Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

Su Xiao handed the cursed gold coin to Lin Yi; the coin had a slightly cool touch.

Anna watched quietly from the side, a faint smile appearing on her pale face, a smile that held a certain profound meaning.

The moment the gold coin left Su Xiao's palm, Lin Yi clearly felt a subtle change in its weight.

It's not a physical change in weight or lightness, but rather a shift in the sense of presence, as if the coin would exhibit different "personalities" in the hands of different holders.

Just as the gold coin fell completely into Lin Yi's palm, he did feel a slight tremor.

It's not an illusion.

The gold coin throbbed in his palm as if it were alive, like a sleeping heart suddenly beating, or like a prisoner's soul gently knocking on its cage.

The tremor was fleeting, so fast that it was almost impossible to catch, but Lin Yi was 100% certain that it had happened.

He looked down and saw the cursed coin lying quietly in his palm, its surface shimmering with a dull luster, as if the trembling he had just felt was merely an illusion.

“Each person’s cooldown time is independent,” Su Xiao’s voice rang out calmly. “Your use won’t affect my ability to continue using it.”

Lin Yi finally understood Su Xiao's intentions.

While cursed coins are dangerous, their rules are clear—positive buffs, negative effects, and independent cooldown times.

This means that, theoretically, as long as three people take turns throwing, they can continuously trigger the effect and acquire resources in a relatively safe environment.

He looked at Anna, the Queen of Pain, who was standing by the round table, the smile still lingering on her lips.

For some reason, Lin Yi felt that there was a mischievous undertone in Anna's smile at that moment.

What is she expecting? Or is she observing something?
However, it shouldn't be a bad thing. If this thing were harmful to Lin Yi, Anna would probably stop him in advance.

Lin Yi gripped the gold coin tightly and tossed it into the air.

The gold coin spun in mid-air, tracing an arc, its surface reflecting light and creating shimmering spots in the banquet hall.

However, this time, the gold coin's trajectory seemed different from when Su Xiao threw it before—it spun several more times, its descent was slightly slower, and finally, just before hitting the ground, it fell at an almost impossible angle…

It stood upright on the smooth marble floor.

The edge of the gold coin touches the ground, maintaining a delicate balance, neither falling over nor flipping over, just standing there quietly.

Lin Yi was stunned.

He stared at the upright gold coin, then looked up at Su Xiao, noticing that the other also wore an unusual expression of astonishment. Clearly, this situation was completely outside the established rules of the cursed gold coin.

“Interesting,” Anna’s voice rang out softly, followed by two light coughs.

Almost as soon as Anna finished speaking, Lin Yi heard the notification sound from the Paradise of Reincarnation:
[Note: Due to special environmental interference, the calculation of cursed gold coins is abnormal.]

[Analysis of the cause of the anomaly is in progress... Analysis is blocked... The rule level of the House of Death is higher than the analysis permission.]

[Result of this throw: Neutral.]

[Neutral result generation in progress... Generation complete.]

You gain the following buffs:

【1. Luck attribute permanently +1 (Current luck attribute: 91 points)】

2. Restores 50 health points per second for 30 minutes (this effect is not stackable; a new effect will override the old one)

3. Obtain Shadow Stone x1 (This item has been transferred to your storage space, or you can choose to have it appear directly in your hand)

A pure black crystal appeared out of thin air in Lin Yi's hand.

Its size is similar to that of a pebble, and its surface is as smooth as the finest silk. However, when you run your fingertip over it, you can feel extremely fine textures. These textures are not carved on, but grow naturally from inside the stone, forming a pattern similar to a network of blood vessels or a tree root system.

The light falling on the stone seemed to be swallowed up, unable to reflect any luster.

Lin Yi carefully examined the Shadow Stone in his hand, and a detailed description of its attributes appeared before his eyes:
Shadow Stone

Origin: House of Death
Quality: Special

Type: Consumables/Currency
Effect 1: You can use Shadowstone to trade with the "Dead" in the House of the Dead.

Effect 2: When used on oneself, grants the "Shadow Sanctuary" status. Under this status, one can attempt to negotiate and trade with the "Dead" who are normally untouchable in the House of Death.

Synopsis: Anna, you cannot escape the constraints of your mission. The House of Death needs someone to guard it—either you or I.

……

The function of the Shadow Stone stirred something within Lin Yi. This thing served as both currency and a kind of pass.

The House of Death contains beings known as the "Dead," who may be permanent residents or souls trapped here in the past.

