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Lin Hao sat on his dorm bed, clutching his glowing wok like it was the only thing keeping him sane. The *Crimson Fang Core* and *Abyssal Orb* in his *Reinforced Apron*'s hidden pocket pulsed like overexcited fireflies, their eerie glow casting jittery shadows across his room. The mysterious note slipped under his door—"Meet me at the old library at midnight. Come alone, or the orbs are mine"—sat on his desk, taunting him. It was 11:23 PM, June 7, 2045, and Lin Hao's reincarnated life felt like a cooking show where the main ingredient was danger.
[Sassy, this is a trap, right?] Lin Hao thought, his heart racing faster than a food processor. His Level 12 stats were decent for a *World Weaver*, but going solo against a traitor who could trigger a city-wide monster surge? That was a recipe for disaster.
[Duh, Spatula Boy,] Sassy, his snarky [System], replied. [That note screams 'ambush.' But the Hidden Quest: Identify the Faculty Traitor needs you to play ball. The old library's a monster hotspot—Level 12+ critters love dusty books. Use Thread of Fate (Level 3), Seasoning Slash (Level 4), and Cook the World in a Pot (Level 3) flexibly. Your Immortal-rank talent, Infinite Craft, thrives on chaos. Oh, and tell Squad Firestorm. Su Yan's fireballs are better than dying alone.]
Lin Hao groaned, rubbing his temples. "I can't drag the squad into this! The note said 'come alone.'" But the thought of facing a traitor—and monsters—without backup made his stomach churn worse than exam week. He texted Su Yan a vague message: "Weird stuff at the old library, midnight. Might need backup. Don't tell anyone." If she showed up, great. If not, he'd have to cook his way out of this mess.
He slipped out of his dorm, wok in hand, apron tied tight. The campus was eerily quiet, the glowing runes dimmed for the night. The old library, a crumbling relic on the edge of New Shanghai High, loomed like a haunted mansion from a bad horror game. Its doors creaked as he pushed them open, revealing a dusty maze of bookshelves lit by flickering Abyssal Energy.
[Sassy: Trap alert! Level 12 Abyssal Bookworms detected, 10 meters ahead. HP: 1,500 each. Weak to fire and… paper cuts? Get creative.]
Lin Hao crept forward, his wok glowing faintly. The air smelled like moldy books and danger. A low hiss echoed, and three *Abyssal Bookworms*—giant, glowing worms with teeth like paper shredders—slithered from the shelves, their eyes locked on him.
"Great, killer librarians," Lin Hao muttered. He activated *Thread of Fate (Level 3)*, weaving golden threads into a shimmering barrier around himself, like a glowing book fort. The worms lunged, but the threads held, slowing their advance.
[Debuff applied: Abyssal Bookworms movement speed reduced by 45% for 20 seconds!]
Lin Hao didn't stop there. He used *Seasoning Slash (Level 4)*, grabbing a *Glimmering Spice Jar* and crushing it into a cloud of fiery powder. He aimed it at the worms' eyes, creating a *Blinding Spice Storm* that made them thrash and sneeze, their accuracy dropping.
[Damage dealt: 400 HP per worm! Debuff applied: Spicy Blindness – Accuracy reduced by 60% for 20 seconds.]
The worms flailed, knocking over shelves, and Lin Hao seized the moment. He activated *Cook the World in a Pot (Level 3)*, his wok expanding to a 15-meter radius. He tossed in a *Ghoul Bone Shard*, a *Tainted Crystal*, and a *Mystic Herb Bundle*, weaving *Thread of Fate* into the mix for a twist. The wok glowed, producing *Abyssal Bookworm Bisque*—a creamy, fiery soup that smelled like a spicy library fire.
He hurled the bisque at the worms, and it splashed across them, sizzling their hides for 900 HP damage each. The threads tightened, binding their bodies, and the soup's aroma healed Lin Hao's minor scratches, boosting his stamina.
[Combo Success! Damage dealt: 900 HP per worm! Debuff applied: Bisque Bind – Worms immobilized for 12 seconds. HP restored by 20%.]
