F-class thief? Sorry, I can steal anything.

A delicate shout.

The sound suddenly rang out in the deathly silent cave.

Chen Yifan instantly understood when he saw Mu Wanqing's hunched posture, as if facing a formidable enemy.

This woman was afraid that he would kill her.

To be honest, he did have that thought just now.

but……

Compared to a cold corpse, a living Mu Wanqing who can utilize the resources of the Black Gold Chamber of Commerce is clearly more useful to his future plans.

Value exists on a different dimension.

Having figured this out, Chen Yifan didn't even bother to explain, and simply rolled his eyes silently.

He then turned around and walked straight toward the collapsed remains of the BOSS.

Mu Wanqing stared at the retreating figure, her mind blank for a moment.

He took out a dagger; wasn't he going to kill me to silence me?

He... just wanted to... touch the corpse?

A complex mix of shame, anger, relief, and absurdity rushed to her face, giving her already pale face a sickly blush.

In his eyes, wasn't my earlier display of utmost caution just a laughable one-man show?

Her gaze unconsciously fell on the dagger in his hand.

It was an ordinary-looking combat dagger, stained with dried blood and monster fluids.

It wasn't the weapon she had seen before, the one that had burst from the body of the Thousand Nightmares.

It was my own fault... I was too nervous.

Mu Wanqing took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in her heart and regaining her usual composure.

At this moment, Chen Yifan's attention was entirely focused on the spoils in front of him.

The death of the King-level BOSS left no corpse behind.

The moment the core rules were stolen, the giant tree of flesh and blood completely lost its life support and collapsed into a pile of charred and dried charcoal residue.

The air was filled with a strange smell, a mixture of dust and coke.

Three things lay quietly in the center of the rubble, radiating an unusual light.

The first item was a fist-sized, jet-black heart. It had stopped beating, yet wisps of black mist still clung to its surface, emanating a cold, corrosive aura.

【The Heart of Corruption】.

One of the essential things for Mu Wanqing.

No.

It is the only one.

Chen Yifan's gaze lingered on it for less than half a second before sweeping it away.

His gaze fell on the second item.

Another dagger?

but.

This thing has a peculiar shape; it's less like a dagger and more like a grotesque, dried-out tusk of a wild beast.

The blade is seven inches long, entirely grayish-white, and its surface is covered with natural patterns resembling the rings of old wood. It has no metallic luster, appearing plain and unadorned, even somewhat rough.

But Chen Yifan knew that good things often look extraordinary.

[Secret Investigation]!

[Item: Withered Fang]

[Rank: A (Potential for Improvement)]

[Type: Weapon/Dagger]

[Attributes: Agility +150, Constitution +100]

[Special Effect 1: Touch of Absorption - Each attack that hits a target will forcibly absorb a small amount of the target's life force, which will then be used to replenish the holder. The absorption efficiency is related to the target's life strength and the holder's understanding of the 'Life Absorption' rule.]

【Special Effect 2: Withering and Decay - Passive. All wounds inflicted by this weapon will be affected by the 'Withering' effect, significantly suppressing the target's self-healing ability and the healing received.】

[Note: These fangs, formed from the core life laws of the Myriad Hearts Demon Mother Tree, crave to taste the life of all things. Once it absorbs a sufficiently powerful source of life, it may undergo a complete transformation.]

A weapon for growth!

It also perfectly complements the newly acquired [Rule Fragment: Life Drain]!

Chen Yifan's heart started pounding uncontrollably.

This is no dagger, it's practically a divine weapon tailor-made for him!

It's much stronger than that Nightfang.

With this thing, his battery life will receive an epic boost.

From now on, I'll fight with people and kill monsters.

As long as he isn't instantly killed, he can even get more and more energetic as the fight goes on.

He suppressed the overwhelming joy in his heart.

He put the Withered Fang into his pocket and turned his gaze to the third and final item.

That was a skills book.

The pages are made of some kind of dried tree bark, and on the cover, twisted blood-red runes depict a bizarre pattern of another phantom splitting off from the original body.

A tree dropped a skill book that looks like it was used by assassins or ninjas?

Is this reasonable?

While complaining, Chen Yifan activated [Spy Investigation].

[Skill Book: Life Illusion (Epic)]

[Job Requirements: None]

[Learning Level: Lv.25]

[Skill Effect: Consumes 30% of current mental and spiritual energy to create a 'Life Phantom' possessing 50% of the original's attributes, inheriting all non-regular skills, and capable of swapping positions with the original at any time. The phantom lasts for 60 seconds. Cooldown: 30 minutes.]