Being able to trade with them means that you may be able to obtain resources or intelligence unique to the House of Death.

Effect 2 is even more crucial—some of the dead are extremely dangerous, and conventional methods are simply ineffective in communicating with them. The Shadow Sanctuary state provides a possibility for this.

What intrigued Lin Yi even more was the phrase in the introduction: "It could be you, or it could be me." This implied that besides Anna, there was another candidate. Who was that person? Where are they now? Are they dead, have they escaped, or do they exist in another form within the House of Death?

As Lin Yi pondered these thoughts, he noticed Anna's gaze inadvertently sweep over the Shadow Stone in his hand.

Although Anna controlled her expression perfectly, Lin Yi still caught the fleeting complex emotion in her eyes.

Lin Yi detected several elements within it: nostalgia, bitterness, and a hint of... relief? It was as if she had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

Lin Yi made up his mind.

He walked up to Anna and handed her the Shadow Stone: "Anna, this is for you."

Anna's pupils dilated slightly.

This expression lasted for less than half a second, but it was enough for Lin Yi to confirm that this action was unexpected.

Anna paused slightly, her deep purple eyes fixed on Lin Yi: "Why?"

"I came to the House of Death as a guest, but I didn't bring any gifts." Lin Yi smiled and said naturally, "This will serve as a small gift."

He paused, then added, "And it seems to work for you."

The banquet hall fell silent for a moment.

Shangyue stood not far away, her black wings trembling slightly.

Su Xiao leaned against the wall, her fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of the Dragon Slayer Blade.

Even the dragon-hunting spider lying at Lin Yi's feet raised its ferocious head to look at the two of them.

Anna looked at Lin Yi, then at the Shadow Stone in his hand, and a smile slowly bloomed on her pale face.

That smile was different from her usual faint smile that carried a sickly beauty; it was a truly sweet smile from the heart.

The Queen of Pain's majesty and aloofness melted away like ice and snow, replaced by a pure joy akin to that of a young girl.

If the other beings in the House of Death saw Anna at this moment, they would never be able to connect this girl who was smiling as if she had received a birthday present with the "Queen of Pain" who was known for her cold, painful, and cruel rules.

They would only suspect that this queen, known for her coldness and torment, was possessed by some monster.

The title "Queen of Pain" is well-deserved.

To be able to obtain such a title in the void speaks volumes about Anna's methods and personality.

But at this moment, she smiled like a young girl who had received a favorite gift.

Anna reached out, but instead of taking the Shadow Stone, she gently stroked Lin Yi's cheek.

Her fingers were icy cold, yet they felt unusually gentle to the touch.

This move stunned everyone present, including Lin Yi himself.

"Thank you," Anna said softly.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, she took the Shadow Stone, put it in her mouth, and swallowed it.

The whole process was as natural as drinking water.

The Shadow Stone vanished from her pale lips, and Anna's throat moved slightly. The next moment, something indescribable happened.

The entire house of death seemed to... tremble slightly.

It's not a vibration in the physical sense, but a deeper fine-tuning.

The lights in the banquet hall dimmed for a moment, then returned to normal.

The colors of the oil paintings on the walls seemed even more vibrant, and there seemed to be a few more barely perceptible shadows in the light of the crystal chandelier in the dome.

Lin Yi, Su Xiao, and Shang Yue all keenly sensed this change, but they couldn't be sure what exactly happened.

Deep within the corridor outside the Golden Gate, in that eternal darkness, a faint, unwilling roar could be heard.

The sound was extremely distant, as if it came from countless layers of space, yet it carried a heart-pounding sense of oppression.

The sound appeared for only a moment before disappearing without a trace.

Anna closed her eyes, seemingly sensing something.

A few seconds later, she opened her eyes again. The sickly paleness on her face seemed to have lessened a bit. Although she was still bloodless, at least she no longer gave people the feeling of being fragile and about to collapse.

It's as if she was originally a building with a damaged internal structure, and now those cracks are being repaired, making the whole building stronger.

Shangyue watched this scene, lost in thought.

After thinking for a moment, she walked up to Lin Yi and said, "I'd like to give it a try too."

Lin Yi handed her the cursed gold coin.

Shangyue took the gold coin, took a deep breath, and tossed it into the air.

This time, the gold coin's trajectory was perfectly normal—it had barely left Shangyue's palm, and hadn't even begun to fall, when a furious roar came from outside the golden gate.

The cursed gold coin tumbled in the air, and before it landed, the Gluttonous Beast (Axe Bro) outside the door, which had been staring only at Su Xiao, suddenly turned into the banquet hall, its torso splitting open wide and emitting a wet, sticky roar.

