Origin Paradise!

Chapter 99 Gem Enhancement

Late September, 1916.

As the Battle of the Somme entered its later stages, the number of casualties on both sides approached one million. With the collapse of the library, the British army paid a heavy price and was forced to retreat. Meanwhile, the daily casualty figures on the battlefield continued to rise.

After the battle of the library ended, the remaining two members of the action team retreated to the British lines under cover of night and successfully returned to their camp.

Lieutenant General Samofort personally oversaw the operation to thwart Prussia's plan. Upon learning that Emperor Otto had been destroyed by the Reverse Tree Sword, his attitude shifted from fervent to peaceful. However, strictly speaking, the operation was a success, as the mission required thwarting, not seizing.

Jiang He received the Knight of the British Empire medal, which had been promised in advance by the higher-ups, and then politely declined the request to carry out another mission.

This time, Lieutenant General Summerford's attitude changed from peaceful to cold. He secretly withdrew the appointment letter issued by the parliament to the recipient of the Order of the British Empire as the commander of the 12th Army Artillery Regiment, which was equivalent to stripping him of a valuable real power.

Because the middle-aged colonel in the quartermaster department and the Black Knight Si Ning belonged to the same family, Jiang He did not encounter any difficulties in the process of exchanging military merits, and he still retains the heroic honor of being the number one sniper in Lieden.

After successfully exchanging for three rare-grade treasures and five hundred sets of alchemy materials, Jiang He and Tommy returned to Amiens, an industrial town in the rear, in a transport vehicle, thus leaving the battlefield.

……

Early morning in Amiens, a major industrial city.

Because it was located behind the front lines, it became a gathering point for the wounded and logistics personnel. Occasionally, Prussian fighter planes would fly over to bomb it, but overall, the Allied forces gradually reversed their initial disadvantage in the air superiority domain.

In a two-story residential building in the city, Jiang He woke up from a three-hour deep sleep. Dim light shone in from the window; it was another rainy day.

Jiang He got up and went to the washroom connected to the bedroom. The room was not big, only twenty or thirty square meters. Apart from the cabinet, there was basically no furniture. However, even such a place was a benefit he had obtained because of his status as a major.

After finishing her morning routine, Jiang He sat cross-legged back on the bed. A faint whistling and chirping sound immediately followed. The Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound, with its hidden power, was itself a basic method for health preservation and fitness.

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye.

Jiang He exhaled a breath of turbid air. There was no change in the specific values, only that the flow of internal energy was slightly smoother. To improve her physique, it would take many years to see initial results.

Following the advice of the Origin Game, Jiang He took out the Flame Ant Jade Plate from his inventory and placed it in his palm. In addition, he also had three rare-level treasures that he had exchanged for with military merits. This world mission made him very rich.

[Name: Regretful Military Boots]

[Category: Apparel]

[Quality: Rare]

[Effect ①: Intermediate Toughness]

[Effect 2: Kick penetration damage increased by 25%]

[Note: The Goat Knight, as the wife, made these military boots by hand. Before she could give them to her tall and handsome husband, he was killed on the front lines. The Goat Knight left his homeland to seek revenge and eventually succeeded, dying from a Prussian bullet.]

Jiang He put on these black military boots. They were made of genuine leather, breathable and comfortable. He hadn't originally planned to exchange them, but after seeing the actual items, he found them to be in excellent condition and fit the right size, so he decided to use one of his A-level military merits.

[Name: Cold Fang Bayonet]

[Category: Weapons]

[Quality: Rare]

[Effect ①: Intermediate Sharpness]

[Effect 2: Increases additional piercing damage by 10%]

[Effect 3: A mark will be left after hitting the target, which can be used for detection, tracking, and hunting]

[Note: His owner is a feline knight-errant]

Jiang He wrapped the cold dagger with a strip of cloth around the side of his thigh for easy access. The bayonet on this rifle was much smaller than normal, making it suitable as a close-quarters dagger.

[Name: Black-backed Snake Military Pants]

[Category: Apparel]

[Quality: Rare]

[Effect ①: Intermediate Toughness]

[Effect 2: Increases leg explosive power by 25%]

[Note: Originally a complete knight's serpent molt, it was simply modified into trousers by the supply department at the request of the exchange recipient.]

Jiang He put on the tailor-made trousers, which were quite practical for enhancing leg kinetic energy. Kicking, stomping, and running were all amplified, and they also inherited some of the constricting and strangling characteristics of snakes.

[Name: Armor Shard Inlaid with Gem]

[Category: Functional]

[Quality: Rare]

[Effect: Increases the armor penetration of the socketed equipment by 3%]

[Note: Gem enhancement can be up to +17...]

Jiang He browsed through the notes and descriptions of the gemstone inlays.

Upgrading from level 1 to level 5 is guaranteed to succeed, costing 100 game coins per attempt.

Upgrading from level 6 to 10 has a chance of success; failure does not result in a level reduction. 200 game coins per attempt.

From level 11 to 15, there is a chance of success in strengthening. If you fail, your level will be reset to zero. You can use the exclusive shop protection charm for 300 game coins each, and 300 game coins each time.

From level 15 to 17, there is a chance of success in strengthening. If it fails, the gem will shatter and the protection charm will be ineffective. It costs 500 game coins per attempt.

Jiang He grabbed a half-empty bottle of rum from the cabinet and took a few sips. After calming down, he fell into deep thought. Regarding gem enhancement, +15 and above were obviously too risky. Without a sure chance of success, he absolutely could not try it. Otherwise, if the gem shattered, the high sunk cost of killing the Gray Knight would be enough to make him truly heartbroken.

Additionally, gems will exhibit special effects when the enhancement level reaches 7, 13, and 17.

