Rebirth 08: Equipment God

Chapter 210 I didn't drink it! I just rinsed my mouth!

In the dimly lit dead end of the alley, Zhai Da took out his phone and examined the new piece of equipment by the light of the screen.

This is the second blue item he owns so far, but it's the first one he crafted himself.

At this point, the [Pure Gold Secret Staff] was still a solid metal lump, a pure gold lump, or, if you had to describe it, a bit like a "prayer wheel," about the thickness of a cup, with a small handle at the back.

The surface features subtle patterns of intertwined "golden dragons" and "trees," seemingly incomplete due to their incompleteness, yet still vividly depicted, conveying a sense of mystery and majesty.

Looking inwards from the front, it has a concentric ring structure, which appears to be a combination of a large number of tubular objects of different sizes.

With a light tap of my finger, I discovered a hollow structure inside, hiding some kind of secret. After some exploration, I found a concealed protrusion on the side, which seemed to be some kind of button.

Zhai Da suddenly understood, and with a gentle press, a "click" sounded.

There seemed to be a powerful spring structure inside, and this sturdy solid metal cylinder was instantly thrown forward with such force that it was almost impossible to hold on to it.

With a "whoosh!" it transformed into a golden staff over a meter long!
It gets thinner as you go down, with each segment fitting together perfectly, and the very tip even forming a cone.

A "golden dragon" and a "tree branch" spiral upwards, seemingly carrying some mysterious symbolic meaning. The handle part can be turned, transforming into a 90° handle.

I see, it's a cane similar to a "Gundam baton".
The Gundam is a common magic prop, also known as the "Golden Cudgel" in China, which can instantly transform from a lump of iron into a stick. However, the mechanism inside this "equipment" is obviously more ingenious, and its structure seems to be much more complex.

So, the worst-case scenario probably didn't happen.

Sure enough, Zhai Da immediately heard the new system notification.

"New suit components detected for the host; information updated."

"Set bonus → Mysticism: Reacquired."

"Mysticism (permanent): Even if your magic tricks are recorded and analyzed frame by frame, your peers and those with a keen eye will not be able to crack the secrets of the magic tricks. Every performance of yours will become an unsolved mystery in the magic world."

“Component Enhancement → [Pure Gold Mystery Staff]: Special effect 'Exploration' will provide more refined feedback in your mind.”

Great, the set components have been restored (5/6).
Zhai Da held the [Pure Gold Secret Staff] in its "unfolded" mode and examined it closely, unable to help but sigh in admiration.
Not only is its exterior mysterious and gorgeous, but according to its name, the internal mechanisms seem to be made of pure gold. It can't be called extravagant; it's downright insane.
This is simply a work of art, or rather, a luxurious combination of art and technology.

It's so luxurious that at first glance, you wouldn't even think of it as "pure gold."

How crazy is that?
If I had to point out a drawback, it would be that it's a bit too thin, giving it an elegant and dignified air, but lacking a sense of solidity and weight.

Gold is a stable but not very strong material. Fortunately, one of the effects is that it "greatly reduces wear and tear during use." Otherwise, he would probably lose tens of dollars with every step he took while walking with a cane, and he could probably hit someone with a hundred dollars with a single blow.
After all, it was a blue-tier piece of equipment, so Zhai Da was quite surprised, especially since he also gained a brand new equipment slot.

But then an even bigger question arose: the predecessor of this thing, the "Desperate Dragon-Seeking Ruler," only cost him 40 yuan when it was auctioned off. And the pure gold material of the cane most likely came from the Dragon-Seeking Ruler.

He had only noticed its weight before; his clothes were askew when he put it in his pocket. No normal person would think it was pure gold. The court probably felt the same way. Besides, the "original" had a patina on its surface.

Does the original owner who was executed know about this? I have a feeling there are some secrets involved.

As it was a piece of equipment, he couldn't sell or melt it down, but he was still quite pleased to have gotten such a great deal.

These are all things I use myself, so what's wrong with having a bit of class?
Just then, a soreness and bloating came over him, and Zhai Dacai realized that he had gotten lost while looking for the toilet. How was he going to get back?
The special effects of the [Pure Gold Secret Staff] have not yet been unlocked, and it seems unable to solve the pressing problem.