Its giant axe slammed heavily onto the ground, sending up a spray of gravel.

Gold coins landed.

Turn it up.

[Hint: The cursed coin will result in tails.]

You will be hunted by one Gluttonous Beast for one hour.

"..." Shang Yue was silent for two seconds, then turned to look at Lin Yi, and then at Su Xiao.

Su Xiao silently looked away.

Lin Yi coughed lightly, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere.

For the next three hours, a bizarre throwing show unfolded in the banquet hall.

Su Xiao and Shang Yue took turns using the cursed coins, each throw accompanied by the roars and commotion of the Gluttonous Beast outside the door.

As the number of throws increased, the situation gradually spiraled out of control.

The second time, Shangyue threw it, and it landed tails.

[Hint: Shangyue tossed the cursed coin, and the result was tails.]

【殇月将被暴食兽×2追杀，时限1小时30分（追杀时限为暴食兽数量×0.2+初始追杀时限×0.5+已获取暗影石数量×0.3）。】

A second Gluttonous Beast appeared outside the door.

This monster is different from Axe Guy; it doesn't hold a giant axe, but a rusty machete with many nicks on the blade, but the blade itself is larger and wider.

It is slightly smaller than the axe-wielding mantis, but it is more agile, and emits a sharp hissing sound when the slit in the center of its body opens and closes.

Two gluttonous beasts crowded at the golden entrance, seemingly hostile to each other, shoving and banging their weapons on the ground as a warning.

But all the hostility will eventually be directed at Su Xiao and Shang Yue in the banquet hall.

The third time, Su Xiao threw, tails.

[Hint: Su Xiao tossed the cursed coin, and the result was tails.]

You will be hunted by 3 Gluttonous Beasts within 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Su Xiao and Shang Yue took turns using the cursed coins, each throw drawing the roar of the Gluttonous Beast outside the door.

As the number of throws increases, not only do the number of monsters outside the door increase, but the time limit for chasing them also keeps increasing.

……

The throwing continues.

Each negative outcome increases the number of Gluttonous Beasts and the time limit for chasing them, while positive outcomes bring various benefits.

Su Xiaoshangyue's luck contrasted sharply with Lin Yi's.

Of Su Xiao's six throws, two were head-on.

He obtained a Shadow Stone, a permanent boost to his Luck attribute.

However, the cost was that five Gluttonous Beasts gathered outside the door, and the chase lasted for more than six hours.

Shangyue fared even worse, managing to obtain only one Shadow Stone from six throws, with the rest being negative effects.

When she finished her final throw, the number of Gluttonous Beasts outside the door had increased to seven, extending the chase time to nearly nine hours.

The two sat on chairs in the banquet hall, staring expressionlessly at the golden gate.

The corridor was no longer empty—a bunch of enormous, headless monsters wrapped in rusty chains crowded the doorway, the gaping hole in their torsos opening and closing with a sickening grinding sound.

The various weapons in his hands, such as giant axes, machetes, and chain hammers, dragged on the ground, scraping and making a piercing noise.

Lin Yi also made six throws during this period.

Unlike Su Xiao and Shang Yue's "normal" results, every time Lin Yi threw the cursed coin, it would stand upright on the ground in an unbelievable way.

Six throws, six neutral results.

If it weren't for the fact that the cursed gold coins have a limit on increasing luck (maximum of three times), Lin Yi suspected that his luck attribute could directly break through one hundred points.

He gained five Shadow Stones, six life regeneration effects, and three permanent upgrades to his Luck attribute.

The luck attribute increased by 3 points. Although the increase is small, under special circumstances, every bit of luck can bring about a qualitative change.

Lin Yi gave Anna two of the Shadow Stones. When he tried to offer her a third, Anna shook her head.

“That’s enough,” Anna said softly. Her complexion had improved noticeably; although she was still pale, her eyes had regained some sparkle. “Three Shadow Stones are already the limit allowed by the rules. Any more won’t help me.”

She looked at the remaining Shadow Stone in Lin Yi's hand: "Keep it. It has other uses after we leave the banquet hall."

"Other uses?" Lin Yi pressed.

Anna didn't answer directly, but instead turned her gaze to the restless Gluttonous Beast outside the door: "In the House of the Dead, Shadowstone is hard currency. Some of the dead only accept Shadowstone as a form of exchange. And some special areas... also require Shadowstone to enter." (End of Chapter)