The enhancement method is very simple: insert the gem into the equipment slot and consume game currency to complete the enhancement. When using it, attach it to the item, and the gem will be automatically embedded and will not fall off until the item is completely broken.

Jiang He opened the friends list on the panel and contacted Si Ning, copying and pasting the information there. He now possessed the Aphid Emperor's Greatsword, which he had obtained before leaving the library battlefield. This sword belonged to the Mantis Treasures and was undoubtedly a top-tier item among rare items.

[Moker: New products have arrived]

[Lemon King: Snowy mountain scenery in progress, please wait]

A reply came shortly after.

[Lemon King: ?]

[Lemon King: Advanced Durability, increased attack speed by 25%, increased energy flow by 20%, after splitting Advanced Durability into Advanced Sharpness... Hey bro, where have you been making your fortune lately?]

[Mo Ke: 2600]

[Lemon King: Deal, but you've almost drained my game currency. Can you use a common-grade item to replace 400?]

Si Ning sent me a description of an ordinary prop.

[Name: Costume Change Brooch]

[Category: Functional]

[Quality: Average]

[Effect: Changes the outward appearance of clothing without affecting its essence; requires prior scanning and saving]

[Note: It looks nice, but it's useless.]

Jiang He hesitated for a moment before agreeing to the other party's discount offer. The costume brooch was suitable for hiding clothing-type equipment in various mission worlds, and reselling it to high-level female players should earn her a small profit of tens or hundreds of game coins.

The magic circle materialized, and the familiar giant lemon reappeared.

Jiang He quickly completed the transaction process.

[Notification: You have received a payment of 2200 game coins]

[Hint: You received a package containing a costume brooch]

[Game Coins: 2516]

Chapter 100 Promotion

Second floor residential building.

Jiang He sat on the edge of the bed, estimating his limits. Investing all the money in gem enhancement was undoubtedly too much, especially since high-level enhancement required a gamble.

[Name: Energy Trait LV45]

[Category: Energy]

[Quality: Rare]

[Effect: Deals an additional 55% corrosion damage]

[Note: You have spent 1000 game coins]

[Hint: Energy Trait LV45→LV55, deals an additional 65% corrosion damage]

Jiang He put the Shattered Armor Gem into her equipment slot and then spent 100 game coins.

As the amount of in-game currency decreased, a hazy white light covered the equipment slots.

The light faded in an instant.

[Note: Enhancement successful, Armor Shatter Gem +1, dealing an additional 6% Armor Shatter damage]

Jiang He followed the same method, strengthening it four times in a row.

[Note: Enhancement successful, Armor Shatter Gem +5, deals 18% Armor Shatter damage]

The shattered gemstone is oval in shape and emerald green in color. After five successful enhancements, its color becomes even more lustrous.

For the sixth time, Jiang He went downstairs and called out to Tommy, who was still shaving with a razor blade.

A flash of inspiration.

"understood."

Tommy nodded, washed his face, and then activated the Wildebeest Rider's extraordinary abilities.

"Now."

"OK."

After a brief and concise exchange, Jiang He invested 200 game coins for a "probability-based" enhancement.

The white light formed from game coins covered the equipment slot, and a few seconds later a loud clang was heard.

[Hint: Enhancement successful...]

Jiang He removed his Knight of the Rising Sun medal and handed the inner lining to Tommy. In fact, the medal also gave him the title of "Knight of the Rising Sun," which increased his burning damage by 20 points.

Tommy caught the medal's inner lining. According to the rules of the nobles, this item, like the Hunting Medal, could be exchanged for a powerful position at the King's Shield. He figured someone would offer a high price for it back home, but for him, this opportunity to turn his family's fortunes around was not to be missed, even if there were some twists and turns.

Using his ability again, Tommy said, "Now."

Jiang He began her seventh enhancement.

[Hint: Enhancement successful. Armor Shatter Gem +7, dealing an additional 24% armor shatter damage. Special effect: Weakness Strike, armor shatter effect doubled when hitting a target's weak point.]

Tommy activated his supernatural abilities once more, but this time, after a long pause, he stroked his chin and said:

"You don't have that smooth and natural feeling anymore. Your actions may succeed or fail. It's roughly 82 points, five seconds later."

Jiang He chose to continue strengthening twice more.

[Hint: Enhancement successful, Armor Shatter Gem +9, dealing 30% additional Armor Shatter damage...]

Tommy said, "The success rate is about 70% next time, and the best time is after twelve seconds."

Jiang He nodded. In the realm of alchemy, time contains complex symbolism that can influence luck, and in the East, it is similar to divination based on the timing of heaven and earth.

The tenth enhancement.

[Note: Enhancement failed, gem level remains unchanged]

[Game Coins: 16]

"Very good, they're dirt poor."

Jiang He secretly complained that all the game currency had been converted into combat resources. As for this gem, he planned to install it on the Everlasting Hatred Spear. Although the effect of embedding the Crimson Baptism was more obvious, in the long run, a rare-grade sniper rifle was ultimately just a temporary piece of equipment.

The silver-white spear was taken out of the pouch, and an emerald gemstone was attached to the tail of the spear. The inlay and fusion were completed in just a few breaths.

Jiang He stuffed most of the props into his inventory bag, leaving behind the black trousers and regretful military boots he was wearing, the Cold Fang bayonet strapped to the side of his thigh, and the monocle used for disguise. The white shirt he was wearing was just a regular military uniform issued by the logistics department, and the style was slightly loose.

Tommy reapplied foam to his face, preparing to continue shaving, when a large crow flew in through the window and landed squarely on someone's shoulder.

“Boss, I heard you can produce bullets and medicines independently. The alchemist in town is available, so I arranged to meet him this afternoon,” Wuhe said.

Jiang He took out a biscuit from his pocket and fed it to the other person.