Infinite Puzzle City

Chapter 841: Nothing much to give you, but I'll give you a First-Class Merit (Two Chapters Combined)

Modifying the [Locust Ranking] only required a few strokes of the pen, and the above content was already changed.

It was so simple that even Xiao Ran felt it was a bit too simple.

But upon closer reflection, the reason became clear.

After all, this thing is only a B-grade cursed artifact. Although it is powerful, it relies on the power of the Locust God behind it.

To put it simply, this thing is just a signal transmitter; it doesn't actually have much power.

Xiao Ran only changed the handwriting left by Huang Chao using the "dormitory manager's pen," which is nothing serious.

Then Xiao Ran tried to take out a cursed item.

This thing is none other than the B-grade cursed artifact, [Supermetal Active Bacteria], that Wu Man had just given me.

This item upgrades an item, but the highest possible grade cannot exceed B.

In other words, I can use this item to upgrade a D-grade cursed item to B-grade.

The effect of this product is quite good.

But Xiao Ran was thinking of the scene when Li Ji helped her modify the [Sublimation Gem].

Maybe……

A bold idea popped into Xiao Ran's mind, so he raised his pen and tried to point it at the object.

"Warning: Your privileges cannot improve your 'Level' vocabulary!"

"Warning: Do not attempt to forcibly upgrade the item's 'Level' vocabulary, otherwise the item will be permanently destroyed."

Two warnings appeared in front of Xiao Ran in a row, and it was clear that Xiao Ran's beautiful wish had not come true.

The inability to change the level vocabulary means that it is impossible to upgrade another A-level cursed item.

Since she couldn't change the vocabulary level, Xiao Ran decided to try changing other vocabulary.

for example……

As Xiao Ran tried to use the Privilege: Light Sketch again.

The piercing alarm sounded again.

"Warning: Your privileges do not allow you to change the vocabulary related to 'Quantity'!"

Okay, I was being greedy.

Seeing this, Xiao Ran knew that it wasn't that the "dormitory manager's pen" had insufficient permissions, but rather that her own level was too low.

A C-level professional has only barely reached the threshold for activating an A-level cursed object.

The effect can only reach 20%.

To achieve the same results as Li Ji, Xiao Ran estimated that she would need to reach at least a B-level professional, or even an A-level.

Thinking of this, Xiao Ran's brows twitched slightly, and she picked up her pen again.

This time, the brushstroke flashed with a dazzling blue light.

"Success!"

Xiao Ran's eyes lit up, and she picked up the [Super Metal Active Bacteria] again.

Sure enough, the entries above had changed.

This allows the cursed object to be modified by the fungus and upgraded to grade B.

The entry has been changed from being upgraded by one level to being upgraded to level B.

Although the wording of "Level" was changed, the upper limit of this cursed item was not forcibly increased. Instead, it was a one-time solution to directly raise it to the maximum limit.

Don't underestimate this small change; the difference is so significant that it can elevate the value of this item by at least two levels.

The modification of the supermetal active bacteria has been completed.

Xiao Ran took off her clothes, revealing the [Dragon Armor] underneath.

Although this cursed item is only D-grade, it has already proven incredibly effective more than once. The strength of the Nine-Lives Flood Dragon's scales has allowed Xiao Ran to escape death several times.

This time, inside Gu Xuan's tomb, he was able to resonate with the [Dragon Abyss] in his hand, producing an effect beyond imagination.

This further demonstrates just how amazing the potential of this cursed object is.

Xiao Ran picked up the [Super Metal Active Bacteria], placed it on her chest, and attached it to the [Dragon Soft Armor].

"Activate the cursed item to upgrade the [Dragon Armor]!"

"Warning: Once upgraded, the effects of this item will be irreversible!"

"Yes!"

As Xiao Ran's thoughts settled, the ball of [Super Metal Active Bacteria] in his hand suddenly emitted a dark metallic luster, writhing violently as if it had a mind of its own, transforming into a viscous yet highly fluid bluish-gray liquid that snaked along Xiao Ran's fingers and climbed onto the [Dragon Armor] covering his chest.

This bluish-gray active bacterial flow seemed to possess both corrosive and penetrating properties; the moment it came into contact with the tough, cold black scales, it instantly merged and penetrated them.

"Zizi..."

A subtle yet clear sound, like cold water dripping into boiling oil, echoed in the silent room.

Wherever the active bacteria passed, the originally deep and restrained dark scales on the soft armor visibly "came to life"!

Each scale slightly opened and closed, and its originally smooth surface began to undergo subtle changes that were difficult to detect with the naked eye.

The bluish-gray bacterial liquid, like a living spider web, quickly spread inside and outside the soft armor, penetrating the gaps in the scales and seeping into the base material of the woven armor.