[Special Note: The phantom is not an energy or psionic entity, but a 'real projection' constructed from pure life force. It can be attacked, destroyed, used to confuse enemies, and even temporarily become indistinguishable from the real thing.]

Epic skill!

And there are no job requirements!

Chen Yifan's breathing quickened.

This skill is ridiculously powerful! This isn't a shadow clone, it's a life!

A phantom that possesses half the attributes of the original and can switch places at any time.

Whether used for scouting, baiting out skills, exploiting information gaps, or saving lives in critical moments.

They all possess immeasurable strategic value.

The only drawback might be the enormous cost. 30% of psionic energy and mental strength—that's a hefty price to pay.

It doesn't matter as much as mental energy consumption.

The Ring of the Thief provides mental energy recovery, so the cost is negligible.

Without hesitation, Chen Yifan slapped the skill book onto himself. A flash of light appeared, and a brand new gray icon appeared in his skill bar.

After dealing with all the spoils, Chen Yifan stood up with satisfaction.

He glanced at Mu Wanqing not far away, then weighed the mysterious black crystal that she had thrown to him earlier in his hand; it felt cold to the touch.

[Item: Yorgon's Gaze (Fragment)]

【grade:???】

Status: Under Sealing

【illustrate:???】

[Current Affiliation: Bai Xiang]

A hundred aspects?

Something that already has an owner?

Upon seeing this line of explanation, Chen Yifan's pupils constricted sharply.

The word 【百相】.

It immediately reminded him of the legendary assassin known as "Hundred Faces," who was on par with "Shadow Fiend."

This thing actually belongs to him?

But why would it appear in this wild instance?

Could it be...?

Another legendary assassin who disappeared many years ago has died here?

No, that's not right...

This person's level is not high enough to enter this instance.

But why would it appear here?

I don't understand.

However, at this moment, Chen Yifan felt a strange sense of relief.

Fortunately, after killing Shadow Fiend, I did so in an extremely absurd way.

Otherwise, if Bai Xiang knew that Shadow Demon had died at his hands...

The answer is self-evident…

Chen Yifan casually tossed it into the beginner's backpack.

He took a deep breath, raised his head, and looked at Mu Wanqing.

It's time to get down to business.

This woman must be an asset to him, not a potential threat.

Otherwise... he wouldn't mind using a more direct method to resolve this "trouble".

This time, Chen Yifan's eyes no longer held the previous mockery and pretense, only a cold calm.

Mu Wanqing's heart jumped again.

Looking into Chen Yifan's calm, still eyes, she felt a chill rise from the soles of her feet.

It was the feeling of being watched, making every cell in her body send out alarms.

"Let's talk."

Chen Yifan stopped in front of her.

Mu Wanqing's throat was a little dry, but she still maintained her composure.

"What are you talking about? Compensation? I've already said, not a penny less."

She tried to steer the conversation back to the level of monetary transactions, which was the area she was most familiar with.

"Money is a small matter."

Chen Yifan shook his head, his gaze sharp as a knife.

"You're smart; you should be able to guess what my evaluation will be after this dungeon is cleared."

Mu Wanqing's face instantly turned ugly.

SSS level.

Even... a rating that surpasses SSS level.

The turmoil at the goblin mines has yet to subside.

If another player in Jiangcheng achieves godlike status in a wild dungeon, and both instances are linked to the same person...

"I don't like trouble, and I especially don't like leaving loose ends."

Chen Yifan's voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable sense of pressure.

"And you, Miss Mu Wanqing, are the biggest loose end in my operation this time."

A naked threat.

They've even stopped pretending.

Mu Wanqing's face, which had just regained a sliver of color, turned deathly pale again.

She clenched her fists tightly, her chest heaving violently, a surge of anger and humiliation from being driven to the brink of despair rushing to her head.

"Are you ever going to stop?!"

She finally couldn't hold back and let out a low growl.

For the first time, those beautiful peach blossom eyes filled with tears, whether from anger or fear, it was hard to tell.

"Kill me or torture me, just give me a quick death! Stop torturing me with these cat-and-mouse games!"

Time and time again!

This man's mind is like a bottomless whirlpool; you never know what he'll do next!

She decided to go all out, straightened her back, and stubbornly met Chen Yifan's gaze.

This surprised Chen Yifan for a moment.

He looked at the woman in front of him who had just been extremely cautious, yet was still stubbornly putting on an act of being unyielding to the death.

Laughed.

It wasn't a sneer or a mocking laugh, but a genuine laugh that came from the heart, a laugh that found something rather amusing.

"Kill you? Miss Mu, you're overthinking it."

Chen Yifan's tone regained a hint of amusement.

"You are worthless in death."

"To me, the living you..."

"Its value is priceless."