The worms collapsed, dissolving into loot: *Bookworm Scales* and a *Tainted Page*. Lin Hao panted, grabbing the loot as his phone buzzed with X notifications—students must've hacked the library's security cams, posting #SpatulaHeroCooksWorms.
[Enemies defeated! 450 EXP gained! Level Up! Lin Hao is now Level 13! Skill Upgraded: Thread of Fate (Level 4) – Range increased to 22 meters, binding/enhancement strength increased by 20%.]
Before he could celebrate, a cloaked figure stepped from the shadows, holding an *Abyssal Orb* identical to his. Their voice was low, distorted. "Weaver, you're meddling in things you don't understand. Hand over the orbs, or the surge buries this school."
Lin Hao gripped his wok, heart pounding. "Who are you? And why's everyone obsessed with my loot?"
The figure laughed, raising their orb. The library shook, and a rift opened, spitting out a Level 14 *Abyssal Specter*—a ghostly knight with a sword dripping black ooze. "Last chance, Weaver."
[Sassy: Trap confirmed! That specter's got 2,000 HP and hits like a truck. Use your skills flexibly—mix and match, disrupt its energy like you did the core.]
Lin Hao dodged the specter's sword, which sliced through a bookshelf like butter. He activated *Seasoning Slash (Level 4)*, hurling a *Dragonfire Pepper* cloud at the specter's face, blinding it. Then he used *Thread of Fate (Level 4)*, weaving threads into a glowing lasso that wrapped around the specter's sword arm, slowing its swings.
[Debuff applied: Spicy Blindness – Accuracy reduced by 65% for 22 seconds. Debuff applied: Thread Bind – Attack speed reduced by 50% for 15 seconds.]
The figure snarled, raising their orb, but before they could act, a fireball blasted through the library doors. Su Yan stormed in, Squad Firestorm behind her. "Spatula Boy, you idiot! You didn't say it was a *traitor*!" Her fireballs lit up the specter, dealing 500 HP damage.
Wang Lei's shield blocked a counterattack, Zhou Mei's arrows pincushioned the specter, and Liu Tao's daggers sliced its back. Lin Hao saw his opening. "Let's finish this!" He activated *Cook the World in a Pot*, tossing in a *Bookworm Scale*, *Tainted Page*, and *Abyssal Shard*. He wove *Thread of Fate* into the broth, creating *Spectral Disruption Soufflé*—a fluffy, glowing dish that smelled like a haunted bakery.
He flung the soufflé at the specter, and it exploded in a cloud of light, dealing 1,000 HP damage and disrupting its Abyssal Energy. The specter dissolved, dropping a *Spectral Blade Shard*. The cloaked figure cursed, vanishing into a rift before the squad could grab them.
[Enemy defeated! 500 EXP gained! Level Up! Lin Hao is now Level 14! Skill Upgraded: Cook the World in a Pot (Level 4) – Range increased to 18 meters, healing/damage increased by 20%.]
Su Yan glared at Lin Hao. "You're explaining this, Spatula Boy. Traitors? Orbs? What are you hiding?"
Lin Hao sighed, showing her the *Monster Surge Document*. "There's a traitor in the faculty, messing with Abyssal Energy. These orbs are part of it. I'm trying to stop a city-wide surge."
The squad exchanged looks. Zhou Mei whistled. "You're in deep, Spatula Boy."
Wang Lei grunted. "Don't die. We need your buffs."
Liu Tao nodded. "Find the traitor. Fast."
Su Yan crossed her arms. "We're in, but no more solo stunts. The Global College Combat Exams are in three months—mid-September 2045. We can't afford to lose you before then."
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**Cliffhanger**:
Back in his dorm, Lin Hao examined the *Spectral Blade Shard*, which pulsed like his other orbs. His [System] pinged. [Hidden Quest Update: The traitor escaped, but the Spectral Blade Shard holds their energy signature. Next step: Track the traitor to the faculty lounge. Warning: They're watching you.] As he hid the shard, a shadow passed his window, and his phone buzzed with an anonymous X message: "Weaver, you can't hide. The surge is tomorrow." Lin Hao gripped his wok, heart pounding. "Sassy, tomorrow? That's not enough time!"
[Better start cooking, Spatula Boy. The whole city's on the menu.]
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