Xiao Ran could clearly feel the temperature of the soft armor attached to her chest and abdomen rising rapidly.

It wasn't scalding hot, but rather a warmth like that of a living being; this warmth was spreading as the bacteria grew.

At this moment, Xiao Ran did not activate the soft armor, but she could clearly feel it conforming to her body, making subtle changes to fit her even better.

Even with its own breathing rhythm, the scales on it open and close slightly, drawing in more air.

"This thing! It's alive."

Xiao Ran looked down and examined the [Dragon Armor] on her body.

Its appearance remains the same—a black inner armor that clings to the body and covers the vital areas. But the material is completely different!

The original cold metallic texture has been transformed into a warm and lustrous sheen, like that of jade.

Those jet-black scales, now each one, have become fuller and deeper, with faint dark blue patterns flowing along their edges, as if they contain some kind of active power.

Between the gaps in the scales, one can vaguely see extremely subtle, rhythmic, bluish-gray halos flowing like breathing.

Xiao Ran couldn't wait to activate the soft armor.

"Kakakaka..."

As Xiao Ran activated the soft armor, the scales on it began to expand, quickly covering Xiao Ran's entire body.

Xiao Ran released her mental energy to view her own appearance from a third-person perspective.

He saw that his entire body was covered in black scales, with even his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears hidden under the soft armor.

But his breathing, hearing, smell, and vision are completely unaffected.

Let's look at the description of this soft armor.

Grade B Cursed Item: [Dragon Armor - Paper Craftsman]

Privilege 1: Dragon Scale Protection

Physical defense and energy resistance are greatly enhanced, effectively resisting direct impacts from B-grade and below conventional cursed items and skills.

Privilege 2; Spirit Scale Resonance

Once activated, the soft armor will completely cover the entire body, ignoring non-cursed damage such as ice, fire, water, smoke, and electricity.

Feature 3: Nine-life dragon breath

Once activated, the soft armor will absorb the surrounding natural elements and launch a dragon breath attack on targets within a 200-meter radius in front of it.

(Note: The more natural elements absorbed, the stronger the dragon breath attack will be.)
Cooldown time: 3 days

Looking at the completely renovated [Dragon Armor] before him, with its vastly different texture and drastically transformed attributes, Xiao Ran finally revealed a satisfied smile.

This clearly indicates that his strength has increased to a new level.

This gave Xiao Ran a sudden urge to rush out and cause a ruckus, just to test just how powerful this soft armor really was.

This wasn't a sudden whim for Xiao Ran; he had already planned his goal in his mind long ago.

Now, it remains to be seen whether these people will fall for the trap.

After storing the dormitory supervisor's pen in his spatial storage, Xiao Ran changed his clothes and strode out of the secluded stone chamber.

After coming out, Xiao Ran went straight to the restaurant next door, [Zhen Ding Wei].

When they arrived at the lobby, they saw more than a dozen craftsmen busily setting up a high frame outside the Zhen Ding Wei restaurant.

"What's going on?" Xiao Ran asked Huang Le as she walked to the counter.

When Huang Le saw Xiao Ran, he lowered his voice and explained to him, "Didn't you want to make a big fuss? The boss said to make a big fuss, so we're preparing to build a stove."

Now Huang Le calls Wu Man "boss".

It's clear that he's completely given up and has no intention of making his own way in the world.

"Such a big stove??" Xiao Ran's eyes widened. He hadn't expected Wu Man to make such a big fuss. Judging from the size of the stove, it was almost ten meters long. How big of a pot would it need to cook for such a large stove, and how many people could it possibly serve?

Xiao Ran couldn't help but think, "Could it be beef soup?"

After all, he was born in Los Angeles, and the culture of soup is a taste of home ingrained in Xiao Ran's bones.

Moreover, cultural exhibitions of soup restaurants frequently appear in Los Angeles, each featuring a large iron pot with a diameter of about five meters, where soup is stewed on-site and offered to citizens for free.

But then I thought, Wu Man wouldn't do that; it's not in Wu Man's character.

Xiao Ran then looked at Huang Le.

"Where is Wu Man?"

"Hehe, my boss is also in seclusion. He said not to call him out before tomorrow morning."

After hearing Huang Le's words, Xiao Ran decided not to go looking for Wu Man anymore.

He didn't go back; instead, he went straight into the street. Since returning, he hadn't even truly gone to Ruzhou City to see how it had changed.

Xiao Ran strolled out of the bustling commercial district where Jingqi Pavilion and Zhen Dingwei were located and stepped into the wider main street of Ruzhou City.

The scene before him seemed little different from when he left, yet it exuded a strange and vibrant vitality.

Shops lined both sides of the street, and the sounds of vendors calling out their wares rose and fell, a mixture of various accents and languages.

