become more like fierce ghosts.
But that was for later.
Now, she only had one very fragile little ghost.
To make the next one, she needed suitable materials.
Ordinary dead human skin and bones were far from enough.
She must find “special people,” such as those with special birth dates, or who died extremely miserably, or… passengers with fates.
Besides humans, there were better materials: ghosts.
But she didn’t yet have the ability to obtain ghost skin and bones, so she could only settle for the next best thing for now.
People who died extremely miserably were easy to find; there were plenty inside platforms. However, even shadow puppets made from such materials only carried a bit of resentment and ghost aura.
It would be great if there were some special channel to obtain a ghost’s body.
Lu Jinzhao sighed.
The train was already on its way back.
Besides Huo Ye, no one else boarded afterward.
During this time, Lu Jinzhao was immersed in learning about the [fate].
Perhaps because her current level was too low, part of the inheritance memory was shrouded in fog, like fragmented memories she couldn’t recall.
“If I make enough powerful shadow puppets and obtain the most crucial control rod, as the creator, I can…”
Can what?
She couldn’t remember.
Probably, this part of the memory would awaken only when she reached a certain threshold.
Or perhaps this inheritance was incomplete to begin with?
After all, this was only a B-grade platform.
Various possibilities flashed through Lu Jinzhao’s mind, but in any case, the surprise [Shadow Play] brought her exceeded her expectations.
This was a fate with exceptionally powerful functions.
Even though it required some prerequisites and the only shadow puppet she had was very fragile, just with what she had now, she could use this shadow puppet to ensure she survived a sure-death situation.
Because this shadow puppet, carrying Lu Jinzhao’s aura and made from her own human skin, could substitute death in a critical moment.
Among supernatural items, substitute death props are extremely rare, and in transactions between passengers, they are in demand but always in short supply.
And Lu Jinzhao could completely make such supernatural items herself.
However, she still needed special bones as materials; just her own skin wasn’t enough.
And it couldn’t be skin peeled off while she was alive.
“The trouble is the bones.”
The control rod made from bones would, the instant the shadow puppet is completed, become part of her bones; this was an essential material.
This platform had a master who friendly provided ghost’s bone, but where would she find suitable bones next?
Lu Jinzhao only worried for a moment before no longer dwelling on it. At least, she now had the ability to make substitute death props, didn’t she?
Ten minutes passed quickly as she learned about the fate. When the train arrived at the station, Huo Ye, seeing Lu Jinzhao about to leave directly, spoke up: “Hey! Wait a sec!”
Lu Jinzhao turned around with a questioning look at him, and Huo Ye quickly explained: “You’ve passed your first B-grade platform; remember to apply to enter the core area on the forum when you get back.”
“There are many things inside; remember to check them out.”
“Future high-level platforms are different from the places you’ve been before.”
Huo Ye’s tone was normal, sounding like he wasn’t holding a grudge about Lu Jinzhao pitting him inside the platform.
Lu Jinzhao nodded but didn’t think Huo Ye had simply “let bygones be bygones.” Toward Huo Ye, she maintained a vigilant attitude.
“I can get in just by applying?” Lu Jinzhao thought for a moment, then suddenly asked.
“Yes.” Huo Ye nodded: “Among the forum administrators, there’s one whose fate is Divine Calculator. We call her that. After your application goes through, when she sees you, she’ll know.”
At this point, Huo Ye didn’t mind adding a couple more words: “She’s called Divine Calculator, but to us, she’s close to a prophet. We all want to encounter her in a platform; the survival rate goes up a lot.”
Lu Jinzhao noticed that Huo Ye used the word “close.”
First there was that [Qing Wu] on the forum, now this [Divine Calculator]; Yuncheng Station Platform seemed to be full of hidden talents?
Lu Jinzhao felt a bit interested. After bidding farewell to Huo Ye, she returned home and clearly sensed her difference from before; she didn’t feel fatigued enough to want to sleep immediately.
“Is it because of the fate?”
Her physique and spirit had both become stronger.
Lu Jinzhao simply opened the forum and submitted the application.
Then, almost the next instant, the application was approved.
She was somewhat stunned; after all, this application had nothing written on it, just a button.
It seemed Huo Ye’s words were indeed true.
After the application was approved, the small envelope icon in the upper right corner of the forum suddenly flashed. Lu Jinzhao clicked it; it was an email.
[Congratulations, you’ve successfully survived until now.
There’s pinned information in the core area that you need; remember to watch.
If you need more convenient communication, please join this group chat. No need to worry; this group cannot be observed by ordinary people in reality.
Wishing you a long life.
——New Moon]
A concise email.
Lu Jinzhao first checked her computer’s camera, applied for a new account, then clicked the link in the email.
The link redirected, and a group chat showed she had joined.
And the number of people in this group chat was 85, plus her, now 86.
The moment she entered the group chat, several messages popped up.
[This death platform lasted quite a while too; it hasn’t ended even now.]
[Didn’t Divine Calculator say at least a month? Wait and see.]
[This is the second death platform in the first half of this year, right? Feels like it’s accelerating?]
[Before, death platforms were almost once every half year. Feels like annual regular cleanup of first-class ones, with some potential first-class who could rise to first-class taken out along the way.]
[Why do you make it sound like sweeping garbage…]
[I didn’t mean that!]
[Oh, a newcomer.]
[Congratulations congratulations, another person who’s lived a bit longer on the train~]
