Chapter 1 Excerpt from a Novel

Besides paying attention to matches involving acquaintances and friends, Li Ang also focused on the top 100 players in individual combat strength, especially the top 50, observing their fighting styles and each person's combat habits.

This was to be prepared for encountering these people in the future.

Later that day, Miss Chai returned from school, gleefully telling Li Ang that she had perfectly completed her infiltration mission without revealing any flaws.

According to the Brainworm's description, Chai Chai had indeed executed Li Ang's requests well. Although there were some twists and turns along the way, the overall situation was harmless, and she shouldn't have aroused any suspicion.

Li Ang praised Chai Chai, who triumphantly took off her puppet disguise, eager to prepare for the next day's infiltration mission. Li Ang himself logged into the game plaza and purchased another piece of equipment from the shop.

【Name: ftL Interstellar Pirate Sodium Ring】

【Type: Spatial Item】

【Quality: Excellent】

【Effect: Container-style storage. Can store up to the equivalent of three standard 40-foot shipping containers of goods, accessible at any time】

【Consumption: None】

【Cooldown: None】

【Equipment Requirement: Intelligence 15 or higher】

【Note: Goods in the sodium ring will remain in a state of temporal stasis. However, the types of goods cannot be too numerous or complex, and their chemical properties cannot be too active, otherwise errors may occur during retrieval】

【Note: The sodium ring cannot store transcendent materials of excellent quality or higher, nor can it store living things】

【Note: This ring once belonged to a legendary interstellar pirate queen who built her single-person spaceship on a planet full of garbage, smuggled contraband between major empires, gradually organized a pirate fleet, and led the fleet to rescue the star sector's hive city during the First Orc War, fighting alongside the Imperial Navy lieutenant who had previously been pursuing her—the two became husband and wife after the war. This simple ring, which she had picked up at the market as a child, also became their token of love. But few people know that it is actually a psionic item with a long history...】

【Note: This spatial ring has had many owners. Some call it the Black Ring, some call it the Dragon Ring, and some call it the Na Ring. It helped the pirate queen in the early days of her business, driving a single-person spaceship and carrying large quantities of valuable goods across the Imperial border without being discovered. Because the ring made a "na na na na" sound when used, it was also called the Na Ring by her. Later, the Na Ring was hit by a laser weapon in a boarding battle, lost the ability to make sound, the internal storage space shrank, and it could no longer store the spiritual body of the previous owner. That's why the pirate queen renamed it the Sodium Ring】

This item, called the Sodium Ring, looked like an ordinary black metal ring, covered in tiny scratches, seemingly having a very long history.

The internal space was theoretically as large as three 40-foot containers, equivalent to 202.5 cubic meters—much smaller than alchemy workshops or automated pet breeding boxes, which also belonged to spatial items, and it couldn't hold transcendent materials or living things.

However, the Sodium Ring was better because it could be used immediately. Li Ang bought it mainly to store the basic materials needed for alchemy, which could be used directly in battle without having to prepare large sacks.

————

The next day, Chai Chai went to school happily with her schoolbag on her back, and Li Ang waited for the system prompt at noon.

【Entry application has been approved】

【Successfully found opponent】

【Entering the Realm Corridor countdown: 3 minutes. Please prepare for battle】

【Countdown 5, 4, 3, 2, 1】

【Entering: Realm Corridor】

When he opened his eyes again, the surrounding light suddenly dimmed.

This was a modern city under the night sky, with tall buildings lining the narrow streets on both sides. The streets were densely covered with Chinese billboards of different shapes and art styles, emitting dazzling neon lights.

However, the city streets were empty, with no vehicles or pedestrians. In this vast world, only the faint buzzing of neon lights remained, desolate and bleak.

A crescent moon hung high, and a discarded newspaper on the street corner was swept up by a sudden gust of cold wind, spinning in the air, as if an invisible child was tugging at it.

*Pa!*

A vine crossed a distance of more than ten meters, accurately hooked the discarded newspaper, and suddenly contracted and rebounded, placing the newspaper in Li Ang's hand.

【Realm Corridor has generated map: Bewildering Night】

【Map Objective: Within the time limit, inflict damage on the opponent until a cumulative total of ten points is reached】

Along with the system prompt, Li Ang unfolded the newspaper, and the fragmented words on it made him raise his eyebrows.

The bright moon casts its light
The wronged ghosts drift in the wind
The night grows deeper, the fog colder
Wandering souls tread
The secluded road
Seeking a substitute

Lyrics from "Ghost Bride."

Swamp Divinity permeated his palm, soaking through the paper. The tattered newspaper shattered in an instant, turning into dust.

His foot slammed on the ground, and his figure suddenly leaped up, continuously ascending in the air with the help of invisible steps, until he was level with the top of a tall building.

Li Ang looked down, overlooking the city's night view.

The city streets were silent and empty, with not a soul in sight. The neon lights in the distant urban area gradually dimmed until they were completely extinguished, shrouded in a curtain of darkness.

“...”

Li Ang frowned slightly, and a coffin appeared in his hand. Hundreds of birds flew out of it, flapping their wings and flying in all directions.

————

"This round's opponent..."

On the other side of the city, a burly man with sideburns, dressed in simple clothes and a swordsman's attire, frowned and muttered to himself, "It's actually him?"

This person's ID was 【Sword King Court · Great Que】, Lv23, one of the vice presidents of the medium-sized guild Sword King Court, and a powerhouse ranked seventy-seventh in individual combat strength.

"Hmm..."

Great Que slowly exhaled a breath of stale air and said in a low voice, "Matching me with this kind of opponent in the second round..."

Li Ang's ID was extremely long, and his style of doing things was maverick and mysterious, leading to many speculations about this Flawless Furnace shop owner.

Some suspected that he was a figurehead pushed out by the Special Affairs Bureau, some suspected that he was a hidden shareholder of Gen-Sys Biotechnology Company, and others suspected that he was a member of the Syndicate, specializing in earning money for the organization.

But one thing was certain: Li Risheng was very strong.

His fifty consecutive victories in the Sky Arena, as well as the recent dazzling performance of his former defeated opponent, Ding Zhensi, were enough to prove that he had the capital to not rely on any force.

"According to the Watcher Society's speculation, his strength is probably within the top seventy, similar to mine."

Great Que thought silently, "Even if he hid his strength in the previous matches, and his actual ranking is higher...

I still have trump cards to use.

This battle is winnable."

The burly man raised his head and looked up at the dim and lightless sky—a flock of birds flapped their wings, passing over the edge of the city's tall buildings. Several of them spotted Great Que, who was standing alone in the middle of the street, and all let out sharp cries.

Reporting to the distant Creator.