"A high-quality cinnabar talisman is essential for traversing the realms of the living and the dead."

"Don't miss out! Freshly baked energy cookies that will refresh your mind and quickly restore your energy."

The streets were a cacophony of sounds, bustling with activity. The pedestrians created a dazzling and surreal scene. A constant flow of people weaved through the alleyways, brushing past each other.

Some of them wore cloth jackets with Chinese knot buttons, long robes with wide sleeves, or even short coarse linen clothes, with their hair tied up or wrapped in cloth.

These are clearly the native residents of Ruzhou. They have a relatively simple and honest demeanor, with a hint of curiosity and caution in their eyes about some new things around them, and their gait is closer to that of traditional people.

The other group wore all sorts of modern clothes.

Jeans paired with T-shirts, casual jackets, sneakers, trench coats, or even some kind of tight-fitting combat suit that shimmers with a faint blue light, along with high-tech goggles.

These are all from the world outside the Lost City, or modern professionals or beginners like Xiao Ran.

Because when Xiao Ran was planning the Lost City, he made a bold move and designated the commercial area centered around the Amazing Pavilion.

Outside of commercial areas, the sale of any cursed items is prohibited.

This seemingly domineering approach actually protected the ordinary people in Ruzhou City to a great extent.

However, although it is forbidden to sell cursed items, this rule is not absolute. As long as they are related to people's livelihoods, they can still be sold.

Every bathhouse has a sign that reads: "[E-level masseuse, first massage only costs 20 ghost coins, permanently increases all attributes by 2 points.]"

Or perhaps the restaurant also has a sign hanging outside, such as one with a photo prominently displayed.

[D-Rank Master Chef's Classic Dish: Golden Swallow. First consumption will increase constitution by 2 points.]

Xiao Ran even saw someone selling a small booklet called "Ruzhou Travel Guide Map" on the street.

It's not expensive, just one coin for the dead.

Xiao Ran casually bought a book, and inside was a Q-version map.

A route map is marked on it. Follow this route map, walk around, and try out the specialties of various restaurants, massage parlors, bathhouses, etc.

You can gain approximately 15 points of Strength, 20 points of Stamina, 10 points of Spirit, and 10 points of Agility.

This surprised Xiao Ran.

Such an increase is not insignificant; it can greatly enhance the strength of a beginner.

Of course, this trip wasn't free; it cost money.

Eating, drinking, and having fun—this whole thing adds up to 4788 points of ghost money.

This amount of money isn't expensive, but it's still too extravagant for a beginner. With this kind of money, you could buy a decent D-grade cursed item.

Dressed in uniform black outfits, carrying ancient-style long swords and spears, the fully armed patrol team would occasionally walk through the streets.

These are all armed forces mobilized by the company, including many former yamen runners from Ruzhou City, who have been absorbed into the team and formed a unique patrol force for Ruzhou City.

One of them seemed to recognize Xiao Ran. After whispering a few words in the captain's ear, the captain's expression changed slightly, and he immediately ran to Xiao Ran's side.

"Hello, Mr. Xiao, I am Zhang Xiao from the sixth team of the third patrol group. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Xiao Ran was surprised by the other party's formality and quickly gestured for them to relax: "It's nothing, I just came out for a walk."

Xiao Ran held a very special position in Ruzhou City. On the one hand, Yu Deng, the governor of Ruzhou, was promoted by Xiao Ran. It can be said that Ruzhou was originally Xiao Ran's territory.

On the other hand, it also reflects Xiao Ran's special status in the company. Although he did not join the company, the company gave him a very high rating.

In the absence of a formal company leader, Xiao Ran can command any team within the company.

Of course, Yang Jun's connections also played a part.

It can be said that in Ruzhou, Xiao Ran is the uncrowned king.

Xiao Ran glanced at the patrol team leader in front of her.

At a glance, all of the captain's information appeared before Xiao Ran.

Zhang Xiao (real name)
D-level professions: Lucky Guy, Six Senses, Horizontal Training.

Attributes: Strength 80, Agility 51, Spirit 20, Constitution 45.

Xiao Ran can check all the identity information of anyone who enters Ruzhou City by bus at any time.

This was the first time Xiao Ran had used this privilege, and she hadn't expected the information to be so comprehensive.

Is things peaceful in Ruzhou City lately?

"It's very peaceful. The company has taken over all patrols in Ruzhou City, and the surveillance system on the streets has been activated. Now even petty theft is rare."

Zhang Xiao gave Xiao Ran a brief report on the current security situation in Ruzhou City.

"Could you show me around? I'd like to know what's going on in Ruzhou City right now," Xiao Ran asked Zhang Xiao.

I'm not familiar with Ruzhou City, so it's quite convenient to have someone show me around.