Zhai Da slapped his forehead. Right, if he didn't have a mobile map, he still had the system map!
The equipment list's location function, while not displaying detailed streets, at least lets him know the direction and distance, such as the fact that there are many things in Shenzhou Zundi's house.

After opening the interface, Zhai Da finally regained his sense of direction on the light blue, rough map.

Hey. You were walking pretty far just now.
Zhai Da gently twisted the handle, and the golden staff retracted, resembling an umbrella. Only the last section required Zhai Da to apply a little pressure to return it to its original position.

Press it again, and it transforms back into a cane.

Interesting
Zhai Da strode forward, his mysterious and magnificent pure gold cane occasionally tapping the ground, producing a melodious sound that echoed through the alley.

He is now extremely curious about the special effects of "exploration" and hopes that the lockdown can be lifted tonight.

Should I dress up for a hike? A suit is too cold, and I don't know if a trench coat counts as ten kilometers, it's just a two-hour walk anyway.

------

The night deepened unknowingly.

Winters are cold, and although Harbin has a vibrant nightlife, most of it takes place indoors. No matter how lively the buildings are, the streets are always deserted.

Especially on the unnamed internal roads, even dogs won't cross the road in this weather.

Around 1 a.m., the craft beer base behind Harbin Institute of Technology was deserted. Song Wu, the last to leave, glanced at the thermometer, then locked the gate and left.

The company rented him an apartment in an older neighborhood right behind the city, practically just around the corner, which made commuting convenient. However, since arriving in Harbin, he hasn't gone anywhere but work; his activity range is limited to just a few hundred meters.
The most bustling place he had ever seen in Harbin was actually Taiping Airport, where he had just landed.
After Song Wu left, the path returned to quiet. Half an hour later, a small car with a loose provincial license plate slowly drove up and stopped a few dozen meters away.

The skinny guy in the passenger seat craned his neck and peered around for a moment: "Finally finished driving through what company closes at 1 a.m.?"

"Don't rush, wait another half hour. They have several storefronts; what if there are still people inside?"

"Aren't we being a bit conspicuous? I just realized our license plate is wrong. Should we get out of the car?"

The bald man in the driver's seat glared at him and said, "Then get out of the car. It's not my fault if you freeze to death anyway."

When the two started their pursuit from Qian City, they never imagined they would end up in Harbin. They didn't even have warm clothes, let alone a change of clothes.

This is one of the reasons why the car smells so bad, but they've become numb to it.

Now, even if they farted, they would both smell "fresh and pleasant".

Is there any water left?

"Feel it, they're all half-full."

The skinny man felt around at his feet, then suddenly his face lit up with joy: "Hey~ isn't this the beer I just bought?"

"We still have work to do in a bit, don't delay things." "Delay what? I'm so sleepy, this is just to perk me up."

The skinny guy fished out a mineral water bottle; its cool touch was refreshing. He wondered how good this place was, as it was the first time they'd ever seen someone brewing wine.

The skinny guy shook it; there wasn't much foam, so he didn't know if it would taste good.
He then took a big gulp
Suddenly, his eyes widened: "Huh?!!"

The bald man turned around, puzzled, and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Ugh!!" The skinny guy spat it out, and the bald guy caught most of it on his face!

"Holy crap!! What are you doing?!"

"This is the yellow liquor we drank on the way here!! I picked up the wrong bottle!!"

“You*&%￥#@”

The bald man slapped the water bottle across the face, knocking it over. The skinny man frantically tried to pick it up, but the water splashed even more evenly.
"No!! Stop spilling!"

The two were in a flurry of activity

The whole car was shaking.

Several dozen meters away, Qin Yang, hidden in a dark corner, was filled with doubt.
Shouldn't there be two men in the car?
His expression grew increasingly surprised, then turned to a hint of nausea.
Could I have really guessed wrong? The other party came here this afternoon.
Just to scout out a secluded spot and do something indecent?
A few minutes later, inside the car.