“Hmm…” Zhang Xiao thought for a moment, “Mr. Xiao, our group is too conspicuous. Let me assign you a guide. He’s a local, and you know him.”

"I know?"

Zhang Xiao waved to the team, and one of the team members immediately ran over.

"grown ups!"

When the other person spoke, Xiao Ran felt that the voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't remember who it was. Only after looking closely did she recognize the person.

"Yang Mingjie, it's you!" (First appears in Chapter 272, when Xiao Ran and Lu Cheng arrive in Ruzhou for the first time, as the yamen runner who guides Xiao Ran.)
Xiao Ran was quite surprised to see an acquaintance.

Back then, this was the guy who led me to Yu Deng and acted as my guide in Ruzhou City. I never expected that so much time would pass and I would actually run into him here.

"My lord, I thought I was seeing things just now, but upon closer inspection, it really is you." Yang Mingjie's face showed excitement.

Xiao Ran carefully examined him and discovered that this guy had also become a beginner.

Upon seeing an acquaintance, Xiao Ran's mood immediately improved, so she said to Zhang Xiao, "You guys go ahead and do your work, he can keep me company by himself."

"Yes!"

Zhang Xiao nodded, then turned back to his team and led them to continue patrolling.

Yang Mingjie found a place to take off his clothes, changed into casual clothes, and came to Xiao Ran's side: "My lord, it's been many years, you still look as dashing as ever."

"Yes, it's been so many years, you've changed quite a bit too," Xiao Ran exclaimed. "Let's walk and talk."

"Alright, where does Your Excellency intend to go?"

"I'm just taking a walk, you decide what to do."

"Then let's go to Qionglou. It's a newly built watchtower with a wonderful view."

Yang Mingjie pointed to the newly built high-rise building in the distance.

"it is good!"

The two walked briskly along the street, chatting as they went. Yang Mingjie talked about the changes and experiences he had had over the years.

As the company gradually took over Ruzhou, it desperately needed local officials to endorse them, so it proposed to Yu Deng to recruit some people into the company's system.

Perhaps because he had guided Xiao Ran back then, Yu Deng had a good impression of Yang Mingjie, so he readily agreed to send them there.

Yang Mingjie was thus inserted into the company's system, not only receiving the career scroll to become a beginner, but also becoming the vice captain.

Although he was only a deputy captain, his treatment was many times better than when they were servants.

"At first, I was actually resistant, but after I really got to know the company, I realized that I had wasted my life."

When the values ​​of the real world gave ordinary people like Yang Mingjie the right to be treated fairly, Yang Mingjie was utterly shocked and deeply moved.

From that time on, Yang Mingjie had already regarded the company as his own home.

As the two were talking, they had already arrived at the gate of the Qionglou.

This building is a high-rise constructed entirely with modern technology, but its exterior adopts the style of traditional architecture, making it blend seamlessly into Ruzhou City.

However, the interior is much more luxurious, with a sightseeing elevator that has become a favorite mode of transportation for local residents.

You can take the elevator directly to the rooftop and overlook the entire city of Ruzhou.

This is a popular tourist attraction.

After Xiao Ran and Yang Mingjie took the elevator upstairs, looking at the vast city of Ruzhou in front of them, Xiao Ran noticed many changes that she had not noticed before.

"Look over there, that's the newly built factory area in Donglongfang. It's said that many locals choose to work in the factories because the salaries are very high."

"That's the newly built company building in Ruzhou."

"Over there, the famous snack street, the brothels and prostitutes that used to be on this street have all been shut down."

At this point, Yang Mingjie couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

This was the only thing he didn't understand: why close down such a fine place as a brothel.

Then Yang Mingjie continued to introduce Xiao Ran to places such as museums, schools, and parks.

Xiao Ran was just watching the spectacle; he wasn't really interested in these things, since he was a modern person and these things weren't unusual to him.

Just as Xiao Ran was getting a little tired of watching and was about to leave, her gaze suddenly shifted and locked onto a young girl. The girl had her head down and was dressed in simple clothes, looking very low-key.

However, all this low profile and pretense were in vain in front of Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran's gaze immediately locked onto the other person.

Kaslia
B-Rank Class: Templar Knight
C-Rank Classes: Greatswordsman, Silent Nun

Attributes: Strength 130, Agility 80, Spirit 80, Constitution 210.

Upon seeing the information displayed before him, a cold glint appeared in Xiao Ran's eyes. He thought to himself, "I didn't expect to run into you here."

Thinking of this, Xiao Ran suddenly looked at Yang Mingjie and lowered her voice, saying, "Mingjie, it's been so many years since we last met. I don't have much to give you, so I'll just give you a first-class merit!"

(End of this chapter)