The bald man and the skinny man were left only with exhaustion and tranquility.

The bald man wiped his face, intending to smell it again, but then gave up.

The skinny ones are in an even worse situation, with half their bodies covered in it.

Is it yours or mine?

Does it matter?

The bald man sighed, "I guess I'll just sell this car when I get back."

The car returned to a deathly silence, and a deathly smell.
It was a long time before the bald man spoke again.

"Even the youngest son of the Wang family couldn't figure out the value of that 'money ruler,' and the court misjudged it too. I reckon this buyer is just as clueless. It's probably still lying untouched behind that roller shutter door. Let's take a break for two years after we finish this job. We're exhausted."

"Me too! I just found out a day late, otherwise it wouldn't have been so troublesome."

"Good things come to those who wait. That 'money ruler' is very ominous and brings bad luck. It's best to melt it down after you get it."

The bald man couldn't help but recall where he came from with the "money ruler".

Back then, the Wang family was very prestigious in this industry. But when Old Wang got older, he started to dabble in abstract things, probably due to feudal superstition. He spent all his money to forge a pure gold dowsing rod, claiming it could suppress bad karma. As a result, he and his entire team died in the mountains, which also implicated him and the skinny man's father and brothers.

In the past, this line of work was mostly done by fathers and sons or brothers. Old Wang had three sons, two of whom died in the mountains, leaving only his three-year-old son outside. The widow and her son didn't have much money left, as all their wealth had been converted into gold. There was no way to pass on their wealth, so they stopped doing this line of work altogether.

Even the youngest son had no idea that his father was a tomb raider. He grew up ordinary with his widowed mother, and the Queen Mother never mentioned it even once until her death.

It wasn't until last week that the two heard that a few years ago, a hiker had found Old Wang's remains in the mountains. After reporting it to the police, they gathered up all the odds and ends and returned them to their youngest son based on the clues. Of course, what they wanted most was not their father's and brother's remains, but the "money ruler".

It turned out that when they went to inquire, they learned that the youngest son of the Wang family had been imprisoned again, and most of the family's belongings had been auctioned off by the court, which led to all the trouble that followed.
"By the way, how did the youngest son of the Wang family get in?"

"He was drunk driving, hit someone, and didn't have the money to pay compensation, so his house was raided."

"Drunk driving is indeed dangerous. I shouldn't have drunk any alcohol just now."

"Don't you know what you've been drinking, you son of a bitch!"

"I'll say it again, I didn't drink it! I didn't swallow a drop! At most, I rinsed my mouth!"

"Don't talk to me, your mouth smells worse than my crotch."

"Try saying that again!"

"Damn it! What do you want to do! What do you want to do!"

The two started shoving each other again, and the car began to shake once more.

Qin Yang, who was watching from a distance, felt nauseous again. Why was there a second battle?
A few minutes later, the bald man and the skinny man were exhausted again.

"Sigh" x2
The skinny man sighed and said, "It's almost time. Let's go. Grab our things and leave Harbin tonight. I don't want to stay here for another second."

They opened the car door, took a deep breath of the cold air, and then went to the workshop's roller shutter door.

Looking around and seeing no one, the skinny man took out the lock-picking tools he had prepared from his pocket, while the bald man looked around and kept watch.
"You know what, it's been so long since I've opened a modern lock, I'm a little rusty."

"Hurry up."

"My hands are cold, let me breathe on them."

A few seconds later, the skinny man let out a suppressed, strange cry: "What the hell! My hand is frozen to the lock! It was fine just now!"

Baldy really wants to kick this idiot to death!
"Once it's frozen, pull it hard!"

Just as I was frantically trying to figure things out, a voice suddenly came from behind me: "Um... do you need any help?"

The two turned their heads sharply and saw a figure wearing a trench coat and leaning on a magnificent golden cane, who had appeared behind them at some point.

That mysterious, majestic, and noble aura seemed out of place on such a narrow path, but rather in a palace, where one would be served and worshipped by others.

A tall figure, strange attire, strange time and place.

The two of them instantly felt their hair stand on end.
(End of this chapter)